City Council

Steelton Borough Council Meeting September 8, 2009 The regular monthly meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by President, Jeffery L. Wright, with the pledge of allegiance. Mayor Acri asked for a moment of silence for Margaret Szollosy, a charter member of the Steelton Senior Center, and all family members that have gone before us. In Attendance: Absent: Jeffery L. Wright Lisa Wiedeman-Krosnar Stephen Shaver MaryJo Szada Dennis Heefner Michael Kovach Michael Albert (arrived at 7:55 pm) Mayor Thomas Acri David A. Wion, Solicitor John M. DeSanto, Jr., Secretary Treasurer Kathleen D. Handley, Assistant Secretary Treasurer Dennise Hill, Executive Assistant APPROVAL OF MINUTES: On a motion made by Mr. Heefner, seconded by Mr. Shaver, Council Members present unanimously voted to approve the July 21, 2009 and August 17, 2009 Council Minutes, as presented. EXECUTIVE SESSIONS HELD BETWEEN MEETINGS: (Secretary DeSanto): Mr. DeSanto said he had nothing to report at this time. PUBLIC COMMENT: Agenda Items Only There were no comments. COMMUNICATION: Members of the Monumental AME Church – Invitation to a “Meet & Greet” for the newly appointed Pastor and his family on Saturday, September 19, 2009. Mr. Wright will attend this event and present the pastor with a key to the Borough. 1  Steelton Borough Council Meeting September 8, 2009 Representative Ronald I. Buxton – Letter of Support for the Steelton Energy Conservation Project Grant Application. Mr. Shaver asked Mr. DeSanto to send a letter of thanks to Representative Buxton. Karen L. Rittenhouse, CPP, PA Payroll Professional of the APA – Letter requesting Council to support the American Payroll Association by designating the week of Labor Day as National Payroll Week. This communication was provided for Council’s information. Penn State Harrisburg Training Center – Certification to Daniel P. Scheitrum and Stephen J. Wilbert for completion of the Chlorine Safety Workshop. On a motion made by Mr. Shaver, seconded by Mr. Heefner, Council Members present unanimously voted to place these certifications in Mr. Scheitrum and Mr. Wilbert’s personnel files. Pennsylvania DEP – Class ‘A’ Water and Wastewater Systems Operators License for Stephen J. Wilbert. On a motion made by Mr. Kovach, seconded by Mr. Heefner, Council Members present unanimously voted to place this license in Mr. Wilbert’s personnel file. Capital Region COG – Invitation to the 4th Annual Picnic on September 21, 2009. Anyone interested in attending, please notify Mr. DeSanto. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Mr. DeSanto, Secretary – Ratify Copier Contract with Capital Equipment. On a motion made by Mr. Shaver, seconded by Mr. Kovach, Council Members present unanimously voted to ratify the contract with Capital Equipment. Solicitor Wion – Update on 24 and 227 Adams Street. Mr. Wright stated that this update is on the properties the Borough is purchasing to continue with the re-development project on Adams Street. Mr. Wion stated that settlement on 24 Adams Street is scheduled for September 17, 2009. 2  Steelton Borough Council Meeting September 8, 2009 Mr. Wion also gave an update on 227 Adams Street. Mr. Baez, through his realtor, stated that he is no longer interested in selling his property. He now plans to re-develop the house to increase the value. Mayor Acri – Update on the Post Office. Mayor Acri stated that he did not expect this process to move as quickly as it has. However, the surveys he previously spoke about are available at Borough hall and at the Post Office. The Post Office declined to do a mass mailing, claiming it would be too costly. Mayor Acri did interviews with Channels 27, 8, and 43. He said the surveys must be completed by September 21, 2009. Residents can mail completed surveys in to the Post Office or drop them off at the Post Office and/or Borough Hall. All residents in the 17113 zip code should complete the survey. Mayor Acri also stated that he had surveys available for the audience and asked for questions from the audience. Robert Amsel; 221 Pine Street Mr. Amsel stated that he had no knowledge of this until this morning. He stated that the Post Office should have mailed notification out to residents. He said