The Tunkhannock Township Board of Supervisors held their regular monthly meeting on September 15, 2005. Those in attendance were Supervisors Francis Altemose, II, Jim Sterrett and William Bourke, Secretary/Treasurer Donna Verdes, Solicitor Ed Scacchitti, Zoning Enforcement Officer Dot Trauger, Asst. Secretary, Zoning & Sewage Bev Riker and area residents. Chairman Altemose, II called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM.

The following minutes were presented: July 11 and August 8, 2005 regular monthly meetings, August 24 and September 1, 2005 work sessions and August 25, 2005 Special Public Meeting. Chairman Altemose, II stated that Executive Sessions followed the July 11, 2005 and August 8, 2005 regular monthly meetings and August 24, 2005 work session for legal and personnel reasons. Motion by Chairman Altemose, II to approve the minutes as written. Motion seconded by Supervisor Sterrett. There being no comments. Motion passed unanimously.

Matters Arising: Commercial Package Policy – Donna Verdes explained that the Commercial Package Policy provides the following coverage:

Property – Covers the Township owned buildings and personal property.

General Liability – Covers the Township should anyone bring suit against them due to their negligence.

Automobile – Covers the Township’s automobiles and the automobile liability should a Township vehicle be involved in an auto accident.

Inland Marine – covers the Township’s equipment (mowers etc.)

Umbrella – Provides an extra $2,000,000 of coverage over the general liability, automobile liability and public officials liability.

Public Officials Liability – Professional liability coverage for the Township should they be sued for a decision that the Township makes.

Worker’s Compensation Policy – provides loss of wages and medical coverage to employees injured in the course of their employment.

Worker’s Compensation Audit – When the Worker’s Comp Policy is issued, it is based on estimated payrolls since the Township does not know what their actual payroll will be until after the policy expires. The audit adjusts the policy to the actual payroll after the policy expires.

There was also confusion as to the Commercial Package Policy expense being too low and the reason is that the Township is on an installment plan.

Treasurer's Report: Treasurer Donna Verdes presented the Treasurer’s report

General - Receipts $245,776.62

Disbursements $317,480.98

General Balance $552,443.90

Liquid Fuels - Liquid Fuels Balance $369,800.84

Motion by Chairman Altemose, II to accept the treasurer’s report. Seconded by Supervisor Sterrett. There being no comments, motion passed unanimously.

Bills in the amount of $50,917.08 were presented. Motion by Supervisor Bourke to approve the bill list. Seconded by Supervisor Sterrett. After comments and questions, motion passed unanimously.

Announcements – Supervisor Bourke announced the following:

• Clymer Library Book Mobile New Stop & Time is every other Wednesday 2:30 - 3:30 pm at Willie's Deli at the corner of Route 115 and Mountain Road (September 28)
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• Monroe County Municipal Waste Authority Recycling Weekend – you can bring household hazardous waste on Friday, September 23 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm and Saturday, September 24 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and Sunday 25 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Resident’s must show proof of residency. Items to be collected are paints & solvents, pant by the gallon $1.00, quart 50 cents, pints 25 cents and aerosol cans no charge. Mike Gillen mentioned that Anti-Freeze can be brought to Ed’s Auto on Sterling Road off of Rt 940 or at Midas.
• PA-DCNR's 2006 Cooperative Gypsy Moth Spray Program – They came in and did a survey of the Township Supervisor’s Sterrett and Bourke went with Vector Control. The only area they found was a section of Emerald Lakes and at $12.00 an acre to spray they came in with a quote of $8,512 for 608 acres. When they looked at a map there is less than 608 acres in Tunkhannock Township. We received the quote today so we have to go back to them and find exactly where the 608 acres is and there will be discussions with Emerald Lakes as far as the payment is concerned. August 24, 2005 - Office open only 9 am - 11 am (Staff has Zoning Class)
• Bev Riker has been certified as an SEO
• Thanked Annabell Salleh-Hadinoto, Jesse Rotola and Home Depot for the updated look of the municipal grounds in front of the building all the weeds are gone and there are new plantings and mulch. They did an excellent job.
• Solicitor Scacchitti reported that he reviewed and approved the contract with Pesavanto Monuments for the construction and installation of the Armed Forces Monument on Township Grounds. A check was issued to Pesavanto for $5,000.00 from Committee Funds to secure the contract as well as the price. The contract provides that after 2/3 payment of the total contract price of $21,500 installation will begin. Installation will take about ½ a day.
• Bruce Walder announced that Long Pond Road is scheduled to be reconstructed. They just posted the signs today and starting Monday. If you travel Long Pond Road from Route 940 to Kuhenbeaker Road expect delays. They will tear out one lane at a time and reconstruct it, the specifications are very good and we should have a very good road there for a long time. The second phase is off the list for next year due to money problems and at least we have this section being done. Chairman Altemose, II thanked Bruce for turning up the heat to make sure this was done on a timely basis and correct.

Chairman Altemose, II read the meeting schedule.

Old Business:

• Proposed Raceside Plaza/Keep It Here Storage Land Development Plan. Chairman Altemose, II stated this plan consists of Parcel 1 – Coffee Hut, Mini-Mart and Car Wash. Parcel 2 – storage facility located on Route 115.

Motion made by Chairman Altemose, II to grant a conditional approval of the preliminary plan for the Raceside Plaza/Keep It Here Storage Land Development plan with the following conditions:

1. Receipt of the NPDES Permit
2. Receipt of the PennDot Highway Occupancy Permit
3. Furthermore, should the conditions set forth in either or both of these permits require additional plan revisions, these changes would likewise be a requirement of any approval.

