Saturday, June 18, 2005

BoS Meeting 6/16/05

This short meeting was covered by Joe Nixon (Morning Call 6/17/05) and Sarah Mausolf (Express Times 6/17/05). Both reported on different meeting highlights. We will try to fill in the blanks. Chairman John Ackerman was on vacation and Supervisor Don Miller led the meeting.

REPORTS: SUPERVISORS, MANAGER, ENGINEER & SOLICITOR
  • Supervisor David Hoff reported that the Fire Report for May is available for anyone's review
  • Supervisor Bonnie Nicholas reported that the Sewer Report is available. It details general maintenance and televising of some of the sewer line. She also reported that she met with Palmer Township officials to discuss the bike path (through Palmer and Forks) and that nothing was resolved.
  • Supervisor Henning Holmgaard reported that he has asked Police Chief Dorney to "bring us up to date" on the department's activity (number of calls, traffic accidents, etc.) this year versus last year. He will have it at the next meeting.
  • Supervisor Don Miller reported that he also met with Palmer Township officials regarding the bike path. He said too, that summer basketball starts this weekend at the Community Center.
  • Township Manager Cathy Kichline announced that a township resident, Virginia MaryAnn English is turning 100 years old on August 21st. The Board agreed to recognize her birthday with flowers or some other token. She also reported meeting with Kate Brandes, the new watershed specialist with the Northampton County Conservation District. Ms. Brandes has given her a list of a number of things that Forks Township can do in relationship to the Greenway Plan. Kichline said that she would like to talk about this at the Joint Meeting of the Board and the Planning Commission on the 28th.
  • Engineer Fred Hay reported that his office conducted traffic counts a week ago on the Old Mill Road/Sullivan Trail intersection and will submit them to PennDot. He also said that there was a "short circuit" in the Pheasant Ridge swale during last week's thunderstorm because of efforts had they made to accommodate a resident.

COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR (NOT AGENDA ITEMS):

Michael Goffredo did as he promised and appeared before the Board to give a status update on the SULLIVAN TRAIL BUSINESS PARK IMPROVEMENTS (see BoS Meeting 5/19/05). He said that Verizon showed up to start the pole relocation on Uhler Road, that the sanitary sewer inspection is set for Monday, and that PennDot has started the Sullivan Trail widening (from the south end of the site to the Uhler Road intersection). Penn Dot will be resurfacing Sullivan Trail all the way to the township line.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

STATUS UPDATE BY ALEX GALE/MUNICIPAL COMPLEX - Among other things, Gale reported:

  • The basic landscaping has started on the eastern part of the site. The large trees will be planted in the late fall.
  • The extra/unused floor tiles for the Police Department were used by Pete Gheller to do the floor of the locker room. He did a great job.
  • The roofing contractor "is just about there" and will not be replaced.
  • All but two of the non-Victaulic sprinkler pipe fittings have been replaced. The last two are next.
  • Met-Ed may turn on the permanent power tomorrow.
  • CenterPoint Tank is coming in for a site visit tomorrow. There is 6-8 week lead time and the hole will not be dug until a few days before it's needed.

Gale asked if the existing generator (for the current Municipal Building) can be moved now (as part of the fire department move) because the fire department will be in trouble if it has an outage. He was told "yes" and that there are emergency lights in the Municipal Building and that the computer system has a battery backup. It will not be necessary to rent a generator for the building unless there is an emergency. He also said that he would like to begin the design of the new fire and security system for the Community Center. The existing one goes off on its own and is not "addressable" (there's no way to know what is burning). It will be integrated with the rest of the complex.

Nicholas asked about the additional employees' work spaces in the new complex. Kichline said that there's space for Pete Gheller in the Zoning area, the Financial Manager will have his/her own office (AP & AR will share a space), and the Director of Public Works will have an office in the garage.

Holmgaard said that a sample of the granite ("in memory of" or" gift from") markers for the trees is due soon. There will be 16 different species of trees and the list will be on the website. The markers will also feature the common and Latin names of the trees. There will be a downloadable form on the Township's website.

NEW BUSINESS

Kichline requested that ORDINANCE NO. 291/TEMPORARY RETAIL SALES/CONSIDER FOR ADOPTION agenda item be tabled. She said that she and Zoning Officer Tim Weis have questions and would like to go over them with Solicitor Kline. It was tabled 4:0.

PENN'S RIDGE, PHASES 9 & 11/FINAL APPROVAL - Hay reported that the swale will not belong to the Township, the easement will and that the Planning Commission recommended approval. Kline said that the PC recommended approval based on Hay's letter with no other conditions. Approved 4:0

RIVERVIEW ESTATES WEST PHASE II - Final Plan Approval - Hay reported that this is "clean" and recommended approval. Kline said that the Planning Commission recommended approval based on Hay's letter with no other conditions. Approved 4:0. Developer's Agreements - Kline prepared the indemnification and the sewer agreements so that the developer can begin the infrastructure work. No building permits will be issued without a letter of credit. The documents were approved 4:0.

TOWNES @ SULLIVAN I/DEVELOPER'S AGREEMENTS - Kline said that the developer received Conditional Final Plan approval last year. The subdivision improvement, maintenance, and sewer agreements are now signed. The developer has a separate agreement with Mr. Nehoda (Pitchfork Nursery) for the new entrance (and improvements on Nehoda's property). PennDot missed the left turn lane on Zucksville Road when it approved the traffic light and that will be taken care of by the developer via a supplemental agreement. The letter of credit is for more than $3.1 million. Approved 4:0. - The RESOLUTION FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT ZUCKSVILLE ROAD (needed by PennDot) was approved 4:0.

FORT JAMES II SUBDIVISION/DEVELOPER'S AGREEMENTS - This is the Petrucci (sic) development in the industrial park area. Kline said that all is in order and the letter of credit is for $370,806. Approved 4:0.

JALAPENEAUX, INC. LAND DEVELOPMENT/DEVELOPER'S AGREEMENTS - This is the Tioga Pipe site in the Fort James II subdivision. Kline stated that all is in order and that the letter of credit is for $300,024.65. Approved 4:0.

AUTHORIZE TO ADVERTISE FOR CONCRETE AND ROOF/COMMUNITY CENTER STORAGE - Miller explained that this was in the agreement with the vo-tech school last fall and it got too late so it didn't happen. Because of the increases in the costs of concrete etc., he'd like it put out to bid now so that there will be a firm price. Approved 4:0.

MID-YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT - Nicholas asked Kichline if the budget adjustments included all the anticipated costs for the new building (cleaning services, utilities, etc.) and was told that the figures were adjusted for 2005 and that "we are right there" and should be okay. Hoff commented that most of the adjustments apply to personnel additions. Nicholas asked about the gas figure. Hoff replied that it was an oversight. Kichline clarified it as having to do with the old and new ways of attributing fuel costs among the departments and that is was underestimated for the Fire Department. Nicholas noted too that the insurance (figure) on the property increased. Kichline stated that the new figure includes the addition of three new buildings, the increased value of the pumping station, and the new park building. It was approved 4:0.

Tim Weis' $100 BID FOR 1991 USED POLICE VEHICLE was the winning one.

An EXECUTIVE SESSION was called by Kline to discuss a personnel issue. No action was taken and the meeting was adjourned.

Our objective is to relate what is experienced at Forks Township meetings for those who cannot attend. We are attempting to be as factual as we can. If we make a mistake, tell us via email or Comment here in the blog, and we will do our best to correct it. We are not perfect. We want to get it right.

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