Oct 15, 2002 By Joyce Koballa 3 min read

SOUTH CONNELLSVILLE – Borough council indicated Tuesday that they want to resolve a proposed police protection agreement with a neighboring municipality that has dragged on for months. The borough’s police committee has met periodically with supervisors from Connellsville Township and solicitor Gretchen Mundorff regarding the issue since May. However both sides have been unable to resolve the matter.

According to Richard Bower, borough solicitor, the township needs to amend a $60,904 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant awarded by the U.S. Justice Department in order for the agreement to be activated. “We have continually told them that we can’t do anything with the grant,” said Bower.

Sandy Barr, borough secretary, said a representative from the justice department contacted her last week after Tammy Mader, township supervisor, informed the department it was the borough’s responsibility to take care of the grant.

Barr said she then asked if the borough could withdraw from the proposed agreement and she was told that the township would need to make the initial move since it was awarded the grant.

Councilman Guy Napolillo said to his understanding that neither the borough nor the secretary are authorized to do anything concerning the grant. Napolillo added that the township has never given the borough a definite answer if they even agreed to the costs associated in the initial contract.

Council agreed to contact the supervisors and solicitor Gretchen Mundorff as soon as possible to set up a meeting in order to rectify the matter within the next 30 days. Napolillo suggested having a justice department representative also attend.

In an unrelated proposal involving the township, council said they will wait to hear from the township once again in regards to sharing a chipper after council turned down an initial agreement for the maintenance costs to be pro-rated.

“The sticking point was the 50-50 part in maintenance, repair and upkeep,” said Mark Ward, council president.

Councilman Don Clark suggested that the borough look into sharing the chipper with another municipality.

Ward said the original proposal for both municipalities to share costs will remain until he or council hears from the township.

In an unrelated matter, council agreed to apply for a second extension on a grant awarded to the borough last year by the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority used to partially fund a storm sewer project along Dushane Avenue.

Although the borough was granted an initial extension until December, Dick Widmer, vice president of Widmer Engineering, said the project has hit a snafu as far as installing pipes that will not adversely impact neighboring streets with large amounts of water from storm sewer run-off.

Widmer presented council with several options that would alleviate the complications. Council agreed for Widmer to continue working on the project at a cost not to exceed $2,000.

Council also conducted the following business:

– Agreed to hire Tim Ritenour at $9.50 per hour as a street department employee for a 90-day probationary period.

– Agreed to give police officer Greg Cominsky a three-percent pay raise of 28-cents per hour retroactive July 1 and Kevin Grippo, assistant police chief, one-week of vacation and five paid holidays.

– Agreed to purchase two shotguns for the police department at a cost of $400 each, including a rack.

– Learned that the Gibson School Reunion Committee donated $500 for the construction of an overhang on part of the playground supply building.

– Rescheduled next month’s meeting to Nov. 12 in lieu of Veteran’s Day.

– Announced that the borough will absorb the 50-cent tipping fee enacted by the state for garbage fees until January.