Board of Supervisors Business Meeting Minutes
PARADISE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
DECEMBER 7, 2020
Call to Order
Chair Konrath called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m.
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
Executive Session
Solicitor Prevoznik stated that there was an executive session held at 5:46 p.m. immediately preceding the business meeting by the Board of Supervisors and Solicitor Prevoznik. Personnel matters and
employee reviews were discussed. The executive session ended at 5:58 p.m.
No decisions were made.
Approval of Minutes
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to approve the November 16, 2020 Board of Supervisors regular business meeting minutes as presented.
Motion carried 3-0.
Unfinished Business
Gonze asked whether there were any further actions taken toward implementing new procedures for Township Cleanup. Konrath stated that there was not however it should be followed up on before the next Township Newsletter goes into production.
New Business
2021 Proposed Budget/Advertised for Adoption – Konrath stated that the 2021 budget was advertised for adoption. The advertisement was in the Pocono Record on November 9th, 2020 and the budget was available for public inspection at the Municipal Building.
Motion: Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to pass the budget as presented.
Motion carried 3-0.
7 Pines Park-Kobalt Construction/Extension of Time Request – Briglia stated that Kobalt Construction was asking for an extension of time and also there was a question regarding the NPDES Permit for this project. Solicitor Prevoznik stated these questions need to be addressed by Brick Linder, Linder Engineering in a written recommendation, as he is lead engineer for this project. Solicitor Prevoznik also stated that Kobalt Construction would need to submit a No Cost Change Order of Time instead of the Extension of Time Request letter received by the Township.
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to table the discussion on the Extension of Time Request received from Kobalt Construction in regards to the Seven Pines Park Project and also to contact Brick Linder to have him follow up on the No Cost Change of Time Order or have him attend the next meeting to explain why it should or should not be granted.
Motion carried 3-0.
Final Ordinances to be sent to PTPC & MCPC/Approve Definition of Fowl & Small Animal Ordinance – Konrath stated that the ordinances that were approved for advertising and scheduled for public hearing on February 1, 2021 were formatted by Solicitor Prevoznik and ready to be sent to the Monroe County Planning Commission and to the Paradise Township Planning Commission for final recommendations. Solicitor Prevoznik stated that the order and number of the ordinances has changed due to adding the Definition of Fowl & Small Animal Ordinance. The Board would need to rescind the motions made at the November 16, 2020 meeting to advertise the Public Hearing to pass the ordinances, renumber the ordinances and make a new motion to advertise the Public Hearings.
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to rescind the motion made at the November 16, 2020 Board of Supervisors meeting to schedule and advertise the public hearing for the proposed Fowl and Small Animal Ordinance No. 268 on February 1, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors regular business meeting.
Motion carried 3-0.
Motion: Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to schedule and advertise the public hearing for the proposed amendment to Chapter 1, Definition of Fowl and Small Animal Ordinance No. 268 on February 1, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors regular business meeting.
Motion carried 3-0.
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Konrath to rescind the motion made at the November 16, 2020 Board of Supervisors meeting to schedule and advertise the public hearing for the proposed amendment to Chapter 1, Definition of Junk & Abandoned Motor Vehicles Ordinance No. 269 on February 1, 2021 at 7:15 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors regular business meeting.
Motion carried 3-0.
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to schedule and advertise the public hearing for the proposed amendment to Chapter 160-12.A(3)(b), Fowl and Small Animal Ordinance No. 269 on February 1, 2021 at 7:15 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors regular business meeting.
Motion carried 3-0.
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Konrath to rescind the motion made at the November 16, 2020 Board of Supervisors meeting to schedule and advertise the public hearing for the proposed amendment to Chapter 146, Junk & Abandoned Motor Vehicles Ordinance No. 270 on February 1, 2021 at 7:20 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors regular business meeting.
Motion carried 3-0.
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to schedule and advertise the public hearing for the proposed amendment to Chapter 1, Definition of Junk & Abandoned Motor Vehicles Ordinance No. 270 on February 1, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors regular business meeting.
Motion carried 3-0.
