ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
MAYOR/POLICE
DEPARTMENT Mayor Kremenik said a new part time officer will be hired after his testing is complete. Chief Rafferty said the new Tracs Ticket writing system has been implemented with ID scanners and printers in all police vehicles. This will help officers speed up the process of ticketing and reporting violations. President McNally noted to Chief Rafferty that a house raid in Lake City should have been conducted at a different time of the day, not when children are walking home from school. Chief Rafferty agreed, saying that he and Officer Zuern were asked to assist in the raid only twenty minutes prior to it occurring.
MANAGERS
REPORT
REAL ESTATE TAX
RESOLUTION 1-3-2021 Resolution 1-3-2021 extends the face value payment of real estate taxes until the end of 2021 for Girard Borough residents. The discount period will end in April and normally the face period would end in July and a ten percent penalty would be added to the bill. This resolution would eliminate the ten percent penalty if the tax bill is paid before the end of the year. Motion made by Councilmember Mitcho to approve Real Estate Tax Resolution 1-3-2021.
Seconded by Councilmember Lyons. All in favor. Motion carried.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
PSAB CONFERENCE COMPOST AREA
COMMUNITY POOL
The Girard/ Lake City Chamber of Commerce along with Downtown Girard, Inc. is planning to have a Renaissance Grant Party on June 24, 2021 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Wells Park. Live music is scheduled, and food trucks will be available. Council is being asked to forgo the open bottle ordinance for that evening so that beer can be sold in Wells Park during the event. Solicitor Yochim said it is permissible and will work on the resolution for the next council meeting.
PSAB will be offering a virtual conference on June 7th and 8th, 2021. Daniel Zimmerman, 819 Rice Avenue, has applied for the Compost Area
Attendant position. The position is part-time, every weekend from 9:00 a.m. to
3:30 p.m. and pays $10.50 per hour. Motion made by Councilmember Mitcho to hire Daniel Zimmerman for the Compost Area Attendant position. Seconded by Councilmember Lyons. All in favor. Motion carried.
The Girard Borough Community Pool is scheduled to open on Saturday June 12th, 2021 and close on Sunday August 22, 2021. Admission prices for 2021: Resident Non-Resident
Single $30.00 Single $35.00
Family $70.00 Family $77.50
Adult $17.50 Adult $20.00
WATER FLUSHING
AMP TRAINING
DROP CEILINGS
WATER WORKS PARK TREES
SEAL COATING
The Spring water flushing of the hydrants is scheduled to begin April 19th and run through May 7th, 2021.
John Snyder and Dylan Fedei will attend line worker training at American Municipal Power in Columbus Ohio. This will be the second year for John and the first year of training for Dylan.
The drop ceilings in the Police Department, the main hallway, and the interrogation room have all been replaced with new ceiling tiles. The lights in the main office of the Police Department were upgraded to LED. The Public Works Department also painted the HVAC ceiling vents. This is the continued effort to update the borough office building.
State Forester Tim Ackerman recommends delaying any tree harvesting at the Water Works Park. The borough has come far in controlling the invasive plants in the park. This is the last year of treatment with the PA Sea Grant and Ecological Field Services. A finalized report will be available soon. Initial interpretation of the data collected confirms the prevalence of invasive plants such as Multiflora Rose, Honeysuckle, Japanese Barberry, Privets, Phragmites and Tree of Heaven. These invasive plants will quickly outcompete the native trees and shrubs if given the opportunity via additional sunlight that comes from a tree harvest. Mr. Ackerman said gaining control of the invasive plants should precede a harvest and he will have a better idea of a potential timeline in late Spring.
Attached in council’s packet is a copy of the borough roads that will be seal
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coated in 2021. The bid opening is scheduled for March 315 2021. Engineer
Corey said the borough is one of fourteen municipalities going out for bid this year with more than one million square yards of seal coating.
PLAYGROUND
GIRARD HOTEL
Mike Sanford has completed the necessary surveying for the basketball/ pickleball courts. Mr. Stubenbort said he would like to move forward. Along with the matching ECGRA Grant, the borough should have enough money to complete the project this year. It will include bleachers, fencing and new lighting. Also mentioned was adding a water splash park. Engineer Corey said now that the surveying is complete, he can begin working on the site plan.
Christie Mahany, Coordinator for the Erie County Land Bank, said the Girard Hotel demolition bid will advertise in March 2021. The bid opening and award will occur at the Land Bank Board Meeting on April 1st or May 12th , 2021. The awarded bid allows forty-five days for completion of the project. Many different ideas were mentioned to beautify the soon vacant property. President McNally said PennDOT should be notified when the hotel is razed and before any work is done, as they might have specific plans for that intersection. Mr. Stubenbort requested sketches or ideas from council for that property that he can take to the Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting. Along with the many ideas for
making the corner attractive, Mr. Stubenbort mentioned the possibility of quick charge electric stations for electric automobiles.
ORDINANCE 721
OF 2012
MISC.
Section 185-2 Prohibited acts: exception.
The discharge or firing of any firearm as described in Section 185-1 of this chapter, except in necessary defense of person or property, is hereby prohibited on the properties of the Borough of Girard, provided that this prohibition shall not apply to any law enforcement officer in the performance of his or her duties. Mr. Stubenbort clarified this is for any Borough owned properties.
Private property is regulated by the State of PA.
The Downtown Committee met with George Deutsch from the Hagen History Center. The road plaque recognizing Charlotte Battles has been approved and will sit in the curb lawn in front of the Battles Bank. The sign will be revealed at either the Renaissance Party or Dan Rice Days. Also, the original Battles Bank sign that hung above the door will be put back in place. Councilmember Miller said anyone interested in volunteering at the Battles Houses should watch social media for information on signing up.
Girard Borough will be receiving $288,000.00 from Erie County as part of the COVID Relief package. A further discussion is needed on how to best use those funds.
Councilmember Miller asked if there are any old fire hydrants for the Dan Rice Days silent auction. PW Supervisor Dennis McDonald said there are four or five of them.
Councilmember Burton would like to resume council meetings in person in the social hall. Councilmember Miller said Governor Wolf has lessened some restrictions.
Councilmember Burton asked about the Renaissance Block Grant. Mr. Stubenbort said $146,000.00 total worth of improvements were made to twenty-five homes.
It was mentioned that PNC Bank will be closing in June 2021. That will leave two empty buildings. Councilmember Miller spoke with the Aldi Grocery Store Corp. to see if Girard Borough is an opportunity for another store, however, the borough does not meet the requirements.
Councilmember Noble mentioned having a Battle of the Bands community event that would feature local rock and country bands. Councilmembers Burton and Miller agreed.
Meeting adjourned at 8:15p.m. for a five-minute break before going into executive session.
EXECUTIVE
SESSION At 8:20 p.m., President McNally asked for an executive session to discuss personnel and legal matters.
REGULAR
MEETING The regular meeting was called back into session at 8:47 p.m.
POLICE CONTRACT Councilmember Lyons made a motion to offer the Police a 4 (four) year contract as an extension of the current contract. Seconded by Councilmember Orr. All in favor. Motion carried.
ADJOURN Motion by Councilmember Orr and seconded by Councilmember Burton to adjourn at 8:48 p.m. All in favor.
Robert A. Stubenbort Borough Manager