Meeting Minutes for Trafford Borough Regular Council
Meeting June 13, 2023
1. Call to Order: Meeting Called to Order at 7pm.
2. Moment of Silence & Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll Call done by Nina Mulnix
Councilmembers present: Councilmember Bayko,
Councilmember Cardiff, Councilmember Corrales, Councilmember Perovich, Councilmember Shoub.
Councilmembers not present: Councilmember Batzel, Councilmember Cole
Other staff present: Mayor Llewellyn,
Solicitor Chelsea Dice (on behalf of Craig Alexander), Borough Manager Jaime Peticca, Borough Secretary Nina Mulnix,
Engineer Don Glenn.
4. Notice of Executive Session held June 13th,2023 for matters of personnel and litigation.
5. Approve the May 2nd, 2023, Regular Council Meeting minutes.
a. Motion: Councilmember Perovich
b. Second: Councilmember Corrales
c. Discussion: No discussion
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
6. Approve the May 2023 expense voucher list.
a. Motion: Councilmember Bayko
b. Second: Councilmember Perovich
c. Discussion: No discussion
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
7. Public Comment
a. Public Comment for all matters which the public has concern. No public comment or questions on agenda items will be received after this point.
b. Public comment for motions not listed on the agenda will be received when called for. c. Borough Response
Dolores Sutton (601Brinton Ave)- provided councilmembers with a report and code complaint form. Ms. Sutton described the high weeds and overgrown hedges on 6th street and Brinton as written in her code complaint form. Ms. Sutton told councilmembers that she is moving out of Trafford Borough after 34 years, because the building where she resides has become unsafe. Ms. Sutton thanked and expressed her joy of working with council through the years.
Borough
Response:
Manager Peticca thanked Ms. Sutton for completing the complaint form
and stated it will be given to code to investigate.
Lynwood Leeman (334 4th Street) Mr. Leeman brought up concerns to the borough manager about the number of workers in the DOPW vehicle at one time driving around the borough. He asked how many workers it takes to post papers. He furthered his comment to say there is work that could be found to be completed in the borough that doesn’t require all employees at once to complete. Mr. Leeman suggested that an alley way around Edgewood Ave and Fairmont be repaired, and suggested after rain events that stones, rubble and debris be swept up to prevent them from entering the catch basins. Mr. Leeman stated that more people need to drive around the borough to be aware of what is getting done.
Borough
Response:
Councilmember Perovich informed Mr. Leeman that Public Works Dept do perform maintenance on the catch basins regularly.
Manager Peticca stated that the Public Works can clean up any
stones if they are not on private property. In addition to the number of
employees performing tasks, today there were sewage postings that required one
person to drive and the others to walk up to the properties and post the
notice.
Councilmember
Cardiff stated these concerns can be investigated further by the Borough
Manager
Patricia Paola (74 1st Street) Ms. Paola expressed concerns about streets in the borough that code enforcement should inspect. The first complaint brought up to council was about hedges, weeds, and shrubs overgrown along Brinton Ave near the Baptist Church. Ms. Paola was asking for the ordinance related to dumpsters on private property. Ms. Paola asked questions regarding utility pole and sidewalk repairs in the borough and expressed concerns regarding property owners and borough employees cleaning up and maintaining the appearance of the borough.
Borough
Response:
Manager Peticca- replied to Ms. Paola, The borough does require a
dumpster permit in the amount of $75.00, there is an ordinance for that. In
response to the dilapidated property, it takes some time to get the owners to
comply. Manager Peticca advised Ms. Paola to complete
code complaints forms for her concerns.
Councilmember Perovich- stated the utility poles have been an ongoing
issue. Multiple utility companies share one pole and neither of them want to take ownership and responsibility for the
maintenance.
Manager Peticca- advise she has been
working with Duquesne Light and Verizon, expressing the many concerns about all
the maintenance issues. There has been some progress and the borough does
appreciate everyone’s patience. Manager Peticca
suggested that residents still call the utility companies to alert them of the
work that still needs to be addressed.
