Borough Council

5:30pm – Budget Workshop #2 ELLWOOD CITY BOROUGH COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING – 6:00 P.M. – COUNCIL CHAMBERS November 20, 2023 MINUTES CALL TO ORDER President George Celli called the meeting to order. ROLL CALL Present: Mr. Barry, Mr. Cragle, Ms. Dici (via phone), Ms. Lamenza (via phone), Mr. Ovial, Ms. Williams, and Mr. Celli Also Present: Borough Manager Kevin Swogger and Solicitor Ed Leymarie Absent: Mayor Anthony Court INVOCATION –Tod Custer, Christ Presbyterian Church PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE VISITORS 1. Emily DeNome – RE: EC Area School District proposed softball field COMMUNICATIONS APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Regular Meeting 10/16/23 A motion was made by Mr. Barry, seconded by Mr. Ovial, to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held 10/16/23, as submitted. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS: Pre-Paid Voucher List 11/15/23 and List of Vouchers to be Paid dated 11/15/23 A motion was made by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Cragle, to approve the Pre-Paid Voucher List dated 11/15/23, in the amount of $1,325,051.45, and the List of Vouchers to be Paid dated 11/15/23, in the amount of $374,810.14. Roll call vote; all in favor. Motion carried. DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS: A motion was made by Ms. Williams, seconded by Mr. Barry, to approve the Departmental Reports, as submitted. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. BID OPENINGS ORDINANCES 1. Stop Intersections (4th St, Hazel Ave, 9th St) A motion was made by Mr. Cragle, seconded by Mr. Ovial, to adopt an ordinance, as submitted, establishing stop intersections at Fourth St at Franklin Ave (northbound & southbound), Hazel Avenue at Union Street (northbound & southbound) and Ninth Street at Crescent Avenue (northbound). Roll call vote. All in favor, except Ms. Dici, Ms. Williams, and Mr. Celli. Motion carried, 4-3. Borough of Ellwood City Regular Council Meeting – 11/20/23 Page 2 of 4 RESOLUTIONS 1. Free Holiday Parking A motion was made by Mr. Barry, seconded by Mr. Cragle, to adopt a Resolution, as submitted, authorizing free parking at all currently metered spaces located on Lawrence Avenue, Bell Avenue, Crescent Avenue, 5th Street, 6th Street, 7th Street and the Beaver Avenue parking lot for a maximum of two (2) hours from November 25 through December 31, 2023. Motorists exceeding the 2 hour time limit will be subject to a $5.00 fine if paid within 72 hours. Violators who fail to make payment within 72 hours will be subject to prosecution through the District Justice office. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. 2. 2024 Police Pension Contribution A motion was made by Mr. Cragle, seconded by Mr. Ovial, to adopt a Resolution, as submitted, requiring contributions to the police pension fund by the police department in the amount of 4.0% for the year 2024. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. APPOINTMENTS/RESIGNATIONS 1. Resignation – Renee Pitrelli – EC Economic Development Authority A motion was made by Mr. Ovial, seconded by Mr. Barry, to accept the resignation of Renee Pitrelli from the EC Economic Development Authority. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL Finance: (Williams, Lamenza, Dici) 1. Adopt Tentative 2024 Budget/Advertise Tax Rate This item was pulled from the Agenda. Health/Public Safety: (Ovial, Lamenza, Cragle) Public Works: (Barry, Williams, Ovial) 1. Award Bid – Purchase of a Used Dump Truck A motion was made by Mr. Barry, seconded by Ms. Lamenza, to award the bid for the purchase of a used dump truck, a 2004 Ford F-550 (19,500 GVW) to Jim Babish Auto Sales, Inc. (Johnstown, PA) in the amount of $26,244.47. This amount will be paid from the General Fund. Roll call vote. All voted against, except Mr. Barry, Ms. Dici and Ms. Lamenza. Motion FAILED, 4-3. Utilities: (Dici, Barry, Williams) Parks/Recreation: (Cragle, Lamenza, Barry) Administration/Personnel: (Lamenza, Ovial, Cragle) 1. Resignation – Barbie Gennock, Clerk IV (Utility Billing) A motion was made by Mr. Cragle, seconded by Ms. Dici, to accept the resignation of Barbie Gennock, Clerk IV (Utility Billing) effective 11/3/23, her last day of employment. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. 2. Advertise Employment – Clerk IV (Utility Billing) A motion was made by Mr. Cragle, seconded by Ms. Lamenza, to advertise for the position of Clerk IV (Utility Billing) in the Clerical Department. The rate of pay is $20.09/hour (85% of full rate of $23.64). Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. 