Middletown Borough Council Minutes 1 September 16, 2013

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September 16, 2013
Middletown, PA 17057
The September 16, 2013 meeting of the Middletown Borough Council was called to order at 7
p.m. by Council President Christopher R. McNamara.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, the following Council members answered roll call: Barbara
Arnold, Donald Brooks, John Brubaker, Robert _louer, Christopher R. McNamara, Judy Putric,
David Rhen and Scott Sites. Councilor Sue Sullivan was absent.
Also present were Mayor Robert G. Reid, Borough"Manager Tim Konek and Borough Secretary
Chris Courogen.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Dawn Knull commented on an incident involving a pit bull and suggested Council look to adopt a
leash law ordinance.
Cortez Jackson commended the Borough on the Labor Day Parade and the labor Day weekend
fireworks.
Council President McNamara thanked 'the members of the Middletown Night Out committee
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and tur:ned the floor over to Councilor Bar,para Arnold, a member of the committee, and
Middletown PoHc:e Officer Gary Rux, who as the NightOut coordinator. Cou11tilor Arnold
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and Officer Rux then presented certificates of appreciation to a lithe organizations
inaividuals who participated in putting together the Night Out event. "
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Following the presentations, Council President McNamara, Council Vice President Lauer, and
Mayor Reid tranks Officer Rux and the committee for their efforts on behalf of the Borough.
"At 7:35 p.m., Council recessed for an executive session. Council reconvened at 8:41 Q.m., with
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Council President McNamara reporting several items concern.ing personnel and litigation haq
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been discussed.
MAYOR'S REPORT
Mayor Reid to report .
MANAGER'S REPORT
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Borough Manager Konek updated council on the status of the Hazard Mitigation Grant
Prqgram flood buyout program, saying demolition work is underway.

Councilor Sites asked when the Borough would be "reimbursed by FEMA for the buyouts.
Borough Martager Konek explained all the reimbursement paperwork will be submitted
following the completion of the demolition of the buyout properties.
SECRETARY'S REPORT
Middletown Borough Council Minutes 2 September 16, 2013
Secretary Courogen reported the movie Lincoln will be shown Saturday night in Hoffer Park in
conjunction with the M&H Railroad's Civil War weekend. Also, Penn State Harrisburg has hired a
new basketball coach, who visited Borough Hall and met several Borough officials. The new
coach is anxious to get his team more involved in the commynity. Secretary Courogen said
arrangements have been made to allow the PSU team to use Main Street Gym for pre-season
workouts.
Secretary Courogen also reported the Dauphin County Chiefs of Police Association has set
October 31 as Trick or treat night in the County. Also, the Kiwanis Club Halloween Parade is
scheduled for Monday, October 21.
Council President McNamara added that the Civil War Dance to benefit the Middletown Public
Library is scheduled for September 28.
Council President McNamara asked for motions from the floor to approve the two Halloween
event dates.
Councilor Louer made a motion to set Trick or Treat Night in the Borough for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
on October 31. The motion was seconded by Councilor Putric and approved by a unanimous 8-0
vote.
Couocilor Arnold moved to approve the request by the Kiwanis Club to hold the Halloween
Parade on Monday, October 21. The motion was seconded by Councilor Sites and approved by a
unanimous 8-0 vote.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Community Development- Councilor Arnold reported on the advice of the Borough solicitor,
her committee would not be able to take the lead on efforts to have volunteers decorate the
square and downtown for the fall, or to decorate Hoffer Park for Christmas. Arnold said althOugh
the solicitor was confident the Borough was within its contractual rights to have volunteers help,
the union representing non-uniform employees has filed multiple grievances over the use of
volunteers and the solicitor felt the Borough should not be risking potential exposure.
Asked about the nature of the grievances, Council President McNamara illustrated the situation
by relating the story of a grievance filed by two employees after a library volunteer had planted
flowers in a garden outside the library.
Subcommittee on Labor Relations- Councilor Brubaker reported the arbitrator has ruled on the
police contract . Copies of the decision would be available to the public through Right To Know
requests.
Council President McNamara read the preface of the arbitrator's award, in which the arbitrator
acknowledged the structural deficit in the General Fund budget. McNamara also lamented the
cost of health care benefits.
Middletown Borough Counci l Minutes 3 September 16, 2013
Public Works- Councilor Lauer reported three additional homes were being lost to the airport's
noise mitigation buyout, further reducing borough tax and utility revenues.
A member of the public asked who decided to use Borough money to purchase homes in the
flood buyout program.
Council President McNamara explained that is a separate program and that the Borough will be
reimbursed by FEMA for that expenditure. The Borough decided to pay upfront and get
reimbursed rather than wait for FEMA to front the money in order to lessen the suffering of the
flood victims involved and to expedite the buyout process so the Borough could demolish the
affected homes quicker.
Council President McNamara explained the money was not from the General Fund and did not
have an impact on that fund's structural deficit.
Public Safety- Councilor Rhen reported the police were likely to begin occupying their new
headquarters within the next week.
Economic Development- Councilor Sites, who chairs the committee, had no report. President
McNamara reported the downtown revitalization project has been transferred to the Industrial
and Commercial Development Authority, which is in the process of seeking financing for the
project.
Also, the Borough's Water and Sewer Authority will be bringing Council the results of the rate
study it commissioned. Council President McNamara said in 2009, previous Council had failed to
put anything in place to deal with the debt related to the new sewerage treatment plant,
resulting in an $836,000 accounting deficit in the water-sewer fund. Hopefully the downtown
project infrastructure improvements will reduce infiltration and inflow to the sewer plant,
reducing the Borough's hare of the plant's operating costs.
Councilor Lauer made a motion to adjourn. It was seconded by Councilor Brooks and approved
by unanimous consent. At 9:11 p.m., the meeting was adjourned.
Borough Secretary