Ellwood City Borough Council to Advertise for New Borough Manager

Ellwood City Borough Council voted during Tuesday evening’s regular meeting to advertise for employment of a new borough manager.

The move comes after Council voted 4-3 on January 5, during a reorganizational meeting, to not renew the contract for Kevin Swogger. Councilwoman Jan Williams was joined by Councilmen Caleb Cragle, Brad Ovial, and Joseph Mancini in voting to not renew.

Swogger joined the borough as manager in 2023. (Council voted to hire him in November of 2022).

Ovial, president of council, said. “The majority of council decided to go in a different direction.”

He said they are working to put together a job description that will best fit the needs of the borough.

That job description will be published on the borough’s website at a date to be announced.

Councilwoman Williams echoed the sentiments of Ovial, “I voted no because I felt it was time to move in a different direction with leadership. I would like to thank Mr. Swogger for his time at the borough.”

Motions Passed:

A motion to approve the Minutes of the Special Meeting held 12/2/25 and the Regular Meeting held 12/15/25.
A motion to approve the Pre-Paid Voucher List dated 1/16/26, in the amount of $634,101.77, and the List of Vouchers to be Paid dated 1/16/26, in the amount of $273,659.83.
A motion to approve the Departmental Reports.
A motion to adopt an ordinance, as submitted, approving the editing and inclusion of certain ordinances and resolutions as parts of the various component codes of the codified ordinances.
A motion to adopt the REVISED tentative 2026 Budget, as submitted, establishing the tax rate at 11.75 mills, and authorize the Borough Secretary to advertise the Budget and place it on display. (Councilman James Johnson voted “No.”)
A motion to approve the donation in the amount of $2,500 to the EC Area Historical Society. This amount will be paid from the General Fund.
A motion to adopt the 2026 IRS Mileage Reimbursement Rate of 72.5 cents per mile.
A motion to approve the 2026 monthly transfer in the amount of $120,833.33 to the General Fund from the Electric Fund.
The Electric Usage Sold in 2025 was 46,202,192 kwh. Borough Ordinance #2211, Section 38: Purchase Power Adjustment states that one mill (.001) per kilowatt hour is charged for the purpose of capital improvements. Therefore, a motion to transfer $46,202 to the Electric Capital Reserve Fund from the Electric Fund. This entry shall be reflected on the books for 2025.
A motion to approve the transfer in the amount of $75,000 to the General Capital Reserve Fund from the General Fund. This entry shall be reflected on the books for 2025.
A motion to approve the 2026 transfer in the amount of $239,670 to the General Fund from the ALS Fund.
A motion would be in order, to approve the request by the EC Area Public Library to close Lawrence Avenue from 4th – 5th Street on May 16 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a “Touch a Truck” event.
A motion to approve the request by the EC Area Public Library to close Lawrence Avenue from 4th Street to 6th Street on August 8 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. (actual event is 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.) for a wine and food truck fundraiser. 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 library fundraiser event. Event insurance shall be purchased, naming the Borough of Ellwood City as an additional named insured. All necessary State and County permits shall be in place for this event.
A motion to approve the quote from Hunter Truck in the amount of $18,530.47 to make repairs to the 2012 Peterbilt salt truck. This amount will be paid from the General Fund.
A motion to ratify approving the quote from Progressive Diesel Injection in the amount of $8,181.19 to make repairs to the 2015 Peterbilt salt truck. This amount will be paid from the General Fund.
A motion to approve the quote from Chalmers & Kubeck in the amount of $89,000 to make repairs to the #4 rotor at the wastewater treatment plant. $31,000 of that will be paid from the Sewage Fund and $58,000 will be paid from the Sewage Collection Fund.
A motion to approve the request to hold a 5K Run on August 15 from 6:30 a.m. to Noon (run starts at 9 a.m.) in Ewing Park.
A motion to approve the request by the EC Recreational Fastpitch Softball to use Merit Book from March 1 – November 30, M-F, 4 to 9 p.m.
A motion to approve the request by the EC Recreational Fastpitch Softball to use the Women’s Field at Stiefel Park from March 1 – November 30, M-Sun, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
A motion to approve the request by the EC Cross Country Boosters to hold a 1 mile “Color Run” in Ewing Park on June 13 from 8 a.m. to noon. It is further requested to use the changing facilities at the Veterans Memorial Swimming Pool.
A motion to approve the request by the Masonic Lodge 599, to hold the annual Wine & Bourbon Walk May 9 on Lawrence Avenue from 4th-8th Street from noon to 4 p.m. and to utilize the gravel lot in the 500 block of Lawrence Avenue to park food trucks during the event. Also, to allow the use of an electric golf cart for the purpose of picking up orders from the locations and delivering them back to the Mason Lodge for pick up. Further, to approve suspending Part 10, Chapter 1066, subsection 1066.03 (a) of the Codified Ordinance Book pertaining to the prohibition of alcohol. This suspension only applies to participants of the Wine & Bourbon Walk event. Event insurance shall be purchased, naming the Borough of Ellwood City as an additional named insured. All necessary Borough, State and County permits shall be in place for this event.
A motion to approve the request by the EC Girls Softball to use the Girls field in Stiefel Park from March 1 – October 31, Sun-Sat, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
A motion to approve the request by the EC Girls Softball to use the Men’s & Women’s fields in Stiefel Park from July 10-12, Sun-Sat, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. for a tournament.
A motion to approve the request by the EC Girls Softball to use the Southwest comer of the multi-purpose field in Stiefel Park from March 1 – October 31, Mon-Fri, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
A motion to approve the request by the ECABF to use Rosannah field and the Men’s Field in Stiefel Park from March 16- November 20, M-F, noon to 10 p.m. and Sat/Sun 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
A motion to appoint Rick Myers as the Borough’s Emergency Management Coordinator at the salary of $10,000.
A motion to approve the 2026 fee schedule submitted by Waltz Family Group for sewage enforcement related activities.
A motion to approve the employment of Victoria Kincaid as school crossing guard at the rate of $15.00 per hour, contingent upon the successful completion of all background checks and clearances.
A motion to advertise the position of Code Enforcement Officer.
A motion to adopt a “Penny Production Cessation Policy.”(Councilman Joseph Mancini voted “No.”)
A motion to approve the following sewer tap: Austin Coburn, 470 State Route 288 (Franklin Twp.)- 1 tap, $1,000.
A motion to exclude the Borough from the Beaver County Community Development Block Grant Entitlement Program and continue to receive funds from the PA Department of Community and Economic Development as an entitlement community under Act 179.
A motion to approve the Master Service Agreement from E-Safe Partners.
A motion to approve the IT Management and Support Agreement from E-Safe Partners, as submitted. The cost for this service is $1,075 per month. This amount will be paid from the General, Electric, & Sewage Funds.
A motion to approve the quote in the amount of $9,313 from E-Safe Partners for the purchase, installation, licensing, etc. of a new computer server. This amount will be paid from the General, Electric, & Sewage Funds.

Announcements:

Borough residents may drop off live Christmas trees (decorations removed) at Stiefel Park now through January 31.
Picnic shelter reservations will begin on the fourth Monday in February (Feb. 23) for Borough residents and beginning on the fourth Monday in March (Mar. 23) for non-Borough residents.
Special Council Meeting February 9 at 5:45 p.m. to adopt revised 2026 Budget.