Politics & Government

Dormont Council Meeting Notes

Here's a roundup of items discussed and voted on at the Dec. 5 regular meeting.

voted on a number of items Monday night. Former Councilwoman Heather Schmidt and Borough Manager Gino Rizza did not attend the meeting.

  • Council approved the tax rate, budget, and tax anticipation loan for the year 2012 by a 6-0 vote. The proposed tax rate will remain at 14 mills. The proposed budget includes a general fund of $7,142,941; sewer fund of $1,802,000; capital fund budget of $550,000; and liquid fuels fund of $188,500. The proposed tax anticipation loan will be in amount of $1.3 million and will be paid off by May 31, 2012.
  • Council approved the fourth and final payment to SHACOG for Triton Services, in the amount of $2,409.45, for manhole rehabilitation, by a 6-0 vote. The borough received a grant for this work, in which the borough must pay back 45 percent of the project amount.
  • Council approved the fifth payment to Niando Construction, in the amount of $5,259.20, for consent order inspections and repairs, by a 6-0 vote. The consent order is a federal order to regulate levels of water flow through sewer systems.
  • Council approved a payment application to SHACOG for Robinson Pipe Cleaning, in the amount of $16,905.75, for a closed circuit television, by a 6-0 vote. The closed circuit system will be used to televise the sewer system and determine where repairs must be made, in accordance with the consent order.
  • Council approved a payment application to A. Merante Construction, in the amount of $22,464.44, for the 2011 road reconstruction program, by a 6-0 vote.
  • Council approved the second and final payment to T.A. Robinson Asphalt Paving, in the amount of $18,013.83, for the 2010 road program by a 6-0 vote.
  • Council approved the lease/purchase of the following items, by separate 6-0 votes: a 2012 Ford F-250 at a state contract price not to exceed $37,000; a 2012 Chevy Impala police cruiser at  state contract price not to exceed $25,000; a John Deere 1445 Series II commercial front mower at a state contract price not to exceed $21,000.

Also during the meeting:

  • Yvonne Costanzo——asked if Rizza had given council information about a deal the borough and #1 Cochran, and asked council what the deal was or if a deal had taken place. Council President Kim Lusardi said she didn’t know if there had been a deal. Councilwoman Laurie Malka said that because discussion of real estate transactions and contracts had to be handled in executive session. Malka said council couldn’t discuss the issue because nothing is solidified and it hasn’t been presented to council formally.
  • Two motions—item 13.e to approve an employment contract with borough manager Gino Rizza and item 13.n to approve a $7,500 bonus for Rizza— were removed from the agenda. No vote was taken on those items. Audience member Darlene Davis asked why Rizza was now being given a contract if he hadn’t previously had a contract. Lusardi said Rizza had a contract in his first year of employment. When Davis asked why Rizza no longer has a contract, Malka said council didn’t realize he didn’t have a contract. Lusardi said motions 13.e and 13.n were being pulled from the agenda because Rizza wasn’t available to revise the agenda and because more discussion on the matter was needed.
  • Councilwoman Joan Hodson said past agendas and meeting minutes show no indication that council voted to advertise for bids for the 2011 road reconstruction project. Hodson said the October warrant list shows that the borough paid $393 to the Post-Gazette to advertise that project bids were accepted, but that she doesn’t think there was an advertisement to collect bids in the first place. Malka said she would look into the issue.

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