City Council

The Regular Monthly Meeting of Dupont Borough Council was called to order at 7pm on Tuesday evening, March 8, 2022 by President of Council Stanley Knick. Pledge of Allegiance Moment of Silence for Ukraine. ROLL CALL: Mr. Knick, Present Mr. Kowalczyk, Present Mr. Karkut, Present Mr. Price, Present Mr. Jones, Present Mayor Lello, Present Mr. Knick called for an executive session for personnel and legal matters. MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 8, 2022 REGULAR MEETING AND PLACE ON FILE. Motion: Mr. Kowalczyk Second: Mr. Karkut Roll Call Vote: Mr. Knick, yes; Mr. Kowalczyk, yes; Mr. Karkut, yes; Mr. Price, yes; Mr. Jones, yes. Motion Carried: 5/0. MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CORRESPONDENCE PRESENTED. Motion: Mr. Jones Second: Mr. Kowalczyk Roll Call Vote: Mr. Knick, yes; Mr. Kowalczyk, yes; Mr. Karkut, yes; Mr. Price, yes; Mr. Jones, yes. Motion Carried: 5/0. MOTION TO APPROVE PAYMENT OF BILLS. Motion: Mr. Price Second: Mr. Karkut Roll Call Vote: Mr. Knick, yes; Mr. Kowalczyk, yes; Mr. Karkut, yes; Mr. Price, yes; Mr. Jones, yes. Motion Carried: 5/0. MOTION TO APPOINT PART TIME POLICE FROM MARCH 8, 2022 TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF COUNCIL WITH NO GUARANTEE OF WORK: Duane Saunders, Jennifer Polemitis, Christopher Fargione, Robert Avvisato, Thomas Rushnak, Michael Sniscak. Motion: Mr. Jones Second: Mr. Karkut Roll Call Vote: Mr. Knick, yes; Mr. Kowalczyk, yes; Mr. Karkut, yes; Mr. Price, yes; Mr. Jones, yes. Motion Carried: 5/0. REPORTS: Treasurer’s Report – General Fund - $90,869.18 Payroll Fund - $6,781.52 ARPA Fund - $ 19,999.09 Admin Debit Card - $134.35 Police Debit Card - $239.81 Community Development Fund - $255.18 Refuse Fund - $186,149.85 Sewer Maintenance Fund - $324,080.56 Liquid Fuels - $230,405.08 Police Pension Fund - $1,109,295.74 Town Clock - $87.19 Special Fund - $ 178,522.15 Tax Collector – No Report Mayor Report – Not at this time. Police Report – Chief Doran read the report for February as follows: traffic citations issued-22; non traffic citations issued-2; appearances in county court-2; appearances in magisterial court- 24; motor vehicle accidents-6; assist to ems/fire-4; assist to other police dept. – 3; alarms-1; burglaries-1; thefts-1; vandalism-1; disorderly conduct-4; domestic reports-3; suspicious activity-7; assault/harassment-2; drug offense-1; miscellaneous calls-23; building checks-73; code enforcement-2. Mileage: explorer-65,425; taurus-88,610; F150-34,185. Magistrate fines collected $1,604.57. Solicitor Report – No Report Engineer Report– Written Report submitted. Met with Patty earlier in the day with regard to easements for the growing greener project. Crime Watch Report – Bob reported the meeting was held last month with discussions on events to hold during the summer. They will work on the link for the cameras at the pavilion to the borough building once the weather breaks. The next meeting is March 29th at 7pm. Code Enforcement – No Report. President’s Report – Trash to landfill 59.58 tons; Paper Recycling – 7.66 tons. Mileage: Green Chevypickup – 143; Backhoe -7,222 hrs.; Volvo, 1940 hrs; packer 65,068; F550 37,451; Mack – 4,183; C3500 – 76,969. New packer is due in November; Recycler- the engine came in and is being installed; Bucket truck is due at the end of March as well as the two police vehicles. Bids will be open at the April meeting for the sale of the volvo, water buffalo and 3500 dump truck with plow. We did receive two new trucks Chevy 3500 and Chevy 6500. The new Senior Housing Complex is almost full. Residents have been moving in. MOTION TO ACCEPT REPORTS. Motion: Mr. Kowalczyk Second: Mr. Karkut Roll Call Vote: Mr. Knick, yes; Mr. Kowalczyk, yes; Mr. Karkut, yes; Mr. Price, yes; Mr. Jones, yes. Motion Carried: 5/0. MOTION APPROVING RESOLUTIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING THREE GRANTS: LSA grant for land acquisition behind housing; DCNR grant for upgrades to playground equipment; and Multimodal grant for Street paving for Everhart to Hemlock streets recently completed with gas mains. Mr. Kowalczyk questioned the motion: Paving Everhart to Hemlock what streets exactly? Patty noted it would include Everhart, Lackawanna, Wyoming, Penn, Elm, Hillside, Hemlock, Spruce, Pine, Oak, etc. those in the recent gas installation phase that was completed. Mark questioned what about Gill Street. Patty noted Gill Street is part of the Penn DOT multimodal grant which is already approved and will be bid out this year. Engineer is just waiting to hear back from Penn DOT. Motion: Mr. Price Second: Mr. Karkut Roll Call Vote: Mr. Knick, yes; Mr. Kowalczyk, yes; Mr. Karkut, yes; Mr. Price, yes; Mr. Jones, yes. Motion Carried: 5/0. MOTION TO ISSUE NOTICE TO PROCEED FOR PIONEER CONSTRUCTION FOR TWO PROJECTS RECENTLY AWARDED (STORMWATER AND ADA PROJECT) UPON RECEIPT OF ALL CONTRACT DOCUMENTS Patty noted the notice to proceed is March 14th to May 13th 60 