The
Parks Township Board of Supervisors held their Reorganization and Regular Monthly
meeting on January 3, 2023 at 7:00 pm in the Community Building, 26 Jackson
Street, North Vandergrift.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Gregory Artman, Chairman Mary Ralston, Vice Chairman
Scott Kifer, Member Jeanna Cerra, Secretary-Treasurer
VISITORS
PRESENT: Rich Simpson, Rob Burkett, Jamie Szitas,
Brian Szitas, Gene Bell
OTHERS PRESENT: Chief John Arce, Parks Township
Police
Mr.
Artman called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm following the Pledge of
Allegiance to the Flag.
REORGANIZATION
MEETING
Mrs.
Ralston nominated Mr. Artman as Temporary Chairman and Mr. Kifer seconded it.
Mrs.
Ralston nominated Ms. Cerra as Temporary Secretary-Treasurer and Mr. Kifer seconded
it. Mr. Artman made the vote unanimous.
Mr.
Kifer nominated Mr. Artman as the Chairman of the Board for 2023 and Mrs. Ralston
seconded it. Mr. Artman made it unanimous.
Mr.
Kifer made a motion to elect himself as Vice-Chairman of the Board for 2023; Mrs.
Ralston made a motion to elect herself as Vice Chairman of the Board for 2023;
Mr. Artman made a motion to elect Mr. Kifer as Vice Chairman of the Board for
2023 making it a 2 to 1 vote in favor of Mr. Kifer.
Mrs.
Ralston nominated Ms. Cerra as Secretary-Treasurer of the Board for 2023, Mr.
Artman seconded it and Mr. Kifer made it unanimous. Mrs. Ralston added that Ms. Cerra would also
be the Pension Plans Administrator, the Flood Plain Administrator, Delegate on
the Westmoreland County Tax Collection Committee (WCTCC) and the UCC Committee
Delegate.
Mr.
Artman made a motion to appoint Mr. Scott Andreassi as Township Solicitor at a
rate of $145.00 per hour for the year 2023; Mr. Kifer seconded it and Mrs.
Ralston made it unanimous.
A
letter was received from Senate Engineering Company expressing interest in
being reappointed as our engineer. Mrs.
Ralston made a motion to reappoint Senate Engineering as the Township
Engineer. Mr. Artman seconded it, and Mr.
Kifer made the vote unanimous.
Mrs.
Ralston made a motion for all three supervisors to share the duties of Roadmaster,
with Mr. Artman being the point man. Mr.
Artman seconded the motion and Mr. Kifer made it unanimous.
Mrs.
Ralston made a motion to reappoint Mr. Ike Summerhill to serve on the vacancy
board. Mr. Artman seconded the motion and
Mr. Kifer made it unanimous.
Mrs. Ralston made a motion to continue using
the following depository banks for 2023:
First Commonwealth for General, State, Police Pension, Non-Uniform Pension
and Sinking Funds and ARPA; Apollo Trust for Payroll and Street Light Funds;
Elderton State Bank for Police Pension CD accounts; and PIGIT for Parks and
Recreation funds. Mrs. Artman seconded
the motion and Mr. Kifer agreed but giving them just one more year.
Mrs. Ralston nominated Mr. Artman as Police Commissioner. Mr. Kifer seconded the motion.
Mrs.
Ralston said there is a vacancy on the planning commission and one auditor
position open.
Mr.
Artman made a motion to appoint Mr. Kifer as the PSATS Convention delegate if
the Township should decide to send somebody.
Mrs. Ralston seconded the motion.
Mrs.
Ralston moved to name Mrs. Amy Perroz as the PSTCA Convention delegate and to
pay for her expenses for convention; Mr. Kifer seconded and Mr. Artman made it
unanimous.
REAFFIRMATIONS
Mrs.
Ralston made a motion to reaffirm that all purchases of tools and machinery for
all departments (maintenance, police, office) not covered by Contract Agreement
must be approved by the Board of Supervisors, and no longer need a purchase
order. Best prices and service will be
obtained for any equipment or purchases made.
Mr. Kifer seconded the motion and Mr. Artman made it unanimous.
Mr.
Kifer made a motion that all Ordinances and Resolutions be retained. Mrs. Ralston seconded it and Mr. Atman made
the vote unanimous.
Mrs.
Ralston moved to reaffirm the Tax Rates for 2023, which had previously been set
and approved as part of the 2023 Budget.
