NEW HOPE BOROUGH
Regular Meeting of Borough Council
December 9, 2003

Richard Hirschfield announced that there was an Executive Session before the meeting this evening to discuss legal maters.

PRESENT: Richard Hirschfield, Sharyn Keiser, Ed Duffy, Randy Flager, Jake Fell, Geraldine Delevich, Sandra Trappen, Borough Solicitor Colin Jenei, Mayor Keller, and Borough Manager Janell Hammond.

ABSENT:

CALL TO ORDER:

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR DECEMBER 9, 2003:
Richard Hirschfield asked for a motion to approve the minutes. Sharyn Keiser made the motion and Ed Duffy seconded. The motion was passed with all in favor with the corrections noted.

MAYOR’S REPORT:

Mayor Keller announced that the Michener Museum officially opened on November 22, 2003 offering a wonderful cross section of the major artists of the Pennsylvania impressionists.

Mayor Keller announced that there was a successful motorcycle inspection on Sunday, November 23, 2003 on South Main Street. There were 35 citations issued involving bad inspection stickers, no registration, no inspections, and no licenses. This is sending a clear message that illegal bikes are not welcome in New Hope.

Mayor Keller commented that during the snow storm on Friday and Saturday he was disappointed in the action taken by a residence/business owner who was rude and demanding by calling the Borough, the Police Department, and a Council person complaining about snow removal. The Public Works Department is doing the best job they can.

Mayor Keller announced the Department of Justice has issued gun locks through a grant called, “Project Child Safe,” to prevent a child from accidentally triggering off a handgun. The locks are available in the police Department and the Chief has a few with him tonight.

Mayor Keller announced that the bridge closing will begin January 5, 2004. The proposed stops for the van service supplied by the Bridge Commission are scheduled to stop at the Clemens Market and the PNC Bank lot. The schedule for the shuttle should be on every ½ hour including both Lambertville and New Hope.

Mayor Keller announced that Jimmy Keen who served on the New Hope Police Department for 19 years will be leaving this month for a new position in Clackamas County, Oregon and congratulated him.

Mayor Keller presented a plaque to Jim Keen in appreciation for 19 years of dedicated service to the New Hope Police Department and the Community of New Hope.

Richard Hirschfield thanked Jim Keen on behalf of Council and congratulated him on his new job.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT’S REPORT:

Richard Hirschfield announced that Bucks County Water and Sewer will have by February or the latest March, South Main Street through Mechanic Street watered. The Borough has an agreement with Bucks County Water and Sewer and the contractor that all work in the Central Commercial District will come to a stop until after the first of the year. The only work that will be done at this time will be on Waterloo Street up to Parry Street. The rest of the year Bucks County Water and Sewer will be working South on Waterloo Street down to Waterworks and after January 1, 2004 they will be back up to the Business District to finish the laterals and the few side streets that remain to be done, including Ferry, Randolph, and Waterloo.

Joe Balderson commented that he noticed clean up still needs to be done by Bucks County Water and Sewer.

Richard Hirschfield answered “That the contractor will clean up Randolph Street in the next few days and they are constantly coming to do cold patching on the road but, it will not be paved until April.

Joe Balderson commented that the crushed stone is all over the Streets.

Richard Hirschfield asked Janell Hammond to make a note of that and to check into it.

Richard Hirschfield asked for a motion to adopt 2004 Tax Levy Ordinance #2003-12 for the assessment of 38.50 mills. This assessment is down 4.5 mills from 2003 roughly 10% reduction in property taxes for the 2004 fiscal year. Randy Flager made the motion and Sharyn Keiser seconded.

Richard Hirschfield commented that the breakdown is for general purposes is as follows; 30 mills down from 35, the Fire Tax is 6 Mills which was passed by referendum last year, Ambulance and Rescue .5 mills (the legal limit,) and proposed to raise the library tax from ½ mill to 1 mill which is about $6,500 extra because the library is a very important aspect of this Borough and the State funding is likely to be reduced from 30% to 50% for libraries. Richard Hirschfield also added that he has encouraged Solebury to increase their contribution to the Library to make up for the State short fall, and 1 mill for Street lighting for a total of 38.5 Mills down from 43 Mills last year.

