TUNKHANNOCK TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
2007 REORGANIZATION MEETING & REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
JANUARY 2, 2007
The Tunkhannock Township Board of Supervisors held a Reorganization and Regular Monthly Meeting on January 2, 2007 at 7:00pm in the Municipal Building, Long Pond Road, Long Pond, PA. Those in attendance were Supervisors’ Richard C. Van Noy, Jim Sterrett and Francis Altemose, II, Donna Verdes, Secretary, Kate Lambert, Zoning Enforcement Officer, Bruce Walder Road Master and area residents. Supervisor Richard G. Van Noy, called the meeting to order at 7:00pm and wished everyone a Happy New Year.
Office Nominations:
Motion by Supervisor Altemose, II, to appoint Richard Van Noy as temporary Chairman and to appoint temporary Secretary Donna Verdes for purpose of reorganization. Seconded by Supervisor Sterrett. There being no comments motion carried unanimously.
Acting Chairman Van Noy stated that nominations were now open for 2007 Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. Supervisor Sterrett nominated Richard G. Van Noy as Chairman. Supervisor Altemose, II, seconded the nomination. There being no comments motion carried unanimously.
Chairman Van Noy stated that nominations were now open for 2007 Vice-Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and after that is complete, he will make his comments and continue with the meeting.
Chairman Van Noy nominated Supervisor Sterrett as the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. Seconded by Supervisor Sterrett. There being no comments motion carried with two-votes for and one abstention by Supervisor Altemose, II.
Chairman Van Noy made his opening comments and thanked his Colleagues, our attorney and all employees for work well done. He highlighted some major accomplishments for the past year as well as future projects.
Appointed Positions:
A motion by Supervisor Sterrett to appoint Donna Verdes as the 2007 Secretary/Treasurer. Seconded by Supervisor Altemose, II. There being no comments or questions the motion passed unanimously.
Motion by Supervisor Altemose, II, to appoint the following people for the following positions:
Bruce Walder as Road Master
Bev Riker as Sewage Enforcement Officer
Kate Lambert as Zoning Enforcement Officer
Dorothy Trauger as Permit Specialist, Assistant Sewage and Zoning Secretary
Maria Wieand as Clerk/Receptionist
Jeryl Reinhart as Alternate Sewage Enforcement Officer
Troy Counterman as Equipment Operator
Joseph Benner as Equipment Operator
Roger Smith as Equipment Operator
Thomas Delese as Equipment Operator
Byron Witt as Equipment Operator
Bruce Yerk as Maintenance & Groundskeeper
Justin Keesler as Percolation Technician
Bob Zipp as Percolation Technician
Edmund J. Scacchitti of Olivetti and Scacchitti as Solicitor
Armand E. Olivetti of Olivetti and Scacchitti as Alternate Solicitor
Kevin Harrison as Township Engineer
Sarah Bue-Morris as Alternate Engineer
Kirk Summa & Co. as Certified Public Accountant
Francis A. Altemose, II as Grievance Officer
Ned Ramm as Vacancy Officer
Francis A. Altemose, II as Supervisor Representative for Council of Government
Bruce Walder as COG Road Task Force Representative
Richard G. Van Noy as Supervisor Representative to Pocono Mountain Regional Police Commission
Mike Gillen, Sr. as Resident at Large to Pocono Mountain Regional Police Commission Representative
Richard G. Van Noy as Supervisor Representative to Tunkhannock Township Volunteer Fire Company
Jim Sterrett as Emergency Management Administrator
Bruce Walder as Emergency Management Coordinator
Francis A. Altemose, II as Supervisor Representative to Emergency Medical Services
Francis A. Altemose, II as Supervisor Representative to Regional Comprehensive Land Use Plan
Kate Lambert as Zoning Representative to Regional Comprehensive Land Use Plan
Jim Davenport as Representative to Tobyhanna Creek/Tunkhannock Creek Watershed Association
Pat Kager as Clymer Library Representative
Francis A. Altemose, II as Representative to Regional Open Space Committee
Richard G. Van Noy as Supervisor Representative to Building Code Enforcement Committee
Kate Lambert as Acting Zoning Representative to Building Code Enforcement Committee
Dot Trauger as Secretary to Planning Commission
Jim Sterrett as Supervisor Representative to Planning Commission
