March 2, 2026 Meeting Minutes

RIVERSIDE BOROUGH COUNCIL
 
The Riverside Borough Council met in the Municipal Building, 415 Dewart Street, Riverside on Monday, March 2, 2026 at 7:00pm.  Meeting was called to order by President, Stephen Wagner.
 
Council members present: 
Peter Fleming, Barb Kriner, Ken Gardner, Mike Steimling Sr., Rob Rickard and Rebekah Lenig.
Also present was Solicitor Attorney Joseph Michetti, Mayor Todd Oberdorf, Chief of Police Kerry Parkes and Secretary Lisa Fritz
 
Citizens present:
John Domanski and Tristan Scott
 
Pledge of Allegiance
 
Citizens to be Heard: 
 
Police Department & Civil Service

• Recruitment and Compensation: A significant issue with police recruitment was identified, with no applications returned for the March 16th test date. The Chief highlighted that Riverside’s starting salary of $53,820.00 is not competitive compared to neighboring municipalities like Bloomsburg 62,000) and Mahoning Township ($70,000). Barb made a Motion to extend the application deadline to March 26th, move the testing date to March 31st, and allocate up to $500 for additional advertising in the Press Enterprise, on top of existing efforts on the PA Chiefs organization website and Facebook. Mike seconded. All in Favor. A proposal was made to offer lateral transfers for experienced officers, allowing them to start at a higher pay step, which would require a union contract addendum. The salary issue was tabled for a future executive session to decide on a competitive rate before publishing new ads.
• Civil Service Commission: To support the police hiring process, the long-inactive Civil Service Commission was re-established. Barb made a Motion to appoint Tristan Scott, David Peck, and Joseph Semiclose as Civil Service Commissioners. Peter seconded. All in Favor.
• Equipment and Training: Barb made a Motion to approve the purchase of a “Skim Scan” device for $495 to detect credit card skimmers. Rob seconded. All in Favor. An electrical issue in 2024 police vehicle was repaired under warranty at no cost. A new mandatory “Use of Force” training standard, “Surviving the Ground,” was issued by MPOETC.

 
Ken Gardner “Thanked” Kerry Parkes and Brad Harvey for working eight (8) hours shifts to cover the Borough until the vacant Police Officer position is filled.
 
Barb made a Motion to accept the Police report. Rob seconded. All in Favor.

Ordinances and Enforcement

• Solar Panel Ordinance: The council is developing a new zoning ordinance for solar panels, as the current one is outdated. Solicitor, Attorney Michetti will draft an ordinance, incorporating provisions for the disposal of inoperable panels, which will then undergo a 60-day review by the local and county planning commissions. Barb made a Motion to authorize the firm’s engineer to provide technical expertise. Peter seconded. All in Favor. Public concern was noted regarding a potential 14-acre commercial project, but the solicitor affirmed the borough’s zoning authority supersedes any county-level approvals.
• Commercial Vehicle Parking: Ken made a Motion to prohibit commercial vehicles over 16 feet from parking on any street or right-of-way in RS, RS One, and RM zoned areas. Rob seconded. All in Favor. A fine of $100 plus costs was set, with a warning for the first offense. The ordinance will be posted on the borough website.
• Large Truck Parking and Traffic: The council discussed creating an ordinance to restrict large trucks from parking in specific areas, including Dewart, Montour, and Logan streets. Ongoing issues with truck drivers ignoring “prohibited” and stop signs, particularly from Western Express, were reported. The council agreed to have a lawyer draft a strongly worded letter to trucking companies, with data on incidents to be provided by the police chief. The addition of a new sign on Avenue H will be discussed with a PennDOT representative.

Street, Sewer, and Road Issues

• Street Department Report: The department handled snow events and several downed trees on Mainzer Hill and Pine Swamp Road, which also involved downed power lines that rerouted school buses. A list of problematic trees is being compiled for removal by contractor John Brown to prevent future outages. Barb made a Motion to accept the Street Department Report, with Peter seconding. All in Favor.
• Sunbury Road Settling: Resident, John Domanski reported settling issues at three locations on Sunbury Road. The council will identify the exact locations.
• Water Infiltration (West Side): A major issue of water from downspouts and sump pumps illegally entering the west side sewer system is overworking the Janis Drive pump station. The council will send a letter to all west side residents explaining the problem, citing the ordinance, and offering to work on solutions.
• Parking Lot and Fence Improvement: A project is being developed to improve the borough office parking area. The plan includes removing part of a fence, adding a gate (est. $580), and paving the area to resolve drainage issues and create organized parking. An estimate will be obtained for the cost of moving the entire fence back to potentially allow for diagonal parking.