Motion: Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to schedule and advertise the public hearing for the proposed amendment to Chapter 146-2, Junk & Abandoned Vehicles Ordinance No. 271 on February 1, 2021 at 7:35 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors regular business meeting.
Motion carried 3-0.
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to send the proposed ordinances back to the Paradise Township Planning Commission and the Monroe County Planning Commission for final recommendations.
Motion carried 3-0.
Catholic Church Mowing/Discuss – Konrath stated that the Township has a lease with the Catholic School Monsignor McHugh (Most Holy Trinity Parish) to use the athletic fields in exchange for the Township mowing the grass on the grounds of the school. The school closed and it has now been converted to a Catholic Church. Briglia stated that she did not believe that Most Holy Trinity Parish signed the last lease that was sent to them. Solicitor Prevoznik stated the Paragraph 13 of the lease stipulates that a 30 day notice needs to be given in order to end the lease. Kevin Transue was present as a board member of the Pocono Mountain Little League that stated that the Little League does not consistently use the baseball fields at this time. Mr. Transue stated the fields would need a lot of work to bring them up to playable condition.
Motion: Gonze moved and seconded by Briglia to notify Most Holy Trinity Parish by letter that the Township is terminating the athletic field lease.
Motion carried 3-0.
Mr. Transue questioned whether the now abandoned second baseball field at The Roof Park could be reconditioned for use to replace the adult baseball field that would be lost by terminating the Most Holy Trinity Parish lease. The Board discussed having Mike Mader, Roadmaster look into getting quotes to refurbish that field.
Motion: Briglia moved and seconded by Konrath to have Mader get quotes to refurbish the adult baseball field at The Roof Park.
Motion carried 3-0.
Public Hearing Ads
Transue questioned whether Solicitor Prevoznik or she should write the Public Hearing ads for the proposed ordinances.
Motion: Briglia moved and seconded by Gonze to have Solicitor Prevoznik write the Public Hearing ads for the proposed ordinances to be adopted on February 1, 2020 at the regular business meeting.
Motion carried 3-0.
Reports
Roadmaster – Konrath summarized the Roadmaster’s report.
Solicitor – Solicitor Prevoznik stated that he had nothing further to report.
Engineer – Charles Unangst stated that Hanover Engineering is continuing the field work for the Devils Hole culvert. Mr. Unangst also stated that he is still waiting on approval from PennDOT regarding the Traffic Calming Devices.
Solicitor Prevoznik stated that Dody from Skelly & Loy reached out and asked if a representative from the Township would attend the pre-bid meeting on January 8, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. for the Paradise Stream Restoration Project. The Board discussed having Mike Mader, Roadmaster or Chad Nauman, Assistant Roadmaster attend the meeting.
EAC – Konrath stated that the EAC Committee was going to meet by GoToMeeting in January. Konrath also stated that the EAC received the October report from Mt. Airy on the condition of the streams.
PARC –Briglia stated that PARC generally does not meet in November or December due to the holidays. Briglia stated that she is keeping the PARC committee up to date with the progress at Seven Pines Park.
Planning Commission Items
Gonze stated that David Brown relayed to him that the Planning Commission would like to schedule a work session with the Board on the Comprehensive Plan. Transue will let Ingrid DeWitt, Planning Commission Secretary know so that the Planning Commission can decide on dates that may work for them to schedule the joint work session with the Board.
Correspondence/Miscellaneous
Resident Email Received Regarding Ice Lake/Discuss - Konrath stated that the Township received an email via the website with suggestions to improve the experience at Ice Lake. Konrath suggested forwarding the email on to PARC.
Other Business/Public Comment
Monroe County Yearly Assessed Valuation/Informational Purposes – Konrath stated that the Township received the yearly assessed valuation of Paradise Township property. Transue stated that she included 2020 and 2021 for comparison after Monroe County’s Reassessment went into effect in 2020. Konrath stated that the assessed property value dropped from the previous year.
Small Games of Chance – Konrath asked if Transue had a date as to when we had to submit our Small Games of Chance Resolution to the County to have it on the ballot for the Primary Election in 2021. Transue stated she did have a date set to send the resolution in as per her conversation with Solicitor Prevoznik.
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