This Meeting was recorded for Accuracy
Meeting was opened by Lou McLaughlin, President at 7 PM.
Present: Solicitor Michael Smith, Keith St.Clair. Clark Baird- Mayor, Sue Bartow, and Lou McLaughlin, Gladine McMaster - arrived 7:10 PM
Absent: Dan Short JR
Public Attendance: Josh Spano- Westmoreland County Planning/Development, Amy Lichtenfelt, Heidi Speidel, Kristen Teeter, Adrien Cameron, Kim Botteicher, Karol Gibbons, Lesha Barbus, Melody McCauley, Lee Barbus, Melisa Barbus, Rich Jones, Keri Miller, Mark & Debi Sewage, Donna Botteicher, Dennis Botteicher, Jen McGinnis, Jill, Eileen Clawson-Gaul, Linda Lawson, Jack Wood
Old Business:
Approval of Aug minutes
Sue said on page 3 of 6 - Sue spoke to Amber Bealonis and Amber stated she paid $6,000 not $2,000 for the fence. Pat said she also listened to the recording again several times trying to establish whether $2,000 was said or $6,000 was said. Lou asked what that had to do with anything. Sue commented nothing, just wanted to clarify what was said. Pat commented she again listened to the recording and it still seems she said it was $2,000.
Also on page 4 of 6 Sue wants corrected to read: “Stephanie said the signs in her grandmother’s yard fell down not that she tore them down. “
Motion to approve minutes made by Keith, 2nd by Sue with corrections. All in favor motion passed.
Approval of Treasurer Report
Lou asked about the backflow charge. Pat said Highridge Water requires the back flow valve system be tested once every other year.
Clark asked about the 3 properties that was sold. Pat said the properties were sold several months ago and the county has just gotten around to recording the fees and distributing the funds.
Motion made by Keith to approve treasurer report, 2nd by Sue, all in favor motion passed.
Special Guest: Josh Spano from county speaking about the Broadband Program.
Josh said the county is receiving $65 Billion from the government for the Broad Band Program. Bolivar has been designated as the priority hub for the program. Bolivar has the most under served and un served residents. Residents will have high speeds of 1 gig - 100 up load and download as well with fiber optic lines. Our town will be actively marketed for companies who wish to participate in the broadband program to install fiber optic lines. State bead process thru funding required by internet providers. Michael Baker International does the presentation called "Bead Funding" which will open Aug and Sept 2024.
Phase 1- is communication, webinar to brief the 65 municipalities
and individual follow-up.
Phase 2- ISP - outreach (Verizon, Comcast, Armstrong, and other companies)
Asset inventory
Reduction of barriers - street / pavement, permits / and bonding
Bolivar has 5 requirements to meet.
- Pass a Resolution for the program
- Answer questions based on Ordinance.
- Advertise for 2 weeks on web site
- Present program to general public at a meeting
- Review several documents on road opening permits, and bonding in order to get approved by County and the State.
Our first round of approvals is being submitted to the State end of this month. We will also be submitting another round later in October.
There is $1.16 Billion dollars out there for us to go after for this program and being the 11th most populated county in the Commonwealth there is a good opportunity for our county to get that funding.
Josh opened up question to the public in attendance.
Jeffery asked if the county is going to help assist the Borough to receive the funding for fiber optics. Josh said we, the county is not putting any investment into this. This funding is all State and Federal funding which we are applying for on your behalf. We are already have communications with Armstrong, Comcast, and Verizon as we speak to prep for the submission of our application.
Jeffery said, so the BEAD Funding is only available to those communities that have either low speed or no speed for funding. Josh said basically the majority of your community has underserved and unserved service so your community has checked off most of the boxes required to receive this funding.
Lou commented that it would be no cost to the Borough as he understands this. Josh agreed that no cost to the Borough in any way. It is all Federal and State funded under the BEAD program.
Heidi Speidel asked how soon would the funding be available to the municipality since you stated that Bolivar will probably be in the Oct submission.
Josh said the earlier we get the funding paperwork into the state the better chance we have in getting everything approved.
