PALMER
TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
GENERAL
BUSINESS MEETING
MAY
4, 2009
A
general business meeting of the Palmer Township Board of Supervisors was held
on Monday, May 4, 2009 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, Police Chief,
and the Township Solicitor. Colver
convened the meeting and led those present in the Pledge to the Flag.
2. APPROVAL
OF DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS – MAY 4, 2009
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 4, 2009.
3. APPROVAL
OF MINUTES – APRIL 28, 2009
DISCUSSION
On
motion by Lammi, seconded by Smith, and agreed by all, the Board approved the
minutes of April 28, 2009.
4. ENVIRONMENTAL
STEERING COMMITTEE PRESENTATION
INFORMATION
Tom
Gannsle and Rob Reese will update
the Board on Environmental Steering Committee activities.
DISCUSSION
Rob Reese and Tom Ganssle were in
attendance. Ganssle said Cindy Oatis and
Tom Dittmar were unable to attend tonight but would come to another meeting to
discuss their items with the Board. Ganssle
said they would be holding an e-cycling event May 9th from 9 a.m. to
2 p.m. at Easton Area High School. Ganssle said we’ve held this event the last three
years. The first year we had half a truck
full of items. Ganssle said last year
with the help of Bob Lammi and coordinating with the Council of Governments we had
four truck loads, equaling about 50,000 pounds removed from the waste
stream. Gannsle said as most already
know, Tom Dittmar is now the Environmental Coordinator for Northampton County
and his new capacity has helped boost this type of activity at a county level. Ganssle said there will be other events like
this in the county over the next couple of months. One will be held in Washington
Township and another will be held at the
Nazareth Middle School. Ganssle said Hazardous Waste Collection was
first started in 1993 and they have since been taken over by Northampton County. Last year and again this year it will be held
at the community college on October 10th. Ganssle said our Environmental Steering Committee
members help at all these events. Gannsle
said our Compost Seminars have been held for years by Tom Dittmar with 1,000
earth machines given away. Gannsle said
these seminars are held every September at the Hartley Avenue facility. Gannsle said the committee also participates
every year in Community Weekend where we target educating the public. Gannsle said they have given away 18
lawnmowers over the years at Community Weekend.
Rob Reese said we meet with representatives
from J.P.Mascaro at our monthly meetings and we are
discussing with them ways to increase our recycling rates. Reese said there is a special yard waste recycling
week to try to increase recycling. Reese
said he and Tom Gannsle attended a Tree Tender Workshop in Scranton and they are looking to acquire more
grant money for the township through these types of programs. Reese said they are also working with the Rizzolino’s regarding Native Plant Seminars and are looking
into an anti-litter campaign. Reese said
we are looking to get rid of the litter in the township to make it look better
for people traveling through the township.
Reese said they are always working on partnerships with other
organizations too, like the Bushkill Stream Conservancy.
Colver asked what they are hearing and how
the performance has been regarding the single hauler contract. Reese said the hauler receives most of the
complaints and we don’t really see the number of complaints that come into them. Reese said there were some traffic issues
where they are taking up the middle of the road. Ganssle said they goofed up with the Christmas
tree recycling and yard waste pickup.
Ganssle said we meet with a representative at our monthly meeting but we
really need a link to their upper administration and we are working with them
to achieve that. Lammi said he spoke to
Sam Augustine at the PSATS convention and informed him about the Christmas tree
mishap. Colver asked what if anything is
going on with grass recycling. Ganssle
said Cindy and Tom will come before the Board to discuss this information in
detail. Colver said he was interested to
know if anything is happening at the county level. Ganssle said no community has resolved the
grass clipping issue.
Lammi said since he has been involved in
the Environmental Steering Committee these two gentlemen have always shown a passion
about what they do and he is really proud of the committee and what they do. Lammi said he would like to hear what Cindy
and Tom have to add.
5. BOND
BID APPROVAL
INFORMATION
The
Board needs to approve/disapprove the township financial consultant to begin
the bond process.
DISCUSSION
Township Financial
Consultant, Gary Pulcini, was in attendance.
Colver said last week we talked about borrowing $3 million for the two capital
projects, Freemansburg Avenue
roadwork and acquiring the land on Hartley
Avenue for the public works project. Colver said at that meeting we saw the bond
process would benefit the township versus taking a loan. Pulcini said the township staff provided him
with information the two banks offered. Pulcini
said no fees were included in the bank information. Pulcini said the bond issue numbers include
all associated bond fees. Pulcini reviewed
the bond process with the Board and stated a bond allows a wrap around
structure to wrap around the existing debt.
Pulcini said debt service for loans range from $214,640 to
$316,404. Pulcini said the debt service
impact for the bond is $129,075. Pulcini
said the bond process will take approximately two to two and a half
months. Colver asked if he is seeing
buying. Pulcini said as long as you see
an A underwriter rating. Anckaitis said
Moody’s just gave us an A1 rating. Anckaitis
reviewed the account balances for any future Greenwood Avenue bills and said he just
paid over $40,000 in Pidcock bills today which leaves about $46,000 left in the
accounts for future bills until the bond is processed.
