This Meeting was recorded for Accuracy
Meeting opened by Lou McLaughlin, President
Present:, Michael Smith, Sue Bartow, Jeffery Miller, Clark Baird-Mayor, & Lou McLaughlin- President, Keith StClair, Gladine McMaster- arrival 7:20 PM
Absent: none
General Public: Mellissa Miller and Heidi Speidel
Old Business:
Approval March minutes
After review motion made by Jeffery, 2nd by Lou to approve minutes for March, all in favor motion passed.
Approval of Treasurer Report
Sue asked about the liquid fuels account date of 3-18-. Sue wanted to know if the “to payroll Wynn wages” was an ef transfer to payroll rather than just to payroll.
Pat said yes it is the exact same thing.
After additional review motion made by Keith, 2nd by Jeffery to approve treasurer report, all in favor motion passed.
Solicitor Report:
Michael said he was working on the per capita. He has completed the 2023 per capita but has several questions for Tax Collector and they will be ready to go.
Public Comment:
None at this time.
Old Business
Update on sink hole between 3rd & Water and 3rd and Shaffer at alley
Lou said it was taken care of. Ken McGinnis emergency contractor and Borough workers completed the job. We took photos. It is the same as the rest of the streets. This issue has been going on for years. Lines cut and steel plates put over them. The sewage line was dug across our lines. It eventually caused the sink hole.
The storm water line was leaking but when the sewage line was put in they cut through our lines, put the sewage lines in and then filled with gravel creating a leech bed. Eventually the water found its way around and created a sink hole.
Jeffery asked the total cost of repairs.
Lou said $1544.05 for everything.
Pat gave the breakdown : LB Water for piping $683.50- Chestnut Ridge for 3 yards of 3B gravel to fill $81.00 - Lowes (3) 80 LB bags of concrete to seal the piping $29.55 - and Ken for 6 hours @ $125 equaled $750.00
Clark asked to have sewage company to pay at least 1/2 the cost of the bill
Discussion was made whether to ask the sewage company to pay half the cost.
Jeffery said he motions to pay Ken McGinnis the $750 for his bill on the project. Keith 2nd motions, all in favor motion passed. Jeffery asked for Pat to send a letter to Sewage Company asking them to pay half the costs.
Jeffery said we are going to have to do paving at some time this year on it. Lou said we are going to get hot patch and then have Ken to dig some of the gravel out and we put the hot patch over it. I am waiting to see if it sinks any before we do this.
Westmoreland County 4th Annual Blight & Revitalization Summit
Everyone received a flyer on this. The summit is to be held April 25th 8 AM at Westmoreland County Community College - Youngwood Campus. Those interested need to call and get tickets if going.
Storm inlet Market Street in front of Kovac residence.
Lou has a photo of this inlet also. Pat said she sent out a request for PENNDOT. Received a response back from Lance Halterman/ AHMM from PENNDOT stating the inside of the Boro the state is in charge of the road surface. So that would be the grate or pot holes. The inlet structure appears to be the issue here and there is no structure under the grate allowing material to hold in place to prevent holes. In other words it is our problem.
Lou said the inlet size is 26 x 47 1/2. We might be able to get away with getting another grate just a little bigger. Lou said Paul and he were also looking at putting bricks in there and laying on the side instead of standing up and concrete them in. But we were looking at the back part of the area it seems there is a couple holes there also. Lou said he was getting his brother to come down and look at it. B & K in Strongstown makes special size grates. To put an inlet in would run $7 to $8 thousand dollars. A riser will not work because there is nothing for it to sit on.
Jeffery suggested to table to May to see if a larger grate will work.
Lou said he is bringing the workers back next week and they will look at it again to see what we can do.
Lou to check on the price of a grate or a riser whichever will work.
No other old business
Clark asked if we found a replacement for the Sewage Committee position. Lou said last month we did mention Keith.
Lou asked Keith if he wanted the position. Keith said yes he will take it. Pat to send letter to Sewage Company notifying them of the replacement position.
Jeffery motioned to appoint Keith, 2nd by Lou all in favor motion passed.
New Business:
Letter from Fire Company on Carnival.
Lou read letter from Fire Company on closing certain streets for the carnival in July. They are also requesting approval for fireworks display on the last day of carnival.
Motion made by Sue to close the streets and for fireworks, 2nd by Jeffery all in favor motion passed.
