PALMER TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
GENERAL
BUSINESS MEETING
MAY
15, 2006
A general business
meeting of the Palmer Township Board of Supervisors was held on Monday, May 15, 2006 at 7:00
p.m. in the Community Room of the Palmer Library with all Supervisors
in attendance. Also in attendance were
the Township Manager, Director of Public Services, Township Solicitor, and Police
Chief. Sara Mausolf from the Express
Times and Alex Radus from Easton News represented the news media. Colver convened the meeting and led those
present in the Pledge to the Flag.
2. APPROVAL
OF DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS – MAY 15, 2006
INFORMATION
The report will be provided at the
meeting.
DISCUSSION
On motion by Mitchell, seconded by Panella,
and agreed by all, the Board approved the disbursement of funds for May 15, 2006.
3. APPROVAL
OF MINUTES – MAY
1, 2006
DISCUSSION
Adams changed
the first bullet on Page 5 where it stated “they wanted to split the pond” to
“they wanted to split the fields and pond.”
On motion by Panella, seconded by Mitchell,
and agreed by four, Lammi abstained; the Board approved the minutes of May 1, 2006, with the above
change.
4. MCLAUGHLIN CURB
DEFERRAL REQUEST
INFORMATION
The Board needs to
approve/disapprove Tim McLaughlin’s curb deferral request.
DISCUSSION
Mr. McLaughlin was not in
attendance. The Board tabled the item on
the next meeting agenda.
5. OFFICER
PHIL PROGRAM APPROVAL
INFORMATION
The board needs to
approve/disapprove the Officer Phil Program for 2006.
DISCUSSION
Chief Fretz said the theme changes
a little each year but other than that it’s the same program. Fretz said it’s the only program the
elementary school children receive.
On motion by Lammi, seconded by Smith,
and agreed by all, the Board approved continuing the Officer Phil Program in
2006.
6. NEWLINS MILL ROAD/MILL RACE STOP SIGN
PETITION
INFORMATION
The Board needs to
approve/disapprove the stop sign request.
DISCUSSION
Adams said
the township received a signed petition from residents requesting a stop
sign. Adams said
there is a three way stop sign down hill and at this point the traffic
committee doesn’t feel it is necessary to add another one. Adams said the
petition referred to one or two accidents but the traffic committee feels that
a stop sign would not have prevented either of the accidents. Adams said the traffic
committee reviewed this request and recommends no additional stop signs be
added at this time. Lammi said one
concern he had was sight distance and if there is sufficient sight distance. Lammi said he went out to look at the
intersection and feels there is quite a bit of sight distance at the
intersection, so from that perspective he didn’t see a need for another sign.
Colver asked for comments from the public. Susan Barnes, 5 Mill Race Drive, said we know
it is a feeder road but there have been instances with kids and adults trying
to cross the road that have almost gotten hit because people are speeding up
the road. Barnes said they aren’t going
25 mph. Barnes said to us it’s a very
big problem and the safety of the children is our primary issue.
Carol Barry, 16 Mill Race, said
she’s been passed at least two times on Newlins Mill
Road and said it’s a speed issue. Barry said she feels it may almost be better
to move the current stop sign.
Kyra Lysynecky, 8
Mill Race Drive, said residents on Newlins
Mill Road have problems getting out of their
drives. Panella asked if it helped when
the township had the speed sign there.
Barnes said it did not. Barnes
said the 25 mph sign isn’t located at the right place either. Barnes said it is right after you get on the
road and people don’t see it there.
Adams
said we felt with the bike path down toward Willow
Drive we needed to slow traffic in that area,
that’s why we placed the sign there.
Barnes said a
sign would hinder people from building up speed. Lysynecky asked why a stop sign wouldn’t be
considered. Adams
said stop signs are not typically used for speed control.
Chief Fretz said
stop signs do not stop speeding; it makes people go faster from one sign to the
other. Fretz said the curves are there
to try to slow people down. Fretz said
we can’t arrest anyone unless they are going over 35 mph in a 25 mph zone. Fretz said when the speed sign was at this
location there weren’t a lot of people going over 35 mph. Barnes said there are no other controls or
avenues we can take regarding this issue, and asked what else we can do. Barnes said she feels it’s worth it to just
add a sign. Fretz said if we put too
many signs up people won’t obey any of them.
Lammi asked to postpone the decision so the Board can look at it more
thoroughly.
On motion by Lammi,
seconded by Smith, and agreed by all, the Board tabled the item until the next
meeting.
Carol Barry said
if a stop sign isn’t considered maybe a “watch children” sign would help.
7. ESTATES AT
NORTHWOOD – HIGHWAY OCCUPANCY PERMIT CONDITION STATEMENT
INFORMATION
The Board needs to
approve/disapprove signing the highway occupancy permit condition statement.
DISCUSSION
Adams said
the developer signed the HOP but Penndot requires this agreement be signed by
the township because once the street is physically built we will take over the
road.
On motion by
Lammi, seconded by Smith, and agreed by all, the Board authorized the Chairman
to sign the highway occupancy permit condition statement.
