Board of Supervisors Business Meeting Minutes

PARADISE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
DECEMBER 5, 2019

Call to Order
Chair Konrath called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m.   

Roll Call
Officials Present:
Gary Konrath – Chair                 John C. Prevoznik – Solicitor
Peter Gonze – Vice Chair                Charles Unangst – Engineer (Absent)
Reda Briglia -- Supervisor                                 Tina Transue - Secretary             

Pledge of Allegiance
Konrath led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.   
                             
Public Comment Statement
Konrath read the public comment statement “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 you will be recognized.  A public comment period will be held at the end of the regular agenda for any other business.”
Konrath stated that the meeting is being recorded for the limited purpose of preparing the official minutes.

Executive Session
Solicitor Prevoznik stated that an executive session was held to discuss personnel matters including the union negotiations.
No decisions were made.

Approval of Minutes
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Konrath to approve the November 18, 2019 Board of Supervisors regular meeting minutes as presented.
Motion carried 3-0.

Work Session Items
Konrath stated that there was no work session held this evening.

Unfinished Business
2020 Proposed Budget – Briglia summarized the account balances for the proposed budget.
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to pass the budget as presented.
Motion carried 3-0.
Union Contract Update – Solicitor Prevoznik stated that the Board needed to vote on the union contract.
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Konrath to approve Solicitor Prevoznik to contact the attorney for the collective bargaining unit to advise him that the agreement as prepared by Paradise Township is satisfactory to the Board contingent upon the union executing the agreement.
Motion carried 3-0.
Friendly Community Center Agreement – Briglia stated that the agreement was returned signed from the Friendly Community Center and the Board needs to sign it.
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to approve and sign the agreement between The Friendly Community Center and Paradise Township.
Motion carried 3-0.
2018 Audit – Solicitor Prevoznik stated that the administrative letter to Auditor, Ellen Gnandt, MBA, CPA, LLC in regards to the 2018 Audit needs to be signed. Solicitor Prevoznik stated there was an issue in regards to the wording of “materiality” in the 2018 Audit and he further explained that the term Materiality was capitalized and a worksheet was provided as to specific numbers that are deemed material.
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Konrath to sign the administrative letter to Auditor, Ellen Gnandt with the Materiality Worksheet attached.
Motion carried 3-0.

