Yale council cancels meeting after failed quorum, answers audience questions

YALE — Only three of six council members, not including the mayor, were in attendance at Yale’s Sept. 28 meeting, meaning the council could not vote on any agenda items. 

Councilors Tammy Hazel and Josh Jedrzejczak were absent with prior notice, while Anthony Hackett was away dealing with a sudden work issue. 

Without a quorum, councilors instead engaged with audience questions. At its next meeting, the council is expected to consider a few key items holding over from the cancelled meeting.

City hall staffing

Since City Manager Lorrelei Natke’s firing on Aug. 17, and John Osborn’s subsequent resignation, the distribution of staff work at city hall has changed. 

Osborn had been in a largely informal bookkeeping role since November. 

City Clerk Ashley Aldea and Clerical Support Amanda Saelens have taken on additional work, as there’s been no replacement for Natke or Osborn. 

The council officially granted Aldea the zoning administrator title, formerly Natke’s role. 

Of greater governmental concern was Osborn’s resignation, whose bookkeeping responsibilities have fallen on Aldea.

“The problem is that we have the clerks’ office, the treasurer, and no bookkeeper,” Aldea told the council earlier in September. “It is not advisable for me to be doing everything that I’m doing in the clerk’s office, and also doing the bank reconciliations. … There has to be a check and balance.”

The city has bolstered its staffing with part-time help from Charity Blake as it considers its future staffing. 

Aldea has said she is not seeking the city clerk position in November’s election, but is eying the city manager position. 

Brockway fire service contract

With the city’s service contract with Brockway Township Fire Department set to expire Nov. 30, Yale will soon consider a future contract. 

Brockway’s township board was briefed at its September meeting that the number of medical calls within Yale has increased in two the past three years, as shared by Chief Chris Hubbard.

The board did not take official steps, but did discuss pursuing a potential budget reorganization based on the increased calls.

City hall roof replacement

The city was set to consider a replacement of city hall’s roof, but with too many absences at its Sept. 28 meeting, could not move forward with selecting a bid. 

The roof is said to be in rough shape, as described by city staff and bidders. 

— Max Kappel is a Report for America corp member, a national organization seeking to fill news deserts and report on under-covered issues. Make a tax-deductible donation to support his work and Report for America will match it dollar for dollar. Go to: tinyurl.com/2s372ebu.