May 1, 2020 Council Minutes

May 1, 2020

CALL TO ORDER

PRESENT

Council in special meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. in council chambers. President McNally presiding.

Dennis McNally, President Alfred Noble, Vice President Peter Burton

Kathy Lyons Jeanne Miller Gregg Mitcho Robert “Doc” Orr

Mayor Robert Kremenik

Robert Stubenbort, Borough Manager Joseph Yochim, Solicitor

ABSENT                                   Mark Corey, Engineer

VISITORS                                   Sandy Rhodes, WCNJ

MINUTES                                  Motion made by Councilmember Burton to approve the minutes from the March 16, 2020 council meeting. Seconded by Councilmember Orr. All in favor. Motion carried.

BILLS                                        Motion by Councilmember Mitcho to approve the bills. Seconded by Councilmember Noble. All in favor. Motion carri

ADMINISTRATIVE FIRE/POLICE

PERSONNEL                               Borough Manager Stubenbort requested that Council accept the resignation of Nickolas Henneberry from the Girard Borough Police Department. Motion by Councilmember Lyons to approve the resignation of Nickolas Henneberry from the Girard Borough Police Department. Seconded by Councilmember Noble. All in favor. Motion carried.

RESOLUTION

1-5-2020                                    This Resolution for County Aide is a request for the Girard Borough portion of the Lake Street Bridge Analysis to be paid for by Erie County. PENNDOT pays for the bulk of this analysis. Motion by Councilmember Orr to approve Resolution 1-5-2020. Seconded by Councilmember Mitcho. All in favor. Motion carried.

REAL ESTATE TAX RESOLUTION 2-5-2020

DECLARATION OF DISASTER EMERGENCY

DECLARATION OF DISASTER EMERGENCY

Resolution 2-5-2020 extends the face value payment of real estate taxes until the end of 2020 for Girard Borough residents. The discount period ended on April 30, 2020 and normally the face period would end in July and a 10 percent penalty would be added to the bill. This resolution would eliminate the 10 percent penalty.

Motion by Councilmember Burton to approve Resolution 2-5-2020. Seconded by Councilmember Lyons. All in favor. Motion carried.

The first COVID 19 Disaster emergency was enacted on 3/20/2020 to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of Girard Borough residents through mitigation. If the pandemic impacted the borough beyond our normal scope of operations the  declaration  would alert the County, State and Federal Government to acknowledge the Girard Borough in disaster planning. Motion by Councilmember Noble to approve the DECLARATION OF DISASTER EMERGENCY dated 3/20/2020. Seconded by

Councilmember Mitcho. All in favor. Motion carried

The second COVID 19 Disaster emergency was enacted on 3/24/2020 to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of Girard Borough residents through mitigation and approved by Council to last 60 days. This declaration was recommended by our Emergency Management Coordinator Chuck Kanarr. Motion by Councilmember Lyons to approve the DECLARATION OF DISASTER EMERGENCY dated 3/24/2020.

Seconded by Councilmember Noble. All in favor. Motion carried.

COVID 19

INFORMATION                         Please find enclosed COVID 19 information concerning the Girard

Borough. This new information also involves agreements to provide for any of our first responders that are exposed to COVID 19 in the line of duty. The exposed first responder may go directly to a provided space for their quarantine and their needs would be provided. Motion by Councilmember Burton to approve the  agreements with two local hotels and a local eatery two provide COVID 19 services if needed.

Seconded by Councilmember Noble. All in favor. Motion carried.

UTILITY BILLING                        The Girard Borough Council is to be commended for helping residents

with their utility bills by eliminating the  “pay  later”  penalty  on  utility bills for at least 2 months. The Borough has also decided to follow the PUC information and will not shut off  utilities for nonpayment  until further notice. This can be decided month to month as the Council feels necessary. Council assigned the Borough Manager to notify the borough residents so they could plan accordingly.

ROAD RESURFACING

Council reviewed the Girard Borough Paving Schedule for 2020. Suite Coat is the lowest bid.

Suit-Kote Corp. Russell Standard.

Motion by Councilmember Burton to award the 2020 seal coat bid to Suit-l<ote Corporation at $1.158 per square yard. Seconded by Councilmember Lyons. All in favor. Motion carried.

SUNSET DRIVE PROJECT BIDS

2019 AUDIT REPORT

COMMUNITY POOL

BUTTERFLY  MURAL

The bids for the Sunset Drive project were opened on April 16, 2020. Borough Manager Stubenbort respectfully recommend to Council at this time to reject all bids and reconsider bidding the project when more information is known about the COVID 19 pandemic. Motion by Councilmember Noble to reject all bids for the Sunset Drive Water Project. The project will be reevaluated for bidding at a future date.

Seconded by Councilmember Orr. Council Members Noble, Lyons, Mitcho, Miller, Orr and McNally voted in favor. Councilmember Burton opposed. Motion carried.

Council reviewed the 2019 Audit Report from Buseck, Barger, Bleil & Co., Inc.. The Borough remains in a good financial position. Mr.

Stubenbort explained that impact of the pandemic and budgeted expenditures may make next years report look a lot different.

Because of the COVID 19 pandemic Mr. Stubenbort respectfully request that the Girard Borough Community Pool remain closed for the 2020 season. A change can be made later if conditions become favorable.

Council decided that the pool opening should be delayed and reevaluated on a month by month basis. Council approved draining the pool to asses minor damage to the pool coating and make repairs as needed. Council also approved painting the pool house floor.

The Butterfly mural on the side of the H&S Computer buflding is started. Council agreed that the work on the mural should be continued.

ECAB MEETING                        The April meeting of the Erie County Association of Boroughs is cancelled until further notice.

PUBLIC WORKS                          The 2020 Tymco Street Sweeper will arrive on Tuesday 5, 2020.

In addition to many other projects the Public Works Department has been clearing the power line on Haggerty Street and adding soil to fill in the dips to allow for easier maintenance in the future. The Public Works Department also installed a French drain along the municipal parking lot along the pool fence to drain water off of the parking lot.

CONSTITUANT

COMPLAINT                                          Councilmember  Burton explained that a resident on Prospect Street near Church Street complained about the fire truck siren during a drive around parade. It was explained to  the  resident that the parade is for the community to break up the monotony of staying at home during the pandemic.

MEMORIAL DAY

PARADE                                    The Girard American Legion may have a drive around parade on Memorial Day. More information will be available by the next Council Meeting.

GIRARD HOTEL                         Councilmember Miller mentioned that the Girard Hotel condemnation

project has been stalled because of the pandemic but it is now a good time to finish up the project. Councilmember Miller mentioned that the Dan Rice Committee decided that Dan Rice Days would be cancelled for 2020 due to the pandemic. Flowers for the hanging baskets on Main Street have been ordered. The Girard Downtown Group has applied for 501c3 status. Updates are being made to the restrooms at Water Works Park to include toilets sinks painting and replacing the air vent screens. Councilmember Miller asked the Borough Solicitor Yochim if the Dan Rice Committee could be reimbursed for the  money to  secure tents from the tent company. Solicitor Yochim said that if the contract has a force majeure clause the money could be returned.

Meeting adjourned at 6:08 p.m. for a five minute break before going into executive session.

EXECUTIVE

SESSION                                    At 6:14 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 6:49 p.m.

No other issues were discussed by Council.

ADJOURN                                Motion by Councilmember Burton and seconded by Councilmember Orr to adjourn at 6:50 p.m. All in favor.

Robert A. Stubenbort Borough Manager