BLAIRSVILLE BOROUGH COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 21, 2023 1. The Meeting was called to order by President John Bertolino at 5:31 P.M. 2. Moment of Silence 3. Pledge to the Flag 4. Roll Call: The Council Members present included Mr. John Bertolino, Mr. Albert Dettorre, Mr. David Janusek, Ms. Kaitlyn Sagely, and Mr. Robert Startari. Mr. Jeffrey Marshal and Solicitor, Patrick Dougherty were not present. Others in attendance included Mayor Ronald Evanko, Chief of Police, Louis Sacco, Mrs. Jody Poorbaugh, Interim Manager/Secretaly, Mr. David Fairman, Public Works Manager, and Mr. Michael Meyers, Engineer. 5. Additions to the Agenda - None 6. Resident & Taxpayer Public Comments: a. Mr. Jason Foust, 208 Maple Avenue spoke regarding the cell tower at the Borough Building. He wanted to know what health risks were associated with it. Mr. Foust was told that the Borough Council held a public meeting to discuss issues that the public had prior to the tower being built. b. Mr. Tracy Williams was not present. Mr. DeWayne Dills, Vice President of Citizens Ambulance Service explained that financial problems that many ambulance services are plagued with. The deficit in operations started 12 years ago. In 2023, there will be a $1.5 million shortfall. Mr. Dills explained that from now until April 30, 2023, an anonymous donor will match every dollar donated. 7. Approval of the Minutes: a. On page 3, item 15A, of the minutes dated February 21, 2023, it should read that the Rotary Club will hold a bicentennial dinner on April 1, 2023, instead of b. Amotion was made by Mr. Startari and seconded by Ms. Sagely to approve the Minutes of the regular meeting held on February 21, 2023. Approved 5/0. April 21, 2023. 1 Blairsville Borough Council Regular Meeting Minutes March 21, 2023 8. Mayor's Report: a. Was given to the Board for review. b. Mayor Evanko is proclaiming Thursday, March 23, 2023, as River Valley Day. This is the first time ever the Girls Basketball team has gone to the Finals in Hershey, PA. He will put the Proclamation on the radio and in the paper. A Amotion was made by Ms. Sagely and seconded by Mr. Startari to accept the Mayor's Report. Approved 5/0. a. Was given to the Board for review. 9. Police Report: b. Jail Cell - Trying to find an outside source for funding to rehab the jail cell. Chief Sacco reported that a grant in the amount of $398,528, with Borough receiving $61,957.60 for ten portable and three units was applied for through e. Amotion was made by Mr. Dettorre and seconded by Ms. Sagely to accept Indiana County. d. The Officers will be certified on car seat installation. the Police Report.. Approved 5/0. 10.Borough Vanager/secretanes Report: a. Was given to the Board for review. b. Amotion was made by Ms. Sagely and seconded by Mr. Dettorre to accept the Borough Manager/ecreltanes Report. Approved 5/0. 11.Public Works Manager's Report: a. Was given to the Board for review. b. Amotion was made by Mr. Startari and seconded by Mr. Janusek to accept the Public Works Manager's Report. Approved 5/0. 12.Treasurer's Report: a. Financial Statement - Cash on hand in the General fund after the bills have been paid is $112,372.99. Highway Aid fund has $87,028.73. b. Accounts Payables - Was presented in the amount of $59,867.78. C. Amotion was made by Ms. Sagely and seconded by Mr. Dettorre to approve the Treasurer's Report and to pay the bills totaling $59,867.78. Approved 5/0. Roll Call Vote: Yes Ms. Sagely Mr. Dettorre Mr. Janusek Mr. Startari Mr. Bertolino No 2 Blairsville Borough Council Regular Meeting Minutes March 21, 2023. 13.Planning & Zoning: a. Bonarrigo Enterprises requested a zoning change for parcel 06-005-305 located at 2134 Route 22 Hwy for the purpose of adding 100 to 200 additional storage units. Mr. Bonarrigo cited Ordinance 554A from April of 1992. The Zoning Ordinance adopted in 2006 repeals this ordinance. b. Under the current zoning the property is in an Ofice/Commercial district. The designation Self Service Storage Facilities is not listed under any of the three . The Planning Commission discussed the request and recommended to Council to add Self Service Storage Facilities as a Special Exception use to Ofice/Commercial district and once the change has been made approve Mr. d. Amotion was made by Mr. Startari and seconded by Mr. Dettorre to add Self Service Storage Facilities as a Special Exception under Oice/Commercial. uses for this district. Bonarrigo's request. Approved 5/0. Roll Call Vote: Yes Mr. Startari Mr. Dettorre Ms. Sagely Mr. Janusek Mr. Bertolino No 14.Engineer's Report: a. BMA Sewer Overflow - Based on the meeting with DEP, The Blairsville Municipal Authority has been classified as a combined sewer overflow