The Burns Harbor
Town Council voted 3-2 not to spring for mosquito fogging in Town this year.
Last year, the
Council debated the effectiveness of mosquito fogging and directed
Clerk-treasurer Jane Jordan to order the service only if a certain number of
residents complained. Jordan said she ordered the fogging twice last year
for $850 per application. The price has not gone up, to her knowledge.
Council member Toni
Biancardi and Council Vice-president Eric Hull said, as the Council said
last year, that they never notice a difference from the fogging. They noted
that the fog only kills mosquitoes it lands on and doesn’t prevent hatching.
Council member
Kevin Tracy commented that even killing every single mosquito in Burns
Harbor won’t help. “Burns Harbor’s a small Town. If we take care of the
mosquitoes in Burns Harbor, the next day they’ll blow in from somewhere
else.”
Tracy said, for his
part, that a larger effort by neighboring towns or a County-wide effort
could be more effective.
Hull, Biancardi,
and Loving voted against ordering the fogging. Tracy and Member Ray Poparad
voted in favor.
Salary Ordinance
Street
Superintendent Pat Melton requested that the Council amend the Town’s salary
ordinance to allow for one of his employees to get a raise of 39 cents per
hour.
Melton reported the
employee should have been at the top of the salary range for his position
before January 1, when the salary ranges for hourly Town employees were
adjusted upward as needed for every Town employee to get a $1,000 raise.
The employee is
question got his lump-sum raise adjusted into his pay, but Melton says he
made a mistake by not raising the employee to the top of his 2018 range
before the lump-sum was awarded.
“I feel totally
responsible. It was my fault,” Melton said. Melton said he feels the
employee has risen to the skill level where he should be at the top of his
pay range, and Melton would find the money in his own budget to fund the
raise.
The only hitch,
Jordan said, is the salary ordinance would have to be changed first, since
the extra 39 cents would take the employee over the top range that was
established for his position after the 2018 raises.
Hull said he wasn’t
a fan of giving raises mid-year, though he appreciated Melton’s admission
that he made a mistake. “I’m not against the guy getting a raise. I think
you guys should all make more money, but we have to be responsible with the
limited budget we’re working with,” Hull said.
“I don’t want to
start a precedent,” Hull added.
Tracy wondered
about precedent too, commenting that he wondered if other Town employees
might be in the same position--they weren’t at the top of their respective
ranges before the 2018 raise--and may feel slighted if one person gets an
additional raise.
The Council voted
3-2, with Tracy and Biancardi dissenting, to allow the raise, and asked
Jordan to bring a new draft of the salary ordinance before them next month.
Reports
Melton reported
that street sweeping was rained out last week, and the sweepers will be back
out Monday if weather allows.
Building
Commissioner Rob Wesley reported the Town issued 29 building permits in
April, he did 53 inspections, and he issued one citation. Wesley said May
appears to be keeping pace, as 12 permits have already been granted this
month.
Fire Chief Bill
Arney reported the BHFD will host an open house Sunday, June 9, from 1 to 5
p.m. There will be food, a bounce house for kids, vendors, and BHFD vehicles
will be on display. Arney encouraged residents to come out “grab a hotdog
and a coke and see the trucks and the station.”
One of the vehicles
on display will be a brush truck that the National Park Service donated to
the Town. Arney reported that truck has been striped and painted, and will
be in service starting May 9, which will help reduce wear and tear on the
newer vehicles.
Arney also reported
the Department’s new engine has been out on two calls. “I want to thank the
Council and taxpayers for a great piece of equipment to serve the Town,”
Arney said.
Important Dates
The Footloose 5K
run at Lakeland Park is June 22. Lakeland opens for the season on Memorial
Day. Residents can find information on park events on the Department’s
Facebook page.
Walsh & Kelly is
scheduled to begin 2019 paving on May 20, though Poparad suggested they may
be delayed because of rain. Either way, Poparad said the Town will do its
best to make sure residents know as soon as possible when to expect the
roadwork.
The June Town
Council meeting has been rescheduled from June 12 to June 5 at 7 p.m. The
Redevelopment Commission will also move its meeting from June 12 to June 5,
at 6 p.m.
Large garbage
pickup is May 16.
Burns Harbor
scholarship applications are due May 31.