OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) — City manager Mark Schroyer expressed optimism when speaking about the 2018 budget at Thursday’s Oil City council meeting.

“We are looking at a first reading at the Nov. 16 meeting,” Schroyer told the council. “Right now, we are at a standstill waiting on workmen compensation prices and insurance prices.”

Schroyer is confident the city will see a decrease in its workmen compensation insurance because of the recent good work history and there are currently a few different companies bidding for the city’s insurance.

Schroyer said he was unsure about health insurance costs stating that the city “got lucky” in 2017 with a reasonably stable rate but he isn’t sure that will be the case in 2018.

“Overall, I am optimistic it will be balanced,” Schroyer said of the budget. “I think we are rolling into 2018 in pretty decent shape.”

In a budget-related move, the council gave Schroyer and his staff permission to seek proposals for a 2018 Tax Anticipation Note. The note will cover the city’s expenses until tax revenue starts to come in during the year.

“Last year, we took out a $500,000 note and we had it paid off by May or June, which was earlier than in past years, which saves us interest,” Schroyer said. “Eventually, the hope is we won’t have to take out money because we will have money in our reserve accounts to cover the budget. But we aren’t there yet.”

Schroyer said usually two or three banks show interest in floating a note to the city, and Northwest Savings Bank issued the note last year. First United National Bank has also shown interest in the past, according to Schroyer.

BLS/ALS AGREEMENT WITH CORNPLANTER APPROVED

The council approved a joint prehospital services agreement for Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) with the Cornplanter Volunteer Fire Department where Cornplanter will pay the city $150 per patient provided ALS services within city limits and $200 per patient outside of city limits.

Fire chief Mark Hicks said he is still trying to find a time to negotiate rates with Reno Volunteer Fire Department but because of Reno Fire Chief Mark Garbacz job as a bus driver, the time for those negotiations hasn’t been set.

PAVING WRAPPING UP

Schroyer said paving in the city is wrapping up.

“It could be done today (Thursday),” Schroyer said. “We were down with the streets and were now paving the problematic alleys per the request of (Councilman) Dale (Massie). Next year, we expect to do more. Our goal to improve the infrastructure of the city is coming along.”

Schroyer also told the council that the permits for the pump station projects finally came through and he anticipates the project being bid out in the next month or so.

MCDONALD’S GRAND OPENING SET FOR NOV. 3

Schroyer announced that the grand opening of the renovated McDonald’s is set for Friday, Nov. 3. The restaurant has been closed for about a month as it was nearly torn down to its foundation and rebuilt.

POLICE OFFICER CIVIL SERVICE LIST APPROVED

The council approved a list of four people to be interviewed for three open police officer positions. Four candidates passed their civil service tests, and will enter the interview stage of the process.

The four prospective officers are Jordan Anderson, Jason McDermott, Brandon Rosenberger and David Park.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANS APPROVED

The council approved the third of five community development plans the city is required to have in order to receive Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money. Copies of the approved plans are available by contacting the city offices.

In a related move, the city also adopted various programmatic police, plans, and procedures related to the city’s participation in the Pennsylvania CDBG program, also a requirement of the law.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other business, the council:

• Approved Meeting dates for 2018. Meetings from January through October will be held the second and fourth Thursdays of every month at 4:30 p.m. in the council chambers at the City Building. The meetings for November will be held on the second and third Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. in the council chambers and the meetings for December will be held the first and second Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in the council chambers.
• Gave permission for the closure of Central Avenue between Front Street and First Street from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, for activities related to the Christmas Past weekend being held Nov. 30 to Dec. 3. On Dec. 1, there will be a chili cook-off, a bonfire, a good booth and children’s games and crafts. The celebration will start Nov. 30 with the Christmas Tree Lighting and caroling in the town square while there will be approximately 100 craft vendor in various locations on the South Side, the Venango Museum and the National Transit BUilding Saturday, Dec. 2.
• Received a letter from the Venango County Humane Society thanking the council for its $1,000 donation.
• Heard from Schroyer about the work of police officer Regina Deloe, who helped capture the person responsible for destroying a handicap picnic table in the city. Schroyer said sometimes the work of the officers on smaller stuff like vandalism gets overlooked and he wanted to thank Deloe for her efforts.