MARTINSBURG BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES

APRIL 7, 2008

            The regular meeting of the Martinsburg Borough Council was held on Monday, April 7, 2008, in the municipal building.  The meeting started at 7:00 p.m. with prayer by Randy Stoltz and the Pledge of Allegiance. 

            ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT:  Mayor Donald C. Greenleaf, President Nathan P. Ormsby, Vice-President Doreen Easly, Pro-Tem Christopher E. Brooks, Councilman Rex L. Hartman,  Councilwoman Connie S. Lamborn, and Councilman Suzanne B. McNally

            ALSO PRESENT were Manager Randy Stoltz, Borough Secretary Jane Staily, Attorney Cathy Miller, Chief Kerry Hoover, Richard Brantner, Jr., Sgr. Justin Davis, Pastor Kurt Miller, Joyce Gregg, and Sharon Snyder of the Morrisons Cove Herald.

            Pastor Kurt Miller and Joyce Gregg of the Outreach Commission of Martinsburg Grace Brethren Church were present in request of permission to have church signs placed in the community at the intersections of Spring, State and Mulberry Streets.  The signs could be place on top of the stop signs at these intersections similar to the North Woodbury Grange signs.  Manager Stoltz already spoke with PennDOT and they do not have any issues with placing them on top of the stop signs.  Some of council was concerned that granting this request might start an avalanche of requests to do the same for other churches and organization.  Council will consider other requests as they are made.  On a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Doreen Easly, the request for the three signs requested to be erected were approved subject to the installation being approved by PennDOT and Manager Stoltz.  The motion passed unanimously.

[Joyce Gregg left at 7:12 pm]

           The MINUTES of the regular meeting of March 3, 2008, were approved with the correction of two typographical errors noted on pages 2 and 3 on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Suzanne McNally.  The motion passed unanimously. 

            The FINANCIAL AND TREASURER’S REPORTS were presented for March 2008 as written. 

            The LIST OF BILLS for March 2008, check nos. 4143-4199 in the amount of $33,160.73 was approved on a motion by Doreen Easly, seconded by Chris Brooks.  The motion passed unanimously.

            Doreen Easly expressed her appreciation for the donation that was collected that was being  used to purchase pizza for her family for several weeks one evening a week since her surgery for a serious leg injury.

            Mayor Greenleaf  reported that he was involved in an ongoing investigation regarding dog feces on a specific alley here in town.

            Chief Hoover presented the police report as written.  March has been a very busy month for the department.  All the officers are now JNet certified – JNet is accessed through the police departments computers making their job easier.  JNET was created to enhance public safety by providing a common on-line environment whereby authorized state, county, and local officials can access offender records and other criminal justice information from participating agencies. Someone from the police department has been responding to all the recent fires whether there was anyone on duty or not.  Chief Hoover was requesting that residents not chase fire calls because it causes a lot of problems.  The department participated in the seat belt awareness program from March 17-30.  There will be a 4-6 hour training class held early in May to learn the procedures for setting up a seat belt check point – a few will be set up later in May.  This training also certifies Chief Hoover to go

MARTINSBURG BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES

APRIL 7, 2008 – PAGE 2

into the schools to teach seat belt safety to the children.  The new light bar was installed on the old cruiser last week – both cruisers now have the same light bar.  The department recently had a problem with the radio in the old cruiser – it would receive but would not transmit – causing a dangerous situation for the officer on duty to communicate.  A new radio was purchased and installed for free during the light bar installation and wiring.  Per Chief Hoover’s request, council on a motion by Rex Hartman, seconded by Doreen Easly, approved to pay for the new police radio  from the Equipment Fund.  The motion passed unanimously.

            Chief Hoover inquired with Hershberger and Myers Insurance about adding the police equipment received through grants over the past few years to our insurance policy.   The equipment list totals a worth of $19,655 and will cost an additional $157 per year to cover.  Council on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Suzanne McNally, approved to add the equipment to the borough’s insurance policy increasing the premium an additional $157 per year.  The motion passed unanimously.

            The next Neighborhood Watch meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 8 at 7:00 p.m. in the JayCee Room.  The bicycle rodeo will be held on April 19th from 9-12 p.m.  Friday, April 11 is the scheduled training class on the night vision equipment.  It will be held in conjunction with other police departments at the Widmann house (scheduled for demolition).  The ambulance will be on site for the training also. 

            Manager Stoltz reported that Brian and Ritchey attended water training in Milesburg on March 4th – Gary Hooder should receive a lot of credit in getting the wastewater treatment plant lab accredited along with the help of Rich and Brian;  attended the Our Town meeting on March 25 to discuss the videotaping – next meeting will be held on April 15th at the Martinsburg Elementary to discuss the taping date scheduled for April 19;  attended a two day building code training March 27-28 in Monroeville; attended a Cove Area Regional Digester meeting at the park on April 4 – a Group called Alliance Cooperative Innovation was there to help find ways to raise money to build the digester – they were impressed with how far the project has gotten.

            Attorney Cathy Miller reported that the last scheduled cable franchise negotiation meeting was cancelled by Atlantic Broadband.  It will be rescheduled.

            Nathan Ormsby attended the March meeting of the Martinsburg Municipal Authority.  The bid for the nitrate removal system was awarded to Layne Christensen.

            The Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System is working on a response to our letter regarding the auditor general’s finding about the Principal dividend as discussed last month.

            Council on a motion by Rex Hartman, seconded by Doreen Easly, adopted the Addendum to the PSAB Grants Program Participation Agreement as discussed last month.  The motion passed unanimously.

            Flyers for the community cleanup day on Saturday, April 26 will be mailed this Thursday after the weekly edition of the Morrison’s Cove Herald is out.  The cleanup invitations are strictly for borough residents only.  Help is needed for the cleanup.  Landfill tipping fees are still free on April 26th and throughout the following week.

            A list of the 2008 proposed streets to be paved was presented to council for their approval as follows:

 

MARTINSBURG BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES

APRIL 7, 2008 – PAGE 3

 

State Street – S. Market to Maple

State Street – Maple to Mulberry

Mulberry/State Street – Intersection

Mulberry Street – Spring to State

Mulberry Street – State to South Second Alley

Maple Street – State to Penn

Mansard/Blattenberger - Intersection

The proposed project is estimated to cost $49,000.  Council on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Rex Hartman, approved to advertise for bids for the 2008 paving project as presented.  The motion passed unanimously.  The ad will be placed twice in the Altoona Mirror so that bids can be awarded at the regular council meeting in May.

[Doreen Easly left at 8:12 p.m.]

            It was mentioned that the road beside Ed’s Riverside was full of pot holes again.  The road is a private throughway owned by Morley Cohen.  In the past the borough has patched the holes with the pavement that is left over from utility cut patching. 

            The Our Town project featuring Martinsburg will hold a meeting on April 15 at the Martinsburg Elementary School.  The taping date is scheduled for April 19.

            The next South Central Counties Borough’s Association meeting will be held on April 24 in Huntingdon Borough.

            There will be an executive session following the adjournment of the reglar meeting to discuss legal matters.

            The Tour de Toona bicycle race  has been cut down to a one day race this year in Altoona and will not be coming to Martinsburg.

                        The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:28 p.m. on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Suzanne McNally.  The motion passed unanimously.

                                                                        Respectfully  submitted,

 

 

                                                M. Jane Staily

                                                Secretary