Ellwood City Borough Council March Meeting Brief

The following is a brief summary of the Ellwood City Borough Council meeting held on Monday, March 19:

Visitors:

• Numerous visitors urged council to reconsider charging organizations event costs to recoup borough expenses.
• One visitor requested that council hire a borough manager capable of effective grant writing and said the costs of most events could be covered by grants. He also praised Council President Judi Dici for acting as interim manager on “pittance” money.
• Former council president Connie MacDonald criticized council for throwing away $171,900 on an aborted new electric building. He had previously attacked council for this decision and estimated the wasted money at $120,000 but after obtaining a Right to Know request, returned with an updated value. MacDonald also mentioned $35,000 that the borough received when Americore Health purchased the Ellwood City Hospital that he said was currently unaccounted for. Ellwoodcity.org has not verified this information.
• In the closing visitor comments, Earla Marshall said the Ellwood City Kitchen Cabinet will be filing a petition with the Lawrence County Court in regards to an alleged violation of the Sunshine Act during council’s discussions concerning events in the borough. Ellwoodcity.org has not yet acquired additional information.

Resolutions

• A motion was passed adopting a resolution authorizing the submission of the Community Development Block Grant 2017 application in the amount of $108,509 for street and storm water improvements.

Health/Public Safety:

A motion was passed approving the following events:

• Relay for Life on June 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lawrence Avenue.
• Memorial Day Parade on May 28 beginning at 10 a.m.
• The Ellwood City Chamber of Commerce to hold Let There Be Lights on Nov. 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. on Lawrence Avenue.
• The chamber to hold Fall Fest on Sept. 29 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Lawrence Avenue.
• EC Community Enrichment to hold summer concerts at the Community Plaza at 7 p.m. on June 16 and 23, July 7, 14, 21 and 28, and Aug. 4, 11 and 18.
• A community outreach program on Aug. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Lawrence Avenue. This event was originally pulled due to a miscommunication but approved after speaking with visitor Dave McQuade.

As the borough will now be absorbing the costs of events, a $550 donation from the Ellwood City Moose Club for the Relay for LIfe will be refunded.

Also, council President Judi Dici reminded all organizations must submit proof of event insurance.

• A motion was passed re-advertising bids for the sale of a 2006 Spartan fire truck.
• A motion was passed advertising an amendment to the traffic ordinance  designating no parking on Ellwood Avenue (south side) from College Street to North Street. Council member George Celli voted no, stating he was afraid residents of other streets will ask for similar parking alterations.

Public Works/Utilities

• A motion was passed approving the travel request by Randy Gatto, public works director, to attend a Road Maintenance and Safety Symposium on April 22 to 24 in Hershey at a cost of $65 plus hotel and meals to be paid from the General Fund. The motion passed 5-2, with Rob Brough and Lisa Guerrera dissenting.
• A motion for a storm sewer repair on 105 Sixth Street was pulled pending further study.
• A motion was passed installing an electric meter on the lighted “Ellwood City Hospital” sign located on Line Avenue and Pershing Street. This was passed due to the hospital now belonging to the for profit company Americore Health. Celli and Michelle Lamenza voted no. Celli stated he felt the sign was “more for the people” than the hospital.

The following motions were passed approving bids for the construction of the new public works facility on 105 Sixth Street, to be paid from the 2016 bond issue:

• Fleeher Contracting of Cecil Township for general construction in the amount of $3,121,054.
• D&G Mechanical of West Middlesex for HVAC in the amount of $344,890.
• McRandal Company, Inc of Pittsburgh for plumbing in the amount of $565,000.
• TEC Electric of Darlington for electrical construction in the amount of $247,500.

Several additional options, such as heating flooring, that could have added over $1 million to the total costs, were rejected.

Council accidentally passed a motion approving additional excavation/backfill in the amount of $481,406 and were notified by solicitor Ed Leymarie that this was the wrong motion. Celli proposed a motion to rescind the motion, which was done.

