Regular Session of Council

MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF GREENVILLE BOROUGH COUNCIL HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON TUESDAY, JULY 10, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. 1. Call to Order Council President Longiotti called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 2. Invocation: Pastor Jim Chapin, Living Word Christian Center Flag Salute 3. Roll Call: Pete Longiotti, Council President Pamela Auchter, Councilor Theodore Jones, Councilor Henry M. Mueller, Councilor Joanne Price, Councilor Richard H. Miller, Mayor Members absent: David Henderson, Council Vice President Jasson Urey Also present was Joe Joseph, Borough Solicitor, Ryan T. Eggleston, Borough Manager 4. Public Comments/Public Participation Borough resident Kate Yasgur questioned if the borough received any money from Hempfield Twp. for police services and if the June monthly expenses for the police department seemed high. She was informed there is a mutual aid agreement between Hempfield Twp. and the Greenville/West Salem Police Department. After a brief discussion, Ms. Yasgur was told the June monthly police expenses are actually low compared to prior months. John McDonald once again questioned the borough’s enforcement of recycling and asked why the borough did not apply for a DEP grant on recycling. Council President Longiotti and the Borough Manager stated they are looking in to applying for recycling grants and requested a grant application from DEP to start the process. Mary Keck commented on the Trinity offer of property for a borough maintenance garage and asked if the question of contaminated soil was an issue a few years ago when the current fire station was built on Trinity property. The council was unable to answer her question. Mrs. Keck believes the DEP has a program/people do to soil testing and asked if the borough has called them to do testing on the properties in question. She assumed it would be a free service, Council President Longiotti stated his opinion as “Ma’am, you don’t get anything free from DEP”. Tom D’Alfonso wanted to confirm President Longiotti’s last statement regarding the getting nothing free from DEP. Mr. Longiotti repeated his statement and would retract it if he was proven wrong. 1  Greenville Borough Council Meeting minutes – July 10, 2007 5. Approval of Minutes Councilor Mueller moved, seconded by Councilor Price that the minutes of the June 12, 2007 regular meeting be approved as written. Motion approved. 6. Budget Report Councilor Auchter moved, seconded by Councilor Price to accept the Budget Report – Fund 01 as presented. Motion approved. 7. Mayor’s items Mayor Miller spoke on the increase in home foreclosures in Mercer County. A lengthy discussion followed. 8. Council reports Councilor Price moved, seconded by Councilor Mueller to accept the monthly reports as written. Motion approved. a. Police report for June 2007 b. Fire Chief’s report for June 2007 c. Treasurer’s report for June 2007 The following reports were placed of file: a. Code Enforcement report for June 2007 b. Public Works report for June 2007 9. Reports from Council Committees  Pam Auchter reported there would not be a July GALSA meeting and the next meeting would be August 13th.  Councilor Mueller briefly discussed the June street committee meeting and stated the main topic discussed was the Trinity officer of property and a site for a borough maintenance garage.  President Longiotti stated there was no meeting of the Mercer Co. Council of Governments or Mercer Co. Regional Planning Commission. 2  Greenville Borough Council Meeting minutes – July 10, 2007 10. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Resolution regarding support for “Employee Free Choice Act” Councilor Price moved, seconded by Councilor Mueller to sign the resolution supporting the “Employee Free Choice Act”. A roll call vote was taken. Councilor Jones No Councilor Auchter Yes Councilor Price Yes Councilor Mueller Yes Council President Longiotti Yes Motion approved 4-1 b. Trinity Industries offer to donate property to the Borough Councilor Price moved, seconded by Councilor Mueller to accept only “parcel #2” map numbers 55-521-007 & 55-521-016 of the agreement with the understanding Trinity Industries is willing to donate just that parcel located on the SE corner of Union & Ridge and Ridge Avenue. A roll call vote was taken. Councilor Jones No Councilor Auchter Yes Councilor Price Yes Councilor Mueller Yes Council President Longiotti Yes Motion approved 4-1 Councilor Jones made a motion to accept Trinity Industries original offer of both properties included in the agreement dated May 8, 2007 if Trinity Industries does not want to change their offer and only donate “parcel #2” seconded by Councilor Mueller. Motion approved. 