Citizens Ambulance
Lou read the letter asking for attendance to a meeting April 2nd or April 3rd. Unfortunally the letter was late in getting to us.
Fire Dept Donation
Council did not approve because we always pay for their workers comp.
Pat said we currently give them funds yearly to help cover their vehicle insurance.
Jeffery made motion to pay fire dept $2,000 to help cover the cost of their insurance, 2nd by Keith all in favor motion passed.
Street Sweeper Fees
Pat said Donegal Construction charges $250 per hour and did not give us a quote for travel time. For 8 hours their charge would be $2,000
Penn sweeping charges $240 travel time plus $140 per hour. For 8 hour day and travel would cost us $1360.
Jeffery motions to pay up to $2,000 to Penn Sweeping to clean the streets, 2nd by Keith, all in favor motion passed.
Any other business.
Jeffery asked Clark if he talked to the owner of the house on Lincoln Street where the foundation is crumbling.
Clark said it is in his Mayor report. He said he talked to a guy named Tom. Home is 745 Lincoln Street.
located at 8th & Lincoln. Clark called the number on the for sale sign. The owner said he was hoping his son would take it over. He was supposed to look at it. Clark does not know if the house was sold or not.
Jeffery said that building is very bad. It is leaning toward the house beside it. When then building comes down and with the utilities still attached it will be a major issue.
Pat was telling council about the inside of the house and how the foundation has been caving in even when the Burkett's owned the property. The back of the house also has a hole above the outside entryway to the basement.
Jeffery motions and 2nd by Lou to turn the property letter over to the solicitor to handle. The owner is Tom Garrity, who lives in Ebensburg. Pat to give address from the tax rolls. All in favor motion passed.
Mellissa mentioned her concern of the old Marino home. The large tree in front of the property had a broken limb and is dangerous. Lou said we can also send Joe Short a letter concerning this.
Jeffery motions to send a letter to Joe short and 2nd by Keith, all in favor motion passed. The solicitor can send a letter to him also.
Correspondence
Westmoreland County industrial development corp. pamphlets
PA 811 pamphlets
Mayor report
Clark said he spoke to the owners on 8th & McKinley about their burn pit. Trash blowing into neighbor yard. The owner said they would clean it all up.
The lady between the arches was thanked for picking up the trash through there.
Clark and Lou both thanked her for this.
Clark asked if we knew where the property line was for them. They keep throwing the kids out of the area thru the arches.
Their property is not in the Borough, it is in Fairfield Township.
Sewage Report
Meeting next week at the sewage authority building at 6:30 PM
Street Commissioner Report
Lou said the Borough workers are coming back Monday.
They are also getting top soil to fix the properties that were damaged during the winter while plowing.
The workers cleaned up the truck, took off the spreader and plow and cleanup for the winter.
They are also going to paint the bottom of the plow which is getting a little rusty from dragging on the roads.
The workers worked for 2 days at the sink hole. We used our equipment to compact the gravel and dirt.
The roads was cleaned up when the tree branch's came down by Connie D’s property.
The Zero tune mower has been fixed and ready to go. Total cost was $1,613.78
The stop sign by LaMantia's has been knocked down again by one of the large trucks from LaMantia's.
Lou to talk to Pam concerning this.
Parks & Rec
Mellissa said last month she asked for approval for Sara Stoffer to be on parks board. She ending up declining because of other commitments. Now she is asking for approval of Sue LaMantia to replace Sara on the parks board.
Sue motions for Sue LaMantia to be on parks board, 2nd by Jeffery, all in favor motion passed.
Mellissa will also get a resignation letter from Sara.
Currently have a sub sale going on. Cost is $10 per sub. Orders are to be in by April 28th and delivered on May 5.
Tickets also going off on May 26. Cost is $10
Parks got a grant thru Beverity and they were requesting a cancelled check for the funds to be deposited into the Borough account. In turn they are also sending a letter to say it is for parks.
No other business to discuss.
Lou forgot to mention about a fox living around Dink Luppacchini property and they called animal control. They were told to leave it alone. The fox is just looking for food for the baby foxes until they are old enough to leave. It seems the fox is catching the cats for food.
Motion to close made by Jeffery 2nd by Lou at 7:55 PM all in favor motion passed.
Respectfully,
Patricia Betts
Secretary/Treasurer