It’s always a struggle for the little town in the Great Bend of the Susquehanna River to keep its streets in good condition. Many of them were repaved years ago when the sewer was installed. Since then it’s been the responsibility of the Borough budget to maintain them. And so, at their meeting on September 6th, members of the Borough Council followed up on a couple of street projects.
Paving on Church, Maple and Hayes Streets is under way. A resident complained about the open trenches created in preparation for paving and was told that the work should proceed the following Monday.
Council also contracts to fill paving cracks each year when money is available. This time they decided to deal with half of the town’s streets this year, the other half next year.
Road & Parks Supervisor Mike VanGorden reported that a pipe under Erie Street is totally plugged. A similar situation is evident on Carroll Street. He has found a contractor to clear the pipes at $250/hour for about 4 hours of work on Erie Street. With the approval of his colleagues on Council, he will proceed.
In other matters, a resident reported a complaint about a swimming pool in the backyard of an apartment building that is not being maintained, filling with noisome muck and breeding mosquitoes. Jon Record, Officer in Charge of the Borough police department will try to contact the owner who is believed to be Philip Titus of Harford. The Borough will also contact county health authorities about the danger of West Nile virus from the mosquitoes.
Mr. Record offered his report for the month of August, recording 100 hours for his officers who spent 2 hours in court, handled 8 “incidents”, issued 6 traffic tickets and 15 warnings, and spent 4 hours helping to chase an escapee from the county jail. He was given permission to spend $333 for ammunition to allow his officers to maintain certification with their weapons, and will spend $182 for a supply of 500 parking tickets. The parking tickets are a “unique item,” he said, and come with waterproof envelopes. Expect to be ticketed for illegal parking in Great Bend Borough beginning toward the end of September. Mr. Record said that 95% of fines for parking in spaces reserved for the handicapped goes to the state; most other fines will be remitted to the Borough. He also said that domestic disputes that escalate to abuse will not be tolerated.
Mr. Record also reported the generous donation of a fire extinguisher with a value of about $100 to the police car by Action Fire and Safety of Conklin, NY.
A Mr. Jeffrey Moyer representing Morgan Stanley attended the meeting to pitch a change in the investment strategy for what remains of the pension fund for the police department that went defunct more than a decade ago. The fund’s sole beneficiary now is former chief Charles Martell. According to Mr. Moyer, when he assumed oversight of the fund a year ago its balance was about $47,000, and is now down to about $36,000, disbursing about $1,032 per month to Mr. Martell. He said that at that rate the fund would run out in about 3 years. He said that he had “reduced the volatility of the account” by shifting more money from stocks to bonds; it has earned about 2½ percent over the past year.
Mr. Moyer suggested that he expects the market to go down again “in a big way” and advocated a change to a new plan under a fund manager that he touted highly. He said it would cost the Borough more but expected risk to be lower with growth higher, perhaps extending the life of the fund somewhat.
Borough Mayor James Riecke is the fund’s local overseer. Since he was absent, Council had an excuse to avoid an early commitment, so chair Rick Franks said that the options would be considered and a decision made known soon. The Borough has been dealing with financial and legal issues related to the old police department, its chief, and this pension fund for years and Council has always assumed that the fund is out of their direct control.
Picnic tables, now that they can control. Borough Secretary Sheila Guinan reported that the local Amish Made Sheds can make tables available for $200 each if the Borough buys 10 of them. Instead, Council will ask Borough employee Dick Button to provide an estimate of the cost of materials for one such table. They figure that Mr. Button can build the tables himself over the winter, particularly if the coming winter is as mild as last year. They hope to replace all of the tables in all 3 of the Borough’s cherished parks.
The Great Bend Borough Council meets in public session on the first Thursday of each month beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Borough Building at Elizabeth and Franklin Streets.
A 16 trillion-dollar-plus national debt and year-end fiscal train-wreck may loom large nationwide, but locally Lanesboro lawmakers moved to forestall further interest charges and to furnish firm foundations for future fiscal policy. Council President Todd Glover, along with the entire council membership of Dan Boughton, Regina Dilello, Jason Fissel, David Glidden, Dale Rockwell, and Colleen Y. Wilkes were present for the 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, September 4 meeting. Also present was Secretary/Treasurer Gail Hanrahan. Mayor Chris Maby was absent.
It was Mrs. Hanrahan who brought to council’s attention that the borough owed approximately $40,000 on a loan, and that the borough had a nearly commensurate amount in their coffers due to recent receipt of FEMA reimbursement to the borough for costs associated with the 2011 floods related to Irene and Lee. Council had originally applied for some $60,323; $47,046 had been approved; and over $39,000 reimbursed by FEMA. Council members anticipate that PEMA will make the final $7,000 plus in reimbursements in short order. So extinguishing the full loan amount now seemed to make sense to everyone, and it was approved without dissent.
