Dunbar Borough Council grapples with insurance issues
DUNBAR – Insurance issues plagued council Monday after borough secretary Rachelle Hughes said Higbee Insurance Agency Inc. of Connellsville had her sign a letter that made Higbee the borough’s exclusive insurance broker. Council President John Maddas said it doesn’t matter what Hughes signed because she doesn’t have the authority to agree to anything on behalf of the borough.
“Borough officials are the only people who are authorized to make decisions like that on behalf of the borough,” said Maddas. “I don’t care what Higbee says the borough can get insurance quotes from anyone they want to get quotes from.”
Hughes said she tried to get quotes from other insurance companies but was refused because they said Higbee was the borough’s insurance broker.
Hughes said Higbee did offer the borough a $5,000 reduction in fees for the upcoming year.
“Last year we paid $17,115,” said Hughes. “This year Higbee has offered us a $5,000 reduction, but some of the deductibles have gone up.”
Councilman Redding Bunting said he’s not happy with an October deadline on the coverage.
“Why can’t we go from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31,” Bunting asked. “It would be a lot easier to budget the money if we could go from January through December.”
Hughes said she wasn’t sure why the insurance went from October to October but said the borough pays the premium on a monthly basis.
Hughes said an addition $10,000 is paid every year to another insurance company for Worker’s Compensation insurance.
Council agreed to renew the contract with Higbee on a month-to-month basis and to seek other insurance quotes.
In other unrelated matters, a borough resident, who did not want to be identified, said her house and other houses in her neighborhood had been egged.
“The first time it happened was at Easter,” said the woman. “I didn’t want to complain because I was afraid of retribution but some of the egg throwing incidents were so bad that people could not get their front doors open.”
The woman asked council to change police hours so that the police would be on duty at night. Councilman Frank Zadell, who is in charge of the police committee, read a list of hours and told the woman that he doesn’t see where more hours could be added to the schedule.
“It would be nice if we had a full-time police department, but we don’t,” said Zadell. “I will have the police keep an eye on the situation.
In other matters, council:
– Learned that the borough would get $28,168.80 in liquid fuels funds in April. Hughes said the money would be used for streets.
– Learned from Councilwoman Kathy Dynes that work has been completed on the Veteran’s Project housing complex. Dynes said a new roof was added and the foundation was stabilized. Dynes said all of the furnaces in the complex would be cleaned and checked for the winter.
– Found out that they would have to replace one of the borough’s winter maintenance trucks. Bunting said, “Duct tape and bailing wire just aren’t cutting it.”
– Scheduled budget workshops for Oct. 27 and Nov. 3, 6 and 10 at 7 p.m. at the borough building. Hughes said she learned in the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs publication that council only has to post the final budget for 10 days now. In the past, borough council had to pass a tentative budget before the end of November and post it for 30 days. They also had to pass the final budget before the end of December and post it for 30 days.
– Reminded everyone that the Halloween parade will be held on Oct. 26 at 3 p.m., starting at the borough school on Connellsville Street and Trick-or-Treat will be held the same day from 4 to 5 p.m.
– Agreed to hold Light-Up Night on Dec. 13.