Minutes

Ebensburg Borough Council Meeting Minutes Summary

Date: June 26, 2023

Attendance and Opening

The regular monthly meeting was called to order at 6:30 p. m. by Council President Doug Tusing.

• Council Members Present: Doug Tusing (President), Cecilia Houser (Vice President), Jeff Ball, Theresa Jacoby, Dave Kuhar, Bob Miller, and Mike Owatt.
• Others Present: Borough Manager Kelly Cook, Mayor Randy Datsko, Police Chief Terry Wyland, Solicitor Heath Long, Luke Byrne (Inframark), and Breanne Berkebile (The Mountaineer Journal).

Key Decisions and Approvals

Consent Agenda The council unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included:

• Reports from Inframark regarding Wastewater and Water Treatment Plant operations.
• Approval of the minutes from the May 22, 2023 meeting.
• Approval of the financial statement for May and payment of bills for June.

Electrical Services Contract A motion was passed to approve an agreement with Dodson Electric. The contract guarantees service within one hour of a call for a monthly retainer of $150 for a one-year term.

Dog Park Project Payments The council approved three contractor payment requests for the Dog Park Project from Straw Construction:

• Payment #2: $72,980. 83
• Payment #3: $95,377. 45
• Payment #4: $26,403. 90

Police Recruitment and Testing Agreements The council approved several agreements to facilitate the hiring process for a new Police Chief and Officer:

• Penn Highlands Police Academy: Approved for agility testing.
• Assured Polygraph Services Inc. : Appointed to administer polygraph tests at a rate of $300 per candidate.
• Police Consulting Services: Approved for oral interviews ($1,300 total) and background investigations ($75 per hour plus mileage).
• Psychological Testing: Approved for Dr. S. Hand to administer tests at a rate of $375 per applicant.
• Medical Testing: This item was tabled until a doctor is named.

Public Works Vehicle Purchase A motion passed to purchase a new Ford F-350 from Stuckey Ford for $63,114, funded through the 2023 capital budget.

2024 Reorganization Meeting The council scheduled the 2024 Reorganization meeting for Monday, January 8, 2024.

Committee Reports and Updates

Street Committee

• High Street Waterline: Paving repairs are complete; outstanding items are being addressed.
• 2023 Street Paving Project: Bids were awarded to New Enterprise Corporation for $175,572. 30. No start date has been set yet.
• Municipal Parking Lot: The council decided not to renew the current lease, which expires on August 31, 2023. The proposed rent increase to $2,000/month was deemed too high compared to the revenue generated (approx. $8,000/year).

Ebensburg Municipal Airport RACRA requested a solution for an existing hangar that was deemed un-rehabilitable. RACRA is requesting funds to build a new hangar (estimated cost $250,000–$650,000) while seeking federal reimbursement. The council agreed further discussion with RACRA was necessary.

Department Reports

• Police Department: Chief Wyland thanked the council for their support.
• Public Works Department: Randy Lauer retired after 26 years of service.
• Community Development: Mayor Datsko announced the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra performance on July 4th and a "Movie in the Park" on July 7th featuring Super Mario Bros. The Movie.

Adjournment

The council entered an executive session at 7:05 p. m. to discuss personnel and real estate matters, exiting at 7:29 p. m. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p. m.