Pat said, the reason our community is being filed in October rather than Sept. is because we must file an amended ordinance to the road opening ordinance. We must post in local paper for a month prior to signing into effect for the general public to review. This puts us beyond the Sept deadline.
Heidi asked another question. She wanted to know if Fairfield TWP is in the same boat. She has property in that location as well.
Josh said the county is also putting funding into the program thru ARPA (The American Rescue Plan) for Fairfield TWP, and Ligonier Township and Derry TWP. That is actually funding for fiber thru Verizon.
Michael, Borough Attorney questioned to Josh for clarification. The Borough is to do an amendment to our road opening Ordinance to postpone the curb to curb top coat until Jan 1, 2027 for all companies who wish to put fiber optic lines in town. Josh said you don’t necessary have to do this but if you did, it would be easier for the companies and more competitive for them to install the fiber optics. They have many obstacles to go thru, EX fee attachments on poles, cuts on roadways, bonding, etc:
County needs a Resolution from the municipality on this project.
Public engagement - needs to be at a meeting- can be a regular council meeting
Bolivar is presenting this tonight. The Resolution hopefully will be signed this evening as well.
Make sure any current agreements with Comcast will allow for equal access to municipal owned poles.
Waive the reconstruction of street requirements until January 1, 2027 to allow all companies installing broadband to complete the project.
Once approved as a designated Broadband Community you will receive a logo to insert on your web page as a designated BEAD Program agent for the companies to contact to start the process of installation.
Sue motions to sign a Resolution for the broadband, 2nd by Gladine, all in favor motion passed.
Pat presented the Resolution to Lou and Clark to sign so Josh could take with him this evening.
Next guest- Kim Botteicher - concerning FAVOR Program.
Kim read a document that was prepared on the FAVOR program and also on the concerns of K & K Flower Shop. She stated this has become a very personal issue for her. I wrote what I want to say so forgive me if it becomes very monotone.
This statement is to all those who have taken it upon themselves to be the rulers on the borough council and ultimately causing negative results beyond the borders of the borough. The council president and the Mayor have assured me that closing K & K Flowers and FAVOR Recovery Center is not what the borough council want to do. Yet the harassment, rhetoric and misinformation continues from a few of the council members. Again the council president has assured me that this is not the council intentions and further proves that this is a personal vendetta and that a few in the town are determined to slander and defame my character, my daughter's character and our business and also my employees at FAVOR RCO. Therefore, I will not be back to address this at a borough meeting again.
I believe when no violations or misconduct could be found of my non-profit, FAVOR - Western PA, Bolivar Community Center INC, some community residents took it upon yourself to attach and shut-down my building which in turn would shut down my 21 year old business.
A governing body for a borough or anyone acting as a representative of such governing body that attempts to single out, target, defame, and slander a certain business and non-profit, not to mention me personally should and hopefully will be held accountable. These actions are as low as you can go. Any of you from the borough council who participated should be ashamed of yourself.
My daughter Kristin and I have worked hard at our business for 21 years and for 11 years have worked hard in this community and for the community. Here's what you have potentially caused by your constant rhetoric, lies, exaggerations, harassment, bullying, slander and defamation of our character.
You will be taking away a very successful taxpaying and revenue producing business in this community. We have worked hard at keeping the integrity of that building safe, intact and beautiful for all the generations of families that helped build it. This entire community came together to build this beautiful well- built structure. No one wants to see it sit empty.
Kristin and I have opened our building to the community whenever it's been needed… fund raisers, cancer patient fundraisers, school fundraisers, and many community services and events. All for free. We have never asked for anything for the use of our building because it was our belief that the community built it so we should offer it for community services as much as possible but keep our business running to pay the bills - and that's exactly what we've done for 11 years here in Bolivar Borough. God is good. He makes sure our business does well so we can give back! That's what we do... It's what we've always done! I feel confident he will find us a new location when & if that time comes.
As sad as it would be to take away part of history from this community and from those whose families were instrumental in building St Mary's, we've gone over all our options and we know we can sell this building piece by piece.. Many have ask to purchase the windows that were donated by their family, The PA blue stone on the inside, all the cut-stone on the outside will be plenty of revenue to move to another location outside the borough, and away from petty harassment, lies, deceit, and bullying. I now totally understand why children become bullies in school. They are learning it firsthand at home.
