BOROUGH OF WILMERDING  MINUTES FROM JANUARY2, 2024, REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOROUGH  Meeting was called to order by President Kelly Maxwell at 7:01 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by the President.  ROLL CALL: JOHN MARCOZ, present; TURNER SEIBLES, present.; JOE HARTZELL, present; STEVE' VOLPE, present; LEAHMANDA BARNES, present; JOHN THOMAS, present; KELLY MAXWELL, present; MAYOR GREGORY. JAKUB was also .VOLPE/L.BARNESTOACCEPT THE MINUTES OF1 THE DECEMBER 5, 2023, MEETING AS PRESENTED. MEMBERS VOTED  present. APPROVAL,7-0. PETITIONS & MEMORIALS:  NONE  CORRESPONDENCE NONE COMMITTEE REPORTS: PUBLICSAFETY:  K.MAXWELL: everyone has a copy of the police report, and the fire department is here to speak.  N. HARTZELL: Iwas just voted in as fire chief this year and will be taking over for my father who was the chief for the last 13 years. I'm excited to take on the role and will be giving my contact information to everyone or you can down as are here very often. Tyler Beresford is the new assistant chief, and you can reach out to him with any questions as CODE ENFORCEMENT - A. HUSSEY: I had some emergency surgery and was on light duty, but Ihave been working on the: stuff that we talked about and have done at few inspections. Iwill be emailing the report over, Thad a water issue ENGINEERS REPORT- B. BRANTHOOVER: Commerce paving and trench will happen in the Spring; Card Avenue inlet has been done and they will be returning to perform sealing as the weather permits. Iwasn't here for the last meeting, but Caroline reached out about the public works ceiling that is falling apart. Iwill work with Caroline to arrange a time to check into it. East McKeesport received another $100,000.00 for Ice Plant Hill. They put the bids out as phased and no one picked it upt the first time, the second time the contractors did not review thej job and ended up pulling their bid sO no they are, going to take this additional money and try to but it out for the full project scope. It should be going out SOLICITOR- - G.EVASHAVIK: The Turtle Creek' Valley Arts Charter school has been approved for tax exempt status. Nick reviewed their application, and they did qualify SO he wondered why they did not apply for this years ago. Coincidently the school district filed an appeal and Ithink this was in response to that. We also have an ordinance to abolish the planning commission and rescind ordinance 880. Our council president will then need to make a planning committee with 3 members to serve the function and duties as required. If there are no questions on the ordinance, then council is  we well.  stop  today and just ran out of time.  for bid in the next few weeks.  free to vote.  1    BOROUGH OF WILMERDING  MINUTES FROM. JANUARY 2, 2024, REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOROUGH  L.BARNES/T. SEIBLES TO ABOLISH THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AND RESCIND ORDINANCE 880. MEMBERS VOTED  APPROVAL, 7-0. FINANCES- OLD BUSINESS: none NEW BUSINESS:  J.T THOMAS/L/ BARNES TOI PAY BILLS IN THE AMOUNT OF $35,971.42 FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND $7,250.00FROM J.THOMAS: Ifeel that we may need to raise our sewage surcharge, right nowi it is $3.50 per1,000 gallons. llooked at the figures and Ifeel we should go to $4.00/1,000 gallons. This money is used for catch basins and other repairs. J.THOMAS/J. MARCOZ TO RAISE THE SEWER SURCHARGE FROM: $3.50/1,000 GALLONSTO: $4.00/1,000 GALLONS.  THE PLGIT SEWAGE FUND. MEMBERS VOTED APPROVAL, 7-0.  ROLL CALL VOTE: J.MARCOZ: YES T.SEIBLES: NO J.HARTZELL: NO MOTION DOES NOT CARRY.  S.VOLPE: NO L.BARNES: NO J.THOMAS: YES  J.HARTZELL: instead of doing this Ithink we need to go after the delinquencies. J.THOMAS: Igave that list a year ago and no one got back to me with any input. J.HARTZELL: Ithought we were. just going to file against the 101 highest.  J.THOMAS: we can do that, but Ithink we should look it over and discuss it. The top 10 may not bei the best option,1  thinki it needs reviewed and discussed further. G.JAKUB: can we hold their Rental licenses? HUSSEY: we do that, but they put them in there anyway. J.HARTZELL: we can take them to the magistrate then. A.HUSSEY: we can do that, just discuss it and let me know.  MAYOR. JAKUB: the Chief Farally will be out 4-6 weeks for training. They have been trying to crack down oni the cars  and they have been getting them towed. L.BARNES/S. VOLPE TO ADJOURN MEETING 7:22 p.m.  2