Board of Supervisors Business Meeting Minutes

PARADISE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

MAY 4, 2020

Call to Order

Chair Konrath called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. at which time Konrath read the public comment statement “To meet the requirements established by the Office of Open records for virtual meetings, this meeting shall be audio and video recorded via GoToMeeting.com from the initial announcement of the meeting till its end with the exception of the executive session if any, which shall not be recorded. Ladies and gentlemen, before the Board of Supervisors votes on any matter, the Board will allow for public comment on that particular item.  If you wish to be heard at that time, please raise your hand and we will also watch for you on chat, and you will be recognized.”                                                                                           

Roll Call

Officials Present:

Gary Konrath – Chair                                     John C. Prevoznik – Solicitor

Peter Gonze – Vice Chair                                Charles Unangst - Engineer

Reda Briglia - Supervisor                                Tina Transue – Secretary

Pledge of Allegiance

Waived                                                  

Approval of Minutes

Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to approve the April 20, 2020 Board of Supervisors regular business meeting minutes as presented.

Motion carried 3-0.

Work Session

Jason Smith’s Review Comments Letter – Solicitor Prevoznik stated that Jason Smith’s Review Comment Letter of Mount Airy Casino and Resort’s 2019 Greenway Monitoring Report was discussed in the work session. The Board discussed the letter being forwarded to Mount Airy and a meeting set between Mount Airy and the Board of Supervisors.

Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Konrath to contact Mount Airy Casino and Resort in order to set up a meeting with the Board of Supervisors at one of the June meetings which would either be June 1 or June 15.

Motion carried 3-0.

Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Konrath that the Township accept Jason’s Smith’s Review Comment Letter and further send a copy that letter to Mount Airy Casino with the 2019 Greenway Monitoring Report as well as to Attorney Jeff Belardi, Dr. Frank Browne, David Osborne, BWA, and PennFuture.

Motion carried 3-0.

Road Materials Bid

Konrath stated that the bids were opened and read aloud on May 1 at 10:01 a.m. by committee as advertised. The Road Materials Bid was advertised in the Pocono Record on April 13 and April 20. Briglia read the bids aloud from a spreadsheet provided by Transue with the bid materials results. See Exhibit 1.

Motion:  Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to award the 1BW Stone, 2A Modified, 2B Stone, #4 Ballast, Rip Rap Stone and Anti-Skid FOB to Edwards Sand & Stone contingent upon the Bid Bonds being verified.

Motion carried 3-0.

Motion:  Briglia moved and seconded by Konrath to award the 2RC Stone FOB to Hanson Aggregates contingent upon the Bid Bonds being verified.

Motion carried 3-0.

Motion:  Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to award the ID-2 Top and ID-2 Binder FOB to Eureka Stone Quarry contingent upon the Bid Bonds being verified.

Motion carried 3-0.

Motion:  Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to award the 1BW Stone, 2A Modified, 2B Stone, 2 RC Stone, #4 Ballast, Rip Rap Stone and Anti-Skid Delivered to Edwards Sand & Stone contingent upon the Bid Bonds being verified.

Motion carried 3-0.

New Business

Resolution 03-2020 – Konrath stated that a resolution could be passed in response to Act 15 which, in part, allows taxing entities to alter the time frame for payment of 2020 real property taxes.  Konrath noted that the County has already passed a resolution extending the time frames for the County portion of the real property taxes.  In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and as authorized by law, the Board of Supervisors proposed to pass a resolution extending the time frame for payment of real property taxes in the discount period until August 31, 2020 and to extend the period for payment in full of Township real property taxes without penalty until 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2020.  The effect of Resolution 03-2020 effective retroactively from April 30, 2020.

Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to pass Resolution 03-2020 to extend the discount period for payment of the Township real property taxes until August 31, 2020 and to extend the period for payment in full of Township real property taxes without penalty until 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2020 effective retroactively from April 30, 2020.

Motion carried 3-0.

Roof Rentals – The Board discussed the time frames for opening of the Roof Park to rentals. It was discussed to not allow rentals in May as Monroe County is still under the Stay at Home order. It was also discussed that if someone wished to cancel their Roof reservation for the months of May, June, or July due to COVID-19 concerns, the Township would allow them to do so and refund their rental fee.

Motion: Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to approve refunding in full Roof Park rental fees to any persons wishing to cancel their reservations for the months of May, June, and July due to COVID-19 concerns.

Motion carried 3-0.

Reports

Solicitor – Solicitor Prevoznik stated that the Public Hearings for the proposed Fire Alarm Ordinance and the Chapter 50 Burning, Outdoors Ordinance would need to be re-advertised as they were originally scheduled to be on April 20th but were canceled. The Board discussed possible dates to hold the Public Hearings.

Motion: Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to authorize Solicitor Prevoznik to re-advertise the Public Hearings for the Chapter 50 Burning, Outdoors Ordinance to be held on June 15, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. and the proposed Fire Alarm Ordinance to be held on June 15, 2020 at 6:45 p.m.

Motion carried 3-0.

