MARTINSBURG BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES
MAY 7, 2007
The regular meeting of the Martinsburg Borough Council was held on Monday, May 7, 2007, 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, Vice-President Brian Gahagan, Pro-tem Nathan P. Ormsby, Councilman Christopher E. Brooks, Linda K. Smith and Councilwoman Suzanne B. McNally
ALSO PRESENT were Manager Randy Stoltz, Borough Secretary Jane Staily, Attorney Cathy Miller, Attorney Frederick Gieg, Chief Kerry Hoover, Sergeant Justin Davis, Mike Baldner, County Tax Assessor and Dan Horton of the Morrisons Cove Herald.
Blair County Chief Assessor Mike Baldner was in attendance to explain and answer questions about the Board of Commissioner’s resolution to implement an interim assessment and billing process for eligible new construction erected throughout the county and municipalities during any specific year after the annual assessments are fixed. The first interim cycle will begin for the tax year 2007. For compliance purposes the county is recommending that municipalities adopt similar language within a Resolution. The resolution will generate more income for municipalities because the increased tax assessments will start sooner – the year they are implemented instead of the following January. This will not have much of an impact in Martinsburg since the borough has no room for expansion.
The MINUTES of the regular meeting of April 2, 2007 were approved on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Nathan Ormsby. The motion passed unanimously.
The FINANCIAL AND TREASURER’S REPORTS were presented for April, 2007 as written.
The LIST OF BILLS for April 2007, check nos. 3648-3694 in the amount of $14,495.26 was approved on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Suzanne McNally. The motion passed unanimously.
Mayor Don Greenleaf presented council with the Citation that State Representative Jerry Stern presented to him at the 175th Anniversary Dinner Dance on April 21st held at the Morrisons Cove Memorial Park. The Citation was prepared by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in recognition of the 175th Anniversary of the incorporation of the Borough of Martinsburg. Mayor Greenleaf suggested that a thank you letter be sent to Representative Jerry Stern for the receipt of the Citation. He relayed the commendation that was expressed by former councilman Roy Stern regarding the 175th Anniversary Committee and the dinner dance for being a great success. Mayor Greenleaf also attended the South Central Counties Boroughs Association meeting held in Bellwood on April 19th and the census meeting at the Blair County Courthouse on April 24th . He attended his first Blair County 24-Member Planning Committee meeting on April 26th. The comprehensive plan appears to be their main topic of interest. Attended the Booster Association meeting on April 12 – the Martinsburg Police Department was recognized for the work they do on protecting the community.
Chief Hoover presented his police report as written. The Booster Association at their April 12 meeting recognized the Martinsburg Police Department for the work they do on protecting the community. Police officers and spouses were invited. The Boosters presented the department with a check for $200 to reimburse the department for the cell phone pilot program. The annual bicycle rodeo was held on April 21th at the Morrisons Cove Memorial Park – 25 kids attended – the Rotary Club purchased 250 new bicycle registration stickers
MARTINSBURG BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES
MAY 7, 2007 - PAGE 2
for the department. Frederick Asper from Kentucky was recently sentenced in Blair County Court for 3-6 years in a correction facility – he was apprehended in Martinsburg a while back for a stolen car. Recently applied for a grant from the Highway Safety Department for $500 of wages for officers to set up a seat belt check – the officers hours for this will not go over and above what they are normally assigned. The next neighborhood Watch meeting will be May 8 in the Jaycee Room – Bedford County Sheriff Mark Miller will demonstrate some drug searches and the tracking capability of his canine unit. Chief Hoover expressed a thank you to Manager Stoltz’s mother for donating the air conditioning unit recently installed in the police department. Chief Hoover recommended that the $1600 budgeted in the Equipment Fund for a computer program no longer needed now be redirected to upgrading the officers laptops. It was the consensus of council to approve the reallocation of funds. An offer of $2,500 was received from John Stuckey Ford for the old cruiser. This was more than we recently received for the past few cruisers sold. Council on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Nathan Ormsby, accepted the offer of $2,500 from John Stuckey Ford. The motion passed unanimously.
Manager Stoltz explained that the Well Head Protection signs placed at each end of town are part of the grant received. The authority is also going to receive three educational items on ground water circulation through the grant for the school district to use. Manager Stoltz and his wife attended the 175th Anniversary Dinner Dance on April 21st. Attended a workshop on the upcoming 2010 census – most of the people in the county will be receiving a short form to fill out – only 20% of the people will file a long form. Blair County is once again conducting a West Nile Virus program to test mosquitoes. Barkman Oil will no longer be providing the sale of fuel on Nicodemus St. which the borough purchased through the card system - an account was recently set up at Blair County Oil for the municipal and police vehicles. As a courtesy towards the borough, BCO will make fuel available to all emergency personnel even during the hours they are closed. FEMA is updating the flood maps – the last one was done in 1982. The Blair County 911 is in the process of finalizing the addressing and mapping – Manager Stoltz and Chief Hoover proofread and corrected their copy and returned it.
