Penbrook Borough Çouncil Meeting Minutes March 3, 2025 1. Call to order A. On March 3, 2025 President Deardorff called the Borough Council to order at 6:30 pm followed by a salute to the flag and a prayer by Pastor Mark. B. Roll call was performed. All were present except for the Dry. Stokes joined via phone. Solicitor Kern and Manager Hogarth were in attendance as well. 2. Citizen comments on agenda items: N/A 3. Consent Agenda: Armbruster motioned to approve, Moore seconded. Passed unanimously. Items listed were February 3 minutes, February 18 minutes, February 2025 Treasurer's report, Approval ofbills to be paid. 4. Reports A. Mayor McDonald provided Council with the February 2025 Police report. B. Manager: No Report C. Solicitor: The Solicitor reviewed the 2024 delinquent tax report received by the County. D. STEMS - N/A E. Fire Chief-1 N/A F. Committees i.Codes - Due to a family emergency, Council was not provided with a February Codes Report. ii. Public Safety - EMC Bloss reported no incidents in February iii. Parks and Property = Planning for the Little Valley Summer Program has started, and details will be posted on the website soon. Committee members met with the Police Athletic League interested in using the large field this year when not being used by JT Dorsey. Newcomer commented that the public works staff should not feel compelled to maintain the field beyond the normal. HPAL is aware they are responsible for the upkeep. iv. Public Works = Shaw reviewed the monthly activities performed by the public works staff. V. Personnel - No report vi. Community and Government - Moore reviewed upcoming events including breakfast with the Easter Bunny and will be asking Council for funds for that event. Eventbrite will be what's used for event signups in the near future. vii. Budget = Jim noted that there were employees hired and wanted to know what cost increases were. Hogarth said the open positions were filled at the budgeted pay rates SO there were no increases. viii. Authority - Shaw commented that a lot ofconsideration is going into changing the way fees are calculated by using impervious surface data rather than parcel Sq footage but there is a lot of data to sort through and consider. ix. Planning Commission - No report 5. New Business A. A motion is needed in consideration ofResolution 2025-09 for Plan Revision for New Land Development at 2701 Herr St. Newcomer made a motion to accept and Moore seconded. Armbruster then commented that Council wasn't provided the report completed by the engineer and wanted to see it. The motion carried with Armbruster voting against because the report was not provided. B. A motion is needed to consider the tax exemption request submitted by the New Life Christian Church at 120 S 27th St. Hogarth clarified that the amount owed in 2024 should be $2,936.64 which is the total ofthe Property and Fire Protection Tax. The church is still responsible for the sewer fee. Burdine made a motion to forgive the 2024 property and fire protection tax bill and exempt property and fire protection tax for future years. Newcomer seconded. The motion passed with only Armbruster voting no. C. A motion is needed to approve the solicitor to draft an MOU between the Borough and Susquehanna Twp that outlines direct sanitary sewer billings. Armbruster made a motion to approve and Moore seconded. Carried unanimously. D. A motion is needed in consideration ofthe retirement notice submitted on behalf ofOfficer Brant Maley to be effective November 8 2025. Shaw made a motion to accept the retirement notice. Moore seconded. The motion carried unanimously. E. A motion is needed to direct the Civil Service Commission to start the hiring process for establishing an eligibility list for the position of full- time police officer. Armbruster made a motion approve. Moore seconded. Carried unanimously. F. A discussion regarding field use and events submitted by the JT Dorsey Foundation. Hogarth noted that the field use agreement is in effect through November of 2025. Newcomer doesn't believe any changes need to be made to the agreement and JT Dorsey can hold the events as they see fit. No action required. 6. Citizen Comments A. Steve Garisto of 2531 Boas thanked Council for addressing the safety concern oft the damaged utility pole on 26th Street. 7. Council comments A. Moore thanked the Fire Department for their actions involving a furnace fire recently. She also noted there is a pothole behind the former Ray's Service Center on Union that the public works staff should address. B. Deardorff commented that he won't be seeking reelection in 2026. 8. Shaw made a motion to adjourn the public meeting at 7:25 pm. Moore seconded. Carried unanimously. Respectfully submitted and attested, Joseph Nogarth Borough Manager and Municipal Secretary