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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMM - Meeting Minutes - 370 - 10-16-1963 - COMMISSIONER524 MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA FRANCIS E. PETTIT, J. BLATCH CUMMINS, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS from the City of Washington and the various boroughs and townships. Mr. Cummins stated that r Wry a special effort should be made by the City of Washington on money owed the County, "since it is due this year. Mr. Mazza informed the Board that Canton Township agreed to try to pay the amount of $10,000 this year, which reimbursement is due the County in connection with the Chartiers Creek Flood Control Project. A general discussion was held concerning the figures as prepared by the Controller's Office for anticipated revenues. Mr. Hormell informed the Board of a newspaper article which appeared in last Tuesday's paper, stating that a petition for a taxpayers suit was filed on Monday, in which Mr. Packrall seeks to recover alleged profits from the Airport operation for the County. Notification was received by the Chief Clerk's Office on Thursday, October 10, 1963; hearing to be held Monday, October 14, 1963. Mr. Hormell requested that the Commissioners authorize him to take whatever action is necessary on Monday. (Request granted). Mr. Mazza informed the Board that the Tygart Valley Glass Company is very satisfied with the work that has been done to correct the flooding conditions in that area. Motion by Mr. Cummins, seconded by Mr. Mazza, that Minute Nos. 355 to 364 inclusive, be approved. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Mr.Cummins, seconded by Mr. Mazza, that the meetings be recessed until Monday, October 14, 1963• Motion carried unanimously. At this time, the Board entered into a special session for the purpose of awarding the contract for the seal coating of the ramp and runway at the iashington County Airport. Motion by Mr. Mazza, seconded by Mr. Cummins, that BLACKTOP PRODUCTS„ INC., 446 East Beau Street, Washington, Pennsylvania, be awarded the contract to seal coat the aircraft ramp at the Administration Building and runway, in accordance with their proposal; this being the lowest bid received. This contract being awarded due to the emergency conditions whict exists at the Airport and to prevent further damage to the ramp and runway. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Mr. Mazza, seconded by Mr. Cummins, that the meeting be adjourned. Motion carried unanimously. THE FOREGOING MINUTE READ AND APPROVED: Ott --yam/ I 1963 ATTEST: CHIEF CLERK NO. 370 Office of the County Commissioners Washington, Pa., October 16, 1963 Board of County Commissioners met in special session acting as the Election Board with the following members being present: Commissioners Pettit and Cummins. Absent being Commissioner Mazza. Also present being Assistant County Solicitor Yablonski, Attorneys Patrick Derrico and. Frank C. Roney, John Kouklis, committeeman from the first ward of Canonsburg, MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA 525 I FRANCIS E. PETTIT, J. BLATCH CUMMINS, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS Mr. Pihakis, proprietor of the.Greek Coffee House, Louis I. Quail, Director of the Election Department, Chief Clerk Polaski and Reporter Crouse. Board called into session by Chairman of the Board, Francis Er Pettit, Mr. Pettit informed those present that the neutral polling place agreed upon at the meeting of the Election Board held Friday,, October 4, 1963, at the Presbyterian Mission School was not obtainable. Mr. Cummins noted that Mr. Mazza was absent and that a full Board should be present before making a decision; that Mr. Mazza should have an opportunity to join in making<a determination. Mr. Cummins stated that hew as still in favor of retaining the present location, but due to the fact that a full Board is not present, a decision at this time would be unfair. Motion by Mr. Cummins that the meeting be recessed until a time when Mr-. Mazza can attend the meeting. Mr. Derrico stated that there is a time limitation on the changing of a polling,place; that a notice must be posted for five days and the.notice must be 10 days prior to the posting. The time pressure would be unfair to the people whom he is representing and there would be more confusion to the voters the later a decision is let go. The.B'oard agreed to stay in continued session for a reasonable amount of time, in order to locate Mr. Mazza. Mr. Derrico: The County Code places strong emphasis on public polling places rather than private, however, as