MINUTES
City Council Oaths of Office and Reorganization Meeting
City of Butler, Pennsylvania
January 3, 2022, 11AM
Agenda: 2022 Agenda Jan 3
Mayor Dandoy opened the meeting at 11:00 AM. Chief O’Neill led in the pledge of allegiance after the invocation was given by Father John Baver, All Saints Parish, Butler.
- At 11:00 AM, January 3, 2022, the following named individuals who won election on November 2, 2021, took their oaths of office administered by the Honorable Judge William C. Robinson, Jr.: Mayor Robert A. Dandoy, Councilman Larry Christy and Councilman Donald Shearer. Their term of office is from January 2022 through January 2026.
- City Council met immediately after the swearing-in for its reorganization meeting. Mayor Dandoy, Councilman Walter, Councilman Shearer, and Councilman Christy were present.
PA Title 11 – § 11103. Director, Public Affairs & Bureau of Police – Mayor Dandoy.
Motion by Mayor Dandoy with a second from CM Christy to assign Councilman Walter as Director of Accounts & Finance. CM Walter abstained. CM Shearer, CM Christy and Mayor Dandoy voted aye.
Motion by Mayor Dandoy with a second from CM Walter to assign Councilman Christy as Director of Public Safety & Bureau of Fire. CM Christy abstained. CM Walter, CM Shearer and Mayor Dandoy voted aye.
Motion by Mayor Dandoy with a second from CM Walter to assign Councilman Shearer as Director of Parks and Public Property. CM Shearer abstained. CM Walter, CM Christy and Mayor Dandoy voted aye.
- City Council Liaison Appointments.
Redevelopment Authority of the City of Butler – Don Shearer
Butler Area Sewer Authority – Mike Walter
Butler County/City Connoquenessing Creek Flood Control Authority – Mike Walter
City of Butler Planning & Zoning Commission – Larry Christy
Zoning Hearing Board – Larry Christy
Code Management Appeals Board – Larry Christy
City Shade Tree Commission – Don Shearer
Pension Investment Advisory Board; Director of Accounts/Finance – Mike Walter
Butler Area Public Library – Bob Dandoy
City of Butler Parks, Recreation Grounds & Facilities Authority – Mike Walter
BAMM Plan Oversight Committee – Don Shearer
Bicycle Advisory Commission – Mike Walter
Butler Downtown – Bob Dandoy
Rotary Arts District – Bob Dandoy
Motion by Mayor Dandoy to approve City Council Liaison Appointments. Second by CM Shearer. All voted aye.
COUNCIL ACTIONS
Mayor Dandoy
In accordance with the provisions of §10802 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Title 11, motion to appoint Barbara E. Hall to the position of City Controller and to a term of office that shall run from January 3, 2022, through January 2024. (Note: The next municipal election is in November 2023, and the term of office for the person elected to the position of City Controller at that time shall run from January 2024 to January 2028.) Second by CM Walter. All voted aye.
The Honorable Judge William C. Robinson, Jr. administered Barbara Hall’s oath of office.
Mayor Dandoy:
First of all, let us begin with “Thank You’s…”
I extend my thanks to former council members Jeff Smith and Kenny Bonus and to Mayor Ben Smith and I also extend my congratulations to my fellow council members. As I said at our last council meeting, when anyone steps up to serve this community in an elected office, they deserve our appreciation and that willingness to serve should be celebrated. I thank Ben, Kenny, and Jeff for their service, and I look forward to serving with Larry and Don. It will also be of great benefit to this community and to myself personally that Councilman Mike Walter will continue to serve. I’ve learned much from him and always value his counsel.
No matter that we are a small community. The willingness of all these men to serve AND to facilitate a smooth and productive transition in government is to be applauded.
I also extend my heartfelt thanks to all the department heads throughout our city government. They work tirelessly to deliver the services and manage the resources that fulfill the needs of our residents. In particular, I have worked closely with Chief Switala, John Evans, and Rod Huey and looking forward to learning more and accomplishing more with them and all of our other department leaders.
The list of thank you’s is not complete without noting the counsel of Solicitor Tom Breth and, above all, Mindy Gall. Mindy is the one who “keeps the train running.”
I also thank every single employee, every other elected official, every volunteer who serves on a commission or board, anyone who contributes to the betterment of our city. I can assure our residents that these people DO believe in our community, in the mission of this city government, and that they work hard to bring that mission to reality.
I ask everyone in the city’s employ, to approach their work with diligence, dedication, congeniality, and good humor. Every positive interaction between our city representatives and anyone who lives, works, or recreates within our city borders improves the quality of life and increases our chances for continued success. Every positive action with any coworker or supervisor facilitates the work to be done and increases our potential to be productive. I promise I will bring these qualities to my work, and I expect no less from everyone who represents this city in any way.
When I campaigned for office, I said that I did not have the answers to everything. I said that I would reach out to EVERYONE in this community and ask for their help, their work, their support, and assistance. With that thought in mind, I also reach out to the residents of our town, and I ask the same of them that I ask of our city employees and representatives. It is not the first time and will not be the last time that many have heard me say that “the rising tide raises all ships” and that “success breeds success.” Our chances of successfully serving you, the citizens of Butler, are exponentially increased when we work in an atmosphere of cooperation and collegiality, when we show each other courtesy and respect.
If we are all negative, if we criticize unfairly, nitpick at every effort made, undermine every decision – I can then GUARANTEE that we will fail to make Butler better, to improve the quality of life. That’s guaranteed.
There is NO GUARANTEE that if we approach our challenges and work with a more proactive, productive, positive approach, we will succeed. I’m not naïve. I understand that. But, at least in this case, WE HAVE A CHANCE. There is a possibility that we will succeed. If you don’t believe in what we’re doing, step aside. Let us try. And doing things in this manner, takes no more effort, no more resources, no more expense than being negative.
I hope that we embrace this as a hallmark of our community.
Let me take my cue from and paraphrase the words of President Kennedy: All of the work we want to do, all of the challenges we want to overcome, will not be finished in the first months, the first year, or in the entire time I am mayor.
But the time has now come for us to begin. Let’s join together and embrace and work from a common perspective that Butler is a good community and that we can make it better.
Announcement:
City Council is looking for someone interested in filling the seat of City Council for a period of two years until the next municipal election. Preference is a candidate with a financial background. All letters of interest should be addressed to the attention of Mayor Dandoy and either mailed or delivered to the city building by February 9, 2022.
There being no other business, Mayor Dandoy adjourned the meeting at 11:22 AM.
