Duly advertised in The Pottstown Mercury and posted at www.schuylkilltwp.com and www.phoenixvillepatch.com
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Barbara Cohen, Chair, Norman Vutz, Vice Chair, Jim Morrisson, Laurie Williams. Fred Parry, Treasurer, was absent.
Also present: Mary Bird-Township Manager, Madeline Harbison-Township Secretary
Mr. Sean Dempsey, Member-Zoning Hearing Board, Mrs. Sandy Momyer, Chair-Historical Commission and Mr. Robert Mauch, Chair-Open Space Commission, attended the meeting. Five (5) residents were present in the audience.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mrs. Cohen at 7:30 p.m.
Budget Workshop
Mrs. Cohen advised her fellow Board members and the audience that tonight’s budget workshop would be a review of the draft 2012 General Fund disbursements budget as well as addressing other
business brought before the Board.
Mr. Brian Wilchusky, 280 Shelbourne Lane, was recognized by the Chair. Mr. Wilchusky stated that he had done a comparison of Schuylkill Township’s and East Pikeland’s 2011 budgets and questioned the Board on why, even though the size, population and road miles of the township were about the same, Schuylkill’s budget was more than twice that of East Pikeland. Mrs. Bird responded that the two municipalities had very different demographics (i.e., commercial v. residential; number of schools, housing developments, etc.) and types, level and delivery of services are affected by these differences.
Mr. Kevin Handforth, 344 Drummers Lane, suggested that the township set up a “rainy day” fund in addition to the capital funds already in place. The Board directed the Township Manager to review this suggestion with the Treasurer, Mr. Parry, for implementation in the 2012 fiscal year.
The 2012 disbursement budget was reviewed.
01.408.3111-Trail Development- $25,000.00, Mrs. Williams moved to zero out budget line item 01.408.311. Mr. Vutz seconded. Mr. Vutz said that, in his opinion, the township should re-evaluate its active role in the trail building business and go back to basics. Mrs. Cohen disagreed, stating that studies have shown that trails improve the quality of life within a community. The motion did not pass, 2-2-0.
On motion by Mrs. Cohen, seconded by Mr. Morrisson and passed, with Mrs. Williams dissenting, budget line item 01.408.3111, Trail Development, was reduced to $12,500.00.
01.409.3755-New Signage for Municipal Complex - $5,000.00. Mr. Vutz moved to reduce budget line item 01.409.3755 to $1,000.00. Mrs. Williams seconded. The motion did not pass, 2-2-0. The Board requested that Mrs. Cohen, in her role as Building & Grounds liaison, investigate obtaining lower cost signage.
01.409.3770 & 3780 – Generators Municipal Bldg & Roads Dept. Mr. Vutz questioned whether the expenditure was needed at this time. Discussion on this budget line item was tabled until additional information on actual generator cost, capability and installation expense is obtained by the Township Manager.
01.420.5430-Historic Preservation - $8,000.00. On motion by Mrs. Williams, seconded by Mr. Morrisson and passed, budget line item 01.420.5430 was reduced to $5,000.00.
01.420.5433-Historical Commission-Valley Park Pavilion - $20,000.00 and 01.420.5480-Historic Schuylkill School Commemoration - $35,000.00.
Ms. Fran Coghlan, 111 Trotters Drive, Mr. Sean Dempsey, 115 Diamond Rock Road and Mr. Wilchusky questioned the expenditure of these amounts for what they perceive as non-essential projects. Discussion ensued with Mrs. Momyer of the Historic Commission regarding the importance of preserving pieces of the township’s past and the alternatives under consideration for the adaptive re-use of the Valley Park Pavilion. Mr. Dempsey suggested that a phased approach to these projects be implemented. Mrs. Momyer explained that the Pavilion work was being done in phases; Phase I, stabilization stonework, in 2011; Phase II, installation of a new roof, in 2012 and Phase III, interior reconstruction, at a future date. Mrs. Cohen noted that the roof work for the pavilion should not be delayed, and that the township needed to fulfill its prior commitment with the Phoenixville Area School District, and therefore both projects needed to be in the 2012 budget.
On motion by Mrs. Cohen, seconded by Mr. Morrisson and passed, with Mrs. Williams dissenting, budget line items 01.420.5433 and 01.420.5480 were maintained at their present amounts of $20,000.00 and $35,000.00, respectively.
01.426.2200-Capital Purchase Recycling Equipment - $20,000.00. Mr. Vutz moved to reduce this budget line item to zero. The motion died for lack of a second.
Other Business
General Obligation Note Ordinance
Motion: On motion by Mr. Morrisson, seconded by Mrs. Cohen and passed, the Board approved the advertising of an Ordinance to authorize the issuance of a General Obligation Note in an amount of not to exceed two million seven hundred thousand dollars ($2,700,000.00) to finance Schuylkill Township’s Open Space initiative.
Delinquent Tax Exoneration
Motion: On motion by Mr. Vutz, seconded by Mr. Morrisson and passed, the Board approved the exoneration of a total of fifty-one dollars and seventeen cents ($51.17) for the tax years 2008 through 2010 for parcel number 27-5H-45-45T for delinquent taxes which are uncollectable by the Chester County Tax Claim Bureau due to the mobile home being removed from the aforementioned tax parcel.
Chester County SPCA 2012 Animal Control Contract
Motion: On motion by Mrs. Williams, seconded by Mrs. Cohen and passed, the Board voted to accept the Chester County SPCA Full Animal Control and Stray Boarding Services for calendar year 2012 in the amount of one thousand four hundred fifty-five dollars ($1,455.00).
Police Department Car Purchase
Motion: On motion by Mr. Morrisson seconded by Mr. Vutz and passed, with Mrs. Williams dissenting, the Board authorized the purchase of a 2011 Ford Crown Victoria to replace the current police vehicle designated as Car No. 2 for about twenty thousand two hundred eighty dollars ($20,280.00) per the written request submitted by the Chief of Police.
Mrs. Bird informed the Board that a new police vehicle had been budgeted for fiscal year 2011 but had not yet been purchased.
There being no further business for discussion, on motion by Mr. Vutz, seconded by Mrs. Williams and passed, the meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m.
Next Board of Supervisors’ Meeting:
Regular Business Meeting: November 2, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Madeline M. Harbison
Township Secretary