Sam Ettaro, council member, at the April 14 meeting, presented council with a letter requesting among other action, it hold a "series of well-advertised public meetings for the benefit of the people of Curwensville, held and sponsored by the people of Curwensville, not (the state Department of Environmental Protection) and not Sunnyside (Ethanol LLC)."

Mr. Ettaro said last night there is a need for a "balanced meeting" with both the positive and negative aspects of an ethanol production facility presented because he believes new information about the project is available and residents are not aware. DEP and Sunnyside officials would be asked to participate along with a "well-educated panel" made of supporters and those who oppose the plant, he said. The meeting would be videotaped and "well detailed records" of the meeting would be kept, he added.

A public meeting sponsored by council was also called for during remarks presented during council's public comment period by Pam Sheeder and Carol Machtel, residents.

Earlier in the meeting, Mark Curulla, council president, told Mrs. Sheeder, Mrs. Machtel and Mr. Ettaro, that the public could conduct meetings about the ethanol production facility and present information and speakers but that council would not be the sponsor.

Mr. Ettaro made a motion for council to sponsor a meeting. The motion died for lack of a second.

Mr. Ettaro also called for members' action in contemplating an ordinance he presented at the April meeting requiring Sunnyside Ethanol LLC and new businesses locating within the borough to ensure information is available to the public about pollutants released from a facility with a 24-hour emissions monitoring system.

He said council's action would be "non-binding" and it would only be "endorsing consideration of the ordinance."

That motion also died for lack of a second.

In addition to Mr. Curulla and Mr. Ettaro, Julie Girardi, David McNaul, Fred Sopic and Duane Wriglesworth II, council members, were in attendance last night.

In an interview following the meeting, Mr. Ettaro said he was very unhappy with council's decisions not to take action on the proposals. He said council members were elected to represent all citizens and he believed residents' interests were not being served through its action.

During the public comment period, Mrs. Sheeder presented information, a letter from Nathanael Greene, director of renewable energy policy for the Natural Resource Defense Council and a response from Ann Mesinikoff of the Sierra Club concerning changes to the Energy Independence and Security Act that could affect Sunnyside Ethanol LLC's plans to use a waste-coal fired plant to produce ethanol.

Mr. Curulla asked Mrs. Sheeder and other residents who spoke about concerns for air and water quality to write down their questions to be presented to the borough's solicitor and engineer and DEP for review and answers.

Speaking in favor of the ethanol plant last night were Joe Wills and Jeff Bellmore. Mr. Bellmore said he also shares concerns about the air and water quality but he thinks the 70 jobs advertised by the company is "tremendous for the area." He said he serves on the Curwensville Development Corp. to "help bring jobs into the area" and to keep Curwensville from "becoming a bedroom community."

Mr. Wills told council he was "certain you will make the right decision about the plant, and it would be in the best interest for the future of our town. Our town needs to put forth a positive attitude to companies seeking to locate here. If Curwensville sends a negative message about this plant, all companies seeking to locate in our community in the future will treat the Curwensville area as if we have the plague."

Mr. Curulla said the Curwensville Borough Planning Commission was asked last week to consider Sunnyside's land development plan for the former Howe's Leather Co. property but more information about the plan was needed to answer questions raised by the borough's engineer.

He said depending on when Sunnyside presents the information both the planning commission and council could schedule special meetings to take action on the company's request.

He told members of the audience if the company meets the borough's criteria and DEP's guidelines and the borough's engineer is satisfied with Sunnyside's proposal, both the planning commission and council would have to approve the plan or the company would be within its rights to bring a legal suit against the borough.

In other business, council:

• said it requested the solicitor draft an ordinance regulating the operation of all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes in the borough.

Mr. Curulla, Mr. McNaul and a member of the borough's police force said they had received complaints concerning ATVs and dirt bikes in the borough being loud, on sidewalks and speeding on borough streets.

• said the borough's personnel committee of Mr. McNaul and Mr. Sopic would meet with the union representing the police department and the street crew to discuss possibilities concerning the 69 percent increase in employee health insurance coverage beginning in June.

Mr. Curulla said he would like to see the contract renegotiated as the borough can no longer afford all the benefits workers are mandated by their contract. Mr. Sopic said the borough has no choice but to try to collaborate on the contract because council can not raise taxes any higher to pay the costs, adding that would leave council only one option, to furlough additional workers.

• awarded a bid for a used grader to Ferdin Wallace of Clearfield who offered $2,588 for the machine.
• accepted a bid for insurance coverage including buildings, contents, general liability, employment practices, auto, public officials liability and workers compensation from Helmbold and Stewart Group, Clearfield, with a proposal of $49,159 pending a review and authorization from Laurance Seaman, borough solicitor.
• tabled an ordinance concerning revisions to the borough's code addressing wastewater line connections, discharge and disposal.
• adopted an ordinance regulating the opening and excavating of borough streets.

Council will meet at 7 p.m. June 9 in the Curwensville Borough municipal building for its next business meeting.