The
Parks Township Board of Supervisors held their Reorganization and Regular Monthly
meeting on January 5, 2026, at 7:00 pm in the Community Building, 26 Jackson
Street, North Vandergrift.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Gregory Artman, Chairman Mary Ralston, Vice Chairman
John Kuruc, Member
Jeanna Cerra, Secretary-Treasurer
VISITORS PRESENT: Jeff Retter, Paul Duriancik, Rich
Simpson
OTHERS PRESENT: Chief Francis Willison
Mr.
Artman called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm following the Pledge of
Allegiance to the Flag.
REORGANIZATION
MEETING
Mrs.
Ralston nominated Mr. Artman as Temporary Chairman. Mr. Kuruc seconded it, Mr.
Artman made it unanimous.
Mrs.
Ralston nominated Ms. Cerra as Temporary Secretary-Treasurer and Mr. Kuruc seconded
it, and Mr. Artman made it unanimous.
Mrs.
Ralston nominated Mr. Artman as the Chairman of the Board for 2026, and Mr. Kuruc
seconded it, Mr. Artman made it unanimous.
Mr.
Artman nominated Mrs. Ralston as Vice-Chairman of the Board for 2026; Mr. Kuruc
seconded it, and Mrs. Ralston made it unanimous.
Mrs.
Artman appointed Ms. Cerra as Secretary-Treasurer of the Board for 2026,
Pension Plans Administrator, the Flood Plain Administrator, Delegate on the
Westmoreland County Tax Collection Committee (WCTCC) and the UCC Committee
Delegate, AORO. Mrs. Ralston seconded it
and Mr. Kuruc made it unanimous.
Mrs.
Artman made a motion to appoint Mr. Scott Andreassi as Township Solicitor for
the year 2026, Mrs. Ralston seconded it, and Mr. Kuruc made it unanimous.
Mrs.
Ralston made a motion to appoint Gibson Thomas as the Township Engineer. Mr. Artman seconded it and Mr. Kuruc made it
unanimous.
Mrs.
Ralston made a motion for all three supervisors to share the duties of Roadmaster,
with Mr. Kuruc being the working roadmaster as he chooses, Mr. Artman seconded it.
Mr.
Artman made a motion to reappoint Mr. Ike Summerhill to serve on the vacancy
board. Mrs. Ralston seconded the motion,
and Mr. Kuruc made it unanimous.
Mrs. Ralston made a motion to continue using
the following depository banks for 2026:
First Commonwealth for General, State, Police Pension, Non-Uniform Pension
and Sinking Funds and ARPA; Apollo Trust for Payroll and Street Light Funds;
Elderton State Bank for Police Pension CD accounts; and PIGIT for Parks and
Recreation funds, maybe change payroll account if they do not allow guys to
cash checks without an account and a fee, and to remove Mr. Kifer from all
accounts and add Mr. Kuruc to all accounts. Mr. Artman seconded the motion, and Mr. Kuruc made
it unanimous.
Mrs.
Ralston nominated Mr. Artman as Police Commissioner. Mr. Kuruc seconded it.
Mr.
Kuruc made a motion to reappoint Mrs. Ralston and Ms. Reilly to the planning
commission, Mr. Artman seconded it. Mrs. Ralston made a motion to reappoint Mr.
Geltz to the Municipal Authority Board, Mr. Artman seconded it and Mr. Kuruc
made it unanimous. Mrs. Ralston made a motion to appoint Mr. Shaeffer as an
auditor, Mr. Kuruc seconded it and Mr. Artman made it unanimous.
At
this time no one was appointed to be the PSATS Convention delegate for the
township, Mrs. Ralston made a motion to have whoever attends the convention
will be the delegate, Mr. Artman seconded it and Mr. Kuruc made it unanimous.
Mrs.
Ralston moved to name Mrs. Amy Perroz as the PSTCA Convention delegate and to
pay for her expenses for the convention; Mr. Kuruc seconded the motion, Mr. Artman
made it unanimous.
REAFFIRMATIONS
Mrs.
Ralston made a motion to reaffirm that all purchases of tools and machinery for
all departments (maintenance, police, office) not covered by Contract Agreement
must be approved by two Supervisors. The
best prices and service will be obtained for any equipment or purchases
made. Mr. Artman seconded the motion,
and Mr. Kuruc made it unanimous.