8. PUBLIC
COMMENT
Robert Gumlock, 109
Berks Street, said he is wondering when curbing
will be put in on the project. Lammi
said when the project goes out to bid we’ll know when everything will start to happen. Gumlock said his wife is concerned about
future flooding and if anything can be done to alleviate the water problem
until the project is completed, especially during the hurricane season. Lammi asked when the detention pond at
Starlite Estates is going to be converted to a final pond. Adams said the
conservation district won’t allow it to be converted over until 75% of the
drainage is stabilized. Adams
said we are in contact with Starlite Estates weekly to push them to get it
converted. Anckaitis said there is a
whole row of homes still needing their backyards seeded. Lammi said we need to continue to push them
to get this done.
Kevin Gray, 1350
Tatamy Road, said he’s noticed a lot of graffiti
in the north end of the township. Gray
asked if we’re doing anything about it.
Fretz said it’s a continuing problem and it is migrating north. Gray said it’s not what Palmer
Township is about and he’s
concerned about it.
9. REPORTS
Solicitor
·
Bruno had an extension agreement for Penn’s Grant
South requesting an extension until November 15, 2006. On motion by Mitchell, seconded by Panella,
and agreed by all, the Board authorized the Chairman to sign the extension
agreement.
·
Bruno had an extension agreement for Parkview
Estates, Phase 4, requesting an extension until October 31, 2006. On motion by Mitchell, seconded by Panella,
and agreed by all, the Board authorized the Chairman to sign the extension
agreement.
·
Bruno had a temporary easement agreement, at the
request of the Planning Director, for the Sal Lapio property near LaBarre
Park. Bruno said there is a need for the parking
area to be used. Bruno said the developer
is fine with the concept of the easement agreement. Smith asked if the area was cleaned up and
the equipment moved. Adams
said on Friday most material was moved but there was still a construction
trailer. Bruno questioned why the
developer wasn’t seeding, and putting in the parking lot. Anckaitis said the final plan shows the
developer is only responsible for seeding.
Smith said as long as we don’t get people in there when it’s muddy. On motion by Panella, seconded by Smith, and
agreed by all, the Board authorized the Chairman to sign the temporary easement
agreement.
·
Bruno said he had a request from Frank Bubba
regarding the Northwood Industrial
Park requesting an additional 90 days from May 31, 2006 to complete
improvements. On motion by Lammi,
seconded by Smith, and agreed by all, the Board approved the extension request.
·
Bruno had one litigation item for executive
session.
Township Manager
·
Anckaitis said behind the homes on Park
Avenue there is an alley and during the summer months Waste
Management has always picked up the residents garbage behind their homes in
this alley. Anckaitis said during winter
months their garbage is picked up in the front of their homes. Anckaitis said one resident asked why they
didn’t switch back to the alley this spring.
Anckaitis said Waste Management is saying there are trees that prevent
them from backing out. Anckaitis said I
met with Waste Management today in the alley and there is a problem on the
house side regarding trees. The Board unanimously
agreed to have the garbage picked up on the street year round. Colver suggested the residents get
notification of this change.
·
Anckaitis had one personnel item for executive
session.
Public Services Director
·
Adams said at the May 1 board
meeting the agreement with Easton Suburban and the township for hydrants at the
Community Center was approved. Adams
said he had one minor change that needed to be made to the agreement and it is
now ready for signatures.
·
Adams said Ms. Evans, 1301
Howard Lane, has requested to put a shed in a
drainage and utility easement. Adams
said he’s okay with it and he drafted the townships typical agreement. Adams said Ms. Evans
will also need to get written permission from UGI
because there is a gas line in the easement.
Adams said our agreement is contingent upon UGI
giving permission. On motion by
Mitchell, seconded by Lammi, and agreed by all, the Board approved the
agreement.
·
Adams updated the Board
regarding the maintenance contract for ground work at the municipal site. Colver said he asked Adams
last week about this because he felt it still looked awful. Colver said he didn’t say anything because
the buildings and grounds committee needs to come up with a permanent
solution. Adams
said we plan to line the sidewalks with river stone where the grass has been
killed from salting during the winter. Lammi
asked if the landscaper made any recommendations. Adams said he came up
with some plant lists. Adams
reviewed what was included in the contract and explained that some equipment
was purchased with this money for equipment that was needed to maintain the
community center grounds. Colver said
we’ll budget again next year.
·
Adams said Nulton and Hartley
Avenue were paved with BCBC and that they are worried
about it deteriorating. Scott
Kistler, Public Services Superintendent, said some property
development hasn’t happened as expected along Hartley. Kistler said if we put a scratch coat on
these streets we can protect them. Lammi
said if there is more development on the west side of Nulton would it affect
the roadway you are paving. Kistler said
the work we would do is limited on the west side of Nulton. Kistler said there is money in the 2006
budget for this work. The Board agreed
it needed to be done.
Police Chief
·
Fretz said the police and road departments
rescued two kittens from a storm sewer today on Gruver
Avenue and they have found homes for the kittens.
·
Fretz said this week we begin a three week buckle
up PA program. Fretz said it is to increase
the outlook of people using seatbelts.
Supervisors
·
Colver thanked the members of the municipal fire
department for having the Board at their annual banquet Saturday night.
On motion by Mitchell, seconded by Panella,
and agreed by all, the meeting was adjourned at 8:00
p.m. with one litigation and one personnel
item for executive session.
Respectfully
submitted,
Robert G. Anckaitis
Township Manager