Councilmember
Corrales- stated that we have great police offices that keep our town safe, and
the borough cannot control who moves into Trafford.
Timothy Martin (413 Duquesne Ave) is speaking on behalf of his father James Kromer of 127 7th Street Ext. Mr. Martin expressed concerns about an abandoned property located at 122 7th Street Ext, he stated the property is in violation of high grass and weeds, and it was a problem property last year. Mr. Martin expressed his biggest concern with the high grass is the onset of mice, rodents, and ticks. Mr. Martin asked if there is a grass ordinance and why there isn’t a call back from code enforcement when they call the office.
Borough Response:
Manager Peticca replied that the Borough office is aware of the
issue with the property, and code enforcement has sent the responsible party
the violation letters, and any non-traffic citations for non-compliance. Manager Peticca will
follow up with code to see if there have been any recent phone conversations
with the bank representative handling the property.
Councilmember Shoub- stated the amount of time code enforcement has spent
at the magistrate has monopolized a lot of her time preventing her from seeing
things throughout the borough. Code has been making progress on a lot of things
that residents do not see.
Councilmember Perovich- gave a property located at Westmoreland Road and
First street as an example of how long it takes for
the magistrate to take action against someone. Councilmember Perovich continued to say that people defy legal summons
and court rulings, and it eventually comes to where
they must comply.
8. Report from Borough Engineer, Glenn Engineering
a. Report submitted. Mr. Glenn stated the paving contractor will be in the borough preparing the streets for paving, and the work is slated to start this Friday June 16th weather permitting. Mr. Glenn mentioned he is meeting with Alcosan and Wet Weather next week to determine if the interceptor meter that is monitoring the bypasses can be removed. Mr. Glenn also stated he will contact the borough manager next week to provide an update regarding the MS-4 program.
b. Public comment on Mr. Glenn’s report: No discussion
c. Glenn Engineering dismissed from meeting.
9. Mayor’s Report – The mayor read the May police report (see attached) to council members and the public. Mayor Llewellyn provided a safety statement to residents that there will be more traffic Tuesday June 20 through Thursday June 22, at the South Trafford Ballfields due to a softball tournament.
10. Committee Reports
a. Community & Economic Development (Chair Steve Perovich/Co-chair Justin Batzel)
Councilmember Perovich the
Legion hosted the Memorial Day parade and service which had a nice community
attendance. Councilmember Perovich thanked the Legion
for all the work they put into the event. The Memorial bench at the BY park required
some maintenance, and there were a few individuals to thank for their efforts:
Nick and Betty Petruzzi, Ron Gensamer,
Ron Braill. The heritage trail day was a successful event,
and the heritage trail is looking forward to returning to Trafford for another
event.
b. General Government & Finance (Chair Pat Bayko/Co-chair Chris Corrales)
Councilmember Bayko - stated
there was nothing to report.
c. Parks & Recreation (Chair Justin Batzel/Co-chair Steve Perovich)
Councilmember Perovich - stated
the PTARC free playground program started on Monday June 12th. The
information can be found on PTARC’s and Trafford Borough’s websites.
d. Planning, Property, & Ordinances (Chair Casey Shoub/Co-chair Zack Cole)
Councilmember Shoub - read Code
Enforcement’s May report (see attached) to councilmembers and the public.
e. Public Safety (Chair Chris Corrales/Co-chair Pat Bayko)
Councilmember Corrales thanked volunteers for their help
during clean up days.
f. Public Works & Sanitation (Chair Zack Cole/Co-chair Casey Shoub)
Councilmember Shoub stated
there was nothing to report.
g. Junior Council Person (JCP) Report
Miss. Moraca – stated the final
rotation for the JCP was a mock council meeting where Miss Moraca
was acting as President and conducted a meeting with the help of other JCP candidates.
