1  BOROUGH OF TARENTUM ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA  100529  BOROUGH COUNCIL REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING 6:30 P.M. JUNE 15, 2015  1. CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  2. ROLL CALL Greg Schmitt Ray Kerr Joe Davidek Peter Varos Eric Carter Timothy Firko William Rossey Michael Gutonski Mayor Magnetta Solicitor Clark Chief Vakulick 3. EXECUTIVE SESSION PRESIDENT FIRKO  Stated there was an executive session to discuss some personnel issues, which caused  the meeting to begin late.  4. MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES FOR THE MAY 18, 2015 COUNCIL  MEETING  Motion to approve by Councilman Schmitt, seconded by Councilman Varos.  4. CITIZEN'S COMMENTS REMARKS:  Bruce Ringer of 6th Avenue. Previously talked to Mr. Rossey concerning opening up the park for dogs. I made the offer to buy the poop bag station for the park. I didn't    2  bring the price, but if the council so desire, I will buy them for the Borough. Rick Bosinec of Richie's Transfer, brought up issue of being asked to repair sidewalks in front of business and wanted to know if there was grant money or help to pay for repairs. He has Owned that building for other 10 years and it seems that East Tarentum has gotten help with fixing the sidewalks. He has observed that the east side of Tarentum has gotten grant money to help out and wants to know if there is any for the  100530  west side.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  We did have grant money $150,000 that we bought the property on the 100 block of West 7th Avenue. The money was to buy this property then raze it, to try to induce some The council realizes that that part of town needs attention, things don't work as fast as we would like them to work. The intent was to ask the business and property owners to help clean up and start at the very infrastructure, so there is something already good happening. It starts with the residents Focus of different councils, money was a little easier to come by, or hard to come by, by a focus was there, we believe that we need to upkeep this part. Now that you have it all nice we don't want to abandon it and run away. We want to upkeep the properties, but we also want to divert our focuses into the west side of town it is a nice place. Grants were applied for and it just  business.  and businesses.  takes time.  COUNCILMAN GUTONSKI  The Borough has committed to removing the old concrete and making sure the public works director was on site as sidewalks are being replaced by business owners so that it is  done properly.    3  005 533  Curtis Stepp, owner, West End Tavern. Would like to know who to get specifications from to move forward with getting bids for the  work on his business.  COUNCILMAN GUTONSKI  Commits to get together with the business owner this week to provide what is needed. Kay Cavanaugh, has talked to council members and the Public works department before concerning drainage on her street. She brought pictures, which were passed around the council members. Water does not drain off the street properly because of the disrepair of the street. It floods her garage and basement. It has been an ongoing  REMARKS  issue.  COUNCILMAN GUTONSKI  Will have the street sweeper out there tomorrow and will have the crew come out with notpatch to fix the problem. Will commit to working with the homeowner for as long as the  problem persists.  REMARKS  Iola Stinemen, 109 Corbet Street, would like her street repaved. The issue is the curb. We have so many streets that need paved and if there is something that the borough can do to come up to your home to give you a temporary fix. We can do that. Our street department can fix that.  MR. GUTONSKI  PRESIDENT FIRKO  There is nothing more than we would love to do is to fix every road in Lown and make it. We have to try to find the worst of the worst  and work from there.  5. PRESIDENT'S REPORT    4  is  300535  This my first meeting as council President. He wishes to thank my fellow councilmen for their faith in allowing me to serve in this capacity. He has been on council for six years and a lifelong resident and volunteer firefighter and fire chief. Served over 30 years in the department. And served the borough on the Civil Service Commission and the International Appeals Board. I love this town and I will continue to serve in this compass capacity with vim and vigor. And I wish, again, nothing but the best for this town and trying to work hard and accomplish a lot of this through this council. A lot of good guys, not that I didn't know, but there is a lot of work that not only our borough employees the do, and the police department street and water  department. A lot of good guys and dedication, and also your fellow council members, their attention to duty S just phenomenal. I had a whole list I will not bore you with all of this. Just rest assure that had the upcoming months, we will work hard and try to continue to improve this borough and pass on the values in the new year to the next council or anyone else that is sitting  up there.  