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Somerset Borough Council Minutes

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Borough of Somerset
Committee of the Whole Meeting
August 12th, 2019 5:00 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; Steve Shaulis and Gary Thomas.  
       Absent was Council Member: Sue Opp.
       Present was Mayor Scott Walker. 
       Also absent was Junior Council Member Jonathan Wagner.
       Present were the following: Borough Manager, Michele Enos; Director of Finance, Brett Peters; Chief of Police Randy Cox; Solicitor, James Cascio and Consulting Engineers, Tom Reilly and Jake Bolby. 

Executive Session – To discuss litigation and AFSCME Contract Negotiations.

Motion
Mr. Shaulis moved, Mr. Rosemeyer seconded, to go into Executive Session to discuss litigation and AFSCME Contract Negotiations.

Motion Unanimously Carried
5:04 p.m.

Back in Regular Session
5:29 p.m.

Announcements:
  (a) None

Approval of Minutes of Previous Meeting:
  (a) All minutes are approved at the regular Council Meeting.

General Public Comments:
(a) None registered  

Policy Agenda:

Old Business:
  (a) None

New Business:
(a) Request form submitted by Manager Enos:

       1. Bishop McCort – Request to tie teal ribbons around trees in Somerset for their  Ovarian Cancer Awareness campaign. 

Ms. Enos brought out that this is an annual request that Borough Council has approved of in the past. 
Borough Council did not object to this request, and Ms. Enos stated that she would administratively approve Bishop McCort’ s request.

       2. Donation Requests:  

        (a) Friends of UPMC Somerset – Sporting Clay Classics.
Borough Council, as a whole, agreed not to allocate monies to this donation request.

          (b) Ameriserv – Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Borough Council, as a whole, agreed not to allocate monies to this donation request.

          (c) Teen Quest – Camp for underprivileged children.
Borough Council, as a whole, agreed not to allocate monies to this donation request.

(b) Budget Calendar – Discussion on formalizing the budget calendar for the 2020
       Budget.  

Mr. Peters distributed the 2020 Budget Calendar to members of Borough Council.
He mentioned that if Borough Councils approved the 2020 Budget Calendar, he would distribute the same forms that he distributed in the past years to staff.

       Mr. Peters also mentioned that the regularly scheduled Borough Council Meeting in December is to be held on Monday December 23rd, 2019.  He asked Borough Council if they would prefer to move it to Monday December 16th, 2019. 

Motion
Mr. Shaulis moved, Mrs. Ream seconded to move the regular December 23rd, 2019 Borough Council Meeting to December 16th, 2019.   

                                                                             Motion Unanimously Carried 

(c) Year to Date Financial Report – Provided through the month of July 2019.

Mr. Peters distributed the Year to Date Financial Statements through July 2019.   He mentioned that 7/12th’s or 58.32% of the year is completed.

         General Fund:                Water Fund:                          Sewer Fund:
Revenues – 83.09%        Revenues – 55.69%              Revenues – 54.58%
Expenses – 62.43%        Expenses – 66.23%               Expenses – 58.45%

Mr. Peters added that if Borough Council had any questions, to please contact him, and he would do his best to explain any particular line items, and get the details to them.

(d) Request form submitted by Mayor Walker and Chief Cox:
       1. Overtime Analysis – Review of overtime analysis requested by Borough Council.
       2. Hiring of Part-time Officers – Discussion on hiring 2 part-time police officer
          positions to fill recent vacancies.
      3. Part-time Police Resignations – Discussion concerning the resignation of Devin
          Keiser effective August 31st.

    (All 3 above subjects were discussed with Borough Council collectively)

Information was given to all Borough Council Members regarding the staffing, scheduling and overtime of Police Officers within the Police Department. 

Chief Cox explained that the staffing shortage they are continuing to have is partly due to the training of new officers.  Also, Workers Compensation, resignation and non-work related medical leave has left the Department short-staffed by 4 officers.  He explained that these type of absences have contributed to the spike in overtime hours.

He mentioned that two officers were hired in December of 2018, but since then, they have had two officer’s resignations.  So they are back where they were with staffing before the two hires in December 2018.  Chief Cox stated that he feels that two additional part-time officers has demonstrated that it cuts back on the total overtime hours, in effect saving money, and is not increasing the overall budget.

Chief Cox stated that he’s recommending, and seeking, Borough Council’s approval to hire 2 more part-time officers to fill two vacancies.  This would not have any increase on the overall budget.    

Chief Cox further explained the circumstances surrounding the reasons for overtime hours within the Police Department.

Discussion was also held regarding the Canine Police Program, its costs, and the benefits of having this program.

