The Parks Township Board of Supervisors held their regular monthly meeting on April 15, 2024, at 7:00 pm in the Community Building, 26 Jackson Street, North Vandergrift.

 MEMBERS PRESENT:  Gregory Artman, Chairman                                    Scott Kifer, Supervisor, Supervisor       

 Mary Ralston, Vice Chairman                                Jeanna Cerra, Secretary - Treasurer 

VISITORS                            Brenda Milliman, Debbie Belles, Jeff Retter, Brian Szitas, Ken Reynolds, Richard Veitch, Gene Bell, Cynthia Nabors

 OTHERS PRESENT:      None

 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.

The bids were open for the 2024 Summer Project; the first one was from Holbein Inc. and the bid was $292,665.86 and the second one was from Russell Standard and their bid was $244,122.60. Mrs. Ralston made a motion to award the project to Russell Standard, who is the lowest responsible bidder; Mr. Artman seconded it, and Mr. Kifer made it unanimous.

Mrs. Ralston made a motion to adopt the Minutes from the March 18, 2024, Regular Meeting; Mr. Kifer seconded it, and Mr. Artman made it unanimous.  

 Mrs. Ralston made a motion to approve the Treasurer's Report for March 2024, Mr. Artman seconded it, and Mr. Kifer made it unanimous.   Receipts for March were $202,714.63 and expenses were $44,797.19 leaving a total balance of $486,443.58 (General Fund –$175,860.77; Capital Fund – $42,857.16; State Fund - $344,975.16; Street Light Fund – $8434.81)

 Mrs. Ralston made a motion to approve the Bill Payment List for March 15- April 11, 2024; Mr. Artman seconded it, and Mr. Kifer made it unanimous.  Each Supervisor stipulated that his vote did not include anything pertaining to himself or any member of his family.

 CORRESPONDENCE

An inspection report was sent from Armstrong Conservation District about an inspection done at Mozina Fill Site.  

Parks Township Volunteer Fireman’s Relief Association Compliance Audit was received.

An email from the DEP was sent about many complaints about residential burning.

 STAFF REPORTS

Police Report – Report from March 1-31, 2024

 Maintenance Crew- Mr. Artman said the crew has been berming and ditching roads, cutting trees, and patching potholes to get the roads ready for the upcoming tar and chipping. Mr. Bell said they should be using hot mix not cold patch.

 TOWNSHIP COMMITTEES-

Parks Committee-No quorum.

Planning Commission-No quorum.

OLD BUSINESS

Mrs. Ralston said a meeting was held today (April 15, 2024), DCED is assigning a consultant.  As it stands now the headquarters will be in Leechburg. At the meeting each municipality listed their equipment and computers. As of date it’s still Leechburg, West Leechburg and Parks Township.

Kepple Hill Park Drainage is not finished. A fence is going to need to be installed.  

Russell Standard was awarded the project. The township will have to see when they can start Garvers Ferry for the grant that was awarded and that will need to be done by August 1, 2024.

No updates on National Night Out, still in the planning stage.

Nothing has been heard about the LSA Grant.

Cheryl McCabe sent dates to meet with the supervisors to discuss the Comcast contract.

Mrs. Ralston made a motion to advertise the Amended Burning Ordinance, Mr. Kifer seconded it, and Mr. Artman made it unanimous.

NEW BUSINESS

Mr. Kifer made a motion to accept the quote from J&N Property Care, LLC to mow the parks and county lots. Mr. Artman seconded it, and Mrs. Ralston made it unanimous.

Mrs. Ralston said she thought the township should wait to buy a new backhoe until another person is hired for the maintenance crew. Mr. Artman said we needed one and he thought we should get it now. Mr. Kifer asked if it can be financed for 6 years, and Mrs. Ralston said to call Hugh McGown at the Infrastructure Bank.

Mrs. Ralston made a motion with the rising stamp costs that any bills that had online payments to have the secretary treasurer pay online, adding a receipt must be printed with cancelled e-check. Mr. Kifer seconded it and Mr. Artman made it unanimous.

Mrs. Ralston, Mr. Kifer and Ms. Cerra will be attending the ACATO convention.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Mrs. Milliman said she called the bus garage because of buses speeding at Kiskimere. They changed the route and now are tearing up the road and berm on the corner of Eisenhower and Mary Streets.

Mr. Bell asked if the supervisors knew the route that would be taken to remove waste from B&W. Mrs. Ralston said probably Leechburg.

Mr. Reynolds asked how far on Maple will the repair and new surface be. Mrs. Ralston said to Popovich’s driveway.

Ms. Nabors wanted the supervisors to know there was someone riding a quad on River Road.

Mr. Veitch said there was run off on Crawford Street across from his house, the property owners filled in the ditch line a long time ago and the water has nowhere to run but on the road and is causing a hazard.

 ADJOURNMENT

 The next Regular Monthly Meeting will be held on May 20, 2024, at 7:00 pm in the Community Building, North Vandergrift.

There being no further questions or comments, Mrs. Ralston moved to adjourn at 8:14 pm; Mr. Kifer seconded it, and Mr. Artman made it unanimous.

 Respectfully Submitted,

 Jeanna Cerra

Secretary-Treasurer