3. Employment - Bookkeeper This item was pulled from the Agenda. Borough of Ellwood City Regular Council Meeting – 11/20/23 Page 3 of 4 4. Advertise – Board/Commission Vacancies A motion was made by Ms. Williams, seconded by Mr. Cragle, to advertise the vacancies on the following Boards/Commissions: Zoning Hearing Board, Zoning Hearing Board Alternate, Economic Development Authority, Civil Service Commission, Board of Health, and Recreation Board. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. 5. Advertise Ordinance - Code Book Updates A motion was made by Ms. Williams, seconded by Mr. Ovial, to advertise an ordinance approving the editing and inclusion of certain ordinances and resolutions as parts of the various component codes of the codified ordinances. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. 6. Worker’s Compensation Insurance – Firefighters This item was pulled from the Agenda. 7. Police Pension Plan – 2024 Cost of Living Adjustments (Damon, Disher (DROP), Forester (QDRO), Kingston, Liberatore, List, Lubich, & Parsons A motion was made by Ms. Williams, seconded by Mr. Ovial, to approve the year 2024 cost of living adjustments for retired police officers Brian Damon, Jon Disher (DROP), Patricia Forester (QDRO), David Kingston, Matthew Liberatore, Richard List, John Lubich, and Wayne Parsons, as submitted by the Actuary. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. 8. Richardson Inspection Services – 2024 Fee Schedule This item was pulled from the Agenda. 9. Lease Agreement Renewal – Children’s Advocacy Center of Lawrence Co. A motion was made by Mr. Barry, seconded by Ms. Williams, to approve renewing the lease agreement with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Lawrence County at the rate of $575/month. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. 10. Employment – Part-time Paramedic A motion was made by Ms. Dici, seconded by Mr. Ovial, to approve the employment of Joshua Habib as a part-time Paramedic at the rate of $20.00/hour. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. 11. Diane Daubenspeck – Additional Clerical Support Services A motion was made by Mr. Barry, seconded by Ms. Lamenza, to approve utilizing Diane Daubenspeck for additional clerical support services on a limited, as needed, basis for $100.00 per hour (not to exceed an additional $5,000). Roll call vote; all in favor. Motion carried. 12. Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) – 2024 Fee Schedule A motion was made by Mr. Barry, seconded by Mr. Cragle, to approve the 2024 fee schedule as submitted by Herbert, Rowland, & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) for engineering services. Roll call vote; all in favor. Motion carried. Community Development/Buildings: (Ovial, Barry, Cragle) 1. Sewer Tap – 493 State Route 288 (Franklin Twp.) A motion was made by Mr. Cragle, seconded by Ms. Williams, to approve the following sewer tap: April Davis, 493 State Route 288 (Franklin Twp.), 1 tap, $1000 Roll call vote; all in favor. Motion carried. Blight: (Dici, Ovial, Barry) Technology: (Cragle, Williams, Dici) Borough of Ellwood City Regular Council Meeting – 11/20/23 Page 4 of 4 UNFINISHED BUSINESS NEW BUSINESS 1. Police Policy – Use of Pepperball Gun A motion was made by Mr. Barry, seconded by Mr. Ovial, to approve the Police policy, as submitted, regarding the use of pepperball guns. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. 2. Permission to Add to Agenda – Change Order #1 Pollard Land Services A motion was made by Mr. Barry, seconded by Ms. Williams, to add the consideration of Change Order #1 from Pollard Land Services, Inc. in the amount of $98,000 for the purpose of milling and overlaying the full width on Wampum Avenue from Fifth Street (~26+00) to Madison Avenue Ext. and from Madison Ave Ext. to the entrance of the access road at station ~45+00. (1 ½” mill and 1 ½” 9.5mm wearing course) to the agenda. This amount will be paid from 75% Sewage Capital Reserve Fund and 25% from the General Capital Reserve Fund. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. 3. Change Order #1 Pollard Land Services (Wampum Avenue Pump Station Project) A motion was made by Mr. Barry, seconded by Ms. Lamenza, to approve Change Order #1 from Pollard Land Services, Inc. in the amount of $98,000 for the purpose of milling and overlaying the full width on Wampum Avenue from Fifth Street (~26+00) to Madison Avenue Ext. and from Madison Ave Ext. to the entrance of the access road at station ~45+00. (1 ½” mill and 1 ½” 9.5mm wearing course). This amount will be paid from 75% Sewage Capital Reserve Fund and 25% from the General Capital Reserve Fund. Roll call vote; all in favor. Motion carried. MAYOR’S REPORT MANAGER’S REPORT ANNOUNCEMENTS Budget Workshop #3 – November 28 at 5pm Budget Workshop #4 – December 1 at 1pm Special Council Meeting – December 1 at 4pm ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned on a motion by Mr. Cragle, seconded by Ms. Williams. Voice vote; all in favor. Motion carried. ____________________________________ Linda M. List Borough Secretary