City Council

BELLEFONTE BOROUGH WORK SESSION and COUNCIL MEETING OF OCTOBER 4, 2021 In-Person, Council Chambers AGENDA ATTEND IN PERSON – The Council Chambers is open to the public with normal or standard occupancy levels. FACE COVERING/MASKS ARE REQUIRED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE Masks are available at the sign-in desk. VIEW LIVE FEED/RECORDING OF BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETINGS–Borough Council meetings can be viewed live on YouTube at https://youtu.be/eUccIvhNZdY and are also recorded. Recordings can be viewed on CNET, Comcast’s Government Education Channel 7, or at www.cnet1.org ATTEND VIRTUALLY- Please contact the Borough via email: boro@bellefontepa.gov or phone: 814-355-1501 before 4PM on Monday, October 4, 2021 to receive the Link to the meeting 6:00 PM - EXECUTIVE SESSION – Personnel Issues 6:30 PM - WORK SESSION (No council action is taken during work sessions) ➢ 2022 budget Preliminary Overview 7:30 PM COUNCIL MEETING – CALL TO ORDER: Welcome everyone to the Bellefonte Borough council meeting. We will do our best to start council meetings on time and to end them on time. Due to the room acoustics, please speak up when talking so that people can hear what you are saying. All comments and reports should be kept to three minutes maximum. Thank you. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: MOMENT OF SILENCE: ROLL CALL: Mr. Eaton, North Ward Ms. Cleeton, South Ward Ms. Hombosky, North Ward Mr. Brachbill, Vice President, SouthWard Mr. Johnson, Pro Tem, North Ward Ms. Abbott, South Ward Mr. Prendergast, West Ward Mayor Wilson, At Large Mr. Halderman, West Ward Ms. Tosti-Vasey, President, West Ward ADDITIONS TO THE COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA In accordance with Act 65 of 2021, If a matter is not on the Agenda, Council cannot take official action on it with some exceptions. Council can act on matters relating to potential or real emergencies. Council may add a matter of agency business to its agenda through majority vote. Council should state the reason why the action item is being added to the Agenda. Council may vote to add an action item(s) to the agenda PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ACTION ITEMS (ORAL): This Public Comment period is reserved for oral comments regarding any action items listed on this meeting agenda or added by majority vote at this meeting. Please sign in, come to the podium at the appropriate time, state your name and address and which item you are speaking about. Please try to limit comments to three minutes maximum. CONSENT AGENDA All items listed on the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine and will be acted upon by a single motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless members of the Council request specific items to be removed for separate action. Council Action Requested General September 20, 2021 Council Meeting Minutes Building & Property Memo to auction off Surplus vehicles/ equipment on Municibid Mayor August 2021 Police Report Streets Bellefonte Victorian Christmas Addendum request, multiple requests for the week of November 15th-20th and Decoration Day. Fire Police during the event (December 10th & 11th) along with road closures Parks & Recreations DBI Bellefonte Under the Lights: Winter Market held during Victorian Christmas Saturday, December 11th, 2021 4pm-8pm in Talleyrand Park. Streets DBI Shop Small. Shop Local Banner to be hung across High Street from November 15th, 2021 through Christmas. Streets Bellefonte Arts and Crafts Fair requests to reserve the dates of August 5 & 6, 2022 and the use of Allegheny & High Street for the event. Office of Community 217 N. Allegheny Street (Verizon Building)- approval of the original Affairs-HARB HARB motion from the September 20th, 2021 Council Meeting. Certificate of Appropriateness per recommendation Office of Community 430 E. Linn Street- Replacing 16 windows throughout the house Affairs-HARB with Renewal by Anderson. Certificate of Appropriateness per recommendation COMMUNICATIONS (written): Letter from Faith Centre on Diamond improvements- Council may refer this to a sub- committee. CATA Reimagine Study, Public Officials Meeting - Friday, October 8, 2021 - 9am - Hybrid Format. Officials may attend. FYI, No Council Action is requested. OFFICE OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS Zoning/Planning ➢ The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 11th, 2021. Historical and Architectural Review Board (HARB): Applications for Certificates of Appropriateness listed below have been administratively approved. No Council action is needed. ➢ 125 N. Allegheny Street (Masonic Lodge)- Point mortar/ repair cracks on all (4) sides of the building to seal up any and all water infiltration. All materials to be used are the best match to the existing color and appearance of the building. NUISANCE CODES Report - ➢ Report will be available for the October 18th Council Meeting REPORTS: Please try to limit all reports/rebuttals/deliberations to three minutes maximum. If further deliberation is desired on any item, additional time will be placed on an upcoming work session or council agenda. MAYOR—Tom Wilson COUNCIL PRESIDENT—Joanne Tosti-Vasey BUILDING AND PROPERTY— Frank Halderman, Chair Consider committee meeting to review Enterprise Fleet Leasing Proposal, make recommendation Police Car was involved in an accident (no fault of the officer), car was totaled. Borough is receiving $7,500 from insurance. FINANCE AND GOV’T PERFORMANCE—Deb Cleeton, Chair Committee will consider meeting two times per month until a