CURWENSVILLE – Curwensville’s financial situation was the topic of choice at the Curwensville Borough Council meeting Thursday night.
Council covered much ground at the meeting on several intermingled topics. They voted to accept a loan for $50,000 in order to help pay the bills for the next two months. One alternative given to the loan would be to allow the borough to fall into bankruptcy, an option that quieted the council for a moment before deciding to vote for the loan. Another option was check to see if any matchless grants existed for municipalities in distress.
In efforts to save a penny where available, council also decided to take measures that would eventually see the insurance on the third police vehicle dropped down to cover only fire, theft and vandalism. There was consideration on just outright selling the vehicle as there are currently only two officers, but a combination of hope they might still need it eventually and worry about a low end offer kept it from going that far.
Council also agreed to lay off secretary Emma Guarino, employed by the borough since 1966, and promote Autumn Norris to full time in order to consolidate the duties under one secretary. Norris will receive forty-hours a week at $10 an hour.
Guarino, who was present at the meeting, will effectively be laid off at the end of business hours Monday.
“We can’t afford to lay off another police officer or get rid of an essential member of the road crew,” said council member Sam Ettaro.
By laying off Guarino Curwensville is expecting to save $17,116 a year.
“I’d like to personally thank Emma for the years she put in here,” said Mark Curulla, council president, a sentiment that was agreed to by the council.
As for police it was revealed in the beginning of the meeting that there are 39 outstanding arrest warrants in the area. The council threw out some potential solutions such as asking the state police to help, but were uncertain if the state police could hand our warrants or if they could only legally assist in handing them out. The cause for the warrants not being served was placed at the police chief’s lack of time as he also serves as the borough’s code enforcer.