Mrs.
Ralston made a motion that all Ordinances and Resolutions be retained. Mr. Kuruc seconded it, and Mr. Artman made it
unanimous.
Mr.
Ralston moved to keep the current Tax Rates for 2025, as per the budget, Mr. Artman
seconded the motion, and Mr. Kuruc made it unanimous. The rates are as follows:
Real
Estate - 9 Mills
Local
Services Tax - $52.00
Wage
Tax - ½ of 1%
Real
Estate Transfer - ½ of 1%
Street
Light Tax - Vacant - .18
Kepple
Hill - Occupied - 1.2
Kiskimere - Occupied -
1.5
North
Vandergrift - Occupied – 2.0
Mrs. Ralston moved to reaffirm that
Ms. Amy Perroz will collect the Real Estate and Local Services Taxes and.
Mr. Artman seconded the motion, and Mr. Kuruc made it unanimous. Berkheimer. will
collect the Earned Income Taxes as per the WCTCC.
Mrs. Ralston moved to set the
mileage reimbursement rate at 72.5 cents, which is the 2026 Federal Rate (the
previous rate was 70 cents). Mr. Artman seconded, and Mr. Kuruc
made it unanimous.
RESOLUTIONS
Mrs. Ralston made a motion to adopt
the wage resolution for 2026, Mr. Kuruc seconded it and Mr. Artman made it
unanimous.
Mrs. Ralston made a motion to adopt
the Bill Payment Resolution, and to get rid of the GPS monitoring, Mr. Kuruc seconded
it and Mr. Artman made it unanimous.
REGULAR MEETING
Copies of the Agenda, Minutes, and
Bill Payment List were posted 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 December 15, 2025, regular meeting with Mr. Kuruc seconding the
motion, and Mr. Artman making it unanimous.
Mrs. Ralston made a motion to accept
the Treasurer’s Report/Ending Balances for 2025; Mr. Artman seconded it, and
Mr. Kuruc made it unanimous.
Mrs. Ralston made a motion to accept
the Bill Payment List for December 16 through December 31, 2024, and Mr. Kuruc seconded
it, and Mr. Artman made it unanimous. Each Supervisor stipulated that his vote did
not include anything pertaining to himself or any member of his family.
CORRESPONDENCE
PSATS sent
Advertising Requirements for Townships
STAFF REPORTS
Police Report – December 1 through
December 31, 2025
Maintenance Crew – The crew has
been plowing and salting roads. The crew fixed the vibrator on the spreader
box.
TOWNSHIP COMMITTEES
Parks Committee – No Committee
Planning Commission – The
Reorganization Meeting is scheduled for January 19, 2026. They
are currently working on the AG Securities.
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
Mrs. Ralston made a motion to
advertise for RFP for the Police Pension Fund, Mr. Artman seconded it and Mr.
Kuruc made it unanimous.
A CD is maturing and Mrs. Ralston
made a motion to take it out and put it into the checking account but check
into the FDIC insurance amounts for First Commonwealth. Mr. Artman seconded it
and Mr. Kuruc made it unanimous.
Mr. Artman accepted the resignation
of Officer Lou Zelepos, Mrs. Ralston seconded it and Mr. Kuruc made it
unanimous.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Mr. Duriancik
commented that the wall on Penn and River Road was hit with a plow and they are
piling the snow against the wall. Also, a bullnose needs to be put at the end
of guiderail on Kepple Avenue. And there is a Hidden Driveway sign down on Dime
Road past Gravel Bar.
Mr.
Simpson said that the plow truck went by on New Year’s Day and the plow wasn’t
even on the road.
Mr. Retter
said it needs plowed on Locust past the farmhouse.
ADJOURNMENT
The next regular monthly meeting will
be held on Monday, February 12, 2024, in the Township Building at 7 P.M at 26
Jackson Street, North Vandergrift.
There being no further questions or
comments, Mrs. Ralston moved to adjourn at 8:00 p.m. with Mrs. Kuruc seconding
the motion and Mr. Artman making it unanimous.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jeanna Cerra Secretary-Treasurer