3  Greenville Borough Council Meeting minutes – July 10, 2007 c. Time extension request to Labor & Industry regarding disposition of the borough maintenance garage. Councilor Price moved, seconded by Councilor Mueller to authorize the borough manager to request a time extension to Labor & Industry on the disposition of the borough maintenance garage. Motion approved. Councilor Mueller moved, seconded by Councilor Price to approve the portion of land next to the fire station as the site for a new borough maintenance garage, have the borough engineer suggest an architect to design a building, and ensure the building will be ready for occupancy by July 1, 2008. Councilor Price withdrew her second to the motion, hence the motion died for a lack of a second, as to allow Solicitor Joseph to clarify Councilor Mueller’s motion. Mr. Joseph began to explain to the councilors that they need to authorize the borough manager to go out for RFPs (request for professional services) on an architect or engineer to visit the site. It may not be suitable for a building. Solicitor Joseph feels the council is not ready to commit to a time frame for a number of reasons some of those being, inspections, plan reviews, and the architect will be in his own time schedule. A lengthy discussion followed. Councilor Mueller moved, seconded by Councilor Price to authorize the Borough Manager to advertise for RFPs for an architect or engineer to visit the site plan and propose a building site and a building plan for that particular site. A roll call vote was taken. Councilor Jones No Councilor Auchter Yes Councilor Price Yes Councilor Mueller Yes Council President Longiotti Yes Motion approved 4-1 d. Changing the fee for parking fines in the Borough Councilor Jones moved, seconded by Councilor Mueller to change the fee for parking fines from $25.00 to $15.00 for over the time limit parking and $25.00 for all other parking violations. A roll call vote was taken. Councilor Jones Yes Councilor Auchter No Councilor Price No Councilor Mueller Yes Council President Longiotti No Motion defeated 3-2 4  Greenville Borough Council Meeting minutes – July 10, 2007 e. Accept the 2006 audit report Councilor Auchter moved, seconded by Councilor Price to accept the 2006 audit report. Motion approved. 11. NEW BUSINESS a. First and final reading of Ordinance 1469 Councilor Mueller moved, seconded by Councilor Auchter for a first and final reading of Ordinance 1469. Motion approved. b. Adoption of Ordinance 1469 Councilor Mueller moved, seconded by Councilor Price to adopt Ordinance 1469. Motion approved. c. Adoption of Resolution 2007-09 – Recording Devices at Borough Meetings Councilor Mueller moved, seconded by Councilor Price to adopt Resolution 2007-09 – Recording devices at borough meetings. Motion approved. d. Corey Sechler’s resignation from the Greenville Planning Commission Councilor Auchter moved, seconded by Councilor Price to accept the resignation of Corey Sechler from the Greenville Planning Commission effective immediately and advertise the open seat on the Greenville Planning Commission. This term will expire on December 31, 2009. Motion approved e. Authorize advertising Ordinance 1470 – Police pension benefits Councilor Auchter moved, seconded by Councilor Price to authorize the Borough Solicitor to advertise Ordinance 1470 – Police Pension benefits for adoption at the August 14th meeting. Motion approved. f. Authorize advertising Ordinance 1471 – Firefighter pension benefits Councilor Price moved, seconded by Councilor Auchter to authorize the Borough Solicitor to advertise Ordinance 1471 – Firefighter pension benefits for adoption at the August 14th meeting. Motion approved. g. Approve Douglas Richmond as a member of the Greenville Volunteer Fire Company Councilor Price moved, seconded by Councilor Jones to approve Douglas Richmond as a member of the Greenville Volunteer Fire Co. Motion approved. 5  Greenville Borough Council Meeting minutes – July 10, 2007 h. Per Capita Exonerations Councilor Auchter moved, seconded by Councilor Jones to approve the request from the Greenville Tax Office for permanent exonerations to the Per Capita Duplicate in the amount of $25.00. Motion approved. i. Approve correspondence from EG&G regarding Streetscape Phase II design Councilor Jones moved, seconded by Councilor Price to approve the correspondence/sketch from EG&G regarding the elimination of three (3) parking spaces and drive apron in front of the Borough building and creating a pedestrian plaza at that location. A roll call vote was taken. Councilor Jones Yes Councilor Auchter Yes Councilor Price Yes Councilor Mueller No Council President Longiotti Yes Motion approved 4-1 12. Council Comments Councilor Jones expressed to councilors they should be voting in the best interest of the Greenville citizens and the Greenville businesses they are representing. Councilor Price echoed Councilor Jones’ comments. 13. Borough Manager’s Comments Mr. Eggleston asked the councilors to stay to sign the Resolution regarding the Employee Free Choice Act. 6  Greenville Borough Council Meeting minutes – July 10, 2007 14. Bills for Approval Payroll 112,541.52 Administration/Building 4,516.41 Tax Expense 5,344.22 Douglas and Joseph 1,250.00 Police Department 26,619.38 Fire Department 10,006.22 Code, Zoning, & COG Department 5,361.78 Sewer Employee Benefits 3,999.54 Streets/Public Works Department 22,343.97 Airport Expenses 3,470.71 Park Expenses 8,043.58 Bank Payments and Insurances 76,259.57 Greenville Library Donation 5,000.00 Strayhaven Donation 500.00 Greenville House Real Estate Refund 28,513.08 Sewer System Operating Fund 60,322.89 Capital Fund Projects 33,189.36 TOTAL OF ALL DEPARTMENTS $407,282.23 Councilor Mueller moved, seconded by Councilor Auchter that the bills be paid as presented. Motion approved. 15. Adjournment Having no other business before council, Councilor Mueller moved, seconded by Councilor Price to adjourn the meeting at 7:28 p.m. Motion approved. 16. Press Time Respectfully submitted, Ryan T. Eggleston Borough Secretary Borough of Greenville vh 7