Trafford Borough Council Meeting Minutes

September 5th, 2023

 

1.       Call to Order: Meeting called to order at 7:00pm.  

 

2.       Moment of Silence & Pledge of Allegiance

 

3.       Roll Call done by Nina Mulnix

 

Council present: Councilmember Cardiff, Councilmember Corrales, Councilmember Perovich, Councilmember Shoub

 

Council not present: Councilmember Bayko, Councilmember Cole, Councilmember Dapra.  

 

Other staff present: Mayor Llewellyn, Solicitor Craig Alexander, Borough Secretary Nina Mulnix, Engineer Don Glenn, Fire Chief Brian Lindbloom.

 

Other staff not present: Borough Manager Peticca.

 

4.       Notice of Executive Session held September 5th, 2023, for matters of personnel and litigation.

 

5.       Approve the August 1st, 2023, Regular Council Meeting minutes.

a.      Motion: Councilmember Shoub  

b.     Second: Councilmember Perovich   

c.      Discussion: No discussion

d.     Vote: 4, 0, 3 (Absent)   

 

6.       Approve the August 2023 expense voucher list.

a.      Motion: Councilmember Corrales

b.     Second: Councilmember Shoub  

c.      Discussion: No discussion  

d.     Vote: 4, 0, 3 (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

 

Dan Juliussen- (221 Ridgecrest Court) came to the meeting requesting help from Councilmembers and The Mayor regarding concerns over the development at Ridgecrest Court. The issues addressed were ownership of the road and the sewage system. Mr. Juliussen mentioned that since moving into this new development certain expectations have not been met, the road is not to specifications, and the homeowners are unsure what the next course of action should be. The sewage clean out is not raised to standards and cannot be located. These concerns are no fault of the homeowners and should not fall back to be the homeowner’s responsibility. The homeowners are asking for a resolution to move forward.

 

Borough Response:

 

Solicitor Alexander stated all parties are investigating the status of the road, and that all parties involved are aware that the road is not up to the proper specifications. The sewage issue from prior meetings, it was the borough’s understanding that the clean out was located. Some further comment was provided by Mr. Juliussen stating there was a day where the homeowner met at Ridgecrest Court with the Borough Manager, Borough Engineer, and an employee from Maronda to locate the sewer cleanout that needs raised, but nothing was ever followed through. Solicitor Alexander stated that the road concerns have been discussed with council in executive session and there will be a solution for resolution coming. There will be further discussion to resolve the sewage issue.

 

8.       Report from Borough Engineer, Glenn Engineering

a.      Report submitted. Mr. Glenn provided a further response to Mr. Juliussen that once the main issue is identified the other individual clean outs can be addressed. There will be a discussion with Solicitor Alexander to complete a resolution. Some further discussion interrupted Mr. Glenns’ report and Councilmember Cardiff requested that any further comments or concerns take place outside of the meeting. Mr. Glenn stated in his report that his office received a response back from Norfolk Southern in reply to a letter that was generated about clearance signs needed at the railway overpass.  The letter indicated there will be no money spent by Norfolk Southern to protect their own property. The responsibility falls back to the borough and there is a motion on the agenda to place a height restriction sign at the railroad bridge. The next item discussed in the report was a sewer letter that was sent to James Urban Development. The next item is a consent order from Three Rivers Wet Weather and the ongoing discharge concern: In August there was a backup- not because of a problem but because the sewage was not able to flow through. There is a two-week timeframe to respond to the consent order.

b.     Public comment on Mr. Glenn’s report

c.      Glenn Engineering dismissed from meeting.

 

9.       Mayor’s Report- There is no report for this month, a report will be provided in October for the months of August and September.

 

10.    Committee Reports

a.      Community & Economic Development (Chair Steve Perovich/Co-chair Jesse Dapra)

Councilmember Perovich – stated there was a presentation that Manager Peticca and Councilmember Shoub attended about expanding a bike trail through Trafford. The route proposed coming through Trafford utilizes the bridge. It was suggested to utilize along the old railroad property that is owned by Norfolk Southern. In the event land is acquired for the bike trail to develop that would be something to consider. There is an update on the Eagle Scout project taking place along the wall up to Duquesne & Gilmore Ave, Owen Anderson is going to begin work weather permitting September 16th through the 23rd.

b.     General Government & Finance (Chair Pat Bayko/Co-chair Chris Corrales)

Secretary Nina Mulnix – provided a comment on behalf of Councilmember Bayko. The preparation stages will begin for the 2024 budget, and there is going to be a more defined report at the September 19th discussion meeting.   

c.      Parks & Recreation (Chair Jesse Dapra/Co-chair Steve Perovich)

Councilmember Perovich - stated the most recent Recreation Board meeting was cancelled but was able to report that the Recreation Board is discussing plans for a Halloween event.

d.     Planning, Property, & Ordinances (Chair Casey Shoub/Co-chair Zack Cole)

Councilmember Shoub – reported that BCO had 2 deck permits issued and Councilmember Shoub read Code Enforcement’s August report to council and the public.   