6. MAYOR'S REPORT MAYOR MAGNETTA  Calls for service for May 2015: Calls for service 460; action necessary 335; no action necessary 125; arrests 20; citations issued, 114; total accidents 11; accidents with injuries 0; fines collected $2,955.88; fines collected for the year, $23,910.82; parking tickets issued 42. Attended Senator Vulakovich's senior disability expo at the Mills Mall. Also, spoke at the Tarentum VFW and the Brackenridge Annual memorial Day Program. June 6th, spoke at the Memorial Day program at Prospect Ceremony. Also would like to add one of the county councilman, just brought me this in. On this coming Thursday at the Mills Mall, there will be a job fair, 25 or 30 companies that will be there at the Mills Mall. This is sponsored by Allegheny County and Range resources.    5  3106533  This coming Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m. at the And also before I close, Mr. Chairman, I would like to say that I passed this out to you tonight. And I would like to have some kind of motion. The Borough owns the Grandview playground. We owned it since the 1980. We own it and the school has maintained it and had insurance on it and so on. But now we are applying for a new grant for Grandview Elementary School. This is the playground area and this is going to be the outdoor classroom pavilion and there is two individual tennis courts that are enclosed. This is that it would not cost the borough any money. They are applying for a grant with a 15 percent match which the school district is taken care of and it will be filed next week Greenways Trials and  Mills Mall.  Recreation Bill.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  When we get there, we will do so.  6. POLICE CHIEF'S REPORT  CHIEF VAKULICK  At this time, there is no report.  8. MANAGER'S REPORT  BILL ROSSEY At this time, there is no report.  9. SOLICITOR'S REPORT CHARLES CLARK  Worked on the two resolutions that are further in the agenda. Other than that it is fairly routine activity this month.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Right now we have Gibson Thomas, Dan Schmidt who wants to go over some engineering issues the 4th Avenue Bridge has been ot limited use due to the structural deterioration. It is a bridge that is over 20 feet in span falls  with the 4th Avenue Bridge.  DAN SCHMIDT    6  under the  30053A  NBIS, the National Bridge Inventory  System and has to be inspected every two years. The borough does have an agreement with PennDOT, to do the inspections and the borough pays for those inspections and is reimbursed a portion of the costs. There are local shares but some money is picked up from There is a grading system and a sufficiency rating. The bridge is getting to the point of where it will need repaired or restricted from traffic. Because of the availability of detours and other bridges, it is very hard to get grant money through the TIP program to repair it, and it may never The bridge needs the superstructure. replaced, not the abutments. Once the superstructure is repaired, the bridge should not need a major overhall for 60 years. He understands there is money from the gambling fund, about $500,000, that the Borough has and he believes that money may be able to be used for the bridge repairs. He would like permission to explore the options with that money and the other available avenues to get the bridge closer to being repaired, whether that is doing preliminary He believes the money may be all that is needed to get the work done on the bridge.  the federal bridge program.  happen.  designs or something else.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  would like to call for a motion to allow Gibson Thomas to explore cost effective Upon motion by Councilman Davidek, seconded Resolved, the above mentioned measure, by unanimous vote of the council.  for 4th Avenue Bridge.  by Councilman Kerr.  COMMITTEE REPORTS  A. ADMINISTRATION, EMPLOYEE RRLATIONS, AND FINANCE  1. MOTION TO PAY JUNE BILLS  Upon motion by Counciluan Kerr, seconded by    7  Councilman Varos. vote by the Council.  300535  RESOLVED, this Council approves the payment of JUNE 2015 bills. Motion passed by a unanimous  1. MOTION TO PASS RESOLUTION 15.02 ENCOURAGED THE PAYMENT OF PROPERTY TAXES AND BOROUGH UTILITIES BY ELECTED BOROUGH OFFICIALS Upon motion by Councilman, seconded by RESOLVED, this Council approves the motion to encourage the payment of property taxes and utilities. Motion passed by a unanimous  Councilman  vote by the Council. AT-LARGE COUNCIL SEAT. Councilman Davidek. at-large council seat. (7) affirmative votes.  3. MOTION TO APPOINT ERICA JOSEFOSKI TO THE OPEN Upon motion by Councilman Firko, seconded by RESOLVED, to accept Erica Josefoski to the Upon roll call, the resolution was adopted with  MAYOR MAGNETTA  Swore the newly appointed councilwoman in to her  duties.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Thank you Sandra Collins for your interest, we hope to continue to see you here. Sandra Collins was the other applicant. Thank you for your  interest.  B. WATER COMMITTEE  1. Motion to accept the proposal from Three Rivers Diving to inspect the intake and determine the extent of dredging needed at the cost of Upon motion by Councilman Davidek, seconded by Councilman Varos, by a unanimous vote, the Council accept the proposal from Three Rivers Diving to inspect the intake and determine the extent of dredging needed at the cost of $3,820.  $3,820.    8  2. Motion to have Dan Schmidt and Gibson Thomas as engineers on the isolation valve grant Upon motion by Councilman Davidek, seconded by Councilman Varos, to have Gibson Thomas as the engineers for the installation of isolation valves, the motion passes by unanimous vote.  300538  application.  