Minutes

Ebensburg Borough Council Meeting Minutes Summary

Date: Monday, July 24, 2023 Time: 6:30 PM – 7:20 PM Location: Council Room, Ebensburg Municipal Building

Attendance

• Council Members Present: Doug Tusing (President), Cecilia Houser, Jeff Ball, Theresa Jacoby, Bob Miller, Mike Owatt.
• Others Present: Kelly Cook (Borough Manager), Randy Datsko (Mayor), Robert Sapp (Acting Chief of Police), Matt Gribler (Solicitor), Luke Byrne & Gerry Schupe (Inframark), Breanne Berkebile (The Mountaineer Journal), Katie Smolen (The Tribune Democrat).

Key Decisions and Reports

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

• Reports from Inframark regarding Wastewater and Water Treatment Plant operations.
• Approval of minutes from the June 26, 2023 regular meeting and the July 10, 2023 special meeting.
• Approval of financial statements for June and the second quarter.
• Approval of July bill payments.

Street Committee: Municipal Parking Lot Lease

• Issue: The current lease for the municipal parking lot is set to expire on August 31, 2023. The owners requested a rent increase from $1,100 to $2,000 per month.
• Negotiation: After negotiations, the owners agreed to a rate of $1,300 per month for one year.
• Financial Impact: This new rate totals $15,600 annually, which exceeds the revenue generated by the lot. Recent revenues were $8,553. 59 (2020), $7,524. 97 (2021), and $8,023. 77 (2022).
• Decision: The council voted 4-2 to approve a one-year lease extension at $1,300/month to support local businesses.
  • Votes: Yes (Tusing, Ball, Houser, Jacoby); No (Owatt, Miller).

Administration Committee: Police Department

• New Chief of Police: The Borough has extended a conditional employment offer to Joseph Loughran with an initial salary of $80,000. He is expected to start by mid-August pending background checks.
• Officer Recruitment: Applications for a full-time officer position are due August 7. Testing and interviews are scheduled for August 19 and 24.
• Medical Testing: The council unanimously approved medical testing for applicants conducted by Dr. Magley at a rate of $75. 00 per applicant.

General Business: Ebensburg Municipal Airport

• Hangar Status: A structural engineer determined the existing hangar cannot be rehabilitated. RACRA (the fuel supplier) requested the Borough raze or shore up the building to continue operations.
• New Hangar Costs: Building a new hangar is estimated between $250,000 and $650,000. RACRA requested Borough funding while they seek federal reimbursement, though funds are not guaranteed.
• Lease Extension: RACRA intends to exercise a five-year optional lease extension. Staff recommended granting a 60-day extension to allow time for this decision.

Executive Session (6:52 PM – 7:18 PM) The council met in closed session to discuss personnel and real estate matters. Upon reconvening:

• Joe Loughran’s Benefits: A motion was made to add one week of paid vacation to Mr. Loughran’s benefits in lieu of health insurance. The motion passed unanimously.
• RACRA Lease Extension: A motion was made to table the request from RACRA to extend the period in which they can exercise their 5-year lease option. The motion passed unanimously.

Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:20 PM.