City Council

The Regular Monthly Meeting of Dupont Borough Council was called to order at 7:00pm on Tuesday evening, January 10, 2023 by President of Council Stanley Knick. ROLL CALL: Mr. Knick – Present Mr. Kowalczyk – Present Mr. Karkut – Present Mr. Price – Present Mr. Jones – Present Mayor Elaine Lello – Present Mr. Knick called for an executive session for legal and personnel matters. MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 10, 2022 REGULAR COUNCIL 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. Price 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 THE BILLS FOR PAYMENT INCLUDING THE END OF YEAR LISTING OF BILLS PAID. Motion: Mr. Jones Second: Mr. Mr. Price 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 RESIGNATION OF PART TIME OFFICER GILBERT DIAZ EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 30, 2022 Motion: Mr. Karkut 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. MOTION TO APPOINT THE PART TIME POLICE OFFICERS FROM JANUARY 10, 2023 TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF COUNCIL WITH NO GUARANTEE OF WORK: Bryan Besecker, Duane Saunders, Jennifer Polemitis, Chris Fargione, Robert Avvisato, Mike Sniscak, Thomas Ruschak. Motion: Mr. Jones Second: Mr. Price 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: Submitted by Albert B. Melone Company General Fund - $ 63,900.83 Payroll Fund - $7,122.75 ARPA - $104,575.19 ADMIN Debit Card - $236.29 POLICE Debit Card - $261.93 Community Development Fund - $ 63.18 Refuse Fund - $135,510.71 Sewer Maintenance Fund - $303,409.53 Liquid Fuels Fund - $188,031.86 Police Pension Fund - $1,109,295.74 Town Clock - $ 87.19 Special Fund - $178,816.72 Tax Collector Report: None Submitted Mayor’s Report – Food Drive January 26th at Holy Mother of Sorrows Church Hall. Police Report – Chief Doran read the statistical report for December 2022 as follows: criminal arrests-5; traffic citations issued-20; appearances in county court-6; appearances in magisterial court-18; motor vehicle accidents-9; assist to ems/fire-7; assist to other depts.-4; alarms-6; burglaries-2; thefts-4; vandalism-1; disorderly conduct-3; domestic reports-1; suspicious activity-6; DUI arrest-1; assault/harassment-4; drug offense-1; miscellaneous calls-21; building checks-90; Mileage: f-150 – 39,366; Car#2 Explorer – 12,446; Car #3 – Explorer – 10,405. Magistrate Fines Collected - $1,533.65. Solicitor’s Report – No Report Engineer’s Report – (1) Work still being done in the Mill Creek Channel. 85% done with slab work, there is other spot repairs and other work to be done (2) The ADA Ramp and Walnut Street Stormwater are finished except for some punch list items to be done in spring. (3) Growing Greener project Almond, Everhart, Holden is ready to go if Council wants to put out for bid for February opening. Stan asked about the multimodal street paving projects. Bob stated he is working with Penn DOT, April Hannon, working through the ADA designs. He does not have a time line as of now. Crime Watch Report - No meeting in December. Next meeting is January 31st at 7 pm. Council President’s Report - Trash 77.9- tons; Cardboard 5.81 tons. Mileage: Packer – 67,938; Mack – 4,420; Green Pickup 4,484; C3500 – 1,973; F550 - 44,058 ; C6500- 480; Bucket truck – 858. As everyone knows, Suscon Road is closed. There were issues. We called Representative Haddocks office and PennDOT and they came and put out additional signage. Chief stated we had quite a few issues in the beginning. It has slowed down. Mark questioned the original plan to close it completely and use Walnut Street as detour. Second, a meeting with Christine Dettore from DCNR regarding the land behind the school and resolve the conversion issue and do a corrective deed . We will also discuss with her the plans for the grant work for the basketball court and pocket park. We may have to subdivide the large parcel to put the original deed back in place. Third, last month’s meeting there was a question about chickens in town. According to the County Zoning, you cannot have chickens or ducks in town. Not in residential areas, only agricultural areas. Last, we are working on issues with sewer blockage on Stanton Street with problem with roots in the line. MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REPORTS: 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. MOTION ACKNOWLEDGING SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT WITH REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF CITY OF PITTSTON SIGNED DECEMBER 27, 2022 RE: HOME GRANTS AND FUNDS. (Due 12/29/22) Motion: Mr. Kowalczyk Second: Mr. Jones Roll Call Vote: Mr. Knick, yes; Mr. Kowalczyk; Mr. Karkut, yes; Mr. Price, yes; Mr. Jones, yes. Motion Carried 5/0. Stan also noted thee is a meeting Thursday with Jason from BHW to discuss the rental property inspection program. Matters from Residents in Attendance: Lou Posly, when is recycling going to start. What are we picking up and when did it start. Stan Knick stated recycling started the first of the year. No glass for recycling. It is written in the calendar. Paper and Cardboard is tomorrow. Every Wednesday is recycling. First and Third is comingle and Second and Fourth is paper and cardboard. No stickers needed for recycling just for trash. If you pay the refuse fee you get a window sticker. Recycling is in blue containers. Glass is in trash bags. Mr. Cigan – Clarify that glass goes in the trash. First and Third Wednesday is Comingle. Second and Fourth Wednesday is the same, cardboard and paper. No matters from Council Members at this time. Stan did announce there are covid tests and hand sanitizer in the back of the room if anyone is interested. Mr. Cigan – In the paper, Luzerne County received 112.9 million dollars from Federal Rescue Plan. The County has $94 million left. They have to distribute it. It stated they received 139 applications from organizations, non profits and businesses and outside governmental entities, as well as 10 applications from internal county departments. Does the county let the municipality know there is money available. Stan stated yes. Patty would know more because she deals with it everyday. Mr. Cigan asked if the Borough received any of this money. Stan stated he believes we did put in for funding. Mr. Karkut noted it has not been given out yet. MOTION TO ADJOURN. Unanimous. Respectfully submitted, Adopted and Approved Ellen Price, Clerk Stanley Knick Jr. Typed, Patricia McDonald , Secretary President of Council