Union City approves sinkhole repair contract, easements and property purchase for municipal lots and boat launch

Union City Borough Council on Aug. 13 authorized multiple infrastructure repairs, easements and small property transactions affecting municipal lots and creekfront access.

Streets Supervisor Bob Phillips described engineering recommendations to address a sinkhole at Municipal Lot #1 that include replacing a 24-inch clay tile, reconnecting pipes feeding the sinkhole to the 24-inch line, replacing a nearby catch basin with a larger unit and replacing roughly 10 feet of piping. Two construction estimates were presented: Mansfield at $22,295 and McLallen Construction at $23,450; both estimates required the borough to provide a truck during the project. Council voted to have Mansfield perform the work; the motion by Councilor Steadman, seconded by Councilor Osborn, carried unanimously.

Manager Cindy Wells said PennDOT is installing a catch basin at 104 East High Street and presented a retro-active easement agreement with the property owner, Anthony Hickey. Under the approved arrangement the borough will install a catch basin on the property and accept responsibility for two catch basins and approximately 60 feet of pipe between them; the property owner will dig and maintain a ditch and install the pipe from the PennDOT basin to the borough basin. Solicitor Tim Wachter will prepare the easement paperwork.

Council also approved a retro-active purchase of a small parcel for $500 from the property at 8 South Street to add to Municipal Lot #3 for a proposed gazebo; the purchase is contingent on completing a survey and solicitor-prepared agreement. The solicitor was also authorized to draft an easement with the American Legion to install and maintain a kayak and canoe launch on the ball field along French Creek, using funds from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.

Separately, the council approved a subdivision request to combine portions of 92 West High Street with 88 and 90 West High Street; Erie County Planning had already approved the survey maps and the council signed the municipal approval.

Councilors who moved and seconded these measures described them as routine municipal maintenance and small-scale property transactions; all motions reported in this article carried unanimously. Solicitor Wachter will finalize easements and purchase paperwork as required.