MINUTES OF MEETING

MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

             Vice Chairman Candyce Fluehr Chimera called the executive session to order at 7:00 p.m.  In attendance were Supervisors Robert Birch, Jeffrey McDonnell and Joseph Walsh.  Chairman Michael Fox was absent.  Also in attendance were Frank Bartle, Esquire, and Lawrence Gregan.

            Vice Chairman Candyce Fluehr Chimera called the action meeting to order at 8:00 p.m.   In attendance were Supervisors Robert Birch, Jeffrey McDonnell and Joseph Walsh.   Chairman Michael Fox was absent.  Also in attendance were Frank Bartle, Esquire, Lawrence Gregan, Scott Bendig, Rick Lesniak, Shannon Drosnock, Ann Shade, Stacy Crandell, Bruce Shoupe, Kevin Costello, Rich Grier, Brian Forman and Deb Rivas.  

            Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Vice Chairman Candyce Fluehr Chimera called for public comment from the audience and there was none. 

Township Solicitor Frank Bartle, Esquire reported that the Board had met in an executive session earlier in the evening at 7:00 p.m. to discuss several matters.  The personnel matter was the Fire Union Labor Negotiations.  The litigation matter was the Estate of Brett Moyer vs. Montgomery Township, et al, currently at the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas and two matters of potential litigation.  Mr. Bartle also reported that the Board had met in an executive session following the Board meeting on August 24, 2015 to discuss a matter of potential litigation.  Mr. Bartle stated that these matters are legitimate subjects of executive session pursuant to Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Law.

            Vice Chairman Candyce Fluehr Chimera made a motion and Supervisor Joseph Walsh seconded the motion to approve the minutes of the August 24, 2015 Board meeting.  The minutes of the meeting were unanimously approved as submitted.

            Director of Public Works Kevin Costello reported that the roof on the Township Administration building is twenty years old and is scheduled for restoration/replacement in 2016.   In May of this year, the Township had a survey prepared to analyze the current roof condition and provide a recommendation for any repair, replacement or restoration of the roof and other portions of the roofing system.  The report recommended certain repairs to damaged areas of the roof and restoring the existing EPDM roof system using a urethane based fluid applied restoration system.  Township staff has obtained a proposal from Weatherproofing Technologies, Inc. to design and prepare the necessary bid documents for the Roof Restoration Project for the Township building in the amount of $9,200.00.  The actual Roof Restoration project will be proposed as part of the 2016 Budget and is funded through funds set aside annually in the Capital Reserve Fund for this project.  The goal is to have all the documentation prepared in 2015 and be ready to go out to bid on the project in early January 2016.  Resolution #1 made by Supervisor Joseph Walsh, seconded by Supervisor Robert Birch and adopted unanimously, approved the proposal from Weatherproofing Technologies, Inc. for the design and preparation of bid documents for the Roof Restoration Project for the Township Building at a cost of $9,200.00.

            Chief of Police Scott Bendig reported that the Police Department is proposing to replace the current police booking center system.  The integrated system is utilized to capture the fingerprints and photograph of arrestees, providing the ability to positively identify an arrestee via fingerprints as well as linking their photograph to the Commonwealth’s Photo Imaging Network.  Currently a $300.00 processing fee is assessed by Montgomery County for each arrestee processing through these systems.  The fees are then returned to the corresponding booking center to offset the costs associated with the operation of the system.  Over $170,000 in processing fees has been provided to the Township since 2007 for the operation of the booking center system.  The Pennsylvania Police Chiefs Association has entered into a blanket purchase agreement with DataWorksPlus, the sole source vendor of equipment currently approved to connect to the Pennsylvania State Police arrest repositories while meeting the technical specifications under the laws of the Commonwealth.  Resolution #2 made by Supervisor Robert Birch, seconded by Supervisor Joseph Walsh and adopted unanimously, awarded the contract for the purchase and installation of a police booking center system to DataWorksPlus, the sole source vendor, at a cost of $19,000.00.