Solicitor Prevoznik stated that he forwarded to the Board a letter from Dody Frawley, Skelly & Loy, in regards to a permit extension for the Paradise Creek – Red Rock Road Stream Stabilization Project to be sent to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Motion: Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to authorize Dody Frawley, Skelly & Loy, to forward the letter to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection agency in regards to a permit extension for the Paradise Creek – Red Rock Road Stream Stabilization Project.

Motion carried 3-0.

Solicitor Prevoznik confirmed that the Board of Supervisors received their copies of the 2019 audit report and suggested having auditor Ellen Gnandt attend the next Board of Supervisors meeting to review the report.

Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to invite auditor Ellen Gnandt to attend the May 18, 2020 board meeting whether in person or virtually to discuss the 2019 Audit Report.

Motion carried 3-0.

Solicitor Prevoznik stated that the Board received a fourteen page document via email regarding the review of the PTCO by American Legal Publishing from Transue.  He further stated that the Legal and Editorial Research and Report document was a follow-up to the proposed redraft of the PTCO received by the Township on January 21, 2020. Transue explained that the Township has a 90 day review period for commencing April 30, 2020, the date of the Township’s receipt of the review document. Solicitor Prevoznik stated that he also received a copy of the redrafted Code of Ordinances by way of four emails.  Prevoznik stated that he would send copies of the documents to Attorney Tim McManus, the Planning Commission attorney, so that they may provide recommendations to the Board once reviewed. Once the Board has reviewed Solicitor Prevoznik’s and Attorney McManus’ recommendations, it would be sent onto the Planning Commission for its review.

Motion: Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to have Solicitor Prevoznik and Attorney McManus review the redrafted Code of Ordinances along with the Legal and Editorial Research Report and forward their comments to the Board.

Motion carried 3-0.

Solicitor Prevoznik stated he was contacted by way of two emails from Attorney George Westervelt on behalf of Jim and Linda Schlier in regards to a Zoning Hearing Appeal for their property located at 505 Woodland Road. Solicitor Prevoznik explained that the Board would need to accept the appeal as timely filed contingent upon the Township receiving a hard copy of the appeal application and remittance of the fee. Solicitor Prevoznik stated that Attorney Westervelt included in his emails a letter of waiver of time requirements allowing until September 30, 2020 to hold the hearing. Solicitor Prevoznik stated that Attorney Westervelt was made aware that his clients must raise all appeal issues at this time and will not be allowed to change the issues from which they are appealing.

Motion: Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to approve Attorney Westervelt’s clients’ appeal as timely filed via email contingent upon the Township receiving a hard copy of the appeal application and remittance of the fee at least ten days before the hearing as well as all issues having been raised in Attorney Westervelt’s email and cannot be changed thereafter. The Board accepts the letter of waiver of time allowing that the hearing would be heard no later than September 30, 2020.

Motion carried 3-0.

Solicitor Prevoznik stated that he had a conference call with Brick Linder, Linder Engineering, Briglia, and Transue to discuss the putting out for bid for the work at Seven Pines Park as per the DCNR grant however with the COVID-19 restrictions still in place it was decided to wait until June 1 to put it out for bid. Solicitor Prevoznik explained that Mr. Linder believed that all work could still be finished by the end of the year with putting the bid out on June 1. Transue spoke to Ashley Schultz from DCNR and was told that if the project looked like it would not finish by the end of the year to send in a request for an extension in September.

Motion: Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to consider putting the DCNR grant for phase 1B of the Seven Pines Park out to bid on the agenda for the June 1 Board of Supervisors’ meeting.

Motion carried 3-0.

Roadmaster – There was no Roadmaster report given. Konrath stated that he talked to Mike Mader regarding ordering a dump truck and utility truck that was previously budgeted for purchase this year. The Board asked Transue to run a year-to-date profit and loss comparison and budget to date report to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the Township’s revenue base for the next Board meeting.

Engineer – Mr. Unangst stated that he would contact Lehigh Valley Interior Construction on a date that they can start the construction on the Foyer. Konrath asked if the driveway for the Discovery Park has been approved by PennDOT. Mr. Unangst stated that a request was sent in to PennDOT to finalize it but has not heard back.

PMREMS - Gonze reported that the call volume was down and there was some concern on incoming revenue. Gonze stated that the EMS did apply for the Payroll Protection Plan and received around $424,000.00 which covers approximately 8 weeks of payroll. Gonze reported the EMS also received the HHS stimulation grant in the amount of $54,000.00.

Correspondence/Miscellaneous

Konrath stated that the Township received an email from Joe O’Neil at WBCM regarding the bridge replacement over Forest Hills Run. Mr. O’Neil requested the Township put a link with information about the bridge replacement on the Township website. The project is scheduled to be advertised for construction in 2021.

Other Business/Public Comment

Gonze asked Transue whether Host Compliance has gone live as far as identifying unlicensed Short Term Rentals in the Township. Transue stated she was unsure and would need to speak to Ingrid DeWitt as she has been the liaison with Host Compliance.

Adjournment

Motion:  Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to adjourn the meeting at 6:44 p.m.

Motion carried 3-0.

Respectfully submitted,

Tina Transue

Secretary