The Parks Township Board of Supervisors
held their regular monthly meeting on March 21, 2022 at 7:00 pm in the
Community Building, 26 Jackson Street, North Vandergrift.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Gregory Artman,
Chairman Mary Ralston, Vice Chairman
Jeanna
Cerra, Secretary - Treasurer
Scott Kifer, member was absent
VISITORS PRESENT Jeff Retter, Julie Hill, Taygen Hill, Cindy
Reilly, Sherrie Polka, Paula Hill, John Mozina, , Ken Reynolds, Rich Simpson
OTHERS PRESENT:
Chief Doug Ciuca,
Mr. Artman called the meeting
to order at 7:00 pm following the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Copies
of the Agenda and Minutes were given to all attending and were posted along
with the Treasurer’s Report and Bill Payment List 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 February 14, 2022 regular monthly meeting. Mr. Artman seconded it.
Ms Cerra presented the
Treasurer's Reports for February 2022. Mrs. Ralston moved to accept the
Treasurer's Report; Mr. Artman seconded it. Receipts for February were $56,899.83
and expenses were $51,020.57 leaving a total balance of $258,981.64 (General
Fund –$10,793.77 Capital Fund – $29,008.68; State Fund - $101,195.72; Street
Light Fund – $88.88 and ARPA Fund $117,894.59).
Mrs. Ralston made a motion to
approve the Bill Payment List for February 11, 2022 through March 17, 2022; Mr.
Artman seconded it. Each Supervisor
stipulated that his vote did not include anything pertaining to himself or any
member of his family.
CORRESPONDENCE - None
STAFF REPORTS
Police Report – Ms Cerra read the
Police Report for February 1, 2022 through February 28, 2022.
Maintenance Crew – Mr.
Artman reported the Crew was ditching and filling holes. Ashing and plowing
roads were almost over. Mrs. Ralston said she would like to make sure the crew
knows they need a PO for all purchases.
She also wanted to have a list of things that they should be doing. We need to order a new pressure washer. Mr.
Artman asked Ms. Cerra to get prices. Mrs. Ralston asked Ms. Cerra to order another
load of salt. He also said the parts for the Massey came, Mrs. Ralston asked
what the part was for, he said the brakes.
TOWNSHIP COMMITTEES
Parks Committee- The committee
met on March 9, 2022. Ms. Polka reported
that the Parks Committee elected her as Chairman and Ms. Cerra as Secretary.
The Slovak Club donated $1500.00 to fix the drainage on Kepple Hill. The committee reviewed the inspections that
were done in May, talked about looking into private grants and at Aprils
meeting will go to the Vets Memorial and assess what is needed before Memorial
Day. Ms. Polka asked the Board if it was OK for the committee to have a movie
night. The Supervisors agreed to the movie night. She also added they would like to have some
volunteers (children) to clean up the parks and around them.
Planning Commission – The Committee met
on March 14, 2022. Mr. Simpson said the
Committee went over the lists of ordinances and is going to organize them,
there are many older ones. They also are trying to compose a list of the
blighted properties in the Township.
OLD BUSINESS
Maple Road – Ms. Cerra
gave the Board a list of the homeowners who will be notified of the dirt
section of the road closing. Mrs.
Ralston said she drove the road, there is not much room to turn around, there
will need to be a cul-de-sac put in. She said she would talk to Mr. Braun and
see if he could develop a proposal.
Slate Point Road Dirt and Gravel
Update- Prices were sent via fax for pipe and aggregates. Mrs. Ralston said she would look at the
prices and see who had the lowest price to order pipe.
Dollar General/Curb Entering 66
Update- Ms. Cerra said it was reported to PennDOT but we have not heard
anything.
Grant Street One Way- Mrs. Ralston
said if we do not follow PennDOTs recommendation we could not give any tickets. Chief Ciuca said he doesn’t see any issues
moving the signs to the end of the road.
Mr. Artman was concerned about someone backing up on Dime Road after
seeing the signs and causing an accident. Table until we get information next
month from Mr. Favero.
American Rescue Plan Funding Update-
Mrs. Ralston said with the new update allowing us to put up to 10 million
dollars of the funds into our General Fund, we will be putting the remainder
into the General Fund, as was voted on the February meeting. The report is due April 30, 2022.
NEW BUSINESS
Cooks
Clean Up- Ms Cerra said a representative from Cooks came in and asked if we
were interested in a clean- up day again at Cooks. The date would be September
24, 2022. Mrs. Ralston made a motion to have Clean- Up Day on September 24,
2022 at Cooks again this year, Mr. Artman seconded the motion.
