Special meeting - Sept 19th 2022
Four council members call a special meeting. NOTE: location is at Starrucca Baptist Church Social Room, 352 Starrucca Creek Rd. 7PM
Asst. Secretary Woods Resigned in response to the Council’s published intent in the meeting agenda to pull out of DCED’s STMP Program. Recall that the STMP Program assists municipalities experiencing fiscal difficulties to develop comprehensive multi-year financial plans. Instead, true to form, the Council wanted out of the SAM Program to save the $499 fee, given that the second half of the $8700 in COVID money that program was meant to seek was received on September 7th. Leave it to this crew to get 3 and 4 letter acronyms confused. They do both have an ‘S’ and an ‘M’.
Next up, Honesdale National Bank was hired to a three year contract to act as the borough’s treasurer, to provide “stability” in the position. However, the council seems to forget that all of this “instability” stated in November 2021 when the then secretary/treasurer resigned. coincidentally this was right around the time that council person Mary Ann DeBalko (a big fan of this site) also resigned, AND when negotiations for the purchase of the Starrucca Baptist Church were really heating up.
Then a motion was passed to hire an asst. solicitor, Kristen Rechner of Honesdale, as the current solicitor “may not always be available,” stating that he has “personal reasons” for not representing the borough in any real estate transactions, including the closing on the Starrucca Baptist Church. When asked if he had a conflict of interest around real estate transactions, particularly the charged transaction for the purchase of said church, Mr. Bugaj avoided eye contact, stating “I have my own reasons”. Such was this short meeting. At the end, former Asst Secretary provided the council with a transition document and hand off.
Things that Stand out, rescinding the motion to apply for (not pay for) the STMP Program, so the council didn’t think it needs any help with finical planning, again putting forward a motion to hire Honesdale National Back as the boroughs treasurer (Somehow I believe this will cost more than the claimed $800.00 a year, we’ll see), and this bustling metropolis of barely 170 souls needs to hire an assistant solicitor, I wonder what could be so pressing that the borough needs yet MORE lawyers involved.
