Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes
Board of Commissioners Meeting - December 12, 2002

The stated meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Abington was held on Thursday, December 12, 2002 at the Township Administration Building, Abington, PA., with Commissioner Barbara C. Ferrara presiding.

CALL TO ORDER: 8:10 p.m.

ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners AGOSTINE, WACHTER,

LUKER, TURCO, ZAPPONE, RING, GROSS,

O’CONNOR, CARLIN, MYERS, MCGRATH,

DEVORE, GILLESPIE, KRETSCHMAN, FERRARA

Township Manager CONWAY

Assistant Township Manager LAHAZA

Township Solicitor HERDER

Chief of Police KELLY

Treasurer SOLOMON

Township Engineer POWERS

Director of Finance MATIZA

Director of Public Works MICCIOLO

Director of Code Enforcement MATTEO

Director of Parks and Recreation WENDELL

Superintendent of W.W.T.P. LEBER

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

COMMENDATIONS:

Chief Kelly stated on October 20, 2002, Willow Grove NAACP had their annual banquet and Linda Miller and Ken Carmichael were presented with Community Service Awards. Commissioners Gillespie and Kretschman presented Linda Miller with a commendation in recognition for her community service as a volunteer for the Police Athletic League (PAL).

Commissioners Luker and Myers presented Ken Carmichael a commendation in recognition for his community service and volunteer work with PAL.

Detective Kenneth Stein has received the Montgomery County FOP Pistol Award and Commissioner Ferrara presented a commendation to him in recognition of his outstanding shooting ability and accomplishment.

Commissioner Gillespie stated the Glenside Elementary School has a Halloween Safety Program each year for the children to have a safe place to celebrate. Commissioners

Board of Commissioners Meeting December 12, 2002

Myers, Kretschman, and himself presented certificates of commendations in recognition to those volunteers who made the program possible.

MINUTES:

Commissioner Kretschman made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to approve the minutes of the November 14, 2002 meeting.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

Commissioner Kretschman announced an Executive Session was held this evening to discuss legal matters.

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE:

WWTP Optimization Program - Phase II - Funding Authorization

Commissioner Gross made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Agostine to authorize Black & Veatch Engineers to perform an Optimization Program Study in the amount of $38,400, to be funded from Account #02-10-200-5305.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

WWTP Air Main Replacement - Emergency Construction Authorization

Commissioner Gross made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to contract with Eastern Environment Contractors for the emergency replacement of the first stage air main at a cost of $106,240, to be funded from 2002 funds budgeted in Account #02-10-200-5320.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

GIS Sewer Layer - Engineering Allocation Authorization

Commissioner Gross made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to authorize CET Engineers to locate manholes and provide GIS data mapping and attributing of a sewer system layer to the Township’s GIS system at a cost not to exceed $31,035, to be funded from Unallocated Sewer Fund Retained Earnings.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

Recycling Agreement with Rockledge Borough

Board of Commissioner Meeting December 12, 2002

Commissioner Gross made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to enter into an agreement with Rockledge Borough for collection and disposal of their recyclable materials.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

Recycling Agreement with Jenkintown Borough

Commissioner Gross made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to enter into an agreement with Jenkintown Borough for collection and disposal of their recyclable materials.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

Easton Rd. Construction Costs - Contingency Fund Authorization

Commissioner Gross made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to authorize the expenditure of $5,639.26 from Contingency Acct.#01-01-002-5299 for final payment of costs in association with the Easton Road construction project.

MOTION was ADOTED 15-0.

Public Hearing - Ordinances #1885 and #1886 Acorn Lane Sanitary Sewer District

Commissioner Ferrara opened the Public Hearing at 8:25 p.m. She asked for comments from the Commissioners. There were none.

Commissioner Ferrara asked for comments in favor of the Ordinance. There were none.

Commissioner Ferrara asked for comments in disfavor of the Ordinance. There were none.

Commissioner Ferrara made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Gross to close the Public Hearing.

MOTION was PASSED 15-0. The Hearing was closed at 8:26 p.m.

Commissioner Ferrara made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Gross to adopt Ordinance #1885, establishing the Acorn Lane Sanitary Sewer District, and Ordinance #1886, providing for the construction and assessment of these sewers.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

Ordinance 1885

Ordinance 1886

Comissioner Gross commended the Public Works Dept. for the excellent job they did of keeping the roads open during the snowfall on December 5, 2002.

