CLEARFIELD – Resident Todd Orsich addressed members of Clearfield Borough Council Thursday night with his letter of interest to serve as First Ward councilman.
Orsich is a former mailman for Clearfield, and is currently an independent contractor for Walmart Delivery.
Thursday was the last day to submit letters of interest to the borough for the First Ward council seat.
Resident Christy Fulton questioned the current budget and why the line for motor vehicle violations was $55,000 in the 2021-22 year, around $21,000 in the 2022 to 2023 years and currently $57,000 for this current budget year.
She asked how council planned to rectify it. Fulton also asked for council to start being more transparent with residents.
Councilman Steve Livergood and Mayor Mason Strouse both agreed that there should be more transparency.
Strouse said he’d been doing some research on what other municipalities do when it comes to transparency like Sandy Township and the City of DuBois posting their respective budgets, bills and fiscal reports online.
Council decided to table further discussion for the next meeting, as Solicitor F. Cortez “Chip” Bell III was not in attendance and there would be a need to review what can be posted publicly.
Fire Chief Michael Yankevich encouraged council to start making a plan about how to replace the borough’s fire apparatus. The current aerial is 23 years old and the current engine is 27 years old.
Clearfield Regional Police Chief Vincent McGinnis reported that there were 626 incidents for the month of January, which included, but was not limited to accidents, DUIs, drug arrests, criminal arrests as well as assisting other entities.
A grant worth $150,000 was obtained by Assistant Chief Julie Curry to help pay for expenses such as equipment, payroll and other costs associated with having a regional department.
Street Crew Foreman Todd Kling advised that the new truck for the street department has received its first recall; it needs to go to Erie to have it fixed. It will be further discussed at next meeting.
There was a recommendation heard to sign Weaver Street from West Market to West Locust as no parking on either side at all times, as well as to sign Weaver Street from West Locust to Nichols Street as no parking anytime on the side closest to the river.
A recommendation was also made to regretfully accept the resignation of Melissa Campbell from the CMA board, as well as to approve advertising for a position on the CMA board.
A recommendation to approve the Clearfield Revitalization Corp.’s Easter egg hunt at Upper Witmer Park for March 23, 2024, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., was made for next meeting.