EVANS CITY — The council president has questioned the high utility bills at two borough entities.

Lee Dyer asked EDCO Park Authority President John Rogers at Monday night's meeting why the utility line item for the park was $660 for the month of March when the pool house is dormant.

Rogers was also surprised at the amount, as the gas and water are shut off at the pool house and minimal electricity is used when the facility is dormant.

“That's something we need to address,” Rogers said.

Dyer also mentioned the high utility bills at the former water plant on Route 528.

The year-to-date bills for that facility is $1,800.

While the borough has sold water from the old plant for shale gas drilling, no water has been sold for two months.

Councilman John McKinney said outdoor lighting could be responsible for part of the cost.

He added that if a pump kicks on to circulate water, that alone could cost $500 to $600 in electric.

Dyer asked Rogers to work with the borough secretary to figure out why the park's utilities are so high.

Public works director Norm Nelson will check on the utility charges at the former water plant.

Also at the meeting, councilman Dave Spithaler recommended the council approve an expenditure of $32,000 to apply tar and chip to all or parts of six streets.

Those streets are Patterson, Jefferson, Van Buren, Evans and Hill streets and Crestwood Drive.

Spithaler said the cost to pave the streets would be $300,000.

He said other streets that were topped with tar and chip have lasted 15 to 18 years.

“I think this is the route to go,” Spithaler said.

The council unanimously approved the measure.