CODE ENFORCEMENT AND LAND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE:

Meadowbrook Bird Sanctuary - Volunteer Beautification Project

Commissioner Agostine made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to approve the concept to enhance the Revelation Road Triangle with trees, flowers, benches, wood chip paths, bird feeders, fencing and a notification sign. Entire project cost will be the responsibility of the volunteers. Property is owned by the Township and is bound by Revelation Road, Meadowbrook Road and Washington Lane.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE:

Bid Award - Mobile Data Terminal Modems and Antennas

Commissioner Myers made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner McGrath to award the contract for Mobile Data Terminal Modems and Antennas to the lowest responsible bidder, Response Computer Service of Pittsburgh, in the amount of $20,960.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

Commissioner Gross commented the three-way stop sign at Washington Lane and Susquehanna Road seems to be working well.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE:

THE COMMITTEE HAD NO BUSINESS AT THIS TIME.

FINANCE COMMITTEE:

Treasurer’s Report:

Treasurer Max M. Solomon stated for November 2002, $683,001 was deposited into Fleet Bank, YTD $14,166,660. We collected $110,418 in Real Estate Taxes, YTD $19,184,505. We collected $25,000 in our Amnesty Program. We had a tax case in which our Solicitor rendered a superb decision and saved the Township a lot of money.

Investments

Commissioner Luker made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to approve the investments for the month of October, 2002 as previously circulated to the Board. It was noted that investments for the month totaled $355,000. Interest rates ranged from 2.88% to 5.00%.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

Expenditures/Salaries and Wages

Motion to:

Approve the October, 2002 expenditures as previously circulated to the Board, in the amount of $2,387,821.98 and salaries and wages in the amount of $1,151,206.21.

Authorize the proper officials to sign vouchers in payment of bills and contracts as they mature for the month of January, 2003.

Roll Call resulted in the MOTION being PASSED 15-0.

Training and Conference Expenses

Commissioner Luker made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to approve the Advance and Travel Expense activity for October, 2002 as previously circulated to the Board. Advances and Travel Expense Reports were $495 and $8,477.31, respectively. Ten (10) month YTD expenses total $34,530.91.

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 October, 2002 as previously circulated to the Board.

Petty Cash balances were approved as per Finance Committee Report.

Clearing Fund receipts and disbursements for the month of October, 2002 were $.54 and ($3.77), respectively.

Deferred Revenue/expense receipts and disbursements for the month of October, 2002 were $416,510.31 and ($408,934.91), respectively.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

Budget Transfer Authorization

Commissioner Luker made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to authorize the budget transfers for the year 2002.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

Unallocated Fund Balance Expenditure - Permanent Improvement Fund

Commissioner Luker made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Ring to authorize an expenditure from Unallocated Permanent Improvement Fund balance (Account #07-00-000-5999) in the amount of $46,842 to be distributed equally among the five Volunteer Fire Companies serving Abington Township.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE:

Commissioner Ferrara made a MOTION, seconded by Commissioner Turco to authorize approval of a new four-year contractual agreement with the Abington Per Diem Union for the period 2003-2006.

MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0.

REMARKS FROM COMMISSIONERS:

Commissioner Agostine thanked the Public Works Committee for doing a good job removing the snow.

Commissioner Wachter wished everyone a Happy Holiday and Happy New Year and commented he had several complaints about residents putting out their leaves to be collected too early in the season.

Commissioner Ferrara agreed that is a problem and suggested putting something in the Greystone Cottage about the early collection of leaves.

Commissioner Luker thanked the staff for everything they have done for the Commissioners for the past year.

Commissioner Turco wished everyone a Happy Holiday.

Commissioner Gross thanked his fellow Board members for another successful year of working well together.

Commissioner Gillespie asked Mr. Micciolo if he will extend the leaf pick-up because of the snow.

Mr. Micciolo replied yes.

Commissioner DeVore thanked the Board and the staff for a great job this past year.

Commissioner McGrath thanked Solicitor Herder for the Poinsettias.

Commissioner Carlin thanked Chief Kelly, Mr. Conway, Mr. Powers, Ms. Matiza, and Mr. Micciolo for giving presentations at our Ward 15 Town Meeting.

Commissioner Kretschman announced he and his wife will be having a second child.

Commissioner Ferrara thanked the staff for a great job and wished everyone a Happy Holiday.

ADJOURNMENT: 8:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Burton T. Conway, Secretary

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