Ellwood City Police Department Recognized for Involvement in Drug Related Indictment

Ellwood City Borough Council applauded the Ellwood City Police Department for its involvement in a recent federal drug investigation during their Monday night meeting.

United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced on March 14 (see original story here) that seventeen individuals from Lawrence County, Pennsylvania; Puerto Rico; and Youngstown, Ohio, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for violating federal narcotics, firearms, and racketeering laws. The defendants, four of which were from Ellwood City, were charged in the indictments and allege that, between September 2022 and March 2024, the defendants conspired to distribute cocaine throughout Western Pennsylvania, specifically in the New Castle area, as well as in Youngstown, Ohio.

According to Mayor Anthony Court, nearly two years of investigations leading up to this indictment began with a routine traffic stop by the Ellwood City Police Department. He said the importance of this indictment in the fight against drugs in our community is immense and he tips his hat off to the Ellwood City Police Department and all other law enforcement involved.

“I want to personally thank the Ellwood City Police Department, the New Castle Police Department, and the FBI in this year long investigation,” Court said. “This put a major dent in drug trafficking in our area. This goes back to our policy in being pro active against legal narcotics in our community. We are going to continue on this path to protect our law abiding citizens.”

The following defendants are from Ellwood City:

Motions Passed:

• A motion to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held 2/19/24, as submitted.
• A motion to approve the Pre-Paid Voucher List dated 3/15/24, in the amount of $450,051.75, and the List of Vouchers to be Paid dated 3/12/24, in the amount of$180,079.74.
• A motion to approve the Departmental Reports, as submitted.
• A motion to adopt an ordinance, as submitted, canceling the laying out of an unopened portion of Beechwood Boulevard and canceling the laying out of an unopened portion of a cul-de-sac, in the First Ward, Lawrence County, and the Second Ward, Beaver County, of the Borough of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania and further described from the Lawrence County Plot Book Volume 7, page 52 and in the Beaver County Plot Book Volume 4, pages 26-27 in the Pittsburgh Company’s Plan of South Ellwood Heights at Block 13.
• A motion to adopt a Resolution, as submitted, authorizing the submission of an application to Lawrence County for an allocation of County Liquid Fuels Tax Funds ($50,000) for the reconstruction of Madison Avenue (Phase II) and the purchase of roadway signs.
• A motion to charge Sue Gatto, Tax Collector for the 2024 Tax Duplicate of $2,557,240.51 at Face.
• A motion to approve the request by the EC Community Enrichment to close Lawrence Avenue from 5th Street to 6th Street beginning at 6:45pm on June 1, 22, July 13, 27, and August IO, and at 5:45pm on August 24 for the summer concerts at the Community Plaza. It is also requested to approve suspending Part 6, Chapter 606, of the Codified Ordinance Book pertaining to open containers. This suspension only applies to participants of the summer concert series. Event insurance shall be purchased, naming the Borough of Ellwood City as an additional named insured.
• A motion to award the bid for the Roadway Replacement Project, specifically Madison Avenue (Phase Il)(March St to Wampum Avenue) to Fryer Excavating & Concrete (Beaver Falls, PA) at a cost of $43,977.22. This amount will be paid from the General Fund.
• A motion to approve (ratify) the quote by Bortek Industries in the amount of $8,498.24 to make repairs to the Vactor, specifically for valves, hose and fittings. This amount will be paid from the Sewage Fund.
• A motion to approve Supplement #1 for HRG in the amount of $6,070 for engineering services to prepare and submit an application for underground pipeline crossing of railroad property relative to the Fifth Street Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project. This amount will be paid from the Sewage Fund.
• A motion to approve the quote from Insight Pipe Contracting, LLC, in the amount of $5,769.56 (minimum) to high pressure clean the 6th Street sanitary siphons. This amount will be paid from the Sewage Collection Fund.
• A motion to approve the quote from Andy Byler in the amount of $6,850 to replace the roof on Trefoil Lodge in Ewing Park (I 28 Joffre Street). This amount will be paid from the Park Improvement Fund.
• A motion to approve the Agreement, as submitted, with Omni Fiber relative to utility pole attachments.
• A motion to accept the proposal from New Castle Engineers to provide general engineering services for the Borough.
• A motion to authorize the payment in the amount of $6,100 paid to Diane Daubenspeck for clerical support services.
• A motion to approve the travel request by Anthony Court, George Celli, and Kevin Swogger to attend the PSAB Conference in Hershey, PA June 2-5. The cost is $750 plus lodging, meals, and mileage. This will be paid from the General Fund.
• A motion to approve the employment of the following part-time individuals: Kimberly Porterfield, paramedic, $20.50/hour;  Chris Ross, firefighter, $18/hour; Thomas Sonni, firefighter, $18/hour; Kurt Pucci, firefighter, $18/hour.
• A motion advertise bids for the purchase of a used dump truck (19,500 GVW).

Announcements:

• Picnic shelter reservations will begin on the fourth Monday in March (Mar. 25) for non-Borough residents
• EC Community Gardens – seeking volunteers contact Kelly Brack at 724-816-5193 or email garden@ellwoodcityborough.com.