Parks/Recreation

A motion was passed approving the following events:

• Ellwood City Community Enrichment to hold the Earth Day Celebration on April 21 from 10 a.m. to noon in Ewing Park.
• Community Enrichment to hold the Storytelling Festival on Sept. 15 from 4 to 7:30 p.m. in Ewing Park. As the fire department will be unavailable, the committee will have to find a volunteer to manage a camp fire.
• The Arts, Crafts & Foods Festival Committee to use Ewing Park from June 25 to July 2.
• The East Egg Hunt on March 24 in Ewing Park.
• The Chamber of Commerce to hold the Ewing Park-A-Palooza on May 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Ewing Park.
• The Girl Scout Cadettes to make improvements to the West End Playground.

Other motions under Parks/Recreation were:

• A motion was passed awarding a bid to Altsman Seal Coating of Beaver Falls for the tennis court sealing project in the amount of $21,488 to be paid from the Marcellus Shale Fund.
• A motion was passed approving a request by the Lawrence County Master Gardeners to start a flower bed in the Pittsburgh Circle Heritage Park.
• A motion was passed approving the purchase of three drinking fountains from Pro Drinking Fountains at a total cost of $5,508.58 to be paid from the Marcellus Shale Fund. Two fountains will be in Stiefel Park and one on the West End Playground.
• A motion was passed approving a request by the EC Revitalization Committee to use the Beaver Avenue parking lot and Community Plaza for the farmer’s market season from June 2 to Oct. 6.
• A motion was passed approving the request by Hannah Hamilton to install a “Little Free Library” in the Community Plaza on Lawrence Avenue.
• A motion was passed approving a request by the Allegheny Aquatic Alliance to utilize Ewing Park and a borough driver and dump truck on their Connoquenessing Creek cleanup days on Aug. 18 and Sept. 8.
• A motion was passed approving a request by the Lincoln High School boys tennis team to use the Ewing Park tennis courts from March 5 to May 20.
• A motion was passed approving a request by the Lincoln High School girls softball team to use the softball field in Stiefel Park March 5 to June 15.

Administration/Personnel

• The summer employees for park/playground/concession stand/concession stand coordinators were approved at rates of $8 to $9 per hour depending on years of experience. Guerrera asked if the different rates constituted a raise. Other council members said returning summer park employees have historically been given a pay grade increase and that the actual pay rates have not increased. The motion passed unanimously.
• A motion was passed advertising a part-time police officer.

Community Development/Buildings

• A motion was passed approving a land development plan submitted by Inmetco, located at One Inmetco Drive, Ellwood City.
• A motion was passed approving a bid for the Lawrence County Repository property located at 1114 Lawrence Ave. to Samantha and William DeJoseph for $551.02.

New Business

• A motion was passed approving the 2018 YMCA swimming pool management agreement at a cost of $15,000.
• A motion was passed approving a $95,000 loan to the Eric Ryan Corporation to rehabilitate the former ESB Bank office on Sixth and Lawrence to facilitate the corporation’s expansion.
• A motion suggested by Celli and seconded by Lamenza to have the borough absorb all costs for 2018 events was passed 5-2, with Brough and Guerrera casting the dissenting votes. Prior to this motion, various plans were on the table regarding event costs.

Manager’s Report

Dici, filling in as borough manager, said there were 22 applicants and applications are now closed. This will be reduced to six candidates for a first round interview and narrowed down further for a second interview.

Mayor’s Report

Mayor Anthony J. Court thanked all visitors for their concern for the Ellwood City community regarding events held in the borough. He reported there were multiple ongoing police investigations which can’t be discussed yet. He announced all officers have completed their 2018 training and that Ranger, the K-9 dog, can go into schools now.

Additionally, Court said the Ellwood City School District has added Lt. Dave Kingston and Sgt. Michael McBride to their new safety committee, created in response to the Stoneman Douglass High School Shooting on Feb. 14.

Announcements

Valley Waste will no longer accept recyclables placed in plastic bags nor the plastic bags themselves. The full press release can be read here.