Meeting Minutes

NEW HOPE BOROUGH
Regular Meeting of Borough Council
March 11, 2003

PRESENT: Sharyn Keiser, Ed Duffy, Geraldine Delevich, Randy Flager, Sandy Trappen, Mayor Keller, Solicitor Colin Jenei, and Borough Manager John Tegley.

ABSENT: Richard Hirschfield, and Jake Fell.

CALL TO ORDER:
The meeting of the New Hope Borough Regular Council was called to order at 7:30 P.M.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 11, 2003: as corrected
Ed Duffy made the motion and Geraldine Delevich seconded. The motion was passed by the following vote.

MAYOR'S REPORT:

Mayor Keller announced that the Police Department now has all the meters adjusted to .75 per hour on all the streets.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S REPORT:

Sharyn Keiser recommended a motion for the consideration of Ordinance #2003-5 amending provisions of Chapter 1, Administration and Government, Part Four (4) Section 403, increasing the membership of the Historic Architectural Review Board from seven (7) to nine (9) members. Randy Flager made the motion and Ed Duffy seconded. The motion was passed by the following vote.

Bob Gerenser asked if the increase in the Board would affect the quorum? Sharyn Keiser answered it is just a larger Board because of the increase in meetings.

Sharyn Keiser announced that the official Borough Web Page is available and can be accessed by, (newhopeborough.org.) Information on the Boards and Commission will be available, meeting dates, the Council agenda, meeting minutes, applications for permits, personnel and contact information. Sharyn Keiser thanked Richard Hirschfield and Borough Manager John Tegley for their efforts. Sharyn Keiser also mentioned the Zoning Ordinances are still being worked on and after all the public meetings take place they will be available on the Web Page as well.

MANAGER'S REPORT:

John Tegley requested approval of Borough Payroll for February 19, 2003 in the amount of $38,089.94. Randy Flager made the motion and Ed Duffy seconded. The motion was passed by the following vote.

John Tegley requested approval for Borough Payroll for March 5, 2003 in the amount of $49,236.68. Randy Flager made the motion and Ed Duffy seconded. The motion was passed by the following vote.

John Tegley requested approval for Accounts Payable for March 12, 2003 in the amount of $69,312.67. Randy Flager made the motion and Ed Duffy seconded. The motion was passed by the following vote.

Sharyn Keiser asked Manager John Tegley to explain why Accounts Payable for March 12, 2003 amounted to $69,312.67?

John Tegley answered the Borough had a total expense for snow removal for a little over 20 inches of snow costing approximately $10,000. The Borough used outside contractors with hired equipment for the snow removal for the main streets downtown.

Sharyn Keiser asked John Tegley if the $69,312.67 included Police Pension and vacation pay?

John Tegley answered no, it included regular payroll with over-time for snow removal.

A RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL OF TWO PRE-PAID BILLS.
Sharyn Keiser asked for a motion for two pre paid bills for snow removal. There was $20,000 in the budget and under $15,000 was used. One of the prepaid bills was for Dimola Landscaping on February 19, 2003 in the amount of $2,310 and the other one was on February 20, 2003 for Hartman Landscape in the amount of $4,417.50.

John Tegley mentioned this amount included the use of two intermediate dump trucks, one skip loader from Hartman plus the operators, one truck and one additional small front-end loader from the other contractor. Randy Flager made the motion and Geraldine Delevich seconded. The motion was passed by the following vote.

PLANNING AND ZONING:

Ed Duffy announced that there are a few major projects that New Hope residents should try to take part in. They include the New Hope Solebury School for Final Approval in Planning. The New Hope Inn has new plans on the drawing board and Marsha Brown will be coming out of court and applying for final approval. Ed Duffy also mentioned that information for the meetings are published in the local papers, on the new Web Site, or anyone can contact Borough Hall and ask for JoAnn Connell.

HARB:

Nothing to report.

REVITALIZATION:

Sharyn Keiser announced that the Visitors Center is currently under construction. It will take about two to three weeks for completion.

Bob Gerenser wanted to know how the calls are being handled from the Visitor's Center while under construction, and could they be forwarded to Borough Hall?

Sharyn Keiser answered that Borough Hall would take the request under consideration.

ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE:

Nothing to report.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT:

Geraldine Delevich congratulated Track 2002 for a sucessful fundraiser and thanked the Chief and the Mayor for their participation.

Geraldine Delevich announced May 10, 2003 begins the exhibit for indoor and outdoor sculptures. The indoor exhibit will take place at Union Square where place and time is yet to be determined and the sculptures at this will be for sale.

Geraldine Delevich announced the February activity for the Visitors Center.
1.) Visitors-873
2.) Calls-305
3.) Brochures handed out- 35.
4.) Donations-$212.00
5.) Sales-$36.00

Geraldine Delevich thanked the many people who attended the Human Rights Campaign dinner. She brought the award New Hope was presented with to the meeting for the public to see and mentioned it will eventually be at Borough Hall where it will be put permanently on display.

Sharyn Keiser thanked Geraldine Delevich and Randy Flager for all their hard efforts and commented on the powerful speech Geraldine Delevich gave at the awards dinner.

POLICE:
Sharyn Keiser recommended the appointment of Michael Phelan, of 7 Franklin Street in Fallsington, PA to the position of Part time Police Officer at $14.30 per hour. Randy Flager made the motion and Ed Duffy seconded. The motion was passed by the following vote.

PUBLIC WORKS:

Sharyn Keiser announced the sucessful job done by Public Works for the snow removal and also thanked the Police and Fire Departments.

OLD BUSINESS:

Mary Gardener asked why there is more than one motorcycle in the parking spaces. She thought there was an ordinance where only one motorcycle was allowed in each parking space.

Mayor Keller answered Commonwealth passed a law that allows more than one bike per parking space.

Mary Gardener felt that this would have a bad impact in town and asked if there is any limitation to how many bikes.

Mayor Keller answered he does not believe there is and recommended she contact the Commonwealth so they can be made aware of the impact on the residents.

NEW BUSINESS:

Randy Flager thanked everyone for his or her good wishes while he was in the hospital.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:

Doro Kerr asked if there is room in the Borough's budget for the purchase of temporary sleeping devices for the Fire Department.

John Tegley answered that the Fire Department has their own funds to do that.

ADJOURNMENT: