BOROUGH OF WILMERDING  MINUTES OF THE APRIL 2, 2024, REGULAR MEETING OF COUNCIL  The meeting was called to order by President Kelly Maxwell at 7:01 p.m.  The Pledge of Allegiance was led by the President. Council met in an executive session to discuss employees.  ROLL CALL: JOHN MARCOZ, absent; TURNER SEIBLES, present; JOE HARTZELL, present; STEVE VOLPE, present; LEAHMANDA BARNES, present; JOHN THOMAS, present; KELLY MAXWELL, present. L.E BARNES/S. VOLPE TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 5, 2024, MEETING AS PRESENTED.  MAYOR GREGORY JAKUB WAS ALSO PRESENT. MEMBERS VOTED APPROVAL, 6-0. PETITIONS & MEMORIALS:  DIANE LAGORGA, AIRBRAKE AVE: Is anyone going to clean up the garbage on Middle and Airbrake? C.LANG: Mr. Marcoz isn't here to give his report, but it does show that public works went over and did clean up JAMES SIMPSON, MILLER STREET: my concern is garbage and construction materials @ 318 Middle Ave. There is a pile of trash that is filling the entire yard. Imentioned it to the code officer, and he said he was aware ofi it and permitted it until there was enough to fill a dumpster. Why do we allow people who do not reside here but own rental property to make a profit and destroy our community. If we pay for code enforcement, are we getting our monies worth from it? I'm also concerned with 213 and 215 Bridge Street, at 315 at least 1-2 weeks of the month the garbage comes out right after they pick up and sits there till the following week. At213, the tenant puts her trash out and it blows all over the place and no one holds them accountable. The church is no better as they put their garbage out on Sunday and all the properties leave their cans out in the alley all week. K. MAXWELL: The building requires a dumpster, and all of the cans need to be removed per our ordinance. G. JAKUB: Al, can you confirm, it states in your report that a dumpster was to be there on 3/17, is there a  some of it along Airbrake Avenue, Airbrake Park and the walking trail.  reason it is not there?  A. HUSSEY: I'm not sure but I think they ran into some financial problems. this cannot continue. If there is no dumpster placed, then he needs to be cited.  G. .JAKUB: not trying to be rude but that's not a legitimate excuse. Iknow you want to work with the guy, but K. MAXWELL: this is not about compassion; it's an insurance issue and it needs to be taken care of  immediately.  EDITH BARRETT, HERMAN AVENUE: Iam tired of the school issues, the street is painted yellow, but buses are parked there. Parents block everything, park wherever they want including the handicap spots. They have 4 lots that are never full, but all the students are told to park on the street. They still block my driveway and will not move when we need to get out. Inever see the police; we are supposed to have a car here 24/7 butIr never see them. People come the wrong way up Herman, and they don't care because the police are never here. People know they can get away with everything. Patrons at Johnny's take up all the parking and they park  1    BOROUGH OF WILMERDING  MINUTES OF THE APRIL 2, 2024, REGULAR MEETING OF COUNCIL  against traffic all the time. We need to start charging the school if they want to park in the public parking area.  Ihave spoken to the school but have not got any resolve.  K.I MAXWELL: Tara, it is the McKeesport bus again that you had words within the past.  OFFICER CARUSO: Iwill talk with the chief and request extra patrol during that time. Iwill call the McKeesport bus garage and discuss it with them. Iam constantly here in town when Ia am scheduled to be, andI  love to write tickets for handicap parking.  J. HARTZELL: can we limit parking for a certain time?  K. MAXWELL: Ithink that we would need to pass an ordinance for that. Caroline, can you send a letter to the  school regarding parking and buses? CORESPONDENCE  a. We received a quote to repair the electronic sign at a cost of $1,257.18.  S.VOLPE/L. BARNES TO APPROVE THE REPAIRS OF THE ELECTRONIC SIGN AT A COST OF  $1,257.18. MEMBERS VOTED APPROVAL, 6-0.  COMMITTEE REPORTS  PUBLIC SAFETY = T.SEIBLES: For the month of March we did not receive and EMS report. The fire department responded to 36 calls, 11 in town, 25 out of town, 2 work details, 4 trainings, and 18 maintenance OFFICER CARUSO: we responded to 47 calls, I tagged 10 abandoned vehicles, 7 of them were moved and 3 towed. We received some complaints about specific stop signs that need to be watched, Chief is going to work on that. In regard to extra patrol, I will note that, but that is something that you can always request. Iam constantly driving around butl Ic cannot speak for everyone else. Iwill call the school and the bus companies G.JAKUB: officer Wratcher was involved in a call yesterday with a juvenile and Ijust want to thank them for  hours.  tomorrow and get that taken care of.  their efforts.  