Grove City borough budget passes with 2 funding requests on hold

Nov. 22—GROVE CITY — Grove City council members adopted the 2023 budget on Monday night, but a few issues remain.

"This was a difficult budget to prepare for next year," Borough Manager Vance Oakes said.

The $18,331,568 spending plan keeps property taxes at 4.5 mills while water rates are going up. Trash collection bills are also on the rise.

Because the budget has been balanced, council members have yet to determine if they are able to aid in requests for financial assistance from CEASRA and Superior Ambulance Service and Education Institute.

Several members of the Citizens Environmental Association of the Slippery Rock Area, a nonprofit group, spoke during public comment about their continued efforts to prevent Tri-County Industries Inc. from reopening its landfill in Liberty and Pine townships.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has already approved the permit application, and the landfill proposal is being appealed by CEASRA and Liberty Township.

CEASRA has held fundraisers to help cover legal expenses, but the group is out of money, said Jane Cleary of Pine Township.

The organization is asking the borough for $12,000, which they need to retain Dr. Russell DeFusco, former chief of the U.S. Air Force Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard Team.

CEASRA has already worked DeFusco, who studied the potential impact of the landfill on operations at Grove City Airport, which is located in Springfield Township and owned by Grove City borough.

DeFusco has visited the landfill property, community and airport and issued a report that says TCI needs to conduct a 12-month study that addresses concerns about bird strikes, according to Federal Aviation Administration guidelines, Cleary said.

Landfills are known to attract wildlife and birds. Both the TCI and airport properties are located off of state Route 208, about three miles apart.

CEASRA wants to have DeFusco on hand for the appeal hearings, which are supposed to happen in the spring.

"It's going to be a long eight days," Cleary said of the potential timeline.

Bill Pritchard said that CEASRA attorney Lisa Johnson has information about radioactive landfill waste that could impact Wolf Creek, and that radioactive leachate was found in Connoquenessing Creek from the TCI landfill in Seneca.

"We do not have a high regard of Seneca as a model landfill," he said.

CEASRA continues to apply for grants, but that takes time; they came to the meeting because they need immediate help, Jim Highland said.

The Environmental Hearing Board judge has said that the airport is a main issue of the appeal, he said.

Council members agreed to schedule a meeting to discuss CEASRA's request.

They also plan to form a committee to dig into the Superior Ambulance issue a little bit more.

The company has sent letters to the 22 municipalities it serves in four counties. It's signed by Doug Dick, chief of Superior Ambulance, who asks the towns to consider a half-mill property tax increase to help the company with the EMS crisis.

He wrote that the borough is not upholding its responsibilities required by statute to provide Superior with appropriate financial aid and administrative assistance.

The letter, dated Nov. 16, says that if there is no response within 15 days of receipt, it will start to charge the borough $500 for each response in Grove City.

If that fee does move forward and it's not paid within 30 days, Superior will give 90 days' notice that they will discontinue responding to 911 calls in the borough while pursuing other remedies.

Superior wants to continue to serve the borough, but the company cannot afford to provide such services without help, Dick wrote.

Joel Bigley, council vice president, said he's disappointed by the letter.

"It's almost like an ultimatum," he said.

The best next step is to take it to committee, said Mary Kay Mattocks, council president.

Gary Hughes, mayor of Harrisville, told council that Harrisville leaders are probably leaning toward the half-mill property tax for Superior Ambulance, and they already have a separate fire tax.

Other budget highlights:

—Residential water customers will see a monthly rate increase of $7.10. The current monthly base rate is $27.20. The increase is needed for the new water treatment plant.

—Trash bills are doubling for residents and small businesses, who currently pay about $16 a month. The new monthly rate will be $32.75.

The proposed water rate increased of $7.10 a month will help pay for the new water treatment plant that the borough will build at Grove City Memorial Park. The borough owns and runs the water system.

Residential water customers in Grove City currently pay a monthly base rate of $27.20. Tri-County, the current trash hauler, was the only company to submit a bid for the five-year contract, which includes a new service — recycling of electronics waste.

—The dock at the pond at Memorial Park will be rebuilt.

—The police department will be getting dashboard and body-worn cameras.

Also on Monday, council members awarded the three contracts for the water treatment plant project; the bids were opened this summer.

The contracts have gone to: Global Heavy Corp., Mount Braddock, Pa., general contracting work for $7,745,000; McCurley Houston Electric Inc., New Castle, electrical work for $1,217,700; and Renick Brothers, Slippery Rock, heating, ventilation and air conditioning work for $402,000.

Council members also agreed to apply for an H2O grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Those funds can be used for the project.