Board of Supervisors Agenda

MINUTES
Upper Saucon Township Board of Supervisors
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 - 6:00 p.m.
Township Municipal Building

Members Present:
Miro A. Gutzmirtl, Chairman
Stephen C. Wagner, Vice Chairman
Joyce V. White
Joseph M. Horvath
John E. Gilda, Jr.

Staff Attending:
Thomas F. Beil, Township Manager
Robert E. Kassel, Jr., Asst. Township Manager
Jeffrey Dimmich, Township Solicitor
Dennis Harman, P.E., Township Engineer

CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Gutzmirtl called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Upper Saucon Township Municipal Building, 5500 Camp Meeting Road, Upper Saucon Township, Lehigh County, PA.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Chairman Gutzmirtl asked all in attendance to stand and recite the “Pledge of Allegiance.”

PUBLIC COMMENT
None

CHAIRMAN’S REMARKS
Chairman Gutzmirtl mentioned that the Park and Recreation Commission recently held their reorganization meeting at which time they elected a new Chairperson and Vice Chairperson for the year 2008.  He thanked the prior Chairperson, Mary Rockel, for chairing the Commission for the past few years.

PRESENTATIONS
Upper Saucon Township Fire Chief, Chuck Castetter and Tom Flanagan of Volunteer Financial Services – New Aerial Fire Truck
Chief Castetter gave a presentation to the Board regarding possible changes to the equipment replacement program. Between recent donations and changes to replacement recommendations because of the increase in commercial development, the fire department was requesting to replace the current aerial truck with a new aerial truck. The new aerial truck would not only eliminate the need to replace the tele-squirt truck, which would save the Township money, but it would also provide the appropriate ladder reach for commercial building heights.

Mr. Flanagan, the financial advisor to the fire department, explained to the Board the changes made to the replacement program over the past three years, the changes in contribution amounts from the initial presentation three years ago to the present, and the funds available to assist in the purchase through the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

Supervisors, Mr. Beil, Attorney Dimmich, Chief Castetter, and Mr. Flanagan then discussed how the truck would be titled, the contributions made to the fire department by the Township the prior year, and the contributions budgeted for 2008.

Mr. Gilda asked how it was determined what equipment was needed to provide adequate service to a municipality.

Chief Castetter outlined the fire department’s method for determining necessary equipment and some of the various elements that had to be considered.

Mr. Beil said the funds for the sale of the current aerial truck would be needed to purchase the new aerial truck.
 
Chairman Gutzmirtl asked if there was any way to find out the value of the old aerial truck.

Mr. Beil responded there was no way that he knew of to gauge the value.  

There were no comments from the public.

Fire Department’s Revised Equipment Replacement Program
A motion was made by Mrs. White and seconded by Mr. Horvath to approve the Fire Department’s Revised Equipment Replacement Program dated January 17, 2008, which calls for the purchase of a new aerial fire truck in the year 2008.

The vote was taken by roll call, and the results were as follows:

Chairman Gutzmirtl: Yes
Mr. Wagner: Yes
Mr. Gilda: Yes
Mr. Horvath: Yes
Mrs. White: Yes

The motion carried by a vote of 5 to 0.

Sale of the 1991 Aerial Fire Truck
A motion was made by Mr. Horvath and seconded by Mr. Wagner to authorize the Township Manager to solicit bids for the sale of the 1991 aerial fire truck.

The vote was taken by roll call, and the results were as follows:

Chairman Gutzmirtl: Yes
Mr. Wagner: Yes
Mr. Gilda: Yes
Mr. Horvath: Yes
Mrs. White: Yes

The motion carried by a vote of 5 to 0.

2008 Contribution to the Upper Saucon Township Volunteer Fire Department
A motion was made by Mr. Wagner and seconded by Mrs. White to approve a $243,500.00 contribution to the Upper Saucon Township Volunteer Fire Department for the year 2008 to fund the Revised Equipment Replacement Program, which includes the purchase of a new aerial fire truck.

The vote was taken by roll call, and the results were as follows:

Chairman Gutzmirtl: Yes
Mr. Wagner: Yes
Mr. Gilda: Yes
Mr. Horvath: Yes
Mrs. White: Yes

The motion carried by a vote of 5 to 0.

PUBLIC HEARINGS
None

SUBDIVISIONS AND LAND DEVELOPMENTS
None

MINUTES
Regular Meeting of September 10, 2007
A motion was made by Mrs. White and seconded by Mr. Horvath to approve the minutes of the September 10, 2007 regular meeting of the Upper Saucon Township Board of Supervisors.

The motion carried by a vote of 4 to 0 with 1 abstention. Mr. Gilda abstained because he was not a member of the Board when the meeting took place.

Regular Meeting of October 8, 2007
A motion was made by Mr. Horvath and seconded by Mrs. White to approve the minutes of the October 8, 2007 regular meeting of the Upper Saucon Township Board of Supervisors.

The motion carried by a vote of 4 to 0 with 1 abstention.  Mr. Gilda abstained because he was not a member of the Board when the meeting took place.

