City Council

Borough of Beaver, PA Council Meeting January 11, 2022 Minutes • A regular scheduled meeting of Beaver Borough Council was held in the Community Room and was called to order on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 7:00 PM by Council President, Alexander Andres. • Council Representatives in attendance: Alexander Andres, Michael Deelo, Roberta Good, Whitney Learn- Conjeski, Margaret McKean, Jim Perini, Alex Sebastian, Amy Stettler. Borough officials in attendance: Mayor Thomas Hamilton, Solicitor Garen Fedeles, Borough Manager/Chief of Police Dan Madgar and Borough Secretary Rebecca Phillips. Absent: Sean Snowden. • Visitors in attendance (signed in): Midge Sefton, Jeff Hamilton, Rick Sprecker, John Grosskopf, Jim Wooley, Robert Rice, and Robert Snider. Approval of minutes Motion by Ms. Learn-Conjeski to accept the December 14, 2021 Council Meeting minutes and the January 3, 2022 Reorganization Meeting minutes. Seconded by Ms. Good. Voice vote passed unanimously. Treasurer’s Report – • 13-month financial report included in the Council packet. Review invoice and authorization to pay bills Motion by Ms. Stettler to authorize and pay submitted invoices for the Borough. Seconded by Ms. Learn- Conjeski. Voice vote passed unanimously. Public Participation – None Reports – Commissions / Authorities Council of Governments (COG) – Reported by Mr. Andres • December 21, 2021 Executive Board Meeting minutes included in the Council packet. • Reviewed topics discussed at recent meetings. • Manager/Secretary roundtable will be held at the Beaver Borough Community Room on January 19, 2022. Civil Service Commission – Reported by Mr. Jim Todd • 2021 Year-end report and January 3, 2022 Reorganization meeting minutes included in the Council packet. • A final eligibility list is expected to be presented to Council within the next month. • Ms. Sefton – Reviewed process of the Civil Service Commission to create an eligibility list for new Council members. o The list began with seven applicants and is now down to three eligible candidates. These three candidates are undergoing background checks before a certified list will be presented to January 11, 2022 Page 1  Council. The list will be valid for one year and may be renewed for one additional year if approved by the Civil Service Commission. • Mr. Andres thanked Ms. Sefton for her service as Chairman of the Civil Service Commission and welcomed Mr. Todd as new Chairman. Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) – Reported by Mr. Sprecker • A request is to be scheduled before the Zoning Hearing Board asking for a variance for the installation of an eight-foot fence. Current ordinances restrict fences to be a maximum of six feet high. Planning Commission – Reported by Mr. Rice • December 20, 2021 Planning Commission draft meeting minutes included in the Council packet. • Planning Commission has developed a scope of work and schedule to present to a consultant in regards to an overlay district. This overlay district would affect the Silverman’s Beer Distributer property. If the consultant agrees to the terms, a meeting will be held on January 17, 2022. o Monthly meetings with the consultant would continue monthly through May. o Once completed, a presentation would be made by the consultant to Council. ▪ This presentation would be advertised as an opportunity for the public to ask any questions or address any concerns. o A mandatory meeting would be held for public input if this overlay district would be considered as an ordinance. • Ms. McKean – Public input should be collected now so that residents can attend meetings and concerns can be considered before designs are already made. • General discussion on the processes of the Planning Commission and how zoning changes would affect the Borough. • Ms. McKean – Addressed concerns regarding the direction that the Quay Square project was going. Project is now changing the location of the stage, type of stage and includes public bathrooms. o Mr. Madgar – The bathrooms were removed from the designs as directed at a previous meeting. The designer kept a design that would accommodate the installation of a public bathroom in the future if desired by Council. The stage was also shifted so not as many trees would need removed. o Ms. McKean – Requested an update of the designs be given to Council at the Work Session. o Mr. Madgar – Reminded Council that Friends of Beaver Parks agreed to split the costs of the Quay Square design with Beaver Borough. Tree Commission – No report Code Enforcement Officer Report – Reported by Mr. Sprecker • December 2021 Code Enforcement Officer report included in the Council packet. Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) – Reported by Mr. Rice • November 1, 2021 HARB draft minutes included in the Council packet. January 11, 2022 Page 2 • Will be meeting with the Heritage Foundation to ask for funding for a badge recognition program. This program would identify historic homes within Beaver Borough. Municipal Authority – Reported by Mr. Deelo • Municipal Authority meeting minutes from December 15, 2021 included in the Council packet. • Was awarded $767,000 from the Beaver County American Rescue Plan Act Municipal Infrastructure Grant for infrastructure improvements. • Mr. Deelo thanked Mr. Martone and Solicitor Fedeles for their direction throughout the process. Shaw Park/Pool – No report Council Committees • Mr. Andres announced that Council Committees will be assigned at the January Work Session. Please send any requests to Rebecca Phillips. • Mr. Perini reviewed the 13-month financial report included in the Council packet. Reports Manager/Secretary Report – Reported by Mr. Madgar • Encouraged new and existing council members to reach out to the Finance Manager, Andy Kennedy to ask questions or get any review of the Borough Finances. • COVID updates – Police and Highway department staffing • Upcoming motion to make correction during the Reorganization meeting – Independent Financial Auditor should be corrected to J. Martin & Associates, LLC. • Upcoming motion for reimbursement of tax office rent o Janet Shute is requesting increase of monthly reimbursement for the Tax Office o Originally passed a motion on February 13, 2018 to pay half (totaling $250) o Currently requesting $307.50 • Reminded Council that Mr. Madgar and Officer Kryder will be entering into the DROP plan • Read letter from Officer Ken Stahl announcing his retirement to go into effect March 15, 2022. • Beaver Borough was awarded $127,000 from the Beaver County American Rescue Plan Act Infrastructure Grant. o Must be spent on projects contractually obligated by December 31, 2024. o Projects must be completed by December 31, 2026. o Money will be allocated to repair a ruptured pipe/storm water drain that runs from River Road down to the railroad tracks. The project will take approximately six weeks and is estimated to cost between $200,000 and $400,000. • Clark Park update o Michael Boso will be restoring the plaques once the weather breaks. January 11, 2022 Page 3 • State Ethics forms distributed to Council members who served during 2021. These must be completed for auditing purposes and returned to the Borough office. • Larry Renninger would like to organize another Concert in the Park (Linn Park) on August 13 , 2020 and is requesting approval from Council again. Mr. Renninger donated back approximately $5,000 from the profits of last year’s concert. o Council requested more information before approval. Information will be provided at the January Work Session. • Discuss Recreational/Commercial vehicle street parking at the upcoming Work Session. • Mr. Deelo – Requested, per the Municipal Authority recommendation, that Mike Bitcko be promoted from Apprentice 1 to Apprentice 2. Motion – Add Motion to Promote Mike Bitcko to Agenda Motion by Ms. McKean, I move that Beaver Borough Council add a motion to the agenda to promote Mike Bitcko to Apprentice 2 effective January 1, 2022. Seconded by Ms. Learn-Conjeski. Voice vote passed unanimously. • Ms. McKean – Asked for more details regarding a bill from a fencing company totaling approximately $20,000. o Mr. Madgar – The fence is to be installed at the new recycling area and will be reimbursed by an awarded grant. Mayor Hamilton – No report President’s Report – Reported by Mr. Andres • Encouraged new Council Members to attend the new councilman trainings/courses offered. • Asked that any topics that would like to be discussed or motions that would like to be made be given to Rebecca Phillips prior to meetings so that other members have enough time to review the information. • Discussed the current budget, finding new ways to generate revenue and ways to cut costs. Police Department – No report Fire Department – Reported by Chief John Grosskopf • Read and reviewed the Beaver Volunteer Fire Department 2021 Year End Report • Fire Department currently has 28 members, 23 that are firefighters and 5 administrative personnel. • Chief Grosskopf thanked all of the members for their dedication and service to Beaver and surrounding communities. • Mr. Jim Todd was thanked for his 45 years of service to the Fire Department and congratulated on his retirement. Emergency Management Coordinator – No report Borough Engineer – No report Solicitor Report – No report January 11, 2022 Page 4 Motions Motion – Protech Asphalt Maintenance, Inc. Invoice Motion by Mr. Deelo, based on the Borough Engineer written recommendation, I move that Beaver Borough Council approve the attached Protech Asphalt Maintenance, Inc. invoice dated December 10, 2021 in the amount of $351,416.74 for the 2021 Road Paving Project. Remaining portion of paving is to be completed in the spring of 2022 with the final invoice to follow. Seconded by Ms. McKean. Voice vote passed unanimously. Motion – Reimbursement of Tax Office Rent Motion by Mr. Deelo, based on the attached letter dated January 6, 2022, I move that Beaver Borough Council approve reimbursement of $307.50 per month to Beaver Borough’s Tax Collector, Janet Shute, for office rent. Seconded by Ms. Good. Voice vote passed unanimously. Motion – Beaver Borough Financial Auditor Motion by Mr. Sebastian, I move that Beaver Borough Council reappoint J. Martin & Associates, LLC as the Independent Financial Auditor for Beaver Borough. This motion supersedes the motion made at the January 3, 2022 Reorganization Meeting. Seconded by Ms. Learn-Conjeski. Voice vote passed unanimously. Motion – Promotion of Mike Bitcko Motion by Mr. Deelo, I move that Beaver Borough Council approve the promotion of Mike Bitcko to the level of Apprentice 2 effective January 1, 2022. Seconded by Ms. McKean. Voice vote passed unanimously. Motion to adjourn by Ms. McKean. Seconded by Mr. Perini. Voice vote passed unanimously. Adjourned at 8:34 PM Submitted by Rebecca Phillips January 11, 2022 Page 5