BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING July 18, 2007

The Laurel Mountain Borough council has a brief public comment time both before and after each meeting. Below is a report (not the official minutes) on the Old Business section of the July 18, 2007 meeting. Click back tomorrow to read a report (not the official minutes) on the New Business section of the meeting. 

NOTE: Two LMB residents have requested their name not be used in the online Newsletter. They will be referred to as Adam and Amanda. Other residents who attend meetings are referred to using their first names only.

Present: John, Monte, Daneen, Joe, Mary Jane, council members; Taryn, secretary and Jeff, solicitor.

Others: Adam, Amanda, Mayor Jack, Sue, Craig

There was no public comment at this meeting.

OLD BUSINESS

Last month’s minutes and the budget report were approved and accepted unanimously.

A piece of correspondence referred to a court judgment on a White Oak Rd. property, in which there was a default judgment given in LMB’s favor. A petition by the litigant to reopen the case will be reviewed at a September 28 hearing scheduled to set the amount of damages. This could reopen the case. Joe asked Jeff if we’d be at base one if the judge reopens. Jeff said he suspects the judge “will twist a lot of arms on that day to resolve the case,” but otherwise we could be at base one.

Mayor Jack Goughnour reported that police did 26 routine runs through the borough, 2 incident investigations and 3 traffic controls for a total of 5 hours and 42 minutes. Their total time for the year is 34 hours and 23 minutes.

The speed checks police did on State Rd. didn’t net any speeders. Daneen said the prime hour for speeders is 4:00 p.m.

It was decided at the June meeting that Monte would contact PENNDOT to deal with road problems at the US 30 (front) entrance to the borough. They called back fairly promptly, on July 3, and worked the problem through by cleaning a culvert and rolling slag on the edge of the highway. Since then there were two heavy rains, including one last night.

“As far as I can see there is no dirt on the asphalt,” he said. “I was so impressed.”

Daneen said she cleans the culverts in front of the house once owned by Sheetz on Laurel Rd, and another resident on the road does pretty well at cleaning the additional culvert span. A discussion ensued on caring for the culverts, especially in the fall when the leaves fall.

Daneen said there is a tree on borough property by the hydrant on the corner of Hemlock and Beechwood Rds. “The whole thing is dead at the top, a hemlock tree. If the top falls off it can hurt someone,” she said. “It’s all bad on the bottom.”

She brought in three bids and requested council to approve McDowell’s lowest price for tree removal, which includes removing the tree but leaving a four foot stump to protect the hydrant. She noted there is also a large rock near the hydrant, placed there to protect it from being hit by a car.

Solicitor Jeff told members of the council that the tree service should have workman’s comp and liability insurance, and that we should have a copy of the papers.

Joe moved that, on condition McDowell provides the paperwork to the borough, that the tree be cut down.

John said he spoke with Jason Reed on Tuesday and he is coming to his house next Tuesday to investigate HWA on the hemlock trees.

“I’m hopeful we won’t need his services a lot, I have it a lot at my place,” John said.

“You have to be licensed to treat it (chemically).” The insect cannot be sprayed effectively due to its waxy coating. A few days at minus 7 degrees in winter will kill them. The row of trees on the south side of John’s house has thinning branches.

“You can trim off the stuff, to slow it down, and move bird feeders away from the hemlocks,” he said. “I like my trees.”

The next subject was routine roadwork. Jeff suggested that the council seek a couple of bids for doing it. Daneen said because the job is so small it’s difficult to get bids. “To try to get the bids is impossible.”

Joe said to document fact that you can’t get bids.

Monte asked, “Is the rule (for not needing extra bids) in place for jobs costing under $3000?”

Jeff said he would have to check, but he’s certain it’s not required for jobs under $3000. But he still thinks it’s advisable to attempt to get bids

Monte agreed with Daneen’s suggestion that there is a need for a small pile of stone aggregate to fill potholes “ourselves.”

“I think I’d like approval to get a truckload of stone. How do we do that?”

“We need it right now, if we start to fill (the potholes at the) top of Walnut now…” Daneen said. Joe agreed with Monte and Daneen.

Jeff suggested contacting another local municipality at times the borough needs a small amount of material. “If one has it there are no bidding requirements,” he said. “Call Keith Whipkey, Ligonier Township or Bob Bell, Ligonier Borough, the next time you are getting a load of aggregate. It’s just a suggestion.”

Joe noted the benefit of having a cooperative, group purchase, which is liked (by the higher up political powers-that-be). He also noted we would have to throw a tarp over the aggregate to keep it dry. Daneen mentioned a man in Stahlstown who might haul stone cheap, and Monte said Berkey charged $60 a load. Daneen said Monte would take care of it.

Joe said he had to find a time for the council to meet with Don Snyder about the sewage agreement with the Ligonier Municipal Authority. Daneen said the sewer project won’t be done for quite some time, that Darlington will be done first.