the reason that the Highspire Post Office is not in danger of closing is because it is not considered a branch of Harrisburg, whereas Steelton is. The Steelton Post Office should separate from Harrisburg Post Office and operate on its own. He said that, legally, the Post Office can be shut down in 90 days, if residents don’t cause any opposition. Mr. Amsel asked Mayor Acri and Council Members to take a positive step regarding this matter. Mr. Heefner stated that Highspire’s window service business pays for the upkeep and maintenance of the Post Office. Steelton’s does not come close to doing so. Mr. Wright stated that Council will support the Mayor in this endeavor. Everyone is working hard to get the information out to the public. However, residents need to help, as well. Mr. Amsel asked if any other mailings will be done within the next 60 days. Mayor Acri told him that the water bill and newsletter will be sent out in November. NEW BUSINESS: John McHale, Borough Manager – Request for the Borough of Highspire to rent the Borough of Steelton’s street sweeper, with an operator, for two (2) weeks, one week in the spring and one week in the fall in 2010, as in previous years. Mr. Heefner stated that this was discussed a few months ago. He would like to assess if the increase that is being charged to Highspire is sufficient, due to the recent purchase of a new street sweeper. The information provided shows an increase of $150.00. 3  Steelton Borough Council Meeting September 8, 2009 Mr. Wright asked if this has to be addressed tonight. In his opinion, $150.00 is not enough to charge, in light of the amount that was spent for the new street sweeper. Mr. Shaver suggested that numbers should be run to make sure Council is not overcharging or undercharging the Borough of Highspire. On a motion made by Mr. Heefner, seconded by Mr. Kovach, Council Members present unanimously voted to table this matter until the next Council Meeting. PA Department of Transportation – Approval of the Snow Removal Contract for the winter season of 2009-2010, in the amount of $7,241.06 On a motion made by Mr. Shaver, seconded by Mr. Kovach, Council Members present unanimously voted to accept the proposal and approve execution of the contract. Teresa A. Sviben, Secretary, Code/Zoning/Planning – Letter of Resignation, effective September 11, 2009. Mr. Wright stated that he wishes Ms. Sviben the very best. It will be sad to see her leave, as he has depended on her a lot over the last four years. On a motion made by Mr. Shaver, reluctantly seconded by Mr. Heefner, Council Members present unanimously voted to accept the resignation of Ms. Sviben. John M. DeSanto, Jr., Borough Secretary – Recommendation from the Steelton Community Development Foundation to remove John J. Harris from the Foundation Board. On a motion made by Mr. Shaver, seconded by Mr. Kovach, Council Members present unanimously voted to remove Mr. Harris from the Foundation Board. Mr. Wright asked that a letter of thanks be sent to Mr. Harris. John M. DeSanto, Jr., Borough Secretary – Recommendation from the Steelton Community Development Foundation to appoint Marianne Spizzirri to the Foundation Board. On a motion made by Mr. Shaver, seconded by Mr. Heefner, Council Members present unanimously voted to appoint Ms. Spizzirri to the Foundation. John M. DeSanto, Jr., Borough Secretary – Recommendation to appoint Ms. Evelyn Rivera to the Steelton Community Development Foundation Board. On a motion made by Mr. Shaver, seconded by Mr. Heefner, Council Members present unanimously voted to appoint Ms. Rivera to the Foundation. 4  Steelton Borough Council Meeting September 8, 2009 Councilman Michael Albert – Requesting Council to consider budgeting $5,000 per year to the sports teams for the (2) years that they don’t receive grant money. Mayor Acri asked if this can be done by law. Mr. Wion stated that Council has the right to allocate and distribute money from the Recreation budget as it sees fit. Mr. Heefner stated that the Borough is in no position to sponsor outside projects. He could, in turn, request $5,000 for the SHIP project. Mr. DeSanto stated that this request was made due to the current economy and lack of fundraising. Mr. Wright asked that