Secretary Jane Staily expressed the secretaries’ appreciation for the thoughtful flowers and gifts they received from the council and mayor on secretaries’ day.
Linda Smith reported that the Revitalization Committee met with Marty Malone of Lehman Engineering today. The design and the feasibility study must be complete before they can apply for a grant. Their next meeting will be May 24th. In response to Linda’s inquiry, Manager Stoltz recommended that the project design be completed before the town center parking lot is paved. Nathan Ormsby implied that council might want to consider paving it now since the design could take years. Manager Stoltz was asked to check with Marty Malone before the paving is planned.
Linda Smith read a lot of nice responses the Boosters received to their question “What do you appreciate about being in this community?”
Attorney Cathy Miller has prepared the language in the format needed for the interim real estate assessment resolution. On a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Brian Gahagan, council approved to advertise Resolution No. 07-0604-1 requesting Blair County to perform interim assessments of property during any specific year after the annual assessments are fixed for consideration for adoption at the next meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
MARTINSBURG BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES
MAY 7, 2007 – PAGE 3
Attorney Gieg recommended that the borough require a certificate of insurance from the Tour de Toona for they cycling event before the upcoming resolution under new business is released to them. Secretary Jane Staily reported that it was already received. This was the first time that they ever sent a copy of the certificate of insurance along with the sample resolution.
Brian Gahagan apologized for not attending the 175th Anniversary Dinner Dance. He was in Florida at the time.
Suzanne McNally reported that ash gray was chosen as the color for the new metal roof on the municipal building.
Chris Brooks recommended that a section of Christiana St. be examined for an erosion problem. A section of the pavement is peeled and broken.
Suzanne McNally reported on the upcoming events in celebration of the 175th Anniversary:
Suzanne McNally expressed a thank you on behalf of herself and Doreen for the flowers they received from the council and mayor on Secretaries’ day in appreciation of all the work they were putting into the upcoming and past 175th Anniversary Celebration events.
She also reported that the Yard of the Month contest this year will run for the following four months: May, June, July and August. Votes can now be cast on-line.
An ambulance board member is still needed to replace Ralph Sheffy. The new member must attend the monthly meetings in Hollidaysburg. The new member could be anyone in the ambulance service area – they do not necessarily need to be a borough resident. Dan Horton will mention the vacancy in his article in the Morrisons Cove Herald.
Manager Stoltz made calls to various vendors for spouting bids for the municipal building. Only two responded back and neither of them bid the same thing: Mr. Spouting, Inc. bid on 6” spouting; Mark Dilling bid on 5” spouting. On a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Suzanne McNally, council voted to accept the bid from Mark Dilling in the amount of $1,828.68 for 5” half-round white aluminum spouting. The motion passed unanimously.
Bids for the town center parking lot paving project were received as follows:
MARTINSBURG BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES
MAY 7, 2007 – PAGE 4
Cottle’s bid came in 20% higher than the estimated price; New Enterprise’s bid was not bid as advertised. Based on the attorney’s recommendation council on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Brian Gahagan, voted to reject all bids. The motion passed with 5 yays, 0 nays, and Robert Carper abstained.
On a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Brian Gahagan, council voted to readvertise for the town center parking lot paving project as per the original specifications. The motion passed unanimously.
A thank you note was received from Chris and Heather Brooks for the flowers they received from the Borough Council, Mayor and Employees upon the birth of their son Bryson.
A gift certificate was received from the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs worth $150 towards a registration for any one of two upcoming conferences: PSAB 96th Annual Conference in King of Prussia or PSAB Fall Leadership Conference in State College.
Manager Stoltz contacted Com Pros regarding the radio antennas at the municipal building to be relocated since the chimney and antenna pole will be taken down. The cost for two new antennas, wire installation and labor will cost about $1,283. This amount can be paid for from the video fund since it is technology related.
There was a brief executive session following the adjournment of the meeting to discuss an offer of property to the borough.
It was noted that there was a traffic visibility problem at the end of Spring Street regarding the political sign that was temporarily erected. Chief Hoover already addressed the problem and the property owner has moved it back two feet.
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Linda Smith. The motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
M. Jane Staily
Secretary