February 16, 2026

CALL TO ORDER

PRESENT

ABSENT

Council in regular session was called to order at 6:00 p.m. in council chambers. President Miller
presiding.

Jeanne Miller, President Doug Wright, Vice President Leslie “Dee Dee” Green George Drushel
Jeffrey Orr Robert “Doc” Orr
Robert Stubenbort, Borough Manager Peter Burton, Mayor
Joseph Yochim, Solicitor via phone conference Mark Corey, Engineer
Dennis McDonald, Public Works Supervisor Kevin Rafferty, Chief of Police

Tim Knapp

VISITORS Delani Ann Fred Carlson Greg Mitcho Bev Bible
David Shelenberger Ginger Cinti
Steve Jaracziewski Shirley Hall
Larry Russell Jan Webber Randy Webber
Captain Nick Reinhart, A. F. Dober Hose Michael Stafford, WCNJ
Ellen Schauerman, Erie County Council Representative

MINUTES Motion by Councilmember Green to approve the January 19, 2026 council meeting
minutes. Seconded by Councilmember Wright. All in favor. Motion carried.

BILLS Motion by Councilmember J. Orr to approve payment of the bills.
Seconded by Councilmember Drushel. Councilmember R. Orr asked why there were two National Fuel gas
bills for the same address.
Councilmember Wright and Mr. Stubenbort explained one bill is for 24 Main Street and the other bill
is for 302 Mechanic Street, but both bills are mailed to the Borough Office at 34 Main Street West.
Councilmember Drushel asked if the $200,000.00 bill is the borough’s payment to AMP. Mr. Stubenbort
confirmed. All in favor. Motion carried.

COMMUNITY COMMENTS

COMMITTEES

Greg Mitcho from 511 Kibler Dr. spoke about the glass recycling program, which is a joint venture
sponsored by Girard Borough taxpayers and hosted by A.F. Dobler Hose. He said the community has
been extremely respectful in regard to recycling only approved containers and cleaning said
containers. This program has kept 351,000 ponds of glass out of the landfill.
Nick Reinhati, Captain of A.F. Dobler Hose, spoke about the training being pe1formed at 129 Church
Street on March 21 and 22, 2026. A Tanker Shuttle will be used as a water source. The hydrants will
only be used if an emergency arises. President Miller asked if all of the neighbors have been
notified of the training. Mr. Reinhart has the letter requested by the Borough Manager that can be
posted on the Girard Borough Facebook page. Mr. Reinhart is also going to personally deliver
letters to the residents on that block. Details were discussed fmiher.
David Shelenberger from 132 Barker asked if Girard Borough has been in contact with Erie County
about the funding for immigrants. The Borough has not been contacted. Ellen Schauerman from the
Erie County Council was in attendance and said one of the Erie County Council Members put in an
ordinance about ending the contract with the Department of Homeland Security and I.C.E. for housing
the immigrants in the Erie County Prison. Their first meeting on that ordinance was February l 0,
2026, it will be discussed again at the Finance and Personnel meeting on February 19, 2026, and the
vote will be on February 26, 2026.

Councilmember R. Orr said there was no meeting for West County Emergency Management in February.
Councilmember Wright spoke about the Power Point presentation made by Jamie Snyder for the new
Board Members of the Paramedics Association, that was sent to all the Councilmembers. He talked
about the number of calls our Paramedics have per year, the cost ofreadiness concept, and how those
costs are being covered.

CIVIL SERVICE TEST

TREES

TREE BID

Council will be asked to approve a “Letter of Understanding” with the DCED. Representatives from
Lake City Borough, Girard Township, Albion Borough, and Girard Borough were in attendance. At this
point there is no cost to the Borough.

The Civil Service Test took place on February 8, 2026 and produced one viable applicant.

This meeting has been properly adve1tised to meet the requirements of the Borough Code for tree
removal. The list of trees was provided in the Council Package

Councilmember Drushel asked if these trees were all Honey Locust Trees. Mr. Stubenbort said all but
five trees out of the thirty-six on the list are Honey Locust Trees.