Mr. Artman seconded the motion and Mr. Kifer made it unanimous. There were no changes made and rates are as
follows:
Real
Estate - 7 Mills
Local
Services Tax - $52.00
Wage
Tax - ½ of 1%
Real
Estate Transfer - ½ of 1%
Street
Light Tax - Vacant - .09
Kepple
Hill - Occupied - 1.0
Kiskimere - Occupied -
1.0
North
Vandergrift - Occupied - 1.0
Mrs. Ralston moved to reaffirm that
Ms. Amy Perroz will collect the Real Estate and Local Services Taxes, and
Berkheimer will collect the Earned Income Taxes. Mr. Kifer seconded the
motion and Mr. Artman made it unanimous.
Mrs. Ralston moved to pay the Treasurer’s
bond for the year 2023. Mr. Kifer seconded the motion and Mr. Artman made
it unanimous.
Mrs. Ralston moved to set the
mileage reimbursement rate at 65.5 cents, which is the 2023 Federal Rate (the
previous rate was 62.5 cents). Mr. Artman seconded the motion and
Mr. Kifer made it unanimous.
RESOLUTIONS
Mrs. Ralston moved to adopt the Wage
Schedule Resolution. Mr. Kifer seconded the motion and Mr. Artman made it
unanimous.
Mr. Kifer made a motion to accept
the Bill Payment Resolution with the addition of SWIF, adding any other bills
will need Supervisors approval; Mrs. Ralston seconded it and Mr. Artman made it
unanimous.
REGULAR MEETING
Two
executive sessions were held on January 11 and 18, 2023 to discuss personnel
matters.
Copies of the Agenda, Minutes, and
Bill Payment List were posted on the bulletin board for review. Public
comments will be taken at the end of the meeting.
Mrs. Ralston made a motion to adopt the
Minutes from the December 19, 2022 regular meeting with Mr. Artman seconding
the motion and Mr. Kifer making the vote unanimous.
Mrs. Ralston made a motion to accept
the Treasurer’s Report/Ending Balances for 2022; Mr. Kifer seconded it and Mr.
Artman made it unanimous.
Mr. Kifer made a motion to accept
the Bill Payment List for December 14 thru December 31, 2022 and Mrs. Ralston seconded
with Mr. Artman making the motion unanimous. Each Supervisor stipulated
that his vote did not include anything pertaining to himself or any member of
his family.
CORRESPONDENCE
No
correspondence.
STAFF REPORTS
Police Report - Ms. Cerra read the
Police Report for December 1 through December 31, 2022
Maintenance Crew - Mr. Artman reported
the crew has been plowing snow, put up the stop signs on Nesbit St. on Kepple
Hill, maintenance on the equipment. There have been a lot of trees down, they
have been cold patching, cleaning drops and cleaned up a rockslide on Kepple
Hill.
TOWNSHIP COMMITTEES
Parks Committee – Reorganization
Meeting Date January 11, 2023. They have received the subway tickets for the
fundraiser.
Planning Commission – The
Reorganization Meeting is scheduled for January 9, 2023.
OLD BUSINESS
Mrs. Ralston made a motion to adopt
the Repeal Grant Street One-Way Ordinance, Mr. Artman seconded it and Mr. Kifer
made it unanimous.
NEW BUSINESS
Chief Arce asked that the fee for
accidents reports be $25 for companies and $20 for individuals. Mrs. Ralston
made a motion to adopt the fee schedule, Mr. Kifer seconded it and Mr. Artman
made it unanimous.
Mrs. Ralston made a motion to pay to
have our tax statements for 2023 printed with County tax statements, no changes
to street light tax and real estate millage remains at 7 mills; Mr. Kifer
seconded it, and Mr. Artman made it unanimous.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Mr. Bell
said he put a no parking on sidewalk in front of his house on Lincoln Street.
Mrs. Ralston said it is illegal to park on a sidewalk. Chief Arce suggested an
in house parking ticket for these kind of parking violations. The secretary
said she would call the solicitor and see if we could do that.
ADJOURNMENT
The next regular monthly meeting will
be held on Monday, March 20, 2023 in the Township Building at 7 P.M at 26
Jackson Street, North Vandergrift.
There being no further questions or
comments, Mrs. Ralston moved to adjourn at 7:42 p.m. with Mr. Artman seconding
the motion and Mr. Kifer made it unanimous.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jeanna Cerra Secretary-Treasurer