The motion was passed with all in favor.

Joe Balderson commented that “If there will be a short fall next year in the police fund why didn’t we keep several of the mills for that?”

Richard Hirschfield answered “We want to give immediate tax relief by giving it back to the citizens instead of keeping it in the Borough. If we need to raise it next year we will do that.”

Richard Hirschfield asked for a motion to adopt the proposed 2004 budget. Sharyn Keiser made the motion and Geraldine Delevich seconded.

Richard Hirschfield commented that the budget represents operating expenses and capital, which involves investments, land improvement, Canal Walk, Ferry Street Landing, vehicles, operating costs and salaries, etc. This reflects a 10% reduction in property tax and thanked Janell and all the department heads for tying it together. The library and arts funding was increased. Additional personnel for motor cycle enforcement was added, a new and used police car will be purchased and we are retiring three Police cars dated from 1992 and 1993 all with over 100,000 miles. There will be a new public works vehicle purchased, and overall the operating budget has increased about 1% from 2003 to 2004 below the rate of inflation.

Geraldine Delevich commented “It is positive that money is going to parks and maintenance and asked where the money for the outdoor sculpture is?”

Richard Hirschfield answered, “It is in the Arts match, amounting to $2,500 and is about 10% more than last year.”

Bob Gerenser asked “Does any of the grant money have to be matched by the Borough?”

Richard Hirschfield answered “The only matching funds are of the transfer from Open Space money which is the original Randolph Street Grant and now is the Randolph/Ferry Street Grant. The Borough has to match $100,000 which goes back to 1999 leaving this the only matching fund except for some soft costs for the Canal walk which is basically spent, it is about roughly $113,000.”

The motion was passed with all in favor.

Richard Hirschfield asked for a motion for the adoption of Ordinance #2003-13, compensation of Borough Employees for the year 2004. Richard Hirschfield noted that they are hourly rates not annual rates and asked Janell to modify this before signatures. Sharyn Keiser made the motion and Ed Duffy seconded.

Richard Hirschfield added the State passed a raise for Borough Representatives two years ago and raised the salary of Council, The Borough President and the Mayor as follows;
-The Mayor of New Hope -$2,500 per year.
-The Council President- $2,500 per year.
-Council Members- $1,875 per year.

The motion was passed with all in favor.

Richard Hirschfield asked for a motion for the adoption of Resolution #2003-17 authorizing a Tax Anticipation Note for the Budget year 2004. The rate this year is 2.21% and this is to authorize the Borough to borrow $200,000 for the year 2004 beginning in January with repayment at the end of 2004 at the annual interest rate of 2.21%. Randy Flager made the motion and Jake Fell seconded. The motion was passed with all in favor.

MANAGER’S REPORT:

Janell Hammond asked for a motion to approve Accounts Payable for December 9, 2003 in the amount of $34,625.30. Sharyn Keiser made the motion and Randy Flager seconded. The motion was passed with al in favor.

Janell Hammond asked for a motion to approve Borough Payroll for November 26, 2003 in the amount of $39,576.87. Sharyn Keiser made the motion and Randy Flager seconded. The motion was passed with all in favor.

PLANNING:
Nothing to report.

ZONING:

Randy Flager made a motion to renew the contract to retain Robert Larason as the Borough Zoning Officer at $45.00 per hour, totaling no more then 840 hours, from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004 and Ed Duffy seconded.

Sharyn Keiser Thanked the entire Zoning Ordinance Review Committee that has been working diligently on the new Borough Ordinances. A grant brought in Lynn Bush from the Bucks County Planning Commission to become involved for three months which turned into two years because the Committee revisited every Ordinance in the Borough. The final draft was reviewed a week ago and by January 2004 we should have a final document and a public hearing will follow on that document.