Kevin Harrison as Engineer to the Planning Commission
Dan Lyons as Solicitor for Planning Commission
Linda Casiano as Member of the Zoning Hearing Board for a three-year term
Ray Schwartz as Alternate Member of the Zoning Hearing Board one-year term
Francis A. Altemose, II as Environmental Advisory Council Supervisor Representative one Year term
Jim Davenport as Environmental Advisory Council Member for three-year term
Ivan Moyer as Environmental Advisory Council Member for three year term *Interim Chairman
Robert Shoroko as Environmental Advisory Council Associate Member for one-year term
Steve Kager as Environmental Advisory Council Member for three-year term
Richard G. Van Noy as Supervisor Representative to 911 Re-Addressing Committee
Dot Trauger as Member of 911 Re-Addressing Committee
Robert Shroko Economic Development Committee Member one-year term
Alicia Siglin Chairman for the Economic Development Committee
Jim Sterrett as Economic Development Committee Supervisor Representative
Seconded by Supervisor Sterrett. Supervisor Altemose, II voted yes to all except Emergency Management Administrator, and wanted that noted for the record. There being no comments or questions, the motion passed unanimously.
Select Depositories for Township Funds:
Motion by Supervisor Altemose, II to appoint PLGIT Intergovernmental Fund, The First National Bank of Palmerton, PNC Bank, and Morgan Stanley as depository for checking, money market, savings accounts and CD’s for all funds. Seconded by Supervisor Sterrett. There being no comments motion passed unanimously.
Motion by Supervisor Altemose, II to appoint Donna Verdes and any of the Supervisors Francis A. Altemose, II, Jim Sterrett and Richard G. Van Noy as the representatives to draw down by resolution any drafts, bonds or other obligations that may come before the board. Seconded by Supervisor Sterrett. There being no comments, motion passed unanimously.
Motion by Supervisor Altemose, II to authorize Edmund Scacchitti of Olivetti & Scacchitti to hire experts on regulatory items that may come before the board only with prior approval of the Board of Supervisors. Seconded by Supervisor Sterrett. There being no comments, motion passed unanimously.
Motion by Supervisor Altemose, II to authorize the Board of Supervisors, Secretary and anyone else the Supervisors’ deem necessary to attend the State Convention in April. The voting delegate will be Chairman Van Noy. Seconded by Supervisor Sterrett. There being no comments, motion passed unanimously.
Motion by Supervisor Altemose, II to set bond for the treasurer at $2,000,000.00. Seconded by Supervisor Sterrett. There being no comments, motion passed unanimously.
Establish Regular Monthly Meeting Locations, Times, and Dates
Motion by Supervisor Altemose, II to set the Tunkhannock Township Board of Supervisors regular monthly meetings as follows:
The 2nd Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the municipal building, Long Pond Road, Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
The Monday preceding the regular monthly meeting at 7:00 p.m. (which is actually the first Monday of the month) and the
Fourth Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the municipal building, Long Pond Road, Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
Seconded by Supervisor Sterrett. There being no comments, motion passed unanimously.
Chairman Van Noy announced the office closings for 2007/2008
Monday, January 15 - Martin Luther King Day
Monday, February 19 - President’s Day
Friday, April 6 - Good Friday
Tuesday, May 15 - Election Day
Monday, May 28 - Memorial Day
Wednesday, July 4 - Independence Day
Monday, September 3 - Labor Day
Monday, October 8 - Columbus Day
Tuesday, November 6 - Election Day
Monday, November 12 - Veteran’s Day
Thursday, Nov 22 & Friday, Nov 23 - Thanksgiving
Tuesday, December 25 – Christmas
Monday, January 1, 2008 – New Year’s Day
Supervisor Altemose, II made a motion to accept the holidays for 2007. Supervisor Sterrett seconded. There being no comments, motion passed unanimously.
Set Salaries for 2007
Motion by Supervisor Altemose, II to set the 2007 salary for Secretary/Treasurer at $19.12 per hour and Roadmaster at $21.81 per hour. Supervisor Sterrett seconded the motion. There being no comments, motion passed unanimously.