Since it will be impossible for some questions to be answered because the engineering stuff isn’t drawn up, I wonder what the point of this meeting is. (unidentified comment)

Mary Jane said it’s important because we’re going to have to elect to be a part of it.

Joe said that assuming our residents are treated the same as others, and questions are answered, we will be in on it. Monte said we need to get a dialogue going to hear what he will say. Jeff said the meetings are part of Snyder’s job. “He has to get us on board. There are issues to be resolved, such as a guaranteed access to every single property in the borough. We won’t know until engineering study is done after we sign the contract.”

Mary Jane said the budget, as of the end of June, is where it should be halfway through the year. There has been a significant income from real estate.

Monte said the bottom line is we aren’t allowing enough room for road and bridges in our budget. Daneen said we’ve reduced costs tremendously this year by hiring Berkey and having less snow.

Taryn said her materials are being audited, and Craig will need to have his material audited. Jeff said it should be audited every year.

NEW BUSINESS

Sue expressed concerns about Laurel Mountain Park Association’s (LMPA) recreation fund. She said all their income goes out, that the pool has increasing costs.

“Would the borough be willing to increase the recreational allowance (it pays to LMPA)?” she asked.

Monte asked how much. Sue answered, $100 a month. Monte asked Sue if she was requesting the increase for this year or for next year.

“Whatever, I’m asking, you can respond, $300 a quarter,” Sue said.

Jack said the increase Sue suggested is akin to a 2 mil increase. The current tax is 6 mils. “I don’t know how we could do it, it’s an awful lot. It’s nothing against Sue. I’m looking out for residents of the borough.”

Jack noted that one mil is worth approximately $1700. Jeff said, for reference, a tax rate of six mils is at the lower end of the scale, that Bolivar has a ten mil rate.

Craig said LMPA is also looking out for borough residents. “If it does fail, there is a lot to consider,” he said. Daneen said we would lose our voting place.

“I’m appreciative of what we have, but we have less than 50% of the people who will pay $40 (a year) to keep it going,” she added.

Joe said renting the building is for community use, but the other issue is that “recreation is an important part of local municipalities responsibility.”

Bolivar has a zero recreational budget, but it does have it’s own borough building, according to Jeff. The community doesn’t have the means for recreational facilities, and recreation is also valued a lot differently than it is in this community.

Mary Jane asked if there was a way to heat the place so don’t have to meet at the Laughlintown Community Center in the winter. Sue said it would be feasible but not comfortable (to use this building in the winter) unless it is insulated.

Daneen said we can’t afford to insulate. “I don’t know if Bolivar has a swimming pool, whether residents join or not. The pool enhances our property. (Right now) 35 people own it. It will be sold.”

Joe said that since residents value the pool, we as a borough council need to value it.

Mary Jane asked Sue if the LMPA could financially make it through this year.

“We’re hoping we have enough money come in. We’re not making enough to pay the guard’s salary from daily rates. We do have some rentals, and hope to break even by fall, but then we have all our insurances come in. You just don’t know.”

“If the recreational area goes under, how sad,” Daneen said. “The original LMP was all of this. The only reason we went to being a borough was that everybody didn’t pay. Turn it over to borough and they have whole thing. How sad that for a few bucks the borough can afford...”

Sue reminded the council members that LMPA received a $5000 grant to do a few upgrades, including making the building handicapped accessible.

“At any rate, our budget is $10,000 and they said nobody runs a swimming pool for $10,000.”

Joe noted the borough is only paying 30% of total LMPA budget. “How much would it cost us to build a place like this?” he asked.

Daneen asked if the council could squeak out money for recreation-building rental. “I don’t think $1200 is that much money.”

Mary Jane said she could entertain a request for next year without increasing the millage, and get enough out of the budget to make it comfortable for this year. Craig said he doesn’t see the need for this year. The Park pays its insurance on a monthly basis. Joe said “the point is, can you make it this year?”

Craig said I certainly hope so. “We may have already received three/quarters payment this year.” Joe said if they aren’t in dire need, next month we might help. Craig said if it got to that point.

Gladys said that when the borough started out there was a liaison person between the borough and the park, and a report was given at the council meetings. Joe said that is what he is going to do. Jeff said a committee could be created with a non-council member, and Joe said then they can give a report.

Mary Jane said the plan is to budget it without increasing millage, “but we should be able to get a vehicle to give money by Labor Day if needed.” Craig I won’t let it go under, I’ll use my own money,

Daneen commented “we love the whole thing, the park as a whole…we need to keep and retain what we have, it’s such a wonderful thing, a very unique atmosphere. If we lose the pool…we’re doing it with volunteers.”

Gladys asked if the new borough council members were given a copy of borough code. “You really need that, it’s your bible.” Jeff said. He said if we called Jess Stairs, he would provide the four needed copies. The I-net---DCED (?) department has copies of everything about municipal government you could want, in PDF format.

Gladys asked what the fine would be for lateness of turning in the audit. Jeff said in his experience is they don’t impose a fine “but they yelled at us a lot.” Taryn said she spoke with the state and there will not be anything like that.