system. This reduces the amount of flow that needs to be reduced from the b. Tractor Supply Drainage - The engineer has submitted a proposal to the Blairsville Municipal Authority to begin design work on this project. The engineer has also started to investigate the ability to use ARPAmoney to pay for this project. A: small Sewer and Water Grant fort this project has been C. Liberty Street Phase II - The Municipal Authority has received a grant in the amount of $344,000.00 to replace the sanitary sewer line from Liberty Street to the Pump Station. BMA match for this grant will be about $30,000.00. d. Trek Development Phase II - A developer has started on the project. The existing water lines will need to be relocated. Mr. Meyers recommends that the bids for the extension of Veterans Drive be rejected. e. Traffic Lights - The engineer is to submit the change to PennDOT. Amotion was made by Mr. Dettorre and seconded by Ms. Sagely to accept sanitary sewer collection system. applied for. the Engineer's Report. Approved 5/0. 3 Blairsville Borough Council Regular Meeting Minutes March 21, 2023 15.Animal Control Report - None 16.Blairsville Community Development Authority Report - None 17.Police/Fire Committee Report - None 18.Fiscal Committee Report - None 19.Streets/Capital Improvement Committee Report - None 20.Parks & Recreation Committee Report: a. Easter Egg Hunt will be held on April 1, 2023. b. Food Truck Festival will be held on May 20, 2023 C. Share the Joy Foundation will be held on December 8, 2023, at the Chestnut d. New Equipment Specifications and pricing were emailed to the Board Ridge Resort. Members. e. A3-year plan needs to be developed. 21. Insurance Committee Report - None 22.Personnel Committee Report - None 23.Shade tree - None 24.Parking Authority Report: a. Handicap Parking/llegal Parking in Private Lots - The parking authority recommended to Council to adopt a handicap parking policy and to adopt an ordinance to fine illegally parked vehicles in private lots. b. The manager was instructed to send copies to the. Attorney for review. Amotion was made by Ms. Sagely and seconded by Mr. Dettorre to advertise an ordinance to fine illegally parked vehicles on private lots. Approved 5/0. Roll Call Vote: Yes Ms. Sagely Mr. Dettorre Mr. Janusek Mr. Startari Mr. Bertolino No 4 Blairsville Borough Council Regular Meeting Minutes March 21, 2023 25.Code Enforcement Report - Thank you Jerry Seitz for being Acting Interim Codes Officer. 26.Code Appeal Board - None 27.Zoning Hearing Board - None 28.Civil Service Commission Report - None 29.Blairsville Municipal Authority Minutes = The Board was given copies of the Blairsville Municipal Authority regular meeting minutes held on January 25, 2023. a. Federal Reimbursement for North Spring Street Sink hole - Received one more rejection letter. This was turned over to the Solicitor. b. USDA Grant - Was submitted for a new rescue truck. 30.Unfinished Business: Street Sweeper - Received quotes on purchasing or renting a street sweeper. Purchasing a sweeper would cost approximately $197,000.00 It would cost $12,500.00 per month to rent one from US Municipal. A discussion was held. The manager spoke with Representative Struzzi and Ms. Robin Corman, County Commissioner, to see what options they may have. Also, it was suggested that maybe an agreement between municipalities could be done to purchase a street sweeper. 5 Blairsville Borough Council Regular Meeting Minutes March 21, 2023 31.New Business: a. Letter of Support- Murphy Lot Visioning - A motion was made by Mr. Dettorre and seconded by Ms. Sagely to have the manager write a letter of support for b. Street Lighting - Evans Avenue South Side after 224 Evans Avenue going toward Bentley Drive is totally dark. There are no streetlights on Locust Street. All Utilities are underground. Mr. Meyer will look to see what could be C. Emergency Local Coordinator. - The Council will work on identifying someone d. Rejection of Bids - Amotion was made by Mr. Startari and seconded by Mr. Janusek to reject all bids for Veterans Drive due to a technicality. Approved the Murphy Lot Visioning Project. Approved 5/0. done. for this role. They must be certified under NIMS. 5/0. Roll Call Vote: Yes Mr. Startari Mr. Janusek Ms. Sagely Mr. Dettorre Mr. Bertolino No e. Authorization to rebid - Amotion was made by Mr. Startari and seconded by Mr. Dettorre to readvertise bids for the Veterans Drive Project. Approved 5/0. Roll Call Vote: Yes Mr. Startari Mr. Janusek Ms. Sagely Mr. Dettorre Mr. Bertolino No 32.Executive Session - The Council went into an executive session at 7:20. A.M. and came out at 8:26 P.M. Personnel issues were discussed. Blairsville Borough Council Regular Meeting Minutes March 21, 2023 33.Amotion was made by Ms. Sagely and seconded by Mr. Startari to appoint Mrs. Jody Poorbaugh as Manapubecetap/Teasur: Approved 5/0. Roll Call Vote: Yes Ms. Sagely Mr. Startari Mr. Dettorre Mr. Janusek Mr. Bertolino No 34.Amotion was made by Mr. Dettorre and seconded by Mr. Startari to appoint Mr. David Fairman as Codes/Zoning Officer. Approved 5/0. Roll Call Vote: Yes Ms. Sagely Mr. Startari Mr. Dettorre Mr. Janusek Mr. Bertolino No .Adpumment-Amoton was made to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 P.M. dy Tobnygh Attest 7 BFD Council Meeting Notes: 3-21-23 2022 Final alarm totals were sent via email first of. January. 