This Meeting was recorded for Accuracy

Meeting opened by Lou McLaughlin, President

Present:, Michael Smith, Gladine McMaster, Sue Bartow, Jeffery Miller, Clark Baird-Mayor, & Lou McLaughlin- President

Absent: Keith StClair

Pat asked if we were going to contact Keith over the phone since he was sick.  He would like to participate. 

Jeffery asked if we were legally allowed to do this.  Pat said when Covid hit PSAB made it legal to do so without the individual Boroughs making an Ordinance for it.

Michael and Jeffery looked up in the code book.  It was apparent we could do so as along as everyone could hear what was said on both ends. 

General Public : Mellissa Miller and Heidi Speidel and John Kovac

Old Business:

Approval February minutes

Sue asked a question concerning the number of employees the Borough had that were charged through QuickBooks.  Pat told Sue we had 5 employees 2 times per month and we do not get charged $7 per check.  We get charged $7 per employee per month. 

Sue said she only counted 4, Don, Paul, Clark and you.  That's 4.  Pat then said we also have Tax Collector whom we pay.  Sue then said ok. 

Lou asked if there were any other questions.  He needs a motion to approve the minutes.

 Jeffery made motion to approve the February minutes, 2nd by Sue, all in favor motion passed. 

Jeffery reminded Lou to call Keith back.   Lou asked Pat to do so.  Keith did not answer the phone this time.  He told Lou he was taking his medication and going to bed.   

Approval of Treasurer Report

Jeffery asked if Fairfield TWP had paid for their workers comp portion yet.  Pat said yes and West Wheatfield paid theirs in January.

Sue asked why there was no wages for the Mayor for code enforcement for February.  Pat said that was because the check did not get cut for February until March 4th when the rest of the checks were cut.  It will appear in next month's report. 

Lou asked for a motion to approve treasurer report.  Gladine motions to approve, 2nd by Lou, all in favor motion passed. 

Solicitor Report:

Michael said we received an email from April Couch who was put in charge of our LSA Grant.  Michel sent a letter to her on March 5th concerning the Bolivar Municipal Sewage Authority with a timeline of what transpired over the years as well as the emails which were sent to her from our treasurer on December 15th and again on December 31, 2024.  Mrs. Betts explained and also sent attachments of Ordinances  which had taken place throughout the years.  We still had not received a response on the emails.  He was asking whether the facts as explained would suffice to establish that Bolivar Borough remains eligible for the LSA Grant.  If not then he would like to know why the Sewage Authority expiration affects Bolivar Borough's eligibility and what the Borough could do to remedy the situation.  Given it is now March he is asking that April respond to this inquiry. 

Michael said according to her email back to him it seems like everything is ok now.  Pat did respond that she could send the signed documents to her if needed, which she did reply that it was not necessary. 

Aside from that Michael said he started to prepare the per capita complaints and talk to Tammie about getting copies of the documents showing they were not paid.  According to statue we can still collect up to 5 years of attorney fees and charges. 

Public Comment:

John Kovac said he failed to send the photos from several months ago so he brought them with him tonight and gave out to Lou.   He also included the drain on SR259.  Lou said the bricks are to raise the drain. 

I also talked to parade committee and since the Memorial Day parade has not been held for the past 2 years we are going to hold the parade this year.  I will need approval to close the borough streets for that day. 

Lou motions to approve the closing of streets from 2nd thru 6th street for the Memorial Day parade. 

Motion 2nd by Sue, all in favor motion passed.  Need to get letter and permit out to Legion for their submission to the state for approval as well.  John had no other business.

Lou asked Heidi Speidel for comment, she had nothing to say. 

Lou asked Mellissa for comment she had nothing to say also. 

Old Business

Update on zero turn

 Lou passed around all the work orders for the zero turn since 2018.  The belts were last changed at that time.  We do also need tires on the mower.  They called and asked if we wanted fluid in the tires like before.  We need to have it maintained.  They did not give a price.  He did look at other  work that was completed on the zero turn.  Pat said every 2 years we put money into servicing the zero turn.  It will probably cost around $1,000 but not sure. 

Update on QuickBooks charges. 

Pat said she talked to Marissa Fuell who is our Quickbooks account executive.  She and I went over what we currently have and the QuickBooks program quotes that Sue got from a Nedelyn Balan at customer sales. 

The Quickbooks essentials online and the quickbooks payroll core both deal with 1099's. 

They manage 1099 contractors

Send estimates,

401 (k) plan, workers comp, e-file 1099's and pay.

 have direct deposit.

 They do not do w-2's nor file the w-2 reports.

QuickBooks core also does retirement for employees and health  insurance. 

Essentials requires on line printing of checks.

Essentials requires you to notify your bank and the bank cuts the checks.

Essentials does not do donation tracking.

Essential payroll core does do reports but they do not process them.  They send the reports to the company who in turn files the reports with the agency's requiring them. 

This is a third party who does the work and then send back to the company to finish off. 

We currently use Quickbooks Pro for desktop Non Profit.

We cut and issue our own checks.

W- do w-2's and file the quarterly and yearly reports

We do donation tracking because of Parks and Recreation

We do not have any 1099's and if we did our program would do them.

We do not have nor do 401 K plans

 We do not have retirement plans

 we do not have health insurance

We do not have to nor file yearly 990 Reports to IRS. 

Cost's Quickbooks Essential's costs $1,242 per year

Our Quickbooks pro desktop costs $,1399 per year

Quickbooks on line payroll core costs  $1,380 per year but are giving a 3 month discount to make the program cost $1,035.

