|
APRIL 2, 2012
The regular meeting of the Martinsburg Borough Council was held on Monday, April 2, 2012, in the municipal building. The meeting started at 7:00 p.m. with prayer by Randy Stoltz and the Pledge of Allegiance.
ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT: President Connie S. Lamborn, Vice-President Doreen K. Easly, Pro-Tempore Durban D. Metzler, Councilman Edward L. Bennett, Linda K. Smith and Councilman Daniel R. Smouse
ALSO PRESENT: Borough Manager Randy Stoltz, Borough Secretary Jane Staily, Chief Kerry Hoover, Sgt. Justin Davis, Rich Brantner, Jr., Attorney Frederick Gieg, Jr., Attorney Matt Gieg, and Brian Hess of the Morrisons Cove Herald
The MINUTES of the special meeting of February 27, 2012, were approved on a motion by Linda Smith, seconded by Durban Metzler. The motion passed unanimously.
The MINUTES of the regular meeting of March 5, 2012, were approved on a motion by Doreen Easly, seconded by Linda Smith. The motion passed unanimously.
The FINANCIAL AND TREASURER’S REPORTS were presented for March, 2012 as written.
The LIST OF BILLS for March 2012, check nos. 6404-6452 in the amount of $19,843.89 were approved on a motion by Doreen Easly, seconded by Durban Metzler. The motion passed
Police Chief Kerry Hoover presented his police report as written.
Attorney Matt Gieg reported on his findings regarding Linda Smith’s inquiry about making Spring Street a school zone. The maximum length of a school zone can only be 1600 feet extended from the school property line which is shorter than the length of Spring Street. It also takes formal PennDOT approval to be considered a school zone.
Manager Randy Stoltz reported that Renee Gunnett’s first day on the job as part-time clerk was March 6th; ten volunteers including employees, policemen and council rounded up ducks on March 21st and relocated them – a second round-up is being planned for after the duck eggs hatch; on March 26th Manager Stoltz was guest speaker at the park on zoning and how it relates to the park; a public hearing was held on Mach 27th for the Keystone Grant – twenty-one people attended – Jessica Sheets facilitated the meeting; the 1881 bell that was stored at the old municipal building was refurbished and put on display thanks to Durban Metzler for donating everything and Mark Smith for making the wood cabinet; and met with Mike Bowser of PennDOT to discuss paving Borough Way.
Attorney Frederick Gieg, Jr. reported that he received the executed documents from First National Bank for Borough Way and hand delivered them to Andrea Cohen three weeks ago. Morley Cohn has been on vacation.
Easements have been prepared for the ADA ramp work the municipal authority will be doing. Manager Stoltz is working on getting the right of ways signed.
Attorney Frederick Gieg commented that he felt the airport overlay was a wise thing and he supports it.
He reported on the property at 406 W. Allegheny St. owned by Bank of America. The borough has been maintaining the grass there as a courtesy to the neighbors. Charges for the mowinghave been sent to the bank. The borough cannot continue to do this indefinitely. If the bank does not pay the lien for the grass maintenance fees the lien can be reduced and the property can be sheriff saled. A letter will be sent to the bank addressing this.
Ed Bennett and Manager Stoltz took a tour of the borough streets and Borough Way to prepare a 2012 paving project.
Durban Metzler was unable to attend the March 2012 municipal authority meeting, but Manager Stoltz reported to him that 157 feet of main water line was completed on Hershberger Street connecting the existing water line to the airport line and a FIRE hydrant was also installed.
Linda Smith reported that the Revitalization Committee will meet this month to clean the sidewalks at town center. Probation Officer Kelly Bassler will be bringing the juveniles that need to do community service as mandated through the courthouse back again this year to help.
Durban Metzler brought in two landscaping printouts designed by Ken Ake as options for trees to be planted around the municipal building: random and in a row. He has received some inquiries from residents since the item was tabled last month. The idea of having donations pay for the trees as memorials seemed to be a popular one. There are more details to be worked out regarding who and how the memorials will be placed. Benches were also discussed as memorials. A motion was made by Durban Metzler, seconded by Doreen Easly, to proceed with planting five random trees around the municipal building (as per the printout) as memorials to be placed by individuals. The motion did not pass due to lack of a majority vote (Yay votes were Durban Metzler, Doreen Easly and Linda Smith; Nay votes were Connie Lamborn, Dan Smouse and Ed Bennett; Councilman Shawn Daughenbaugh and Mayor Rex Hartman were both absent). Dan Smouse thought the random printout was pretty but would pose too many problems. It was suggested that other drawings be sought out from other landscapers.
