Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes
Board of Commissioners Meeting - August 9, 2001

The stated meeting of the Board of Commissioners of Abington Township was held on Thursday, August 9, 2001, at the Township Administration Building, Abington, Pennsylvania, with President Barbara C. Ferrara presiding.

CALL TO ORDER: 8:01 P.M.

ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners AGOSTINE, WACHTER, GROSS,

CARLIN, ZAPPONE, DeVORE, O’CONNOR, MYERS,

GILLESPIE, KRETSCHMAN, FERRARA, LUKER, McGRATH

TURCO, RING

Township Manager CONWAY

Assistant Township Manager LAHAZA

Township Solicitor HERDER

Deputy Chief of Police LIVINGOOD

Treasurer SOLOMON

Township Engineer POWERS

Assistant Finance Officer MATIZA

Director of Public Works MICCIOLO

Director of Parks and Recreation WENDELL

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

MINUTES

Commissioner Turco made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner McGrath, to approve the minutes of the July 12, 2001 Board of Commissioners Meeting.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

COMMENDATIONS

Commissioner Wachter presented a commendation to Nancy Hammeke for Eltrut the Library turtle. Eltrut has been at the Library 30 years. She will now be retiring to Briar Bush.

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE

Ordinance #1863 – Establishment of Rydal II Sewer District & Ordinance #1864 – Construction and Assessment of Sewers

Commissioner Kretschman made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Turco to advertise Ordinance #1863, establishing the Rydal II Sewer District, and Ordinance #1864, providing for the construction and assessment of Sanitary Sewers for homes listed on Exhibit A, and to set a Public Hearing for September 13.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

Ordnance #1865 – Establishment of Meetinghouse Road Sewer District & Ordinance #1866 – Construction and Assessment of Sewers

Commissioner Kretschman made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Turco to advertise Ordinance #1865, establishing the Meetinghouse Road Sewer District, and Ordinance #1866, providing for the construction and assessment of sanitary sewers for homes listed on Exhibit A, and to set a Public Hearing for September 13.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

Ordinance #1867 – Establishment of Edge Hill Road Sewer District & Ordinance #1868 – Construction and Assessment of Sewers

Commissioner Kretschman made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Turco to advertise Ordinance #1867, establishing the Edge Hill Road Sewer District, and Ordinance #1868, providing for the construction and assessment of sanitary sewers for homes listed on Exhibit A, and to set a Public Hearing for September 13.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

Bid Award – Reroofing of Refuse Building

Commissioner Kretschman made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Turco to enter into a contract with Cronin & Sons Roofing and Sheet Metal, in the amount of $15,795, for the re-roofing of the Refuse Building as per bid specifications. $15,000 to come from Account #07-13-575-7306 and $795 from #01-12-100-5322.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

Resolution #01-016 – PennDOT Traffic Signal Maintenance

Commissioner Kretschman made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner McGrath to adopt Resolution #01-016 authorizing the proper officers to execute an agreement with PennDOT for Traffic Signal and Fiber Optic Wire Maintenance on Limekiln Pike between Mt. Camel and Willow Grove Avenues.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

Resolution #01-017 – PennDot Supplemental Agreement for Snow and Ice Removal

Commissioner Kretschman made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Turco to adopt Resolution #01-017 authorizing the proper officers to execute a supplemental agreement with PennDOT for 2001-2002 snow and ice removal.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

Flood Damage Expenses – Tropical Storm Allison

Commissioner Kretschman made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Turco to authorize expenditures of $41,837.86 from the 2001 Contingency Account #01-01-02-

5299 for expenses related to repairs in five locations as a result of flood damage on June 16, 2001.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

Commissioner DeVore stated that the just compensation for the small piece of land behind each house along the creek needed to widen Baeder Creek has been set at $200. He would like to see all 32 properties – which would include the four properties that were condemned – receive that.

Commissioner Kretschman stated that the three or four homeowners on Stewart Avenue got nothing in a similar occurrence, and he would like that revisited. Commissioner Carlin said that he had one house in the same circumstances.

Solicitor Herder stated that the four people who did not agree to the taking by the Township could refuse to accept $200 and demand a Board of View.

Commissioner DeVore made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Gross, to pay each of the 32 owners whose properties on Baeder Creek were condemned for creek widening $200 for the pieces of their properties.

Commissioner Wachter stated that the Board did not have ample time to consider $200 for the taking of the land to widen Baeder Creek. He made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Turco, to TABLE the MOTION.

Commissioner DeVore stated that we need to move ahead on this, as we only heard this dollar value today, but we need to start removing trees next week.

The MOTION to TABLE was defeated.

MOTION was ADOPTED

Public Disaster Assistance Program

Commissioner Kretschman made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Turco to authorize the Administration to apply for Public Assistance funding related to Tropical Storm Allison and to designate Burton T. Conway, Township Manager, as the Township’s agent.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

Old York Road Phase III Revitalization

Commissioner Kretschman made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Turco to authorize the proper Township officials to contract with McCarthy Masonry & Concrete for development of Old York Road Phase III revitalization improvements in an amount not to exceed $287,859.62. Funds to be drawn from economic development Accounts #07-01-502-7000 and #07-01-502-7300.

