City Council

BELLEFONTE BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING OF December 20th, 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/bR-EJrTHMqs 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, December 20th to receive the Link to the meeting NO WORK SESSION IS SCHEDULED FOR THIS EVENING 7:00 PM - EXECUTIVE SESSION – Personnel 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. Phone Call, John Luckovich of Plumb’s Drug – Diamond area - Requesting the four spaces at the northwest side to be restored similar to the southwest side of the Diamond. If not all four, then as many as possible. Council may take action on this request. James Dunne Sally Houser Romaine Naylor PUBLIC HEARING – Comments on the proposed 2022 budget. Council may act to open and close the Public Hearing being held to receive comments on the proposed 2022 Budget. Email, Scott Rhoat, Director of Bellefonte Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Funding level CONSENT AGENDA All items listed on the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine and will be acted upon by a singlemotion. 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 December 6th, 2021 Council Meeting Minutes Finance Budget to Actual Summary Finance Budget to Actual Finance Voucher Summary Finance Current vs. Prior Finance Treasurer Report Office of Community 363 E. Linn Street – Fence replacement with black aluminum fence to Affairs-HARB Certificate look more period appropriate than current fencing. The fence will be of Appropriateness per treated to look like a traditional cast iron fence. recommendation Office of Community 128 W. Howard Street (Trinity United Methodist Church) - Hatch access Affairs-HARB Certificate to basement, located on Howard Street, is in disrepair and leaks water of Appropriateness per from street level into church basement. Existing doors to be replaced with recommendation black powder coated Bilco basement doors. COMMUNICATIONS (written): Happy Valley Adventure Bureau 2020-2021 Annual Report EV Stations being used free of charge James Dunne, DBI Winter Market Correspondence—Support Joe Beigle Reappointment Correspondence—Support Joe Beigle Reappointment Correspondence—Support Joe Beigle Reappointment Correspondence—Support Joe Beigle Reappointment Correspondence—Support Joe Beigle Reappointment Correspondence—Support Joe Beigle Reappointment Correspondence—Support Joe Beigle Reappointment OFFICE OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS Planning: No Planning Commission Meeting held on December 13th. The next Planning Commission meeting will be held virtually on Monday, January 10, 2022. Zoning: Report on Ad-Hoc Short-Term Rental Committee in the Memo to Council. No council action is needed. Historical and Architectural Review Board (HARB): Applications will be considered under the Consent Agenda. Administrative Approval: 413 W. High Street – exterior work on rear of house: scraping, sanding, replacing boards, change of paint color from white to blue: Van Deusen Blue NUISANCE CODES Report - 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 November 2021 Police Report COUNCIL PRESIDENT—Joanne Tosti-Vasey White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs – Elected Officials Briefing BUILDING AND PROPERTY— Frank Halderman, Chair No Committee meeting held since last council meeting. No action requested. FINANCE AND GOV’T PERFORMANCE—Deb Cleeton, Chair Consider approval of 2022 Annual Budget. Council action requested Consider approval of Tax Ordinance No. 12202021-01. Council action requested Consider approval of Revised Fee Schedule. Council action requested. Committee meeting notes for December 15th included. FYI. No formal action requested. Committee is recommending new council review the SRO agreements with BAHS in regard to funding indirect costs. FYI. No formal action requested. PARK AND RECREATION—Melissa Hombosky, Chair Parks & Rec Meeting.12092021. Committee does not recommend any further action regarding pop up business activity in the Parks as long as it involves less than 20 people per event. No council action requested. HUMAN RESOURCES—Jon Eaton, Chair Ratification of Draft Public Works Contract Agreement. Council previously approved the draft agreement. by Bargaining Unit scheduled for 12/16. Results. Council previously approved the draft agreement. No council action requested. Consider any increases in non-union employee wages. Wage increases for union employees have already been agreed upon by council as part of the Collective Bargaining Agreements. Council may take action to modify wage rates for non-union employees. SAFETY—Randy Brachbill, Chair Fire Executive Meeting Minutes for October 28, 2021. FYI. No action requested. Workplace Safety Committee Draft Meeting Minutes for December 8, 2021. FYI. No action requested. WATER, REFUSE COLLECTION & COMPOST FACILITY—Doug Johnson, Chair Authority meeting in December – The Authority meeting for December is traditionally moved. The meeting is Tuesday, December 21st, at 6PM. No action is required. STREETS—Mary Abbott, Chair Plantings in the RoW- Issues discussed with Insurance Agent. No substantial liability. Committee and staff to look at developing an appropriate application form to recommend an ordinance amendment to update wording. No action requested at this time. Committee met with Chief Weaver to review parking ticket processing/administration. No action recommended at this time. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION—Mike Prendergast, Chair Bright Cities Grant for Street Trees – Free (the tree and installation) Street Trees will be available this Spring. Interested residents should contact the borough office at 355-1501 or boro@bellefontepa.gov. FYI. No council action requested. Borough Environmental Advisory Board to meeting on December 17th. FYI. No council action requested. SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS: Memo: Code of Conduct for council meetings and council president rotation. FYI Proposal for Rotating Council Leadership Roles. Council may take action to adopt the proposal Resolution to establish a policy for conduct during public meetings. Council may take action to approve this Resolution. BOROUGH MANAGER—Ralph Stewart Report for November submitted. FYI. No council action requested. OLD BUSINESS Masons, extension of parking permits for North Lot. Council action requested. 2022 Meeting Dates Draft. Consider approval for advertisement. Council action Requested. PA Sunshine Act – Executive Sessions—Materials include overview of PA Sunshine Act from PA Open Records Office. The following are the permissible reasons to hold an Executive Session: 1. Discussing personnel matters; 2. Holding an information, strategy and negotiation session related to the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement; 3. Considering the purchase or lease of real property; 4. Consulting with an attorney about active or pending litigation; 5. Discussing agency business which, if conducted in public, would violate a lawful privilege or lead to the disclosure of information or confidentiality protected by law; 6. Discussing certain academic matters (this reason is specifically limited to certain institutions of higher education); and 7. Discussing certain public safety issues if disclosure of the information discussed would be reasonably likely to jeopardize or threaten public safety or preparedness or public protection.  After reviewing these reasons for holding an Executive Session, it is my opinion as Manager and Secretary that discussing legal bills associated with the development of an ordinance does not fit any of these reasons. I did not get legal advice as, in my opinion, it would be a waste of money. If Council decides legal advice is still needed, then I will get in touch with the borough solicitor. Council may decide to seek legal advice. Diamond Area. Consider any additional changes to the Diamond at this time. Council may take action to make changes to the Diamond Area at this time. LERTA Draft Ordinance. The Borough Solicitor asked for some clarification and is working on an opinion letter. FYI. No council action is requested at this time. DBI/Victorian Christmas Special Events Review. Council may request staff to send a letter recommending improved communication and coordination of special events. NEW BUSINESS Consider Appointments/Reappointments for Authorities, Boards and Commissions. Council action requested. 2022 Holiday Schedule. Observed Dates included. FYI. No council action requested. 2022 Refuse Schedule Changes due to Holidays. FYI. No council action requested. 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. On behalf of the borough staff, I want to thank our elected officials for their service to the borough. When times are better, we will have a gathering/open house to more appropriately thank everyone for their service. Ralph ADJOURNMENT: The council meeting will be adjourned at or as close as possible to 9:00 PM TIME PM