A second, more long-term, cost-saving liquidation that makes sense to council members is the sale of the borough’s sewer system to the Tri-boro Sewer Authority. President Glover noted that the sewer system was built with costs running into the millions of dollars, and the only debt remaining runs to $199,804. While that liability may seem relatively inconsequential in the larger scheme of things, council members realize long-term upgrades and infrastructure improvements will be necessary in the near-to-midterm. While the borough currently owns the sewer system, it must necessarily pay the Tri-boro Sewer Authority for the treatment of sewage. Council’s consensus is that economies of scale and full integration of the borough’s sewer system into the Tri-boro Sewer Authority will be mutually beneficial to borough residents and the Sewer Authority. Negotiations for sale of the sewer system are ongoing, though final agreement is not necessarily imminent.
Besides discussions and decisions over extinguishing debts, council’s attention was focused on a wide variety of other issues. Two visitors, one a Lanesboro resident and one not, requested time on the agenda to speak. First up was John Baker. Mr. Baker related his encounter with one of Lanesboro’s finest who pulled him over and ticketed him while he was passing through the borough of Thompson. Mr. Baker filed a report with Lanesboro council alleging harassment and invalid ticketing on the part of the officer involved. In addition he noted that Magisterial District Judge Jodi Cordner had dismissed the ticket upon her initial review of the incident, and had not even let the case go to trial. President Glover accepted Mr. Baker’s complaint and assured him that a thorough review according to established procedures would be conducted.
Paul Skasko, resident of Viaduct Street in Lanesboro, came to the meeting because he has a problem. Originally, his neighbor had a problem. The state (PennDot) solved his neighbor’s problem, but in so doing created Mr. Skasko‘s problem. Here’s the situation. Viaduct Street is a state road for which PennDot has responsibility. Viaduct Street runs parallel to Starrucca Creek with the Creek on its north side and a steep mountain behind the homes located on the road’s south side. During periods of heavy rain, runoff from the mountain pours down the south-side slope to the point of least resistance: namely, the driveway of Mr. Skasko’s neighbor. During the winter that runoff would frequently create icing, thereby adversely impacting motorists on Viaduct Street.
PennDot’s solution to that runoff/icing problem was to dig a trench across Mr. Skasko’s property to join up with a small tributary creek emptying into Starrucca Creek. Unfortunately, that “solution,” while solving the runoff/icing problem for the state, created a virtual swampland on Mr. Skasko’s property. Since PennDot constructed the trench through Mr. Skasko’s property, rather than along the property line, a considerable area of Mr. Skasko’s property is now so spongy as to be unusable for any purpose, including even routine maintenance and mowing.
To rectify this situation Mr. Skasko proposes PennDot revisit his property to install an underground pipe along the mountainous property line to channel the runoff from the area behind his neighbor’s driveway. He further requested that PennDot fill in the trench they previously dug to restore his property to full utility. Borough council members seemed sympathetic to his appeal, and President Glover assured Mr. Skasko that he would contact PennDot to review the situation for remediation.
With Mayor Maby absent, President Glover gave the Police Report. His report included the following data. Lanesboro Police put in 90 hours of duty during August: 82 hours in Lanesboro, and eight hours in Thompson borough. President Glover noted that police responded to 11 incidents, issued 30 citations, gave 20 warnings to motorists, made four arrests, and twice provided assists to Susquehanna P.D. Thompson duty resulted in one case of fleeing & eluding, seven traffic stops, one verbal warning, and issuance of five speeding tickets.
Streets Report included acknowledgement that Jefferson Street had been fixed; Jail Hill had been paved; and President Glover would be contacting Brian Small of PennDot regarding the borough’s ongoing participation in the Agility Program. Also noted was that Depot Street is impassable at a point between Luciana Park and Pigpen Alley, and there is currently no bonding for the Main Street stretch of the road from Jefferson Avenue to Route 171. President Glover volunteered to take a closer look at both situations.
Concerning the borough’s Parks and Recreation Report, Councilman Fissel reported the grills at Luciana Park are thoroughly rusted; council should consider purchase of up to six new grills for next summer. He also reported that picnic tables needed painting. In response, Councilwoman Wilkes volunteered to head up a painting party with the Boy Scouts to get the job done. Finally, Councilman Fissel further noted that he had laid down a good base of millings on the park’s road. The millings were from the road base taken up by PennDot when repaving Jail Hill to Broad Avenue in Susquehanna Depot. As a tri-axel and a half of millings were left over, it was suggested - and council agreed - to have the millings moved to Side Avenue for road usage.