On motion by
Lammi, seconded by Smith, and agreed by all, the board authorized Township
Financial Consultant, Gary Pulcini, to proceed with the bond processing.
6. PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
AND NATURAL RESOURCES RESOLUTION FOR THE PALMER TOWNSHIP
BIKE PATH
INFORMATION
The
PA DCNR requires a signature page and resolution for the Palmer Township Bike
Path to be signed and returned prior to issuing any payment for the
project. The bike path project received
a $200,000 matching grant for construction in fall 2008 from DCNR. A copy of the fully executed agreement will
be returned to Palmer after DCNR signatures have been added. The Board needs to approve/disapprove the
resolution.
DISCUSSION
On motion by Smith, seconded
by Mitchell, and agreed by all, the Board approved the Pennsylvania DCNR
resolution related to the grant for the bike path.
7. REQUEST FOR THE
INSTALLATION OF A HANDICAP PARKING
SIGN ON CRAIGIE STREET
INFORMATION
Mr.
and Mrs. Franklin Gackenbach have requested a handicap parking sign in front of
their property at 75 Craigie
Street because of a medical condition of a
residing family member. The Traffic
Committee has reviewed their request and recommends approval of the handicap
only parking sign installation on the congested street with one condition. The Gackenbach’s should notify the township
to have the sign removed if the medically impaired family member is moved to
another facility. The Board needs to
approve/disapprove the request.
DISCUSSION
On motion by Panella, seconded
by Mitchell, and agreed by all, the Board approved the handicapped parking space
for 75 Craigie Street.
8. PUBLIC
COMMENT
Frank
Ferraina, 1 Brentwood Avenue,
said he recently read in the newspaper that Lower Nazareth wants Palmer Township
to take responsibility for the new road they put in by the Saturn Dealer. Ferraina said he believes we should be nice
to our neighbors, however we are only responsible for what is in Palmer Township
and Lower Nazareth should be responsible for
what is in their township. Colver said
there is currently a left turn lane, straight lane and right turn lane at the
traffic signal. Colver said their
concern is that an additional left turn lane will be required in the future due
to Palmer Industrial Park development. Ferraina said if it is in their jurisdiction
they should be responsible for it. Lammi
said when a development occurs in the township a traffic study is done and the
developer is responsible for the improvements that are required.
Ferraina
said he still doesn’t understand why there is a 10 foot span from curb to curb
at the intersection of Newlins
Mill Road and Van Buren.
Art
Feinberg, 4040 Green Pond Road,
said his neighbor Charlie Mattes was also in attendance with him tonight. Feinberg said behind his house, in front of the
community center, there are 20 sewer pipes, sod, stone, a 30 foot downed Christmas
Tree and dirt that has been there for 18 to 24 months. Feinberg said when there is any movement of
materials on site this becomes the dump site right behind my house. Feinberg asked for an update on when a berm and trees would be planted. Feinberg added his wife would like to know
when we will put the corn back. Colver
said the storm water and widening happened last year but because of the asphalt
costs it hindered finishing everything last year. Colver said we put money in this year’s
budget to finish the Penndot work, right of way and widening for this
year. Colver said no major plans for
ball fields or the amphitheater is in the near future. Adams said
some of that pipe will be used in the detention basin and widening of Bethman Road. Colver said we should be able to get the
trees and grading done in that area in the next month or two and get the pipe
moved out of there. Mattes said we were
looking for trees and berms to be built behind our homes. Colver said we are not planning on planting
trees in that area and then have to move them when we have the funds to do field
work behind your homes. It doesn’t make
sense to plant them and then have to dig them back up at a later date.
9. REPORTS
Manager
·
Anckaitis said we received the $50,000 gift from
the Pierce Estate for gardens at the community center. Anckaitis said he set up a meeting Wednesday
morning with Mary Gambutti from the Shade Tree Committee and a landscape architect
that has volunteered to help with the plantings. Colver thanked Bob Daws who helped us in getting
the funds for this project. Colver said Pat
Pierce was known as Peggy Lynn on WEST radio years ago and Bob Daws knew her
and was able to secure this gift.
Public
Services Director
·
Adams distributed
information to the Board regarding an upcoming detour planned for Northwood Avenue. Adams said
the developer for Lower Nazareth Commons is going to start work on Northwood Avenue
and it will start in the Middle of May for about a month.
Police
Chief
·
Fretz distributed copies of a speed report that
was done on Greenwood Avenue
where we received previous complaints about speeding. Fretz said we measured the speed on the
road. Anckaitis said the bottom line is
we average 6,000 cars a day and out of the 6,000, 197 cars went over the speed
that the police could ticket them for.
Supervisors
·
Smith said there was a request for a shed to be
added at the Palmer School Complex by the batting cages. Smith said the Athletic Association volunteered
to pay for the shed in the amount of $1,800.
Smith said the Public Works Department will put in a stone pad for the
shed.
·
Colver had one legal item for executive session.
On
motion by Mitchell, seconded by Panella, and agreed by all, the meeting was
adjourned at 8:10 p.m. with one legal item for executive session.
Respectfully
submitted,
Robert G. Anckaitis
Township Manager