Miss Moraca was excited to announce her return for the
next junior council program along with two new members. Miss. Moraca also shared her recent experience receiving a Proclamation
Award at Hannastown Anniversary celebration.
h. President Kris Cardiff
Councilmember Cardiff stated he was very thankful for all
the volunteers and staff that participated in clean up
days. Councilmember Cardiff also expressed his gratitude for receiving the high
honor of the Proclamation Award from the Westmoreland County Commissioners. The
ceremony was held in Hannastown because it was where
the original county courthouse was first established, and this was in
recognition of the 250th anniversary honoring our past and
celebrating our future. Councilmember Cardiff stated there are a lot of
exciting things planned for the next JCP Program.
11. Managers’ Report – The borough manager started off her report with a positive comment that was received from a resident about Public Works employee Nina Ciccone. The resident was very pleased and thanked Nina for her swift reaction to a concern that arose during a pavilion rental. The next item discussed was the paving schedule and the streets that have been posted in the borough to inform residents of restricted parking during the process. Manager Peticca gave a special thanks to Annette Costlow for maintaining sections of the borough’s landscaping. Manager Peticca announced there were 32 banners going to print for the Hometown Hero Banner Program.
12. Motion to approve the April 18th, 2023, Discussion Meeting minutes.
a. Motion: Councilmember Shoub
b. Second: Councilmember Corrales
c. Discussion: Councilmember Corrales asked why the minutes were not approved in May since they were April’s meeting. Manager Peticca answered they were from the discussion meeting, and they were not approved in May.
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
13. Motion to approve the Ordinance 3-2023 to amend the Police Pension Plan to include early retirement benefits.
a. Motion: Councilmember Shoub
b. Second: Councilmember Bayko
c. Discussion: This is just a formality and was implemented with the 2022 contract. To remain in compliance with the audit an official motion needed to be voted on by council.
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
14. Ratify motion made on May 2nd, 2023, to accept the Eagle Scout Project proposed by Owen Anderson of Boy Scout Troop 239 to rehab the retaining wall from Duquesne leading up to Edgewood and paint it green with gold rails.
a. Motion: Councilmember Perovich
b. Second: Councilmember Corrales
c. Discussion: No discussion
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
15. Motion to approve Ordinance 4-2023 authorizing to add additional stop signs on Westmoreland, 4th and Viaduct, and Stewart Station.
a. Motion: Councilmember Shoub
b. Second: Councilmember Bayko
c. Discussion: Councilmember Perovich asked if this will become a four way stop intersection. Manager Peticca replied there will be a stop sign at Fourth Street (westerly travel), intersecting viaduct way, and a stop sign at Westmoreland Road (Travel North) Stewart Station Road (Easterly Travel). After reviewing all the information with the Police Chief and Public Works this was the safest route to take.
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
16. Motion to approve Ordinance 5-2023 Chapter 152 Property Maintenance Code 2018 Edition.
a. Motion: Councilmember Shoub
b. Second: Councilmember Perovich
c. Discussion: Manager Peticca state this is to add and bring us current with penalties to property violations for the magistrate to uphold.
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
17. Motion to accept Dante Trunzo part-time police officer resignation effective May 15th, 2023.
a. Motion: Councilmember Shoub
b. Second: Councilmember Corrales
c. Discussion: No discussion
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
18. Motion to reappoint Pat Paola and Chris Corrales to a 3-year term on the Civil Service Commission term ending December 31st, 2026.
a. Motion: Councilmember Perovich
b. Second: Councilmember Shoub
c. Discussion: No discussion
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
19. Motion to accept Justin Batzel’s resignation from Borough Council
a. Motion: Councilmember Shoub
b. Second: Councilmember Bayko
c. Discussion: No discussion
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
20. Motion to approve Gregory Maynard and Ainsley Gilmore as Trafford Borough’s Junior Council Members beginning Sept 5th, 2023.
a. Motion: Councilmember Bayko
b. Second: Councilmember Corrales
c. Discussion: Councilmember Cardiff expressed his enthusiasm to have a total of three JCP participants.
