MINUTES

City Council Meeting

City of Butler, Pennsylvania

June 23, 2016

Mayor Donaldson called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Mayor Donaldson and Council members Walter, Kline, Schontz and Roche were present. The pledge of allegiance to the flag followed an invocation given by Pastor Sam McNamara, First Baptist Church.

PERSONS TO BE HEARD:

The following persons spoke at the Public to be Heard Section of the meeting. All of the speakers discussed the proposal to establish a Human Relations Commission, commenting both for and against the proposal:

Cantor Michal Gray-Schaffer
Pastor Jeff Harris
Josh Crawford
Sabrina Schnur
Mary Lee Marten
Shawn Maroney
Benjamin Vincent
Bill Sawford
Rev. Dr. Verna Call
Michael Bell
Sherry Halm
Aleshia Houth

The following action took place at the City’s Forum Meeting held on June 21, 2016:

1.Tim Morgus, Maher Duessel, attended the Forum meeting and briefed Council on the audit report for Fiscal Year 2015. The City must change its pattern as expenses have outweighed revenues for the past three years.

2.City Council, acting as the Board of Health, and under the provisions of the Third Class City Code, Section XXIII, (b) Abatement of Public Nuisances, Section 2321, found the following subject structure detrimental to public health and ordered its removal by demolition.311-313 Eau Claire Street.Motion by Mayor Donaldson. Second by CM Walter. All voted aye.

3.CM Walter distributed the 2017 budget binders and reviewed the timeline.Motion by CM Schontz with second from CM Roche to approve the minutes of Regular meeting of May 26, 2016. All voted aye.

MONTHLY & ANNUAL DEPARTMENT REPORTS

(Note: Department Reports Distributed to Council at Tuesday’s Forum Meeting for Review)

Department reports for the month of May were approved by individual, unanimous votes.

COUNCIL REPORTS/ACTIONS

Councilman Walter

4.Motion for the second reading and adoption of City Ordinance No. 1729; an ordinance increasing the indebtedness of the City of Butler, Butler County, Pennsylvania by the issue of a General Obligation Note in the amount of $210,000.00 for the purpose of the street paving, storm sewer repairs, and bridge repairs. Second by CW Kline. All voted aye.

5.Motion to pass City Resolution No. 2016-06-23, the City of Butler’s 2016 Fair Housing Resolution. Second by CW Kline. All voted aye.

6.Motion to approve changing the AFSCME Data Entry Clerk position from part-time to full-time in the Police Department. Second by CW Kline. All voted aye.

7.Motion to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with AFSCME, Local No. 757 for the updated Data Entry Clerk position in the Police Department. Second by CM Schontz. All voted aye.

8.Motion to approve the updated job description for the AFSCME Data Entry Clerk position in the Police Department. Second by CW Kline. All voted aye.

Councilwoman Kline

9.Motion to pass City Resolution No. 2016-06-23A, a resolution to amend the Civil Service Rules and Regulations governing the hiring of entry-level firefighters. Second by CM Schontz. All voted aye.

10.Motion to reappoint Cindy Bowser to the Civil Service Board for a four year term ending December, 2019. Second by Mayor Donaldson. All voted aye.

11.Motion to accept the resignation of Robert Swartz from the Butler Area Sewer Authority. Second by Mayor Donaldson. All voted aye.

12.Motion to approve Hanna Bartels, Slippery Rock University student, to intern for the City of Butler as an “Event Liaison Person”. Second by CM Schontz. All voted aye.

Councilman Schontz

13.Motion to approve payment to Shields Asphalt Paving, Inc. for the 2016 Curb Ramp Replacement and Paving Project – Contract #1 – Curb Ramps, in the amount of $45,267.85 after final review by the city municipal engineer. LIN 18 430 439. Second by CM Roche. All voted aye.

14.Motion for the second reading and adoption of City Ordinance No. 1730; an ordinance of the City of Butler, Butler County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, amending Chapter 226 – Solid Waste. Second by CW Kline. All voted aye.