tentative 2022 Budget is approved. The next Finance Committee Meeting is 10AM, Tuesday, October 12th Work Session time will be dedicated to Budget Discussions until a tentative Budget is approved. PARK AND RECREATION—Melissa Hombosky, Chair September 23, 2021 Committee Report submitted. No council action needed. Committee thanks the Police Department for their efforts related to the Parks HUMAN RESOURCES—Jon Eaton, Chair Non-uniform contract renewal – HR Committee met with Union on September 27th. Status/updates will be given to full council in Executive Session. Next meeting with the Union will be 3PM, October 12th. No Council action is needed at this time. SAFETY—Randy Brachbill, Chair September 27th Committee Report. Discussion of request for assistance with vultures. No Action is recommended at this time. September 29th meeting with Fire Chief Gary Lohr. WATER, REFUSE COLLECTION & COMPOST FACILITY—Doug Johnson, Chair Joe Beigle Volunteer Application, Reappointment to Borough Authority- Council typically advertises all Authority, Board and Commission seats with terms ending December 31st. Staff will begin this process. Council may hold this application at this time. Daily Water Withdrawal September 2021- No Council action needed at this time. STREETS—Mary Abbott, Chair Committee meetings held on September 23rd and 30th. Sept. 23rd meeting – Pennoni engineer - discuss Diamond improvements public comment meetings on Nov. 4th and 6th. Sept. 30th meeting – discuss vegetation, plantings between sidewalk and curb. This discussion will be continued at the October 7th meeting. No council action is needed at this time. HBI Request - Halloween Parade/Trick or Treat/Closing the “T” noon to 4PM, Oct. 30th – Committee does not recommend closing the “T”, recommends approval of the events as requested. Council may take action to approve the recommendation Request by League of Women Voters to hang banners on light posts prior to elections – Committee does not recommend this, recommends the League consider a banner across Allegheny or High streets in accordance with the Sign Ordinance. Council may take action to approve this recommendation 4K Raider Reindeer race request – Staff will meet with applicant to get details. No action is being recommended at this time. Ornamental Lights in the downtown area – Public Works will be installing a new/updated globe/light fixture to determine difference between existing and new. Staff will notify council when the light is in place and where it is located. No action is needed at this time. Diamond area Temporary Safety Improvements Installed/Completed – Improvements included temporary curbing, delineators, loss of parking spaces, relocation of West High and North Allegheny Street crosswalks/ADA curbing. No Council action is requested at this time. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION—Mike Prendergast, Chair September APPI Advisor- FYI, No Council action needed. Bright Cities Grant Application – Submitted. FYI, No council action is needed at this time. Committee meeting to be held 4PM Wednesday, October 6th – discuss Reimagined Appalachia Resolution. No Council action is requested at this time. SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS: Ad Hoc Committee met on September 30th – notes submitted by Council member Brachbill Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO) September Meeting Summary - Council member Johnson BOROUGH MANAGER—Ralph Stewart Monthly report to be submitted at the October 18th Council Meeting OLD BUSINESS Incentive package for new flights/Economic Development Initiative - FYI, No Council action needed Diamond Area Safety Improvements Public Comment/input meetings – scheduled for 6PM, Thursday, November 4th and 10:30AM Saturday, November 6th in Council Chambers. See Borough website/press release for all details. No council action is needed at this time. 2022 County Liquid Fuels Grant Application (Spring and Bishop Project) – Submitted. FYI, No Council action needed at this time. Creation of Local Human Relations Commission/Adoption of Anti-discrimination Ordinance Update – Borough HR attorney issued letter, to meet with Ferguson and State College Solicitors before the end of October. FYI, No Council action is requested at this time. Spring Creek Watershed Commission “One Water Plan” Resolution/Reply to Authority Letter – Reply has not been received as of Friday, October 1st. No council action is needed at this time. Jim Buscaino, owner of Jim’s Italian Cuisine, Cherry Lane – called on Monday, September 27th to complaint about the Sept. 25th “Friday in the Font” street closings, lack of communication, loss of  business on a Penn State football weekend. Council may refer this to a subcommittee. NEW BUSINESS Resolution No. 10042021-01 Railroad Crossing upgrades at Railroad Street. This work is being coordinated with the bridge replacement project. Council action requested. Proposed HB 1841 Memo – Proposed legislation regarding neglected cemeteries being turned over to the Borough. A similar language already exists in the PA Borough Code. The proposed legislation exempts Townships of the Second Class. The council should consider letters objecting to this unfair and unfunded mandate PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS (ORAL): This Public Comment period is normally reserved for oral comments regarding items not listed on this meeting agenda. Please state your name and address and the issue you are speaking about. Please try to limit comments to three minutes maximum. ADJOURNMENT: The council meeting will be adjourned at or as close as possible to 9:00 PM TIME PM