For the record, not only did I ask about an occupancy permit here at the borough office 11 years ago when I bought the building, I also called multiple offices at the Westmoreland County courthouse. All sources told me that because Bolivar Borough opted out of zoning and regulatory statues, there was no need for an occupancy permit.
Labor & Industry have been in my building since the moment we purchased it for inspections on my boiler every year or so. Not once did they ever ask for or check to see if we had an occupancy permit.
The borough taxpayers have paid the borough solicitor multiple hours with taxpayer's money to find anything that FAVOR was violating and when that didn't pan out, I believe that's when a few turned on my business! Your very own attorney said in a letter handed to borough council last month, and I'll quote in part “our duty is simply to notify Dept of Labor and Industry, and to inform the Dept of Labor and Industry if we believe someone should be applying for a permit"
But not one of you called me because that next line in the letter is, and this also quoted only in part “any individual person is free to reach out to the Dept of Labor & Industry with concerns regarding permits" and that's what 9 of you did. No one called me with the information. As of now, I don't have the list of complaints in writing but I have asked for them and will pursue getting them.
FAVOR and now K * K Flowers is the only target in town! We have been isolated and bullied. 9 people took the borough's attorney's advice and called in illegitimate complaints and lies against the building that is owned by me and my daughter and houses my business and non-profit. Honestly you all should be ashamed of yourselves.
Nine complaints because I was uneducated in business practices and didn't have an occupancy permit.
You all know nothing of what me and my staff and volunteers do at the recovery center.. Nor did you care for seven years until my non-profit purchased the Methodist Church property. Then this all literally became a witch hunt!
I hope you know and understand that this doesn't shut down FAVOR, it potentially shuts down my business, yes, but not the recovery center. A successful business that generates revenue for this borough- that's what you've targeted and that's what you are shutting down.
FAVOR Western PA Bolivar Community Center INC owns the Methodist Church, not me, not my daughter, not K & K Flowers LLC, Nope FAVOR Western PA, Bolivar Community Center INC, owns the Methodist Church building; therefore when all occupancy permits are filed for that location or we list it with Westmoreland Co Historical Society, all operations of Faces and Voice of Recovery will be there If the non-profit board decides to continue operations at all. This decision is not up to me.
This is not the way I, nor my board of directors, had intended it. I've told you all this before, Recovery meetings, AHN mobile medical clinic and all trainings would stay at the current Center under my flower shop and all community activities, fund raisers and free events for the community would be at the Methodist Church site. You knew our plans! My staff, volunteers and I have presented here multiple times. We intended to open the former Methodist Church site daily for our retired folks to be able to gather, socialize, play cards like they used to gather at Bechtold's store, and we have lots of programs planned for our youth.
Here's the bottom-line, due to 9 complaints to L & I they could demand the building to be reconstructed to be up to code, causing thousands of dollars of renovations to the former Catholic Church so my RCO will change sites and K & K Flowers will be out of town.
Furthermore, concerning FAVOR. I would like to address some of the horrible misconceptions, lies, deceit, words of harassment, slander and bullying that has been perpetrated by some council members and a few members of the community.
Drugs have never been purchased, sold or traded at FAVOR or at K & K Flowers, Ever. Period. And never have any been found laying around. Believe me, active users don't accidently drop their stash.
There have never been needles found at either of my properties, nor have any been found in the parks. And if there were any in the parks, they didn't come from us. Somewhere along the line, they were purchased at a drug store.
None of my employees have been shooting up on the streets of Bolivar or anywhere else for that matter, and in no way was there drug paraphernalia seen in the backpack of my employees or our clients. There will be no further mention of this because it will be taken to a private civil court case from here.
My children and grandchildren have been in both buildings with me every day. Believe me there is no harm or threat to them from anyone coming into the flower shop or the RCO. Our locations are 100% safe and open for families!
Nalaxone (Narcan), fentanyl and Xylazine test strips are not illegal and are vital to preventing overdose deaths and to help get illicit drugs off the streets.
