Chief candidates to be considered; interim manager now on the job
By KAREN BITNER Echo Pilot

Ken Womack is the interim manager for the Borough of Greencastle.

After executive session following the regular meeting Monday night, Greencastle Borough Council Public Safety Chairperson Paul Schemel announced that four successful candidates for the borough police chief position would be introduced at the next council meeting. Council president Charles Eckstine said the candidates would probably be reviewed in executive session at the regular December meeting.

Earlier, Eckstine opened the regular meeting by presenting plaques for "good and honorable service" to 33-year veteran borough employee Tom Green and outgoing manager Ken Myers, who has been with the borough 30 years. Mayor Robert Eberly then introduced new part-time borough police officer Greg Pritchard. "Make him welcome when you see him on the street," the mayor instructed the audience. "He's one of ours."

Throughout the open meeting, concerns about street and storm drain construction over- lapped with review of the 2008 budget. During the public comment period, Richard Myers of 306 E. Franklin St. and Joel Bittner of 222 S. Allison St. expressed their concerns about the quality and timeliness of storm drainage and street construction adjacent to their properties. Myers said he has had problems with flooding on his property for 35 years, with no effective relief from the borough. "It's not you guys, it's 35 years of you guys," he emphasized.

Bittner, who was accompanied by neighbors from South Allison Street, also expressed concerns that the backfill for the road was substandard and not properly tamped, and the street has no curbs. "The road surface dropped one and a half feet after it rained, and ripped a water line off the main," Bittner continued. "We're concerned about what we're getting." He added that the project had been overseen by an apprentice, and that the drains were nonfunctional.

Eberly told Bittner that the borough can't pave the street until the state frees up money from the liquid fuel funds to pay for it, but that the borough would put a temporary surface on the street. Liquid fuel funds are based on gasoline and oil taxes, and are used for road construction, but the state specifies how the construction will be done. Current regulations prohibit paving the street until April 1. Council members also told Bittner that the street could remain closed to through traffic and more traffic cones could be put up to block unnecessary travel there.

Council members reflected that the project had been complex due to the placement of drains, solid rock underground, and gas lines. "We have our work cut out for us with this project," Eckstine concluded.

Committee reports

During the committee reports, Personnel Chairperson Harold Duffey said that presently, the process of hiring a new borough manager involves defining what the position will entail. "We are going forward with what we want the manager to do," he said. "We are not ready to go out to advertise at this point." Duffey said the committee is looking at requiring both administrative and civil engineering capabilities in the new manager and will probably advertise next month.

At present, the borough is hiring interim manager Ken Womack for 21 to 24 hours a week at $80 per hour, which is paid to the company he works for and covers all expenses including travel. Womack was introduced to council and the public after he was noticed to be sitting in the audience. "I was a basketball official until a few years ago and I called a few games down here," he remarked. "I was really pleased when I walked in and nobody pointed and said 'There's that guy.'"

Anticipating the upcoming Heritage Christmas season, Council approved requests to close Center Square for 45 minutes on Nov. 16 for the tree lighting and to leave the tree lights on 24 hours a day. Council also approved free parking for shoppers downtown from Nov. 30 through the end of the year.

Council also welcomed GAHS Junior Ian Bock to the board as a junior council person. Eberly quipped, "What's the salary for that again?" and Duffey noted that although the unpaid junior member cannot vote, the position offers a way to get involved in the community. There is also a vacant position for a high school senior on the council, members pointed out.

Council tabled a sidewalk study proposal from Rettew Associates until they have had time to read over it. Councilperson Harry Foley was appointed temporary assistant borough secretary, with authority to sign documents and minutes on behalf of the Borough.

After studying the proposed 2008 budget, council members approved it and scheduled a public budget hearing for Dec. 3, 2007 at 6:45 p.m. at the borough office. Council members made only minor changes to the balanced budget, which includes a $42,000 surplus. Changes included changing an engineering budget item from $10,000 to $20,000 in hopes of improving the storm drain situation, and adding $7,000 to an already budgeted amount of $8,000 for paving alleys.

In its final agenda item of the regular meeting, Council reverted to an early discussion about whether to pay $79,038 to Charles E. Brake Co., Inc. for work on the South Allison St. Storm Drain Project. Councilperson Don Coldsmith moved to hold payment based on questions about the quality of the work and the project's still incomplete status, seconded by Foley. Myers reminded the group that $54,000 will still be due to the company and they could hold that if the project is not properly completed, but that there was no contractual right to hold this payment.

"If we are obligated to make the payment, then we make the payment," Schemel advised. "Otherwise we're violating our responsibility as elected officials." Coldsmith withdrew his motion, remarking "Somebody else is going to have to make the motion to pay them then, I'm afraid." Eventually council approved a motion by Duffey to pay the bill. Duffey noted the board's shared reluctance to make the payment for the problematic storm drain project by remarking, "It's probably against the better judgment of us all."