Board of Commissioners
March 3, 2014 Meeting Minutes - 5 -
COLEBROOKDALE TOWNSHIP
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
MEETING MINUTES OF MARCH 3, 2014
The regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners of Colebrookdale Township was held on the above date at the Township Building. President Todd Gamler called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM with all present joining in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
The following Commissioners were present: Todd Gamler (President), William Spade (Vice-President), Daniel Ritter, Barry Baus and Linwood Bartman. Also present were Township Manager Cindy Conrad, CEO/Zoning Officer Allen Stauffer, Police Chief David Viola, Solicitor Jeffrey Karver and Engineer John Sartor.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Mr. Joe Gunther, Quigley Motors in Boyertown addressed the Board of Commissioners asking for an opportunity to quote service prices for the Township police department’s fleet of vehicles. President Gamler explained the Board is currently using the services of Fred Beans Ford of Boyertown however, the Board will consider other service companies if the current service proves to be unsatisfactory. Mr. Gunther thanked the Commissioners for their consideration.
MINUTES
The February 18, 2014 Board of Commissioners Meeting minutes were presented to the Board for their review and approval. On a motion by Commissioner Baus, seconded by Commissioner Ritter, the February 18, 2014 Board of Commissioners meeting minutes were approved. Motion carried.
FINANCIAL REPORTS
President Gamler acknowledged submission of the Customer Balance Summary and Deposit Detail Report then read a list of the payment of bills from the following Township funds for approval:
General Fund Expense 2/18/14 - 3/3/14 $ 15,028.13
Payroll Fund Expense 2/28/14 $ 43,198.42
Street Light Fund Expenses 3/3/14 $ 951.58
Health Reimbursement Account 3/3/14 $ 855.14
(Highmark Blue Shield Payments) 2/18/14 – 3/3/14 ($ 341.53)
Commissioner Spade questioned why Specht Construction and Spring Creek Commons continue to have an open balance with the Township. Manager Conrad explained the Auditor wants those balances to remain on the Customer Balance Summary if/when the party submits a project to the Township; this is a reminder of the funds outstanding.
On a motion by Commissioner Spade and seconded by Commissioner Bartman permission was given for the payment of submitted bills. Motion carried.
President Gamler noted the submission of the Profit & Loss Budget vs. Actual General Fund statement. The statement was available to the public for review.
POLICE REPORT
Chief Viola presented the Police Report for the month of February:
Bechtelsville Colebrookdale
Total Criminal Arrests: 4 10
Total Vehicle Arrests: 14 36
Total Written Warnings: 1 16
Total Assists: 8 19
Total Accidents: 1 23
Total Incidents (calls) for the Month: 100 548
Total vehicle mileage for the month of February: 5,614. There were no questions on the report from the Commissioners.
Chief Viola told the Board the written exam for the police candidates went well with twenty-one applicants sitting for the exam. He is currently making arrangements with Boyertown High School to administer the physical agility tests.
ROAD MASTER REPORT
Manager Conrad told the Commissioners she and Road Master Sands participated in a county-wide conference call with Berks County Emergency Management Service Friday 2/28 for emergency delivery of road salt. With another impending snow event forecasted for Sunday into Monday the Berks County Commissioners and County EMS worked to secure salt and Road Master Sands ordered 50 ton to be delivered as soon as available.
CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER’S REPORT
CEO Stauffer submitted one building permit application for James Kehs, 812 W. Philadelphia Avenue, to construct a pole shed addition on his property. There were no comments from the Board.
Commissioner Spade asked CEO Stauffer to look into a problem on a property on South Ironstone Drive directly across from the Maintenance Building driveway. The property owner has what appears to be a permanent dumpster on the property that is overflowing to an extreme.
Commissioner Baus also noted overflowing dumpsters on a property on the corner of Unger Lane and Weisstown Road. He asked CEO Stauffer to address this with the owner.
SEO REPORT
SEO Hostrander of Gilmore & Associates submitted a permit for 99 Red Oak Drive, installation of new PVC outlet baffle on existing septic tank. Manager Conrad told the Commissioners everything went well with the new SEO processing the application.
PLUMBING, HEATING, HVAC INSPECTOR’S REPORT
CEO Stauffer submitted one inspection application for 533 N. Reading Avenue for a heater replacement. There were no comments from the Commissioners.
SOLICITOR’S REPORT
The Township received a copy of the Notice of Appeal which Longview Colebrookdale, LLC (Hunter’s Ridge subdivision) has filed with the Berks County Court. Solicitor Karver noted this was discussed at the last meeting however the extension date is different. The applicant has asked that Pennsylvania’s Municipal Permits Extension Act be interpreted to mean that the approval period is extended until November 16, 2020. The Solicitor also noted the Court requested the Township supply copies of all material relative to this case for review by the Court.
The Commissioners discussed the time and costs involved in defending the Township’s position versus indicating no objection to Longview Colebrookdale LLC’s interpretation of the approval deadline. The Solicitor noted that any conditional plan approval (Colebrookdale Woods, Mountain View) decided on between 2008 and 2013 will fall within the agreed upon extension timeline. The Board of Commissioners instructed Solicitor Karver to ask the applicant to prepare a stipulation that the Commissioners do not object to a final approval deadline of November 16, 2020.
ENGINEER’S REPORT
Engineer Sartor offered an update on the Almost Home Children’s Center under Subdivisions below.