this matter be tabled and discussed during budget sessions. OTHER BUSINESS: Stephen Brubacher, SFD – Requesting Borough Council to authorize the sale of the old pick-up truck, that was given to the fire company, to him as surplus for $1.00. Chief Gene Vance was present to elaborate on this topic. Chief Vance stated that Mr. Brubacher recently did some extensive work on the truck and to reward him, would like to sell it to him for $1.00. Mr. Shaver expressed a concern that if someone else is interested in purchasing the truck for $1.00, Council would have to entertain that. Also, if the truck is appraised to be over $1,000, it will have to go to a bid. Mr. DeSanto stated that he made some calls about the truck today. It is a 1987 Chevy 1500 Cheyenne. It is valued to be worth $1-$200. Mr. Wion asked who currently owns the truck to which he was told, the Borough. Mayor Acri suggested transferring the truck to the Steelton Fire Department for $1.00. On a motion made by Mr. Kovach, seconded by Mr. Shaver, Council Members present unanimously voted to transfer ownership of the truck to the Steelton Fire Department for $1.00. Councilman Michael Albert – Requesting Council to consider budgeting $5,000 per year to the sports teams for the (2) years that they don’t receive grant money. This topic was re-discussed because Mr. Albert arrived late. Mr. Albert clarified that there is a two year period that the recreation teams will not receive any money. Therefore, there will not be a league. It costs $250 to equip one child to play football. There are currently 120 children playing football. This does not take into account: basketball, cheerleading, or baseball. The topic will remain tabled but, Mr. Albert wanted to provide additional information for clarification. Mr. DeSanto, Borough Secretary Treasurer – Request an Executive Session to discuss personnel matters, land acquisition and potential litigation issues. 5  Steelton Borough Council Meeting September 8, 2009 There were no comments. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION: Gary Hymon; 410 Pine Street Mr. Hymon stated that approximately 10 days ago, he was shot behind his house. He is attending the Council Meeting tonight to pass out flyers for an All-Neighborhood Crime Watch. Mr. Hymon said he stepped out of his car and a male put a gun in his face and told him to give him his money. Luckily, Mr. Hymon was able to avoid further danger but, he wanted to make the community aware since it was not put in the newspaper or on the news. He stated that crime may not be stopped completely but, he hopes that some of it can be curbed. He will continue to work with the Steelton Police Department until the suspect is caught. Mayor Acri thanked Mr. Hymon for attending the meeting tonight. He said he was on the scene on Saturday morning after the shooting occurred. The incident is still under investigation. Chief Spangler stated that there are some promising leads on the case. Hence, the reason it was not advertised. The Steelton Police Department did not want to give any information that would jeopardize the case. However, information about the incident was put on Nixle. Elizabeth McKamey, 208 Reading Street Ms. McKamey stated that Mr. Hymon was attacked and shot. She proposed that Steelton can get together and develop an All-Town Crime Watch and watch each other’s houses. She brought flyers to pass out around the community. She said she realizes that the police department cannot do everything and she would like neighbors to get together to help out in any way they can. Mr. Wright stated that we need the entire community to come together at all times, not just when a crime spree hits the Borough. Chief Spangler announced that every second Tuesday of every month a Crime Watch Meeting is held in Council Chambers at 7:00pm. Dave Wion, Solicitor - Resolution 2009-R-27; Resolution authorizing an advertised public auction of personal property from 152-172 North Front Street. On a motion made by Mr. Shaver, seconded by Mr. Albert, Council Members present unanimously voted to accept Resolution 2009-R-27. 