B. ELECTRIC COMMITTEE  RAY KERR  I don't have a report. I have a comment on the pole that went down on 10th Avenue the other night. I am on that grid. The speed that everything was turned back on, it took a little over two hours? Well for me, we lost it for the  couple of hours.  AUDIENCE MEMBER  I am the first person on that grid I would like  to get on another grid.  MR. KERR  For what happened the job that was done was done quickly and efficiently. A couple of years ago. Every couple of weeks, I think they did a fine job and got it done. I would like to commend everyone that was involved  including the police.  MR. DAVIDEK  As I came through there tonight some of the poles are up there, they are in nasty shape. Really  nasty shape.  MR. KERR  We have to find out if there is any way that there is a way to check them. Because that one  was rotted from the outside.  MR. ROSSEY  There are four or five polls that will be replaced. Some of them are compromised from that  one pulling it.  D. PUBLIC SAFETY AND CIVIL SERVICE  want to call for a motion to purchase a laptop computer for the Emergency Management    9  Coordinator at a price of $1,371.97.  300532  MR. FIRKO  Iwas appointed the emergency management borough, there is a lot of work that needs to be done. We went through the stuff that is on the desks, a lot of things need upgraded and one thing that we need to do is pull all of this stuff into this century. And with that, is a lot of electronic media, using a computer, to transfer all of this information and update all of the information that we need to service that position and the emergency management committee to effectively work. It is computer age. This is what needs to be done, and hasn't been done in a long time and we have a lot of work ahead of us to accommodate it. This is the start of  coordinator for the  it.  MAYOR MAGNETTA  IW would like to say, Mr. Chairman, I wish you would get my radio fixed so I can hear what  is going on. It doesn't work?  PRESIDENT FIRKO MAYOR MAGNETTA  I have two radios one for the police and one for the fire. I understand that they are We can't find the new police frequency.  supposed to be together.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  We will look at it.  Upon motion by Councilman Davidek, seconded by Councilman Schmidt, to purchase a laptop computer for the Fmergency Management Coordinator at a price of $1,371.97. The motion passes with a unanimous vote by the  Council.  D. (Continued) PUBLIC SAFETY  A monthly report for May of 2015 from Eureka Fire rescue. They had 22 calls for service    10  representing 74 personal hours, 3 mutual aid responses to Lower Burrell and Springdale Borough. Under the EMS side 253 calls representing 1,044 personnel hours. A1 lot of work by our volunteers and it all works because of that. If something happens with the weather and if they get called, our fire departments and EMS are always there,  300538  without question.  E. PROPERTY & ZONING, LIBRARY, AND HEALTH.  COUNCILMAN KERR  1. I would like to make a motion to grant JG's Tarentum Station restaurant permission to relocate their current sign to the corner of East 6th avenue and Lock Street.  REMARKS: CHIEF VAKULICK  Can I comment on that, Mr. Chairman? There is an issue where they are putting it. The site view at the stop sign coming from the 6th Avenue and Corbet Street. I had a conversation with them on Friday. They are going to try to move it more sO it doesn't affect the traffic flow. It was 6th avenue is a little higher, sO it would affect the view. And they will move it in this way a  little bit.  PRESIDENT FIRKO CHIEF VAKULICK MR. DAVIDEK  They will work with you?  They claim to. They will move it in. A1 little comment on this place? First of all, we are putting it in one of the new garden areas, that garden was just planted and you want to it in the middle of it. Second of all, I am wondering of what is the liability of us putting a business sign on borough property when we have none now? It is on borough property now.  MR. ROSSEY    11  3.06539  MR. DAVIDEK MR. ROSSEY MR. DAVIDEK  t thought that was railroad property.  That is questionable.  I - would rather have it at that wall than that  corner.  MR. ROSSEY  They want you to see it when you come down 6th when you can see it. When the whole train station renovations were done five years ago, a sign was designed to be put up there. But no one had the money to pay for it at that point. Otherwise it would have  been up there originally.  MR. DAVIDEK  Is there a liability for allowing that to be put up this there - I mean solicitor? would want to double check that, but I think we would be immune from the liability that would be incumbent with the sign.  MR. CLARK  MR. DAVIDEK  If it were to rust out and fall on somebody's car, what is our liability here? Because it  is on our property.  MR. CLARK  It is on our property but it would be the duty. And we would give them a an assignment for the sign. I want to take a few minutes to research it. Or in the alternative, you can put it in the resolution that they would have to assume all liability associated with the sign. That would be part of their  permission.  MR. FABEC  He is going to need the permits to move that sign through code enforcement.  