-BOROUGH OF SCHWENKSVILLE, PA

MINUTES OF JANUARY 10, 2008

 

               

                Council President, Steven Schwenk at 7:30pm, called the Schwenksville Borough Council Meeting of January 10, 2008 to order.

 

Present: Steven Schwenk, Rudy Micsko, Arthur Fairclough, Ray Yeanish.

Joe Giunta arrived later during the meeting.

Mayor seat is vacant at the time of the meeting.

 

 

 Absent:

               

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:  By the assembly.

 

 

Steve Schwenk along with Council and the Solicitor went into an Executive session at 7:34pm to discuss a personnel matter and a legal matter.

 

Council and Solicitor returned from Executive meeting at 7:50pm.

 

Bob Brant reported that no action was taken on the personnel matter.

 

Legal matter – Motion for Robert Brant to send a letter to the Perkiomen Valley Economic Development Corporation requesting an accounting report, audit and the respect to the number of board members and their identities on the PVEDC.  Rudy Micsko made the motion and seconded by Arthur Fairclough.  All were in favor and the motion carried.

 

MINUTES:  Dispense with the reading of the Minutes of December 13, 2007. MOTIONED BY RUDY MICSKO AND SECONDED BY RAY YEANISH.  IT WAS VOTED TO DISPENSE WITH THE READING OF THE MINUTES OF December 13, 2007. ALL WERE IN FAVOR AND THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

 

 

Approval of the Minutes of December 13, 2007

MOTIONED BY ARTHUR FAIRCLOUGH AND SECONDED BY RAY YEANISH. IT WAS VOTED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF December 13, 2007 ALL WERE IN FAVOR AND THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE: Gail Phillips

 

Statement of Revenues/Expenditures to Budget Comparison for January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 was presented to council for their approval Monthly Council Cash Available Report as of January 10, 2008.

 

 

 

Bills totaling $25,891.14 have been paid from the General Fund

 

Bills totaling $1,966.57 have been paid from the Liquid Fuels Fund

 

 

MOTIONED BY RAY YEANISH AND SECONDED BY ARTHUR FAIRCLOUGH. 

IT WAS VOTED TO ACCEPT THE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE REPORT AS PRESENTED.  ALL WERE IN FAVOR AND THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

 

 

 

BOROUGH OF SCHWENKSVILLE, PA

MINUTES OF JANUARY 10, 2008

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Authorization for check signatures:

 

Motion by Rudy Micsko that the authorized signers on the various bank accounts be changed to Steve Schwenk as President, I as Finance director and Gail Phillips as treasurer, seconded by Steve Schwenk.  All were in favor. Motion carried.

 

 

Copies of all these reports are on file at the Borough hall Office.

 

 

ENGINEER’S REPORT: Ken Yerger

 

                Perkiomen Trail Gateway – Upon checking the qualifications and references of the low bidder, Superior Lawn Service, Inc. we recommend the project be awarded to them based upon the unit prices bid for a total of $148,164.00.

 

Schwenksville Borough Council adopted Resolution 2007-01 which authorized the filing of an application with Montgomery County Community Revitalization Program for a grant for the development of the Trail Gateway area.

 

Montgomery County Commissioners approved the grant on July 12, 2007.

 

Bids and specifications were prepared and bids advertised for in compliance with the conditions of the County Revitalization Program.

 

Bids were received and reviewed by the Borough Manager and Carroll Engineering Corp.  The low bidder was Superior Lawn Services, Inc.  Further review of their bid and a check of their references was performed by Carroll Engineering Cop and it is Carroll Engineering Corp’s recommendation that a contract be awarded to Superior Lawn Services, Inc.

 

MOTION BY RAY YEANISH AND SECONDED BY RUDY MICSKO THAT A CONTRACT BE AWARDED TO SUPERIOR LAWN SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRAIL GATEWAY AT ROUTE 29 AND ROUTE 73 AT A BID OF $148,164.00 WHICH IS TO BE FUNDED BY MONTGOMERY COUNTY REVITALIZATION PROGRAM.  ALL WERE IN FAVOR AND THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

SOLICITOR’S REPORT:

 

                At the January 7th Council meeting Mayor Carroll Rosenberger submitted her resignation, which was accepted.  Council has 30 days to fill the position.  If Council fails to make an appointment for Mayor, it will go to the vacancy board.

 

                Trash contract ordinance amendment – the amendment essentially exempts certain condominium associations and rental properties with 15 or more units from the provisions of the Ordinance, permitting them to contract with their own disposal entities.

 

 

POLICE REPORT: Chief Timothy Hoppes

State Police Calls for December 2007 – 18

                              Schwenksville Police calls for December 2007 –31

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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MINUTES OF JANUARY 10, 2008

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Chief Hoppes asked Council again about a pay increase for the crossing guard.  The rate now is $12.00 an hour and Chief Hoppes is asking for an increase of $3 to bring the hourly rate to $15.00 an hour.  This is in line with the surrounding pay rate for other crossing guards in the area.

 

MOTIONED BY RAY YEANISH AND SECONDED BY ARTHUR FAIRCLOUGH TO RAISE THE CROSSING GUARD RATE FROM $12.00 AN HOUR TO $15.00 AN HOUR.  ALL WERE IN FAVOR AND THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

 

The crossing guard is now using the signs for pedestrian crossing when crossing school children.

 

Road side Radar sign will have more information at the next meeting.

 

 

Website – Comcast is upgrading.

 

                PA State Association of Boroughs provides access to there servers which we can use.  $50.00 one time set up fee and approximately $58.00 a year with 10 email addresses and domain name.