an laternative I would like to suggest the Cancilla property on Euclid Avena�t. Mr. Kusturiss entered the meeting. Mr. Derrico: We are objecting to the school because of the steps which create a hazard - to the voters. (Mr. Derrico presented a sketch of the Cancilla property which is approximately one block from the Coffee House location). At this time, Mr. Kusturiss, Mr. Kouklis and Mr. Pihakis left the meeting for a private conference. Upon returning to the meeting, Mr. Kusturiss stated that he has no objection to the alternate polling place suggested by Mr. Derrico and Mr. Roney, -only to the question of bad weather, that there is no provision for sheltering voters. He stated -that Euclid Avenue is a wide street and parking would not present a problem. Mr. Pettit stated that he would cast a vote that would benefit the larger number of voters in that area; that the three attorneys present would have a better sense of what place is best and that if they are agreed upon a location, then he would vote for that location. Mr. Roney stated that if all attorneys present agree to the Cancilla property then they will compromise. Mr. Pihakis objected, stating that the polling place has been held at the Coffee house for 30 years and a change should not be made, that the conditions charged by Attorneys Derrico and Roney do not exist and the polling pl-ace should remain there. Mr. Pihakis left the meeting at this time. Mr. Kouklis stated that he would be willing to go along with the compromise. Mr. Pettit stated that it was understood that no appeal from the decision of the Board would be made, that the Board's action would be final. MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA FRANCIS E. PETTIT, J. BLATCH CUMMINS, JCHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS Mr. Cummins remarked that in his opinion, Mr. Kusturiss has done an injustice to Mr. Pihakis, his client, in going along with the compromise when Mr. Pihakis was not in favor of the change.. Mr. Cummins: The Coffee House generally gets crowded from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. when the working people cast their votes and the facilities there are adequate to handle the people, I am objecting to the compromise polling place; a full Board should be present. Mr. Mazza knew of this meeting and should be present in the interest of the taxpayers. Mr. Kouklis: I'll go along with Mr. Kusturiss, but I think the correct place is the Coffee House and the allegations made by Mr. Derrico and Mr. Roney are untrue and unfair, Polling changes have been made from the Coffee House before and they have always been changed back. Mr. Derrico: The law strongly advocates public polling places. Mr. wail: The school is not the beat place, the gymnasium floor is sunken and the bleachers are used for seating. There is ample room to vote, but nothing more than that. Mr. Derrico presented a scale drawing of the school and also a map of the Canonsburg area. Mr. Derrico: There is adequate protection and room to get in out of bad weather. The only person raising an objection to this location is Mr. Pihakis and his reasons are purely personal. We are going to take a compromise. We were willing to go along with Mr. Kusturiss-at the Mission School and Mr. Kusturiss is willing to go along with our suggestion and I think that we should use this compromise. Mr. Pettit: Actually the committee people should make a recommendation on where the polling place should be held. Mr. Kouklis: I will go along with the compromise rather than have a hearing and go to Coutt over the change. Mr. Pettit questioned whether the compromise site is large enough. Mr. Quails In my opinion, it is large enough. However, in case of a rush, it possibly would not be large enough. Mr. Cummins: In order to be consistent, my stand is still the same in this, and I make a motion that the polling place remain at the Greek Coffee House. There was no second to the motion. Mr. Pettit: In turn, I make a motion that we accept the compromise site located on Euclid Avenue (Cancilla property), since it is agreeable to both sides and being centrally located. Mr. Pettit: Motion failed for lack of a second. We cannot take any further action until the third member of the Board is present and casts the deciding vote. Inasmuch as we cannot contact him, I request that the meeting be recessed until Thursday morning and I personally, as Chairman of the Board, will request that Mr. Mazza be present tomorrow morning to cast his vote. The meeting was.recessed until Thursday morning, October 17th. THE FOREGOING MINUTE READ AND APPROVED: 1963 ATTEST: CIF CLERK��i 1