Minutes
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Ebensburg Borough Council Meeting Minutes - August 26, 2019
Meeting Details:
- Date: Monday, August 26, 2019
- Time: 6:30 PM - 7:20 PM
- Location: Ebensburg Municipal Building, 300 W. High Street
Attendance:
- Present: Council President Doug Tusing, Vice President Susan Barber, Cecilia Houser, Scot May, John Cobaugh, Theresa Jacoby, Dave Kuhar
- Absent: Daniel Penatzer (Borough Manager)
- Others Present: Mayor Randy Datsko, Solicitor Blair Pawlowski, Police Chief Terry Wyland, Public Works Director Jeff Evans, Community Development Directors Danea Koss and Mark Wirfel, Wastewater Plant Supervisors Mike Montgomery (incoming) and John Glass (RACRA President), media representatives from The Mountaineer Herald, Tribune Democrat, and Altoona Mirror
- Audience: 10 people
Consent Agenda Items Approved
The following items were approved unanimously on motion by Ms. Houser:
- Fund transfers as described in records
- Minutes from July 22, 2019 monthly meeting
- Financial Statement
- Payment of bills (Councilor May abstained due to amount owed to him)
Street Resurfacing Contract Awarded
Project: Street resurfacing south of High Street
- Bids received July 31st:
- Quaker Sales: $522,870. 67 (lowest bid)
- Grannas Brothers: $522,938. 00
- New Enterprise: $582,470. 00
Key Details:
- Actual price: $84/ton (feared it could be as high as $90/ton)
- Total contract cost: $522,870. 67
- Project scheduled to begin early September
- All street repairs south of High Street must be completed before milling/resurfacing begins
- Motion to award contract to Quaker Sales passed unanimously
Wastewater Plant Updates
Personnel Changes:
- Mark Wirfel retiring as plant supervisor
- Mike Montgomery named as incoming Wastewater Plant Supervisor
Water Plant Upgrades:
- New DEP regulations require monitoring of alarms and shutdown capabilities
- SCADA system upgrade needed for compliance
- 60-day extension requested from August 19th deadline
- Estimated upgrade cost: $30,000-$50,000
Triumph Street Sidewalk Project Issues
Problem: Handicap ramps at South Center Street were rejected by PennDOT due to faulty data from earlier Center Street project drawings
Resolution:
- Kimball completed new design for both ramps
- Kishmo agreed to return and remove/reinstall ramps and curb
- $15,000 held from contract payment until work completed
- Additional curb work must be finished before Triumph Street paving
Department Reports
Police Department:
- Crowd estimates: 750 at Downtown Shutdown, 3,000 at Homecoming
- Increased patrols in school zones and crosswalks
Public Works Department:
- SCADA system updates
- High manganese levels in intake water (customer notice required)
- New stormwater drain completed on S. Julian Street
Community Development Department:
- Historic Designation review completion expected early September
- Good response to Concerts in the Park during Homecoming weekend
- Fall Foliage Ride scheduled for October 6th
- Trout Unlimited completed streambank and fish habitat restoration (August 23-24)
Ebensburg Planning Commission:
- No quorum achieved for Dollar General review (proposed along North Center Street at former middle school site)
- Next meeting scheduled for September 5th
Ebensburg Zoning Board:
- Rizzo, 400 North Center Street: Upheld ruling that store was non-permitted use
- Reese, 801 West Sample Street: Approved front setback variance for proposed addition
- Manno, 123 Lovell Ave: Approved two parking variances but denied variance for 14-foot parking aisle (required 20 feet)
Other Business
RACRA Grant Request:
- John Glass requested Borough serve as applicant for $500,000 airport runway milling/paving grant
- 5% local match required
- No cost to Borough
Council President's Reminder:
- School has begun; residents asked to be careful around school buses
Media Question:
- Jocelyn Brumbaugh (Tribune Democrat) asked which streets would be paved under the newly approved contract
Meeting Adjourned: 7:20 PM Minutes Recorded by: Danea Koss, Community Development Director