COMMISSIONERS’ REPORT
There was no discussion as this time.
MANAGER’S REPORT
Manager Conrad submitted the Longacre electrical proposal for the building remodeling project to ratify the approval she obtained via phone calls to the Commissioners the prior week. There was a motion by Commissioner Spade, seconded by Commissioner Ritter to ratify the decision to approve the electrical proposal from Longacre Electric for $3,650.00. Motion carried.
The Commissioners and Solicitor discussed the issue of replacing the carpeting during the remodeling of the offices. The cost is not included in the overall remodeling quotes. The floor coverings are worn thin and tearing at some places. Their replacement is part of ongoing building maintenance as is the replacement of the air conditioning ceiling vents to facilitate better circulation of the air conditioning system.
Per approval from the Board of Commissioners at their last meeting, Manager Conrad sent a letter to M & T Bank requesting Release #1 from Gateway Ticketing’s Letter of Credit.
The Township received a copy of a letter from Cargill to the City of Reading concerning the Berks County Cooperative Contract for highway rock salt. There is a meeting scheduled at the Ag Center on Wednesday evening, March 5th to discuss the problems with the quality of the salt delivered to the Townships. Road Master Sands will attend the meeting.
The Township received two certified letters from PennDOT, one a bridge inspection notice the other a traffic counting notice. Also received was a letter from the County’s bridge engineers McCormick-Taylor with a copy of Berks County Ordinance No. 02-2014 establishing maximum weight limits for various bridges including two in Colebrookdale Township. There was a discussion of the bridges located on Swamp Creek Road. No action was taken.
Manager Conrad informed the Commissioners she and CEO Stauffer will be attending a meeting the Boyertown School District and Borough of Boyertown on March 5th at 2:30 to discuss splitting the high school project into two phases, construction of the building and the new driveway access addition. She asked for input from the Board concerning their opinion on doing the project in phases. PennDOT does not have their traffic studies finished which will dictate what can be planned for the driveway issue.
The County of Berks Election Service requested the Township complete their enclosed Polling Place Agreement and submit it to the Board of Elections prior to the next election which will be held May 20th, 2014. Manager Conrad asked Solicitor Karver to review the agreement and he found no issue with executing it. He noted the Election Service will supply, upon request, a Certificate of Insurance and suggested the Township make the request. Manager Conrad will have the agreement prepared for approval for the next meeting.
COMMITTEE REPORT
President Gamler acknowledged the submission of the BAF&R By-Laws final draft with revisions to February 20, 2014 and the BMMA meeting minutes from January 27, 2014.
OLD BUSINESS - There was nothing submitted at this time.
SUBDIVISIONS
Almost Home Children’s Center – Final Land Development Plan
December 17, 2013 the Township received a final LDP for 611 Montgomery Avenue.
This will be a replacement of a fire damaged and demolished accessory structure with a larger accessory structure. Accepted by the CTPC for review on December 19, 2013.
- January 13, 2014 - received first review letter from G & A
- January 17 - CTPC submitted a letter recommending conditional waiver of LDP review
- January 20 - Commissioners approved waiving LDP review contingent on posting a $1,000.00 escrow for stormwater inspections, an engineer review of the plan to ensure compliance with the stormwater management ordinance and the execution of a stormwater agreement
- January 24 - received response letter to G&A’s 1st review from Witman Engineers
- February 18 – received escrow check and building plans. Plans submitted to Keystone Municipal Services for review
- February 28 – received second review letter from G & A (stormwater review only)
Engineer Sartor informed the Commissioners the applicant’s engineers resolved all the zoning issues and continue to work on the stormwater requirements.
NEW BUSINESS
Boyertown Area High School – Land Development Plan
January 24, 2014 the Township received an application, LDP, Community and Environmental Impact Assessments for the High School at 120 North Monroe Street
- January - Received PennDOT Scoping Meeting Minutes from Renew Design Group and request for Municipal Land Use letter
- January - Received review letters from BMMA, CT Fire Marshal David Shainline, CT Engineer John Sartor and Berks County Planning Commission.
- February - Received copies of zoning compliance review letter from SDE and engineering review letter from SSM to Boyertown Planning Commission
- February 20 - The plan was accepted for review by the Planning Commission. A joint meeting of the Colebrookdale Township Planning Commission and the Boyertown Borough Planning Commission was held to review the Plan
- March 3 – Colebrookdale Township Planning Commission submitted minutes from their February 20th meeting
The submission of the land development plan and upcoming meeting with the applicant was discussed in the Manager’s Report above.
COMMUNICATIONS
All communication received since February 18, 2014 was submitted to the Board of Commissioners. President Gamler noted a letter from Berks County Redevelopment Authority, a letter from Berks County Conservation District explaining their Dirt & Gravel Roads Program and the 2013 Limerick Hostile Action Based Exercise (HAB) & After Action Report (AAR). All correspondence was available for review by the public.
President Gamler also acknowledged a ‘thank you’ letter from a Township resident to the Road Department for the “terrific snow plowing” that was done on Barb Lane and “a job well done” for their prompt attention to repairing pot holes on their street.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (NOT SIGNED IN)
President Gamler announced there will be an Executive Session held immediately after the meeting is adjourned to discuss a personnel matter. The Board will not reconvene.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no other business to come before the Board, Commissioner Spade made a motion and it was seconded by Commissioner Ritter to adjourn this meeting at 8:50 pm. Motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeannie DiSante
Township Secretary