We as a business and the non-profit, are not breaking any laws nor have ever broken any laws at K & K Flowers or at FAVOR. Even the lack of an occupancy permit was in no way intentional. It would be way cheaper and weigh less hassles to just have purchased the damn permit but not one knew or told me of a way for me to do that.
We are not bringing in bus loads of people to live here and at this point probably not ever having any rooms (what's really funny is you all want people off the streets at night but don't want them in my building where they won't be bothering you). People that are homeless or using drugs are not going to go away from this town if FAVOR is not here. Quite the opposite actually.
When I hear that so many in the community are upset that people who are voicing support for K & K and FAVOR and that my supporters are saying you all are uneducated. It's true when it comes to the addiction, recovery, and recover community organization world. You are uneducated. Most of you refuse to come learn about us at all. Or for that matter learn about RCO's role in recovery and recovery support systems of care. If you were educated in this area, you would actually be begging FAVOR to stay, every community needs an RCO! There are lots of educated people in this town, book educated, but not in the real live experiences in the addiction/recovery world. I've been called the same by some of you, uneducated in business, I should have known there needed to be an occupancy permit. Even though none of you knew that either. Gosh, somehow my business has survived 21 years through my lack of business education, wow, not sure how!
The recovery changes that are needed and what will produce change for the better is to get rid of the cookie cutter version of recovery. which is detox and 28 days in treatment and that's it. An RCO is a lifetime of support for every part of the person's life and these organizations are the proven way to recover. FAVOR Western PA takes into account all social determinants of health, their personal and family health, housing, job security, food and child support, all through the efforts of our RCO.
Every time I 've been here I've been harassed and belittled for what some feel I don't know about recovery support and that I'm running the RCO all wrong! Which is such a joke. We are the proven, outcome based answer to getting through this crisis in the US. Grassroots, community based, outcome producing, peer governed, boots-on-the-ground organizations, ARE and will continue to be the future of recovery support systems.
I've brought with me the support letters personally sent to FAVOR from all state and local agencies and organizations:
Myself, my staff and volunteers have answered every question you've ever asked. There are not secret
, meetings, nor have I kept anything we are doing from any of you. Every event is made public on town bulletin boards, which by the way miraculously our event posters come up missing off the boards all the time! I've encouraged you to come to an event, come to a meeting, or just stop by, meeting the staff and learn what we do. Two of you have done that, Thank you to the two of you" but that is it! We've held just under 100 events open to the public, how many have you been to?
Along with the loss of K & K Flowers as a viable business in the borough, here's what the few complainers have potentially taken away from this town and the surrounding communities by the continuous harassment and bullying, if FAVOR Executive Board and Board of Directors decide to move the RCO elsewhere, which we have already had offers to do so, this community would lose so much:
The Methodist Church site will be turned over to the Westmoreland County Historical Society in its entirety because we believe they would be the only other way to ensure the integrity of the building staying intact
You will lose free family support for those families struggling with addiction in their lives, approximately 70% of the people coming through our doors are families, not the person with SUD. Whose family support! Literally hundreds of families have come to us for help. The longest and most active group is our Free weekly education for families and the community that teaches about the disease of addiction and its effects on the family and on the community. Do you know how you can keep your children and grand children safe? We cover that weekly at these meetings. Do you know that your loved one, your child, or grandchild could take one dose of some of these drugs and be dead? Stop in and ask to see pictures of Xylazine patient. Stop in to learn, oh wait, this free service will all be gone.
You will lose the free health care mobile unit through AHN Inclusion Health Dept who are working hard at keeping communities safe and communicable diseases and addition under control, again, they have already been offered a new location due to the stigma.
You will lose the free kidz krew group! What an amazing program this has been. Kids of all ages have fun together. And soon there was to be a youth theater group started by a teacher who wanted to offer plays and performances of all talents from music to acting for youth to have something to do that is productive and gets them off the electronic devices, and off the streets. Part of our planned renovations at the Methodist Church was to update the sanctuary area with a new sound system for these performances. Everyone say's there's nothing for our youth to do, well FAVOR has been working on that issue for a few years with the kidz krew group growing and not the theatre group. This is now on hold because of not occupying the Methodist Church site, the community center building.