Motion
Mr. Rosemeyer moved, Mrs. Ream seconded to give approval to Chief Cox to hire 2 new part-time Police Officers.
Motion Unanimously Carried 

          Discussion was also held among Council regarding the parking situation in Uptown Somerset, and the rules, regulations, codes, and posted signs in place for safe parking.

  (e) Manager’s Report – Reports distributed to Council for all departments for the
       month of July 2019.

Ms. Enos announced that Somerset Trust is celebrating their 130th Anniversary August 15th and 16th, 2019.  They invited all to attend their event.

Somerset Trust also requested that the parking meters be bagged for this event along Patriot Street, and the lot behind the Eagles.  Their request was granted.

       Ms. Enos stated that they “pared down” the streets in the Borough that they felt were in most need of paving first that fit into the Borough’s $100,000.00 budget.  She stated that the Borough has the paving out to bid. She brought out that based on our estimates, and PennDOT’s estimates, the cost is approximately $97,000.00.

Ms. Enos mentioned that the Borough is going to set up an agreement with the business owner of Morocco Welding.  She stated that Morocco Welding has just purchased a paver, and has reached out to Mr. Bailey and herself, and acknowledged that he is willing to rent his paver truck to the Borough for $1.00 to help fix the streets.  

Ms. Enos mentioned that the only cost factor that the Borough would have is that if something breaks, we will fix it.  Also, we would have the cost of the materials used to fix the streets. 

Ms. Enos disclosed that we are going to be able to do our alley ways on our own.  The Borough employees were already over to Mr. Morocco’s business for training on the machine, so we should be able to take care of some of the streets this year ourselves. 

  (f) President’s Report - Given by Ruby Miller.

Mrs. Miller mentioned that the County Banquet will be held on Thursday September 19th, 2019 at the Somerset Fire Hall.

Mr. Rosemeyer mentioned that someone from PSAB will be there. Also Jackie from Laurel Arts will be a guest speaker at the banquet.

Mr. Thomas expressed that the cat problem is still prevalent in the Borough. 

This problem is ongoing, and being addressed by the Borough.

(g) Somerset Inc. Report - Given by Judy Pyle.  

Mrs. Pyle stated that Somerset Inc.’s meeting will be held tomorrow, so she had no updates to report at this time.

  (h) PSAB Report – Given by Fred Rosemeyer.  

Mr. Rosemeyer mentioned that PSAB recently held a 3-day meeting at the Hershey Hotel. 

He disclosed that the PSAB’s budget was discussed, and the association’s budget is “very well off.”  

  (i) Somerset Volunteer Fire Department Report - Given by Steve Shaulis.

Mr. Shaulis disclosed that from January 1st – July 31st, 2019 the Fire Department has responded to 227 alarms.  89 of those calls were in Somerset Borough.  
He mentioned that the Fire Department will participate with the Borough Police in the Somerset “National Night Out” Program on August 13th.  The Fire Department will be providing tables, chairs, ice, and lighting, and will also have an equipment display.

The Fire Department’s training in the past month included a tour of UPMC Somerset to learn about changes being planned that could affect our Emergency Response. Training Officers are working on setting up additional tours, and vehicle rescue training, in the near future.

Mr. Shaulis added that the Fire Department took in an Associate Member.

The Fire Department is working on getting decals replaced on the glass doors leading into the Police Department vestibule, and also on the glass doors leading into the hallway to the engine room.

Arrangements continue to be made for the Golf Tournament Fundraiser on September 27th, 2019.
Also, the Annual Fund Drive that normally begins in October, has been pushed forward to February 2020 due to the fact that other fundraising events take place close together.  

  (j) Engineer’s Report – Given by Jake Bolby.

Mr. Bolby mentioned that they received a schedule from the contractor who is to begin the Baffle Project at the Sewer Plant in September, and the Pump Replacement Project in October.

Mr. Bolby also mentioned that a report is due to DEP on November 6th, 2019 regarding the Borough’s Water Loss Study. 

Mr. Bolby stated that they are also working through the contract documentation for the Highland Park Loop Project.  He added that the Small Water and Sewer Grant was awarded for this Project. 

(k) Mayor’s Report – Given by Mayor Walker.

Mayor Walker also mentioned that “National Night Out” will be held August 13th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.  He stated that everyone is encouraged to stop by.

ADJOURNMENT

Motion
       Mrs. Ream moved to adjourn, motion seconded by Mr. Thomas.           

 Motion Unanimously Carried
6:59 p.m.     


_______________________________
Michele A. Enos, Borough Secretary