CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — During their regular meeting on Tuesday, September 7, the Clarion Borough Council approved “Plan B” for the Autumn Leaf Festival in case possible traffic issues arose from Interstate 80.
(Pictured above: During the Clarion Borough meeting on Tuesday night, Mayor Brett Whitling presents Tracy Becker with a proclamation naming September FoodStock month.)
Tracy Becker, director of the Clarion Area Chamber of Business and Industry, told exploreClarion.com Plan B is a contingency plan in case Main Street is unable to be closed down, or has to be reopened, during key ALF events.
The plan would affect the car and motorcycle shows, moving them to the Clarion Mall; the kiddies parade, moving it to Liberty Street; the Crafter’s Day vendors, moving them onto the Main Street sidewalks and other adjacent streets; and the parade, changing the route to start at Wendy’s, through Clarion University and down Grand Avenue into Heidrick Street.
“We had to have Plan B in place because anything is possible, and anything can change at any time,” said Becker. “We know that (with) a lot of traffic being on Interstate 80, we have to plan for it. This way, we have it on the books; the borough is aware of it, and if it happens, we have it.”
Small Water and Sewer Grant Projects
The borough council decided to approve two locations for stormwater projects and wait on approval for one of two alternate locations due to lack of funds.
Borough Treasurer and Projects Coordinator Todd Colosimo said the approved projects, which are located on Boundary Street and Tippin Drive, were awarded to the low bid of Terra Works for $213,582.00.
However, there is a shortfall of $44,000.00, which prevents the borough from completing the projects at both alternate locations, Sunset Drive and Whitehall Place.
The projects at the alternate locations were put on hold until the Clarion Stormwater Authority can be consulted to choose one of the two.
Mayoral Proclamations
Clarion Borough Mayor Brett Whitling issued two proclamations during the council meeting.
He presented a proclamation to Becker, naming September 2021 as FoodStock month, recognizing the hard work local organizations do through the contribution of food to the community.
“I ask everybody in the Clarion Area to join in this extremely worthwhile cause,” said Whitling.
Pictured: Whitling with Joan Kriebel, regent of the Clarion County Daughters of the America Revolution.
Whitling also presented Joan Kriebel, regent of the Clarion County Daughters of the America Revolution, with a proclamation recognizing the week of September 17 through the 23 as Constitution Week.
“I ask that our citizens reaffirm the ideals the framers of the Constitution had in 1787 by vigilantly protecting our freedoms,” declared Whitling.
In other business, the council:
• Approved Clarion Area Chamber of Business and Industry’s request for two events excluded from the original Special Event Request for ALF.
• Approved Cub Scout Pack 51’s Special Event Request for street closure to Jefferson Place (between Veterans Park and S & T Bank) on Sunday, September 12, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., subject to the restrictions in place at the time of the event.
• Approved Clarion County Coalition for Suicide Prevention’s Special Event Request for traffic control for their walk to be held on Thursday, September 9, 2021, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Approved Clarion Area Elementary PTO’s Special Event Request for Closure of North 2nd Avenue from Main Street to Madison Road on Saturday, September 11, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
• Approved Resolution #2021-458, a resolution reducing the Police Pension Contributions from 5% to 0% for the year 2022 (Clarion Borough receives state aid for pensions every year. They expect to have the pension fully funded in 2022 through state aid alone. Reducing the pension contributions means borough police officers do not have to contribute five percent of their pay towards their pension in 2022.)
• Approved Minimum Municipal Obligation for the Clarion Borough Police Pension Plan for 2022 in the amount of $27,116.00.
• Approved Resolution #2021-459, a Resolution Reducing the General Employees’ Pension Contributions from 5% to 2.5% for the year 2022.
• Approved Minimum Municipal Obligation for the Clarion Borough General Employees’ Pension Plan for 2022 in the amount of $60,450.00.
• Ratified Approval of Change Order Number One for Clarion Borough Contract 2021-2 Clarion Free Library Building Improvements adding the replacement of the plumbing wall for the amount of $2,679.82 and the addition of a hose bib and floor drain for the women’s restroom and a bucket basin and floor drain for the men’s restroom with construction not to exceed $4,000.
• Approved Service Authorization for The EADS Group for South 6th Avenue Design/Engineering for $25,000 with an additional amount up to $5,000.
• Changed status of Eric Sharrar from Probationary Public Works Laborer to Regular Public Works Laborer, retroactive to August 20, 2021, contingent upon obtaining CDL and Pesticide License.
• Approved Blueprint Committee, 2nd Avenue Neighborhood Park Project, Storm Water Agreement to tie into Borough’s Storm Water System.
• Ratified approval of rental of Vac Truck from A & H Equipment for the cost of $8,000.00 for one month (to be reimbursed by Storm Water Authority Board).
• Approved repayment plan of money owed from SWA to Clarion Borough.
• Approved the bidding of Clarion Borough Contract 2021-4 Paul A. Weaver Community Park Softball Field Improvements.
• Approved Service Authorization for The EADS Group for C2P2/DCNR Application Technical Assistance for the pool renovation project.