You will lose Gym Therapy every other Thursday. That is a mental health peer professional that brings support to those seeking MH and Addiction help through exercise.
You will lose the free grief group for all those grieving the loss of a loved one. Parents, grandparents, siblings, spouses, all served at this group
You will lose the free all recovery groups for those in or seeking recovery. Multiple pathway approach.
You will lose the free spirituality group for those seeking the spiritual recovery pathway. Many find this the only way to recover.
You will lose the Free Westmoreland Crisis Food Bank
You will lose what is supposed to start in October, the free mobile supermarket - fresh fruits and vegetables. Along with that, you will lose the free babies in the burgh mobile unit for pregnant, nursing and bottle feeding moms. This is or rather was supposed to start in October - not sure what to do about those two program now.
All CRS/CPS and other free training will no longer exist. We've trained 180 + new professionally certified people in recovery to be able to have sustainable jobs moving forward in their lives.
There will be no more family training certifications. Approx 60 families have been trained to offer their services of support and navigating the web of information for newbie families.
All of the aforementioned will be a loss to the community and it is due to the few complaining people of the borough that bases their knowledge of FAVOR on the misinformation being spread around town. It is the older residents and those with children that are being led to believe these lies the most. The very people we intended to help the most.
Please ask yourselves some questions:
What have you done for free for this community?
How many of you have recommended FAVOR to a person you see on the street who is using drugs or are drunk?
What will the former Catholic Church building be good for when K & K Flowers is gone? Piecing out and selling all the windows and cut stone will let an ugly building standing because that's what we would have to do. A steel and cement block structure will sit there.
Why do you want to run a successful business out of town?
Why do you want to run a community Recovery Center out of town?
Why in the world are you all, as borough residents and business owners, allowing a few people to rule the entire town?
What are you all afraid of by standing up to these thugs? Maybe it's time to face the fear and get some of these bullies, liars, and exaggerators out of power in this town!
I'm done, you all do you, and I'll do what I have to do. You will not hear from me again, nor will I be attending any more harassment and bullying meetings because that's all it has been for us for nine months.
You all can take action to ban these instigators from ever holding a position on the borough council because what they have opened up in this small, quit community is a hornet's nest and it's all been unethical. Call the ethics board, file an ethics complaint (Pa.gov and PA state association of boroughs)
Time will tell what God’s plan is for K & K Flowers and for FAVOR Western PA RCO. None of us will have a choice of what is next, it's up to God. Kristin and I are going to be OK with that. I truly believe it will be better than ever because He is in control.
Good will always prevail over evil… it's what I truly believe. Thank You for listening. I do have all the copies of all our support systems here. We have always been in complete compliance with the state and again if you all would have come up to see me and find out what we do you all would know that.
Keith said he would like to say something about all this. Keith said he did come up and he now has an eye opening experience. Anybody that is with your group or I have talked to you know how I feel about adults and kids. I'm am truly sorry how things have happened to you this way. Believe me, I have learned a lot of things there that I did not know was happening. Here's the thing. I did not realize what all you did up there. So shame on me for not doing it sooner. I never was against closing you if that was the way your felt. I did not like what I was hearing. My apologies on my part as a citizen and a council member. I have told everyone we need to take some kind of action tonight and to vote on this and be done with it.
Gladine and Lou both commented that we really did not need to vote because we as council did nothing against Kim and never took any action. Lou suggested we need to take a final vote on this. Keith said we should because it is turning into a shit show.
Keith motions to just drop everything and stop looking into trying to find something wrong with FAVOR and K & K Flowers. Lou 2nd the motion. Asks for a vote from everyone. Sue and Gladine voted against dropping the investigation. Clark, being Mayor is the tie breaker. Clark votes to drop all inquiries and investigation on the subject of any and all permits and activities. Lou states motion is carried and tie broke by the Mayor.
Kim also presented letters of support from various government agencies. The 8 letters of support in their entirety is available thru the Right to Know Act for anyone who wishes to read them. Below is a brief explanation of support from the different agencies of government for FAVOR of Western PA and Kim Botteicher.