Safety
Inspection report/ Safety Committee- Ms Cerra told the Board that a safety
inspection was done at the Township and Dime Buildings and she presented the
report and findings from the inspection. Ms. Cerra said that the Township could
save 5% per policy we carried if we started a safety Committee and had monthly meetings;
she said she was willing to organize and begin the meetings if the Board wanted
to do so. Mrs. Ralston made a motion to organize a Safety Committee and have
monthly meetings and Mr. Artman seconded it.
Summer
Projects- Mrs. Ralston said the Township needed to rent a grader for Slate
Point Road. When she rode on Maple Road there was not any mud but we do need to
make a cul-de-sac, and a no outlet sign. Piper Hill has no problems on the dirt part
but the tar and chip section is in bad shape, rip rap needs to be put on road
near the creek. Chestnut is also in bad shape; last year PennDOT said it would
cost $103,000.00. The drops need done on
Grant Street, and there is a broken grate that needs replaced. Ridge Road has a
slide it has already dropped 3 feet. Mr.Braun
will need to look at that also. The
summer projects list in order is as follows:
1. Maple Road
2. Slate Point- grant
3. Chestnut Road
4. Garvers Ferry Road
5. Piper Hill Road
6. Laurel Road
7. Grant Street
8. Ridge Road
9. Locust Road
Mrs.
Ralston said Manor Drive was never paved when the rest of Kepple Hill was
done. Mrs. Ralston also asked Mr. Artman
how Industrial Park Road was, he said it was good.
Peoples
Gas called and wanted to know if they could put meters on the paper alley
between Grant Street and Washington. The Supervisors are open to discussion
PUBLIC COMMENT
Ms
Julie Hill was concerned about the crime and drugs in the Township. She said
there was a man who lives in her neighborhood who her children found passed out
on the road, dressed in black, a crowbar, hacksaw, rubber fingered gloves. Kiski Township Police came and waited for
State Police, who then released him after finding out that he did not have any
warrants. Chief Ciuca said his parole
officer was supposed to come and do something about it. He walks around at night with flash lights and
machetes, because he is so paranoid, he thinks people are looking in his
trailer windows. Mr. Artman asked if those are camper trailers they live in? Mrs. Ralston said you can only live in an
accessory trailer on property under the Granny Flats ordinance, from the Sewage
Enforcement, if you have a sick relative
and notify them . There can only be one
residential structure on each property. Once that person dies that trailer must be moved.
Ms. Cerra gave Ms. Hill the phone number for the Sewage Enforcement. There have also been people wandering on
Airport Road. Chief Ciuca said people
need to call 911 when this is happening.
Ms Polka said there was a drug deal going on under the bridge the other
day in a Butler Police Cargo Van. Mr.
Artman said be aware of your surroundings and call 911. Ms Hill said she would like to have a Crime
Watch. If we can get the people here we
will have a meeting.
Ms.
Reilly asked who do we call when we do not have water on the weekend? Mr. Artman told her to call 911 and they will
notify the authority.
Mr.
Mozina said the Conservation District called the Township and we told him they
will not issue a bond for that. Mrs.
Ralston said no one called about that.
Ms. Paula Hill wanted to know what the process is to finish so they can
get fill. Mrs. Ralston said you need permits
from DEP and Conservation District.
Mrs. Ralston said Holly from Conservation District called and she told
her there was no bond through the Township for Ash Road. Mr. Mozina wants to know if there is any
issue if a company wants to get a bond for Ash; Mrs. Ralston explained if any
bond is issued the Engineer will be contacted and he will issue the bond, any
damage to road and engineer fees will come from that bond. The township fee is $125 for the bond and
anything over that will be calculated by the Engineer.
Mr
Reynolds wanted to see if something will be done with the bottom of Maple
Road. Mrs. Ralston said we will have a company
come in and do reclamation and we will go from there. Maple is #1 on the list.
She said she will call our PennDOT representative to see if he will come and
meet with her and look over the roads.
Mrs.
Ralston said Representative Silvis’s office notified us of unclaimed property
the Township was owed; if anyone interested in checking for themselves the site
is PA Unclaimed Property.
ADJOURNMENT
The next Regular Monthly
Meeting will be held April 18, 2022 at 7:00 pm in the Community Building, North
Vandergrift.
There being no further questions
or comments, Mr. Artman moved to adjourn at 8:27 pm; Mrs. Ralston seconded it.
Respectfully
Submitted,
Jeanna Cerra
Secretary-Treasurer