mplements another recommendation from the state’s strategic management and financial plan for Charleroi.  I don’t believe in taxpayer funded plans just sitting on a shelf.  I implement. 

Provides more clearly defined roles and those boundaries while enhancing communication seeking to ensure the administration and the council are not stepping on one another’s toes. 

Municipal committees are very similar to the state and federal level, especially when having a more fully staffed municipality; which then provides the elected officials freedom to focus on the bigger picture rather than daily operations. 

For example, a committee chair may hold hearings, and engage the public and organizations for matters pertinent to their respective committee.

The dog park discussed last night is a great example.  The parks & rec chair should hold meetings with citizens and organizations, identify a possible location, articulate the project/plans, and have the administration assist in the implementation.

As part of our duties, the administration handles the day-to-day operations, personnel, workloads, and implementation of short and long term plans.  Again, more clearly defined roles and those boundaries.

This ordinance was derived from upon another, similarly sized, Pennsylvania Borough’s own policies and ordinance that were established back in 2002 and revised throughout the years.  So, it isn’t like this is coming out of thin air. 

 

Ordinance 1046 (Local Tax Credits for qualifying volunteer fire fighters)

Recruitment for volunteer fire fighters is at an all time low; which obviously is a public safety concern for communities.

In an effort to combat that problem and potentially provide Charleroi with a competitive advantage at least for the time being, Charleroi is enacting Act 172 providing local tax credits for qualifying volunteer fire fighters.

Per DCED, “Act 172 of 2016 provides municipalities with the option to offer a real estate or earned income tax credit to active members of volunteer fire companies and nonprofit emergency medical service agencies through a volunteer service credit program. Active volunteers who meet the service credit criteria established by the municipality in consultation with the fire chief or supervisor of the EMS agency would be eligible for the tax credit.”

They must be a resident of Charleroi, and Charleroi Council must certify the list of eligible individuals each year via resolution.

Some of the criteria includes:

(1) The number of emergency response calls to which a volunteer responds.

(2) The level of training and participation in formal training and drills for a volunteer.

(3) The total amount of time expended by a volunteer on administrative and other support services

(4) The involvement in other events or projects that aid the financial viability, emergency response or operational readiness of a volunteer fire company or a nonprofit or emergency medical service agency

(5) The total number of years the volunteer has served.

It is our hope this will help with recruitment efforts and increase volunteer participation.

 

Ordinance 1045 (Public Participation)

In the past, Charleroi has experienced its fair share of the circus.  Audience members heckling, screaming out of turn in the middle of the meeting, some becoming hostile which is a public safety concern for all those in attendance.  It is counterproductive and merely sets Charleroi further behind.

The ordinance more clearly defines public participation and seeks to enhance civility and appropriate public decorum.  

We wholeheartedly want to ensure voices are heard and provide the public with a plethora of opportunities to engage with elected and appointed officials.  We want healthy public debate.  But the key word there is healthy.   This is a far more civil way to accomplish the end game. 

This ordinance also did not come from thin air.  Upon research, the ordinance is derived from the public participation policy of Crawford County, Pennsylvania.