1. PA Harm Reduction Network. - Carla Sofronski, Director states that Kim and her branch of FAVOR offer the past year alone have provided recovery coaching to over 500 individuals, facilitated more than 200 group sessions, and distributed harm reduction supplies to over 1,000 people. These efforts have not only saved lives but also helped reduce the stigma associated with substance use disorders. PA has one of the largest death tolls in the nation. We must implement evidence-based practices to help end the overdose crisis.
2. Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission - Kami Anderson, Executive Director States: PA ACT 111 of 2022 amended the drug paraphernalia law to allow for the use and distribution of drug testing strips for the purpose of determining whether a controlled substance contains chemicals, toxic substances or hazardous compounds in quantities which can cause physical harm or death. They are responsible for the distribution of Naloxone and Fentanyl * Xylazine test strips. They have Naloxone Distribution agreements with 175 organizations and they provide Natoxone to those organizations and distribute the Naloxone to individuals they serve. For reference the General Assembly of Commonwealth of PA has enacted and amended the Act # 64 also known as the Controlled Substance, Drug Device and Cosmetic Act
3. Prevention Point of Pittsburgh - Alice Bell- Overdose Prevention Program Director, states: that since 2016 distribution of test strips and distributing naloxone to people who use the drugs since 2005. She was also involved in the passage of the recent laws protecting these activities. In Dec 2014 the state of PA Legislature passed ACT 139 they have been able to distribute naloxone under a standing order prescription. Several of the standing orders have been implemented by the PA Physician General and Secretary of Health, including allowing the Community-based organizations to purchase naloxone to provide to people at risk of overdose, and their family and friends. As of Sept 2023 naloxone is available as an over the counter product that can be purchased off the shelf of pharmacies, like a box of Cheerios, or order from Amazon. The PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency specifically provides naloxone, free of charge, to community organizations for distribution to people who might be at risk of an over dose.
4. PA Recovery Organization Alliance (PRO-A) - William Stauffer executive director states:
Mr. Stauffer trains, writes, and presents on addiction, and recovery as well as teach as an adjunct professor of Social Work at Misericordia University. He has testified in the US Senate on addiction and recovery. He has regularly visited FAVOR of Western PA over the past several months and met with Kim, her staff, volunteers and representatives of RCO's from surrounding areas. He is going on record noting that he has never seen any needles, drug use or any activity in the course of his visits that would be inconsistent with the proper conduct of a recovery community organization.
Mr. Stauffer also wanted to let us know that following his meeting on August 29th that as he left the building and drove away, multiple people in the community were quite closely surveilling me and turning to follow me as I drove past them. It appeared that at least one person wrote down my license plate as I drove away. My sense was that they believed I was some sort of criminal. It was quite odd and disconcerting.
5. Allegheny Health Network - Since the onset of the pilot program in March 2022 until August 31, 2024 they have enrolled 57 patients to receive MOUD and recovery support services... This program comprised 585 completed appointments with a 71% show rate for appointments. The on ground knowledge of the Bolivar recovery care program has been vital to keeping these services intact and Bolivar has local knowledge and established trust with the local community to provide non-judgmental care.
6. Vital Strategies - Zoe Soslow, Technical Advisor, states: We have partnered with FAVOR Western PA since 2021. FAVOR is a highly respected RCO that has received funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission and Allegheny Health Network. Your organization has also been recognized by the PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) and the PA Dept of Drug and Alcohol Program (DDAP) selected as a trusted partner to receive and distribute no-cost naloxone and fentenyl test strips to individuals in need in the communities you serve. You offer a lifeline to a full spectrum of stigma-free community-based support, substance use treatment, and evidence-base harm reduction resources. For people who may avoid medical and substance use treatment centers your organization offers a stigma-free community based support system.
7. PA Dept of Drug and Alcohol Program - Michael Pennington, Executive Director States:
FAVOR of Western PA is designated as a Recognized Entity to receive and distribute naloxone and drug testing strips from POPP for broader distribution.
Drug testing strips is allowed under ACT 111 of 2022 to community organizations.