Regular Meeting of October 23, 2007
A motion was made by Mrs. White and seconded by Mr. Horvath to approve the minutes of the October 23, 2007 regular meeting of the Upper Saucon Township Board of Supervisors.

The motion carried by a vote of 4 to 0 with 1 abstention.  Mr. Gilda abstained because he was not a member of the Board when the meeting took place.

COMMITTEE REPORTS
There were no Committee reports to review, but Chairman Gutzmirtl told his fellow Board members about the Park and Recreation Commission meeting he attended the prior week. He said not only was the content of the meeting uplifting, but there were a lot of ideas that were beginning to flourish. He added the Commission was effectively moving forward with implementing the Comprehensive Recreation and Open Space Plan.

Mr. Wagner believed the Commission had expressed a desire for more interaction and communication between them and the Board. He suggested a joint meeting of the Board of Supervisors, Park and Recreation Commission, and the Environmental Advisory Council be arranged.

ORDINANCES
None

RESOLUTIONS
None

MOTIONS
Release of Funds – Penn’s View South – Certification No. 1
A motion was made by Mr. Horvath and seconded by Mrs. White to authorize the release of construction security in the amount of $101,123.55 for the Penn’s View South Subdivision in accordance with the Township Engineer’s recommendation made by a letter dated January 10, 2008.

The motion carried by a vote of 5 to 0.

Award Bid for Water Meters and Appurtenances
A motion was made by Mr. Horvath and seconded by Mrs. White to award the bid for water meters and appurtenances to Aqua Pro in the amount of $138,379.00.

The motion carried by a vote of 4 to 1 with Mr. Wagner voting “no.”
Award Bids for Colonial Crest Water Supply Facility Upgrades

Award Bid for Mechanical Contract
A motion was made by Mr. Wagner and seconded by Mrs. White to award the bid for the Mechanical Contract for the Colonial Crest Water Supply Facility Upgrades Project to C & T Associates, Inc., in the amount of $439,917.00 conditioned upon the receipt of acceptable Performance and Payment Bonds and evidence of the required insurance coverage.

The motion carried by a vote of 5 to 0.

Award Bid for Electrical Contract
A motion was made by Mrs. White and seconded by Mr. Horvath to award the bid for the Electrical Contract for the Colonial Crest Water Supply Facility Upgrades Project to Barry J. Hoffman Company in the amount of $236,000.00 conditioned upon receipt of acceptable Performance and Payment Bonds and evidence of the required insurance coverage.

Mr. Wagner asked about the number of bids received and an estimate for the total cost of the project.

Mr. Harman responded three bids were received that were all close in price and the total estimated cost of the project was $800,000.00. He then offered to provide Mr. Wagner with a copy of the project breakdown.
           
The motion carried by a vote of 5 to 0.

Appointment of Alternate Township Engineer
A motion was made by Mr. Wagner and seconded by Mrs. White to appoint C. Robert Wynn Associates, Inc., as the Alternate Township Engineer to serve at the pleasure of the Board and to compensate the Alternate Township Engineer for services rendered according to the rate schedule set forth in Mr. Wynn’s letter dated December 12, 2007.

The motion carried by a vote of 5 to 0.

CORRESPONDENCE AND INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
None

DIRECTION / DISCUSSION ITEMS
None

BILLS, PAYROLLS, AND COMMISSIONS
Prepaid Invoice List #01222008 dated 01/18/2008………$93,290.27
Warrant List #01222008 dated 01/18/2008………………$642,946.66

A motion was made by Mrs. White and seconded by Mr. Horvath to authorize payment of the Prepaid Invoice List and Warrant List #01222008 dated 01/18/2008.

Mrs. White drew the Board’s attention to the unusually large invoice from Keystone Copying.

Mr. Beil explained the invoice was for copies requested by McGrath Homes in connection with the pending litigation against the Township. The Township, he said, had already received reimbursement for the cost.

ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
None

COURTESY OF THE FLOOR
Leonard McKittrick - 4145 Cumorah Avenue – Mr. McKittrick wanted to know how the money from the sale of the old fire truck would be allocated.

Mr. Beil replied the actual amount that would be obtained from the sale was still unknown, but it would be the Board’s decision as to what to do with the money.

There was a brief discussion involving Mr. McKittrick, Mr. Beil, and Attorney Dimmich regarding funds for the installation of fire hydrants, the Local Services Tax and what organizations it benefits, and the concept of a hydrant tax, which would tax the properties benefiting from a fire hydrant.

Mr. McKittrick asked who was in charge of supervising Mr. Castetter.

Mr. Beil said Mr. Castetter serves in two capacities; one as the Township’s Fire Inspector and the other as its Fire Chief. As Fire Inspector, he reports to the Director of Community Development, and as Fire Chief, he reports to the Township Manager.

EXECUTIVE SESSION
None

ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Mrs. White and seconded by Mr. Wagner to adjourn the meeting.

The motion carried unanimously at 7:06 p.m.

                                                                       
Secretary