LOWER MILFORD TOWNSHIP of LEHIGH

LOWER MILFORD TOWNSHIP of LEHIGH COUNTY

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

ORGANIZATION MEETING

Thursday, January 2, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.

MINUTES

MOTION was made by Wright to appoint Harris as temporary Chair of the Organization Meeting. Schantz seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Wright to appoint Koplin as temporary Secretary of the Organization Meeting. Harris seconded the motion. Unanimous

Temporary Chairman Richard Harris called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. Present were Supervisors Arland Schantz and Donna Wright. Also present were Township Solicitor Emil Kantra, Township Manager Ellen Koplin, Treasurer Maureen Kinney, Public Works Director Richard Kinsey, Police Chief John Dondero and approximately 20 others.

The Pledge of Allegiance was said by all.

Citizen comments were accepted throughout the meeting.

MOTION was made by Schantz to appoint Richard Harris as Chair of the Board of Supervisors. Wright seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Wright to appoint Arland Schantz as Vice-Chair of the Board of Supervisors. Harris seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Wright to appoint Ellen Koplin as Township Secretary. Schantz seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Schantz to appoint Maureen Kinney as Township Treasurer. Wright seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Schantz to establish a Treasurer’s Bond for $600,000 for 2007. Wright seconded the motion.

It was confirmed that this would be filed with the Board of Auditors. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Wright to appoint Emil Kantra as Township Solicitor for 2007. Schantz seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Wright to appoint Emil Kantra as Planning Commission Solicitor for 2007. Harris seconded the motion.

Schantz thought it would be more prudent to have a separate solicitor for the Planning Commission.

Unanimous

MOTION was made by Schantz to authorize the Supervisors to work on Township roads. Wright seconded the motion.

Harris stated it would have to work in agreement with the Union Contract.Unanimous

MOTION was made by Wright to set the Board of Supervisors Workshop meetings for the Wednesday following the first Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. Schantz seconded the motion.

The Workshop will keep the same format and only pressing or date sensitive issues will be voted upon.

Unanimous

MOTION was made by Schantz to continue meeting the third Thursday of the month at 7:30 pm. Wright seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Schantz to authorize the advertisement of the Board of Supervisors meetings. Wright seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Harris to designate Wright as delegate to the annual PSATS Convention in Hershey, PA. Schantz seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Wright to appoint Cowan Associates as Township Engineer. Harris seconded the motion. Vote: 2 Aye, 1 Nay. Motion Carried

MOTION was made by Schantz to appoint Keystone Engineers as alternate engineer. Harris seconded the motion. Vote: 2 Aye, 1 Nay. Motion Carried

MOTION was made by Wright to appoint Cowan Associates as Building Code Official and Building Inspector to enforce the PA Uniform Construction Code. Schantz seconded the motion.

Unanimous

MOTION was made by Schantz designating Sovereign Bank as depository for Lower Milford Township for 2007. Wright seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Wright to appoint John Kortvely, Linda Kortvely and Guy Beiber as Township Sewage Enforcement Officers for 2007. Schantz seconded the motion.

Timothy Docherty of Chestnut Hill Church Road complained about Kortvely’s long response time or lack of returned phone calls.

Attorney Kantra suggested discussing with Kortvely his time-frames and a possible turn-around time for service performance at the February Workshop.

Elected Auditor Lance Tittle stated he thinks the township staff could compile the end of year DEP report for Sewage Enforcement. Koplin objected saying the township would have to get the information from the SEO. Other townships have the SEO fill out the forms. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Schantz to appoint Theodore Zapach to the Vacancy Board for 2007.

Schantz stated Mr. Zapach did not submit a letter of interest but indicated via phone that he was interested.

Died for lack of second.

MOTION was made by Wright to appoint William Roy to the Vacancy Board for 2007. Harris seconded the motion. Vote: 2 Aye, 1 Nay. Motion Carried

MOTION was made by Schantz to appoint Eileen Howatt and Denise Holub to the Planning Commission terms to expire on December 31, 2010. Died for lack of second.

MOTION was made by Wright to appoint Ellen Koplin to the Planning Commission term to expire on December 31, 2010. Harris seconded the motion.

Schantz objected to Koplin serving on the Planning Commission and using possible township time to do Planning Commission work. Harris noted that Koplin is a resident and eligible to serve.

Vote: 2 Aye, 1 Nay. Motion Carried

MOTION was made by Harris to appoint Michael Snovitch to the Planning Commission, term to expire on December 31, 2010. Wright seconded the motion.

Schantz and Willard Roth objected to Snovitch as did Planning Commission members Theodore Zapach, Jean Schoch, and Ann Frey. Vote: 2 Aye, 1 Nay Motion Carried

MOTION was made by Wright to appoint Elaine Snovitch to the Recreation and Open Space Board for a 5 year term to expire on December 31, 2011. Harris seconded the motion.

