MARTINSBURG BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES
AUGUST 7, 2006
The regular meeting of the Martinsburg Borough Council was held on Monday, August 7, 2006, 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 Robert A. Carper, Pro-tem Nathan P. Ormsby, Councilman Christopher E. Brooks, Councilwoman Doreen Easly, Councilwoman Suzanne McNally, and Councilman Sheldon O. Smith
ALSO PRESENT were Manager Randy Stoltz, Borough Secretary Jane Staily, Chief Kerry Hoover, Attorney Cathy Miller, Richard Brantner, Jr. and Dan Horton of the Morrisons Cove Herald.
The MINUTES of the regular meeting of June 29, 2006, were approved on a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Chris Brooks. The motion passed unanimously.
The MINUTES of the special meeting of July 10, 2006, were approved on a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Doreen Easly. The motion passed unanimously.
The FINANCIAL AND TREASURER’S REPORTS were presented for July 2006 as written.
Chris Brooks inquired if a transfer was ever made in 2005 to the Medical Reimbursement Fund to keep the balance at $10,000. Nathan wasn’t sure if a transfer was intended for each year. Jane Staily was asked to check into the matter.
The LIST OF BILLS for July 2006, check nos. 3240-3284 in the amount of $38,423.87 (including a PLGIT investment of $10,000) was approved on a motion by Doreen Easly, seconded by Chris Brooks. The motion passed unanimously.
Mayor Don Greenleaf reported that he participated in the Martinsburg Volunteer Firemen’s parade; he responded to a loud music complaint; he addressed violations of weed and grass ordinance at 108 W. Julian St. and the old theatre building; presented a written notice in the company of an officer to a residence.
Chief Hoover presented the police report as written. July was a busy month with all the special activities in town. Chief Hoover displayed a slide show on the computer of various police activities held in July. He spoke with Gerald Leidy about the council photo – he prefers not to superimpose the new mayor into the old council photo. He was willing to retake a new photo, even if none of the councilmen were interested in purchasing a copy.
Chief Hoover received a letter from the Blair County District Attorney’s office regarding enhancing the Blair County D.U.I. Task Force by having a number of officers sworn as County Detectives. To join, the county will need a copy of each participating municipality’s Professional Liability Insurance Policy with the county listed as an indemnified party. When officers work this duty the borough is reimbursed time-and-one-half rate by the county for their hours worked. Council had concerns about officers being overworked on their schedule during a D.U.I. Task Force duty. Chief Hoover assured them that if this duty conflicted in any way, those county shifts would be turned down by our department. Chief Hoover is only recommending that two officers be listed at County Detectives. The non-detective officers can also participate. Council on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Doreen Easly, approved to participate in the Blair County D.U.I. Task Force by having two officers appointed as County Detectives and to include Blair County as an indemnified party on Martinsburg’s liability policy. The motion passed unanimously.
The current borough nuisance ordinance states that the borough must wait ten days after written notification before the ordinance can be enforced. We currently notify by written warning personally delivered. If no one is home it is posted on the door of the residence. If the nuisance is not abated within ten days, the department then sends them a certified letter – return receipt requested. Then the department waits an additional ten days before daily citations are issued. Then at some point they can go in and actually abate the nuisance for them [and lien the property for the costs]. Chief Hoover would like to have grass/weed offenses changed so they can be taken care of sooner. Attorney Miller will obtain other area ordinances and prepare an amendment for Chief Hoover and Manager Stoltz to review. The amendment could be approved for advertisement as early as next month’s meeting.
Chief Hoover informed council that the squad car(s) may need numbers put on the top of them for the police helicopter to see when it is in the area. Chief Hoover will contact the 911 Center to see how they intend to number them to distinguish them.
Manager Stoltz reported that the Central High waterline replacement project started July 17th and is almost done; attended an emergency management coordinator training seminar – the NIMS training is mandatory for municipalities to receive grant money for disasters; attended the July 20th authority meeting; the 2006 paving project was started and completed on July 31st; and Brian and Ritchey have been power washing the borough garage to prepare it to be painted.
Attorney Cathy Miller reported that she is still waiting on the as-built drawings from P. Joseph Lehman for the Kanode development.
Chris Brooks surveyed the paving project. It looks really good but still needs to be verified. He commended the borough crew on how well they maintain the borough streets in comparison to surrounding municipalities.
Doreen Easly reported that things were going well with the 175th Anniversary Committee. The committee can always use more help. They meet the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Jaycee Room.
Mayor Greenleaf felt that there was a yard in the borough that the Yard of the Month neglected to consider. Suzanne McNally explained the procedure of how yards are chosen. Each month the ballots are collected from the ballot boxes and a yard is chosen by the Garden Club from that month’s ballots. Anyone in the borough can cast a ballot or ballots in the boxes each month or every month. Chief Hoover recommended that the Yard of the Month Club consider putting their ballot on the borough’s web page so nominations can be made on-line as well. Chris offered to put the ballot on-line.
Sheldon Smith reported that the president of the Boosters scheduled a meeting with a representative of the downtown mainstreet revitalization group. The borough manager will also be included in that meeting.
The mandatory NIMS training is required to be completed by September 30, 2006. The training required for the councilmen is only step one. Emergency personnel will be required to also complete step two of the training. Council on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Doreen Easly, approved to advertise that council would be meeting for the NIMS training along with other required municipal officials on Thursday, August 17, 2006, at 6:00 p.m. at the Cove Educational Community Center. The motion passed unanimously.
Both owners of the portion of E. Christiana St. have signed the agreement for the borough to take over the portion of E. Christiana St. that intersects with Oakdale Road. There is a minor misspelling in the survey that needs corrected before the ordinance can be advertised. On a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Chris Brooks, council approved to advertise Ordinance No. 2006-562 to take over E. Christiana Street as it intersects with Oakdale Road, subject to Attorney Cathy Miller notifying Jane Staily when the surveys are corrected. A public hearing to receive public input concerning the takeover of the portion of Christiana Street by the borough must be advertised to be held just prior to the regular meeting scheduled to adopt this ordinance. The motion passed unanimously.
On a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Sheldon Smith, council adopted Resolution No. 2006-0807-01 to change the name of Hemlock Alley to Hemlock Street. The motion passed unanimously.
Manager Stoltz mentioned that the borough is in need of a new cinder spreader for this winter. Council on a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Suzanne McNally, approved to purchase a Fink cinder spreader from the Equipment Fund for approximately $3,000. The motion passed unanimously.
It was the consensus of council to designate Thursday, October 26, 2006, as trick-or-treat Night in Martinsburg from 6-8:00 p.m. upon Chief Hoover’s recommendation. The county started a few years ago to designate the last Thursday of the month as their recommended Trick-or-Treat night to try to unify it countywide.
Chief Hoover is planning to put a request in for a new cruiser for next year. He would also like to get prices on a four-wheel-drive vehicle unit.
Council expressed their appreciation to the Martinsburg Volunteer Fire Department for the parade that they held and their annual ox roast outing on July 14-15.
Manager Stoltz prepared a letter of support for the efforts of the Hollidaysburg American Legion Ambulance Service in their application to the United States Department of Agriculture Community Facilities Program to try to secure grant money for the replacement of three fleet emergency vehicles. Council was in support of the letter to the U.S.D.A. Community Facilities Program.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:20 p.m. on a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Chris Brooks. The motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
M. Jane Staily
Secretary