 
Borough Administration and Community

• Meeting Procedures: Steve requested that Council submit changes to meeting minutes in advance to save time during meetings.
• Zoning Officer Report: Brian Anderson reported many calls from residents about construction projects and clarified that permits are not needed for most interior work but are required for items like whole-house generators. A forgotten letter to group homes about notifying the borough of resident changes will be sent by Brian Anderson. Peter made a Motion to accept the Zoning Officer report. Barb seconded. All in Favor.
• Feral Cat Management: Barb made a Motion to allocate up to $2,000 for a “fee for service” program with a volunteer organization to manage the feral cat population through trapping, neutering (identified by an ear tip), and releasing. The public will be notified of the program. Mike seconded. Rob Rickard and Ken Gardner opposed. Motion passed.
• Recycling Program: The council is implementing a free electronics drop box, with a $100 refundable deposit. The service has a “zero waste” philosophy. This program may open doors to grant funding for expanding recycling services, such as a roll-off container for glass and cardboard.
• PLGIT Investment Update: Ken made a Motion to add PLGIT to the agenda for the meeting in place on March 2, 2026. Barb seconded. All in Favor.
• The transfer of the general fund to a higher-interest PLGIT account is complete. The transfer of Platinum, Capital Reserve, and sewer funds is pending paperwork from Service 1st Federal Credit Union. The council decided to proceed with PLGIT due to its superior interest rates (around 4.6%) and liquidity compared to a CD offer from Service 1st Federal Credit Union.
• Boro Life and 250th Celebration: The Boro Life committee is planning fundraisers for the 250th celebration, including a sportsman’s bingo (March 21st) and a cash bash (April 18th). Approximately $4,000 has been raised, with recent donations including $500 from Boyd’s Station. Rob made a Motion to accept the Boro Life Committee report. Mike seconded. All in Favor.
• Mayor’s Report: The Mayor met with Chief Parks about the officer application process and the new EMA director, JD Klimas, about his role transition.
• Southside Fire Company Report: The January report was presented, noting the company has been busy but has avoided major incidents. Mike made a Motion to accept the Southside Fire Company report, with Rob seconding. All in Favor.

 
                  Next Arrangements☐Police Recruitment:

• Post the job opening on CareerLink and allocate up to $500 for an ad in the Press Enterprise.
• Discuss salary and compensation in an executive session and inform the Chief of the decision for the advertisement.

☐Ordinances:

• The solicitor’s office will draft the solar ordinance by the 14th of March and submit it to the planning commissions for review.
• Authorize the engineer to assist with the technical review of the solar ordinance.
• Address the disposal of inoperable solar panels within the new ordinance.
• Have a lawyer draft a formal letter to trucking companies regarding reckless driving, using data provided by the chief.

☐Public Works & Infrastructure:

• Identify the three settling locations on Sunbury Road and assign them to the street department.
• The street department will coordinate with contractor John Brown to address hazardous trees.
• Discuss adding a truck restriction sign on Avenue H with PennDOT representative Barry.
• Draft and send a letter to all west side residents regarding illegal downspout and sump pump connections.
• Draft a letter regarding the water drainage issue south of Sunbury Road.
• Get an estimate for moving the entire fence line at the borough office parking lot.
• Have Barry assess the paving and diagonal parking plan for the lot.

 
 
☐Administration & Community:

• The zoning officer will send a letter to group homes regarding the notification of resident changes.
• Purchase the “Skin Scan” device for the police department.
• Kerry will coordinate the swearing-in of the new Civil Service Commissioners.
• Arrange for the IT company to wipe and dispose of ten old hard drives ($20/unit).
• Approve and arrange for the Mammoth Waste Service electronics drop box.
• Explore grant opportunities for expanding the borough’s recycling program.
• Notify the public about the new feral cat management program.
• Formalize the agreement with the cat management service (not to exceed $2,000).
• Follow up with Service First and PLGIT to complete the transfer of the Platinum, Capital Reserve, and Sewer funds.

1.Police Recruitment Strategy: The decision on adjusting starting salary or offering credit for experience was deferred to an executive session. This needs to be resolved quickly to make the job advertisement competitive. The specific terms for lateral transfers, including union negotiations for a contract addendum, also remain undecided.
2.Solar Ordinance Enforcement: The responsibility for enforcing the new solar ordinance (e.g., Code Enforcement Officer) was mentioned as a key issue but was not formally assigned.
3.Truck Parking Ordinance Details: While the size restriction for the truck parking ordinance was set at “over 16 feet,” there was no final decision on time limits for parking (e.g., overnight, weekends).
4.Sewer Infiltration Enforcement: While a letter will be sent to residents about illegal water hookups, the specific consequences or next steps for non-compliant homeowners after the initial outreach were not defined.
5.Water Drainage Letter: The plan to send a letter about water drainage concluded without specifying the recipient, content, or desired outcome.
6.Feral Cat Program Liability: The concern about liability for neutering an unchipped pet was raised but not fully resolved with a clear policy or procedure.
7.Fund Transfer Delay: The delay in transferring multiple funds to PLGIT, dependent on an external individual, poses a financial risk due to lost interest income.
 
Mike made a Motion to go into Executive Session at 9:12pm. Peter seconded the Motion. All in Favor
 
At 10:00pm, Council moved back into Public Session.
 
 

• Topic Title: Authorization to Advertise Police Officer Positions and Pay Scale
  • Description:
    • Motion discussed to authorize the chief to advertise a starting police officer position at $55,000.
    • Pay tiers proposed:
      • 1–2 years’ experience: $58,000.
      • Above 2 years’ experience: $60,906.
    • Designated representative to contact the union regarding these matters.
    • Clarification that the chief may also notify the union if that is quicker or easier.
    • Motion made by Barb; seconded by Rob.
    • Vote taken: All in favor; no opposition recorded.
  • Conclusion:
    • Motion passed to authorize the chief to advertise positions with specified pay tiers and to proceed with union notification.
• Topic Title: Union Engagement Approach
  • Description:
    • Discussion on approaching the union with the proposed pay structure.
    • Barb will sit down with Brad regarding union communication.
    • Agreement that the union will be notified through the designated representative or the chief.
  • Conclusion:
    • Plan affirmed to notify the union; Barb to meet with Brad.
• Topic Title: Adjournment
  • Description:
    • Motion to adjourn made by Mike; seconded by Peter.
    • Vote taken: All in favor; no opposition recorded.
  • Conclusion:
    • Meeting adjourned.at 10:12pm

 
Respectfully Submitted;
Lisa Fritz
Secretary