CODE ENFORCEMENT - AL HUSSEY:_report was submitted. PUBLIC WORKS -J. MARCOZ: There is a report submitted.  ENGINEER = B. BRANTHOOVER: Nothing new on the paving yet, we are waiting for COG to give me word that they have all the paperwork together. The CD 49 grant we discussed last month, we have been awarded $70,046 toward park improvements. Iput together some estimated costs, if we do everything, we are a little over the budget, but Ir recommend that you look over this and see where you want to go. The GTPR application grant is open till the end of May. Iwent out and looked at some of the fencing at Airbrake and the WCC, Iwill get some costs together for that but please let me know if there is anything else that you may want me to look at. As for Ice Plant there have been some substantial change orders with the project because there were complete blockages in those lines. State Pipe is the contractor and they said they have never: seen anything like  this.  2    BOROUGH OF WILMERDING  MINUTES OF THE APRIL 2, 2024, REGULAR MEETING OF COUNCIL  COG-J. HARTZELL: We didn't have a quorum, but it was mentioned about the Verizon franchise renewal C.LANG: they had done this 5 years ago as well. They do an audit with the potential of getting more money, but the cost outweighed the means. Ihad sent that information over to all of you and the more municipalities BORO PROPERIES/UTLITES- VOLPE: There was a sewer problem in the building that was taken  agreement. the lower the cost.  care of and the sign that we just voted on.  J. HARTZELL: they did fix the streetlights along the business district. SOLICITOR = G. EVASHAVIK: I have nothing to report.  FINANCE = J. THOMAS  J. THOMAS! J. HARTZELL TO PAY ALL THE APPROVED BILLS FOR APRIL IN THE. AMOUNT OF  $19,748.58 FROM THE GENERAL FUND. MEMBERS VOTED APPROVAL, 6-0  J. THOMAS: A few updates for people, there was no tax collection the notices just went out, we have collected $1,760.09 in delinquent real estate tax, $1,746.08 in delinquent garbage, $10,299.00 in RAD, $49.00 in deed  transfer, $13,416.96 in EIT, and $677.27 in LST.  J. HARTZELL: the numbers on here don't match what is listed. C.LANG: Ijust saw that as well and will go over that with John.  J. HARTZELL: we are over budget for equipment maintenance for the street department and refunds. C.LANG: Iwill have to look into that as well. It may be some transfers that have been done between the  general fund and the PLGIT funds, but I am not sure.  J. HARTZELL: Is there a way to adjust that or make up a new account for that?  C.LANG: Some of them go into different accounts while others have to be documented under specific accounts RECREATION-LI BARNES: We did our Easter Egg hunt and had approximately 30 children, which was great with the weather, it was very cold and windy. We passed out all of the candy, there were 250 eggs for the hunt, and we had 3 special eggs for larger baskets. We are going to start working on National Night Out and would  for the auditor.  like to look into movies in the park. OLDI BUSINESS: nothing  NEW BUSINESS: J. THOMAS/L. BARNES TO HIRE TYLER BERESFORD TO DO PROP[ERTY MAINTENANCE ENFORCEMENT FOR APPROXIMATELY 8 HOURS A WEEK AT A RATE OF AN  ADDITIONAL $2/PER HOUR. J. HARTZELL: when would he start?  3    BOROUGH OF WILMERDING  MINUTES OF THE APRIL 2, 2024, REGULAR MEETING OF COUNCIL  J.T THOMAS: immediately, once we get him situated. S.VOLPE: He can have them already printed up.  C.LANG: we have the courtesy notices and the Quality-of-Life tickets already printed.  S. VOLPE: those are useless, you can have a program that does everything, and you just send them a letter and C.LANG: there will be a spreadsheet that will be kept with all of the issues, and it will document what he has S.V VOLPE: how much time does a month does he need for his inspection. We need to limit his time if we are  ifI's not corrected take them to court.  done. This will be given to council every month for review.  going to hire another person.  C.LANG: Al only worked a total of 14 hours for the 2 weeks pay period.  MEMBERS VOTED APPROVAL, 6-0.  MAYOR'S REMARKS- -G.JAKUB: Leahamanda, Mayor Forgie from Turtle Creek, and I attended the meeting for the Rails to Trails connector trail and it is supposed to go up Airbrake Avenue. The 3 of us do not agree with the proposed route through our towns and the issue of maintenance and security along the route. They cannot get the funding to use the railroad property, RIDC park will not let them use their property, sO they have it proposed to go up to Grandview Golf course and back down, through Turtle Creek, into Wilmerding. Ia also wanted to thank the Recreation committee, it was cold, but they were there and made the best ofi it. J. HARTZELL: it is still in the proposal phase; they got grant money and they need to use it somehow. G.J JAKUB: did we authorize for someone to put a basketball hoop up in Airbrake Park?  C.LANG: we did not.  S. VOLPE MOTION TO ADJOURN MEETING 8:07 P.M  4