days. Motion: Mr. Kowalczyk Second: Mr. Jones Roll Call Vote: Mr. Knick, yes; Mr. Kowalczyk, yes; Mr. Karkut, yes; Mr. Price, yes; Mr. Jones, yes. Motion Carried: 5/0. MOTIONS TO APPROVE LIQUID FUELS PAYMENT OF $22,806.68 TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF THE 6500 DUMP TRUCK WITH PLOW AND SPREADER FROM FAIRWAY MOTORS WITH REMAINING $86,679 BEING PAID THROUGH GRANT FUNDS. Motion: Mr. Kowalczyk Second: Mr. Jones Roll Call Vote: Mr. Knick, yes; Mr. Kowalczyk, yes; Mr. Karkut, yes; Mr. Price, yes; Mr. Jones, yes. Motion Carried: 5/0. Matters from Residents: Mr. Posly, Lidy Road –Began stating he attended meeting and Mr. Knick said he loves Dupont. Mr. Knick nominated himself for President. Not love of Dupont. It is a power trip. Mr. Kowalczyk seconded it. Mr. Knick stated he did not open the meeting, the Mayor opened the meeting. Mr. Knick sat at the end. Mr. Kowalczyk addressed Mr. Posly noting he appreciates the support and honors his opinion on issues whether I agree with you or not. Mark explained that the President is one vote, President cannot make a motion, and Council works as 1 (all 5 of them). They agreed he was the best usited to handle it, because he has the time to do so. It takes more than just the President to run the Council and the operation of the town, along with Patty and the Mayor. It takes a lot of effort and we are together on it. Title is one thing, but it is one vote. Lou stated Mr. Knick has been on council over 15 years why not give it to someone else. Maybe in two years it may change. Maybe Mr. Knick will say I am retired and I want to travel, we will see. Mark continued that he is here the least out of the other members due to his business. He sees Mr. Knick and Mr. Jones here. We are unified, the five council, the Mayor, Patty, the solicitor, engineer. Title doesn’t matter, it matters that the town runs as smooth as possible. Mr. Posly stated someone should not be in that position for that many years. Elaine and Alberta yelled why not. Mr. Knick stated we appreciate your opinion and thanked Mark but nothing can be done without all of council vote on it. Stan does have time because he is retired. Secondly, Mr. Posly asked who closed down the last two meetings. The meetings were virtual. Mr. Karkut stated we all agreed on that for the safety of everyone here. Mr. Posly stated what about today. Mr. Price responded that due to recommendations of CDC, the increase in covid cases it was recommended to hold meetings virtual. Numbers in the county right now are down to the 20s that is why we can open up and hold more events. Mr. Cigan, Gill Street - Addressed Mark’s comments noting as a taxpayer he wants to express his opinion. He has been coming to meetings on and off and it is good to see council working together. The Borough Code does not set term limits, if elected by the people and approved by council, that is democracy. For Governor or President there are term limits. By the way you are not getting paid for this, you are putting time in to do what you do. Mr. Knick stated some of us remember how it used to be with majority, minority. We don’t want to go back to that. Do we always all agree, no, but we work it out. Majority rules and we go from there. But thank you for your comments. Danielle Perrins - In regards to the grant for the basketball courts it says due to a conversion issue we are not able to submit a grant under DCNR. What does that mean, can you elaborate. Stan explained the basketball courts are ours. The one piece of property, when we sold it, we didn’t know, we found out afterwards because it was done years ago, that it was purchased with federal funds for a park. We have to either replace it or purchase it back. Right now we are looking at buying that piece back and the whole field also. We are in contact with people and once that is settled we can do a lot with the land. It is no ones fault, there was no records in this borough. Danielle also questioned the basketball court maintenance which becomes an issue in spring and summer. Are there any plans without the grant to do something with the courts for the time being. Mr. Knick stated we would like to pave it, fence prices are way up right now. We want to make something nice over there. Danielle stated the bottom part is a hazard and she is concerned someone will fall and get hurt. Stan will look at it and see if he can fix it. Crystal Mullen - Asked if the old fencing around the housing project can be used if they have any fall off from it. Mr. Knick believes that is gone. He does have some fencing left over from his company and he will check what he has. Bob Price stated the fence was the contractors doing the work and they took it. Fred Kotula, Lidy Road – Congratulated Stan on Game Commission reappointment. His problem is Grove Street and the tractor trailers. Stan stated we are looking into flashing lights for the signage. Fred suggested from the beginning two years or three years