WEST HOMESTEAD BOROUGH  Council Meeting December 12, 2023 Minutes  Call to Order  President Ashley Cain called the meeting to order at 6:15 pm.  Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call  Present: Ms. Ferson, Mr. Guzzi, Mr. Harhai, Mr. McLaughlin, Ms. Scolieri, Ms. Cain. Also in attendance: Mayor Joe Baran, Solicitors Stanley and Michael Lederman, Borough Engineer Mark Brashear, and Borough Secretary Donna McMichael.  Public Comment on Agenda Items  No comments.  Mayor Joe Baran administered the Oath of Office Police Officer Kiana Thompson.  REPORTS  Engineer Mark Brashear  Working on consent order.  Working with Alcosan on grant items for next year.  Solicitor Michael Lederman Mayor Joseph Baran  Tonight, we will be approving 3 (three) Ordinances and 9 (nine) Resolutions.  The Light-Up event was successful. The Steel Valley parade was great.  Penn Automotive took 1st Place for the window display.  Borough Manager Bill Etherington Police Chief Charles Rozzo  Absent.  Police report was given for the month of November and year-to-date.  During the Holiday, keep cars and houses locked.  There will be more patrols out and there will be two new officers starting in January.  Fire Chief John Dindak  Fire Report given: 378 calls for the year. A busy time is approaching. Wintertime there are more CO calls, gas calls, and water breaks.  Reminder: Change batteries. Banners are down. Boot drive is finished.  Start time for Santa detail will be 10am on Saturday, follow schedule on Facebook.    Baldwin EMS  Report for October: 43 calls this month and 526 calls year to date. Last month the  response time was 6.3 minutes. There was a director's meeting yesterday.  Bill McLaughlin: There was a 17% return, we need to increase. Everyone in the household will be covered if you select a household. Baldwin handled all EMS calls for the year.  EMS, Dan Churma  Finished quarterly training.  EOP update every 2 years is due next month. Steel Rivers Council of Governments: Ashley Cain Steel Valley Enterprise Zone: Dave Harhai  No report.  Will meet the new director in the New Year.  Ashley: Approved Workers comp and commended the 2024 Banner Community.  COMMITTEE REPORTS  Community Affairs: Barb Ferson, Chair Add quarterly newsletters. Personnel: Rose Scolieri No report. Property: Rose Scolieri  Preparing for Spring Clean-Up Day and the Summer Recreation Program.  Met today and went over the spreadsheet. This is a lengthy process and takes time.  Public Safety: Dave Harhai, Chair Welcome Kiana Thompson.  We will have our 125th Anniversary in the summer of 2026.  Public Works: Bill McLaughlin  Public Works are patching potholes, cleaning up leaves and getting ready for snow.  Good job on the decorations for Christmas.  Sewer Management: Ashley Cain Did not meet in December.  We will meet with the Army Corp of Engineers next week.    Legislation  Additional Agenda Items (Motions):  1. Accept minutes from the Council Meetings, as written, for November 7, 2023, and  November 14, 2023  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri All voted in favor of the motion.  2. Approve and ratify all bills paid and to be paid for the month of December 2023.  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri All voted in favor of the motion.  3. Approve Ordinance 731, in its final form, amending Ordinance 282, known as the Mechanical Amusement Device Ordinance, to revise and replace said Ordinance with current and updated provisions, proposed at the Council meeting on November 14, 2023,  advertised in the Valley Mirror on Thursday, November 22, 2023.  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri  Stanley Lederman reviewed and explained. Brought it up to the 21st Century.  All voted in favor of the motion.  4. Approve Ordinance 732, in its final form, amending Ordinance 758, known as the Tenant Occupancy Safety Inspection Ordinance, to add the requirement for owners to have local Property Management Services, proposed at the Council meeting on November 14, 2023,  advertised in the Valley Mirror on Thursday, November 22, 2023.  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri  Stanley Lederman reviewed and explained. They must be within twenty-five miles.  All voted in favor of the motion.  5. Approved Ordinance 733, in its final form, establishing regulations for the use of Portable Storage Containers, Temporary Dumpsters, and other Refuse Containers, proposed at the Council meeting on November 14, 2023, advertised in the Valley Mirror  on Thursday, November 22, 2023. Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri Stanley Lederman reviewed and explained. All voted in favor of the motion.    6. Approve Resolution 23-025: West Homestead Borough Budget for the Year 2024, which includes General Fund, Sanitary/Storm Sewer Fund, and Capital Improvement Fund.  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri Stanley Lederman reviewed and explained. All voted in favor of the motion.  7. Approve Resolution 23-026: Fixing the Tax Rate for the Fiscal Year 2024 at 8.47 Mills for General Borough Purposed and 0.33 Mills for Support of the Carnegie Library of  Homestead.  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri Stanley Lederman reviewed and explained. All voted in favor of the motion.  8. Approve Resolution 23-027: Setting the 2024 Pay Deduction Rate for the Police Pension.  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri Stanley Lederman reviewed and explained. All voted in favor of the motion. Employees Pension.  9. Approve Resolution 23-028: Setting the 2024 Pay Deduction Rate for the Service  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri Stanley Lederman reviewed and explained. All voted in favor of the motion.  10.Approve Resolution 23-029: Allocating Contributions for the 2024 Borough's Minimum Municipal Obligation to the Police Pension and Service Employees' Pension Funds.  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri Stanley Lederman reviewed and explained. All voted in favor of the motion.  11.Approve Resolution 23-030: Establishing Sewage Rates for Year 2024.  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri Stanley Lederman reviewed and explained. All voted in favor of the motion.    12.Approve Resolution 23-031: Establishing 2024 Garbage Fees for Borough Services.  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri Stanley Lederman reviewed and explained. All voted in favor of the motion.  13.Approve Resolution 23-032: Establishing a 2024 Fee Schedule for Borough Services.  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri Stanley Lederman reviewed and explained. All voted in favor of the motion.  14. Approve Resolution 23-033: To grant final approval of the application filed by Continental Real Estate for the land consolidation known as "The Waterfront Plan #26".  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri Stanley Lederman reviewed and explained. All voted in favor of the motion.  15.To Advertise Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Audit and Financial Report for the Borough of West Homestead for year ending  December 31, 2022.  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri All voted in favor of the motion.  16.To advertise all Borough Meetings for the year 2024. Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri All voted in favor of the motion.  17.Authorize the financing of a 2023 Ford F-150 Police Responder, with extended warranty, with Ally Financial Municipal Lease Agreement at an interest rate of 9.39% for three (3)  annual payments of $21, 827.92.  Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Ms. Scolieri Ms. Scolieri (yes), Ms. Cain (yes).  Voted by roll: Ms. Ferson (yes), Mr. Guzzi (yes), Mr. Harhai yes), Mr. McLaughlin (yes),    Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items  Christina Deasy: 682 W 8th Avenue: Paid for lateral repair and now not required.  Stanley will talk to Mark.  Joe Baran: Thanks to Rose and Frank for their years of service. They did a fine job. Rose Scolieri: West Homestead is a special place. Iti is based on how to benefit residents. Frank Guzzi: Thank you for the opportunity to serve. llearned a lot while I was on Council.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel to promote growth.  Adjournment  President Cain adjourned the meeting at 7 p.m.