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
21. Motion to approve Ally Moraca for her second term as a member of Trafford Borough’s Junior Council Program and with the Council Presidents direction, Ally will serve as the Chair of the Junior Council Committee until her term expires on May 2024.
a. Motion: Councilmember Shoub
b. Second: Councilmember Bayko
c. Discussion: No discussion
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
22. New Business
• No Smoking Signs and designated smoking areas for municipal buildings.
Manager Peticca expressed her concerns about the amount of
cigarette butts not being properly disposed of by patrons of the rental room
and employees. Manager Peticca also brought up the
near fire incident that took place by the entrance of the Manchester room caused
by a smoldering cigarette butt that was tossed by a transport service employee.
It is Manager Peticca’s recommendation to make the
facility a non-smoking area and follow along with other federal buildings and
schools.
Councilmember
Cardiff expressed his concerns about the non-smoking ban. He stated that during
Manchester Room rentals patrons may go over to the street to smoke and discard
the cigarette butts in the street where they would fall into storm water
drains. Councilmember Cardiff’s recommendation is to designate a concrete area away
from the street or brush that can become flammable and allow smoking to be
permitted.
Councilmember Shoub stated the original smoking area was intended to be near
the back entrance of the borough office. That was suggested to prevent patrons
from smoking under the canopy entrance to the Manchester Room and allow smoke
to enter the room. The garbage cans are
now placed there and that isn’t a good, suggested place to allow smoking.
Councilmember Perovich asked if there is a bin for cigarette butts by the
bench in the parking lot, councilmembers confirmed that yes there is.
Councilmember
Corrales suggested that if /when a spot is designated for smoking, there should
be signs placed to make it visible for the public to know.
Councilmember Bayko asked if verbiage can be added to the Manchester Room
Rental form to alert renters of the designated smoking area.
It was mentioned
in discussion that a designated smoking spot will be made for the Public Works
department as well.
Motion on the floor to post no smoking signs and set designated smoking areas.
a. Motion: Councilmember Bayko
b. Second: Councilmember Shoub
c. Discussion: Designated spots will be at the discretion of the borough manager for all municipal buildings.
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
• Street Paint on Viaduct Way to visually narrow the road.
Borough Manager
stated this goes along with the four-way intersection previously discussed on
the agenda. The thought is to visually narrow the road painting piano key style
lines onto the road creating an illusion of a single lane. This is also to
deter parking in the open space.
Motion on the floor to Paint Viaduct Way with street paint to visually narrow the road.
a. Motion: Councilmember Shoub
b. Motion: Councilmember: Corrales
c. Discussion:
d. Vote: 5,0, 2 (Absent)
• Jesse Dapra’s 10 Forbes Rd. Trafford Resident’s letter of interest for Council
Councilmember Cardiff stated there was an open council seat and a
request was made public to submit any letters of interest. Mr. Dapra’s letter
of interest was the only letter received. Councilmember Cardiff mentioned that
Mr. Dapra had participated in the mock council
meeting and expressed his interest in being part of council.
Motion on the floor to accept Jesse Dapra for the open council seat.
a. Motion: Councilmember Corrales
b. Second: Councilmember Bayko
c. Discussion: No discussion
d. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
23. Old Business
Councilmember Corrales asked if there has been anything
mentioned as to what can be done about speeding on State Route 130. Something
needs to alert motorists that they are approaching a playground.
Manager Peticca replied there
can be some painting done and some piano style lines to make it more visible
that there is a playground at the bottom of the hill. Manager Peticca stated there are currently no grants available for electric
speed signs but could look into leaving room in the budget for next year if the
need is still there.
Councilmember Cardiff commented that Mayor Llewellyn is
to swear in Mr. Jesse Dapra before the next council
meeting. In addition to Mr. Dapra getting sworn in,
there will be a time chosen to swear in Pat Paola and Christopher Corrales.
Adjournment
a. Announce the next Council Meeting in Council Chambers on July 11th, 2023.
b. Move to adjourn.
c. Motion: Councilmember Shoub
d. Second: Councilmember Perovich
e. Discussion: No discussion
f. Vote: 5, 0, 2 (Absent)
Respectfully submitted.
Nina Mulnix- Borough Secretary