            Chief of Police Scott Bendig reported that the Police Department participates in the Pennsylvania Aggressive Driving Enforcement/Education Grant Project and the Buckle-Up Enforcement Grant.  These grants are statewide initiatives dedicated to targeting aggressive driving locations and raising the seat belt usage level in Pennsylvania.  During the 2014/2015 grant period, the Police Department received $9,900.00 in funding to participate in these initiatives.  Eligibility for additional funding under these programs for the 2015/2016 grant period requires the execution of grant extension agreements.  Resolution #3 made by Supervisor Joseph Walsh, seconded by Supervisor Robert Birch and adopted unanimously, approved the execution of extension agreements for the Pennsylvania Aggressive Driving Enforcement/Education Grant Project and Buckle-Up Enforcement Grant.

            Chief of Police Scott Bendig reported that Montgomery Township Highway Safety Officer David Dunlap has prepared a grant application to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on behalf of the Montgomery Township Regional DUI Enforcement Team.  The Team was established in 1993 to combat the serious problem of drivers operating vehicles while impaired due to alcohol or drugs and removing those drivers from the highways.  Montgomery Township serves as the administrator and the grant funds are used to support sobriety checkpoint operations and roving DUI patrols.  The grant amount requested is $49,996.00 and will provide funding for the purchase of equipment and payment of overtime for enforcement activities.  Resolution #4 made by Supervisor Joseph Walsh, seconded by Supervisor Robert Birch and adopted unanimously, approved the submission of the 2015/2016 DUI Grant on behalf of the Montgomery Township Regional DUI Enforcement Team in the amount of $49,996.00.

            Director of Fire Services Richard Lesniak reported that while performing training, fire department crew members noted an unusual noise coming from the area under the aerial turn table on Ladder 18.  The vehicle was removed from service and a call was placed to the maintenance vendor, Glick Fire Equipment Company.  Glick’s serviceman determined that the water/hydraulic/electrical swivel for the ladder needs to be replaced in order to place the vehicle back in service.  The swivel is the main connection between the truck and the ladder which is inoperable in its current condition.  Glick Fire Equipment Company, Inc. has provided an estimate of $20,384.00 to replace the swivel unit.  Resolution #5 made by Supervisor Joseph Walsh, seconded by Supervisor Robert Birch and adopted unanimously, approved the emergency repair to replace the water/hydraulic/electrical swivel on Ladder 18 at a cost of $20,384.00.

            Director of Administration and Human Resources Ann Shade reported that as part of the terms under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers who meet certain parameters of the ACA may be required to report specific data regarding their plans to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) via forms 6055 and 6056.  Since Montgomery Township is a large employer (over 100 employees) and offers minimum essential health coverage to eligible individuals during a calendar year, we will need to comply with the ACA reporting requirements.  The required forms for 2015 must be filed no later than March 31, 2016.  The information that is reported results in a statement being provided to each Montgomery Township health care participant.  To assist municipalities with this reporting requirement, Delaware Valley Health Trust (DVHT) is offering, free of charge, an Employer Reporting Service, subject to the terms of a Subscription Agreement.  Staff is requesting the Board’s consideration of approval of this Subscription Agreement.  Resolution #6 made by Supervisor Joseph Walsh, seconded by Supervisor Robert Birch and adopted unanimously, approved the ACA Employer Reporting Service Subscription Agreement, offered through Delaware Valley Health Trust, free of charge.

            Director of Finance Shannon Drosnock reported that the Township Actuary is recommending changes to the rate assumptions for the Police Pension Plan based on an analysis of the plan and the market environment.  These changes are requested to be confirmed by the Board so that the annual Actual Valuation Report can be prepared.   The recommendation is to lower the current investment rate from 8% to 7.5% and the wage assumption from 6% to 5.5%.  Staff has reviewed the recommended changes internally as well as with the Plan’s Investment Advisor and agrees with the Actuary’s recommendation to reduce both the investment rate and the wage rate assumptions.  Resolution #7 made by Supervisor Robert Birch, seconded by Supervisor Joseph Walsh and adopted unanimously, accepted the actuary’s recommendation to reduce the interest rate assumption from 8% to 7.5% and the wage rate assumption from 6% to 5.5%.

