DUBOIS – DuBois City Council has filled the open council seat vacated by former Council Member Shannon Gabriel.
Council on Monday night voted to appoint Pat Reasinger, a candidate for DuBois City mayor this fall.
Following the vote, DuBois Mayor Ed Walsh thanked both Reasinger and Elliot Gelfand, who also interviewed for the position.
Reasinger and Gelfand are both likely to take city office following the Nov. 7 general election.
The third is Jennifer Jackson, who stated Monday night that she didn’t seek the vacant council seat.
Council began the meeting by administering the oath of office to Reasinger.
Council also congratulated the Goodwill Hose Co. for its first victory in the 2023 Firemen’s Competition in over 52 years.
During public comment Monday night, Jackson also questioned council over the $93,000 in city funds at the United Way.
She said it was returned months ago, and both Jackson and Gelfand asked what council has learned since then.
According to June 22 work session minutes, Gelfand asked for details concerning the city’s frozen funds during public comment.
Interim City Manager Chris Nasuti indicated only the Community Fund was frozen, and its balance was around $180,000.
He said the returned funds was deposited into the Community Fund where it should have been all along and so it’s currently frozen.
There was $90,000 in the Community Fund before the other funds were returned to the city, Nasuti said.
Monday night, council had no explanation as to why the funds were at the United Way because that wasn’t normal procedure.
Council said the mater remains under investigation at this time.
Jackson expressed her displeasure with City Solicitor Toni Cherry and her handling of this matter.
She asked council for its opinion; however, there was no response.
Jackson said she didn’t seek the vacant council seat even though she got more votes than Gelfand and Reasinger in the May Primary.
But if she had applied and been appointed, Jackson said her first action would’ve been to call for Cherry’s resignation.
According to the work session minutes, the city—also in response to Gelfand—reported a projected budget surplus of $26,000.
There were also questions over a $3.5 million loan for parks, which continued Monday, and a $4 million payment from the Sewer Fund.
It was noted that the $4 million transfer was an annual payment to the city from its Sewer Fund.
The transfer was made in order to cover costs associated with renting access to its sewage treatment infrastructure.
Monday night, Jackson brought up the budget surplus with relation to the city’s legal actions against Sandy Township.
The township is currently seeking to temporarily “pause” its consolidation with DuBois City.
Jackson said she didn’t quite understand what was going on but wanted to know if the surplus was being used for legal action.
Cherry said so far, the city has only filed for a “strike” of the township’s petition before it even goes to a full legal battle.
She said if successful, it would be a far quicker and cheaper option.
Currently Cherry is arguing that the township’s petition lacks any merit to go before a judge for consideration.
So far as the $3.5 million park renovation loan, Walsh reported it was approved back in January.
Jackson asked if the city could “really afford” to take out this loan amid the city’s uncertain state.
Walsh said if it ended projects covered by the loan, the city would lose out on a grant that pays $2 million of the loan.
Additionally, Nasuti said the city has already spent $250,000 on projects.
Walsh defended the loan and cited its benefits Monday night. “Yes, it’s a lot of money … I’ll grant you that.
[But] just the Small College World Series—alone—has a great financial impact for Clearfield County.
“… SCWS said it brought $525,000 into the DuBois economy over six days. The county’s estimate was smaller but still $475,000.”
In six years, this single tournament has brought an estimated $2.4 million into the DuBois economy, Walsh said.
But with “trickle-down economics,” he noted that it spreads even further than that.