Seconded by Supervisor Bourke. Dot Trauger stated that the Township Engineer reviewed the plans and everything was in order. She also mentioned that we received a letter of extension from Raceway Plaza/Keep It Here Storage in case in takes longer than it needs to for final plan approval. The Solicitor stated that the extension was just due diligence and certainly recognizing that this is a final adoption. Motion passed unanimously.

• Proposed letter to Monroe County Control Center. Supervisor Sterrett explained that Ed Tutrone of Pocono Mountain Regional Emergency Medical Services (PMREMS) recommended that we follow suit with Coolbaugh and Tobyhanna in regard to the concept of dispatching the Geisinger Life Flight helicopter, in the event the current aeromedical providers MedEvac and PennStar are not available or cannot fly due to weather conditions.

Motion made by Supervisor Sterrett to send a letter to Monroe County Control Center requesting to be included in the concept of dispatching the Geisinger Life Flight Helicopter, in the event the current aeromedical providers MedEvac and PennStar are not available or cannot fly due to weather conditions. Seconded by Supervisor Bourke. After comments motion carried unanimously.

• Consideration of Approval of 2006 Minimum Municipal Pension Obligation. Supervisor Bourke explained:

Motion made by Supervisor Bourke to accept the 2006 Minimum Municipal Pension Obligation of $87,966.81 and to include it in budget preparation. Seconded by Chairman Altemose, II. After comments, motion passed unanimously.

Reports: Chairman Altemose, II stated the EAC had no meeting and Joint Open Space minutes were posted. The COG minutes were no posted because we didn’t get them yet and the EMA didn’t have a meeting.

Supervisor Sterrett stated that the EMS are not posted. The EMS purchased two new ambulances and will be furbished with the equipment from the two removed from service. Bruce Walder and Troy Counterman are now members of the EMS board until December 31^st. The old ambulances will be sold and Troy will be helping to sell them on ebay. Supervisor Bourke mentioned that an ambulance was donated to the Police Department and in reciprocation the EMS was given a car. Therefore not always are the vehicles sold..

Clymer Library – Supervisor Sterrett that Bill Chatham is not here and he will print out the minutes and post them.

Regional Comprehensive Use Plan - Supervisor Bourke stated there will be a meeting on September 19 at 6 pm at Tobyhanna. He urged people to attend and mentioned that they would be going into the next phase which is reviewing ordinances of the four (4) municipalities involved. Joint Building Codes there is nothing scheduled at this point. The Pocono Mountain Regional Police – Met Tuesday night at that was where we got the numbers for MMO for the pension. They went over a couple of other things. At looking at the number of incidents that the police have been called for Tunkhannock Township, I projected it out based on 200 calls per month which means something like 2,300 incidences that’s a lot of calls for a police department from a Township of 5,000 people. These are not nuisance call and domestic disturbances are calls they are sent out on which they get quite a few of. They also did a review of drug arrests that have gone on in the County because they are also involved in the County Task Force. The drug use in Monroe County is going rampant at this time. The District Attorney’s office has $40,000 to be shared with all the municipalities in the County and non of the other municipalities are running drug forces so Pocono Mountain Regional gets the entire $40,000 for expenditure. About two (2) months ago the Moyer Family gave the Police Commission six (6) Automatic Electronic Defibrillator. We are at 132 hours over for police coverage for the year. But that is pretty good because of the two races and now we have the rest of the year to make up for it. Also they swore in an additional police officer.

Monroe County Task force minutes - Bruce Walder stated they were posted and it was uneventful.

Township Planning Commission - Dot Trauger stated the minutes were posted.

Public Comments:

Richard VanNoy – Commented on AED’s and highly recommended that the Township look into getting one and have people certified to use it. It’s not difficult and there might be a grant available. Bruce Walder stated that we have one available in the Tobyhanna Chief’s truck which is on premise during work days Monday – Friday and whenever he is here. Also commented on Supervisor’s attending School Board Meetings. Supervisor Bourke responded that the Township meeting time was changed so that anyone who wanted to attend the School Board meetings would not miss their Township’s meetings. This Board did not decide to have a Supervisor attend every School Board meeting but if there was an important subject then a supervisor would attend. Mr. VanNoy also stated that the School Board still doesn’t know what to do with the $1.5 mil they received and suggested they reimburse the Townships for taking of the EIT starting in 2006.

Supervisor Bourke further commented – That anyone who is not familiar with the Moyer Family, they lost their son who was a basketball player for Notre Dame High School. Here was a healthy kid 6’2" playing basketball and just collapsed and was gone. That is how they got involved in the AED Program and they have been extremely successful. It was also mentioned that they thought it went international.

Mike Gillen – Commented on Bulk Trash Weekend and it seemed everyone was happy with that the Township has it and it’s a worthwhile thing. Looking at the amount of trash that could have been on the side of the road that didn’t wind up there, it’s worthwhile. A lengthy discussion ensued.

Maureen Sterner – Commented on the Regional Comprehensive Use Plan and where it stood. Supervisor Bourke stated it was adopted by all four (4) municipalities. She spoke to Mike Schneider he didn’t know anything about it. Tunkhannock Township was the lead municipality and grant applicant. The grant administration requires reports to DCNR and a close out. Supervisor Bourke stated that he couldn’t understand why he didn’t know anything. He knows Christine was helping with the generation of the reports and he would check into it. She also commented on J.P. Mascaro and the monies paid for the spring bulk trash and if we got the tonnage reports. Donna Verdes – commented that we haven’t paid them and are still waiting for the reports.

There being no further public comments, Supervisor Sterrett made motion to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Supervisor Bourke. Motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:01 p.m.

Donna Verdes

Secretary