Borough council meets in regular session
Reynoldsville Borough Council took care of a number of items at its regular meeting September 18.
It awarded the Citizen of the Month Award to Frank Snyder for all his work for the borough and for the Reynoldsville Golf Day outing which raises money for programs supporting children in the borough (see the full story here.)
Council then heard from Reynoldsville Community Association (RCA) representative Sam Bundy (and this reporter) who brought council up to date on several ongoing projects.
Bundy said the RCA is working with the Army Corps of Engineers and engineer Jim Venture of PVE, LLC, to locate a canoe launch along the Sandy Lick Creek on the south side of the Tickle Belly Bridge.
The RCA is also working to replace the sign along Route 322 just below the industrial park sign. That project is going forward. He said residents will get a chance to vote on several designs provided by Dave Simmons of Neon Exposure in the coming weeks. Pictures will be located at Reynoldsville businesses and residents can vote with a donation that will be used will be used for future betterment projects in the borough.
Bundy also said that the Blighted Properties initiative is on hold while the RCA attempts to find an attorney who will help with the Association with the legal process.
Garbage contract
The council voted to award the garbage contract to ARC Disposal of Reynoldsville, replacing Waste Management. Ed Yahner, Senior District Manager for the company, disagreed with the council’s approach to the process and argued the contract should have gone through the bidding process. A detailed account of this disagreement can be found here.
Vehicle sale
The council approved a motion to sell its Dodge Durango currently being used by Councilmember and Code Enforcement Officer Nichole Walk for the cost of $1650.
“To be clear, it’s probably on its way to scrap…so the borough is going to make out on making this sale,” Councilmember Kyle Gordon commented.
Since the amount was less than $2000, the council did not have to put it out for bid. Walk intends to use it for Code Enforcement and as a private vehicle and will assume all related costs.
Yellow Brick Road problem
Andre St. Laurent who lives along Yellow Brick Road came to council to discuss a letter he had received from code enforcement concerning drainage from his property causing damage to the road. St. Laurent showed videos and pictures of where the water was coming from. Streets and Sewers Committee Chairman Ralph August explained why the letter was sent and why the road crew felt the problems were coming from the driveway.
After a lengthy discussion, it was decided to put enforcement of the notice on hold while the problem is investigated further.
Line of Credit
With the emergency work completed on the Borough Building, Borough Secretary Jacqueline Dixon asked council to approve a $75,000 line of credit with S&T Bank to pay for the emergency work and for the upcoming repairs.
That request was approved. The council voted to pay the $37,500 bill for the emergency work and then put the repair work out for bids.
Stimulus money
The borough received its second payment of COVID relief funds totaling $138, 937. 69. The first allotment went to the Reynoldsville Sewer and Water Authority for a project at the water tower. It was expected this latest allotment would go to the authority as well, but Councilmember August heatedly argued it was the borough’s money and could be used for other things.
August alleged the council was not consulted when it came to the first allocation and that it should have a say with this second allotment.
“You guys don’t realize that was free money to the borough, not the water authority, and it wasn’t done right. So therefore that second half of that money, this borough should have the say to where it goes,” he said.
Council President Cebulskie, who is a member of the Authority Board of Directors, explained he worked with Authority Board President Dr. Barry Fillman to complete the necessary paperwork to get the request in on time. At that time, he explained, the money could only be used for very specific projects, including water projects. It was only later that the required types of projects were expanded.
Cebulskie added that the money is being used for a project that benefits the borough, namely the water tank, but he is open to more discussion.
“As long as it stays in town and we use it, I don’t care where it goes,” he said, but added,”But we have to make sure it follows [what is permitted]”
Cebulskie then entertained a motion to table the allocation while more information is found out on how it could be used. Councilmember Kyle Gordon made the motion with Mike Popson seconding and the motion to table the action was approved.
Other actions
The council approved a request from the Reynoldsville Community Association to set Halloween Trick or Treating Hours for Sunday, October 30, from 3-5 p.m. The Halloween Parade will start at 3 p.m. at the ambulance state and proceed down Main Street.
Council President Cebulskie said he was informed by the Army Corps of Engineers that the Sandy Lick Creek area of the flood control has been designated as unacceptable and must be dredged. He said that designation will help the borough get the grant money necessary to do the work.
The council also voted to go back to the original meeting schedule after the summer change. The council will hold two monthly sessions now, one on the first Monday of the month and the second on the third Wednesday of the month both at 6 p.m. at the Fire Hall.