e.      Public Safety (Chair Chris Corrales/Co-chair Pat Bayko)

Councilmember Corrales- stated there was no report. 

f.      Public Works & Sanitation (Chair Zack Cole/Co-chair Casey Shoub)

Councilmember Shoub – stated there was no report. 

g.     Junior Council Person (JCP) Report

Councilmember Cardiff pledged the new JCP members into the program.

h.     President Kris Cardiff

Councilmember Cardiff – stated he and the JCP members will be participating in the Penn Township’s festival parade. The September rotation for the start of the JCP program will be the Public Works department. The thought for the program this year is to introduce procedures and functions from not just a local level but a state and county level as well. Councilmember Cardiff stated for the October JCP rotation he has an all-day event organized with the County Courthouse to allow JCP members to attend meetings with the commissioner and shadow the district attorney and other departments. Some upcoming ideas are to work with the local magistrate and illustrate how they work with the local municipalities.

 

11.    Managers’ Report – In Manager Peticca’s absence the Borough Secretary Mulnix recognized and thanked Ms. Annette Coslow for her time and efforts for landscaping and planting flowers around the public works building.  

 

12.    Motion to ratify all motions on August 1st, 2023, Council Meeting  

a.      Motion: Councilmember Shoub

b.     Second: Councilmember Corrales  

c.      Discussion: Solicitor Alexander stated this is a subsequent board action due to the potential sunshine act violation that may have occurred in a failed attempt to upload the agenda link in the time frame permitted.

d.     Vote: 4, 0, 3 (Absent)   

 

13.    Motion to approve Resolution for application submission of the 2024 LSA grant to improve the Cavitt.

Avenue Parking lot in the amount of $73,481.00 

a.      Motion: Councilmember Perovich

b.     Second: Councilmember Shoub   

c.      Discussion: No discussion

d.     Vote: 4, 0, 3 (Absent)  

 

14.    Motion to advertise the height requirement restrictions for the Railroad Bridge located on Stewart Street. 

Clearance must be set at 12’6.”

a.      Motion: Councilmember Corrales  

b.     Second: Councilmember Shoub   

c.      Discussion: No discussion   

d.     Vote: 4, 0, 3 (Absent)   

 

15.    Motion to approve the Non-Uniform MMO Pension through PMRS in the amount of $35,260.00 for the 2024 fiscal year.  

a.      Motion: Councilmember Perovich  

b.     Second: Councilmember Corrales   

c.      Discussion: Councilmember Cardiff stated this motion is a formality and is done every year.  

d.     Vote: 4, 0, 3 (Absent)   

 

16.    Motion to approve the submission of the 2024 Community Development Block Grant Application to improve 6th Street Park.  

a.      Motion: Councilmember Corrales  

b.     Second: Councilmember Shoub   

c.      Discussion: No discussion  

d.     Vote: 4, 0, 3 (Absent)   

 

17.    Motion to approve the resolution for the Trafford Community Public Library to be a branch of the Penn Area Library under the Westmoreland County Federal Library System.

a.      Motion: Councilmember Shoub  

b.     Second: Councilmember Corrales   

c.      Discussion: Councilmember Perovich asked if there are any details that need to be worked out with this resolution. Solicitor Alexander answered this resolution just allows them in the building and can be rescinded if any changes or anything should be added. The resolution is effective immediately.

d.     Vote: 4, 0, 3 (Absent)   

 

18.    New Business

•        B-Y Memorial Bench Request- Councilmember Perovich spoke with resident Annie Grills who is requesting council approve a bench placed and dedicated to her deceased husband.  

 

There is a motion on the floor to approve the placement of a 4ft wooden bench with a plaque in honor of William Grills at the expense of the family and placement approved by Public Works.

a. Motion: Councilmember Perovich

b. Second: Councilmember Corrales

c. Discussion: No discussion

d. Vote: 4, 0, 3 (Absent)

 

•        $600 grant idea – Community, National night out, Christmas fund, façade improvement, etc/ideas.

 

Councilmember Cardiff stated there used to be a $50.00 monthly pay given to councilmembers who served on the board in years past, in 2019 there was a vote to eliminate that pay. Councilmember Cardiff is proposing bringing that pay back and allowing council members to donate their funds to a grant idea.

 

Councilmember Corrales asked how funds would be disbursed and decided to whom- what would the process be?    

Councilmember Cardiff replied there would need to be an application process and those parameters would need to be established to determine what the best usage of funds would be.

 

Councilmember Perovich- asked if this is something that can be brought up to the newly organized TECDE.

 

Councilmember Cardiff- stated he will put a little more structure for the idea.

 

 

19.    Old Business – No old business to discuss.  

 

 

 Adjournment

a.      Announce the next Council Discussion Meeting on September 19th, 2023, at 6:30 pm in the

Manchester Room

b.     Move to adjourn: Councilmember Perovich

c.      Second: Councilmember Shoub  

d.     Discussion: No discussion

e.      Vote: 4, 0, 3 (Absent)