New Hope Borough
Regular Meeting of Borough Council

January 13, 2004
7:30 PM
Minutes

Present: Richard Hirschfield, Jake Fell, Geraldine Delevich, Randy Flager, Ed Duffy, Solicitor Colin Jenei and Mayor Keller.

Absent: Sharyn keiser and Janell Hammond.

Approval of the minutes for December 9, 2003: Richard Hirschfield asked for a motion for the approval of the minutes as corrected for December 9, 2003. Randy Flager made the motion and Rey Velasco seconded. The motion was passed with all in favor.

Approval of the minutes for January 5, 2004 (Re-organization meeting):

Richard Hirschfield asked for motion to approve the minutes for January 5, 2004. Ed Duffy made the motion and Randy Flager seconded and the motion was passed with all in favor.

MAYORS REPORT:

Mayor Keller announced that he rode the shuttle on January 5, 2004 at 7AM with Ed Duffy and met with Mayor Del Vecchio over to Lambertville. After talking to the driver of the shuttle they are averaging 3 to 4 passengers per cycle and running smoothly. It is a large bus not a van and can accommodate 35 to 40 people.

Mayor Keller announced that Lambertville was selling a 1988 model street sweeper and the Borough recently purchased it. The cost was $3,000 for the Borough and a new street sweeper goes for $116,000.

Mayor Keller announced that the Police Department has advertised for a full time police officer and the applications have to be in by January 20th or 21st, 2004 and there will be a written test on Saturday January 24 , 2004 and after this Chief Pasqualini will schedule interviews.

Richard Hirschfield commended the Mayor and Public Works for the big savings in the purchase of the Street Sweeper.

COUNCIL PRESIDENTS REPORT:

President Hirschfield announced the Committee Chairs as follows:

• Planning-Ed Duffy-Chair
  Randy Flager
• Zoning-Randy Flager-Chair
  Ed Duffy
• HARB-Ed Duffy-Chair
  Rey Velasco
• Revitalization-Sharyn Keiser-Chair
  Ed Duffy
  Geraldine Delevich
• Administrative Affairs-Richard Hirschfield-Chair
  Sharyn Keiser
• Community Affairs- Geraldine Delevich-Chair
  Rey Velasco
• Public Works -Jake Fell- Chair
  Sharyn Keiser
  Rey Velasco
• Police-Sharyn Keiser-Chair
  Richard Hirschfield
  Ed Duffy
  
  Richard Hirschfield announced that each person assigned to a specific meeting will be responsible for providing a summary to Council on the activity.

There were no objections.

MANAGER’S REPORT:

Richard Hirschfield commented on the Payroll for December 24, 2003 that the amount is high because of the payout for Police Officer James Keen which included Vacation, Comp, and sick time.

Randy Flager made a motion to approve Accounts Payable for January 13, 2004 in the amount of $97,566.00. Ed Duffy seconded and the motion was passed with all in favor.

Randy Flager made a motion to approve the following:

• Borough Payroll for December 9, 2003 in the amount of $41.019.33.
• Borough Payroll for December 24, 2003 in the amount of $62,346.98
• Borough Payroll for January 7, 2004 in the amount of $35,475.41

Jake Fell seconded.

Bob Gerenser requested the break down for Jimmy Keens payout.

Richard Hirschfield replied, “The Manager is not here tonight but, it is in the area of $18,000.”

Bob Gerenser, "Is there ever a cap on that?"

Richard Hirschfield replied, “Yes there is a cap in the Police Contract.”

Mayor Keller added that the sick time is about 200 hours, and vacation time cannot be banked it has to be taken or paid at the time that it is not used.

The motion was passed with all in favor.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

ZONING:

Randy Flager made a motion to enter into a contract with Carroll Engineering for Geographic Information System Services Base Mapping and County Tax Assessment Updates in the amount of $4,290.00.

Richard Hirschfield commented that it will also be updated during the year to keep it current.

Ed Duffy seconded.

Geraldine Delevich asked, “What is the practical application of this program?”

Richard Hirschfield replied, “It is a practical and a essential application because the Borough Zoning Maps, if inaccurate, would leave the Borough completely liable if a project took place and the specific people were not notified properly and it is the Borough’s responsibility to insure that each application is accurate and complete. The maps have to be completely accurate so the Borough is in a defensible Zoning position.

Randy Flager added that these updates will be very accurate aerial shots, updated flood plains, and this combined with the new Zoning Ordinances will be very useful.