ago when he complained put a big sign 81 north/south arrow and not a 2 x 12 sign that they have in the island where truckers go in and out. Put it at the end. Now is that private property, probably. Do you need permission from that owner, probably. Truckers come out hit stop sign and are supposed to stop, police officer, noting I know you cant be there all the time. If you want traffic tickets, go up there. Fred stated the police officer on at 2:45am, newly hired was very nice. Fred stated he did not call 911, why should he call if it is not an emergency. Chief stated you need to call 911. If you call the station, the officer better not be here, they are out patrolling. The police officer asked if Fred dialed 911 and he said no it was not an emergency even though his property is being destroyed. Mr. Kowalczyk explained he has called 911 and the first thing when they ask what is your emergency he stated it is not an emergency but I need to contact the Dupont police officer as soon as possible. Fred stated he has done that. Stan stated he has called 911 while in Tunkhannock and they don’t service this area so they transferred him to Luzerne County. I told them I need a police officer to call me and the officer called. Ferd will call 911 next time. Fred also stated can we change the name of the town to Quad Town. Quads are ridiculous. within the last 2 ½ months since the weather broke. An officer drove by my house and said he would put a note on the desk. Chief stated it was him. A couple weeks later I told him to just patrol it and deter him. If they put put up the road fine, he better be registered and have insurance. It is against the law. Two weeks later I come down here, no cops, patrolling, 4:30 in the morning. I told them Friday, Saturday, Sunday, they are flying up the road. They are popping wheelies, Petro is not supposed to give gas. Stan sated he lives on Main Street across from VFW and he hears them in front of his house. The hardest part is and Chief can correct him, but an officer cannot chase them. Chief explained we have a pursuit policy. To initiate a pursuit an officer in a split second has to ask why am I chasing him, is my chasing this person worth him crashing and getting hurt, hurting someone else, if he gets away is he more dangerous to the public. If they are identified they will be cited. Lou asked why can’t you find out who they are. Crystal Mullen stated they do not have a license plate. Fred stated he has 11 grandkids, he will sue the town. Nothing is being done. All you hear is you cannot chase. I understand the law. It’s a quad town. Nobody wants to open their mouth because of politics or whatever it is. I don’t care what it is, what is right is right. Chief stated if you can identify them the officer will cite them. Fred asked if he would get arrested if he knocks someone off the quad. You will get in trouble. Fred stated the town has to do something. Lou Posly asked for the tape from the reorganization meeting. Mr. Knick stated you cannot have the tape but you can have the minutes. Mr. Posly asked about the apartments and if we know who the people are. Stan stated there is a list, some from Dupont but not all of them. Lou stated it is a government funded project so they can’t have priorities, they have to meet certain circumstances. Stan explained if you are a veteran or a resident of Dupont you had more points or preference. Lou said everyone is paying taxes, I can see a Veteran but where does it say that. Mr. Karkut stated he spoke with the housing and most of the apartments were taken, and there are three apartments left. Most of those that applied if they met the guidelines. Lou asked who is renting it. Elaine asked why is that an issue? Lou stated it is an issue and I was telling him while you weren’t here I was telling him no, its not for Dupont, it is for the whole United Stated because the government. Stan stated he said Dupont has first priority. Mr. Karkut addressed Fred Kotula about partnering with Avoca to change the name from Grove Street because there is a Grove Street in Avoca, we all agreed to change the name. I’m reading here that Petro wants to keep 98 Grove Street. 911 would not allow to change it to 98 Petro Lane, Grove Street. Fred stated whoever the owner is and Patty knows because she probably emailed you with it, let them put the sign up. Stan will contact Petro. Fred stated 81 north south big sign. Pina Hansen, Ivy Lane - thanked Stan for doing what he did on quail hill and asked if there is a start date for the paving project. Patty noted the engineer is waiting to hear back from Penn DOT. Stan stated those roads and the roads in Dupont hopefully will get paved. Crystal Mullen, Main Street – There is a crater at the bottom of Petro. It made by ABS light come on my truck when I hit it. It is also like a lake with the water. Crystal asked if that is Dupont or Avoca. Stan stated Dupont and we will try to patch that. Petro has been working