2023 Alarms to date: 89 Alarms to date 9Fires, 19 Rescues 18 Hazard Responses 32S Service/Good Intent calls 10 False Alarms 77% Aid Given, 17% Aid Received, 5% No Aid. Significant Incidents Since December Council Meeting: MVCs: Early. January, Rescue 125 was added after the initial alarm to an accident at 982 and 22 with entrapment. Crews assisted with extrication of1i individual from an In Early February, Rescue 125 was added after initial alarm to an accident on 217 near Derry. 120Chiefassisted Bradenville with extricating 1 that was entrapped and Rescue 125 was held back from the Scene for traffic and staging. Mid February, 120 was activated assisting Derry Township Fire Department with a wreck with entrapment on 22 near. Jonnet Flea Market. Blairsville provided first arriving rescue and chief'sa and had 2 patients extricated from 2 separate overturned vehicle. vehicles before the second rescue arrived on scene. Fires: Blairsville crews had first arriving Chief and engine 123 to a fire with Entrapment in Derry Township on Christmas Eve. Engine 123 made an aggressive interior attack and located and rescued an individual from division 1 under heavy fire conditions in just under 5 minutes from arriving on scene. Engine 121 was assigned water supply and supplied the entire scene. Crews worked in zero degree conditions during this incident providing mutual aid to the Derry Township Fire Department. Unfortunately the individual rescued did not make Early. January Engine 123 was first arriving engine to a reported trailer fire in Derry Township. Crews found fire running the side and underneath of a mobile home; Engine 123 crew was able to get a quick knock on this fire. Early February, Station 120 assisted Derry Township with a garage fire off Route 22. Engine 123 was assigned to water supply tanker on the scene. it. BFD Council Meeting Notes: 3-21-23 Otheri incidents: There were. 2 separate smoke in the structure dispatches ati the Blue Diamond Crews ran 15 Calls during March 3rd and 4th for that wind storm that hit the Ihave been working with Bradenville/Derry, Township Chief to address the numerous false alarms coming from TSH. 5in 9 Days over the past 2 weeks. Inn, both were found to be HVAC Issues. area. All in Derry and Burrell Township Company business: We have signed with Sutphen Fire Apparatus fora a New Heavy Rescue. Purchase price was agreed at 853,000 with a 37-43 Month lead time. We had to sign before March 15th to avoid a price increase based on Percentage and a change ini the requirements for the power train on the truck that would have also driven up the price of the truck by an additional 50-80K. Our current Heavy Rescue is for sale, started asking price is Still waiting on ICEMA to adjust emergency response readouts/running orders for 385,000. Blairsville Boro, Burrell and BL twps. Recent Major Purchases: Upcoming Major Purchases ifawarded. Took delivery of our tandem boat trailer and paidi in-full for it. It was placed into AFG grant was submitted for 50K, we will have a percentage to put towards that Entered County-wide AFG grant for new pagers that will switch us all from digital Ifthe current heavy rescue truck: sells, we will need to spend probably 5-8k on tool mounting to make Service 124 into our Rescue Truck while we operate service the dayi it pulled into station. back to' Voice over tone paging. without 125 o Training: Drill nights every Monday We will be setting up an in-house FF1 Training and Testing in 2023 to get as many people nationally certified as we can. This will be open to other departments in the area once we. get the dates set. Events: Thanks to those that attended our annual St. Patrick's Day Banquet last weekend. Fundraising: BFD Council Meeting Notes: 3-21-23 Fish Fries are every Friday right now. information out as soon as we get it arranged. We plan on having our annual golf outing again this year, we will get that Please like/follow us on Facebook: Blairsville Volunteer Fire Department - Iti is the best way wel have to communicate with the public and share information