Monroe County, Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Co-Chairman Sterner called the June 10, 2009, regular meeting of the Tunkhannock Township Board of Supervisors to order at 7:00pm
Supervisors: Sterner, Davenport, Secretary Wieand, Solicitor Lyons and area residents. Those not in attendance: Supervisor Van Noy.
A motion by Supervisor Davenport to approve the minutes of the May 13, 2009 and May 27, 2009 meetings. Seconded by Supervisor Sterner and carried unanimously.
Held prior to and after the May 13, May 27, 2009 meetings and after tonight’s meeting for legal and personnel issues.
None at this time pertaining to items on the agenda.
Treasurer Wieand presented the bill list: Time sensitive bills issued in the amount of $3,487.61 were issued prior to the meeting and those being presented tonight are for $220,494.02, a motion by Supervisor Davenport to accept the bill list, seconded by Supervisor Sterner. There being no comments or questions the motion passed unanimously.
Beginning Balance: $569,471.88
Income $405,224.74
Total payroll & liabilities $52,830.45
Bills presented and paid $223,981.63
Balance to date $697,884.54
F. Announcements
Secretary Wieand announced the report from the County Controller’s office arrived and is available for review. Tobyhanna Pool will be available for use to the residents of our Township and the information was reviewed. DEP sent the 2007 sewage reimbursement in the amount of $48,624.31 and Top of the Mountain Open Space committee will not have a meeting in June. Rebecca Argot and Sarah Henry are here tonight to ask for the ok to earn their gold award for volunteering and making upgrades to the trails at the Austin T. Blakeslee Park.
Rebecca Argot and Sarah Henry presented their ideas and requested the approval from the Board to improve the trails at Austin T Blakeslee Park and to request the help from adult volunteers along with the donation of mulch from our Township. Supervisor Davenport motioned to approve Rebecca Argot and Sarah Henry to earn their gold award through volunteering to upgrade the trails and to acquire the necessary permits for wetland crossing at the Austin T. Blakeslee Park with the donation of mulch from our Township. Seconded by Supervisor Sterner and carried unanimously since there were no comments or questions.
G. Old Business
Secretary Wieand reported the letters to vendors, participants and officials were mailed in April and to date we have not had a tremendous response. Monetary donations in the amount of $200 has been received, one Gift Certificate, several give-away gifts from the purchasing officer Kate Lambert who acquired them with our bonuses at Staples, and one booth exhibitor to date. The Board would like the staff and or volunteers to begin calling everyone to remind them as well as to ask for their donations.
Tunkhannock Trails II bid specifications for the paving as per the court order. Road Master Smith and Secretary Wieand completed the bid package and had it reviewed by Engineer Kevin Harrison. He made a proposal to separate the packages as noted in tonight’s documents. The Board would like the Road Master Roger Smith to prepare the bids for internal work that can be performed by the road department for the June 24, 2009 work session.
Resolution 2009-164, granting general leave from local Union 773 to Roger Smith is requested. Motion by Supervisor Davenport to grant the general leave allowed and an additional general leave in order for him to complete his probationary period as Road Master from Local Union 773. Seconded by Supervisor Sterner, there being no comments or questions the motion passed unanimously.
Resolution 2009-165, Computer upgrade to the current system to a Windows server program with secure network, backups, and hardware. Motion to approve Resolution 2009-165 by Supervisor Davenport to accept the proposed bid from Kiesel’s Computer Services, LLC in the amount of $6,675 per the contract supplied to the Township. Seconded by Supervisor Sterner and carried unanimously.
Inter-Municipal Composting Facility Ordinance 2009-114, where as Coolbaugh Township is applying for an equipment grant to upgrade and add to their composting facility. They asked us to enter into an Inter-Municipal Agreement to help them obtain the equipment needed to run their facility that would be available to our Township at a cost based on man and machine hours dedicated to process our materials. Supervisor Sterner motioned to adopt Ordinance 2009-114 and supervisor Davenport seconded it. There being no comments or questions the motion passed unanimously.
