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.
2019 Council Meetings |
| April 8th 5:00 PM Committee of the Whole Meeting |
| April 22nd 7:00 PM Council Meeting |
| May 13th 5:00 PM Committee of the Whole Meeting |
| May 28th 7:00 PM Council Meeting (Please note that we will be meeting on Tuesday, instead of Monday due to the Memorial Day holiday) |
*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
April 22nd, 2019 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; Judy Pyle; Pam Ream; Sue Opp; Steve Shaulis and Gary Thomas. Mayor Scott Walker also present.
Absent was Council Member Fred Rosemeyer.
Also present was Junior Council Member Jonathan Wagner.
Also present were the following: Borough Manager, Michele Enos; Director of Finance, Brett Peters; Solicitor, James Cascio and Consulting Engineers, Tom Reilly and Jake Bolby.
Announcements:
(a) None
Approval of Minutes of Previous Meetings:
(a) March 11th, 2019 – Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes
Motion
Mrs. Ream moved, Mrs. Opp seconded to approve the March 11th, 2019 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes.
Motion Unanimously Carried
(b) March 25th, 2019 – Borough Council Meeting Minutes
Motion
Mr. Shaulis moved, Mr. Thomas seconded to approve March 25th, 2019 Borough Council Meeting Minutes.
Motion Unanimously Carried
(c) Departmental Reports - Approval of Departmental Reports for February 2019
Motion
Mr. Opp moved, Mrs. Ream seconded to approve theDepartmental Reports for March 2019.
Motion Unanimously Carried
Award of Bids:
(a) None
General Public Comments:
(a) Max Merrill
Mr. Merrill came to announce that he was running for County Commissioner. He also offered to stay after the meeting to talk with anyone who was interested.
Administrative Business:
(a) Communications (none)
(b) Payment of Bills:
Motion
Mrs. Ream moved, Mrs. Opp seconded, to approve the payment of bills numbered
32906 – 33056 totaling $361,177.31.
Motion Unanimously Carried
Policy Agenda:
Old Business:
(a) None
New Business:
(a) Resolution No. 2019-03 – Authorizing the execution of an agreement with PennDOT
for the relocation of utilities in conjunction with the Plank Road Resurfacing Project.
Ms. Enos stated Penndot has offered to have our Borough Utilities relocated by the contractor that will be resurfacing Plank Road. It was noted that it makes sense to have this work coordinated in this fashion instead of the Borough having to make these adjustments outside of PennDOT’s work.
2019-03
MUNICIPAL/AUTHORITY RESOLUTIONBE IT RESOLVED by authority of the Borough Council
(Borough Council, Board of Supervisors, etc.)of the Borough of Somerset , County of Somerset
(Name of Municipality) (Name of County)County, and it is hereby resolved by authority of the same, that the President of Borough
(Chairman or designated Title)Council of said Municipality/Authority be authorized and directed to sign the attached
Agreement on its behalf and the Borough Manager / Secretary be authorized
(Sec. or Designated Title)
and directed to attest the same.Borough of Somerset
(Name of Municipality)
Motion
Mrs. Ream moved, Mrs. Opp seconded, to authorize the execution of an agreement with PennDOT for the relocation of utilities in conjunction with the Plank Road Resurfacing Project.
Motion Unanimously Carried
(b) Resolution No. 2019-04 – Adopting the Borough’s 2019 Emergency Operations Plan.
Ms. Enos stated that all Municipal Emergency Operations Plans are required to be updated every two (2) years and then submitted to the Somerset County Emergency Management Agency. The changes made to our Emergency Operations Plan consisted of updating “contact information”.
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-04
THIS RESOLUTION approved and adopted by the Council of Somerset Borough, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, on the date here forth.
WITNESS TO:
WHEREAS, Section 7503 of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Services Code, 35 Pa. C.S. Section 7101 et seq. mandates that Somerset Borough prepare, maintain and keep current an emergency operations plan for the prevention and minimization of injury and damage caused by a major emergency or disaster within this Borough; and
WHEREAS, in response to the mandate stated above, this Borough has prepared an emergency operations plan to provide prompt and effective emergency response procedures to be followed in the event of a major emergency or disaster; and
WHEREAS, this Borough has also prepared an emergency operations plan in order to reduce the potential affects of a major emergency or disaster and to protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents of this Borough.
NOW, THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Council of Somerset Borough do hereby approve, adopt and place into immediate effect the Emergency Operations Plan of Somerset Borough. This Plan shall be reviewed every two years to make certain that it conforms to the requirements of the Somerset County Emergency Operations Guideline.
Somerset Borough Council
Motion
Mrs. Opp moved, Mr. Thomas seconded, to adopt the Borough’s 2019 Emergency Operations Plan.
Motion Unanimously Carried
(c) Resignation of Part-time Police Officer - Consider accepting the resignation of
Trenent Hantz and the removal of his name from the roster of part-time police
officers.
Ms. Enos stated that the Borough has received a letter of resignation from part-time police officer Trenent Hantz.
Motion
Mrs. Opp moved, Mrs. Ream seconded, to accept the resignation of Trenent Hantz and the removal of his name from the roster of part-time police officers.
Motion Unanimously Carried
Executive Session
Motion
Mrs. Opp moved, Mrs. Pyle seconded, to go into Executive Session to discuss Police Department Personnel Matters.
Motion Unanimously Carried
7:07 pm
Back in Regular Session
7:25 pm
ADJOURNMENT:
Mrs. Thomas moved to adjourn, seconded by Mrs. Opp.
Motion Unanimously Carried
7:25 p.m.
______________________________________
Michele A. Enos, Borough Manager/Secretary