Surface Milling of Streets

Commissioner Kretschman made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner McGrath to amend addendum #4 of the contract with N. Abbonizio, Inc. to include and additional 25,000 cubic yards of milling on Patane Avenue, Pershing Avenue and a small area of Woodland Road, with $25,000 to be funded from Unallocated Fund Balance.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

CODE ENFORCEMENT AND LAND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

The committee had no business at this time.

PUBLIC SAFETY

The committee had no business at this time.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Hillside Condemnation

Commissioner Wachter made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Agostine to authorize an expenditure not to exceed $32,575 from Contingency Account #01-01-002-5299 for completed and ongoing appraisal work for Hillside litigation.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

Commissioner Kretschman asked for the total amount of all legal fees.

Tom Conway stated the property alone was $2.6 million, 90% of which was County Open Space money. $141,301 is our costs since, plus a couple of Thousand dollars for appraisals at the beginning.

AUDIT COMMITTEE

Commissioner Luker called on Township Treasurer Max Solomon for Treasurer’s report.

Max Solomon gave his report for the month of July 2001.

Investments

Commissioner Luker made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to approve the investments for the month of June 2001 as previously circulated to the Board. It was noted that investments for the month totaled $1,486.000. Interest rates ranged from 4.20% to 6.77%.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

Expenditures/ Salaries and Wages

Commissioner Luker made a MOTION, seconded Commissioner Ring to: (A) Approve the June 2001 expenditures as previously circulated to the Board, in the amount of $2,002,834.22. (B) Authorize the proper officials to sign vouchers in payment of bills and contracts as they mature for the month of September 2001.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

Training and Conference Expenses

Commissioner Luker made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to approve the Advance and Travel Expense activity for June 2001 as previously circulated to the Board. Advances and Travel Expense Reports were $400 and $8,999.88 respectively. Five (5) month YTD expenses total $18,425.86.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

Clearing Fund/Deferred Revenue and Expense/Petty Cash

Commissioner Luker made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to approve the Clearing Fund, deferred revenue/expense activity and petty cash balances for the month of June 2001 as previously circulated to the Board.

Petty Cash balances were approved as per Audit Committee Report.

Clearing Fund receipts and disbursements for the month of June 2001 were $2.57 and ($0.00), respectively.

Deferred Revenue/Expense receipts and disbursements for the month of June 2001 were $1,199.15 and ($10,656.14), respectively.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

2000 Financial Statements and Management Letter

Commissioner Luker made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to accept the December 31, 2000 Township of Audited Financial Statements and Management Letter as presented by the Township auditors, Bee, Bergvall & Company, P.C.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

2000 Single Audit Report

Commissioner Luker made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to accept the December 31, 2000 Township of Abington Single Audit Report as presented by the Township auditors, Bee, Bergvall & Company, P.C.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0

COMMENTS

Jeanette Smalls, 2444 Independence Ave., stated she’s very unhappy with the number of children who attend the Crestmont pool without supervision. She feels there should be a policy instituted regarding the age limit for children to attend the pool without supervision. She stated she has circulated a petition regarding this matter. Mrs. Smalls said the lifeguards working there are tremendous but they can’t do their job and mind young children at the same time.

Doug Wendell stated he has spoken to Mrs. Smalls at length and feels her concerns are valid.

Commissioner Ferrara suggested this issue be discussed at next month’s Public Affairs Committee meeting. She also agreed a policy should be instituted.

Commissioner McGrath asked Mrs. Smalls if she had gathered signatures and if so could she see them.

Jose Gonzalez, Maple Ave., presented pictures to the committee and spoke regarding the berm not being clean. He said children play there and it’s truly an accident waiting to happen. He wants the area cleaned out and he also would like to see maintenance records for the berm. Mr. Gonzalez stated he asked for the records two months ago and hasn’t received any information yet. He also wants to see a copy of the permit that was issued to have berm built.

Mr. Powers stated that he gave Mr.Gonzalez all the paperwork he asked for. Also, he has looked at the pipe every week since the flood.

Commissioner Turco stated bids are awarded when this type of work is needed. This is our permit process.

Commissioner Kretschman spoke on bidding process to help Mr. Gonzalez understand the process.

COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS

Commissioner Wachter thanked Mrs. Smalls for coming out and expressing her concern. He also feels this is a very serious matter. He asks to put on the Public Affairs agenda for next month.

Commissioner Gillespie questioned Rex Herder about the condemnation and he also wanted to know if the sidewalks will be paved before school starts.

Rex stated he’s trying to have this matter resolved.

Commissioner Myers stated Pre-Night Out was a success and she thanked everyone involved. She also thanked Mike Powers for going out to area in her ward with her and for helping to address the concerns of the residents.

ADJOURNMENT 9:02

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