15.Motion to accept the bid from Troy Jay Construction, Inc. in the amount of $18,328.00 for the West Penn Street Bridge repairs, after review by the municipal engineer. Second by Mayor Donaldson. All voted aye.

16.Motion to reappoint Michael Preston and Larry Christy to the Butler Codes Management Appeals Board for a five year term ending June 30, 2021. Second by CM Roche. All voted aye.

17.Motion to reappoint Gregg Mason to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a four year term ending on June 30, 2019. Second by Mayor Donaldson. All voted aye.

18.Motion to reappoint Larry Christy and Jill Kraus to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a four year term ending June 30, 2020. Second by Mayor Donaldson. All voted aye.

19.Motion to reappoint Tom Graham and Brian McCafferty to the Zoning Hearing Board for a three year term ending June 30, 2019. Second by Mayor Donaldson. All voted aye.

20.Motion to approve payment to A. P. Wise Excavating LLC in the amount of $6,100.00 for the demolition of 511 Polk Street after review by the Code Officer. LIN 18 427 221. Second by Mayor Donaldson. All voted aye.

21.Motion to award the demolition of 300-302 N. Washington Street to Ken Reilly Contracting in the amount of $9,240.00 based upon the general specifications of the contract and the release by the City Solicitor. LIN 18 427 221. Second by Mayor Donaldson. All voted aye.

22.Motion to install a stop sign on E. Fulton Street at the intersection of E. Fulton Street and N. Monroe Street on a 90-day trial basis. Second by Mayor Donaldson. All voted aye.

23.Motion to install a “Do Not Enter” sign on Cedar Street at the intersection of E. North Street on a 90-day trial basis. Second by CW Kline. All voted aye.

Councilman Roche

24.Motion to accept the resignation of John Grenci from the City of Butler Parks, Recreation Grounds and Facilities Authority. Second by CW Kline. All voted aye.

25.Motion to provide Butler Downtown with labor for the installation of equipment at the Becky Smith Memorial. Second by CW Kline. All voted aye.

Mayor Donaldson

26.Motion to approve payment to Gateway Engineers in the amount of $5,323.50 for the engineering of the Centre City Parking Garage.LIN 43 463 010.Second by CM Schontz.All voted aye.

27.Motion to approve payment to Thomas Construction, Inc. in the amount of $504,160.60 for the construction of the Centre City Parking Garage. LIN 43 463 020.Second by CM Schontz. All voted aye.

28.Motion to approve payment to Merit Electrical Group, Inc. in the amount of $13,653.00 for the construction of the Centre City Parking Garage. LIN 43 463 020. Second by CM Roche. All voted aye.

29.Motion to approve an agreement with Gateway Engineers for continued services associated with bidding, inspection and construction management for the Centre City Parking Garage.Second by CM Roche. All voted aye.

Boards and Authorities Appointments:
Diane Bowman and Diane Smith have been reappointed to the Shade Tree Commission for a three year term ending June 30, 2019.

The City Treasurer presented a Monthly Intake Report for May, 2016.

The City Controller presented bills for payment as follows: from the general fund – $195,107.91; from the parking fund – $20,525.09; from the capital projects fund – $61,594.95; from the liquid fuels tax fund – $3,298.43; and from the 2015-Series Bond Proceeds – $523,137.10 for a grand total of $803,663.48. Motion by Mayor Donaldson with second from CM Walter to approve payment of bills as presented. All voted aye.

• ANNOUNCEMENTS:
• WISR City Hall – Mayor Donaldson and Councilman Schontz
• City Building will be closed Monday, July 4th, in observance of Independence Day.
• There are openings for volunteers to sit on Butler Area Sewer Authority and Butler Parks, Recreation Grounds and Facilities Authority. Interested parties will submit a Boards and Authorities Interest Form found on the City’s website at www.cityofbutler.org or the Office of the City Clerk. The deadline is July 15, 2016.

Mayor Donaldson adjourned the meeting at 8:26 PM.