Jul 8, 2010 By Steve Ferris 3 min read

Uniontown Mayor Ed Fike directed city employees to look into several complaints including one about bicycle and skateboard riding on the roof of Laurel Business Institute. At Wednesday’s City Council meeting, Chuck Santore of LBI asked for permission and for the city to share in the cost of erecting a fence on top of the city’s Penn Street garage to stop the bike and skateboard riders from accessing the LBI roof.

Santore said people have been jumping from the top of the garage to the roof an adjacent building on Peter Street and then to the LBI building on Beeson Boulevard.

They have damaged LBI’s terra cotta roof and air conditioning unit, Santore said, adding that a no trespassing sign was stolen and security cameras have been directed away from the roof.

The fence couldn’t be installed on LBI’s roof because it is made of terra cotta, he said.

Fike agreed that a fence was needed, but didn’t commit the city to sharing in the cost of the fence.

Solicitor J.W. Eddy said LBI wouldn’t be liable if someone got hurt on the roof because the injury would have occurred while the person was committing a crime, trespassing.

Fike said the city’s insurance company would be consulted.

William Hubbard of Union Street said motorists are not stopping at the stop sign at the intersection of Bryan and Union streets and he asked council to install a stop warning sign on Union Street and stencil “stop” on the street.

Fike said public works director Phil Mahoney would look at the intersection.

Rebecca Reed of Coolspring Street said people drive to the rental property adjacent to her home and play their car stereos loud late at night and during early morning hours.

She said he has talked to police and the landlord about the problem and there has been any recent problems, but she wanted to know what to do if it happens again.

Police Chief Jason Cox said officers talked to the visitors and the tenant, and Reed should call 911 if the problem persists.

Andrew Simko of E. Highland Avenue asked council to clean up a rat infestation problem originating from a garage on a neighboring street.

Mahoney said city workers recently addressed one rat problem on Highland Avenue and he would look into Simko’s complaint.

In other business, council:

n Agreed to hire special counsel for labor relations, litigation, employee contract negotiations and other employee business. Councilman Philip Michael said the position should be advertised.

n Hired The Phoenix Benefits Group of Pittsburgh to perform actuarial services.

for Government Accounting Standards Board valuations for $3,500. The hourly fee for additional work is $195 or $100 depending on which actuary does the work

Hired Dunbar, Bender and Zapf of Pittsburgh as the actuary for the police and fire pension plans. The biennial fee for each plan is $3,950 and certification fees are $150. The hourly fee for additional services is $250, $195 or $150 depending on which actuary does the work.