MR. KERR    12  Iwill amend the motion to add that they have all the liability on the sign and they get all of the permits needed to move the sign.  00543  Is that good enough? Good enough, but go ahead.  MR. DAVIDEK MR. KERR MR. VAROS MR. FIRKO MR. DAVIDEK  Are you satisfied with the motion? That includes my second.  Any remarks on the amended motion?  I'm still worried about us going and putting commercial signs on Borough property. You don't have it anywhere in the Borough. Why Upon the motion to grant JG's Tarentum Station restaurant permission to relocate their current sign to the corner of East 6th avenue and Lock Street. Motion by Councilman Kerr, second by Councilman Varos, upon a roll call vote, (4) to (3,) the motion is carried. 2. A motion to grant Streetlight Coffee House permission to use the pavilion on West 6th Avenue on Saturday July 11th from 11 a.m. to 4_p.m. to hold a summer festival. Motion made by Councilman Kerr, seconded by  will when I start now?  MR. KERR  Councilman Carter.  REMARKS MAYOR MAGNETTA  Yes, I would like to know, when Tarentum borough does not own the pavilion, as I understand it is located on railroad property, how can we give people permission to use that, and also they want to use electricity, which means that we have to send aman down to turn the electricity on check the meter and Lhen we have to send somebody    13  down to turn it off and check the meter and there are four hours that the taxpayers and last year they asked for permission and they were supposed to donate money to Summit Hose, who is still waiting for a donation. I don't know, I just think that there should be some clarification on how or why this council can give them permission when we don't own it. Carl, I'm not too sure, but didn't someone give that to Summit Hose give that to Tarentum borough once they constructed it?  00541  MR. DAVIDEK  PRESIDENT FIRKO MAYOR MAGNETTA AUDIENCE MEMBER: PRESIDENT FIRKO  No.  don't think sO.  It is Summit Hose property.  Not really. The property isn't. But it was also and Jimmy you were a member along with myself, and Mike, and we knew that when we built pavilion that it was subject to this  kind of activity.  MR. DAVIDEK  Should they be asking the Summit Hose rather  than us.  PRESIDENT FIRKO AUDIENCE MEMBER MR. DAVIDEK MAYOR MAGNETTA  It is our property. It is not your property. You just stated it was.  The railroad owns the property and the Summit  Hose leases the property. We lease the property.  PRESIDENT FIRKO    14  ROSSEY MR.  300543  The borough leases that property. It is the same situation as the Snack Shack.  MR. ROSSEY  These people did it last year. They have a business on the corner of Center and 7th Avenue, the building that is being renovated. They have done it before. As far as the electric, it is minimal. It may be $10 worth that they use. It is the four hours for the borough employee to turn it on and off.  MAYOR MAGNETTA  MR. ROSSEY  It can be on Friday and all they need is an extension cord. And it can be shut off on Monday. We don't have to pay anybody down there overtime, it can be Friday and Monday. There are firemen here, what do you think? think that our permission should be asked, if you own for the pavilion. Just like we would ask you for permission to use the band shelter or any other borough property. And you are not overstepping the boundary by not asking Summit Hose. Our President is around, you can call the fire hall and leave a number and I am sure that he will get back to you. This is twice that me and Scott, Jimmy, and Mike, you are a life member, also, it is just not right to do, when it is our property, our pavilion. I think it is  PRESIDENT FIRKO AUDIENCE MEMBER  ridiculous.  PRESIDENT FIRKO JIMMY  Jimmy, I will give you one quick thing.  Since I go through this last meeting and this meeting, need to sit down with if the borough wants to do this they have to get Summit Hoses permission. They were supposed to give a donation to Summit Hose. They never did,    15  so you turn it down this time. If they want to give the donation, it is a set price to use that property. It is a set price if you want to rent out the borough building. You tell them it is $300 whether you are the mayor or any citizen of the town. You pay the certain amount and it is for everybody but you don't give when it don't belong to you. If you want to make it right you sign an agreement and these people have to pay the money up front or they don't get to use it. Thank you, Jim, and thank you for your comments. It opens our eyes and this is what  100545  PRESIDENT FIRKO  we need to hear.  MR. KERR  This - nothing against summit do they actually Own it if it is on our property? In the stadium, there is a refreshment stand that at one time a football organization built and they were told by council that the Little League Organization has the right to use it because it is Borough Property. If you build on Borough Property, the Borough takes it over, am I correct? That is railroad property.  JIM MR. CLARK  If it is affixed to the property does it becomes our property, that is the general rule of law. Yes, again, I would want to look at it. When this whole conversation started someone mentioned there was a lease, so if we have entered into the lease, what type of lease is it? There are different issues that I am simply unaware of. I don't want to give an incomplete legal opinion. But if you want to affix something to the property by using it, it becomes the land owners, that is the general rule.