Regular Session of Council

Town of Greenville Council Minutes 12/09/24 www.greenvilleborough.com MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWN OF GREENVILLE COUNCIL HELD IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS Monday, December 9, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. 1. Call to Order Paul Hamill, Mayor If you are a visitor to council, we ask you to please sign in at the door and turn off all cellular telephones. If you wish to record the meeting (video or audio), please announce that you are recording to notify the public in the room that they are being recorded. 2. Invocation: Rev. Andy Henry, New Beginnings Christian Church Flag Salute led by Councilor Butcher 3. Roll Call: Paul Hamill, Mayor Jean Carr-Fisher, Deputy Mayor Chad Bromley, Councilor Anne Butcher, Councilor Evan Hereford, Councilor - Excused Brian Shipley, Councilor Linda Zuschlag, Councilor Jasson W. Urey, Town Manager Solicitor, Douglas, Joseph & Olson – via Teams Also present: Frank Vanderslice Kimberly Brick Rev. Andy Henry Joel Rinella – audio recording Patrick Eaton Joy Peterson Michelle Mueller Gary Mueller Brenda Turner Jennifer Turner Jennifer Alexander Terry Claypool Randal Peabody, Jr. Erin Simonek – WFMJ – video recording Staff: Media: Amy Hollowell - Administrative Assistant Caleb Stright, The Record-Argus – audio recording Rosalynn Reagle – Assistant Town Manager Matt Breedlove – Director of Community Development Page 1 of 5 Town of Greenville Council Minutes 12/09/24 4. Public Comments – (3-minute time limit) Residents: Mr. Joel Rinella, 424 South Main Street, presented the Town Clerk, Jasson Urey with a petition circulated by the Repeal 1645 Group, stating the people of Greenville are speaking to you, are you listening? Randal Peabody, Jr., 23 South Diamond Street, said he was told by the magistrate to talk to council about his chickens. He said he called the borough and was told he could have three hens and three ducks but did not know to whom he spoke. Mayor Hamill told him he would refer this to the Code Committee. Joy Peterson, 30 Lebanon Avenue, says council is unempathetic towards the taxpayers. She said it was unfair for the Water Authority to get a two-year compliance plan for painting, but she was not allowed this option because she will not bow a knee and sign the compliance plan. When times get tough your hand out raises – give us back our town, fix our roads, get off our backs. Stop throwing stones at ours until you have your house in order. You must live within your means. Brenda Turner, 122 North Second Street, expressed concern with the number of skill game machine businesses and wanted to know who is profiting from them. Patrick Eaton, 18 Leet Avenue, asked if Trinity property was purchased before or after exiting ACT 47. Jen Cornwell, 32 Ohl Street, questioned the safety of the Ohl Street Bridge, seeing several kids fishing from the bridge. Non-Residents: Kim Brick, 453 Creek Road, complained about Tri-County Industries’ services provided and her opinion on how the town management deals with them. Gary Mueller, 701 Vernon Road, questioned the compliance plan between the town and Water Authority. Council Consideration 5. Approval of Minutes Motion by Councilor Butcher, seconded by Councilor Shipley, to approve the minutes from November 6, 2024, Work Session, November 11, 2024, Regular Meeting, and the November 25, 2024, Special Meeting. Motion carried 6-0. 6. Approval of Monthly Bills Payroll $189,089.81 Administration 33,447.79 Police 34,349.78 Fire 18,133.54 Code 15,659.84 Public Works 25,449.56 Page 2 of 5 Town of Greenville Council Minutes 12/09/24 Airport 84,604.79 Parks 4,129.77 Community Development 1,140.00 Storm Water 11,718.76 Capital Fund 754.00 ARPA Fund 0.00 PENNVEST 5,588.83 USDA Grant/Loan 1,131.00 Fire Escrow Fund 0.00 Sewer 222,057.79 Total $647,255.26 Motion by Councilor Bromley, seconded by Councilor Zuschlag, to approve the monthly bills as presented. Motion carried 6-0. 7. Approval of Department and Staff Reports A. Financial – November 2024 B. Code – November 2024 C. Fire – November 2024 D. Police – November 2024 Motion by Councilor Butcher, seconded by Councilor Carr-Fisher, to accept the November Department and Staff Reports as presented. Motion carried 6-0. 8. Unfinished Business A. Motion by Councilor Shipley, seconded by Councilor Carr-Fisher, to appoint Fred Murrin, Dow Lindholm, Gordon Richardson, Richard Feydo, Robert Murrin, Roderick Paul to the Airport Commission with a term expiring December 31, 2025. Motion carried 6-0. B. Motion by Councilor Shipley, seconded by Councilor Butcher, to appoint Jennifer Alexander to the Civil Service Commission with a term ending December 1, 2030. Motion carried 6-0. C. Motion by Councilor Bromley, seconded by Councilor Carr-Fisher, to appoint Jennifer Alexander to the Code Appeals Board with a term ending December 31, 2029. Motion carried 6-0. D. Having no applicants, Mayor Hamill tabled the one appointment to the Mercer County Regional Planning Commission with a term ending December 31, 2027. E. Motion by Councilor Butcher, seconded by Councilor Zuschlag, to appoint Roy (Trey) Wilt to the Greenville Planning Commission with a term ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried 6-0. F. Motion by Councilor Carr-Fisher, seconded by Councilor Butcher, to appoint Martin Johnson to the Redevelopment Authority with a term