MARTINSBURG BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 5, 2006
The regular meeting of the Martinsburg Borough Council was held on Tuesday, September 5, 2006, in the municipal building.
ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT: Mayor Donald C. Greenleaf, Vice-President Brian K. Gahagan, 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., Christine Wagner, Sgt. Justin Davis, and Dan Horton of the Morrisons Cove Herald.
Prior the regular meeting was a public hearing which was advertised to receive public input concerning the takeover of a portion of E. Christiana Street by the Borough of Martinsburg. The hearing was called to order at 6:45 p.m. Only one resident came regarding a concern. Christine Wagner questioned what portion of the street was being taken over. It was described that it was only the portion of E. Christiana Street as it intersects with Oakdale Road, being 150 feet in length and 50 feet in width. W. Christiana Street was not involved. The public hearing adjourned at 6:53 p.m.
The regular portion of the meeting started at 7:00 p.m. with prayer by Randy Stoltz and the Pledge of Allegiance. Vice-President Brian Gahagan chaired the meeting in the absence of Bob Carper, who was ill with meningitis.
Vice-President Gahagan explained that his absence the past few months was schedule related and he was not planning to resign.
The MINUTES of the regular meeting of August 7, 2006, were approved on a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Doreen Easly with a correction to the date in the last paragraph of page two “September 30” (not September 31). The motion passed unanimously.
The FINANCIAL AND TREASURER’S REPORTS were presented for August 2006 as written.
The LIST OF BILLS for August 2006, check nos. 3285-3325 in the amount of $57,997.22 (including a PLGIT investment of $40,000) was approved on a motion by Doreen Easly, seconded by Chris Brooks. The motion passed unanimously.
Mayor Greenleaf strongly suggested that a new group photo of the borough officials be taken as soon as possible so he can be included. It was decided to schedule to have it taken at 6:45 p.m. on the evening of the regular October meeting if everyone can be in attendance. Gerald Leidy will be contacted to see if he can take it that evening. Reminders will be sent out to all those involved.
Mayor Greenleaf read a personal statement that he wrote claiming that he has been acting as a bystander only at the town center parking lot project recently.
Chief Hoover presented the police report as written. August was an exceptionally busy month. A number of arrests were made under the crimes code. A bank robbery was most prevailing. Sergeant Justin Davis was working the day of the robbery and put numerous hours in. The case is still ongoing even though the two men have been apprehended and put in jail. Chief Hoover and council expressed their appreciation to Sergeant Davis for his dedication to his job and for doing such a fine job on the case. There will not be any neighborhood crime watch meetings scheduled for September. Chief Hoover recommended in lieu of the meeting that everyone attend the Countywide Neighborhood Crime Watch meeting. Chief Hoover explained that the police department received a lap top “tablet” computer through a grant from the terrorism task force for use in the cruiser. A program is needed. The department’s goal for the wireless computer is to spend more time out in the field and less time in the office. The J-net program is being encouraged instead of going through 911 when looking up driver licenses. Every department in the county received at least one table. Christ Brooks supports the need for a wireless table for the department. It is also important to the officers’ safety. The wireless table could have speeded apprehending the bank robbers.
Manager Stoltz reported that Garry Keithley had died on August 8th. Mr. Keithley was a great help to the municipal authority throughout the years and was especially helpful in aiding them with the installation of the electronic water meters in Gene Henry’s trailer courts. Attended the annual community fund meeting on August 8th to assemble the fund raiser mailings – this year’s goal is to distribute $35,000; attended the meeting of the Cove Area Regional Digester Project on August 11th – a recent grant was received to conduct a pilot study for the project; on August 16th had the bed of the 1997 Ford truck coated so the cinder spreader can be put on – the cost to have it sandblasted and coated was $1,495 and the cost for a new truck bed was $8,000 – Curry Supply did the job; attended the NIMS training instructed by Chief Hoover for the borough council and officials on August 17th; attended the hazardous mitigation training on August 21; Pennsylvania Rural Water Association was in to help with leak detection on August 22 – six water leaks were located; Richard Over and his wife were in town and signed the deeds for the borough to take over the parking lot on August 25; T. L. Long started work on the parking lot on August 28; Manager Stoltz has begun working on the written emergency response plan for the water system required by D.E.P. to be submitted by November – also working on an Operations and Maintenance Manual; the town did not receive any flooding as anticipated during the recent hurricane – Blair County Emergency Management set up conference calling with all municipalities at one time to enable them to discuss the emergency plans – 3.2” of rain was measured at the municipal garage during the storm; Martinsburg, Clover Creek and Fredericksburg will be without power through Penelec when the S. Market Street pole is replaced on September 13 (from 12 – 8 a.m.).
Attorney Cathy Miller reported that she has been working with Manager Stoltz and Chief Hoover on the nuisance ordinance. The main revision will be to speed up the process for high grass and weed complaints. Chief Hoover gets a lot of complaints about expired vehicle registrations. This may be considered for inclusion in the nuisance ordinance also. A draft copy should be available for review next month. Attorney Miller has also been working on the documents to deed the Over parking lot to the borough. She also prepared an ordinance for consideration for adoption this evening regarding the borough taking over the portion of E. Christiana St.
It was mentioned that Dale Walters of E. Allehgeny St. was parking his boat on the old Benson school lot. This was a concern to the borough for the upcoming winter due to plowing in the alley. Chief Hoover will contact Mr. Walters regarding this situation.
Results are back from D.E.P. regarding the well head protection plan. Once the geologist responds it will be resubmitted to D.E.P.
Doreen Easly reported that the 175th Anniversary Committee is no longer planning to do a birthday calendar. The committee is selling T-shirts as a fund raiser. Only four people attended the last committee meeting held. More interest is needed in planning the upcoming events. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 18, at 6:30 p.m. to be held in the Jaycee room.
The Yard of the Month Committee will be collecting ballots at the end of the month at the final contest for the year.
Council on a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Nathan Ormsby, adopted Ordinance No. 2006-562 to take over the portion of E. Christiana Street as it intersects with Oakdale Road, being 150 feet in length and 50 feet in width. The motion passed unanimously.
Jane Staily prepared the minimum municipal obligation for the Non-Uniformed and Uniformed pension plans for insertion into the 2007 budget as a requirement of Act 205 of 1984. Council on a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Suzanne McNally, adopted the 2007 MMO’s as follows: Non-Uniformed Plan $15,363 and Uniformed Plan $9,558. The motion passed unanimously.
Six deeds were involved in the take over of the town center parking lot. When the paperwork is all done, Richard McGraw, Richard Over and the Borough of Martinsburg will all have new deeds.
Council on a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Doreen Easly, adopted Resolution No. 2006-0905-01 to implement the National Incident Management System. The motion passed unanimously. Brian Gahagan still needs to take the NIMS training.
The borough was notified that Burgmeirs Hauling was taking over Steward’s Hauling business. On a motion by Chris Brooks, seconded by Doreen Easly, council voted to switch their trash pick up to Herb Decker instead of Burgmeirs to keep the business local. The motion passed unanimously. A letter will be sent to Burgmeirs informing them of the change.
Letters from PEMA regarding the NIMS training and a letter for Home Nursing in request of a donation were included in the council packets for review.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:24 p.m. on a motion by Nathan Ormsby, seconded by Chris Brooks. The motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
M. Jane Staily
Secretary