At its Monday meeting, Zelienople Borough Council flirted with ways to subsidize electric bills in the borough during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Councilman Gregg Semel proposed two ways the borough could do that: by discounting the bills, which come from the borough, outright, or by providing gift cards to customers that could be used only within Zelienople.

Borough manager Don Pepe said Zelienople spends around $225,000 each month on electricity, which it then sells to the borough's residents and businesses for roughly $650,000 monthly. A 10 percent discount, as an example, would mean $65,000 less in revenue, he added.

But Semel said he prefers the gift card idea because it would help local businesses when they re-open following the public health crisis.

“I liked it because it really was self-contained,” he said. “It puts a little bit of injection stimulus into our infrastructure, and it would push it right back to our vendors, our merchants and our suppliers.”

While the idea was tabled for the next meeting, and some logistical issues were raised without resolution, both ideas gained traction. Some council members supported the gift card idea because it would, in their view, benefit Main Street — not just the businesses but the residents as well.

“It not only benefits the electric customers, but it also supports the businesses on Main Street,” Councilwoman Mary Hess said.

Others, however, raised concerns about the feasibility of a gift card program while more than 1.3 million Pennsylvanians have filed initial unemployment claims since March 15.

“You have families out there that are in dire need,” Allen Bayer, council president, said. “As much as any business.”

Affirming moves

The council discussed other utilities Monday as well, affirming Pepe's move to suspend indefinitely all water shutoffs and waiving penalties for late March, April and May water bills.

In addition, Zelienople affirmed Pepe's declaration of a municipal disaster emergency as a result of the pandemic.

Pepe declared the emergency March 31. That declaration allows the borough to make administrative decisions like entering contracts without normal bidding procedures, and makes the borough eligible for state and federal emergency funds, if they become available.