Council accepts president's resignation, approves invoices and traffic-signal agreement; publication designation tabled

Green Tree Borough Council accepted the resignation of Council President Argent Tory and elected Council Member Baron as the new council president, ratified several municipal payments, adopted a traffic-signal maintenance agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and voted to table the selection of an official newspaper for 30 days.

The council’s action list also included approval of minutes from Dec. 2, 2024, confirmation of December and January invoice payments, and the appointment of Chris Crasley to the planning commission for a four-year term ending Dec. 31, 2028.

The resignation was announced by a council member during the meeting; a motion to accept Argent Tory’s resignation was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote. Council then accepted nominations and elected Baron as the new council president by voice vote after a motion and second.

Council approved ratification of December 2024 payments described by staff as: general fund $338,272.41; storm sewer fund $7,349.05; sanitary sewer fund $43,675.76; capital projects $96,438.95; farmers market $196; payroll account $360,365.78; educational service agency $6,521.60; and a credit-card charge of $1,740.43. Later the council approved January 2025 invoices: general fund $16,044.22; sanitary sewer $21.84; capital projects $31,615.18. Questions about line-item descriptions and engineering fees were raised during the finance discussion; staff said the December total included multiple projects and year-end activity and agreed to provide a year-to-date summary.

On infrastructure business the council adopted a resolution (listed in the packet as Resolution 1362) authorizing the borough manager to execute a traffic signal maintenance agreement with PennDOT to allow future traffic signal applications tied to the highway occupancy permits and sidewalk reconstruction work on GreenTree Road. Miss Miller explained the measure was related to reconstruction and sidewalk work and the council approved the resolution by roll call.

The council also considered a motion to designate the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as the borough’s official newspaper but voted to table that designation for 30 days so a committee can confirm pricing and circulation details.

Other formal actions included the appointment of Chris Crasley to the planning commission for a four-year term and approval of the Dec. 2 minutes. The meeting concluded with a motion to move into executive session on personnel and a right-to-know request.

Votes at a glance - Accept resignation of Argent Tory as council president — motion moved/seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Election of Baron as council president — nomination, second, outcome: approved (voice vote). - Approve minutes, Dec. 2, 2024 — motion/second; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Ratify December 2024 payments (detailed totals as stated above) — motion/second; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Approve January 2025 invoices (totals as stated above) — motion/second; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Designate Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as official publication — motion to table for 30 days; outcome: approved (motion to table carried). - Adopt Resolution 1362 (traffic signal maintenance agreement with PennDOT) — motion/second; roll-call approval (see vote record below). - Appoint Chris Crasley to planning commission (term to Dec. 31, 2028) — motion/second; outcome: approved (voice vote).

The council scheduled follow-up committee work on the publication designation and committed to provide more detailed invoice and engineering-fee summaries at a later date. An executive session was convened after the public meeting for personnel and right-to-know matters.