The Spring Clean Up flyers were distributed to the council members in their agenda packets. The flyers will be mailed out on Thursday to borough residents for the cleanup on April 21st. Volunteers helping with the clean-up were asked to arrive at 8:45 a.m. (15 minutes before the clean-up begins). The only items being charged for this year are tires. This will be our fourth clean-up.
Manager Stoltz reported that it will cost about $25,000 to mill and pave the length of Borough Way. Once it is paved he will have lines painted on it down the edges for the cartway and seal it along the building.
Manager Stoltz received a call from the Blair County Airport Manager Chuck Pillar that he was trying to obtain a grant for the airport district overlay study. If he doesn’t obtain the grant municipalities will be required to pay for the study on their own. All that is required of us for now is to sign a letter of support to be sent in with his grant application. Council on a motion by Dan Smouse, seconded by Ed Bennett, voted to execute the Letter of Support for the Blair County Airport for the airport overlay study. The motion passed unanimously.
Manager Stoltz and Ed Bennett took a tour of the streets to compile a 2012 Paving Project list. Two items of concern were the paving of North First Alley which is about 195 feet long and 10-12 feet wide and South Market Alley which runs 200 feet from Penn Street to Brumbaugh’s garage. PennDOT has approved for both alleys to be paved. The question remains –Does council want to pave these two allies? The borough crew could do the grading to save on the cost which is estimated to be about $32,000 for both allies. The 2012 Highway Liquid Fuels check was received today in the amount of $41,960.10. Council on a motion by Ed Bennett, seconded by Doreen Easly, approved to pave Borough Way, South Market Alley and North First Alley as the 2012 Paving Project. The motion passed unanimously. Ed was still concerned about water runoff at the end of North First Alley once it is paved but Manager Stoltz suggested that a wedge be built in to keep the water on Park Street from running down that alley once it is paved.
Correspondence was received from the South Central Counties Borough’s Association announcing the meeting at Duncansville on Thursday, April 19, 2012. Anyone interested in attending should contact Jane Staily by Tuesday, April 10.
A Retention of Engineering Firm document was received today from Jessica Sheets for the streetscape project. An advertisement must be published in the newspaper for any firms interested in giving us proposals. A committee will review the proposals received. This does not obligate us to choose or hire a firm. It will just give us their qualifications. We don’t even know what the project will cost until about March 2013. Council will have to appoint a committee to review the proposals. A condensed form of the request for proposals must be advertised as a grant requirement. The engineering firm that designs the streetscape project cannot be the same firm that builds it. Council on a motion by Dan Smouse, seconded by Linda Smith, approved to advertise for the retention of an engineering firm for the streetscape project to be prepared in condensed form by Attorney Gieg. The motion passed unanimously. A committee was appointed to review the proposals once they are received: Linda Smith, Doreen Easly, Ed Bennett, Cindy Wareham, and Randy Stoltz. The proposals are to be received by April 27, 2012. The committee will meet on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 7:00 a.m. at the municipal building to review the proposals.
The lock at the compost site will be changed on May 1.
A letter of resignation was received from Joseph Hinish. He is no longer eligible to retain the position of elected auditor since he has moved out of the borough. Council on a motion by Doreen Easly, seconded by Linda Smith, accepted the resignation as elected borough auditor from Joseph A. Hinish. The motion passed unanimously.
Manager Stoltz reported that Martinsburg did receive a DCED grant in the amount of $19,300 for the Comprehensive Plan. Council on a motion by Linda Smith, seconded by Doreen Easly, voted to accept the DCED grant for the Comprehensive Plan and authorized President Connie Lamborn to execute the grant form. The motion passed unanimously.
Connie Lamborn reported that she attended a breakfast with the Chamber. The topics of discussion were unfunded mandates and prevailing wages.
Chief Hoover reported that the Neighborhood Watch Program is coming back. Operation Our Town is backing the program to get it active county-wide again.
The meeting adjourned at 8:23 p.m. on a motion by Doreen Easly, seconded by Durban Metzler. The motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
M. Jane Staily,Borough Secretary
|