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PUBLIC HEARING
February 14, 2005

AS ADVERTISED A PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD ON FEBRUARY 14, 2005 AT 6:00 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL ROOM OF THE BOROUGH BUILDING, 245 MAIN STREET, BLOSSBURG, PA. THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF ZONING ORDINANCE ON THE UPDATED ZONING MAP PURSUANT TO THE MUNICIPAL PLANNING CODE.

Mayor John Backman; Council Vice-President Tonya McNamara; Councilmembers Raymond Kaminski, Cheryl Bubacz, James Holleman; Borough Manager George Lloyd; Borough Solicitor Patrick Barrett; Planning Commission Chairman David Darby.

Guest: Jeffrey Kriner (observing).

No public attend the meeting.

David Darby will get one area changed. Old railroad property from Taber Street, East to Tioga River will be changed from S-1 to R-1. Mr. Darby has seen deeds of property referencing ownership to Phillip Boinski.

David Darby left after close of public hearing.

Hearing closed at 6:30 P.M.

Borough Council Minutes
February 14, 2005
        6:30 PM
Pledge of Allegiance recited.

The regular Blossburg Borough Council meeting was called to order at 6:30 P.M. in the Council Room of the Borough Building, 245 Main Street, Blossburg, PA, by Council Vice-President Tonya McNamara.
Attendance: (absent, President Jerome Ogden (out of town)); Councilmembers Raymond Kaminski, James Holleman, Cheryl Bubacz, Timothy Roupp, (absent, Thomas Bogaczyk (out of town)); Mayor John Backman; Borough Solicitor Patrick Barrett; Chief Ronald Steffen; Borough Manager George D. Lloyd; Borough Secretary Mary Signor; Charles Freeberg KCC Committee; Jeffrey Kriner and Carolyn Staron.

GUESTS: Jeffrey Kriner is currently involved with Community Development Program through Tioga County Development Corporation (TCDC). His assignment for the next session is to attend a local government meeting.

Carolyn Staron wanted to know if legal help was available to her for sexual harassment she has encountered in town. A short discussion followed. Chief Ronald Steffen volunteered to meet with Ms. Staron tomorrow at 9:00 A.M. in the Police Department office. Ms. Staron thanked everyone and left the meeting.

Agenda
Minutes: The minutes of the January 10, 2005, meeting approved on motion of Raymond Kaminski; second, Cheryl Bubacz. All in favor.

Treasurer's Report: Report accepted subject to audit on motion of Cheryl Bubacz; second, Raymond Kaminski. All in favor.

Bills: Bills to be paid on motion of Raymond Kaminski; second, Cheryl Bubacz. All in favor.

Reports : NPHS Student:  N.P.H.S. Student Representatives did not attend meeting tonight.

K.C.C. :  Charles Freeberg reported the organization's regular checking account balance is $1,806.18 with all bills paid.

Additional chairs were purchased from the Knights of Columbus.

Mr. Freeberg asked Council if he could clean algae off soldier at Monument. He has equipment to do work. He cleaned the algae off soldier last year. Council had no problem with Mr. Freeberg doing the work. Councilmembers thanked Mr. Freeberg as he left the meeting.

Committee Business Development:  Blossburg V.I.B.E. (Visions in Business and Entertainment)

No report.

Mayor :  Nothing to report at this time.

Police :  Everyone has received a copy of the Police Report.

The Police Report was accepted on motion of James Holleman; second, Raymond Kaminski. All in favor.

Chief Steffen discuss report and commented that there were numerous warning citations at end of report. A lot of the warnings were dealing with snow removal from sidewalks. He has been working with George Lloyd on getting sidewalks cleared. If owner can't get snow removal done, there are Borough employees who can do work. The labor will be charged to owner or Real Estate Company.

Police Committee: Nothing further to report.

Borough Manager :  Borough Manager Report accepted. Motion of Raymond Kaminski; second, James Holleman. All in favor.

Discussed logging operation to be done by Harold House with access from Parkhurst Street. Borough Manager George Lloyd passed out a proposed lease agreement that the Blossburg Municipal Authority is going to review with Harold House at the next Authority meeting. Mr. House was at Authority meeting in January and told members that the best access for him to do logging was from Parkhurst Street. The owners of land to be logged have purchased property along Parkhurst Street for access, but Mr. House feels it would be easier to use Authority property. The Authority members feel it may be advantageous to let Mr. House use Authority property, because some stipulations could be imposed on logging operations through the lease agreement that otherwise may not be required if the other property were used. Authority would like to have Council look at lease agreement to see if they have anything to add. Borough Solicitor suggested the street route to be used for log removal be identified. Questions asked about use of tractor-trailer and how they would make corners to get down to Main Street. Raymond Kaminski suggested roads that are to be used should be video taped so any damages can be repaired after logging is completed. George Lloyd asked Council to call him before next Authority meeting with any more suggestions. The next Municipal meeting is scheduled for March 1, 2005 at 7:00 P.M.

