CLARKS GREEN — At the April 17 borough council meeting, Alan Hughes, in his treasurer’s report, said the final report of the fourth quarter of 2018 had delinquencies within six months or more of $35,580, of which $5,904 were collected during the quarter. He announced that, during the first quarter of 2019, there were 33 properties that were six or more months delinquent for a total amount of $36,226.

“Which is just about the amount that it was the quarter before,” Hughes said. “Which will give you an idea that we got to collect almost $6,000 in delinquencies just to tread water on our delinquencies.”

Hughes mentioned a list of four properties, for which the council filed liens. He also mentioned 12 properties that have recently become delinquent of six months or more. He said letters will be sent to property owners by the end of April with a due date of May 31 for them to either pay or agree to a payment plan.

Councilman Dave Rinaldi suggested filing liens on the delinquent properties.

“We’re significantly higher in delinquencies than we were a few years ago,” Rinaldi said.

Rinaldi recalls a few years ago the delinquencies added up to $22,000. Hughes rebutted that, saying delinquencies have always been in the range of $30,000 to $35,000. Solicitor Al Weinschenk said a lien doesn’t improve collection. Rinaldi asked if a lien could be executed and Weinschenk replied in the affirmative.

“The ultimate goal from that is to obtain a sheriff’s sale,” Weinschenk said. “And what happens is you’re subject to a mortgage. I don’t think the borough wants to own any properties other (than) the ones they already own.”

Rinaldi said something should be done.

“It’s not getting any better,” he said. “They are consistently the same properties.”

Weinschenk stressed that, if the council bids the sewer amount delinquent in a sheriff’s sale and acquires the property, it would be subject to the mortgage.

“It just makes no sense,” he said.

Weinschenk said he doesn’t recommend pursuing execution on liens without a title search and knowing exactly what’s on the property. Council president Joe Barrasse said the top eight properties in delinquencies owe a total of $20,200 and suggested they be researched to see if there is a mortgage on them. The council decided to further discuss this matter at its work session.

In other business …

• Rinaldi announced the DPW (Department of Public Works) engineers have redone the 2018 paving project for Yale Blvd. and Greenbriar Drive at a cost estimate is $86,000. He said last year’s cost estimate was $78,000 and reported the plans have been modified from last year.

“The bottom line here is, as far as the 2018 paving program is concerned, we’re in a position if council wants to make a motion to advertise and the engineers can place the ad and conduct the bidding for that project,” he said.

Council voted to approve this motion.

• Rinaldi also mentioned the engineers asked about two grants that are split 85-15, reporting the grants are a minimum of $2,000 and a maximum of $10,000. He said one is for stormwater and the other is for parks and recreation.

“They’re (engineers) looking for some direction as to whether or not the borough wants to apply for those grants,” he said.

Rinaldi said that the deadline is May 31.

• In his personnel report, Councilman Keith Williams mentioned he met the DPW crew and reinforced the need for safety goggles and gloves and enforced the importance of taking comp time off within the policies of the borough. He also announced to the workers the need for people working during the busy summer and making sure that when people take time off, there are at least two people at work.

“We don’t anticipate any issues,” he said. “It was a positive discussion.”

• In his health and safety report, Rinaldi announced he received two bids for replacing the traffic signal equipment for the Green Light Go Project, reporting Northeast Signal bid $30,000 and Kuharchik Construction bid $39,000. Weinschenk mentioned he reviewed the proposals from both contractors and said Northeast Signal did not sign the second page of the proposal. He said both bidders signed the third page, indicating the work to be provided and the price.

“Council is faced with a bid that may be technical, not technically-responsive to the invitation to bid, that being the Northeast (Northeast Signal) bid in the fact it lacks the signature on the second page,” he said.

Weinschenk said he reviewed the Pennsylvania Case Law regarding the submission of bids.

“Even though the bid is non-responsive, council may still accept the non-responsive bid,” he said. “The Northeast Signal bid substantially conforms to the request for the invitation for bids.”

Weinschenk said the council is free to either accept or reject the Northeast Signal bid. Rinaldi said he doesn’t see the variance as an advantage for Northeast Signal or a disadvantage for Kuharchik Construction.

“The interesting thing about the bid is that we included additional equipment for the crosswalk signs,” he said.

Rinaldi mentioned the second bid from Northeast Signal is actually lower than the first bid ($34,000) and made a motion to accept the bid of Northeast Signal for the replacement of traffic signal equipment. The council voted to accept the motion.

• In his ARWA (Abington Regional Wastewater Authority) report, Rinaldi said ARWA contracted with a third-party electric supplier which resulted in a 12% decrease in the monthly cost of electricity.

• In her mayor’s report, Patty Lawler announced Clarks Summit Fire Company is selling raffle tickets for a grocery sweep through Gerrity’s Supermarket at $10 for one and $25 for three with proceeds to raise funds for the ladder truck. She also said the Wally Gordon Singers will have a concert at Clarks Summit United Methodist Church on Sunday, May 5 and a spring concert called “Things Beautiful and Bright” will be held at the theater complex of Clarks Summit University on May 3 and 4. Lawler and Mary Liz Donato, regional planning manager of Lackawanna County, set a SAPA meeting at Clarks Green Municipal Building for Wednesday, May 15. Lawler said the meeting is informational and open to any interested individual.

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By Ben Freda

For Abington Journal

Reach the Abington Journal newsroom at 570-991-6405 or by email at news@theabingtonjournal.com.