In the matter of Community Center rentals, Secretary Hanrahan noted that she had permitted a group to reserve the center (without charge) for a charity event on September 29. Two other parties had subsequently requested to rent the center on the same day, but were turned away due to the charity event reservation. Sponsors of the charity event were now requesting a change in date from September 29. Secretary Hanrahan requested direction from council as to whether the group should be charged a rental fee since she had had to already turn away two rental requests for the 29th. After a few minutes discussion council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing her to charge a fee to the date-changers. Secretary Hanrahan noted that reservations from October through the end of the year were few and far between, so much so that most weekend bookings for the center are still available.
Other business discussed included the prospect that the borough would need a new plow truck and a new garbage truck in the not-too-distant future. The current garbage truck needs a new recycling bin. While a used one might be procured for four to six thousand dollars, a new stainless steel hopper could be had for $6,800 to $9,000. No decision was made on the “new or used” issue at this time.
Council members noted several instances of brown/blackened water recently due to water-main breaks. The Swift Reach (emergency phone notification system) is advancing and many borough residents have signed up for the program, though no specific numbers were available. Fireman’s Hall has finally completed asbestos abatement. Hazmat technicians were able to surgically extract a whopping 8” by 12” patch of asbestos. With completion of that procedure, the bidding process for demolition can finally move forward. Should all go smoothly in subsequent bureaucratic steps, Fireman’s Hall could be history by Halloween.
Finally Secretary/Treasurer Hanrahan noted that the number of local homeowners owing for sewer charges had significantly decreased. Council was happily apprised that the borough’s tough-love approach of turning off sewer service to deadbeats was having the desired effect, especially since sewer service could not be restored until all old charges were paid up and accounts made current.
At 7:50 p.m. Council adjourned from the evening’s heavy lifting. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 2.
The Susquehanna County DOMESTIC RELATIONS Section has outstanding BENCH WARRANT’S for the following individuals as of 10:30 a.m. on September 7, 2012: Jeremy E. Anderson, Chad C. Chauncey, David J. Fischer, James Gerard, Keith R. Hurd, John J. Jenisky, Jr, James Karhnak, Kay L. Knolles, Lee Labor, Todd J. Layton, Charlie J. Legere, Derrick J. Lezinsky, Michael Maryasz, Donald Palmer, Joseph M. Rhodes, Perry Rohan, Bruce A. Schurr, Christie L. Sheptock, Desiree L. Shifler, David J. Shiner, Tina M. Smith, Eric J. Snell, Timothy M. Taylor, Justin S. Thompson, Earl H. Thompson, Jr, Robert J. Twilley, Ryan Warnagiris, Steven G. Warner, Kelly Lynn Yarbrough. Please contact the Domestic Relations Section at 570-278-4600 ext. 170 with any information on the location of these individuals.
Preparing for the winter to come, Great Bend Township Supervisors met on the still-summery evening of September 4th to, among other things, review the assembly of a new truck. Purchased from Simmons-Rockwell for just over $51,000, the vehicle is to be assembled by Powell’s of Scott, PA. There was a question about a spreader.
It seems that Great Bend Township has 2 spreaders, for cinders and salt, one smaller and one larger. According to Supervisor and Township Secretary Sheila Guinan the larger spreader fits the truck splendidly, but it is hydraulically controlled and the new truck has no hydraulic system. A hydraulic pump for the spreader will need to be considered.
The Supervisors opened 5 bids for 2 projects sponsored by the Natural Resources and Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Each project will be paid for by the Feds, but the Township is expected to handle some of the administrative chores, including contract bidding and payment. The work will mitigate the effects of flooding at 2 homes in the Township by shoring up stone embankments, among other things.
Ms. Guinan said that the program requires that the lowest bid be accepted. So the Supervisors picked the $75,000 bid from Factory Equipment & Excavating, contingent upon presentation of a performance bond. The bids ranged as high as $198,888; Ms. Guinan said that engineers who developed the specifications estimated a cost in the neighborhood of the accepted bid. As the projects proceed, the Township will be responsible for applying for the money and paying the contractor.
Ms. Guinan also reported that the “auditors were grumbling” about the Township’s failure so far to change its procurement of professional services supporting its pension fund. Under Act 44 of 2009, municipalities must abide by a new “code of conduct” when contracting for pension fund services, and, according to Ms. Guinan, the procedures the Township has been following “under the umbrella of the PA Municipalities Pension Trust” are inadequate. She said that the Township’s solicitor would be developing a resolution for future consideration.
The Supervisors considered a complaint by a resident about a tree that was shedding branches into a road. Supervisor Joe Gaughan said that the Township is not responsible for trees growing on private property; it’s “not anything we can handle,” he said.
Great Bend Township is still looking for an Emergency Management Coordinator. Interested parties should call the Township office for more information.
The Great Bend Township Supervisors meet on the first Monday of each month, unless that Monday happens to be a holiday as it was in this case. Meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Township office on Route 171.
