EST. 1901 WH Borough of West Homestead Council Meeting October 8, 2024 Minutes Council President Ashley Cain called the meeting to order at 6:15 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance: Roll Call: Present: Ms. Cain, Mr. Fonos, Mr. Harhai, Mr. Karafa, Mr. McLaughlin, Ms. Nikolas. Also in attendance: Mayor Joseph Baran, Mark Brashear, Solicitors Stanley and Michael Lederman, Manager Russell Combs, Secretary Donna McMichael. Absent: Ms. Ferson 1. Enter into Executive Session. Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Mr. Karafa All voted in favor of the motion. Returned from Executive Session. Discussion on legal matters. Public Comment on Agenda Items agenda items. No response. President Cain asked anyone in the audience if they had any questions on REPORTS Engineer: Mark Brashear Reaching out to contractors to do the work on Howard Street storm Applying for grants for sidewalks and other Borough improvements. sewer. Solicitor: Stanley Lederman Mayor Joseph Baran Resolutions on agenda for Demolitions. Will be receiving two new police cars this week. Click It or Ticket occurred last month. Up to date, on evidence: destroyed. Chief Rozzo received a Wellness Grant Manager: : Russell Combs The necessary paperwork for Drug and Alcohol Screening from Concentra has been received. We will be in compliance for 2024. Survey property lines at 454 West 8th Avenue. Private entrepreneur: more to follow. stencil bottom of street. Filling Civil Service pool. Working on the 2025 Budget. Signage at Evans Street and Parry Street will be in place shortly; need to New flags are in, and the disposal of the old flags will be handled properly. Police Chief Charles Rozzo Report for the month of September. 12-hour shifts: 7am-7pm and 7pm-7am are over. Officers will work 8-hour shifts for the remainder of the year. 7th and 8th Avenue are dangerous intersections. Looking for an LPR Grant for lower 837. This would be for test cameras. A $50K Wellness Grant has been approved for the West Homestead Police Department. Fire Chief John Dindak Report for the month of September. October is Fire Safety Month. Do not forget to change batteries. The fire department will be out for the Halloween detail. Applying for a grant to get a new sign and fence. Baldwin EMS: Chief Todd Plunkett Report for the month of September: 46 calls in September, 404 calls year to date. 2025 Subscriptions have been mailed out. There will be an Open House on October 10th. EMC: Dan Churma Progress. Thoughts and prayers to Florida dealing with Hurricane Milton. Steel Rivers Council of Governments: Barb Ferson Steel Valley Enterprise Zone: Dave Harhai Absent. Continuing the mission with low interest loans for façade improvements. We need people to come into the Steel Valley area to investin businesses. The Pumpkin Festival will be under the bridge. Planning a Hispanic event in 2025. A5K Run will be announced for 2025. COMMITTEE REPORTS Capital Improvement: Ray Fonos, Chair We met on September 17th and reviewed the report on sidewalks that were done in 2016. We are looking for grants. The Borough Manager is to lobby A list of what items are needed for Calhoun Park: lighting, roofs, etc. Police to move forward for accreditation. The cost for this is $27,500. An through other organizations for funding. officer has resigned, savings would be $13,000. Letters for the "Knox Box" have been sent out. Checking on the 2026 "Code Red" contract. Communications: Lynn Nikolas, Chair Community Affairs: John Karafa, Chair The Halloween contest will be at the Fire Department this year. Halloween Thanks to Lynn's company for donating $500 to the Halloween event. The Manager will create a job description for the Public Works position. It hours are 6-7:30 pm. Personnel: Ashley Cain, Chair will be posted in the Valley Mirror this Thursday. We will conduct quarterly meetings in 2025. Properties: Dave Harhai, Chair Public Safety: Bill McLaughlin, Chair We encourage everyone to attend the Baldwin EMS Open House on October 10th. "Knox Box" letters have been sent out. The Glenwood Bridge project will last for two weeks. Sewer Management: Barb Ferson (Mark Brashear reported) All reports are in and were due to DEP by September 30th. The Army Corp is still working on the MS4 on West Run Road. The storm sewer at Howard Street needs a section redone. Documents have been signed by Alcosan. President's Report (Ashley Cain) Six vehicles have been removed from Walnut Street. Kiana is working hand in hand every Tuesday with Donna and Code The property at 320 Walnut Street has been posted today. They removed 5- 10 racoons from the property. The resident is still living there. Enforcement. Legislation 2. Accept minutes from the Council meetings, as written, for September 3, 2024, and September 10, 2024. Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Mr. Karafa All voted in favor of the motion. 3. Approve and ratify all bills paid and to be paid for the month of October 2024. Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Mr. Karafa All voted in favor of the motion. 4. Approve Resolution 24-018: Designating Steel Rivers Council of Government and An Lewis as the responsible official to make application to Allegheny County. Stanley read and explained. Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Mr. Karafa All voted in favor of the motion. 5. Approve Resolution 24-019: Declaring certain structures as dilapidated and health and safety hazards, creating the eligibility for funding through Act 152 Blight Removal. Stanley read and explained. Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Mr. Karafa All voted in favor of the motion. 6. To approve Tax Refunds from 2022 and 2023 in the amount of $68,823.29, as directed by the Allegheny County Department of Assessments. Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Mr. Karafa All voted in favor of the motion. 7. To approve HARB recommendation for property located at 319 West Eighth Avenue, Owner of record, Margaret & Brian Clements, for replacement of all windows exceptstorefront). Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Mr. Karafa All voted in favor of the motion. 8. Toaccept, with regret, the resignation of Police Officer, Christopher Makosey, effective September 26, 2024. Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Mr. Karafa All voted in favor of the motion. 9. To commence the accreditation process for the West Homestead Police Department. Motion: Mr. Harhai Second: Mr. Karafa Vote by roll: Mr. Fonos: yes; Mr. Harhai: yes; Mr. Karafa: yes; Mr. McLaughlin: yes; Ms. Niklos: yes; Ms. Cain: yes. All voted in favor of the motion. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items President Cain asked anyone in the audience if they had any questions on non- John Rende, 1125 Cascade Drive: He came down 5 years ago regarding tree limbs falling from a tree next to his property. Two bids were received. But it was decided five years ago that the tree should not come down. An Arborist feltit should be cut back, not removed. The tree is falling towards the house and roots agenda items. are coming out of the ground. Russell is to go look at the tree. Adiournment President Cain adjourned the meeting at 7:19 p.m.