Masontown council approves contract for new borough maps
MASONTOWN – New borough maps soon may be available to residents, after council approved a contract Tuesday that will begin the process of collecting information for the guides. Under terms of the contract with Print Publications, the council will provide a map of the borough and a list of all businesses in the community so people with the company can solicit advertising for the map from business owners.
Council President Joe Volansky said the borough will not incur any costs for the printing of the maps, which are similar to ones already in circulation for other boroughs and municipalities throughout Fayette County.
“We will give them a copy of the map. They will do a GPS update to make it as up to date as possible,” he said. “We can put any other information on there that we deem important.”
Volansky said the maps could be available later this year to all residents.
Meanwhile, Volansky made committee assignments for 2003 and created a new committee to begin the process of negotiating new contracts with the police department and other borough employees. Current contracts expire at the end of 2003, and Volansky said he wants the committee, which Councilman Frank McLaughlin will chair, to work with Teamsters Local 491 throughout the year to get deals done before the end of December.
In addition, many council members are serving on different committees this year than last year. Volansky said he tried to give the board members a chance to get more knowledge on all facets of the borough’s issues.
“Some people have more experience in areas than others, and we want everyone, especially the younger people, to be ready to step up if they are needed,” he said.
Volansky will chair the water and sewage collections committee and the personnel safety committee. Vice President Harry Lee, who serves as the borough zoning officer, will chair the water and sewage plants committee and the school committee. Lee also will continue to serve as the borough’s representative on the community advisory committee for Hatfield’s Ferry Power Station.
Councilman Mark Snyder will chair the roads and streets committee and the steering committee, while Councilman Tom Loukota will chair the finance committee and the planning and zoning committee.
Charles Popovich will chair the ambulance committee and the traffic safety committee, while Carole Daniels will chair the recycling, sanitation and health committee. Along with chairing the negotiations and grievance committee, McLaughlin will chair the police committee.
Before adjourning, the council voted to advertise the sale of a 1994 Chevrolet Caprice police vehicle, granted a mercantile license to Cramer’s Home Health Care for an office expansion and granted a mercantile license to Nathan Pilarcik for an electronics store at 20 N. Main St.
The council also voted to make a $1,500 contribution to the recreation board and announced that a vacancy remains on the board. Any borough resident who wishes to serve on the recreation board should send a letter to the borough office.