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Okay, with that information, and the negative dissent, this is on July 11th. I don't think we will have another meeting. I want to    16  table this motion so we can figure this out. Another fact is that if they were asked last year and they didn't donate when they said  300 549  should  table  they would, they it.  have. So let's  F. STREETS & SANITARY SEWERS.  MR. CARTER  1. Motion to grant the residents of Roup Street permission to hold a block party on Saturday, August 1st, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. With a rain date of Saturday, August 8th and to block the street from Summit Street to Wills Alley during this time. Upon motion by Councilman Carter, seconded by Councilman Kerr, of Roup Street permission to hold a block party on Saturday, August 1st, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. With a rain date of Saturday, August 8th and to block the street from Summit Street to Wills Alley during this time. Upon a vote, the motion carries. They did this last year, is that correct? They understand it should be the same. They should leave access on the one side for  MR. KERR CHIEF VAKULICK  emergency.  MR. ROSSEY  Iwill put that in the letter stating that they have to keep a lane open for  emergencies.  MR. KERR  2. Ia also have a motion to accept the 2015 Paving list, for the following; 400 block of West 8th Avenue, the 100 block of Conroy, the 400 block of Walters Way, and the 100 block of Walters Way for a total of $72,800. Moved by Councilman Kerr, seconded by  Councilman Davidek.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Yes. Motion was passed by a unanimous vote  from Council.    17  G. PARKS & RECREATION.  100545  MR. SCHMITT  1.Imake a motion to support the grant application for the Grandview Elementary Moved by Councilman Schmitt, seconded by Councilman Carter, to accept the application to show support for the application of the Greenways application for the playground at Is there any remarks? Everybody is familiar  Greenways Grant.  Grandview Elementary. and we have seen that?  PRESIDENT FIRKO  No remarks, Motion was passed by a unanimous  vote from Council.  MR. SCHMITT  2. Motion to advertise the ordinance 15-04 prohibiting certain activities and behaviors in Riverview Memorial Park. Motion made by Councilman Davidek, seconded by Councilman Moved and seconded to advertise ordinance 15-04 prohibiting certain activities and behaviors in Riverview Memorial Park.  Firko.  Any remarks?  REMARKS: MAYOR MAGNETTA PRESIDENT FIRKO MAYOR MAGNETTA PRESIDENT FIRKO MAYOR MAGNETTA  would like to know who proposed this?  Who?  Who proposed this?  I would say I support it. I do.  You support it. In other words, you drew this up, or you are behind this?  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Maybe.    18  300548  MAYOR MAGNETTA PRESIDENT FIRKO MAYOR MAGNETTA  Good. Have you ever been in the park? - have been in the park.  Ihave you ever been in the park when there  are concerts? Yeah.  PRESIDENT FIRKO MAYOR MAGNETTA  Have you observed what has gone on when there  are concerts in the park? Have you read the ordinance?  PRESIDENT FIRKO MAYOR MAGNETTA PRESIDENT FIRKO  Yes. I have.  Then what can prohibit anything that is  disruptive?  MAYOR MAGNETTA  Well, you have that you can bring animals the  in the park know.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Responsible pet owners, well look at your 15...I don't even have kit, can you help me out on that amendment that we discussed?  (Simultaneous speaking.)  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Of course you have the service animals. In 105 of section 5, do you have that mayor? The catch-all provision that was add is anything disruptive can be dealt with.  MR. CLARK  MAYOR MAGNETTA  What about bikes?    19  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Bikes fall under that same issue. That same  section, section 1. May I comment on this?  CHIEF VAKULICK PRESIDENT FIRKO CHIEF VAKULICK PRESIDENT FIRKO  3.0.543  Yeah.  Who will monitor this? Who is monitoring it now?  CHIEF VAKULICK  If we drive through and we see a dog or a bike, we throw them out. So if we see a dog shitting, the police are supposed to get out and go get them and tell them they are not a responsible owner? This park is for kids and people to walk. You can't put a bike in there and you have an elderly person walking and a bike coming up behind them. They are not going to hear them. Do you know what is going to happen? What are we thinking here? This is - this is completely Skate boards are still prohibited.  PRESIDENT FIRKO CHIEF VAKULICK  We have a beautiful park. We just put up posts light poles and we are going to bring bikes in here and dogs and half the park is made for kids. We will put dogs down there? This is going to be a police problem, seriously? What. are we thinking here? We may as well put alcohol and drugs in the park and take down the no smoking. We are not worried about the kids safety, right?  MAYOR MAGNETTA CHIEF VAKULICK  Come on, Tim.    20  Then you will go to me and want this monitored and the dog shit in the park and the police didn't do anything about it. I don't want to hear that. It is out of line,  completely out of line.  00 548  MR. DAVIDEK  You have a motion and a second on the floor I would like to remind the mayor - I would like to remind the mayor, he can veto this  ordinance.  