February 11, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. the tree removal bids were open, and the results are the following:
Tree Price Stump Reclamation Bentley Tree Service- $62,118.49 $10,311.71 $6,869.80

Mr. Stubenbort respectfully requested Council award the tree removal price of $62,118.49. The
stumping will still get done but will be handled differently, and the Borough will handle the
reclamation. Mr. Stubenbort explained the tree price has a lot to do with prevailing wage.
Councilmember Drushel asked Mr. Stubenbort what he had in mind for stump removal. Mr. Stubenbort
said we would find someone to do the stump removal for a lesser cost. Mayor Burton said Jake Thomas
told him he wanted to bid on the job, and asked if the bid was advertised. Mr. Stubenbort confirmed
that it was. Councilmember Green was surprised only one company bid on the job, she thought there
would be more tree companies interested. Mr. Stubenbort said he had the bids, and anyone could have
asked for one. Councilmember R. Orr asked if the $6,869.80 for reclamation will be taken out of the
$62,118.49. Mr. Stubenbort said the $62,118.49 price is just for the tree removal, it does not
include the stump or reclamation prices. Councilmember Wright and President Miller clarified that
Mr. Stubenb01t was asking for the $62,118.49 for the tree removal only. Mr. Stubenbort confirmed.
Councilmember Drushel asked how much higher this price is compared to prior tree removal prices.
Mr. Stubenb01t said we have never done prevailing wage before, we have always just kept it under.
Councilmember Drushel asked if it would normally be $40,000.00 to $45,000.00 and mentioned that
this price is quite higher than what we normally pay. Prevailing wage adds to the price. Mayor
Bmton said that when he talked to Jake Thomas he said he charged around $800.00 per tree. Mayor
burton said $800.00 per tree times thirty-six trees would only be $28,800.00. He asked if they
could hold off so he can contact Mr. Thomas again, or if Council wanted to move forward with the
current bid. Mr. Stubenbort said Council can do that, but ifwe rebid Mr. Thomas will already know
what his competition is going to be bidding. He commented that it could be unfair.
Councilmember Wright suggested speaking to our Solicitor, Joe Yochimabut this. Mayor Bmton

commented that there is a big difference between $28,000.00 and $62,119.49.
President Miller said Mr. Thomas just quoted a price per tree. Mayor Button said that Mr. Thomas
knew it was for the municipality. Councilmember Drushel questioned if we can legally rebid. Mr.
Stubenbort said yes. Several councilmembers said the bid from Bentley Tree Service can be rejected.
Councilmember Wright spoke about the possibility of Mr. Thomas undercutting the bid from Bentley
Tree Service and it causing friction. He suggested referring this to Joe Yochim. President Miller
asked if Bentley Tree service can rebid.
Councilmember Drushel said if Council votes to reject the only bid received, re-adve1tise and
rebid, presumably Bentley would rebid. Unless Bentley thinks he should not waste his time. Perhaps
he would know that other bidders might enter the picture and sharpen his bid. Mayor Button asked if
the bid was advertised in the West County Journal. Mr.
Stubenbo1t confirmed. Councilmember Wright asked Joe Yochim, our Solicitor, if Bentley Tree Service
would have cause of action to sue Girard Borough if the bid from Bentley Tree Service for
$62,118.49 is rejected and Jake Thomas bids $28,000.00 while knowing how much Bentley bid. Mr.
Yochim said no, because all bids can be denied and it can be rebid. If Mr. Thomas is cheaper, he
thinks it would behoove the Borough to revisit. Councilmember Wright and Solicitor Yochim also
spoke about the $62,118.49 bid predicated on prevailing wage, and how Mr. Thomas’ quote may change
due to the prevailing wage. Mr. Yochim asked if Mr. Thomas had put in a bid. Mr. Thomas has not
officially put in a bid. Bentley Tree Service was the only bid. Councilmember Drushel asked if
Bentley could be informed of Mr. Thomas’ lower bid to see if they would match it, since Jake Thomas
will know the amount of Bentley’s bid. President Miller said no because if the current bid is
rejected, the bid would start all over again and there could be other bidders as well. Council
discussed the specifics of how prevailing wage is determined. Councilmember Drushel asked Mayor
Button how confident he is about Mr. Thomas’ bid. Mayor Burton said Mr. Thomas wanted to bid but
did not see it in the West County Journal. He said he would like it to be available to other tree
companies. Motion by Councilmember Wright to reject the $62,119.49 bid from Bentley Tree Service
for the tree removal. Seconded by Councilmember Drushel. All in favor. Motion carried. Mayor Burton
said he would like to take the bid proposal around to several companies that he thinks would be
interested and then reconvene next month. Councilmember Wright mentioned that the advertisement may
not be getting seen as much as it needs to be, and suggested advertising in the Erie newspaper.

AMERICAN
MUNICIPAL POWER On February 13, 2026 Representatives of AMP held a meeting with the
Borough to discuss two projects.
• The first project is a 1 MW agreement with Avangrid from their Bright Mountain Solar Project
located in Eastern Kentucky. The project and purchase agreement are planned for January 1, 2028,
starting with an average price of $65.00 per MWh and a term of twenty-five years.