Our payroll program costs $700 per year.

Essentials charges $6 per employee per paycheck per month.

Our charges are $7 per employee per month no matter how many checks are issued during that month.

Jeffery said you can print checks from quickbooks.  Pat said not with the programs that was given to Sue.   You need to contact the bank and they print the checks for you.

Jeffery said he had the most simplest  program and could print checks.   

Jeffery said he talked to Keri from Fairfield and was told they pay $1200 per year that's it.  Jeffery said they had w-2 employees.

Jeffery said how far along are we paid up to.  Pat  said we are paid up until November.  Lou said then we can research further because something doesn't seem right.  We have time to look into it more.

Mr. Kovac, said we use QuickBooks at the Legion and it does everything.  The taxes, w-2, and we pay everything thru the bank.  It  tracks donations as all.  We do pay a fee per employee but not sure how much it costs us.

Jeffery said it could be that Keri did not know exactly or understood what was asked about any additional costs. 

John said his does not file or pay local taxes. It will keep track of the local taxes but does not pay them. 

If you work for us we do direct deposit because some of the employees never cash their checks.  We also do on line banking.  We log into the bank tell them to pay checks, they cut checks and send out.

If the entity does not receive the checks after 90 days the funds go back into our account with no extra charge on us and the checks is then re-cut. 

Pat said she spent over an hour comparing our account to an essential account, asking questions on what can be done and not be done.    Pat also talked to Fairfield and is going to go out there to look at what they do and cannot do. 

Update on meeting with County  Exec and Senator Pittman's Staff. 

Lou said it was a pretty good meeting which we had.  Everyone also received a copy of the meeting which took place February 7th.  This also concerned  the LSA Grant funding and the CDBG funding.  Pat said the county also contacted her the following day to get photos of the rest of the 5th street storm water project which was done and sent to the county. Apparently they are looking at combining them to finish off that project and to use the LSA funding for the Market Street project flooding area from the graveyard thru and over to Kovac property and into the dike. 

Update on sink hole between 3rd & Water and 3rd & Shaffer at alley.

Lou said the workers filled up the hole with stone and now the hole is bigger.  It looked like someone is making the hole bigger. It was dug out more.  Lou to get Kenny to do a PA 1 Call to see if it is a sewage or borough problem.   Asphalt just doesn't fall in. 

Heidi asked if anyone could take a picture of where the hole is located for safety purposes.  We have cones around it.  If emergency responders need to go down there it would be helpful. 

No other old business

New Business:

2024 Audit completion report

Pat said if you would like to see the actual detail of the audit it is on the back counter for you to see.  Jeffery asked if we got it yet.  Pat said yes.    Jeffery asked if we advertised it yet and Pat said yes. 

No further action is needed.

Liquid Fuel Allocation.

Pat said we received our allocation of $18,773.71 deposited on the first of March.  Jeffery asked what we got last year. Pat said it was $18,300. Close to last year amount.  Sue said if it came in on March first why is it not on the treasurer report. Pat said because you are looking at February reports of checks.

Registration for CoStar's salt program for 2026 deadline

Gladine said she is working on it. 

Correspondence

Lou said we added this to the agenda.

1. Lou read a letter from Sherri Burtop resigning effective immediately from the Tri-Community Sewage Authority. 

Lou asked if anyone wants on the Sewage Authority?    Sue wanted to know when her term is up.  Pat said she did not know. She would have to look it up. 

Sue said Keith wanted to before. Sue said that if Jeffery did not want to do it then he would.  Keith will be texted to asked if he still wants on the board.

2. County Borough Association Banquet.    $30 per person. Need to know by April 17th if anyone from council would like to go.

3.  County Borough Association Meeting - Meeting location Hosses in Greensburg.  This is a meeting and dinner.    

Lou asked if anyone wanted to respond and to this also.

Any other business.

Mayor report

Clark said the only thing he had was about the hole on Shaffer and Water Street.

Sewage Report

Jeffery said meeting is next week and rates not going up yet. 

Street Commissioner Report

Lou said still haven't gotten called about the recall on the truck.  Not much going on with the truck.  In the spring we are going to take care of peoples yards that got tore up with plowing. 

Jeffery wanted to know when asphalt company opens up again.

Lou said usually in April but we can get cold patch any time.  We have some still down at the hut.  We can throw diesel fuel on it and stamp it to make it new again.

Lou wanted to know when  are we thinking about bringing the workers back.  Jeffery said maybe May.   Sue said April.

Lou said he wanted to try the street sweeper again.  When the workers sweep the streets it takes a long time and cost twice as much as bringing in street sweeper to do in one day.  Lou said drains needs to be cleaned out.   We will shoot for the first of April.

Lou said Donegal was more that the other company we used.  Pat to contact Penn Sweeping to get their charge.  Lou called Donegal already and they are more than Penn Sweeping. 

Parks & Rec

Mellissa handed out the events for this year.   Also got a phone call from Laurel Valley baseball team, Brad Lichtenfels.  He wants to use the lower park for baseball practice.  They do have insurance.  They will give us a copy of their insurance.  They will do what they need to do to get the field ready. 

April 12th is the comedy night event at the Legion.  Free snacks and soft drinks.  Cash bar and 50/50 also.

Ron resigned from parks and we are recommending Sara Stoffer to take his place.  We would like your ok for  Sara to be on parks board.  Sue motioned to approve Sara and Lou 2nd the motion, all in favor motion carried.

Jeffery motions to adjourn 7:55 PM, 2nd by Sue all in favor motion passed.

Respectfully,

Patricia Betts

Secretary/Treasurer