Meeting January 12, 2016

Tonight's meeting ran very well.  The meeting was actually conducted by a council member Andrew Shissler.  The Solicitor and President were absent.

I passed out the 20 year old lost agreement from Shield's Farm. I was not interrupted; yet, I am still going to make a post a video about the Farm on You tube and run it through this blog spot.  I wanted to have it done before I passed out the document, but my voice is not cooperating fully this week.  It is imperative that town take back control of this valuable asset.  I will have a lot more to say about all the properties the Borough owns.

It is funny but council is still entertaining the idea of renovating the borough garage building.  I had thought the issue was dead when it was decided that the borough building would not be sold.  What caught my attention was a drawing of the proposed renovation that is part of the building.  The drawing was made by official looking software.  I did not recognize the name of the drawer, or the checker. My concern was the credentials of the "architect"  and the checker.  I recognized the checker as TJ the chief of police.  In the 5 years I spent in the engineering department of an aircraft instrument manufacturer and the 2 years as an Environmental Safety Inspector on construction sites I learned that only licensed architects or structural building engineers could draw plans and usually the person checking the plan had to have the same credential.  I was assured by Carl Boyd that the drawing was only for rough conceptual ideas.  TJ wanted to make sure that I realized that he was asked to provide the drawing to council and he did not generate the idea.  For some strange reason he thought I would spread rumors that he wanted a new office.  I am not in the business of spreading rumors.  One of the reasons I have decided to Blog my impressions, and positions is so rumors aren't started about me.  You can come right to the source read it first hand and don't even to make a Sun Shine Act request.

Bills I questioned: 1) Grate Repair $779.08 to EJ USA.  2) $1014.44 to Muray Auto Electric for repair to Borough Truck.  That seems a bit high to me I may still ask to see the actual bill.

To the Constituent that wanted to know total costs of the Stream bank on Christy Road $290.28 Engineering.  Material $10,000 and the wall was $13,850. Another note worthy event was the $5100 hoist from pump station sewer contract to put a hoist on a borough truck.  It will be interesting to see if the total cost will be more or less than the $5100 reduction.

One of my biggest concerns is recycling in Delmont may have to end under the MS4 protocol and the location of borough property to a stream.  The Lions club is a very importany organization within our community and recycling is a big fund raiser for them.  More needs to be determined about this regulation.  No alternatives were given at this time.