MINUTES OF THE RUTLEDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL
December 9, 2019 Council Meeting
212 Unity Terrace
Rutledge, PA 19070
Meeting was called to order and Pledge of Allegiance recited at 7:32 pm.
Mayor Cunningham asked for a moment of silence to honor MRFC Fire Captain Michael Malinowski and support his wife Melissa Anne and their five children.
Roll Call, Present: Heidi Sentivan, Jody Roberts, Marie Govannicci , Samantha Newell, Christine Gradel, Ken Torres-Zickler, Lindsay Reed, Mayor Kevin Cunningham, Administrator Barbarann Keffer, Solicitor Christine Reuther.
Public Comment: Several students from Ms. Carson’s 5th grade class spoke in support of the borough acknowledging and celebrating Indigenous People’s Day annually in contrast to celebrating Columbus Day. List of speakers: Maisey Sentivan, Nate Mitchell, Maya ____, Zeb Smithy, Telly ____, ?, ?, Olivia ___, Lukas Eliot.
HS stated that there is no official record about the borough celebrating Columbus Day officially and she encouraged the students to research the indigenous people in this area and invited their input as the process of creating a resolution unfolds over the next several months. HS also cited a Bloomington, Indiana resolution which could serve as a model for the recognition and/or celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
MRFC President Jack Breslin gave an update on Michael Malinowski’s funeral arrangements and the various (but not final) fundraising efforts for the family. He also stated that the death will be filed as a LODD (line of duty death).
Minutes: motion to pass the November 25, 2019 workshop meeting minutes (lR/JR); passed unanimously.
Trash & Recycling: Because of the way the holidays fall this season, B&L requested to change the post-Christmas recycling pick-up be switched from Thursday, December 26 to Saturday, December 28 and that the post-New Year’s Day recycling pick-up be switched from Thursday, January 2 to Saturday, January 4.
Communications: KTZ requested help to distribute the three remaining packets of the newsletter.
Motion to advertise the 2020 public meetings: Council, Planning Commission and Shade Tree Commission (HS/LR); passed unanimously.
Communication Committee will meet this Thursday, December 12.
Parks: HS talked about the newly-forming Park Committee to help steer the Park Master Plan and stated that the borough is looking for residents to join it. The Master Plan rfp process was discussed.
CG said four trees were planted at the Shade Tree Commission’s November 17 event.
Activities: LR stated the 2020 Activities Calendar is set except for the date of the Oktoberfest.
Finance: JR said that Council is ready to vote on the 2020 budget except for some details which will be ironed out after personnel discussions which will happen this week and that no substantive changes came out of the public meetings on the budget.
There was a short discussion of the bills list and the extra expenses of the new flooring and the paving project. Motion to pass the bills list (November 26-December 9) (HS/LR); passed unanimously.
The TD general checking, tax collector and shade tree commission accounts are on track to be closed and the funds moved over to the Trumark accounts.
Streets: SN that the pothole project has been completed. There was a short discussion on a 2020 street resurfacing project and the use of liquid fuel funds for that.
Sewer: HS stated that the expectation for the payment of Phase III will be as it was for the first two phases: the state will pay first and then the borough will pay its matching obligation.
Building: The foundation strips are the last part of the flooring project which needs to be completed.
Planning: JR announced that Joe Brook is resigning from the commission and that there are 2 four-year terms and one two-year term open at this point.
Mayor’s Report: KC thanked people for their help with the Tree Lighting Ceremony and singled out Carrie Kozub, the MRFC and the Silvertones.
Tax Collector: TH stated the report is the same as last month with approximately 10 properties outstanding.
The resolution for the guidelines of the Volunteer Tax Credit as well as the timeline and the process for distributing the tax credits were discussed.
Solicitor’s Report: CR discussed the FEMA Floodplain Management Ordinance and that it has not yet been adopted by Council in the recent past; she cited the 2016 minimum ordinance as a possible model option. There was a discussion of how floodplain management was somewhat of an issue 3-4 years earlier during the sale of the Rutledge Court Apartments.
CR also talked about her transition to her County Council office and the importance of the upcoming census. There will be a Complete Count Training for Municipal Officials on ______ at_________.
New Business: CR discussed the license agreement with Chambers Memorial and how it is best to go with an annual update (instead of a multi-year agreement) so the agreement can be reviewed regularly.
There was a call for residents to help with folding the luminary bags.
Motion to adjourn, 8:42 pm. (HS/SN).