Oakmont Borough Council Notebook: November Work Session

Here's a roundup of items discussed:

Ice Rink

A portable rink has been delivered to .

The rink was delivered in two pieces, and while the crew did struggle with the weight of the rink pallets, it has been temporarily placed at the bleachers. Cameras are directed at the rink parts and an extra police patrolman will monitor the park until the rink can be securely stationed in the park.

Track

The Riverside Park running track is set to be repaved this week. The park project should be completed by next spring, borough manager Bruce Jamison said.

There still is a $78,000 balance for the park redevelopment. Jamison said there was no need to panic because some of the budgeted projects will not be completed this year.

Recreational Land

Kacin Companies is offering some of its land at the Edgewater at Oakmont site to the borough for recreational use.

The company wants higher density and less green space on the Edgewater at Oakmont site, council member Kitty Vagely said. In order to meet its land use obligations, it is donating a portion of its land.

The borough can either take the land or tell the company it would rather have cash for the land, allowing Kacin Companies to do what it wants with the land.

If the borough decides to keep the land, it must first tell Kacin Companies what it plans to construct on the land so that the company can perform the demolition, remediation and land construction.

Tree Removal

Council opened bids from the following companies for a contract to prune and remove trees, and remove stumps throughout Oakmont.

Davey Tree Service: Pruning - $240,630; tree removal - $30,000; stump removal - $13,000.

BJ Tree Service: Pruning $67,373; tree removal - $4,230; stump removal - $1,335.

Emery Tree Service: Pruning - $3,640; tree removal - 9,218, stump removal - $2,145.

Cheap Tree Service: Pruning - $62,960; tree removal - $5,825; stump removal - $1,325.

Jamison said work can begin as soon as the bid is awarded at next week’s voting meeting.

Tax Collection

Oakmont borough discussed approving an ordinance and a resolution in compliance with Act 32.

Act 32 consolidates how earned income tax and local services tax are collected. Pennsylvania has designated municipalities into groups, and a single tax collector will receive service each municipality within that group.

“The state thinks there’s a cost-savings, and they’re probably right,” Jamison said.

The ordinance will change how earned income tax and local service tax are collected, and the resolution will appoint Keystone Collections Group as the tax collector for Oakmont.

Both the ordinance and resolution must be passed by December to take effect beginning Jan. 1, 2012.