ending December 31, 2029. Motion carried 6-0. G. Motion by Councilor Butcher, seconded by Councilor Shipley, to appoint Frank Vanderslice to the Vacancy Board with a term ending December 31, 2025. Motion carried 6-0. H. Motion by Carr-Fisher, seconded by Councilor Zuschlag, to appoint Thomas Strahler to the Greenville Water Authority with a term ending December 31, 2029. Motion carried 6-0. Page 3 of 5 Town of Greenville Council Minutes 12/09/24 I. Motion by Councilor Bromley, seconded by Councilor Butcher, to appoint Jennifer Alexander to the Zoning Hearing Board with a term ending December 31, 2027. Motion carried 6-0. J. Motion by councilor Butcher, seconded by Councilor Shipley, to appoint John O’Malley to the Zoning Hearing Board with a term ending December 31, 2026. This seat will be vacant due to the resignation of Joel Rinella, effective December 31, 2024. Motion carried 6-0. K. Motion by councilor Butcher, seconded by Councilor Carr-Fisher to adopt Ordinance 1646, amending the police pension to waive the member contribution requirement for 2025. Motion carried 6-0. 9. New Business A. Motion by Councilor Shipley, seconded by Councilor Zuschlag, to accept the recommendation from the Personnel Committee to promote Jeff Savchuk from Part-Time to Full-Time Firefighter in the Greenville Fire Department from the Civil Service Commission’s Certified List of Three. Motion carried 6-0. B. Motion by Councilor Shipley, seconded by Councilor Butcher, to modify the FY 2022 Mercer County Community Block Grant (OBO the Town of Greenville) by transferring $17,000.00 from the Code Enforcement line item to the Demolition/Clearance line item. Code Enforcement ($18,000.00), Demolition/Clearance ($18,000.00), and Housing Rehabilitation (446,564.00) will remain as funded activities. Motion carried 6-0. C. Motion by Councilor Butcher, seconded by Councilor Carr-Fisher, to adopt the 2025 Council Meeting Dates. Motion carried 6-0. D. Motion by Councilor Shipley, seconded by Councilor Carr-Fisher, to accept the recommendation from the Budget and Finance Committee to authorize the Town Manger to purchase a used fire truck at a cost not to exceed $325,000.00. Motion carried 6-0. 10. Council Comments Councilor Bromley thanked everyone for coming and wished all a great Christmas. Councilor Butcher wished all a Merry Christmas. She also agreed with not liking skill games, however they are here and only the owners benefit from them. Councilor Shipley echoed the dislike of skill games; however, we cannot control what businesses the property owners rent their buildings to. The county is the owner of the Ohl Street Bridge, and we will be sure to let them know about the concerns brought up tonight. He informed Mr. Eaton the Trinity property was purchased after exiting ACT 47 so we can have local control of the development. There has been much talk of local control tonight, this takes local control to get projects moving. He reminded the visitors that there is a learning curve to plowing snow and our street department did an outstanding job last week – a job that many would not want to do. They should be commended! As for living within our means, we voted to purchase a used firetruck, we budgeted a tax cut and were able to add a police officer. He also reminded there have been false comments that the Redevelopment Authority will be next for removing residency requirements. Those comments are not true. The Blighted Property Review Committee simply reviews data to make sure a property fits the blighted designation. The RDA is the only group that can act on blighted property. Their members are required by the state to be residents. You are putting out a false flag Page 4 of 5 Town of Greenville Council Minutes 12/09/24 to create havoc. Disparaging employes is not good for the town and not appropriate. The way you are speaking, your argument against non-resident employees suggests that non-residents should not be recognized either. Councilor Zuschlag confirmed there is a Compliance Plan in place for the Water Authority building. Councilor Carr-Fisher thanked Councilor Shipley for his explanations of Blight Property Review Committee should not be a topic to invoke fear. They are not taking your house. This is a committee whose only power is to make a recommendation to other boards. As for skill game businesses, if people were not supporting them, they would not be in business. No one is perfect here. Living here does not give me “skin in the game” – how I feel and what I do does. 11. Mayor Comment – echoed Council Shipley’s comments. He also agreed that no one wants skill games. He said he has a meeting at the county coming up and will express the concerns about the Ohl St Bridge to then. 12. Town Manager Comments – said he gets out after trash day to observe Tri-County’s services. He acknowledged we received a community complaint about garbage cans in the middle of the street; it was found to be at the curbline where cars were parked. He remined everyone that garbage must be placed in bags. The management team holds Tri-County responsible. Just like us, they have employee issues, but they do take care of problems when reported. 13. Adjournment having no other business, Motion by Councilor Butcher, seconded by Councilor Carr- Fisher, to adjourn this session of Council at 7:15 p.m. Motion carried 6-0. Respectfully submitted, Jasson W. Urey Town Manager Page 5 of 5