Stoltzfus land development Route 115 the Amish Farmers’ Market needs to provide the Township with a Maintenance Agreement in the amount of $11,609.35 for security for the Developer’s performance obligations under agreement. Barbara Anderson Loan specialist has provided the Ag. Choice Farm Credit ACA # 17-2009 in the amount of $11,609.35 for 18 months from May 27, 2009 to November 26, 2011. Mr. Stoltzfus presented his question of why he can’t continue to operate in the manner as he is so doing. Solicitor Lyons explained again that he signed a developer’s agreement and filed plans to construct a building on the land development that has been recorded and he was to have that second phase completed by June 1, 2009. The Board is recommending and requested Mr. Stoltzfus be present at the June 24, 2009 work session to request for an extension to decide what he will be doing at his location. The Board would like at least a request for an extension from 6/1/09 for Phase II in order for Mr. Stoltzfus to gather his ideas and determine his next step, if not the board can rescind the land development plans currently on file and he could only sell produce on the property and the furniture would follow under the transient retail merchants license.
H. New Business
The Board of Supervisors would like to form a committee to begin the planning and communications needed to make the residents of Tunkhannock Township aware of the importance of the 2010 Census. We would like to have a committee formed and begin working on ways to communicate to our residents the importance of the Census, along with how it affects what funds we get from the State. A motion by Supervisor Davenport to Appoint Kate Lambert to the 2010 Complete Count Census Committee as the representative/coordinator for Tunkhannock Township. Seconded by Supervisor Sterner, comments were made by Secretary Wieand and noted that the school district may be a good place to start along with asking Ken Henning if a note can go into the tax bills in the fall. The motion passed unanimously after the comment.
Secretary/Treasurer Wieand has approached the Board, and she has volunteered to be an active part of the EIT Countywide Collection Committee on behalf of our Township. With her knowledge and understanding of the tax and the impact it will have on our Township, she would like to take an active roll in the planning. Supervisor Davenport motioned to appoint Maria Wieand to the EIT Countywide Collection Committee to represent Tunkhannock Township. Seconded by Supervisor Sterner, there being no comments or questions the motion passed unanimously.
The PennDot web site has been upgraded and in order to file our liquid fuels reports annually, the Township must enter into an Electronic Licensing Agreement with the State. Supervisor Sterner made a motion to adopt Resolution 2009-166 for the Electronic Access licensing agreement between the Department of Transportation and Tunkhannock Township. Seconded by Supervisor Davenport and carried unanimously.
Proposed personnel policy amendments have been reviewed by the Board and our solicitor has also reviewed them before adoption. The Tunkhannock Township Personnel Policy Manual dated January 01, 2001 recommended for amendment to include changes to the work hours, Overtime/Comp Time portion of the manual as well as adding Municipal e-mail, internet & other electronic communications policies. A motion by Supervisor Sterner to adopt Resolution 2009-167, the amendment to Tunkhannock Township’s personnel policy manual dated January 1, 2001. Seconded by Supervisor Davenport and there being no comments or questions the motion passed unanimously.
Barrett Township Proclamation tabled until June 24, 2009 work session.
Supervisor Sterner commented on possibly having a community yard sale in conjunction with the spring/fall bulk trash weekends and offering it to the Fire Company as a fundraiser. Some residents were in favor and others we not. Marlene Coville noted if she had to take off from work to gather her junk for bulk trash she couldn’t participate in the yard sale and suggested it be held before bulk trash not during.
I. Reports
Supervisor Sterner asked for reports from the Board or its representatives and noted minutes are posted on the bulletin board. Supervisor Davenport thanked the road crew for volunteering their time on bulk trash weekend and also on the clean up on Heller’s Lane. Also what a wonderful job Kate Lambert and Dot Trauger did with collecting merchant permits during race weekend.
Secretary Wieand noted Bill Byron sent his report for EMA and that the race weekend went well, and he thanked several people for their help prior to and during the event.
J. Public Comments
Steve Valent resident of Emerald Lakes requested to address the Board and had one hundred and sixty three (163) signatures from people to keep the Amish Farmers’ market and to help accommodate them with the selling of their goods. He suggested that we look at the possibility of making different periods/time frames for different merchant permits or to have something to help accommodate seasonal selling for farmers. The Board acknowledged his request and would have the Zoning and Planning Departments review this information and make recommendations accordingly.
Irving Midgett would like comment on the Heller’s lane clean up that he couldn’t get to with the shortage of volunteers and the ages being so young he didn’t want to have the young children cleaning up such a busy stretch of roadway. He thanked the Township for giving him the bags and equipment to clean up and putting him in touch with PennDot so that they could pick up the bags after the Keep Pa Beautiful Weekend. He also commented on the amount of trash that was in that right of way and thanked the Township for picking it up.
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 8:09pm on a motion by Supervisor Davenport, seconded by Supervisor Sterner and carried unanimously.
Minutes submitted by:
Maria S. Wieand
Secretary Approved:07/08/2009