Mayor’s Report
Council Meeting, August 11, Actions Taken.
The following actions were taken at the Monessen City Council meeting on August 11, 2020.
The meeting was called to order at 7 pm. This meeting was open to the public.
Roll call was given. All council members were present.
Pledge to the flag.
Minutes were approved for the July 14, 2020 meeting.
A statement was read by the Mayor, regarding the City’s position on the recent Sunshine Act case ruling.
The floor was opened to public comment on agenda items only.
Correspondence:
Letter to Te’Querra Turner approving the use of the vacant lot next to 404 Donner Ave, for her Business’ Grand Opening festivities.
Letter to Superintendent Spazak, requesting the Monessen School District exonerate the school taxes for the same properties that City Council exonerated at the July 14 council meeting.
A discussion was had on whether or not to extend the Mayor’s Public Health State of Emergency Proclamation. The proclamation was not extended at this time. We will continue to closely monitor COVID cases in Monessen.
Old Business:
Moved to approve a request fro Shirley Beneccio to hold a Public Square Rosary on Saturday, October 10, 2020, at Noon at City Park, lower level walking track. This is the 11th Annual event. Social distancing will be observed. We will ask organizers to submit a waiver, as it relates to COVID19. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to promote David Yuhasz from Lieutenant to Captain of the Monessen Police Department. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to promote Aaron Thompson from Patrol Officer to Lieutenant of the Monessen Police Department. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
City Treasurer’s Report was given for the month ending July 2020.
The report was approved, 5–0.
Some highlights of the report are as follows:
Real Estate taxes collected for July, $62,451.49 (YTD: $1,903,658.63)
Tax Distribution:
General fund: $1,289,062.68
Debt Service Fund: $444,504.37
Parks Fund: $223,807.97
Library Fund: $44,450.42
Mayor Shorraw read the Controller’s report for the month ending June 2020. Reconciled balance to bank statement is: $789,641.98
New Business:
Mayor Shorraw
Moved to approve Ordinance №7–2020 of the City of Monessen, Westmoreland County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, amending Ordinance №5–2018 to make the failure to trim trees and vegetation affecting public rights-of-way a quality of life violation; repealing inconsistent ordinances; and providing for an effective date. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to approve Ordinance №6–2020 of the City of Monessen, Westmoreland County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, confirming current on-street parking restrictions, prohibitions, and regulations for portions of Fourth Street; repealing inconsistent ordinances; and providing for an effective date. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to conduct the first reading of Ordinance №8–2020 an ordinance of the City of Monessen amending a December 28, 2016, Ordinance, to include boring or disturbance beneath any street or public alleyway; repealing inconsistent ordinances; and providing for an effective date. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to conduct the first reading of Ordinance №9–2020 and Ordinance of the Council for the City of Monessen, Westmoreland County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, establishing compensation on a per-meeting basis; repealing Ordinance №1–2019 of the City of Monessen. (Tabled.)
Moved to conduct the first reading of Ordinance №10–2020 and Ordinance of the City of Monessen, Westmoreland County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, amending certain sections of the City Code by requiring all purchases of any building, property, or structure within the City of Monessen known to have one or more City Code violation(s) to bring that building, property, structure, or code into compliance with the Cide Code within 12 months of the date of purchase in accordance with reasonable attempts to abate nuisance ordinance violations relating to maintenance, health, quality of life, or safety within twelve (12) months of the date of purchase; authorizing the issuance of temporary access certificates, temporary use and occupancy certificates in accordance with PA Act №133–2016; authorizing the imposition of penalties for failure to do so, while preserving all remedies to the recovery, prevention, abatement or restrain of code violations under other statutes, and ordinances, and providing for an effective date. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to approve Resolution №9–2020 of the City Council of the City of Monessen to request a Blight Remediation Program Grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority and authorizing Mayor and City Administrator to execute all documents related thereto. The grant will not be accepted unless there is no cost to the city. (Vote Approved: 3–2)
Moved to approve Resolution №10–2020, a Resolutions of the City Council of the City of Monessen, approving and authorizing the submission of the FY2020 CDBG-CV application. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to approve the appointment of Dawn McKechnie to the Monessen Library Board for the period August 11, 2020, to December 31, 2020. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to approve the appointment of Rosalie Nicksich as City Controller for the period August 11, 2020, to December 31, 2021. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to approve the appointments of Robert Stark, Raynelle Mays, Alan Duncan, and Karen Cosner to the Police Accountability and Internal Affairs Board. (Vote Approved: 4–1)
Moved to approve the part-time pay for “Prisoner Watch Personnel” to $12.00 per hour. Currently set at $9.50 per hour. Only one contact person on the call list is available. A police officer at time-and-a-half is $45.00 x 2 hrs. minimum. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to advertise for a part-time position as “Prisoner Water Personnel”. Must be over the age of 18. A Background Check will be made. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
The police report was read for the month of July 2020.
Councilwoman Thomas:
Street Report was read for the month of July 2020.
Councilman Orzechowski:
Parks and Recreation Report was read for the month of July 2020.
Councilman Gregor:
Code Enforcement Financial Report was read for the month of July 2020.
Code Enforcement Activity Report was read for the month of July 2020. (Of note: 108 citation notices were sent to properties with code violations during July)
Fire Department Report was read for the month of July 2020.
Moved to approve the proposal from Atkins Remindeling for the restoration of the interior ceiling and walls at Fire Station (81–2) Hilltop in the amount of $6,870. The interior damage was the direct result of the roof not being repaired in 5–6 (Vote approved: 5–0)
Moved to approve the replacement of equipment that was also damaged as a direct result of the roof not being repaired. The estimated amount of $11,322. The total interior loss amount is $18,192. (Vote approved: 5–0)
The repurposed vehicles utilized by the Code Enforcement Department and the Municipal Fire Department are available for use 24 hours a day within the City limits, for emergencies. The Municipal Fire Department vehicles will be permitted to leave the City limits, whenever a Mutal Aid call is received. (First responders save lives and we must support the first responders.)
An emergency call was received for electrical lines down at City Park. Necessary contacts were made to temporarily fix the dangerous situation. The lines were down because of a storm that passed through the park. Storms have been an annual event. The City electrician, Krise Electric made the necessary fix that day, for the events in the park to continue. We have given an order to Krise Electric to make all the necessary corrections so that no one is in danger in the future. One 200 amp service will be split into two 100 amp services. The wiring will be placed underground in conduit. All high-pressure sodium lamps will be removed and replaced with LED lamps. The new lighting installation of 18 fixtures will improve the general safety in the park and the energy savings will continue for the future. The total cost will be $13,300. Moved to approve the payment of the cost of the lighting project. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
No EMS Report this month.
Councilman Coles:
Moved to approve the transfer of funds from the General Fund to Park Fund and Healthcare Fund: $111,909. (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to approve payment of invoices from the General Fund. $268,954.61 (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to approve payment of invoices for Parks Fund $116,536.28 (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to approve payment of invoices for Recreation Fund $424.56 (Vote Approved: 5–0)
Moved to approve payment of invoices for Line Usage Fund $23,693.56 (Vote Approved: 5–0)
All invoices due for payment in 2020 are current.
Large account balances for the end of July:
General Fund: $771,521
Liquid Fuels: $119,208
Parks and Rec. $148,689
Line Usage: $43,000
Opened the floor to public comment on general items.
Adjourned the meeting at 9:15 pm
MS
