Jonestown Borough Council approves cheaper leaf vacuum contract

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Jonestown Borough Council voted 5-1 to approve an updated leaf vacuum contract at the Aug. 5 meeting.

The contract is $1,000 cheaper than the one previously approved. Daniel Shuman was the dissenting vote.

The prior leaf vacuum agreement had a price of $79,747. With the borough receiving a grant for $64,800, the municipality was responsible for $14,947. The new price is $78,747, and the borough will be responsible for $13,947.

Solicitor Colleen Gallo said the company they were in contact with came back to the borough, saying the price the council approved was going to increase by almost $2,000. Talks between borough officials and the company ended in the business agreeing on its previous price.

“They’re going to reduce the price so you don’t have to authorize any additional expenditures,” Gallo said. “It’s the same equipment at a lower price, essentially.”

Shuman said he voted against the motion because he would have voted no when the leaf vacuum was initially brought before the council.

The grant for the leaf vacuum also requires the borough to have certain ordinances, so council voted to advertise amendments to the outdoor fires and collection of garbage and refuse ordinances.

“They’re very minor changes,” Gallo said. “The biggest thing is changing ‘leaf’ or ‘leaves’ to ‘leaf waste’ and removing something from rubbish as part of the definition.”

She said they are also looking to add a sentence saying borough residents are not permitted to burn leaf waste or wood that has been treated with chemicals.

In other business, council:

• Approved several date changes for Friends of Jonestown events. They changed Fall Fest from Oct. 11 to Oct. 18 and the food truck event from Nov. 13 to Nov. 15. Friends of Jonestown meetings will also now be on the second Thursday of each month rather than the second Sunday.
• Voted to purchase four swing mats, not to exceed $160. Secretary Mariah Mauser said the mats will go under the park’s swing sets to keep children from tearing up the fresh mulch.
• Gave the Northern Lebanon Youth Soccer Club permission to use the lower field from Aug. 4 through Oct. 25.
• Heard a cash flow report for the month of July. The revenue was $25,441.53 less than the same period last year, but expenses were $86,401 less. Cash flow is currently positive $33,796.15.

Jonestown Borough Council will have its next regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 2 at 295 S. Mill St.