Richard Hirschfield commented “That Bob Larason has been instrumental in moving the new Ordinances forward resulting in coherent and enforceable Borough Ordinances.”
The motion was passed with all in favor.

HARB:

Ed Duffy made a motion to grant 1 West Mechanic Street, the Visitor’s Center a Certificate of Appropriateness for the installation of existing prison gates to be used as a trellis.
The approval includes the following details.
-The host around the prison gates is to be made of Fir Wood.
-The stain color is to be weathered Wood.
Sharyn Keiser seconded and the motion was passed with all in favor.

Ed Duffy made a motion to grant a Certificate of Appropriateness for 50 South Main Street with the following conditions;
The stairway Gable window and the entry way gable will be as follows;
-The lights will be of all equal size.
-All in insert choices will be made out of aluminum.
-Glass to be clear on the outside and a layer of light gray on the inside.
-White aluminum mullion or Bronze mullion.

The white aluminum mullion between the layers of glass will completely frame each square or rectangle.

The Bronze Bar which dies into the aluminum perimeter.
All glass made by Rochester Glass PBG.

-The large gallery window needs to go through the appropriate channels prior to installation; (HARB, Council)

Randy Flager seconded and the motion was passed with all in favor.

Bob Gerenser asked about the demolition on 50 South Main Street.

Richard Hirschfield answered, “That final approval was given in September or October.”

Ed Duffy made a motion to grant a Certificate of Appropriateness for 90 Bridge Street and Ferry to remove a glass structure facing Bridge Street covering the patio, to demolish the shed facing Ferry Street and to remove the patio structure facing Ferry Street with the following conditions;

FACING FERRY ST. AFTER REMOVAL OF THE PATIO STRUCTURE
-1/2 Round Aluminum Gutters
-Leaving existing Asphalt Roof or will install standing seam metal roof-ptd., Dk. Green.
-True divided wood window 2/2-PTD
-6 panel wood door painted or 9-lite/wood door.

FACING BRIDGE STREET AFTER GLASS STRUCTURE IS REMOVED.
-New wood door-6 panel-PTD or existing to remain.
-Door closet to driveway to be new wood door 6 panel-PTD or 9 lite wood door.
-Will attempt to remove plaster off surface on main building to expose real stone
-Leaving existing asphalt roof or replace with new standing seam roof-PTD color not decided.

MAIN BODY OF HOUSE TO BE PAINTED ONE OF THE FOLLOWING COLORS;
-Navajo White #72 -Briarwood #73
-Montgomery White #76 -Annapolis Gray #70
-Lancaster White #78 -Sail Cloth #77
All colors made by Benjamin Moore
Shutters-Narraagansett Green HC-157
Randy Flager seconded the motion.

Richard Hirschfield commented that there should be a review of what will replace the demolished shed. The applicant should go back to HARB to discuss what plans they have for that area. They do not have to go before Zoning or Land Development so there will be no recourse for example; if it becomes a four car parking area and what kind of screening should be put up for the surrounding residents.

Sharyn Keiser answered that this is not a HARB issue. The approval is to restore the building back to its original form and to ask HARB if an applicant can put up a fence is not within their jurisdiction. It is a single-family dwelling and it would be parking for a single family dwelling.

Joe Balderson agreed with Sharyn Keiser.

Sharyn Keiser asked Bob Rynkiewicz “If there certain sizes to parking spaces.”

Bob Rynkiewicz answered that “The parking spaces are 9’x 19’ and there are certain restrictions for the front yard and that needs to be addressed in Zoning.”

Richard Hirschfield asked, “Is it more than three spaces?”

Bob Rynkiewicz answered “”If it is more than three spaces it has to go to engineering.”

Richard Hirschfield commented that he was satisfied.

The motion was passed with all in favor.

BOCA BOARD:

Ed Duffy made a motion to recommend the re-appointment of Paul Raywood to the BOCA Board for another term expiring December 31, 2008. Randy Flager seconded and the motion was passed with all in favor.

REVITALIZATION COMMITTEE:

Sharyn Keiser commented that the budget reflects how much money the Borough has received in grants as follows;
1- $10,000 for the Community Development Block Grant for the Chair lift.
2- $100,000 for Keystone and we have a matching $100,000 already.
3- $6,000 Delaware Greenway Grant for Ferry and Randolph Street
4- $16,700 Community Development Block Grant
5- $316,000 the T- Grant for the Canal Walk
6- $100,000 D & L Commission Canal Walk Grant
Giving us a balance of $548,700 for the 2004 budget.

Sharyn Keiser commended and introduced Rob Loughery on all the grants and to discuss them.

The following dialog was difficult to obtain due to the fact Mr. Loughery did not use a microphone.

Rob Loughery announced that New Hope Borough and the engineers from the Back Door project Gilmore and associates were the recipients of an award this year from the Bucks County Audubon’s Society.
There was $100,000 secured from the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Commission, and it is a transportation enhancement grant and the majority of that money requires an environmental review of Federal regulations and PennDOT is the overseer of that. Everything is ready to go and we are just waiting word from PennDOT. In the beginning of the year we should finish the design of the specs.
We received $20,000 from the Delaware and Lehigh National Corridor Commission for signage and we will begin working on that in January to put signage in different locations on the Canal from downtown and to the parking lot. This includes directional and historical in sight signs and sight attractions.
The Randolph Street project is to create a more resident friendly atmosphere which includes a passive and active connection to the river. We will highlight that area using as much natural landscaping products as possible and that could bring people down to that area where there will be steps and benches. The Ferry Street project will keep what we have down there and to clean it up using brick pavers which will connect into existing pavers; and will accent things differently by adding new landscaping and benches. This will be a little more active involving tourist use. There are also a few grants to help with the engineering costs bringing the proposed budget for the pocket parks to $180,000 and that includes a 10% contingency fee. We would like to get this out to bid by February 2004 and send it out to bid and bring it to council with the final design for discussion.

Bob Gerenser asked, “Can we have input for the design changes?” On Ferry Street can we bring existing grade over the manhole hatch?”

Rob Loughery stated, “The money is not in the budget for that.”

Bob Gerenser commented that he really liked Dennis Wise’s design back in 1999. There should be consideration for Hardscape there and a straighter design to improve the river access.

Randy Flager made motion to authorize the preparation of the specs for the pocket parks as shown on diagrams presented this evening. ED Duffy seconded and the motion was passed with all in favor.

Richard Hirschfield moved up Public Works at this time because there was no report for Administrative affairs and Geraldine Delevich would like to show a film.

PUBLIC WORKS:

Jake Fell made a motion for the appointment of Jason Raynor to the full-time position of laborer at a rate of $13.00 per hour. Sharyn Keiser seconded and the motion was passed with all in favor.

Sharyn Keiser and Randy Flager commended Public Works for their efforts in cleaning the roads during the snow storm.

POLICE:

Randy Flager made a motion to appoint Laurence Greene of 403 Riverview Circle to the Civil Service Commission replacing Frank Schmauk for a term of 5 years expiring on December 31, 2008. Sharyn Keiser seconded.

Richard Hirschfield thanked and commended Frank Schmauk for serving on the Civil Serve Commission.

The motion was passed with all in favor.

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS:

Geraldine Delevich announced February 6th-8th is the New Hope Lambertville Winter Festival.
There will be a concert with Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul performing on Friday February 6th, at 8PM at the Steven J. Buck Memorial Theater in New Hope-Solebury High School.

Geraldine Delevich announced that there are two holiday parties coming up. The Partners in Progress Holiday Party on Wednesday December 10, 2003 at The Landing starting at 6:00 PM and the following Wednesday on December 17, 2003 the Chamber of Commerce is having a Holiday Party starting at 6:30PM at Triumph in Union Square. All members of the community are invited to both parties.

