Yesterday evening held the first of two monthly reoccurring council meetings; the first one is for the council committee to discuss what will be voted on at the next meeting.
According to Lisa Guerrera, a member of the community and activist for the Standing Up to Ellwood Electric group on Facebook, there were several visitors at the meeting who brought comments, concerns, and questions to the meeting for discussion:
Her post states, “…Dan Franus, Architectural Engineer, spoke first and showed drawings of the proposed new Borough Building and Electric Building. It has been decided not to change locations, and to leave them two separate buildings, utilizing property adjacent that the Borough has purchased (or shortly will purchase) for this purpose. The buildings are to be cement block, glass block windows, room enough for indoor storage of Borough trucks, equipment, etc. Basically constructing them this way will save about 600 square feet of space, while giving the electric and street departments everything they need. No price was mentioned except to say it will be cheaper than the square footage price of constructing a new home. Mr. Paul Dici spoke and asked Council what their primary function is, since so many townspeople have come to meetings and spoke against things Council is doing, yet they do them anyway. Connie MacDonald, Council President, answered that Council’s function is to do what is best for EC even if the people who elected them disagree. Relay for Life asked to move their annual festivities to Lawrence Avenue for 2017 and were told they would have their answer next Monday at regular meeting. Kitchen Cabinet headed by Earla Marshall and accompanied by another member stated that their organization will be starting a positive campaign supported by Media, encouraging people to live here in Ellwood City, listing all the wonderful qualities this town has. Brian Bush, speaking on behalf of Aaron Bernstine (who is in Harrisburg and was unable to attend this meeting) asked if, as a cost-saving measure for all the taxpayers, if office space could be worked out for State Representative Bernstine to have his office located inside the Borough building, thereby saving the taxpayers the cost of yet another office, with janitorial staff, maintenance, etc. Mr. Bernstine feels this would be more cost effective and certainly a good way to begin looking for ways to save the taxpayers money, of course contributing to EC Borough for the expense of his office. Brian Bush was advised to have Aaron contact Borough Manager Bob Villella to discuss this possibility. Will update you all on the outcome of that conversation. One last gentleman asked as to the status of the police contract negotiations and was told the first face-to-face meeting regarding this is to be held tomorrow, so nothing to report as of yet…” The complete post can be found in Standing Up to Ellwood Electric.
The following items were the suggested for discussion at the council meeting last night:
FINANCE (Mancini, DeCaria, Ovial)
Adopt – Post Issuance Tax Compliance Policy
Budget Transfers
HEALTH/PUBLIC SAFETY (Dici, Celli, Lamenza)
Resolution – Free holiday parking (Nov 25 – Dec 31)
Relay for Life – Close Lawrence Ave & Beaver Ave from 5th to 6th St, & use the Beaver Ave parking lot, restrooms & plaza June 10 from 12pm to 10pm
Memorandum of Understanding – Borough & Police Wage & Policy Unit, RE: Bargaining & Arbitration
PUBLIC WORKS/UTILITIES (Celli, Dici, Lamenza)
DQE Communications – pole attachment agreement
Mobilite – pole attachment agreement
Payment – Wesco, $11,622.20, 6th St. Regulating Station Relocation; pd. from Electric Cap. Reserve Fund
Approval of Public Works & Electric Department sites
PARKS/RECREATION (DeCaria, Mancini, Dici)
Approval of bicycle route (Phase I) development (Pgh Circle & Ewing Park areas)
Authorize Frank B. Taylor Engineering to rebid the Pgh Circle Heritage Park Project
ADMINISTRATION/PERSONNEL (Lamenza, Celli, Ovial)
Employment – part-time Patrolman
Advertise Ordinance – Code Book Updates
Adopt Ordinance – repealing a portion of Manager’s ordinance (residency)
Police Pension Plan – COLAs for police retirees for 1/1/17 (Betz, Hardie, Lubich)
Advertise – vacancies on Boards/Commissions
Commendation – T&M Hardware – 25 years in business
Commendation – Dr. Swamy – 34 years as a local physician
Authorize Law Co. to prepare/adv. specs for Engineering Svcs. for CDBG projects
Adopt Lease Agreement – EC Borough & EC Area Family Center Authority
Authorize bid to Tax Claim Bureau for property at 532 Glen Avenue
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT/BUILDINGS (Ovial, DeCaria, Mancini)
Award Bids – (Boro properties), 1124 Crescent, 510 Bridge, 418 Sixth, 807 Wayne, 1226 ½ 13th, 1226 13th , Borough lot at NE corner 6th/Beaver (old bus parking)
Award Bid – County Repository, 229 Wampum Ave (14-031000), James Keally, $501
The items will be publicly voted on at the next council meeting, Monday, November 21, at 6p.m.
they better pave Pittsburgh circle , looks road looks like crap
Everyone in Ellwood complains about the fact the Ellwood needs to grow and change. Now when something new like the electric building is presented we all are crying now. You people do no know what you want and are lost in time! I think cost can be scaled back on the building and cuts made in certain areas of it but my god lets get with times!