City Council

FORTY FORT BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2024 The June meeting of the Forty Fort Borough Council will be held on Monday, June 3, 2024 at the Forty Fort Borough Bldg., 1271 Wyoming Ave., with council president, Thomas J. Murray, III, presiding. President Murray called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM with the following council members present: Phil Mertz, Frank Mazza, Cara Devine, David Sieminski, Kristy Dadurka & Sara Michaels. Also present were Atty. Greg Skibitsky, Mayor Brian Thomas, Code Officer Tom Craig, DPW Supervisor, Rick Kamus & Borough Manager, Bonnie Arnone. Reverend Lukish led with a prayer followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag led by Mayor Thomas. President Murray announced that immediately preceding this meeting, a public hearing had been held that began at 5:30 PM which was advertised in the legal section of the Citizens Voice on two dates. This public hearing was for council to once again announce the proposed changes to the current zoning ordinance and zoning map and take public comments. These changes will be voted upon at this council meeting. RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS COMMENTS: John Vitanovec, 1120 Murray St. stated that it is difficult to hear council when they are speaking during meetings. He stated that while there is a time period set for noise related activities, grass & lawn services are allowed to come in at any time. He also asked if the section of Tripp St. from Murray to the railroad tracks could be swept with the street sweeper. Maureen Salley, 106 Center St., stated that the showers at the Kingston pool are not as nice as the showers at the Forty Fort pool and wonders why they have to be replaced. She complained about water laying on top of the tarp on the Forty Fort pool and smoking at the park pavilion. Mr. Kamus explained why the showers at the pool will need to be replaced due to old water lines. Pam Smith, 64 E. Pettebone St., asked how the Manager can get the work done for Forty Fort and West Wyoming. She was told that the work for both communities is being accomplished within the normal work week with no difficulty. She also said that she would like to see council have the use of a microphone during meetings. CONSENT AGENDA: These items have been presented to council for review at a previous meeting and are ready for a vote: 4/15/24 Council work session minutes 4/25/24 Special council mtg. minutes 5/6/24 Council meeting minutes April 2024 Code Office Report April 2024 Kington/Forty Fort Fire Chief Report April 2024 Forty Fort Treasurer’s Report April 2024 Forty Fort Volunteer Fire Chief Report April 2024 Tax Collector Report April 2024 Manager Time Sheets 3/19/24 WVSA meeting minutes 4/18/24 Pool Committee meeting minutes SPCA 1st Quarter 2024 Report April 2024 Police Chief Report COUNCIL ACTION ITEMS: Motion by Ms. Devine to pay all bills as presented. Seconded by Mr. Mertz. All council was in favor of this motion. Motion passed. Motion by Ms. Devine to hire Jacob Mahoney and Hunter Hivish as summer help for the Dept. of Public Works. Seconded by Ms. Dadurka. All council was in favor of this motion. Motion passed. Motion by Mr. Mertz to amend Section 1016 Parking Commercial or Recreation Vehicles in the Zoning Ordinance as proposed. Seconded by Mr. Sieminski. All council was in favor of this motion. Motion passed. Motion by Ms. Devine to amend Section 1201 Zoning Officer in the Zoning Ordinance as proposed. Seconded by Ms. Michaels. All council was in favor of this motion. Motion passed. Motion by Ms. Dadurka to amend the current zoning map to create a C-1 Commercial Zone at the end of River Street as proposed. Second by Ms. Devine. All council was in favor of this motion. Motion passed. Motion by Ms. Devine to authorize Atty. Greg Skibitsky to file a complaint against Alan Rosen for failure to return a deposit paid to him in May of 2023 for an appraisal of property in Forty Fort Borough that was never done. Seconded by Mr. Mertz. All council was in favor of this motion. Motion passed. Letter of interest for the vacancy in the Civil Service Commission for the remaining alternate position were received from Pam Smith of E. Pettebone St. and Donnie Evans from Oak St. Both Ms. Smith and Mr. Evans explained to council the reasons for their interest in filling this position on the commission. Motion by Ms. Devine to appoint Donnie Evans to the alternate position on the Civil Service Commission. Seconded by Mr. Mertz. Motion was made by Ms. Dadurka to appoint Pam Evans to the alternate position on the Civil Service Commission. Seconded by