MARTINSBURG BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES
FEBRUARY 6, 2006
The regular meeting of the Martinsburg Borough Council was held on Monday, February 6, 2006, in the municipal building. The meeting started at 7:00 p.m. with prayer by Randy Stoltz and the Pledge of Allegiance.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Robert A. Carper, Sheldon O. Smith, Chris E. Brooks,
Doreen K. Easly, Nathan P. Ormsby, and Suzanne B. McNally
In addition to the council, present were Manager Randy Stoltz, Secretary Jane Staily, Attorney Frederick Gieg, Attorney Cathy Miller, Chief Kerry Hoover, Mayor Don Greenleaf, Rebekka Coakley of the Altoona Mirror, and Dan Horton of the Morrisons Cove Herald.
The MINUTES of the regular meeting of January 3, 2006, were approved on a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Chris Brooks. The motion passed unanimously.
Doreen Easly presented a review of the FINANCIAL AND TREASURER’S REPORTS for December 21-31, 2005.
The LIST OF BILLS for December 21-31, 2005, check nos. 2984-3010 in the amount of $9367.36 was approved on a motion by Doreen Easly, seconded by Sheldon Smith. The motion passed unanimously.
Doreen Easly presented a review of the FINANCIAL AND TREASURER’S REPORTS for January 1-20, 2006.
There were no bills between January 1-20, 2006.
Mayor Donald Greenleaf reported that the police department was doing a good job. He met with Chief Hoover several times to review things with him.
Chief Hoover presented the police report as written. The department has been unusually busy making arrests. The humane society wants to meet with Chief Hoover regarding a price increase on the new contract. Chief Hoover is researching other alternatives to using the humane society for stray pets. The police department receive more thermo imaging training last week by J.R.T.S. Company. The training went well. They learned how night vision and thermo imaging work together. Already several video arraignments have saved the officers several trips to Tyrone. The department had an unusual incident recently regarding an exotic pet. He suggested the borough consider an exotic pet ordinance such as Roaring Spring put in place a few years ago requiring a permit to have certain animals for the safety of the public and the officers. Chief Hoover will prepare something for next month for council to review. Chief Hoover found a few changes to a draft firearms ordinance. A copy was faxed to Attorney Gieg.
Manager Randy Stoltz reported that forty-two Christmas trees were collected during the annual Christmas Tree pick up; attended a school board meeting on the Cove Area Regional Disgester; working on updating our fire hydrant list – the fire company needs an updated list for insurance rates – we have ninety-five fire hydrants on our system; attended the Martinsburg Boosters meeting – the boosters would like to work with council to consider a main street beautification project; attended a Martinsburg Rotary meeting to discuss the digester project – the committee is still looking at the Ritchey’s Dairy property as a location – a public citizens and farmers meeting will be scheduled at the fire hall and the park on February 27th; working on a parking lot drawing for 108 E. Allegheny St.; made a request for Martinsburg to be considered as a member of the Blair Regional Uniform Construction Code
MARTINSBURG BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES
FEBRUARY 6, 2006 – PAGE 2
Board of Appeals along with other various municipalities to listen to any disputes that cannot be resolved between the inspector and the applicant – the benefit will be that Martinsburg won’t have to set up their own board; also working on the new community information guide – the last one was done in 1997 – each property owner in the borough will receive a free copy when it is complete – printing of the guide is free of charge to the borough – it is funded by area business ads;
Counter top, base cabinets and wall cabinets have been ordered from Mountain City Cabinets to replace the three old borough office desks. The cost of the project will be more than the amount budgeted for the “new desk”, but since the authority will be purchasing the new computer, the $1,000 originally budgeted for a portion of it by the borough can now be allocated towards the desk project. Rich Brantner and Brian Miller will install the counter top and cabinets when they arrive so there will be no outside labor cost for the project.
Attorney Gieg reported that the parking ticket ordinance is ready for adoption this evening.