            Assistant to the Township Manager Stacy Crandell reported that the Accessible Playground and Spray Park Project at the Community and Recreation Center is currently under construction.  It was brought to the Township’s attention that additional fencing is recommended to further enclose and protect the play area from the adjoining parking lot.  The Township Engineer, Gilmore & Associates, Inc. has recommended additional fencing along the landscaping bed near the parking lot and a gate near the walking trail.  The Township will also be installing a collapsible bollard at the entrance of the park between the handicap spaces to prevent vehicles from entering the play area but still allowing maintenance and emergency vehicles to enter if needed.  The additional fencing and gate will require a change order to the project.  The cost of the change order for the additional fencing will be $3,860.72.  Resolution #8 made by Supervisor Joseph Walsh, seconded by Supervisor Robert Birch and adopted unanimously, approved the change order for additional fencing for the Accessible Playground and Spray Park Project at the Community and Recreation Center as presented by Stoneridge, Inc. in the amount of $3,860.72.

            Director of Planning and Zoning Bruce Shoupe reported that an application for a Preliminary/Final Subdivision plan LDS#680 had been received for a parcel located at 1701 N. Line Street, at the intersection with Rosewood Drive.  The site currently contains a duplex, a detached garage, shed and a paved driveway accessing N. Line Street.  The applicants propose to subdivide the property into two parcels.  An existing structure on Lot 1 is to be restored to a single-family dwelling unit and an existing garage is to be demolished.  Lot 2 will be developed with a single family dwelling. The applicants were granted a variance from the Zoning Hearing Board on September 5, 2014.  George Ditter, Esquire, on behalf of the applicant, requested a waiver of the requirement to plant 30 shade trees and 60 shrubs on the lots as required by the subdivision/land development ordinance.  He stated that it was physically impossible to install all of the landscaping required and therefore, requested a waiver for 22 shade trees and 38 shrubs.  The Board of Supervisors denied the waiver and instead required the applicant to make a fee in-lieu payment in the amount of $11,220.00 for the landscaping that cannot be planted on the parcels.  Resolution #9 made by Supervisor Joseph Walsh, seconded by Supervisor Robert Birch and adopted unanimously, approved the Preliminary/Final Land Development plan for LDS#680 – Del Ciotto, 1701 N. Line Street subject to conditions as detailed in the approval resolution.

            Resolution #10 made by Vice Chairman Candyce Fluehr Chimera, seconded by Supervisor Joseph Walsh and adopted unanimously, approved the waiver of a special events $100 permit fee for the Bharatiya Temple Ganesh Festival.

            Resolution #11 made by Vice Chairman Candyce Fluehr Chimera, seconded by Supervisor Joseph Walsh and adopted unanimously, approved the waiver of a building permit fee while establishing an escrow account of $3,000 to cover the fees for the 3^rd party inspectors required to perform the inspection required by the building code for the Narayan Guest House Building at 1630 County Line Road.

            Resolution #12 made by Vice Chairman Candyce Fluehr Chimera, seconded by Supervisor Joseph Walsh and adopted unanimously, approved the waiver of building permit fees for the Bucks-Mont Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry for a project located at 104 Brighton Circle.

            Resolution #13 made by Vice Chairman Candyce Fluehr Chimera, seconded by Supervisor Joseph Walsh and adopted unanimously, approved the waiver of a special events permit fee for the Montgomery United Soccer Club’s Soctoberfest.

            Resolution #14 made by Vice Chairman Candyce Fluehr Chimera, seconded by Supervisor Joseph Walsh and adopted unanimously, approved the construction escrow release #6 for LDS #639 for Maple Drive/Crystal Road Townhouse Project in the amount of $80,363.47.

            Resolution #15 made by Vice Chairman Candyce Fluehr Chimera, seconded by Supervisor Joseph Walsh and adopted unanimously, approved the construction escrow release #9 for LDS #630 for Firefox Phase 1 in the amount of $25,618.44.

            Supervisor Joseph Walsh made a motion to approve the payment of bills for September 14, 2015.  Supervisor Robert Birch seconded the motion.  The payment of bills was unanimously approved as submitted.

            There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting adjourned at 8:27 p.m.