6  Steelton Borough Council Meeting September 8, 2009 COUNCIL’S CONCERNS: Mr. Heefner: stated that he left a message for Mr. Gary Lenker regarding his continued interest in re-developing Adams Street. Mr. Heefner also thanked his colleagues, Borough Staff, Mayor Acri and the Steelton Police Department for the condolences sent during the recent passing of his mother. Ms. Hill: reminding Council of upcoming events that they have all been invited to during the months of September and October. Ms. Hill distributed a memo with all the details of these events. She asked anyone with questions to contact her. Mr. Wright: thanked everyone for attending the meeting. He also thanked Ms. Rivera for joining the Foundation Board. Mr. Wright sent his love and support to Mr. Heefner during this difficult time. Finally, Mr. Wright told Mr. Hymon that everyone will work diligently for a resolution on his case. He reiterated that everyone will be working hard to improve Steelton as a whole ADDITION: Councilman Michael J. Kovach – Letter of resignation from Steelton Borough Council. Mr. Wright stated that Mr. Kovach has served on the Steelton Borough Council for over 20 years. Mr. Wright said that he has asked Mr. Kovach for help in his role as Council President many times and Mr. Kovach has been a great asset to him. Mr. Wright then asked for comments from Council Members. Mr. Heefner: told Mr. Kovach that he appreciates all the long hours he has devoted to Council. He said he hates to see him leave. Mr. Shaver: said that he appreciates that Mr. Kovach took the position on Council when Mr. Shaver asked him to. He said he appreciates all he has done. Mr. Albert: thanked Mr. Kovach, as a citizen, for all his hard work in the Borough. Mrs. Handley: stated that she has enjoyed working with Mr. Kovach over the years. She said she will miss him. Mr. DeSanto: stated that he has known Mr. Kovach prior to being employed at the Borough. Mr. DeSanto wished Mr. Kovach well. Mr. Wion: said he is fortunate to have been here many years. He said the Borough has changed drastically over that time period and Mr. Kovach has been apart of that change. Mr. Kovach leaves a legacy. 7  Steelton Borough Council Meeting September 8, 2009 Mr. Wright: stated that Mr. Kovach has been an anchor and he could never adequately express how much he loves him. Mayor Acri: thanked Mr. Kovach’s mother, daughter, and wife for attending the meeting tonight. Mayor Acri reflected on the time he and Mr. Kovach spent together at the Steelton Fire Department. Mayor Acri thanked Mr. Kovach for his years of service and presented him with a gavel. Mr. Kovach: thanked God, his mother for the values she instilled in him, and his wife and daughter for their support. He stated that the current Council is the best he has worked with during his tenure. He has thoroughly enjoyed having a positive impact on the community through legislation. He noted that, in his opinion, the Steelton Police Department and Steelton Fire Department are the best in Dauphin County. He thanked both departments for their service to the Borough. Mr. Kovach also thanked Mrs. Handley, Mr. Musser, and Mr. Wion. He said he will miss everyone but, will make himself available. He encouraged Council to continue on the path of re-development of the town. He ended by saying that it has been a privilege to serve the people of Steelton. Mayor Acri: also acknowledged Mrs. Eileen Kovach who has served on the Steelton Borough Water Authority for the last four years. He then introduced Mr. Matt O’Keefe to make a presentation. Mr. O’Keefe stated that no one has been more active and stead on the Steelton Water Authority. He commended Mrs. Kovach for always having good and educated input. He thanked Mrs. Kovach for her service and presented her with an official Steelton Borough afghan. On a motion made by Mr. Albert, seconded by Mr. Shaver, the Council meeting recessed into executive session at 7:42 p.m., to discuss personnel matters, land acquisition and potential litigation. ADJOURNMENT: The regular meeting reconvened at 8:35 p.m. There being no other business before Council, on a motion by Mr. Shaver, seconded by Mr. Albert, the meeting was immediately adjourned. Respectfully submitted, _____________________________ _______________________________ John DeSanto, Jr. Dennise Hill Borough Secretary Executive Administrative Assistant 8