MINUTES
City Council Meeting
City of Butler, Pennsylvania
July 25, 2019
Mayor Smith called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Mayor Smith and Council members Walter, Smith, Bonus and Roche were present. The pledge of allegiance to the flag followed an invocation given by Fr. John Baver, St. Paul’s Catholic Church.
Mayor Smith presented keys to the City and proclamations to Butler AM Rotary and to Butler Rotary declaring July 25, 2019 as “Butler Rotarian Day”.
Tracy Hack gave an overview of BCCC’s Opioid Initiative and a successful community garden in Ohio. There will be a community garden created on land donated by Donna Smith. If another grant is received, Tracy would like to extend the garden into the City lot adjacent to Donna Smith’s property.
CITY COUNCIL, ACTING AS THE BOARD OF HEALTH, and under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 11 Cities; Chapter 123 Public Health; Subchapter B – Public Nuisances Detrimental to Public Health; §12321 Abatement of public nuisances by designated department; finds the following subject structure detrimental to public health and orders its removal by demolition:
515 Carbon Street
Motion by Mayor Smith. Second by CM Walter. All voted aye.
Motion by Mayor Smith with a second from CM Walter to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of July 9, 2019. All voted aye.
Motion by Mayor Smith with a second from CM Walter to acknowledge receipt of the monthly minutes from RACB, including the CDBG/HOME Program activities. All voted aye.
MONTHLY BOARDS AND AUTHORITIES LIAISON REPORTS
Liaisons of the City’s boards and authorities gave a brief report from the board or authority that met in June.
MONTHLY DEPARTMENT REPORTS
(Note: Department Reports Distributed to Council electronically)
Department reports for the month of June were approved by individual, unanimous votes.
COUNCIL REPORTS/ACTIONS
Councilman Walter
- Motion to approve a payment in the amount of $17,297.54 to Wells Fargo Bank for an interest payment for the General Obligation Bond Series of 2005. LIN 01 472 700. Second by CM Roche. All voted aye.
Councilman Bonus
- Motion to accept the bid from Hercules Truck Equipment in the amount of $4,400.00 for a 9-foot plow to be used in the Streets Department. (Bids: Hercules Truck Equipment, $4,400.00; Sabre Equipment Inc., $5,947.00; Stephenson Equipment, Inc., $5,166.00) LIN 35 430 429. Second by Mayor Smith. All voted aye.
- Motion to approve a block party on W. Fulton Street from alley way next to 229 W. Fulton Street to the alley way next to 229 W. Fulton Street on Sunday, August 18, 2019 from 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Second by Mayor Smith. All voted aye.
Councilman Roche
A Letter of Commendation was presented by Chief Switala and Councilman Roche to Firefighter, James A. Reeder for his outstanding duty performance pursuant to a premature delivery of a newborn baby girl on July 1, 2019.
Mayor Smith
- Motion to accept the bid from Bauer Excavating, Inc. in the amount of $19,500.00 for the Sullivan Run Stream Cleaning Project. LIN 18 427 770. Second by CM Roche. All voted aye.
- Motion to approve payment of Application No. 1 from Bronder Technical Services in the amount of $60,731.37 for the Main Street Lighting Project. LIN 18 427 307. Second by CM Walter. All voted aye.
- Motion for the introduction and first reading of City Ordinance No. 1777; An ordinance of the City of Butler amending part three, Chapter 57 (Firefighters Pension Plan) of the codified ordinances of the City of Butler to incorporate plan changes resulting from collective bargaining negotiations during fiscal year 2018; to increase plan member years of credited service purchase price from three percent of a participant’s current compensation to five percent. Second by CM Walter. All voted aye.
Reappointment:
City Shade Tree Commission:
Diane Smith for a 3-year term ending June, 2022
The City Treasurer presented a monthly intake report for June, 2019.
In the absence of the City Controller, the City Clerk presented bills for payment as follows: from the general fund – $166,178.80; from the parking fund – $32,113.24; from the capital projects fund – $139.00; and from the liquid fuels tax fund – $2,927.59; for a grand total of $201,358.63. Motion by Mayor Smith with second from CM Walter to approve payment of bills as presented. All voted aye.
PERSONS TO BE HEARD:
George Aubrey asked that the City of Butler meet with Butler Township, Center Township and Butler County to apply for a grant through the DEP to create two retention ponds on his property. These ponds would help reduce flooding along Sullivan Run.
A resident voiced concerns and frustration about cars blocking entrance to her home along the retaining wall.
- ANNOUNCEMENTS
- WISR City Hall – Mayor Smith & Councilman Smith
- First Responder Light Up Night – Saturday, July 27th Mayor Smith adjourned the meeting at 7:51 PM.