MAYOR MAGNETTA  I know that, Joe, and it will be vetoed. But what I am saying is, just like the Chief said we have one of the most beautiful parks in the area. People enjoy it. This ordinance says, about all the enjoyment of the park and this. We are going to bring dogs in and bikes in, and you know a couple of weeks ago Iwas in the park and I happened to be sitting there, and a little kid about 2 years old walked over and trampled in a pile of crap. You know what the parents did? Took her over to the water fountain, and cleaned off his shoes in the water fountain. Now, there are people that take their dogs to the park that aren't bothered or not caught. That are responsible. They do have bags, they do pick up. But that is there excuse me, few and far between. Believe me. Gentlemen I will tell you what. You are making a big, big, big mistake, if you pass this ordinance. There is no need to change the ordinance we have now. I don't know why anyone would want to change this ordinance. It is crazy, absolutely crazy.  CHIEF VAKULICK  Did you ever look at the grassy area along 5th Avenue and see when people clean up their dogs doings? It never happens. Ask the street how many times they do it.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  There was some question on whether this is permitted. We drew it up under all good  intentions.    21  CHIEF VAKULICK PRESIDENT FIRKO  It is not a good idea Timmy. I don't think  0509  it is.  I respect your opinion.  CHIEF VAKULICK  believe it is a bad idea.  PRESIDENT FIRKO ERIKA JOSEFOSKI  Do you have comments?  This is something I will - I don't want to make waves my first day here. I believe we can revisit this. There are such great points going both ways, and I certainly don't want to people to not be able to bring their dogs, they love their dogs like they love their children and they should be able to bring them to the park. At the same time, I can understand that they don't want their children around any dog or they don't want them stepping in anything. There may be some certain area that we can fence off as a dog park and have stand with bags and let the  dogs run free.  AUDIENCE MEMBER  Adog park it has good points and bad points,  the bad points about are Can you state your name?  PRESIDENT FIRKO BRUCE RINGER  Bruce Ringer, Ringer's Dog training. At a dog park, you are having off-leash dogs, who has got the shot records of this dog? Who has the temperament of the dog? Irun a doggie day care. I screen every dog that comes into my place. I turn away more than I accept on temperament reasons. I am against dog parks because somebody from South Hills can bring their dog in, and nothing    22  about this.  100551  CHIEF VAKULICK  Same thing will happen here. Who will ID people at the gate? I mean the same reason why the temperament of the dog with the  children in the dog.  BRUCE RINGER CHIEF VAKULICK  If it is on a leash, it is under control. If it is on leash, unless you are walking close enough to a child and the dog snaps out at the end of the leash. You know it as much  as I do.  MR. GUTONSKI  Ih have one question about this, and I am very neutral when it comes to this, I have one question for you. What is the situation now whenever - because we know that there are people that walk dogs through the park.  CHIEF VAKULICK  We get a call or we see them, we ask them to leave the park. Same with bicycles. The bicycle thing, there are elderly, some of them can't hear. So if you have somebody that rides the bike properly and says, I am going on your left, you think they are going to hear it? No, they will turn around and turn right into that bike. It makes no sense. Our park is beautiful. Why are we  changing it? I'm sorry.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Listen, the only reason why is that we propose this, and I will take the blame for this. I appreciate having the ability, in your case, if you want to argue that is fine. We show our dislike for something that is not. I based my opinions on the responsible pet owner that wants to go down, myself included, but I pass that park with my leashed animal that I am right now not  permitted in the park.    23  CHIEF VAKULICK.  fully understand that, but do that 911 is going to take the calls that say there is a dog that the owner didn't pick them up and tell the police to go down there. They will hang up on them.  think you  10055:  PRESIDENT FIRKO CHIEF VAKULICK  Bill are they  Your problem isn't the responsible pet  owners.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  They will do the same thing to say the dog is in the park. We can banter this all day. I think that the bikes, if anybody has any  defense about this?  MAYOR MAGNETTA  Oh my, stop and think of it. I mean just like the Chief said, I have seen this and if anybody if you sit down at the park and watch. There is a lot of older people who walk that park. I mean, they enjoy walking the park. They enjoy sitting on the bank and looking at the river and you know, watching the boats go by, come on, fellas. This is idiotic, this thing, this is idiotic. It should be ripped up and throw in the garbage. It is terrible.  