Unanimous

MOTION was made by Wright to establish wages for 2007 as follows:

· Part-time Bookkeeper $17.85/hr.

· Part-time Administrative Assistant 14.56/hr.

· Director of Public Works/Zoning Officer & Planning Admin. 43,680/salary

· Township Manager/Township Secretary 57,200/salary

· Police Chief 45,760/salary

· Part-time Patrol Officer 15.00/hr.

· Public Works Dept. (As per Union Contract) 19.09/hr.

Harris seconded the motion. Schantz objected to the higher wage increases as he did when passing the budget. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Schantz to establish reimbursement for employees using their personal vehicle for township business at the rate of 48.5 cents per mile. Wright seconded the motion.

Unanimous

MOTION was made by Wright to authorize reimbursement of mileage and $20/month cell phone expense to the Emergency Management Coordinator and Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator in the performance of their duties. Schantz seconded the motion.

The amount per month covers the use of his personal cell phone expenses used for Emergency Management business rather than him being on the township plan.

An update on the progress of Emergency Management was given by Koplin.

Unanimous

MOTION was made by Schantz to appoint Paul Bauer as Earned Income Tax Officer for Lower Milford Township, Southern Lehigh School District. Wright seconded the motion. Unanimous

REGULAR MEETING

Citizen comments were accepted throughout the meeting.

Regular Business:

MOTION was made by Schantz to approve the minutes of December 21, 2006 Board of Supervisors Meeting. Wright seconded the motion. Unanimous

Harris asked that the PSATS letters referenced in the December 13, 2006 Board of Supervisors Workshop minutes be attached to those minutes.

MOTION was made by Wright to accept the Treasurers Report as of December 31, 2006 as follows:

· General Fund $ 604,525.00

· Capital Reserve Fund 62,641.00

· Road Projects Fund 283,068.00

· State Liquid Fuels Tax Account 95,631.00

Schantz seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Wright to pay the January, 2007 bills. Schantz seconded the motion.

Unanimous

Police Business:

The Police Report was made available to the public.

Public Works Business:

The Public Works Report was made available to the public.

Zoning Business:

The Zoning Report was made available to the public.

Manager’s Business:

Manager’s report was made available to the public.

Subdivisions/Land Developments:

There were no new Subdivisions or Land Developments and no action due.

Fire Company Report:

Monthly meeting of the Fire Co. to be held tomorrow, January 3^rd.

Pork and Sauerkraut Dinner will be next Thursday, January 11^th and the Spaghetti Dinner on the last Thursday of January.

Lois Gadek asked how the Fire Co. made out with their carnival. Fire Co. President, Lloyd Ohl did not have the figures but said it was one of the best years and stated they have problems getting volunteers to help.

New Business:

MOTION was made by Schantz to authorize Supervisors to attend the Lehigh County Association of Township Officials Mini-Convention. Wright seconded the motion.

Unanimous

MOTION was made by Schantz to adopt the following Resolutions for 2006:

2007-1 Building/Zoning Permit and Inspection Fees

2007-2 Erosion Control and Final Grading

2007-3 Driveway Permit Fees

2007-4 Zoning Hearing Appeal Fees

2007-5 Police Report Fee

2007-6 Subdivision and Land Development Fees

2007-7 Sign Permit Fees

2007-8 Sewage Fee Schedule

2007-9 Open Records Policy

2007-10 Floodplain Ordinance Administration

2007-11 Wireless Communications Fee Schedule

2007-12 Engineering Fees

2007-13 Payment of Expenses

Wright seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Wright to adopt Resolution 2007-14 appointing Thomas DeNave to serve as a member of the Zoning Hearing Board with a five year term expiring December 31, 2011 and Denise Holub to serve as an Alternate to the Zoning Hearing Board with a three year term expiring December 31, 2009. Schantz seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Schantz to accept Option B for Real Estate Tax Billing by Lehigh County. Wright seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Wright to adopt the Winter Maintenance Plan. Schantz seconded the motion. Unanimous

MOTION was made by Schantz to accept the Russell Schantzenbach tax parcel ID#’s 641327065771 and 641317729254 located in Upper Saucon into the Lower Milford Agricultural Security Area. Wright seconded the motion. Unanimous

Correspondence:

· The Southern Lehigh Library November 2006 Meeting Minutes, Librarian’s Report, Fund Report and Treasurer’s Report were made available for public viewing.

There were no citizen comments.

Announcements:

A calendar of meetings and events was made available to the public, attached to the agenda.

Harris adjourned the meeting at 9:27 pm.