MINUTES
City Council Meeting
City of Butler, Pennsylvania
December 3, 2019
Mayor Smith called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Mayor Smith and Council members Walter, Smith, Bonus and Reese were present. The pledge of allegiance to the flag followed an invocation given by Mitch Natali, St. Paul’s Catholic Church.
PERSONS TO BE HEARD:
Bob Dandoy thanked the Mayor for keeping him in the loop with all that is going on. He asked that council please consider hold off on any major initiatives until after he is sworn in at the beginning of the year. He encouraged council to have a massive line of communication between council and the community prior to any major decision that will affect the City for years.
Mark Krenitsky voiced concerns over the sale of parking assets. He doesn’t like the idea and said taxes are too high and increased parking fees will hurt the City.
Motion by Mayor Smith with a second from CM Bonus to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of November 21, 2019 and the special meeting of November 25, 2019. All voted aye.
COUNCIL REPORTS/ACTIONS
Councilman Walter
- Motion to accept a proposal submitted by NexTier Bank for a 2020 Tax Revenue Anticipation Note in the amount of $1,000,000.00 at an annual interest rate of 2.38% percent per annum. Second by Mayor Smith. All voted aye.
Councilman Smith
- Motion to support and work cooperatively with the Butler County Community College’s Community Initiatives Department on its Ritts Park Renovation Project. Second by Mayor Smith. All voted aye.
- Motion to sell the City of Butler’s parking assets to PFS VIII, LLC for a sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000.00) and an annual payment of 12% of the gross revenues of the parking system contingent upon the development of a sales agreement that ensures that all parking bonds can be satisfied and that all cash remaining from the sale after the satisfaction of the bonds and costs associated with the sale of the assets are deposited into an account that ensures that the City of Butler can only utilize the earnings of those funds for a minimum of 20 years. Second by Mayor Smith. CM Smith and Mayor Smith voted aye. CM Walter, CM Bonus and CM Reese voted no. Motion failed.
Mayor Smith
- Motion to accept the bid from Austin Ehrman for the 2008 Chevrolet Impala in the amount of $1,001.00. Second by CM Reese. All voted aye.
- Motion to approve City Resolution No. 2019-12-03, approving to revise the 2015 CDBG program as follows: Remove Kaufman Drive from the Kaufman Drive/Lincoln Avenue Street Reconstruction line item. Second by CM Bonus. CM Walter, Smith, Bonus and Mayor Smith voted aye. CM Reese abstained.
- Motion to approve City Resolution No. 2019-12-03A, approving to revise the 2017 CDBG program as follows to create the following two projects: 1. Remove Kaufman Drive from the Kaufman Drive/Lincoln Avenue Street Reconstruction line item to be Lincoln Avenue; and 2. Add Slagle Avenue to the Kaufman Drive line item to be Kaufman Drive/Slagle Avenue. Second by CM Bonus. CM Walter, Smith, Bonus and Mayor Smith voted aye. CM Reese abstained.
- Motion to approve the work authorization from Gateway Engineers for the Main Street Lighting Project in the amount of $30,000.00. Second by CM Reese. All voted aye.
- Motion to approve the work authorization from Gateway Engineers for the Sullivan Run Flood Control Project in the amount of $90,000.00. Second by CM Reese. All voted aye.
In the absence of the City Controller, the City Clerk presented bills for payment as follows: from the general fund – $91,561.32; from the parking fund – $4,374.26; from the capital projects fund – $0; and from the liquid fuels tax fund – $1,322.84; for a grand total of $97,258.42. Motion by Mayor Smith with second from CM Bonus to approve payment of bills as presented. All voted aye.
PERSONS TO BE HEARD:
Justin Clark requested a Residential Parking Only sign to be placed at his home on 203 Heim Avenue.
Mark Krenitsky said it was good news that two properties were sold as judicial sales; 709 East Pearl Street and 503 Peach Street.
Mayor Smith adjourned the meeting at 7:43 PM.
