Masontown Borough Council mulls code enforcement options
At its regular monthly meeting Tuesday night, Masontown Borough Council considered code enforcement personnel possibilities, including sharing German Township’s code enforcement officer.
Council member Bruce Cochrane recalled a recent meeting with German Township’s code enforcement officer, Joshua Nypaver, to discuss what code enforcement services he might offer the borough. But Cochrane said that Nypaver wanted to be a borough employee, something that borough council doesn’t want.
“(W)e want to make sure he’s only an independent contractor here so we don’t incur any worker’s (compensation) liability,” borough Solicitor Gary D. Monaghan said.
“We spoke with (German Township Supervisor) LC (Otto), they’re looking into it with their solicitor to see if we can share services,” Cochrane said. ” … It’s up in the air here.”
Council President John Stoffa noted a code enforcement proposal from McMillen Engineering, while borough Engineer Bill Johnson noted a third-party option, Myron Nypaver, who Johnson said carries his own liability insurance.
Council has been reviewing code enforcement options since the resignation of former borough police Chief Joe Ryan, who retired in January and had devoted some of his time to code enforcement.
In other business, council hired a part-time police officer in what Mayor Toni Petrus said was an effort to reduce need for overtime.
Council hired Michael Parry to be a part-time patrolman at a rate of $21.65 per hour, the borough office confirmed Thursday, as his name and rate of pay were not revealed during the meeting.
Council also balked at a request that Stoffa delivered on behalf of a former state trooper who provides consulting services for police issues to assist him in his review of the borough police department.
Stoffa said that James E. Baranowski, who council previously approved to evaluate the police department at a cost of $4,000, was going to start the “community relations piece” of his review and wanted the borough’s website to feature the ability for users to leave comments about the department or add a message to residents’ water bills inviting them to give feedback about the department.
“We’re paying him for the service, and we’re doing his work,” Cochrane said in response to the request.
“Let him send it out,” council member Charles Corcoran said, noting the stipulation that council made to its agreement with Baranowski last month, per Corcoran’s request, that Baranowski “stays here,” with no items to leave the building, and that Baranowski be supervised by a police officer at all times during onsite review.
Petrus and Sgt. Scott Miller said Baranowski had not been in the police station yet, to their knowledge.
The vote to conditionally approve Baranowski’s evaluation last month followed a settlement reached in January in a federal suit filed by Stoffa and his wife Rosa against the borough, its former police chief and others.
The Stoffas alleged they were targeted by borough officials and police after John Stoffa voiced his concerns at public meetings over what he claimed were corrupt and unethical actions by police and other officials. Stoffa claimed police unlawfully searched the couple’s home in January 2018 and seized various items after he suggested the department and its computers should be audited.
Court documents indicate that the settlement cannot be construed as an admission of liability on the defendants, nor as an admission that the Stoffas have suffered any damages as a result of the allegations in the case. The case settled for $20,001.
In unrelated business, council approved applying for $202,300 in funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program to renovate the roof of the borough-owned Masontown Borough Municipal Center.
“(W)hether it was a good decision or bad … now you own it,” Cochrane said, reflecting on council’s position given the borough’s purchase of the building. “And now we’re going to have to spend a quarter of a million dollars … or else it’s going to get ruined.”
Cochrane said water was leaking into the office of Fayette County Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. Shimshock within the building.
“I’m not a big fan of spending $202,000 on the roof up here, but do you want it to go to pot?” Cochrane said. “That’s what it basically comes down to. Your roof’s the most important part of the building.”
“And we’re going to offset that with as much grant (funding) as possible,” Johnson added.
Funding is awarded via the USDA’s Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program through a competitive process, according to the USDA’s website, which notes that the program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. The program does not award funding for private, commercial or business undertakings.
Additionally, council voted to close the K9, building, library, fire, recreation board, fire escrow and holiday funds and move those monies into a new general fund operating account, something that Stoffa said would simplify the borough’s record-keeping and reduce confusion from vendors, who he said are getting two or three checks for one invoice.
“We’ll still know what’s in the funds,” Stoffa said. ” … It’s just to consolidate so we have one checking account. There’s no need for all these checking accounts. It just makes life harder.”
The consolidation is possible through a new payroll setup from the borough’s certified public accountant in QuickBooks, Stoffa noted.