Wellsville Village Council Meeting

Tuesday - September 7: Wellsville Village Council held their regular meeting this past Tuesday evening at Village Hall. Present at the meeting was Mayor Joe Surace, Council Members Sue Haugh, John McMahon, Joe Soldano, Rosie Goss and Randy Allmon. Also attending was Fiscal Officer Dale Davis, Village Legal Advisor Andy Beech, Village Administrator Jim Saracco and WFD Chief Bill Smith. Councilman Tony Cataldo was excused.

In the Public Speaking portion Mrs. Linda Comparetto of Main Street addressed Council on the coal dust issue once again. She was referring to the Wellsville Terminal operations that transfer coal from river barges to trucks. Mrs. Comparetto said the company is not keeping promises previously made such as not loading trucks on windy days and spraying water on the stock piles to hold the dust down. She offered a graphic example showing a table cloth after just one day from her outdoor table. She also noted that her husband has to clean the pool & pump daily to prevent ruining another pump. It's so bad residents can not open their homes adding one day recently she could feel the dust hitting her face and getting into her eyes. Mrs. Comparetto further added what spraying of the coal piles gets done doesn't touch the tops of the higher piles and there is no regard to what the weather is. She concluded she doesn't want to run business out of town but Wellsville Terminals make it difficult to keep a clean house and the dirt pile along Main still remains unsightly.

This has been going on at least since early 2007 and before when the lack of consideration for Wellsville residents first made news. Along with the blowing coal dust there was also the "drag out" problems with trucks being covered with dust when they leave the Wellsville Terminal. The company is owned by Jay & Chip Muse. At one time they promised to water down the coal piles and run all trucks exiting the terminal through a "car wash" set up, plus stop loading on windy days.

Village Administrator Jim Saracco added he agrees with Mrs. Comparetto and noted the last she filed a complaint his wife came with her. Saracco added that just this past week-end at his house nearly a whole bottle of glass cleaner was used up in two days just cleaning off two outdoor tables for family cook-outs. "They were black" with coal dust he said.

Surace remarked he heard residents were having trouble again noting they have tried to contact the Muse brothers but they are not returning calls. Surace said the EPA isn't helping Wellsville with this problem and the Wellsville Terminal owners aren't either.

Councilman Joe Soldano added they don't want to help. They live in Pennsylvannia and they're no better than the landlords that come in here, buy up property and then leave stuff go. Soldano noted they were at a Property Committee meeting in regards to buying some Village owned property back in March. They made all kinds of promises about cleaning up the dirt pile, killing the weeds and beautifying the area. He said these guys are making money concluding we're way too easy on these guys.

Surace concluded the discussion saying "Let's push it". He instructed Saracco to send them a letter asking them to come to the next Council Meeting or even a Special Meeting if necessary. If they don't comply they will be cited into court for both issues.

For Administration Reports, Saracco advised progress on the new digesters at the Sewage Treatment plant is "moving along pretty good". He didn't know the completion date.

He also reported that an irate resident came to his office complaining about the procedure on trimming trees. Saracco advised this man had hired someone to trim tree branches back that were over his house but before that can be done the ordinance requires he fill out an application to be approved by the Tree Board. Saracco said he believes this procedure needs to be addressed especially since the man only wanted to trim potentially dangerous tree branches. Soldano added he agreed and suggested that may be something the Ordinance Committee needs to look at.

There was nothing for the Mayor's Report. For Committee Reports, Water, Sewer & Refuse Committee Chairman Randy Allmon got a motion passed to pay Application #1 to Pusateri Excavating in the amount of $36,491.34. This is the first payment for the project at the Sewage Treatment Plant on the digester conversion. Davis added this is all grant money at this point in time and payment will be paid out of the OMEGA & OPW grants received for the project.

Allmon than made a motion to hire engineering firm GG&J to work with the County Engineer to set sewer rates for Russell Heights residents stating there is EPA regulation involved that he is not qualified for. Allmon stated that GG&J engineer Bill Boyle is an expert on this matter. Soldano questioned the cost for this and Allmon replied that Councilman Cataldo spoke to Boyle but did not relay the information. Soldano noted it's kind of tough not knowing how much it's going to cost and Haugh said she would like to get an estimate beforehand. With Cataldo absent and no second the motion was tabled.

For Streets, Lights & Parking, Committee Chairman John McMahon advised the lamp post in Broadway Park destroyed in a car accident is being taken care of to replace. Saracco added that both the pole & the lamp have been ordered. The pole will cost $1,100 & the lamp is $700. With labor and materials to install included the driver's insurance company will be paying in the neighborhood of $4,000 to $5,000 on the claim.

Even though Councilman Cataldo wasn't present we learned earlier that the Village closed out the month of July with $5,728 in the General Fund. The Sewage Update Fund finished July with $320,899. The two Fire Levy Funds only had a total of $13,779.46. It's a little early for August figures.

An ordinance was passed transferring $8,993 from the Broadway Park Fund to the General Fund. Fiscal Officer Davis advised the Village had to front the money for the improvement grant on the park. The amount being transferred was what was reimbursed from the grant. Soldano made the motion with McMahon seconding to suspend the rules and place on third & final reading to adopt the ordinance.

Under New Business, Councilwoman Rosie Goss read a statement thanking everyone for their patience and assistance given her while she filled in for the vacationing Mayor. She said it was really an eye opening experience and commended everyone involved.

The Wellsville Revitalization Committee was given approval to have the Village Yard Sale this coming Saturday, September 11. This is the same event the former Fix-Up/Clean-Up Committee ran for the past six years.

A second item on the agenda under New Business was asking for authorization for the Village Administrator to complete an application for Issue 1 funds. Soldano made the motion to approved and asked Davis if he had to explain anything on the authorization. Davis replied "I really don't know. This is a Mr. Cataldo item and I know it's competing for Issue 1 fund money for street improvements". Davis was referring to Councilman Tony Cataldo and continued "he really didn't have anything on it. I think it's another one that is going to involve Mr. Boyle".

Surace suggested if it is unclear what is going on it be tabled. Davis went on to explain that "this is that pot of money everyone tries to get and usually the best way to go is to go through the County Engineer. For some reason Mr. Boyle and Mr. Cataldo feel we could do better going on our own apart from the County. That is as much as I know in a nut shell". Davis stated he believes the deadline is in October and would attempt to learn more about this request. Soldano then inquired why there is nothing noted about hiring GG&J on this with McMahon saying "it's a pig in a poke thing until we get in there". The motion died for a lack of a second.

Before closing Soldano asked Village resident Jack Cataldo, in the audience, the status on the grant application for the truck access road. Cataldo responded he has heard it "passed the first test". He is not expecting any farther word until near the end of the year. This is in reference to the OMEGA grant Cataldo made application for, for the new road for trucks going to & from Wellsville Terminals & Ashland Oil. Cataldo confirmed the grant application is still in the process.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:34 P.M. Davis reminded everyone that Council is back to their regular schedule meeting twice a month. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 21 at 6 P.M. at Village Hall.

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