Monthly Index

March 28, 2005, Special Council Meeting

Citizen Comments:               Jan Ochs In Re Cruise-In Special

                     Event Request; YMCA Special

                     Event Request and Sage Meadow

                     Request Discussion

Public Works:                  Pothole Patching; Gasoline Price to

                     Affect Price of Blacktop; Snow

                     Removal Discussed

Downtown Committee:            Update Clarion Revitalization

                     Committee

Public Safety:                  Letter from Community Bank In Re

                     Parking Meters Discussed;

                     Permission to Advertise Adding Stop

                     Signs on Both North and South

                     Intersection of Second Avenue and

                     Wood Street and Add a Handicapped

                     Parking Space In Front of Post

                     Office; Contract Negotiation Update

                     at Council Meeting

Housing and Zoning:               Added Two Alternate Members to

                     Appeals Board

Recreation:                  None

Mayor’s Report:               None

Manager’s Report:               Attended Spring Legislative

                     Conference

Old Business:                  None

New Business:                  None

Correspondence:               Letter from Jamie Bero Requesting

                     Permission for Center Place Between

                     Merle Road and Wood Street to be

                     Closed for Fire Fighters’ Family

                     Picnic

The special meeting of the Clarion Borough Council was held on March 28, 2005, at the Clarion Borough Offices.

President Wilshire called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.

Councilmembers present included Messrs. Zerfoss, Herman, Crooks, Ms. Vavrek, Ms. Moore, Mr. German, and President Wilshire.  Mr. Stutzman, Ms. Lapinto, Mr. Ragon, and Chief Hall were also present.  Mayor Smathers was absent.

Citizen Comments: Ms. Jan Ochs submitted a request for a special event for a cruise-in of mustangs, classic cars, and motorcycles to be held July 23, 2005.

President Wilshire thinks this could benefit the Borough, especially the merchants.  If there is a reasonable way to make the event possible, President Wilshire feels the Borough should proceed.  Action will be taken at the Council Meeting.

President Wilshire commented there are also a number of standard special event requests listed.

In an effort to save paper, Ms. Lapinto stated only the new requests are included.

Ms. LaVan stated the YMCA race route is new.  Last year, the YMCA submitted a similar request and Council approved it if the following two conditions were met: 1) the runners would use the roadway instead of the sidewalks and 2) if the United Way race route would be used.  Ms. LaVan contacted the YMCA to see if they would do the same this year.  The YMCA agreed to use the roadways but asked Council to consider the route submitted because a lot of runners complained about running the same route several times a year.  A letter is included explaining that issue.

President Wilshire asked if Chief Hall reviewed it.

Chief Hall didn’t have a chance to review the new route but recalled last year it was turned down.

Mr. Herman asked Chief Hall to review it and report at the Council Meeting.

Ms. Lapinto stated Sage Meadow’s request for a continual sidewalk sale is also new and was discussed by Public Works.

Ms. Vavrek asked for clarification on what Sage Meadow really wants to do.

Ms. Lapinto will check on that.

President Wilshire asked Ms. Lapinto to get additional information on this request.

Public Works:  Mr. Zerfoss stated the Committee met last week and have a couple things to report at the Council Meeting.

Mr. Zerfoss commented now that the snow is gone the Department is patching potholes.  The blacktop that has been saved and stored at the park is being recycled in the hot box machine.  Hopefully, the Department will have enough to repair the major potholes until the plants open up, which should be in about two weeks.

Mr. Zerfoss reported there is a letter in the packet in reference to snow removal along the curb and around the parking meters, which was not received until after the meeting.  This cannot be solved tonight and will be discussed at the next Public Works Meeting.

Mr. Crooks thinks the biggest issue discussed at the meeting was the increasing price of gasoline will affect the price of blacktop tremendously.  The Borough will not be able to pave nearly as much this summer as was anticipated.  Mr. Stutzman explained ways the Borough can save and techniques that could be done to the existing blacktop to keep it nice as long as possible.

Mr. Zerfoss agreed and stated more details will be given at the Council Meeting.

Ms. Moore asked if Mr. Zerfoss discussed the letter about the snow removal from the curbs.  It was a big problem this winter.

When it snows, Mr. Stutzman announced the residents and business owners plow and shovel the snow from his/her sidewalks, creating piles of snow.  Once the streets are cleared, the Department addresses the snow around the meter and curb areas starting in the Main Street area.  However, if it snows before that is completed, the Department has to start over again plowing the snow from the roadways.  Also, there are certain hours that cause a problem due to parking.  Mr. Stutzman stressed the Department does the best job possible.

