Ben Avon Council unanimously, but reluctantly, voted to accept the resignation of council member Dan Herchenroether, effective Dec. 31.

Herchenroether, who is chair of the public safety committee, cited professional and personal reasons. His term runs through 2011.

Borough solicitor Chuck Means said council has 30 days from the termination date to fill the vacancy. Interested residents should send a letter and resumé to the borough building by Jan. 4.

Almost every girl has that ballerina dream. The lights, the tights, the music, the Prince Char-ming.

But then come the practice -- hours of practice -- along with ankle sprains and instructors' demands and so often that dream becomes a memory, along with Barbies and other childhood interests.

Amy Herchenroether, the daughter of Wendy and Dan Herchenroether of Ben Avon, probably experienced all of those stages in her dance training, but since starting "…about when I was 3," her love of dance has grown with her skills, and at age 17, the dedication is beginning to pay off.

Ben Avon Council unanimously approved term limits for members of the Joint Planning Commission.

Chairman Scott Keener's term will expire 2011, John Busse's 2012, Thomas Mrozenski's 2013, and alternate Catherine Houska's 2014—all on December 31 of those years.

Council didn't set term limits when the members were originally appointed, but did so at Tuesday's meeting to comply with the planning code. Terms are staggered so multiple vacancies do not arise at the same time. When the time comes, re-appointments will be for the full, four-year term.

By LOIS THOMSON

"I regret voting for it because it's unenforceable, and possibly unconstitutional," said Ben Avon Council member Dan Herchenroether, referring to the gun ordinance council adopted last December that requires residents to report lost or stolen handguns to the police within 72 hours or face a potentially huge fine.

Ben Avon Council unanimously passed both an ordinance and a resolution involving guns at Tuesday's meeting.

The members first voted to advertise an ordinance requiring residents who have guns that are lost or stolen to report that information to the police.

The resolution ap-proved was to encourage the state legislature to make a law that stolen or lost guns must be reported to the police.

Lloyd Corder and Dan Herchenroether were absent.

By LOIS THOMSON

Ben Avon is considering eliminating the Bookmobile service in the borough. In drafting the 2010 budget, council member Judy Konitsney, head of finance, said at the Oct. 20 council meeting that she recommends not renewing the service for the coming year.

The Bookmobile comes to Ben Avon once a week for an hour, and she said that on average, 24 people have been using it, of which 16 are borough residents. And at a cost of $9,115, that averages out to $11 per person, per hour. Ben Avon Heights had contributed to the cost in 2009, but is not planning to do so next year.