MR. KERR  When I walk my dog, I have to stay on 1st Avenue. And I carry the paper bags, one of the best things the Valley Paper is the bag it comes in, sometimes, and I clean up. It is a shame I can't stroll, even the middle of the night, early in the morning, I can't stroll through the park with my dog. You  know?  CHIEF VAKULICK  Then you have to deal the with the street department and the kids in the water fountain    24  cleaning their shoes. The street department has to go through that mess so we pay a guy to walk around with the poop scooper, basically to clean up what people don't clean  up.  3055,  PRESIDENT FIRKO CHIEF VAKULICK  But we do have an offer to buy If they are being used, responsible pet  owners.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Ithink I would be willing to drop the bicycle, but I am still a little bit  MR. KERR  You don't have just one lap, you have to come  back.  MAUREEN WHITE  Maureen White Worth Street, right across here. Any one of you councilmen who is voting for this should come sit on the porch in the evenings and watch dogs drink out of the fountain and watch kids play in the fountain. I wouldn't drink out of that fountain if I was dying of thirst, from what I see down there, and I have a dog and I live right here and I can't walk it down through  the park.  PRESIDENT FIRKO MAUREEN WHITE  Did you ever want to?  No, not at the risk - there is a spray park and a playground. Our dog is very well behaved. She likes to bark at people and lick everyone to death, but I don't. I walk 1st Avenue with a bag. A red bag from the  newspapers.  MR. KERR  Can we do a trial basis?  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Did you want to amend? And take the bikes out? Whatever you want to do, Joe.    25  MR. DAVIDEK  It was presented as you have it typed we have  AG  a n motion.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  And now you have a question on it. Go ahead.  CARRIE FOX  170 Cedar Street. You didn't consider in that ordinance that you have a concession stand over there that you didn't think about putting in there. It is used about six or seven times a year for summer concerts. You can't have dogs around food. You can't have it where we have the tables set up for food. So, that is another thing you didn't even don't understand how you councilmen can come up with an ordinance when nobody else  write in there. has any input on it.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Who says that there is dissension? There is  discussion.  CARRIE FOX PRESIDENT FIRKO  Ididn't say there was dissension.  Any activities that would be contrary to the continued quiet enjoyment of the Grandview Park and the borough citizens is what we added because we knew there was there are people out there that just aren't - they will break the law. I agree with that. This resolution this ordinance is drafted with great intention. That is to benefit the citizens of the Borough of Tarentum. How? What kind of benefit is it to the  MAYOR MAGNETTA  Borough of Tarentum?  PRESIDENT FIRKO  By enjoying this great park that we have, Mayor, we should marketing this park to dog  owners.    26  o0 553  LARRY TROUTMAN  Larry Troutman, 1st Avenue. Why didn't you ask the people that use the park what they think about the bikes and what they think about the dogs on the leashes? My wi.fe walks in that park with a walker. Does she want to have a bike coming up behind her? That is crazy. I see people out of my window with their dogs crapping in  the park and no bags.  PRESIDENT FIRKO JIM BOWSER  Okay. Here is what we will do  Table this and go right now and every citizen - Jim Bowser, 314 West 8th Avenue. Every citizen of this town, every taxpayer of this town deserves the same right. I don't agree with the bikes in the park and I don't agree with the dogs, but I think there should be a place in this town that you can take the dog, and walk the dog. You build a skate board park down here, and you got a grant for that skate board park. The kids ruined it and now it is a hockey thing down there. How  is that doing, Bill?  MR. ROSSEY MAYOR MAGNETTA  The hockey rink is doing all right.  The kids didn't ruin the skate park, Jim, it was the wood that rotted away. It was going  to cost us too much money. We are totally off.  PRESIDENT FIRKO JIM BOWSER  Table this, make it provisions that it should be somewhere in the borough that people can take their dog. And it would save a lot of We will table it. We will make revisions. We will ask for comments and go from there.  aggravation.  PRESIDENT FIRKO:    27  PERSON  Don't you have a motion on the floor? Do you just drop the motion?  a. 5547  MAYOR MAGNETTA PRESIDENT FIRKO  You are allowed to table it. I believe I am. We just did one today. You were wrong there too. Then you veto it, Mayor.  MAYOR MAGNETTA JIM BOWSER MR. DAVIDEK MR. SCHMITT MR. CLARK  I rescind my second of the motion.  - rescind the motion.  He withdrew his motion and he withdrew his second, as I recall at this point. Now, you are the President, is that what the record  should reflect? Yes. Okay.  PRESIDENT FIRKO BRUCE RINGER  Do you still want - even though you won't allow dogs in, there, I will still buy things and pull them up there, if you want them.  PRESIDENT FIRKO. CHIEF VAKULICK  We will keep that in mind.  Maybe you should put those along 5th Avenue and Council can see if they work out. See if they will give you Lhe permission to do that and see how it works out with the bags and  the grassy areas.  