Carnegie council voted 5-0 Monday to permit alcohol to be served on public property in compliance with Liquor Control Board regulations. Council member Vera Freshwater and Mayor Emmett Freshwater were absent.

It would enable Papa J's Ristorante on East Main Street to serve drinks at its new sidewalk cafe.

The permit would be in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and could not be used during the annual Arts and Heritage Festival or during other community events to which 30 days written notice has been provided by the borough.

Councilman Fred Carini initially opposed the idea, arguing, "Then you're going to have everyone wanting to do it."

But colleagues Sue Demko and Pat Catena argued that no other restaurant in town has the required 5 feet of leeway on public property to operate a sidewalk cafe.

In other developments, there appears to be a buyer for the duplex at 612-6121/2 Boquet St., a property that suffered major damage in a 1997 electrical fire. The borough had secured $6,200 from the Char-West Council of Governments to raze the building, only to learn that a potential buyer had surfaced.

Council last month voted to apply the funding to 121 Court St. but realized later that the property had already been demolished. Solicitor Joe Lucas said Monday that the borough must update its demolition list in order to salvage the COG money.

However, officials voted unanimously Monday to reject all bids for 612-6121/2 Boquet. Ms. Demko said the potential Boquet Street buyer was waiting for his letter of credit.

Another COG demolition bid is expected to be approved next week to raze 316 Academy St. for $10,985.

Also, council discussed reinstating a K-9 program.

Officer Jim Quattro, who was hired in March, is a certified K-9 officer and owns a 3-year-old German Shepherd that has been trained in patrol and narcotics detection.

Though the initial startup costs would be low and financed through drug seizure money, officials plan to solicit money from several sources for the estimated annual $2,400 maintenance costs.

Carnegie's two previous K-9 dogs have cost the borough money, but this one "is basically a bonus," said Sgt. Jeff Kennedy, who was filling in for vacationing Police Chief Jeffrey Harbin.