Beaver Borough Council approves package of ordinances, staffing change and PennDOT ADA ramp agreement

Beaver Borough Council met on Aug. 13, 2024, and by unanimous voice votes approved a series of procedural and operational items, including advertisement of two ordinances, an interagency memorandum of understanding, changes to Civil Service promotional testing to add a corporal position, adoption of the borough’s 2025 Minimum Municipal Obligation (MMO), and authorization to enter a reimbursement and maintenance agreement with PennDOT for ADA pedestrian ramp work along Market Street.

Council President Sean Snowden called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and noted council members Alexander Andres, Michael Deelo, Roberta Good, Todd Hindman, Whitney Learn-Conjeski, Margaret McKean and Amy Stettler were present; Alex Sebastian was absent. Borough Manager Dan Madgar and Mayor Thomas Hamilton were listed among borough officials in attendance.

The council moved through routine business: Whitney Learn-Conjeski moved to accept the July 9 council minutes and the July 23 work session minutes (seconded by Roberta Good); the July treasurer’s report was accepted on a motion by Roberta Good (seconded by Learn-Conjeski); and the council authorized payment of submitted invoices on a motion by Amy Stettler (seconded by Roberta Good). All were approved by unanimous voice vote.

On policy and operational items, council members approved the solicitor’s authorization to advertise two draft ordinances: one establishing grease-trap requirements for food-preparation facilities and restaurants (moved by Michael Deelo, seconded by Roberta Good), and another establishing rules and regulations for disruptive conduct at residential rental properties (moved by Roberta Good, seconded by Todd Hindman). Both motions passed by unanimous voice vote.

Council also approved a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Beaver Borough Police Department to support a joint cooperative law enforcement effort (moved by Todd Hindman, seconded by Whitney Learn-Conjeski). The Civil Service Commission was authorized to amend promotional testing and add a corporal position (moved by Todd Hindman, seconded by Roberta Good). The council adopted Resolution 2024-02 addressing the 2025 financial requirement and Minimum Municipal Obligation for police and municipal employees (moved by Amy Stettler, seconded by Todd Hindman). Each of these motions was approved by unanimous voice vote.

On transportation and capital work, the council approved entering a reimbursement and maintenance agreement with PennDOT to install new ADA pedestrian ramps along Market Street from Turnpike Street to Sixth Street. Michael Deelo moved the measure and Amy Stettler seconded; Resolution 2024-03 was approved to authorize Borough Manager Dan Madgar to sign the agreement. The minutes estimate the borough’s portion of the project at $32,847 to be paid from the borough’s Liquid Fuels Tax allocation; the exact amount will be confirmed when the project bid is awarded. The council also received a staff report that PennDOT completed a traffic study at 5th and Market Streets and plans to convert that intersection from a 2-way stop to a 4-way stop; PennDOT will issue a press release when the change takes effect. Council members raised concerns that drivers might divert to 6th and 7th Streets as a result.

The meeting closed with a motion to adjourn from Amy Stettler (seconded by Todd Hindman); the meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m. The finance committee reported a draft 2025 budget is expected to be presented to council at the September work session.

All attributions in this report are drawn from the meeting minutes as recorded by the borough; the minutes record motions and seconders and indicate approvals by unanimous voice vote but do not record individual roll-call votes.