This standing order may be used by community = based organization (CBOS) that are in a position to assist a person at risk of experiencing an opiod-related overdose, to obtain Naloxone and provide it to individuals at risk of experencing an opioid related overdose, their family members and friends, or other persons in a position to assist a person at risk of experiencing and opioid overdose.
8. PA Dept of Health Ashley Bolton, Director Office of drug surveillance and misuse prevention.
The standing order for naloxone can be found at the following address: Https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/health/ducments/topics/documents/opiods/General%20Public%20Standing%20Order.pdf
Also testing strips the PA General Assembly unanimously passed ACT 11 0 2022 which can be found at
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2022&sessInd=0&act=111
Public Comment
Next speaker -
Heidi Speidel – said she would like in the minutes, this is critical that when she speaks at a meeting she is not representing the Fire Dept or her employer, she is representing herself only. She also states she does not currently have a home business and would like this in the minutes.
My public comments for the records tonight: I am not representing my employer or the fire Hall. My statements / questions are:
I 1000% support what K & K and FAVOR and Kim are doing. I do not support utilizing my tax money paid to the borough for targeting and destroying any business. I would like to know how the amount of attorney fees, stamps, etc utilized to shut down or attempt to shut down Favor, K & K Floral for a few council member’s personal agendas.
Lou said the borough is entitled to investigate. That is why he is here. We are entitled to look at all our options.
Heidi, said as a tax payer we have the right to ask where our money is going to. Also will our tax money be used to pay any legal fees against FAVOR or K & K Flowers if a law suit occurs? How will my tax dollars be used for this witch hunt? Finally, this is a mutt point right now but, will council please start following borough rules. Can we please have people stop driving down one ways the wrong way? I can't tell you how many times I have watched cars swerve and almost hit someone because of certain people riding down the one way street the wrong way which can cause an accident or death.
Clark mentioned it is done on 6th street as well just to talk to a council member. Heidi says she sees it all the time on her porch. That's all she has to say about it.
Next speaker-
Amy Lichtenfelt wanted to know if the spray worked on the hornet's nest at the lower park. Lou said I guess it worked. We are going to be pulling out the bushes at the park. We are worried about kids getting stung. Amy said she would like the board to slow down the next time and not let this happen again. I was there before and had crowds like this before. It taught me lessons. That's all I ask is to slow down and think. Lou said we didn't do anything. Amy responded by "It went on for almost a year. Lou again said we have a right to investigate
Gladine said we have constituents that are not believing. Amy said, let me put it this way, 2 people came to me complaining and more starting coming. I sat here at one meeting and you all let 2 people make all the calls, and you all just jumped how high.
Lou said, there is an opening on council right now, maybe you want to come back on. Amy said "No thank you"
Next speaker Keith Vasas- Borough Engineer
Presented to council his contract for the 2024-2025 CDBG grant. His fee to complete the CDBG is $2,900.
Lou asked about the last grant. Keith said a letter was sent out and, No that grant we did not get. Keith said you got two years in a row and the last one you did not get.
Pat presented the denial letter from the county for the last phase of 5th street.
The local share account is state wide. A decision has not been made on it yet. That is 100% paid for engineering. The local share grant is funded thru the gaming fund. The CDBG is thru the state.
The other thing is the local share grant was made an annual program. Applications are due end of November for the following year. You may want to apply for it again in phases for the following year.
Pick your highest priority and send that in. We have support letters for our current LSA grant. That is helpful.
Sue motions to have Keith do the 2025 CDBG Grant for the fee of $2,900. 2nd by Keith St Clair, all in favor motion passed.
Sue also motion for council to approve 15 % local match for the CDBG project, 2nd by Keith St Clair, all in favor motion passed.
If you want to do another LSA Grant for November. I can come to the next meeting if you want. You can decide then what you want to apply thru the LSA grant.
Keith said he can do a scope around the 5th street project if we by chance get approved for the CDBG and LSA grant.
Solicitor Report
Two Questions have been presented since the last meeting:
1. In order to accommodate the broadband program's request to halt completion of curb to curb top coat until 2027 to allow for the installation of fiber optic systems, are we required to amend our previous o