During the bustle of a busy meeting that included site plan approvals and the reopening of a controversial roadway, Monroeville council members paused to remember a fallen citizen and support legislation created in her name.

Council voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt a resolution supporting state House Bill 2026, the Demi Brae Cuccia Law.

The law, sponsored by Rep. H. Scott Conklin, D-Centre County, would require public schools to educate students in grades seven and higher about the perils of dating violence.

Demi Cuccia, 16, of Monroeville and a Gateway High School student, was stabbed to death in 2007 by her boyfriend, John Mullarkey Jr., who was 18.

Mr. Mullarkey was sentenced in June to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

"Obviously, it's a community coming together that believes that something needs to be done, these kids need to be educated," said Demi's father, Gary Cuccia.

Mr. Cuccia and his wife, Jodi, helped bring the bill to the House and have created several teen dating violence awareness initiatives since their daughter's death. They include the Demi Brae Cuccia Awareness Organization and the website demibrae.com.

"I believe if I would have known what I know now," Mr. Cuccia said, "I would have seen some things my daughter, Demi, was going through, and she would have seen some things she was going through that just were not normal.

"These kids need to be educated so they can differentiate between a healthy relationship and a nonhealthy relationship."

Council also voted to repeal a resolution that closed a portion of Coffey Street, a subject that has been a bone of contention for 1st Ward residents for months.

The street was closed off in October following several meetings with residents regarding solutions to the street's high volume of traffic.

But Councilman Bernhard Erb said feedback from a February town hall meeting, as well as questions regarding the legality of the closing, persuaded him to raise a resolution that would reopen the street. Coffey Street connects Haymaker Road and Route 130.

Municipal engineers confirmed that Coffey Street did not meet any of the three requirements for street closure and said it was shut the first time only because its posted speed limit of 15 mph made it appear that the street had met guidelines for excessive speeding.

The state, however, requires streets outside of school zones to have speed limits of 25 mph or higher.

Coffey Street resident Anthony White complained that traffic had improved only marginally since the closure and predicted it would be much more dangerous once it reopens.

"If two residents had their cars sideswiped since the street's been closed, what do you think it's going to be like if it's reopened?" he asked.

In other business, council approved a conditional use application and site plan for an Eastern Car Rental/Payless Car Rental business at 4491 William Penn Highway.

The 1.46-acre property is the site of a former Sunoco Gas Station. Owner Bob Gardill said he would use existing parcels as a sales room and for vehicle storage.

Council passed an ordinance to refinance three of its bond issues, bringing the municipality $432,343 from the transaction.

It also voted to declare an unanticipated fiscal emergency, due to snowfall, in order to expend more than $83,000 in emergency funds received in 1993 as part of the Regional Asset District tax.

An ordinance creating a no parking zone for snow removal on the south side of Burma Road passed unanimously.

Resolutions to distribute grant funds for Independence Day festivities and the Memorial Day parade passed, 6-1, with Lois Drumheller dissenting because of a lack of funding to neighborhood pools.

A resolution to support the tolling of Interstate 80 was rejected, 6-1, with Clarence Ramsey dissenting.

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