Borough Manager asked if a separate account could be opened to deposit money for future paving of downtown parking lot. Dollar General developers offered to pay a certain amount toward parking lot costs before the building was ever built. Mr. Lloyd measured buildings in downtown plaza to calculate square footage and then percent total of each structure. This calculation can then be used to figure costs owed by each owner based on the total cost for maintaining the entire parking lot. Mike Egan of Tioga County Housing Authority and George Lloyd estimated a cost of $40,000.00 to repave the parking lot in 10 years. This would come out to $4,000.00/year to be paid by the stores in the downtown plaza. This money would be deposited into the new account. Motion to open a separate account for downtown parking lot was made by Cheryl Bubacz; second Raymond Kaminski. All in favor. Borough Solicitor suggested identifying account as: Capital Reserve Account - Downtown Parking.

Borough Manager's:   Activity Log.

Planning Commission :  No applications were submitted. No meeting.

Zoning Hearing Board:  No meeting.

Recreation :  United Fund monies distributed. Copies of breakdown distributed to Council.

Recreation Board asked George Lloyd to contact Raymond Lamonski about cutting grass around trees at Island Park this summer. Recreation will cut big fields with 6' mower deck on Ford tractor. Mr. Lloyd is waiting for response back from Mr. Lamonski.

Fire Department :  No report received.

Television :   James Holleman reported that scrap metal from old tower to be picked up by Jim Roupp.

Petition submitted by Raymond Kaminski for speed channel.

Library :  Nothing to report.

Street Committee :  Borough Manager would like to have a meeting to discuss storm drain work this year. There is money in Liquid Fuels Account, but materials would have to be bid out. Meeting set for February 24, 2005 at 2:00 P.M.

Budget:  Nothing to report.


Old Business:
  1. Evaluation: Borough Manager George Lloyd is trying to complete Personnel Policy. He gave Council copies of sections changed in old Policy to review. Council would like to read entire policy and review sections of the policy each meeting. Suggested that three (3) copies of entire policy be copied and Councilmembers take turns reviewing it. Copies will be done and made available at the Borough office.


  2. Minor Sub-Division/Cul-D-Sac: Nothing to report.


  3. Additional Railroad Property: Borough Solicitor Patrick Barrett is working with Han-Rowe Associates & Company owners of Bear "A" Bar & Grill on purchasing railroad property behind their building.


  4. Electric System Assessment: To be discussed in Executive Session at end of Council meeting.


  5. Dollar General Survey: Work is completed.

    Remove from agenda. Motion of Raymond Kaminski; second Cheryl Bubacz. All in favor.


  6. Home Occupation: Borough Manager and Borough Solicitor are reviewing. There are still some gray areas that need to be reviewed.

    Questions on Home Occupation given to proposed Paint Ball business last year. George Lloyd will look up time limitations given at Zoning Hearing Board and send letter to owners. Borough Solicitor thinks there is a one (1) year limit.


  7. House Condemnation: A letter was sent to Mr. Scroback condemning home. Mr. Scroback has right to appeal decision.


  8. Tax Collector Fees: Dorothy Rakoski was supposed to meet with Council tonight, but she didn't show up. Her concerns: 1) How does she take care of bad checks? Mr. Lloyd told her that Borough could send information to Solicitor for collection. Chief Steffen says he does collection for bad checks all the time. Mr. Lloyd will have Ms. Rakoski contact Chief Steffen. 2) Who handles residents who don't pay their occupation tax? George Lloyd contacted Solicitor about forms that have to be filled out. 3) Extra charge by tax collector for lawyers, finance companies, etc. requesting certification of taxes paid. Solicitor stated that this is part of her job. 4) Tax Collector compensation to remain the same.

    Remove from agenda. Motion of Raymond Kaminski; second James Holleman. All in favor.


  9. Hamilton Township Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Agreement: Being reviewed by Solicitor. Requests that original Labor and Industry paperwork be reviewed to see if Borough can check commercial businesses. Raymond Kaminski questioned if Borough Permit office has experience to review plans for any addition in industrial areas or should be Labor and Industry handle these.


  10. House Numbering: Advertisement done on last water bill. Raymond Kaminski asked if numbers are required on home or if mailboxes are sufficient. George Lloyd left meeting to copy ordinance dealing with home numbers and brought back to Council for review. Ordinance will be reviewed at next Council meeting.



New Business:
  1. Tioga County Association of Boroughs Meeting: Blossburg Borough to be TCAB host on Thursday, March 24, 2005 at the Blossburg Fire and Ambulance Building. Social Hour 6:00 P.M. - Dinner Meeting 7:00 P.M. Council picked menu at a cost of $15.00 per person.

    Discussed program. Jeffrey Kriner attending Council meeting under TCDC Leadership Program was asked if he would be interested in working up a short program. Mr. Kriner will get back to Tonya McNamara. Raymond Kaminski is to contact Robert Blair of TCDC about any other ideas for programs. Some other program possibilities were discussed.



  2. Zoning Map: Motion to accept Zoning Ordinance on the Updated Zoning Map pursuant to the Municipal Planning Code was made by Raymond Kaminski; second James Holleman. All in favor.



Announcements:
  • Tioga County Association of Boroughs Dinner Meeting will be held Thursday, February 24, 2005 at 7:00 P.M., at the Tioga County Baptist Church, 16 Church Street, Tioga, PA.

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ADJOURNMENT: Vice-President Tonya McNamara closed the meeting at 8:10 P.M.

Next Council Meeting is scheduled for March 14, 2005 at 6:30 P.M.

Mary C. Signor, Borough Secretary

EXECUTIVE SESSION REQUESTED BY BOROUGH SOLICITOR. POSSIBLE LITIGATION WAS DISCUSSED.


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