Somerset Borough Council Minutes
Council Meeting Minutes will be posted after they are approved at the following meeting.
Meet the Somerset Borough Council Members and Staff
Public Comment Policy
The Pennsylvania Sunshine Act (65 Pa. C.S. 701, et seq.) provides that the Board or Council of a political subdivision shall provide a reasonable opportunity at each advertised regular meeting and advertised special meeting for residents of the political subdivision or for taxpayers of the political subdivision or to comment on matters of concern, official action or deliberation which are or may be before the Board or Council prior to taking official action. (710.1).
To assure compliance with the Act, to inform members of the public who may wish to make comment, and to provide for predictable and orderly implementation of the public comment period, Somerset Borough Council has adopted this Public Comment Policy.
2017 Council Meetings |
| January 23rd |
| February 13th Committee of the Whole Meeting - 5 PM |
| February 27th Council Meeting 7 PM |
| March 13th Committee of the Whole Meeting - 5 PM |
| March 27th Council Meeting 7 PM |
| April 10th Committee of the Whole Meeting - 5 PM |
| April 24th Council Meeting 7 PM |
| May 8th Committee of the Whole Meeting - 5 PM |
| May 22nd Council Meeting 7 PM |
| June 12th Committee of the Whole Meeting - 5 PM |
| June 26th Council Meeting 7 PM |
| July 10th Committee of the Whole Meeting - 5 PM |
| July 24th Council Meeting 7 PM |
| August 14th Committee of the Whole Meeting - 5 PM |
| August 28th Council Meeting 7 PM |
| September 11th Committee of the Whole Meeting - 5 PM |
| September 25th Council Meeting 7 PM |
| October 9th Committee of the Whole Meeting - 5 PM |
| October 23rd Council Meeting 7 PM |
| November |
| December |
*Council has traditionally rescheduled its November and December meetings based on the timing for budget adoption and the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The rescheduling will be done closer to these dates.
Borough of Somerset Council Meeting
July 24th, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.
Meeting was called to order by President Ruby Miller, opening with recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
Roll Call:
Council Members Present: Ruby Miller; Fred Rosemeyer; Judy Pyle; Pam Ream; Sue Opp; Steve Shaulis; and Gary Thomas. Mayor Scott Walker also present.
Also present were the following: Borough Manager Michele Enos; Director of Finance Brett Peters; Chief of Police Randy Cox; Solicitors James Cascio and Chad Pritts; and Consulting Engineer Jake Bolby.
Announcements:
(a) None
Approval of Previous Council Meeting Minutes:
Motion
Mr. Rosemeyer moved, Mr. Shaulis seconded to approve the June 26th, 2017 Borough Council Meeting Minutes.
Motion Unanimously Carried
Award of Bids:
(a) 2017 Paving Project – Consider awarding to the lowest responsive bidder. (New Enterprise - $61,524.00)
Motion
Mrs. Opp moved, Mrs. Pyle seconded to award the 2017 Paving Project to the lowest responsive bidder, New Enterprise - $61,524.00.
Motion Unanimously Carried
(b) 2017 Tar and Chip Project – No bids were received.
Ms. Enos explained that no bids were received for the Tar and Chip Project. Discussion was held on why this may be the case. Solicitor Cascio stated that we could consider re-authorizing and re-bidding for the Tar and Chip Project. Mr. Rosemeyer made the recommendation to Council that we re-bid this project.
Motion
Mr. Rosemeyer moved, Mr. Thomas seconded to re-bid for the 2017 Tar and Chip Project.
Motion Unanimously Carried
General Public Comments:
(a) None registered.
Administrative Business:
(a) Communications – (None)
(b) Payment of Bills.
Motion
Mrs. Ream moved, Mrs. Opp seconded to approve the payment of bills numbered 29652 – 29797 totaling $681,358.31.
Motion Unanimously Carried
Policy Agenda:
Old Business:
(a) There is no old business.
New Business:
(a) Collective Bargaining Agreement – Consider ratifying the agreement between the Borough and the Teamsters Union for the contract term: January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020.
Ms. Enos asked if Council wanted to continue this agreement with a 3-year term, or a 4-year term. She asked Council what they would prefer.
Mr. Rosemeyer made the recommendation that the agreement be for a 4-year term.
Mrs. Miller mentioned that the contract would read January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2020 if Council agreed on a 4-year term.
Motion
Mr. Rosemeyer moved, Mr. Thomas seconded to ratify the agreement between the Borough and the Teamsters Union for the contract term: January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2020.
Motion Unanimously Carried
Mrs. Pyle stated that Somerset Inc. is still re-organizing and moving along really well. They nominated people for all the Somerset Inc. offices. These offices will be voted on soon. Mrs. Pyle also mentioned that Trinity Park has been held up because of the weather. She also stated that a grant was submitted for Greenways Trails and Recreation on May 31st. Mrs. Pyle stated that Economic Development is still working on the historic signs. She also stated that the “Blues on Main” event brought in about a $1,200.00 profit. Mrs. Pyle mentioned that “Chalk the Block’ was a big success.
Chief Cox asked for Councils direction on the billing for Laurel Arts for Somerfest. He stated that he wanted to mention this to Council now, because it has been their practice to discount the billing for them. There were no objections from Council for Chief Cox to act consistent, with what the Department had done in the past, to give a discount to Laurel Arts for Somerfest.
Executive Session – To discuss matters of potential litigation.
Motion
Mrs. Opp moved, Mr. Rosemeyer seconded to move into Executive Session.
Motion Unanimously Carried
7:10 pm
7:25 pm Council was back in regular session
Ms. Enos announced that we received a Sewer Effluent Violation at our Waste Water Treatment Plant. This also happened in 2015. Since that time, we purchased equipment to address the issue, but this has not solved all of the problems. When we received this latest violation, we became aware that we needed to add a de-chlorination system to fix the problem. This is going to take a permit change to our operations, which is going to be something we need to apply for in December with the help of EADS. This was discussed at the Municipal Authority Meeting. We had to have the authorization to pay the civil penalty of $5,300.00. The Municipal Authority approved that Civil Assessment Penalty.
Mrs. Miller asked an individual, who arrived late to the meeting, if she had a question. The individual said that she had spoken with Ms. Enos and expressed her concerns about repairing Grandview Avenue. She said it was in terrible shape, and she was hoping to get a time frame on when it may be repaired. She stated that she received a letter in September 2016, from Ms. Enos, stating that Grandview was to be seal coated this past spring, and it hasn’t been done yet. Ms. Enos stated that there have been no bids submitted for tar and chipping the roads, to - date. She stated that she was going to contact a tar and chipping company to look into this. Ms. Enos stated that Grandview Avenue is on the list to be paved this year. Ms. Enos could not give an exact date to when it would be done, until a contractor bids the job, and we know the time schedule of that contractor who would be awarded the job. Ms. Enos stated that she would be glad to contact this individual when she gets a date for the work to be done on Grandview Avenue.
Adjournment:
Mrs. Opp moved to adjourn, motion seconded by Mr. Shaulis.
Motion Unanimously Carried
7:32 p.m.
_____________________________________
Michele A. Enos, Borough Manager/Secretary