December 21, 2021 7:00 PM.  ROLL CALL Mintuès Communications Fri-COG Land Bank EZCB  335  A regular. monthly meeting of North Braddock was held in the Council Chamber, Municipal Building, 600 Anderson Street, North Braddock, PA on December 21, 2021 at 7:00 PM with the following members present: Abeyta, Breaston, Cobbs, Franklin, Parker; Ruiz, Sepesy, Vargo,and Vahosky. Breaston-sepesy-hat the minutes from the November 16, 2021 Borough Council regular meeting are  Mayor Albert Senic was also present.  approved as printed. motion carried  Allegheny Co. Boro Assoc. ACBA notice of the FEBRUARY 5, 2022 annual banquet at the Rivers Casino  TCLB requests for an annual contribution equal to 57 of 2020 delinquent tax collection  Enterprise Zone monthly report and dues request  Glenn Engineering 6 Assoc, Monthly report  Suspend Rules of Council Sepesy-Franklin-That the regular rules bf Council be suspended to let those in the audience who  wish to address Council do so. MOTION CARRIED  Citizens Addressing Council D.Evans of Business Council Commentss Councilor Sepesy Mayor Senic Pres. Vahosky NEW BUSINESS for Hawkins & Brinton recreation sites grant reimbursement Read 2022 budget summary 2022 BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS  Beated he received a citation for removing a political sign and explained he will plead not at the hearing. Also complained about the tires stored on Franklin and stated he reported the guilty  situation to PADEP  Return to Regular Order Sepasy-franklin-hat the Council return to the regular order of business.  MOTION CARRIED  Repprted the fire dept. responded to 52 calls for the month and 190 ytd  Reported thé Police Department responded to 427 calls for the month and over 5800 calls ytd Thanked outgoindg council members Cobbs and Abeyta for their contributions while on Council. Thanked outgoing Mayor Senic for his work as Mayor and for Hisrcontributions to the Police Dept. to the Hawkins Avenue recreation site and $20,852.00 for improvements at the Brinton for Avenue improvements trecreation site approved by Borough Council in October are approved for available grant reimbursement  Approve grant reimbursement Breaston-sepesy-That the invoices from Sports and Recreation Assoc. for $73,221.70  MOTION CARRIED  Approve & authorize for Sepesy-Cobbel-That the low bid of $156,825.00 from Independent Enterprise for sidewalks installation"  at the Hawkins recreation site approved by Borough Council in May and the final invoice ($150,341)00) are approved and authorized for available grant reimbursement.  MOTION CARRIED MOTION CARRIED 2022 BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS  Braston-Sepesy-That the 2022 Budget summary in the amount of $3,344,600 be redd..  The 2022 spending plan for the North Braddock Borough totals $3,344,600. The budget continues the current service level, provides additional funding to continue the upgrade of police dept. wages. initiated last year by Borough Council, provides additional funding to upgrade code enforcement activities and includes the ALCOSAN mandated 72 increase in sewer fees. The added cost to upgrade police wages and increase code enforcement efforts is offset by projected revenue increases. Revenue collections in 2021 have recovered from the impact COVID had on collections in 2020. Real estate tax collections are exceeding last year's collections by approximately 87 due to increased payment of delinquent real estate taxes. Total real estate tax collections comprised of current, The 2021 Real Estate Tax rate remains at 11 mills and has not increased for the past fpurteen (14) years. The Borough has steadily improved the delivery of service at this tax rate and interestingly, a recent case study preformed as part of the BEN Comprehensive Plan analysis indicated the Borough spends up to 49% less per resident to provide a higher level of core municipal services Earned Income Tax(EIT) and Local Service Tax (LST), the major contributors to ACT 511 tax COLLECTIONS, ARE BUDGETED AT $387,000 in 2022. EIT and LST are, employment related taxes and ALCOSAN sewer tevenue is a major revenue item in the Borough budget. However, the use of these funds is restricted based on an agreement between the Borough and ALCOSAN. The agreement requires the Borough collect ALCOSAN sewer user fees and transmit the fees to ALCOSAN based on quarterly billing. ALCOSAN revenue cannot be used. for other municipal activities. ALCOSAN sewer rated increase in 2022 as follows: customer service charges increase $1.34 to $20.45 per bill and the 2022 ALCOSAN treatment charge increases $.63 cents to $9.73 for each 1,000 gallons of water used. The average customer, who uses 12,000 gallons of water pergquarter will pay $8.90 per quarter, increasing the average quarterly sewer bill from $128,31 to $137.21. ALCOSAN revenues are budgeted Borough sewer rates are unchanged. Borough sewer rates were decreased in 2013 and again in 2014. Borough sewer revenues fund general fund sewer related activities and sewer capital projects. Liquid Fuels State funding declines in 2022 to $160,000 according to a Penn Dot notification. The decrease is due to the drop in State. gas tax collections caused by COVID restrictions and to some extent the emergence of electric and hybrid vehicles. These funds are restricted by statute for use on public works activities. Liquid fuel revenues are allocated for streetlight and salt  REVENUES  prior, and delinquent taxes is budgeted at $710,000 in 2022.  compared to neighboring municipalities.  