 

MOTIONED BY RUDY MICSKO AND SECONDED BY ARTHUR FAIRCLOUGH THAT CHIEF HOPPES PROCEEDS WITH THE REVIEW AND THE UPDATING OF OUR WEB SITE WITH THE PA STATE ASSOCIATION OF BOROUGHS. ALL WERE IN FAVOR AND THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

Steve requested names from Jim for Fire Marshall and Emergency Management Coordinator within the next 2 weeks.

 

Motion to accept the Police Chief’s report by Steve Schwenk and seconded by Rudy Micsko.  All were in favor.

 

Complete report on file at Borough Hall

 

 

FIRE COMPANY REPORT: Jim Keyser–

December report – 10 calls 66 men in service 8:25 minutes in service.

 

2007 Final Chief’s Report is on file at Borough Hall

 

Motion to accept the Fire Chiefs report by Arthur Fairclough and seconded by Steve Schwenk.  All were in favor.

 

 

AMBULANCE REPORT –   No report 

 

 

BOROUGH MANAGER REPORT – Bob Umstead

 

                               

                The Colonnade has extended an invitation to Borough Council to meet the new Executive officer and to tour the facility.

 

                Computer Assistant Charles Haig was on contract for the year.  His contract has ended as of December 31, 2007.  Based on experience that Gail has increased her knowledge of the program and that

 

 

BOROUGH OF SCHWENKSVILLE, PA

MINUTES OF JANUARY 10, 2008

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Rudy has experience of the program and has offered his assistance.  It is my recommendation that we do not renew the tax and accounting services for Charles R. Haig.

 

MOTIONED BY RUDY MICSKO AND SECONDED BY STEVE SCHWENK THAT THE BOROUGH NOT RENEW THE TAX AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES OF CHARLES R. HAIG.  ALL WERE IN FAVOR AND THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

 

Crystal Gilgrist from the Perkiomen Valley Conservancy and also involved with Lower Fredrick and she would like to open a dialog with the Borough of Schwenksville concerning a combined grant application or some type of partnership in obtaining some of the Mine Run property.

 

The Boyer Lane project is completed.   We are working on the last of the paperwork for the reimbursement of the costs.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

 

Steve reported that some of the committees are without a chairperson.

 

 

STREETS AND ROADS:

               

FINANCE: signature cards, setting up separate trash company in Quick Books.

 

                Ray would like to see a complete data base that the Borough, tax collector and Authority can use for mailing addresses.

                Bob Umstead will talk with the Authority manager to talk about merging addresses.

 

PROPERTY: NO REPORT

               

STREET LIGHTING: NO REPORT

 

POLICE TASK FORCE: Council has the final report. The Task Force is hereby dissolved having performed its function as intended when first formed. Joe thanked Carroll Rosenberger, Jim Keyser, Steve Saboe and Bill Rubery for coming out to meet and discuss this important issue thank you very much.

 

MAYOR’S REPORT: vacant at time of report

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

NEW BUSINESS:  Open Space Grant of $600,000.00 is available with the Borough match of 20%, application due April 1, 2008.

 

Steve Schwenk announced that the Open Space Committee members will be Bob Umstead, Kevin Downes and Steve Schwenk and one other to be appointed by next Council meeting.

 

 

APPOINTMENTS:

 

                Code Enforcement/Building Inspector:

Rudy Micsko recommended Mark Johns for the position and seconded by Joe Giunta.  All were in favor.

 

               

BOROUGH OF SCHWENKSVILLE, PA

MINUTES OF JANUARY 10, 2008

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Mayor:

 

Steve Schwenk nominated Joe Giunta for the position of Mayor. Joe accepted the nomination.

 

                MOTIONED BY ARTHUR FAIRCLOUGH AND SECONDED BY RUDY MICSKO FOR JOE GIUNTA TO TAKE THE POSITION OF MAYOR. ALL WERE IN FAVOR. JOE ABSTAINED FOR THE VOTE.

 

               

Congratulations Mayor Giunta.

 

Council has 30 days to fill the position on Borough Council.

 

 

Parks and Recreation Board:

 

                MOTION BY RUDY MICSKO TO APPOINT ARTHUR FAIRCLOUGH TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, SECONDED BY STEVE SCHWENK.  ALL WERE IN FAVOR.

               

 

 

AUDIENCE:  Jim dull 805 Summit Ave. Jim wanted to say thank you to Jim Keyser and the fire department volunteers for there help with a chimney fire at his home.

 

Also Mr. Dull asked council about handicap access to Borough Hall.  Steve responded that this was being looked into by the new council.

 

Joanne Hughes 3311 Forest Lane has concerns about the tax collector.  Her mortgage company paid the taxes but Tracy still has not recorded payment. Ray Yeanish asked Ms. Hughes for her phone number and address and that he will talk to Tracy to help resolve the problem.

 

Mary Farrell 3312 Forest Lane received unpaid tax notice and has complaint that Tracy was not returning phone calls.  Her complaint has been resolved.

 

Roy Miller 320 Centennial St. would like to know if anything is being done about his neighbor at 250 Centennial St. putting out trash before Monday and having extra trash.  Mr. Umstead told Roy that a letter has been sent to the owner of the property and that it would be watched.

 

 

Motion to adjourn by Ray Yeanish and seconded by Rudy Micsko @ 9:15pm.

 

NEXT MEETING: Thursday February 14, 2008 7:30 pm

 

Respectfully submitted by

 

 

 

Gail L. Phillips

Council Secretary