with us on the road and put the concrete in. That is starting to break up. The bottom at SR2059 is Avoca and Dupont has an easement. Joan Posly, Lidy Road – When they do the paving on Gill are they going to pave the big pothole that is in front of the stop sign on Lidy Road. Stan said he will have that patched. Lou asked how are you going to patch that. Are you going to go down at least a foot. That happens year after year after year. We spend the money to patch it. Mark stated he met with the engineer up there in the fall, there is an issue up there with water. It is in the scope of work that when we are getting paving done, we will bring the contractor up there to do those areas including what you are talking about. They will cut it out and do it right. I will let that up to the engineer. I am not a paving contractor. Lou said you do this kind of work. Mark stated give us time, we will look at the issue at a whole and see what is best to repair it. It has to be done properly. I cant answer how to do it but I am not engineer or paving contractor but it will be done properly. Matters from Council and Mayor. Mark Kowalczyk – (1) Mr. Kotula with the trucks at Petro. Was the truck coming from Petro or going to the Petro. Fred stated coming from Petro. Mark asked Fred as a resident of Lidy Road for many years, prior to Petro being opened what is the options from the last house on Grove Street on the right, the log cabin home on the right, what if we made that a one-way going up to 81 but not from coming to Petro to Lidy Road. What if we had DO NOT ENTER , WRONG WAY, NO THRUWAY. Fred stated that can’t hurt. Then after it was explained no vehicles allowed from Grove to Lidy, both Mr. Posly and Mr. Kotula, with Mr. Kotula stated don’t do it. Mark had that option in his head and I’m asking residents opinion. Lou suggested the sign be put in Spanish too. Mark stated the problem is GPS. They don’t buy the trucker version. It tells them they can get down to Main Street going this way. It doesn’t say no truck. That is unfortunate. Fred stated his yard gets destroyed. Second, Mark talked about the quads and takes offense to the comments since the incident at his property where he was run off a year and a half ago. He had 8 broken ribs and 10 staples in his head and those people have not been caught. Don’t bring it up to council, that council knows what is going on and does nothing. If I had them that day I would have dealt with it myself. I wish the legal system can protect this town where the cops can enforce this on the quad riders. And, I agree with you the guys getting from one point to another just riding slow to get to the woods. That is all I was trying to do that day was the guys were hot roding on my property and I am responsible. I tried to stop them to say slow down and if you have to get from Dupont to Avoca, ride slow and I will never stop you. That happened and when I tried to stop him, he hit the gas and I got run over. Fred said can I be out there all the time directing it, no. Mark stated it is a legal issue that cops deal with it and if the I’s are not dotted or t’s cross and it goes to court, we lose. Fred stated people know who they are, they come from Sacred Heart, don’t ask me names, I have a good idea, but don’t assume. Mark said right it won’t hold up in court. Fred said people won’t tell because they are afraid. Lou stated before the meeting they were on Lidy Road going up and down. Mark stated he had them on camera. Mr. Karkut – Nothing. Crystal Mullen – Mark talked about the one way on Grove Street, you can edit on google maps or gps that it is a one way and obviously everyone on Dupont knows it is not a one way. Stan stated that would be legal problems. Bob Price said Goodle updateas are based off a number of data bases, we can’t as individuals or town tell them to change something. They go through post office, 911 data base and several others how they update their maps. Stan stated if we made it a one way would that work. If they don’t see the other signs, will they follow these signs. Elaine Lello, Penn Avenue - Noted other states have flashing lights on their stop signs. Stan stated we are looking into solar powered flashing lights for the signs. Bob Price stated he has a couple options to discuss, Bob Price - Last meeting it was brought up about a Borough facebook page. I did get one pt together DUPONTBOROUGHPA all one word. It is on facebook now. We will start posting borough announcements on that. Mayor Lello – Thursday March 24th at 9 am at Holy Mother of Sorrows. We always need volunteers. Mr. Knick called for an executive session for an issue missed in the beginning session. MOTION TO ADJOURN following executive session by Mr. Kowalczyk, second Mr. Jones. Unanimous. Respectfully submitted, Adopted this ____ day of ________ Patricia McDonald Stanley Knick, jr. Secretary Council President Mr. Posly, Lidy Road - Dupont residents getting first chance at the housing occupancy.