collection rates are slightly above the 2021 collection rate.  at $946,000 in 2022.  Residential refuse fees remain $150.00 per year in 2022.  Other 2021 General Fund supply expenditures.  are adjusted based ori actual collections patterns in 2021.    JJU.  RAD tax revenue, which is a product of the additional 1% sales tax collected in Allegheny County, fluctuates based on economic conditions and consumer spending patterns. RAD tax collections in 2021 areexceeding last year's collections and are budgeted at $260,000 in 2022. The State grant received for pension plan funding is projected to be $40,000 in 2022. 2022 expenditures maintain current service levels, continue police wage increases designed to enhance police officer recruitment, provide a $20,000 local match for the TCVCOG code enforcement grant to increase code enforcement activities and includes the 72 ALCOSAN sewer raté increase. The 2022 police budget includes a $.50 per hour wage increase for police department personnel. The patrol officer hourly rate will be $17.69 in 2022 and the sergeant hourly rate will be $18.53. Council authorized the increases last year to make police wages competitive with surrounding municipalities. Street Department proposed expenditures are $452,000 in 2022. Thé collective bargaining agreement Sewer department expenditures in 2020 reflect the 72 ALCOSAN sewer rate increase. AL6OSAN bills the Borough quarterly for residential sewer service. The Borough is required by contract to collect the Employee benefit expenditures decrease in 2022 based on 2021 expenditure patterns. $51,B00 is budgeted as a transfer to the capital fund for Borough expenditures related to ongoing sewer upgrades due the Sewer Consent Order and other capital expenditures. The street department though under staffed for the first half of the year due to two retirements was able to: clean 53 basins and 12 sewer lines, rebuild 7 catch basins, replaced sections of deteriorated sewer lines in General Braddock Park, provided site prpaaration work at the Hawkins Avenue recreation site, clear abandoned lots and cut downed trees, boarded 30 abandoned properties, collected and disposed over 400 tires dumped in the Borough, cleaned and removed debris on numerous illegal dump sites and lots, applied over 750 tons of salt during the winter season, completed preparations of the Bell Avenue salt site for construction next year, installed over 100 street and traffic signs, responded to over 250 one call dig requests, cleared and improved portions of Seneca and Railroad Streets, and patched potholes The office of. code enforcement issued 200 property maintenance violation notices, issued 15 building permits, issued and inspected 374 rental licensed properties, issued and inspected 37 occupancy permitted properties, and issued 6 dumpster permits through October 2021. The code office is projected to generated more than $24,000.00 inrelated fees by the end of 2021 offsetting approximately 50% of the cost of the The Police department reports they have responded to approximately 6,000. service callsithrough October of this year, towed over 120 abandoned vehicles, upgraded computers in vehicles, implemented advanced statistic tracking withhAllegheny County, purchased additional body cameras, and emphasized efforts to improve community relations by participating in public functions and community events and  EXPENDITURES  expires bhis year, and a projected wage increase is included. sewer fees and transits the quarterly payment to ALCOSAN.  RECAP OF 2021 Capital and 0 & M Activities to Date  throughout the Borough. code enforcement department.  sponsoring programs such as "Christmas with Santa" and "Coffee with Cops".  Doug Marguriet Manager MOTION CARRIED MOTION CARRIED  Apprové foregoing reastom-Sepesy-That the foregoing 2022 Budget is approved as read. Adopt foregoing Cobbs-Vargo--That the foregoing ordinance is approved as read.  budget 2022 Real Estate Tax rate ordinance setting 2022 real estate tax' rate Authorization to sell surplus vehicles Réadt ALCOSAN rate increases Ordinance vehicle for $3,000.00 Approve Mgr retirement application eff. Jan. 21, 2022  Read ordinance setting Franklin-Copbs--That the ORDINANCE setting the 2022 REAL ESTATE TAX rate at 11 mills be read.  Motion Carried  to sell the following surplus vehicles: 2010 Chevy Impala, 2005 Ford  F-150 Dump Truck & 2012 Dodge Charger. MOTION CARRIED years 2022-2026 be read. MOTION CARRIED MOTION CARRIED be ratified and approved. MOTION CARRIED is approved. MOTION CARRIED  Tramklin-farker-That the ORDINANCE adopting the ALCOSAN sewer rate increases for the billing cycles for  Adopt foregoing Breaston-sepesy-That the foregoing ORDINANCE is approved as read.  Approve purchase of Breaton-sepey-hat the mergency purchase of a used police vehicle from Braddock Hills for $3,000.00  Franklin-Copbs-That the retirement application for the Borough Manager effective January 21, 2022  Ratify Payrolls Sepesy-Cobbs--That the payrolls dated Nov. 3rd & Nov. 17, 2021 are ratified and- approved.  MOTION CARRIED  Bills Payable Check #9225 thru #9273  tatify. Bills :utive Session Business ADJOURN  Sepesy-Cobbs--That the bills approved by the respective chairperson be approved for payment. Sepesy-Preaston-Tmat Borough Council meet in executive session to discuss contract negotiations.  MOTION CARRIED MOTION CARRIED  irn to Regular Order Franklin-Vargo--That the Council return to the regular order of business.  MOTION CARRIED MOTION CARRIED  Conba-franlin-Ihat the. Council meeting be adjourned to the call of the chair.