The following salaries have been set by the board:
Heavy Equipment Operator/Truck Driver #1 & 2 $18.88 per hour
Heavy Equipment Operator/Truck Driver #3 $17.68 per hour
Heavy Equipment Operator/Truck Driver #4 $19.42 per hour
Heavy Equipment Operator/Truck Driver #5 $16.38 per hour
Maintenance and Groundskeeper $13.67 per hour
Zoning Enforcement Officer $15.23 per hour
Zoning & Sewage Assistant $17.78 per hour
Sewage Enforcement Officer $18.72 per hour
Clerk/Receptionist $10.40 per hour
Percolation Test Technicians $150.00 per test
Ken Henning - Tax Collector 5%
Auditors $10.00 per hour
There being no further reorganization business, the Board went directly into the January regular monthly meeting.
The following minutes were presented:
December 27, 2006: Budget Adoption, Work Session and End of Year Meeting
A motion by Supervisor Sterrett to accept the minutes, seconded by Supervisor Van Noy. There being no comments or questions the motion passed unanimously.
Treasurer’s report was presented as follows: Receipts $124,495.46
Disbursements $184,761.70
General Fund Balance $294,301.07
Liquid Fuels Fund Balance $208,386.47
Motion by Supervisor Sterrett to accept the Treasurer’s report. Seconded by Chairman Altemose, II. There being no comments, motion passed unanimously.
Motion by Supervisor Altemose, II to pay the bills in the amount of $127,796.26 Seconded by Supervisor Sterrett. After comments and questions, motion passed unanimously.
Announcements: Chairman Van Noy, announced the following openings are available:
- 3 Planning Commission Members
- 2 Economic Development Committee Members
If anyone is interested, please submit a resume or letter of interest to the Township Secretary or see the office staff for an application.
The meeting schedule for January was read.
Solicitor Scacchitti recommended and the Supervisors agree to postpone the Public Hearing for 1/24/07 concerning the Windmill, and Stormwater ordinances.
Reports:
Supervisor Sterrett: EMA- Bruce Walder will be Coordinator
DPW- On schedule
EDC- Vacancy of 2 positions
Supervisor Altemose: Environmental Advisory Council- minutes posted
Joint Open Space Committee- minutes posted
COG- minutes posted
EMS- 2 new ambulances purchased and are now in good shape financially
Richard VanNoy: PMSD- new tax coming possibly (PIT) Personal income tax
Pocono Mountain Regional Police Board minutes posted
Dot Trauger: Township Planning Commission minutes posted
Vacancy of 3 positions
Bruce Walder: Monroe County Task Force- no report, meeting will be quarterly in 2007
Pat Kager: Clymer Library- no report but they did ask that we reconsider our 2007 mill rate, but was told we will stay with new rate
There being no further business, Chairperson Van Noy opened the floor to comments.
Mike Gillen: Tractor Trailers still parked on Route 115 & Nash property, and at the Gulf Station.
The Zoning Enforcement officer is working on these issues.
John Kadany: Asked if the legality of working on overtime was reviewed. Chairman Van Noy said he could pick up a report at the end of the meeting. Also, DPW Mountain Road project was the price counting in labor and fuel. Road Master Walder said that could be provided if necessary.
Marjorie Nowinski: Commented on meeting night and requested Wednesdays.
Sean Stevens: Commented that we should look into land and possibly, we could charge for tractor-trailers to park and make money.
Steve Kager: Commented that our meetings are advertised and it is up to the people to read and come to the meetings.
George Ewald: Commented for the record in regard to the Henning Open Space, he was concerned with the front piece of property and he was not against the Henning property purchase. He would like to see our commercial property grow rather than be rezoned to something else.
Irving Midget: Commented on the EMS and that in his community they are still having trouble locating homes in Tunkhannock Trails. 911 readdressing hopefully will address these issues in the future.
There being no further comments, motion by Supervisor Sterrett, to adjourn. Seconded by Supervisor Altemose. There were no comments, motion passed unanimously. The meeting ended at 7:55p.m.
Donna Verdes
Secretary