Tyrone Borough Council Minutes of Regular Council Meeting

Meeting Overview

The Tyrone Borough Council held its regular monthly meeting on April 14, 2025, at the Tyrone Borough Municipal Building. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Latchford at 7:00 PM and adjourned at 8:20 PM.

Attendance:

• Present: Council members Robert Dollar, Sarah Hunter, Rob Poust, David Snyder, Tammy Wills, William Wiser, and Mayor Latchford.
• Absent: Council member Ken Patterson.
• Staff Present: Borough Manager Ardean Latchford, Executive Assistant Kim Gurekovich, Solicitor Dan Stants, Chief of Police Jes Walk, and various department superintendents.

Public Comment Highlights

Residents raised several concerns regarding town maintenance and code enforcement:

• Blight and Inspections (Deb Moore): Mrs. Moore presented photos comparing blight in 2002 to the present day, questioning why rental inspections and property maintenance have not improved. She also asked about a sweeping schedule for the street sweeper.
• Infrastructure and Safety (Jay Young): Mr. Young asked for details on the Highway Department staffing, street paving costs, and crosswalk painting schedules. He also raised safety concerns regarding employees working without vests/helmets and reported a garage roof collapse and tree damage on his street.
• Code Enforcement Visibility (Lauretta Dane): Mrs. Dane asked if the Code Officer patrols the town proactively rather than just responding to complaints.
• Fire Safety (Marcia Loner): Ms. Loner inquired about a burned-out house on Washington Avenue that has been vacant for years; she was advised that the owners are receiving citations.
• Event Waiver (Shannon Rice): The owner of "The Brew" requested a waiver for the open container ordinance for the upcoming "Hops N Vines" event.

Council Decisions and Approvals

The Council unanimously approved the following motions:

• Minutes: Approval of the minutes from the March 10, 2025 meeting.
• Financial Reports: Approval of the monthly financial reports for the period ending March 31, 2025 (Account Balance Report, Statement of Revenues and Expenses, and Cash Disbursement Journal).
• Water Plant Road Improvements: Ratification of Change Order No. 1 with Grannas Bros. to extend road repairs to the main road for an additional $34,300.
• Parking Ordinance: Resumption of normal street parking on 13th Street (Bald Eagle to Riverside) effective immediately, ending the previous Sunday-only diagonal parking allowance due to complaints.
• Engineering Services: Approval of an engineering agreement for downtown parking lot improvements behind First Responders Park and the VFW lot. The cost for design and bid preparation is $32,789.
• Amphitheatre Use: Approval for the Tyrone-Snyder Public Library to use the Amphitheatre for their "Story Time" program on June 5, 12, 19, 26 and July 10, 17, 24, 31.
• Waste Hauling Amendment: Agreement with Burgmeier Hauling to limit resident debris pickup during spring and fall cleanups to the volume of a 10-yard dumpster (12' long x 8' wide x 3. 5' tall) to manage excessive accumulation.
• Open Container Waiver: Approval of the waiver for Shannon Rice’s "Hops N Vines" event scheduled for June 28.

Staff Updates and Notes

• Code Enforcement: Borough Manager Latchford noted that while the Borough can issue citations, it cannot physically force property owners to clean up. The Borough has engaged Solicitor Dan Stants as District Attorney to prosecute cases more timely.
• New Code Officer: Colby Pannebaker, who started in May 2024, has completed Building Code Official training and is now a certified BCO, giving him more authority to address issues independently.
• Street Sweeping: The Borough currently has only one street sweeper. While other highway employees are obtaining licenses, a fixed sweeping schedule is difficult to maintain due to daily operational needs.
• Rental Inspections: Councilmember Snyder stated he would look into pursuing rental inspections following questions from the public.