October 22, 2015

MINUTES

City Council Meeting

City of Butler, Pennsylvania

October 22, 2015

Mayor Donaldson called the meeting to order at 7:01 PM.  Mayor Donaldson and Council members Readie, Kline, Schontz and May were present. The pledge of allegiance to the flag followed an invocation given by Pastor Jeff Harris, Crossroad Community.

COMMERCIAL PRIDE AWARD:

Reclamation Brewing Company – 221 S. Main Street

Motion by CM May with second from CW Readie to approve the minutes of Regular meeting of September 24, 2015 and the special meeting of October 8, 2015. All voted aye.

MONTHLY & ANNUAL DEPARTMENT REPORTS

(Note:  Department Reports Distributed to Council at Tuesday’s Forum Meeting for Review)

Department reports for the month of September were approved by individual, unanimous votes.  Monthly reports from the City Clerk and the City Treasurer will be distributed once the monthly cash audit has been completed.

The following action took place at the City’s Forum Meeting held on October 20, 2015:

Veronica Walker, Operations Manager of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Butler briefed Council and the public on the 2015 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application at a Public Hearing held at 6:15 PM.

COUNCIL REPORTS/ACTIONS

Councilwoman Readie

1. Motion to approve distribution of 2015 State Aid for pension plans as follows:  to the Firefighters Pension Plan – $168,046.00, to the Police Pension Plan – $222,266.00 and to the Officers’ & Employees’ Pension Plan – $9,595.14, with the total amount of 2015 State Aid distributed to pension plans being $399,925.14. Second by CW Kline.  All voted aye.

2. Motion to pay $13,132.86 from the General Fund to the Officers’ & Employees’ Pension Plan to fill the requirement for the 2015 MMO. Second by CW Kline.  All voted aye.

3. Motion to pay the first installment of the 2015 small borrowing loan to NexTier in the amount of $188,360.93.  $187,500.00 – LIN 01 472 913 – Principal:  $860.93 – LIN 01 472 914 – Interest. Second by CW Kline.  All voted aye.
4. Motion to approve City Resolution No. 2015-10-22 approving the City’s Community Development Block Grant Application for FY 2015. Second by CM Schontz.  All voted aye.

5. Motion to approve City Resolution No. 2015-10-22A, a resolution to revise the 2012 CDBG Program as follows:  Reduce the Parks, Recreation Facilities – Rotary Park line item by $681 and reallocate the same amount to the Street Improvement – Reconstruction line item. Second by CM Schontz.  All voted aye.

6. Motion to approve City Resolution No. 2015-10-22B, a resolution to revise the 2013 CDBG Program as follows:  Reduce the Streets Improvements – Infrastructure line item by $47,308.55 and reallocate the same amount to the Street Improvement – Reconstruction line item.  Second by CM Schontz.  All voted aye.

7. Motion to appoint Kerry Hornyak as the Administrative Assistant beginning November 29, 2015.  Second by CM May.  All voted aye.

Councilman Schontz

8. Motion for the introduction and first reading of City Ordinance No. 1717; an ordinance of the city of Butler, Pennsylvania amending chapter 57 of the codified ordinances to add a temporary window expiring December 31, 2015 to allow participants to purchase up to three years of part time service to be credited as service under the pension plan.  Second by CW Kline.  CM Schontz voted aye.  CW Readie, CW Kline, CM May and Mayor Donaldson voted no.  Motion defeated.

9. Motion to install “Residential Parking Only” signs on the west side of Pillow Street between Sixth and Eighth Avenue on a 90-day trial basis.  Second by CW Kline.  All voted aye.

10. Motion to install “Residential Parking Only” signs on Birch Street between Cliff Street and McKean Street on a 90-day trial basis.  Second by Mayor Donaldson.  All voted aye.

11. Motion to install a “No Parking Here to Corner” sign on the eastern corner of the alley between Wallula & West Boyd Avenues on a 90-day trial basis.  Second by CW Kline.  All voted aye.

12. Motion to install a “No Parking Here to Corner” sign on Mercer Street, 50 feet from the corner of West Brady Street on a 90-day trial basis.  Second by CW Kline.  All voted aye.

13. Motion to install 2 “Watch Children” signs on Colby Street on a 90-day trial basis. Second by CM May.  All voted aye.

Mayor Donaldson

14. Motion to authorize a refund of excess business privilege tax paid by the Rite Aid Corporation to the City of Butler for the period from 2012 to 2015 in the amount of $54,810.14.  Second by CW Kline.  All voted aye.
15. Motion to consent to the sale of 210 South Street for $2,211.00 to be sold from the Butler County Repository by the Butler County Tax Claim Bureau to Nancy Claypoole (tax parcel 561-37-145).  Second by CW Readie.  All voted aye.

16. Motion to draft a boilerplate agreement to be used for selling police services to outlying municipalities.  Second by CW Kline.  CW Readie, CW Kline, CM Schontz and Mayor Donaldson voted aye.  CM May voted no.  Motion passed by a vote of 4 to 1.

17.  Motion to authorize the hiring of one entry-level police officer per any vacancy that occurs prior to December 31, 2015.  Second by CW Readie.  All voted aye.

18.  Motion to appeal the reassessment of the Broad Street School property.  Second by CW Kline.  All voted aye.

The City Treasurer presented an estimated Monthly Intake Report for September, 2015.

In absence of the City Controller, the City Clerk, presented bills for payment as follows: from the general fund – $815,440.66; from the capital projects fund – $25,546.67; and from the liquid fuels tax fund – $2,640.25 for a grand total of $843,627.58. Motion by Mayor Donaldson with second from CW Readie to approve payment of bills as presented.  All voted aye.   

• ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• WISR City Hall –   Mayor Donaldson and Councilman Schontz.
• Reminder for residents to display house numbers.
• Veterans’ Day Parade – Wednesday, November 11th at 10:40 AM  
• City Building will be closed on Wednesday, November 11th in observance of Veterans’ Day
• Trick or Treat – October 31st from 6PM – 7PM

Mayor Donaldson adjourned the meeting at 7:42 PM.