Ms. Moore stated it does present a very dangerous situation because a lot of people walk the road down to the alleyway or corner instead of jumping over the snow pile.

Mr. Zerfoss pointed out the Borough spent a lot more money last year because snow removal was contracted out.  This will be discussed at the next meeting.

Downtown Committee:  Ms. Moore informed everyone the Clarion Revitalization Committee is hard at work and has been meeting every week.  Ms. Andrea Maitland has asked to be placed on the agenda at next week’s Council Meeting to inform Council where the Committee is going.  The Borough’s part is to fill out the application section on the Clarion Downtown profile.

Public Safety:  Mr. Herman asked Ms. Moore to address the letter in reference to parking meters around the Community Bank.  Ms. Moore discussed this issue at a previous meeting.

Ms. Moore stated the meters in that area are going to be changed, but the weather slowed things down.

Mr. Stutzman asked what was going to be changed.

Ms. Moore asked Mr. Stutzman to contact her.

President Wilshire inquired if the meters being discussed are covered by the parking permit.

Ms. Lapinto stated no.

President Wilshire commented he is not talking about the meters on Main Street, which employees should not be parking there anyhow.

Mr. Herman reported the employees are parking on North Fourth Avenue.

When Sal Mazzocchi’s business was on the corner, Ms. Moore pointed out the Borough did not have short-term parking and the meters were changed on Mr. Mazzocchi’s request.  Then Mr. Mazzocchi moved his business.  In the meantime, people are parking on Main Street, which should be shorter-termed meters.

Mr. Crooks thought Council changed those also on a request by the First United National Bank, who didn’t want 10-hour meters there.

Ms. Moore agreed.

Mr. Crooks doesn’t understand why the employees cannot park on Liberty Street, where there aren’t any meters.

Ms. Moore stressed the people don’t want to walk.  Parking is available on Third Avenue also but that would mean people would have to walk a block.

On a motion by Mr. Herman with a second by Mr. Zerfoss, giving permission to advertise to add stop signs on both the north and south intersections of Second Avenue and Wood Street and add a handicapped parking space in front of the Post Office, was carried with a vote of seven yea.

Mr. Herman reported he’d have an update on negotiations at the Council Meeting.

Housing and Zoning:  Ms. Vavrek reminded everyone Council approved members of the UCC Appeals Board.  Mr. Ragon would like Council to add Mr. Joe Ferguson and Mr. Ron Kopko as alternates on that Board.  This would bring the total number of members to 9 (5 members with 4 alternates).  Ms. Vavrek commented Mr. Ragon feels if enough people are named to the Board, there will never be the need to cancel because only 3 members are necessary for a quorum.

On a motion by Ms. Vavrek with a second by Mr. Crooks, adding Joe Ferguson and Ron Kopko as alternates to the Appeals Board, was carried with a vote of seven yea.

Recreation:  Mr. German will report at Tuesday’s Council Meeting.

Mayor’s Report:  There was none.

Manager’s Report:  Ms. Lapinto reported on the annual Borough’s Association Spring Legislative Conference.  Also, as a Boardmember of the Borough’s Association, Ms. Lapinto attended a course on Board Member Management.  Each Councilmember will receive a copy of the manual, which contains parliamentary rules, a responsibility chart, and additional information.  A copy will be forwarded to the Chamber.  Another class was on personnel that may get called up in the military through reserves, which is a possibility.  The responsibilities are very clear.

Old Business:  There was none.

New Business:  There was none.

Correspondence:  Ms. LaVan read a letter from Jamie Bero, Chair, Clarion Fire Fighters’ Family Picnic, to President Wilshire and Clarion Borough Council requesting permission for Center Place between Merle Road and Wood Street to be closed from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 25, 2005, for the Clarion Fire Fighters’ Family Picnic.  The alley would be used as an area to play games and provide social interaction.

President Wilshire stated that is a heavily used alley.

Ms. Moore inquired if Mr. Stutzman has additional information.

Mr. Stutzman stated no.

Mr. Herman asked if Council had a copy of that request.

Ms. Lapinto commented no.  It was dropped off at the office today.

President Wilshire asked Ms. Lapinto to look into that.

On a motion by Mr. Zerfoss with a second by Mr. Herman, the Special Council Meeting was adjourned at 5:30 p.m.

                     ______________________________

                     Carol Lapinto

                     Borough Secretary