Charleroi Council appoints new member
CHARLEROI – Just one week after Debbie Buck resigned from Charleroi Council, Martin Gassner was chosen to take her place.
Council voted 5-1 Thursday to appoint Gassner to fill the open seat. Gassner was sworn into office by Mayor Ed Bryner during the council’s monthly meeting.
Also nominated for council was Gary Motycki, husband of Councilwoman Jeannine Motycki. Councilwoman Nancy Ellis nominated Motycki for the open seat and was the only member of the council to vote for him.
“It is a great honor to be selected to serve on the council. I’m excited and hopeful and look forward to sharing ideas with the other council members,” said Gassner, who lives in the borough with his wife, Amanda, and their three children, Kayleb, Kayden and Angel. He will serve the remaining 13 months of Buck’s term.
Gassner also was selected as the council’s alternate on the police board. Earlier, Councilwoman Jody Cheplic resigned from that position.
Gassner works as a field service manager for Sprague Operating Resources LLC, an oil and natural gas company. He served as a jet engine mechanic for the U.S. Marine Corps from 2007 to 2011. Gassner received several medals before he was honorably discharged, including the Global War on Terrorism, National Defense and Good Conduct medals. He also studied business at the University of Pittsburgh.
In addition, council unanimously voted Motycki as its new vice president – a position that was previously held by Buck. Ellis also was nominated for the position but declined to accept it because of other obligations.
Also during the meeting, Michael Foreman, a local government policy specialist for the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Center for Local Government Services, spoke to council about the state’s Early Intervention Program.
The program offers a pre-emptive step for municipalities who feel as if their financial situation, while not formally declared distressed, needs significant help to improve. It supports municipalities by offering grants that can be used to fund costs associated with hiring an independent financial consultant to prepare a three-to-five-year financial plan and management review of the municipality.
“This program is not a cure-all for everything, but it can help you to see things differently,” said Foreman. “We want to partner with communities that are willing to work together as a unit and move forward in the same direction. Through the Early Intervention Program, you can get a new perspective on how to solve many of the issues you are dealing with.”
Foreman said participating municipalities normally have to provide a $6,000 to $10,000 local cash match to participate in the program, but he added that Charleroi may be eligible for a financial hardship grant to lower that amount. Currently, Monessen is in the implementation phase of the program, while Donora is in the planning and development phase. The City of Washington also is considering participating in this program, he said.
Council members agreed to discuss the program in more detail during their agenda meeting next month.
In other business, council voted to renew its Regional Enterprise Zone with the Mon Valley Alliance (MVA), raise the fee schedule and raise parking meter fines.