Ms. Michaels. Roll call vote on the first motion to appoint Mr. Evans showed the following: YES: Phil Mertz, Frank Mazza, Cara Devine, David Sieminski & Thomas J. Murray, Jr. 5 YES NO: Kristy Dadurka & Sara Michaels 2 NO Roll call vote on the second motion to appoint Ms. Smith showed the following: YES: Frank Mazza, Kristy Dadurka & Sara Michaels 3 YES NO: Phil Mertz, Cara Devine, David Sieminski & Thomas J. Murray, III 4 NO 5 YES / 2 NO Roll call vote wins for Donnie Evans being named the Alternate to the Civil Service Commission. Motion by Mr. Sieminski to make payment to the IRS delinquent payroll taxes from 2013 in the amount of $6,419.41. Seconded by Ms. Devine. On the question: This has been an ongoing issue that has been handled by our current payroll company Diversified Payroll on the Borough’s behalf despite the fact that in 2013, ADP payroll company was being used. It was noted that 940 payroll taxes had apparently been paid by ADP instead of 941 taxes and the borough had received a refund of $6,419.41 on 1/9/2015. However, there is no record of a subsequent IRS payment for the actual 941 taxes due. Diversified has been successful in securing a dedicated IRS agent to communicate with to bring this issue to a close for the Borough with the hopes that some penalties and interest will be credited to the borough. All council was in favor of this motion. Motion passed. Motion by Mr. Sieminski to table a motion to make payment to the IRS for $4,007.26 for 1 st Quarter 2020 941 taxes that were never paid. Seconded by Ms. Devine. On the question: Ms. Arnone explained that our representative from Diversified Payroll is still investigating this issue with her records and the IRS agent. All council was in favor of this motion. Motion passed and item was tabled. NEW BUSINESS: Mr. Murray announced that the borough recently received news that we were awarded three (3) DCED grants that had been applied for last September 2023. $150,000.00 has been received for a new Bucket truck for the DPW; $14,561.00 has been received for new desks, copiers and printers for the Code Office; $22,020.00 has been received for Street Arts Society Phase IV West Side Revitalization Project. Two other grants that had been applied for were not awarded, those being for 2 police cruisers and equipment for the West Side Council of Governments. At this time, Mayor Thomas swore in Christine Kutz as the newly elected member of the Civil Service Commission, William F. Stone, Jr. as the newly elected alternate to the Civil Service Commission and Donnie Evans as the newly elected alternate to the Civil Service Commission. OLD BUSINESS: Ms. Dadurka thanked Lori Girvan for preparing the grant application that was submitted in May to DCED for repairs to the pool. She reported that there will be a committee meeting near the end of June. Ms. Michaels also thanked Lori Girvan for her work on the grant and thanked Bonnie Arnone for creating an e-mail list of all members of the Civil Service Commission. She has some questions on Chief Hunsinger’s report regarding the position of Detective for his department. Mr. Sieminski stated that he will be absent for the June work session but will be available by phone if necessary. Mr. Mazza echoed the thanks to Lori Girvan for her work on the grant application for the pool. Mr. Mertz agreed that council needed some type of microphones to amplify their voices so residents could hear them clearly. He also thanked both civil service candidates for their interest in the position. Mayor Thomas reported that Friday, June 14th, the Recreation Advisory Board will be holding their End of Year festivities at the Forty Fort Park for all children. He also reminded everyone that the Board is in need of another member.  Tom Craig, Code Officer, will place a reminder on our website and social media sites of what can be burned in a fire pit and how smoke can be minimized when in use. He has received several complaints regarding these issues recently. He also mentioned that the older code car may not pass the next inspection due to extreme under carriage rust. Rick Kamus, DPW supervisor, reported that he would like to hold a public meeting for residents along Abraham’s Creek near Gerrity’s Market at the upper end of Forty Fort where WVSA will be doing restoration work on the creek. These residents will be asked to signed Easements in order for this project to be completed. With there being no further business to discuss, a motion to adjourn was made by Ms. Devine at 7:04 PM and seconded by Ms. Dadurka. The next meeting will be held on Monday, June 17, 2024 at 6:00 PM. Respectfully submitted, Bonnie Arnone Borough Manager