GORDON - The borough council set plans in motion at Thursday's meeting to buy a computer for its office to streamline office duties.
Council President Michael Rader explained the move to modernize the borough office operation.
"We will try to make the move to computerized financial records and billing," Rader said. "We will try to get quotes on the equipment and software to do that. Most likely at the next council meeting we'll approve going in that direction and make that transition for the springtime."
After the meeting, Rader said that there are funds available in the budget to make a computer purchase.
"We had a good fiscal 2013. We reduced costs and didn't have to raise taxes," Rader said. "We had some extra money that we'll invest in some equipment. This is the right thing to do in the long term for financial stability and record keeping for Gordon. We're going to try to have it up and running and implemented by April 1."
Rader said that the financial records and billing to sewer accounts has been done manually.
"Not that the financials have been done incorrectly, but they haven't been the easiest to digest for council members or the public," Rader said. "It's for the benefit of everybody. Dot (Snyder) hand types the sewer bills and it's time consuming. We're going to focus on efficiency in order to reduce costs."
Rader said finding grant funds for recreation will also be an important part of the new year. He said the borough has a beautiful park for recreation and he and the council are interested in making more improvements.
During the meeting, borough Secretary/Treasurer Paul Snyder said in his sewage account report that delinquencies as of Jan. 1 were $38,315.83, a decrease of $1,653.15 from the Dec. 1 total.
Snyder also reported that the first payment on the sewage loan had been paid.
"I made the first payment on the sewage loan that we took out in the middle of last year, which was $22,553.02, of which $7,432.37 was interest," Snyder said. "That payment is due twice a year until Dec. 1, 2018, after which it increases to $34,553.03 twice a year."
"I think that increase is based on a fluctuating rate and that's the highest it could be," solicitor Christopher Riedlinger said. "It's used as a default number, but in reality it could be substantially lower than that."
Entech Engineering senior project manager Donald M. Cuff said the roof project on the municipal building has been completed by TGW Corp., Pine Grove.
"I'm pleased to report that, based upon a final inspection that was conducted earlier today, we're prepared to recommend full and final payment to the contractor for the roof replacement project," Cuff said. "The full and final payment will be $53,837.25."
Cuff said that the cost had been reduced by $3,500 because it was not necessary to do as much deck replacement as what had been anticipated and a downspout was not replaced.
During the public comment part of the meeting, resident Charlene Wolfgang complained about the former Gordon High School building, stating that she has been finding bird carcasses on her property.
"I've been finding two to three dead pigeons on my pavement twice a week," said Wolfgang, adding that the windows need to be boarded up.
Rader told Wolfgang that the owner will be sent a notice of the violation against the property maintenance code.
"We'll get a letter out to inform him of the violations involving public health and safety concerns," Rader said.
Riedlinger added that the property may also be in violation of the nuisance ordinance. He asked Snyder to provide him with a copy so he can send the notices of violations to the owner.
Resident Ramon Soto also spoke about everyone trying to work together.
"I'm new to town and I love this town, but I hear about not bad things but little discrepancies between the fire company and borough council. Nothing major," Soto said. "With unity comes a lot of good forward motion. It would be nice to get closer and talk things out to see what we can do to make things better."
"We have been working on that," Mayor George D. Brocious said. "I think with the new council, things are better already. There hasn't been any problems since November. As a representative of the fire company and the mayor, I want both to get together as well as possible."
The next council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 11.