Geraldine Delevich announced the Visitor’s Center Report for the month of November as follows;
1.Visitors-4,087
2.Sales $71.50
3.Donations $800.00

Geraldine Delevich announced the Monroe’s Crossing on the 13th of December and introduced Bob Gerenser.

Bob Gerenser announced the Monroe’s Crossing and stated to Council that the Certificate of Insurance is on it’s way. This has become very expensive asked if Council would consider making available a special events policy purchased by the individuals sponsoring these events to ease the costs.

Richard Hirschfield stated that “The Borough will not assume any liability and Mr. Gerenser must have the policy in place prior to the event.”

Bob Gerenser agreed and said the event will start at Odette’s, March up Main Street, and form up on Ferry Street.

Geraldine Delevich announced that this is Sandy Trappen’s last meeting as Councilwoman and thanked her and wished her good luck in the future

Sandra Trappen Commented that it has been a pleasure.

Geraldine Delevich at this time started the video by Tim McNutury called “Liberty and Justice for all.”

Geraldine Delevich announced she had extra videos available after the meeting if anyone would like to purchase them for $10.00.

Richard Hirschfield announced the Re-organization meeting will be at 7:0 PM on Monday January 5, 2004 where the council elects new officers, appoints committee Chairs and no other business will be conducted.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:

Rey Velasco warned the public about the flu epidemic.

Ralph Miller commented that he heard the Fire Lane has been approved at 50 South Main and under a ruling the agreement had to be made with the Playhouse.

Colin Jenei reminded Mr. Miller that he has brought suit through Council and asked politely that he could answer questions in a deposition format or in a Court Room because at this time it is a litigious matter and it is important not to make Public Statements. Colin Jenei added that Mr. Miller is fully aware that the suit is progressing and the Judge Heckler is deciding whether to dismiss the suit or not. The Basic decision New Hope has made is that it has nothing to do with the very contentious issue of easements that you and your neighboring properties might discuss but that there are fire lanes that access both properties and beyond that, this is the legal opinion. It has always been New Hope’s position in this matter that this is a dispute between two neighboring land owners and should be resolved with whatever legal means is necessary.

Ralph Miller stated that “There was a resolution on the fire lane issue and it was stated tonight.”

Colin Jenei answered that “There was no meeting where the fire lane issue was discussed and what being said to you tonight that we are under litigation.”

Ralph Miller stated “That he is just challenging Council to assert whose fire lane it is.
and asked was there a meeting?”

Colin Jenei stated that “We don’t believe we are taking property and you are free to disagree.”

Jan Witte asked about signage and heard comments that at the spur a sign be placed to show where Union Square is and the back door.

Joe Balderson asked “Why the aluminum windows for the New Hope Art Museum were approved?”

Sharyn Keiser answered that, “Council respects the Boards opinion and the meetings are open to public participation and at that time you should have expressed your opinion since you attended that meeting.”

Richard Hirschfield commented that “You should have brought it up earlier and we will have a discussion with HARB as to their thinking on that decision.”

Joe Balderson asked Council what their position was to the additional sewage that may possibly be put into New Hope lines from the unit at the Old Fountainhead.

Richard Hirschfield answered “That he met with Bucks County Water and Sewer this week and they stated that they are not hooking that up to sewage at all and talking about recharging that on the property and not dumping any sewage in the line. The new sewage pumping station should be built by June and will give New Hope new sewage routing to handle the volume where the current pumping station cannot.”

Joe Balderson asked “Will it be on the Bridge Commission property.”

Richard Hirschfield answered no, “The property of the bank.”

Joe Balderson asked if Council is aware of raw sewage running down the street and through the properties and crawl spaces through homes.

Richard Hirschfield answered, “Did you report this to Borough Hall.”

Joe Balderson answered, “Yes and the sewage people were out that night and spoke to Mr. Butler.”

Joe Balderson commented that he does not want to publicly discuss this issue at this time but, would like to talk to Mr. Hirschfield outside a meeting.

Richard Hirschfield answered, “He would be glad to do so.”

ADJOURNMENT: