Borough Looks for Money for Garage Roof Replacement

This 2009 photo of the Ford City Borough Maintenance Building shows roof deterioration around the edges. Although it was partially replaced in 2009, further reconstruction will be necessary on both the old and new sections.

by David Croyle 

The roof on the Ford City Borough Maintenance Garage needs to be replaced – again!

The initial problem began early 2009 when the Borough’s insurance carrier refused continuing coverage on the Borough’s maintenance garage because of roof deterioration. The Borough appointed Senate Engineering to create bid specifications. Schultheis Roofing was awarded the contract on June 1, 2009 in the amount of $24,400. Another $2,000 was added in July 2009 when the contractor requested a change order because the roof trusses did not extend far enough out on the edges of the building for the new roof to cover it sufficiently.

Schultheis completed the work in September 2009, creating invoices on two separate occasions; however the Borough failed to make payment as late as March 2010.

Councilman Rob Mohney said during that March 2010 meeting that he was told there was damage to the roof and the Borough was waiting for it to be resolved. Then-Councilman Ron Dillard admitted to holes being in the roof, but said the situation “was not a reason to hold payment up,” telling Council that the holes were minor and could be repaired.

Although the contractor was paid, the roof was never fixed. Borough Superintendent Larry Coffey described the condition of the roof.

“The roof itself, the newer part, has a bunch of holes in it. It wasn’t seamed correctly. You can physically look straight up and see the sky. You have water coming into the area all of the time. It wasn’t repaired correctly, I don’t think.  It’s in the newer structure of it.”

Coffey wasn’t aware of any warranty that came with the installation of the new roof.

But the story doesn’t end there. When the roof was installed, only half of the roof was replaced, leaving the other half in shambles. The older part of the roof collapsed last June. According to Coffey, the insurance company covered the damage to the tune of $32,000.

 “We had a cave-in in early part of June 2011. I proceeded to get estimates, take pictures and sent off to insurance company. I have already got bids in and submitted it into the insurance company.”

As Ford City Council now looks at further roof replacement, President Jerry Miklos wants to know where the insurance money went that was paid to the Borough. Miklos questioned former councilman Ray Klukan Monday night about the problem.

“The previous council decided to put a roof on the Maintenance Building. Well, they only put half a roof on! They paid thirty-some thousand dollars to only put half a roof on. You can look up and see the sky in places. The other half that you didn’t put on collapsed. You got thirty-some thousand dollars in insurance money for that. What happened to that? Poof! I don’t know where it went. I can’t find it! Where is it? Now we are faced with an expenditure of another thirty-some thousand dollars to finish the other half of the Maintenance Building that wasn’t done. And additionally we are faced with correcting the new roof problem,” Miklos said.

Coffey said he is hoping Council will approve another roofing contractor at one of their meetings in February or March.

Coffey has been the borough superintendent for the past 11 months.

No Resolution for FC Budget Woes

Ford City Councilwoman Kim Bish and Council President Jerry Miklos attempt to calm a crowd when last night’s public meeting was cancelled due to lack of a quarum.

by David Croyle

A push by newly-elected council members in Ford City to reopen the 2012 budget and lower taxes stalled last night when not enough council members showed up to vote.  

Only three of the six council members were in attendance. According to Solicitor Frank Wolfe, there would have to be four members in order to hold the meeting.

The line was clearly drawn between the new council members who were in attendance – Gene Banks, Kim Bish, and Jerry Miklos – and the previously-seated council members of Lou Vergari, Rob Mohney, and Paul Harmon who did not show up. According to Wolfe, Vergari had already discussed at last week’s meeting that he would be absent for a few weeks and Mohney had personal family reasons for not attending. Attempts to contact Harmon at the beginning of the meeting were unsuccessful.

After waiting for 15 minutes, Council President Miklos announced that the meeting would not take place. At that point, the live televised meeting became a press conference with members of the media as well as residents asking questions for the next 90 minutes.