BRUCE RINGER  Idon't have a problem with that.    28  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Let's let this lay. Let's get cool heads   556  this is just and we will move on.  stuff  that needs to be debated  MR. GUTONSKI.  Maybe you may want to set up a public meeting about this since they are the ones that will  be involved for this.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  We will discuss this further.  H. AVN/COG There is no report.  J. KOZ, Mayor? MAYOR MAGNETTA PRESIDENT FIRKO MR. KERR MR. GUTONSKI  Nothing at this point in time, Mr. Chairman.  J. Redevelopment And Revitalization Committee.  Nothing, Mr. President.  Before we get to citizens comments, I want to speak a couple words, speaking as the Borough anager-in-training. I have been attending numerous events dealing with the Borough, dealing with the early warning detection system with the water, and dealing with the sustainable municipalities and the work that Bill did in the past. We are trying to continue with those efforts. Iam going to grant writing class on Thursday and numerous other classes that are set up for our parks and other issues for the I have been working with the street department. I have been working with Bill and the ladies in the office to get a firm grasp on how the Borough is ran on a day-to-  Borough.  day basis. And that is it.  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Citizens comments, please rise and state your    29  name.  JIM BOWSER   559  314 West Dayton Avenue, Owner.  First thing that I have is with the sign at the train station. Is there any ordinance that he can leave that sign and just raise it upa little, with being able to see it from the bridge instead of moving it? I mean what is your ordinance on the height of the sign? Once he changes it he has to apply for a  MR. FABEC  permits.  JIM BOWSER  Then we can just have him change it and take it up and not interfere with the  intersection?  MR. FABEC  Ican't tell you because I don't know how high it is, sO I can't tell you if he moved  it up if it would be okay.  JIM BOWSER  Ithink that would be more feasible than if he leaves it and as long as he gets the advertisement and you can see it from the bridge, why interfere with traffic? Second thing I got, is what is the deal with the gas and oil drilling? Is that table and under the water or what is going on there?  MR. GUTONSKI  Right now the industry is at a lull. So the interest is not there right now.  JIM BOWSER  And the third thing, Tim, being you are the management coordinator, there were people up here earlier in dire need of work done in front of their house. I think at this time, out of the goodness of your heart, give that 1300 bucks up and fix those peoples problem up on 13th and try to alleviate their water getting in their basement. As time progresses you can get the computer. I understand you need the upgrade and you need    30  to do things, but these people were in dire need and they were promised for that street to be fixed and it should be fixed. There is 1300 bucks there that could help them out. There is money in the budget that we can use for street repairs, so we will be able to use that money to be able to help them.  6 55  MR. GUTONSKI  JIM BOWSER  Why the don't we use that money and help these people out and get that problem solved. We are going to get that problem solved. We don't need that $1,300. We have money in the Alleviate the computer for six months and then go from there. Fine just get them  MR. GUTONSKI  budget.  JIM BOWSER  people's problems fixed. Any additional comments?  PRESIDENT FIRKO TIM KUHNS  Tim Kuhns, 100 Kuhns Drive. I know it is easy to criticize everybody. I would like to commend some people. A year or two years ago, I think the mayor and the chief spearheaded putting in new traffic lights in West 7th avenue in West Tarentum. Living there, I used to see every other week an accident. I haven't seen an accident I could have been wrong but I haven't seen any since the lights were installed so I would like you to commend you on being proactive and helping our community. Tim is right. We have had none.  and  CHIEF VAKULICK MR. GUTONSKI  The accident rate has dropped 95.99 percent.  CHIEF VAKULICK    31  That wasn't because of lights, that was  driver error.  300559  PRESIDENT FIRKO  Thank you Tim for the kind remarks, well deserved. Again, it is not all about the negatives. We should disagree and work it out, that is why we are here. It would be easy to run this Borough if anyone agreed. Any other citizen comments?  LARRY TROUTMAN  Larry Troutman, 1st Avenue. This is just a question. You take up the park, one end to the other to put the lights in, and they are beautiful, but they graded it and nobody planted grass seed. Is there plans or is that guy supposed to plant that grass or do we just wait for the weeds to build up  throughout the year?  MR. ROSSEY  He should be back any day. He hasn't been paid a dime yet. He has to come back and grade that and put seed down.  MR. GUTONSKI  He is waiting for a piece of equipment to get  repair for that to happen.  LARRY TROUTMAN ADJOURNMENT  The lights look nice.  Motion to adjourn by Councilman Davidek, There being no further business to come before Council, the meeting of May 18, 2015 was unanimously adjourned at 8:17 PM  seconded by Mr. Schmitt.  Respectfyllys Submitted by: Wa RA William Rossey Tarentum BorougHWanager