The Schuylkill Township Board of Supervisors held a joint meeting with a member of the Township Open Space Commission and Charlestown Township representatives to discuss possible joint land acquisition on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting was duly advertised in The Phoenix. The meeting was held at the Township hall. Members of the Board present were Mr. Vutz, Mrs. Cohen, Mr. Morrisson and Mrs. Williams. Mr. Vutz chaired the meeting. Mr. Cooney represented the Open Space Commission. Mr. Sugarman the Township Solicitor, was also present.
Charlestown Township representatives present were Mr. Kuhn, Mr. Hogan, Mr. Rodgers and Mr. Willig of the Board of Supervisors. Also attending were Mr. McErlane, the Township Solicitor, and Ms. Aliena Gerhard, Open Space Consultant for the Township.
Mr. Vutz announced that the Boards, commission members and solicitors present were going into executive session. Upon their return it was noted that land acquisition matters were discussed.
There being no further business for the joint meeting, the executive session concluded at 9:30 p.m.
The Schuylkill Township Board of Supervisors continued the public portion of the meeting.
A motion was made by Mrs. Williams and seconded by Mrs. Cohen that the Township not discuss the context of the executive session meeting beyond the Board of Supervisors and those present in the room to honor Charlestown Township’s request to keep the matters confidential. On a 2-2 vote with Mr. Vutz and Mr. Morrisson dissenting, the motion did not pass.
Mr. Cooney stated that the OSC already knows about the matter. He advised that he does not like Charlestown Township stating that the Schuylkill Township OSC cannot review it. Mr. Cooney also pointed out that with Charlestown using this property as a “poster child” to generate a favorable outcome on a referendum in April makes the confidentiality of the matter moot.
A motion was made by Mrs. Williams and seconded by Mrs. Cohen that the land acquisition matter not go to the OSC until their March 31 meeting and there be no discussion before that meeting outside of the meeting this evening. On a 2 – 2 vote with Mr. Vutz and Mr. Morrisson dissenting, the motion did not pass.
On motion by Mrs. Cohen, seconded by Mrs. Williams, and passed, the Board authorized the OSC to review the matter at their March 31 meeting and for Mr. Cooney to share information from this evening with Mr. McAvoy, an OSC member, prior to the March 31 meeting.
On motion by Mrs. Cohen, seconded by Mr. Vutz, and passed, the OSC was authorized to obtain independent appraisals for an unnamed property. The property will be disclosed to the public at a public meeting at a later date.
Schuylkill School Term Sheet – Mrs. Cohen stated that the Building and Grounds Committee does not want to be named additional insured on the Township insurance policy but wants indemnification from the Township. Mr. Vutz stated that he is unimpressed with the inflexibility of the PASD.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary R. Bird
Township Manager