OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) — It appears healthcare costs for the city of Oil City will go up 10 percent next year, which is within reason according to Borough Manager Mark Schroyer.

“We had a meeting in Cranberry Monday and were told our premiums were going up 10 percent,” Schroyer said. “While that is a significant amount of money, it’s not bad. Prices are leveling out some. We aren’t seeing the tremendous spikes and valleys we were seeing in the past. Overall, the picture isn’t bad.”

CDNG GRANT APPLICATION TO BE SUBMITTED

At Thursday’s meeting, the Oil City Council approved the submission of a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Application to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for 2017.

According to Oil City Director of Community Development Kelly Amos, the city has determined it is eligible for $269,615.00. Of that amount, approximately 13 percent — or around $35,000.00 — would be used for administrative fees, which is less than the 18 percent threshold for such fees. The remainder will be allocated towards the fire truck payment (which will be the ninth of 10 payments on the truck), paving funds, and demolition and cleanup.

According to Schroyer, this is consistent with the direction the city has gone in the last few years.

“At some point, when we are able to free up some of the money, I would like to see us look at sidewalks, as well,” Schroyer said.

The sidewalk installation would be a down-the-road project. Oil City Mayor Bill Moon suggested that perhaps after the fire truck is paid off the city could use that money towards building sidewalks.

OIL CITY RESIDENT INQUIRES ABOUT SIGNS ON RENTALS NEXT TO HER HOUSE

During the public comment period of the meeting, Oil City resident Deb Polan, who lives on Plummer Street in Oil City, questioned the use of affixed rental signs on properties near her house.

Polan, who has lived at 412 Plummer Street for seven years, said that the buildings next to her that are rented out by Curt Wray have affixed signs on them saying they are for rent. She said these signs are there whether or not the rentals are occupied. Her concern is they are ugly and are driving down the value of her property.

Schroyer said he was checking with the zoning department of the city to see if affixed signs are part of the sign code. He said it would be “highly unusual” if they weren’t addressed in the sign code, especially in a residential area.

Polan said her belief is they aren’t addressed in the code, and she would like the council to pass an ordinance to address it.

“I will follow up,” Schroyer responded.

A few of the council members including Moon and Ron Gustafson told Polan they agreed with her.

No other action beyond Schroyer saying he would follow up was taken.

OCTOBER 14 DECLARED CHIEF CORNPLANTER DAY

A proclamation by Moon declared October 14, 2017, Chief Cornplanter Day.

According to the proclamation, Chief Cornplanter was a “warrior as well as peacemaker and statesman, fought alongside the British in the American Revolution and was the ‘principal war chief’ for the Senecas.”

After the Revolutionary War, Chief Cornplanter helped lead negotiations with the United States that led to the Treaty of Fort Stanwix in which the Iroquois Confederacy ceded its claims to the Ohio territory, a strip of land along the Niagara River and all lands west of Buffalo Creek.

As a new ally of the United States, Cornplanter was granted three tracts of land by the governor of Pennsylvania, one of which is now the site of Oil City.

According to Kathy Bailey of the Oil City Main Street Program, a mural of Chief Cornplanter is in the process of being painted, and it is hoped that it will be completed by October 14. The mural will be on the South Side of town near the First United National Bank and will be visible from Front Street.

If the mural is completed in time, there will be a dedication ceremony for it at 9:30 a.m. on October 14, Bailey said.

In addition, there will be a presentation of a historical marker by the Oil Region Alliance at 11:00 a.m. on the street, and there will be Indian dancers in Justus Park.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other business the council:

• Gave approval for a prayer walk on the sidewalk of Oil City Town Square on October 14 sponsored by the Oil City Catholic community, which is open to anyone, not just Catholics. A Rosary recitation will begin at Noon.
• Approved a Veteran’s Day Celebration by the James M. Henderson Post 32 of the American Legion to be held November 11. The program will start at the Justus Park parking lot at 10:30 a.m. and proceed over the Veterans Bridge with a stop to honor the Navy Veterans and then to Central Avenue where a program will start at 11:00 a.m. This has been an annual program since 1919 when the American Legion was chartered.
• Was informed by Schroyer that the city’s parking project should start Monday, weather permitting and should be done by the PennDOT imposed October 15 deadline.