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Somerset Borough Council Minutes

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BOROUGH OF SOMERSET ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
January 3rd, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.

1.Meeting Called to Order by the Mayor

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call:
    a) Council Members Present:  Ruby Miller; Pam Ream; Sue Opp; Steve Shaulis; Lee
Hoffman and James Clark (via teleconference).

    b) Also present: Mayor Fredric Rosemeyer.

    c) Also present were the following:  Borough Manager, Michele Enos; Director of
Finance, Brett Peters; Administrative Assistant, Roger Bailey; Chief of Police,
Randy Cox and Solicitor, James Cascio.

4. Resignation of Council Member – Consider accepting the resignation of Fredric
    Rosemeyer as a member of Borough Council.

    Motion
Mrs. Opp moved, Mr. Shaulis seconded, to accept the resignation of Fredric
Rosemeyer as a member of Borough Council.

Motion Unanimously Carried

5. Nominations for President of Borough Council – Election

    Mrs. Opp nominated Mrs. Pam Reamfor President of Borough Council, seconded by Mrs. Miller.
All Council Members were in favor to elect Mrs. Pam Ream to the office of President of Borough Council.  
Motion Unanimously Carried

6. Nominations for Vice-President of Borough Council – Election

Mrs. Ream nominated Mr. Steve Shaulis for Vice-President of Borough Council, seconded by Mr. Clark.
All Council Members were in favor to elect Mr. Steve Shaulis to the office of Vice-President of Borough Council. 
Motion Unanimously Carried

7. Nominations for President Pro-Tem of Borough Council – This person will preside in the event that both the President & Vice-President are absent at a meeting at which there is still a quorum.

Mrs. Opp nominated Mrs. Ruby Millerfor President Pro-Tem of Council, seconded by Mrs. Ream.
All Council Members were in favor to elect Mrs. Ruby Miller to the office of President Pro-Tem of Borough Council. 
Motion Unanimously Carried

*PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL ASSUMES CHAIR AND PRESIDES*

8. Adoption of Resolution No. 2022-01 – Appointing a Depository for Borough
    funds for 2022-2023.
Mrs. Ream mentioned that we appoint a Depository each year to approve where the Boroughs funds are deposited. 
Ms. Enos added that it is being recommended to retain Somerset Trust Company as our Depository.  

    Motion
Mrs. Miller moved, Mr. Hoffman seconded to retain Somerset Trust Company as Somerset Borough’s Depository for the years 2022-2023.

Motion Unanimously Carried

Resolution 2022-01

WHEREAS, it has been the policy of the Council of the Borough of Somerset to designate its Depository every two years, and;                              

          WHEREAS, it is the desire of Council to continue with the same Depository for the years 2022– 2023;
          NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Somerset Trust Company is hereby named the Depository of Borough funds for the years 2022-2023, provided that Somerset Trust Company enters into a Depository Agreement with the Borough of Somerset, and pledges as security for all Borough accounts, an amount of securities equal to 120 percent of the total amount of all Borough funds.

 ADOPTED this 3rd day of January 2022.

9. Adoption of Resolution No. 2022-02 – Establishing meeting dates and times for year 2022-2023.

All agreed to keep the current dates and times of the Meetings unchanged for the year 2022-2023.  Mrs. Ream added that it will be established that the regular Meeting dates will be held every 4th Monday of the month, allowing for any exceptions for a Special Meeting.

    Motion
Mrs. Opp moved, Mr. Shaulis seconded, to establish that the regular Meeting dates will be held every 4th Monday of the month, allowing for any exceptions for a Special Meeting.
Motion Unanimously Carried

Resolution 2022-02

            WHEREAS, The Borough of Somerset has conducted its regular monthly meetings at a specified time, date and location which have proven convenient to the Public;

           NOW THEREFORE, We, the Council and Mayor of the Borough of Somerset, desiring to continue successful publicized meetings, hereby designate the fourth Monday of each month in the calendar years 2022 – 2023 at 5:00 p.m. for its regular meetings. All meetings are held at our Municipal Building, 347 West Union Street, Somerset, PA.  When the regular meeting dates fall on a Borough Holiday, the meetings will be held on the following day, Tuesday, at the same time and place.

ADOPTED this 3rd day of January 2022.

10. Sergeant-at-Arms – Designation of Sergeant-at-Arms by the President of Council.

Mrs. Ream stated that Randy Cox, Chief of Police, will be designated as the Sergeant-at-Arms for the Council Meetings.

11. Executive Session – None requested.

12. Police/Fire Matter – Change to call procedure.

Ms. Enos brought out that this Police/Fire matter was not on the original Agenda so,
procedurally with the Sunshine Law, Borough Council has to vote to place it on tonight’s Agenda, and then the Agenda would be reposted tomorrow for this discussion and potential action.   
Mrs. Ream asked for a summary of this matter so they could make the motion to add it to the Agenda before it will be discussed.                  

Chief Cox brought out that in all the discussions with Mr. Clark, they thought it would be beneficial to the Fire Department if the Police Department were designated at 911 to respond to all automatic fire alarm calls within the Borough, and all vehicle crashes within the Borough.  He said that the Police Department already responds to the vehicle crashes, and chances are, they already respond to the automatic fire alarms.  The idea is to take some of the burden off of the Fire Department, because when they respond to the fire alarms, it usually turns out to be false alarms.  He added that the Police Officers have the “where with all” and the ability to determine what is real and what is false.

      Solicitor Cascio asked how, procedurally, the Department would know how to respond if it is in fact a legitimate call.

Chief Cox stated that he had a draft of a Special Order for the Officers that he can share with Council.  He said that the Officers are given guidelines from input from the Fire Department as to when the Fire Department should actually be dispatched.

Solicitor Cascio suggested that the motion should include the authority for the Chief of Police to issue special orders implementing the arrangement.

      Motion
Mrs. Opp moved, Mrs. Miller seconded, to allow the Police Department to be designated at 911 to respond to all automatic fire alarm calls within the Borough, and all vehicle crashes within the Borough.  This will include the authority for the Chief of Police to issue Special Orders implementing this arrangement.  Also included, would be to direct Ms. Enos to communicate with 911 advising them of the Borough’s wishes.

Motion Unanimously Carried

      Mr. Clark expressed that he appreciates Borough Council’s support on this.  He said that the Fire Department ran 417 fire calls in 2021, which is extremely taxing for the Fire Department’s Volunteers.  He added that they are hoping that this helps to alleviate some of these nuisance calls for the Department’s Members.

      Motion
Mrs. Ream moved, Mr. Hoffman seconded, to add the Police/Fire Matter to the Agenda for discussion and consideration at this meeting.  This motion reflects that change.
Motion Unanimously Carried

        Mr. Rosemeyer disclosed that he Chairs the local Emergency Planning Committee.  At the “Eggs & Issues” breakfast, that the County Commissioners sponsor, the discussion came up about the number of volunteers in the Borough along with other issues.  He brought out that County Commissioner Walker and himself will Chair the meeting, and will be asking Ms. Enos, Chief Cox, Jim Clark, Henry Cook and some others, to sit down and discuss a lot of the issues that the Fire Department is going through with the nuisance calls and other things.

13. Adjournment:
Mrs. Opp moved to adjourn, seconded by Mr. Shaulis. 

                                                                                       Motion Unanimously Carried
5:18 p.m.

                                           
_______________________________________
Michele A. Enos, Borough Manager/Secretary