New Business
2019 Audit/Advertisement for CPA – Konrath stated that the Board would need to ratify the advertisement for a CPA for the 2019 audit.
Motion: Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to ratify the advertisement for a CPA for the 2019 audit.
Motion carried 3-0.
Cleaning Services – Konrath stated that the Township had obtained quotes for a new cleaning company for the new year.  Konrath stated that quotes for two services had been received. However the wording was unclear on the quotes and would need to be verified.
Motion: Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to table the discussion until the December 16, 2019 meeting pending clarification of the wording in the price quote.
Motion carried 3-0.
Board of Auditors – Konrath stated that there was two vacancies on the Board of Auditors. Briglia stated that she was contacted by Monroe County and made aware that Joan Merli has accepted the nomination for the six year term position. There was also a vacancy for the four year term in which the County contacted John Phillips but he has not returned their inquiry as to whether he was interested in filling the position. He has until December 11th to accept. Briglia also stated that there would be vacancies on the following commissions/boards: Zoning Hearing Board, Planning Commission and Auditor. Briglia stated that she was going to put out a notification on the Township website and on Savvy Citizen stating that if someone wishes to fill the vacancies to contact the Township.
Larry & Irene Miller Letter – Konrath stated that the Township received a letter from residents Larry and Irene Miller regarding the Timber Hill Community only having one entrance and exit from their community. Timber Hill Community spans both Paradise Township and Price Township. Konrath explained that Paradise Township did replace the bridge that leads to the community however the Price Township bridge has fallen into disrepair and is owned by a private entity that has closed it off for use by Timber Hill. Konrath further explained that at one time there was another access point on Station Hill Road which was washed out by a storm and a portion of that road was vacated by Paradise Township in 1981 by way of Ordinance No. 51. Konrath read a portion of the Upper Brodhead/Paradise Trail Feasibility Study dated August 2019, page 47 and 48 whereas Lawrence C. Malski, Esq., president of the railroad owner Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority (PNRRA) reiterated its longstanding policy of not having any trails next to active tracks for a number of reasons, including fatalities and personal injury suits. Mr. Malski stated that they do not consider inactive ones a crossing. Mr. Malski also stated that the Station Hill Road crossing, from his perspective, has been long abolished. There was discussion in regards to the original land development plan for Timber Hill.  It was decided to contact Price Township with regards to the bridge for the Alpine Mountain property to see if it could be rehabilitated as a second access point to the Timber Hill Community as well as the Paradise Point Community. Gonze asked that Mr. & Mrs. Miller be CC’d on the correspondence with Price Township.
Wyndham Hills Community – Konrath stated that Wyndham Hills only has one point of ingress and egress and it appears that on the plans for the community there is an easement that may be used as emergency exit. Briglia presented plans that show where the easement may exist and also deeds believed to be for the easement. There was a discussion on how to proceed in regards to the use of said easement as an emergency access point. 
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to approve Solicitor Prevoznik to investigate the potential use of a Wyndham Hills easement to be used as an emergency access road.
Motion carried 3-0.
Reorganizational Meeting – Konrath stated the advertisement for the Board of Supervisors’ reorganizational meeting on Monday, January 6, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. would need to be approved.
Motion:  Gonze moved and seconded by Konrath to approve the advertisement for the Board of Supervisors’ reorganizational meeting on Monday, January 6, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. as well as all the commission/board reorganizational meetings for January 2020.
Motion carried 3-0.
Station Hill Road – Previously discussed under Larry & Irene Miller Letter. No further discussion at this time.
Website RFP – Konrath asked if there were any further developments with the decision on a new website design company. Transue stated that she called references for all three companies and also watched demos from each company to try and determine which company would be the best fit for Paradise Township. Transue stated that she believed either Municode or Civics Plus would fit the needs of the Township at this time. Briglia stated that she looked at other municipal sites designed by both companies. The Board discussed the pros and cons of each company to render a final decision.
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Konrath to initiate a contract with Civics Plus to redesign the Township’s website based on the proposal they submitted and additional data that has been collected.
Motion carried 3-0.
Mt. Airy #1, LLC – Briglia stated that she was contacted by Corey Robinson, MACR-Financial Controller requesting a formal release of a Subdivision Bond #0068932 in the amount of $1,036,255.30 that expired on December 4, 2019. Briglia also stated she contacted Charlie Unangst, Hanover Engineering concerning the bond and was informed that the final as-built plans have not been received and therefore the bond could not be released but must be renewed.

Reports
Solicitor – Solicitor Prevoznik had no further comments.
Roadmaster - Konrath summarized the Roadmaster’s report.
Engineer – Mr. Unangst was not in attendance.
EAC – Konrath stated that the EAC did not meet. Konrath also explained that Don Miller from the EAC has mentioned possibly installing a pocket park at the Pocono Gardens site. The Board discussed the viability of using that site for a pocket park. Konrath stated he would inform Don Miller that after some discussion the Board did not think that Pocono Gardens would make a viable site for a pocket park.
PMREMS – Gonze reported that the Ambulance Corp was revising their by-laws and in so doing that there was no conflict with the contract currently in place with the Township and PMREMS. Gonze also stated that there is an increase in the mutual aid calls with Pocono Township which in turn could elongate response times for Paradise and Barrett Townships. Gonze stated that he requested more information in regards to the percentage of calls this equates to from PMREMS before deciding if any further steps should be taken.

Correspondence/Miscellaneous
PA DEP /Paradise Stream – Konrath stated that Paradise Township was in receipt of a copy of a notice of violation addressed to SC Stream PA, LLC, Attn: Don Kitner, P.O. Box 99, Mt. Pocono, PA 18344 in regards to a review of Paradise Stream Resort’s Discharge Monitoring Report. Briglia stated that she brought it to the Board’s attention strictly as an informational report.

Other Business/Public Comment
Burned out House on Carlton Road – Gonze reported that he had an inquiry from a resident about a burned out house located on Carlton Road.

Executive Session
Motion:  Konrath moved and seconded by Briglia to recess the regular meeting and go into an executive session.
Motion carried 3-0.
Motion:  Briglia moved and seconded by Konrath to reconvene the regular meeting.  Solicitor Prevoznik stated real estate acquisitions were discussed and no decisions were made.
Motion carried 3-0.

Adjournment
Motion:  Konrath moved and seconded by Briglia to adjourn the meeting at 7:14 p.m.
Motion carried 3-0.

Respectfully submitted,
Tina Transue
Secretary