• The second project is a 0.03 MW agreement, including duct firing, with the Potomac Energy Center
from their existing combined cycle power plant in the PJM Virginia Dominion Zone. The purchase
agreement is planned for a June 1, 2026 start, with a term of fifteen years and an average price of
$63.11 per MWh.

President Miller, Councilmember R. Orr, and J. Orr were in attendance at the meeting with AMP as
well. Mr. Stubenbort said both projects seem reasonably priced, and these prices are not to
purchase the projects but to purchase the power from the projects. We still have roughly thirty
percent of our portfolio open, and the solar project would cover about seven percent of that. This
continues with AMP’s efforts to diversify our electric portfolio, so we don’t have a lot of
exposure to any one type of generation. The solar power project would be twenty-five years, and the
natural gas project would be fifteen years. An ordinance will be properly advertised for the March
Meeting.

SEAL COATING

BACKHOE

MISC.

MAYOR/POLICE

The 2026 Seal Coating Project will finish up the center of the Borough and extend to the eastern
end of the Borough, going from Olin Avenue to Trinity Drive. Bids will open at the end of March
2026, and be presented to Council the following month. Councilmember R. Orr asked if the catch
basins can be raised before the seal coating. Mr. Stubenbort said yes. Specific areas needing
repair were discussed by Council.

The backhoe is still in the shop as other issues are being fixed. If it is still there in a week,
options such as renting one, getting a demo, or purchasing a new one will have to be explored.

The water flushing schedule is March 16, 2026 until April 10, 2026.
The post office delayed delivery of one-third and one-half of the utility bills to residents. We
prepare three full mail trays for delivery each month, which are taken to the Bulk Mailing Post
Office in Albion, PA for processing. Mr. Stubenbort called the Albion post office, he was told the
mail goes to Pittsburgh, PA so they are unaware of what happened. He will call Representative Mike
Kelley’s office in regard to the situation. Mr.
Stubenb01t asked Council’s approval to delay or waive late fees due to the mailing issue. Council
agreed.
Mayor Burton spoke about working with the Hagan History Center on placing half barrels with
Sunflowers on Main Street during the summer. They found a source that charges $60.00 or $80.00 per
half barrel but are unsure if they want to pay for them. He would like to discuss this at the
Downtown Girard and Chamber of Commerce meetings. Details about the size, number, and location of
these barrels were discussed further.
Mayor Bmton spoke about having only one applicant for the Civil Service Test after increasing the
pay rate for patt-time police officers.
ChiefRaffe1ty spoke about the patt-time police officer applicants being young men and women, having
to pay over $7,000.00 in student loans or out of pocket to attend the Police Academy for six
months. Because of this, a part-time job is not feasible for them and there are other local police
depattments hiring full-time officers. President Miller asked if our new officer is on the schedule. Chief Rafferty said the applicant just completed the civil service
test, and additional requirements have to be met before they can begin training.
He also talked about the police department’s active shooter and room clearing training being
completed at 129 Church Street on February 27, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. The Edinboro and Lake City Police
Departments have been invited to attend the training. An instructor has been secured from
Pennsylvania State Police training center in Meadville. The residents in that neighborhood will be
informed of the training.

President Miller, Councilmember R. Orr, and J. Orr were in attendance at the meeting with AMP as
well. Mr. Stubenbort said both projects seem reasonably priced, and these prices are not to
purchase the projects but to purchase the power from the projects. We still have roughly thirty
percent of our portfolio open, and the solar project would cover about seven percent of that. This
continues with AMP’s efforts to diversify our electric portfolio, so we don’t have a lot of
exposure to any one type of generation. The solar power project would be twenty-five years, and the
natural gas project would be fifteen years. An ordinance will be properly advertised for the March
Meeting.

COUNCIL COMMENTS

Councilmember Drushel said he would like to see the Code enforcement officer role expanded to a
year-round full-time position.
Councilmember R. Orr spoke about the General Fund figures on the Budget Financial Recap Report. Mr.
Stubenbort will look into this. President Miller spoke about the grant for the Hotel Park through
Erie County Planning. An answer regarding the grant should be forthcoming.

Meeting adjourned at 7:11 p.m. for a five-minute break before going into executive session.

EXECUTIVE
SESSION At 7:17 p.m., President Miller asked for an executive session to discuss
personnel and legal matters.

REGULAR
MEETING The regular meeting was called back into session at 8:12 p.m.

No other items were discussed.

ADJOURN Motion by Councilmember Orr and seconded by Councilmember Wright to adjourn at
8:13 p.m. All in favor.

Robeti A. Stubenbort Borough Manager