A request was received from Dusty Bassler and Lewis Button, two abutting landowners on Christiana Street interested in taking over a portion of Christiana St. that has never been built, taken over or maintained by the borough. Manager Stoltz could not see any issues or reasons not to turn this portion over to them. Attorney Gieg prepared a deed for each of the two claims to split this portion of the street and recommends that the borough join in the claim. Council on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Doreen Easly, authorized President Bob Carper and Secretary Jane Staily to execute the deed and to have Attorney Gieg record it. The motion passed unanimously.
Attorney Miller was working on the Cove Shoes real estate tax appeal. She went through the county solicitor to get a copy of the assessment and sent it to Kelly Cohen to be returned before the scheduled hearing. Cove Shoe has retained Attorney Finn as their legal counsel.
Attorney Cathy Miller gave Jane Staily a list of refunds for the Village at Morrisons Cove listed in tax map order.
Chris Brooks requested that the borough curbs be repainted. The latex paint used the last time did not hold up as well as the oil base paint.
Nathan Ormsby attended the January meeting of the Martinsburg Municipal Authority. He commended the Morrisons Cove Herald for their recap of the meeting. He assured the council that they are being well served by the authority board, engineers, solicitor and manager.
Manager Stoltz contacted Richard Haines about the Twenty-four Member Advisory Committee. The committee only meets once a year as an oversight board. Mayor Don Greenleaf was appointed as Martinsburg’s representative to the board by consensus.
A copy of the 2005 Annual Report of the Martinsburg Volunteer Fire Company was included in the council packets.
Chris Brooks reported that he was officially sworn in as a councilman. He needs to be sworn in as a trustee of the Martinsburg Volunteer Fire Company.
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FEBRUARY 6, 2006 – PAGE 3
Manager Stoltz suggested that the Centennial Committee consider producing a coin-like piece of memorabilia for the 175th Anniversary in 2007. He found the item in one of the Hasty Awards Magazines.
Ordinance No. 2006-558 was properly advertised for consideration for adoption. This ordinance amends no. 496 establishing various parking regulations to update the cost of the parking tickets from $5 to $15. Council on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Sheldon Smith, adopted Ordinance No. 2006-559. The motion passed unanimously.
Richard Over has purchased the property at 110-112 E. Allegheny St. He has made an offer for the borough to take over the parking lot on that property. Manager Stoltz has prepared some drawings of the lot layout to improve the appearance of town center. The borough would have complete control of who parks in the lot. It is approximately 69-feet wide by 150-feet deep (irregular in shape). It would cost an estimated $11,000-$12,000 to pave. Sheldon Smith reported that the booster were interested in beautifying the entrance of the lot possibly with a brick wall with planters and seating. The lot will contain twenty-five spaces. The parking will be an asset to the town center businesses. On a motion by Sheldon Smith, seconded by Chris Brooks, council authorized Manager Stoltz to pursue an agreement with Mr. Over regarding the parking lot. The motion passed unanimously. Attorney Gieg recommended that the property be surveyed before the deed is prepared and that a title search be done to make sure it is free and clear of any liens. Attorney Gieg will prepare a covenant to record with the deed.
On a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Sheldon Smith, Connie Lamborn was appointed to serve as alternate on the Zoning Hearing board. The motion passed unanimously.
Twenty-four people attended the last Neighborhood Watch meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for February 21st at 7:00 p.m. to meet in the Jaycee Room. A representative from the 911 office will be guest speaker at that meeting.
Chief Hoover, Manager Stoltz and Councilman Brooks have been working on the borough’s web page. The borough’s current company only offers five free hours of support and the cost of the service keeps increasing each year. They are trying to transfer onto a different program so the borough can have more control over the web sight. The expirationJune 30th (the expiration date of the current company) is the target date to get a new program started. Training is being arranged through the Spring Cove School District for Chief Hoover, Manage Stoltz, Chris Brooks and Jane Staily. Items to be put on the web page will be photos, minutes, alerts, etc. There will be a lot of things that can be put on when we have the freedom to do in ourselves.
There will be an executive session on a legal matter following the adjournment of the meeting.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:17 p.m. on a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Doreen Easly. The motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
M. Jane Staily
Borough Secretary