Wolfe said that because of legal time restraints, the budget could not be changed now and would continue with the increase of two mills that was approved December 27, 2011 under the former council. Borough residents will pay 16.65 mills of tax yearly to help support the public library, fire apparatus, street lighting, retirement pension and general expenditures. One mill generates approximately $27,000, with total income and expenses both equaling more than $8.1 million.

Miklos apologized to the residents for not being able to reduce their taxes.

 “This amended budget had to be approved and advertised by tomorrow (January 31). There is no way that can be done now with three members not showing up for this meeting. There is absolutely no question that our budget is not going to happen. What will happen is you will now see a two-mill tax increase which the previous council proposed.”

Miklos was disappointed that an amended budget could not be implemented that could have saved taxpayers’ money.

“I think we had a plan in place. We reworked this budget to the point that it was doable. We could have turned this thing around. Now we are facing an increase in taxes.”

The proposed changes would have cut one of the three borough secretarial positions as well as a street worker with the least seniority. It would have decreased a landfill fee by 40%, and repealed a two-percent wage increase for the Superintendent that will bring his salary to $45,900 this year.

Former councilman and fireman Ray Klukan engages in a verbal exchange with members of Ford City Borough Council last night at the Ford City Library.

The amended budget would have also taken away the 2.6 mills of taxes to the fire department for 2013 only, thus eliminating the source of revenue for firefighters. Firemen showed up at the meeting in numbers ready to fight, but Miklos assured them it would have no bearing on their current year budget or the purchase of the new fire truck that is to be delivered this summer.

“The fire account is fully funded to the tune of over $70,000 for the year 2012. There is absolutely no reason to implement or continue implementing another 2.6 mills. The payment on the fire truck this year is $45,000. Unemployment compensation for the fire department is $10,000. The fire department is charged $5,000 for utilities. If you add those figures up, you come to about $60,000. There is currently over $70,000 in that fire fund account.”

Former councilman and fire fighter Ray Klukan was very vocal as he raised a concern for future years. Bish tried to calm his fears.

“It’s not Jerry’s influence. I looked at the numbers and I believe we can swing this for one year. Because the payment is not due until June, and we got enough money in there for your workers compensation. We’ve got a little bit of $12,000 if something breaks, I think we can swing it this year.”

Bish reassured the fire department that the council was going to continue to support their efforts.

“The fire company and Ford City have a long history. Because we had a large industry area over there, the fire company has always had to be very, very strong to protect. Because we have generations of firemen in this town, I believe we all have a very strong feeling for our firemen. One of the things I do not want to see is animosity between the council and the fire department. You have got to understand that we’ve gotcha covered here for this year. And we will have you covered for the rest of the time. That has been our pledge to the fire company and we are not going to change it.”  

Because of the tax increase going into effect this year, Miklos said the fire fund should see a fund balance of nearly $80,000 by end of 2012.

Bish concurred. “The firemen will have their 2.6 mills in the budget and will have an excess at the end of the year.”  

Banks also had words for residents.

“On the third of January, we were handed a budget – a 2.2 mill increase. The Mayor brought up a word and said ‘whatever we do, we are going to do it humanely.’ So in those four or five days that we sat there and diced and sliced this budget, we tried to do it humanely. We visited the fire department. We visited the police department, the office workers, the borough workers. I even suggested to Jerry we give up our own salaries. Here we are in the 11^th hour, and it looks like I am going to have to go up on taxes. I am very hurt. We were not going to hurt the fire department. You guys do a wonderful job. We’re a strong people. We’re a unified people. I think we can still get through this. I hope you see the three that are sitting here (that) we are concerned. And there is always a solution. We need your help.”       

Miklos said he is still determined to cut excess spending and put the borough finances in a better condition.

“That doesn’t mean that we are going to stop looking for ways this year to reduce expenditures. We will continue doing that. Hopefully we will come out of this year with a surplus.”

The Mayor and three members of Ford City Borough Council addressed about 40 residents in attendance - mostly fire fighters - and a television audience during a 90-minute press conference about their desire to have an amended budget.