Ed Duffy seconded the motion to adopt Resolution #2004-5, The New Hope Borough Fee Schedule.

Richard Hirschfield stated, “The old schedule was spread out into different documents and had conflicts. This new schedule pulls all the information together into one schedule covering inspections, land development etc. This should also be reviewed yearly.”

The motion was passed with all in favor.

Randy Flager made a motion to recommend the reappointment of McNamara, Bolla, Williams and Panzer to the Zoning Hearing Board as the Solicitor at $135.00 per hour and Ed Duffy seconded.

The motion was passed with all in favor.

Randy Flager commented that he would like to recognize The Zoning Hearing Board and The Planning Commission for all the hours they volunteer and especially wanted to recognize and thank Ed Duffy who attends all of the meetings on a regular basis.

Ed Duffy commented that the Planning Committee met the first week of this year hearing an application from the Logan Inn and sharing their information on what they want to do and to basically receive some input and guidance for their project and will return with a preliminary plan. The next meeting coming up will hear George Michael for The New Hope Inn at 37 West Mechanic Street, on February 2, 2004 presenting a sketch plan.

HARB:

Ed Duffy made a motion for a Certificate of Appropriateness for 76 South Main Street which was corrected from 96 South Main Street. The following conditions were included in the approval:

• To paint the existing natural wood to match the color on the main building.-beige
• The existing deck & railing color to remain.
• To add trim to the 1 x 4 front window on the second floor and painted to match the main building trim-brown.
• To add trim to the store front window on the first floor and to be painted brown also to match the main building trim.
• All remaining window trim on the building to be consistent and painted brown to match the main building trim.
• The existing metal trim to the left of the building facing the bridge to be painted the same color beige used on the main building.
• The painting will not take place until color samples are brought to HARB for review.

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

Ed Duffy made a motion for a Certificate of Appropriateness for 64 North Main Street.
The approval is based on the following conditions:

• 3’high wood Pickett fence painted white
• (2) Swinging gates 5’ wide with strap hinges and will manually open.
• Antique Urn which will be placed in the mulch circle indicated in the drawing presented.

This motion only involves the conditions stated above and any other alterations and changes must go through the appropriate channels.

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

Richard Hirschfield noted that both applicants must return to HARB upon completion of the work within 60 days for review.

REVITALIZATION COMMITTEE Nothing to report.

ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS Nothing to report.

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS:

Geraldine Delevich announced that the second annual Algonquin Film Festival will be taking place on January 29, 30 31, and February 1, 2004 at the Eagle Fire Hall on Sugan Road in New Hope. On Saturday, the Hoopla Award will be presented to director Susan Sidleman who directed, “Desperately Seeking Susan,” with Madonna and also directed one or two episodes of “Sex in the City.” On Sunday, February 1, 2004 Celeste Holmes and Patricia O’Neal will be at the Film Festival to discuss their careers.

Geraldine Delevich announced that PIP has put together a nice newsletter and is available at Borough Hall.

Geraldine Delevich announced that there was a memorial garden dedication for Douglas Kane and a stone memorial was placed in the gardens in his honor.

Geraldine Delevich announced that PIP won the Bucks County Herald Contest. Jim McGinniss was the New Hope Artist and all the information is in the newsletter and also on the web.
The Visitor Center monthly report was not announced.

Rey Velasco announced the Sculpture Committee Meeting took place last night and 25 people were present and thanked the Mayor for attending. The date of the Indoor and Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition will be the first two weekends of May.

Rey Velasco announced there is a beautiful sculpture at the Visitors Center that Jake Fell put together using old jail gates and encouraged people to drop by and see it.

Rey Velasco announced that there was an article in the newspaper about PIP in the “Our Town,” section promoting authors from the area.

Rey Velasco announced that there was an article in the Daily News about James McBride from Solebury Township, author of a Color of Water, a Blackman’s tribute to his Mother.

Jake Fell presented Rey Valesco with a shovel calling it a miniature back hoe welcoming him to Council.

OLD BUSINESS:

Randy Flager welcomed Rey to Council.

NEW BUSINESS:

Elaine McNealy commented that she has a concern with North Main Street will they resurface that?

Richard Hirschfield replied, “Absolutely they are cold patching daily and it should be completely repaved by March.”

Bob Gerenser thanked the Police Department, New Hope Borough Council, and Tom Carroll in Public Works for all their help with the Monroe’s Crossing.

ADJOURNMENT: