The Telford Borough Council meeting held this date was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by President Stanley Nyce with the following members in attendance:  Robert Baker, Carolyn Crouthamel, Scott Hillegass, J. Allen Landis, Jeffrey Maxwell and James Schaeffer.  Also present were Manager Mark D. Fournier, Finance Director Craig Davies, Tax Collector Emiline Weiss, Solicitor Mark Weand, Public Works Director Donald Beck, Engineer Patrick DiGangi, Recording Secretary Megan McShane, Ray Derstine from Altek Business Systems, Bob Irick from Irick, Eberhardt & Mientus, Inc., resident Charles Porcelli and a press reporter.  Mayor Jay Stover was absent.

The invocation was given by Scott Hillegass, followed by the pledge of allegiance.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING:

A Schaeffer/Crouthamel motion carried unanimously (7-0) approving the minutes of the November 7, 2011 Borough Council meeting.

TREASURER'S REPORT:  We received the written monthly report for November, 2011 for the file.

Manager Mark Fournier reported that we’ve taken in 86% of our revenues and have spent 86% of our expenditures.

A Crouthamel/Landis motion carried unanimously (7-0) approving the Treasurer’s Report for November, 2011.

MAYOR’S REPORT: 

POLICE REPORT:  We received a written monthly report for the file.

FIRE REPORT:  We received a written monthly report for the file.

LIBRARY REPORT:  We received a written monthly report for the file.

PUBLIC WORKS REPORT:  We received a written monthly report for the file.

MANAGER’S REPORT:  We received a written monthly report for the file.

The 2011 Water Main Replacement and Sanitary Sewer Extension Project on Main Street, East Church Avenue and Springhouse Lane was awarded to Joao & Bradley and will begin in January.  The project will last through the spring.

BUILDING OFFICIAL’S REPORT:  We received a written monthly report for the file.

SOLICITOR’S REPORT:  We received a written monthly report for the file.

ENGINEER’S REPORT:  We received a written monthly report for the file.

In order for the Borough to complete improvements at the Church Road and County Line Road intersection, CKS applied for an Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) Grant for the second time in July.  Award of ARLE Grant projects is anticipated sometime this month.

COMMENTS FROM AUDIENCE: 

Mr. Charles Porcelli asked Council if they were going to review the budget line by line, and expressed concern over the proposed increase.

Mr. Hillegass informed Mr. Porcelli that the budget was reviewed thoroughly at the November Council meeting and was also reviewed line by line by the Finance and Administrative Committee.

Manager Mark Fournier informed Mr. Porcelli that unfortunately, the Borough will have a budget deficit at the end of 2011.  Earned income tax and real estate transfer taxes have been slow to come in this year, and the PPL reimbursement for the light program has also been slow to come in.  These are all contributing factors to that deficit.

FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE:  Mr. Hillegass

A-1       A Hillegass/Baker motion carried unanimously (7-0) accepting the payment of the bills for the month of November, 2011 in the amount of $ 229,560.71.

A-2       A Hillegass/Baker motion carried unanimously (7-0) approving the 2012 budget with a tax increase of 0.35 mils.

A-3       A Hillegass/Landis motion carried unanimously (7-0) adopting Ordinance # 390, which is the 2012 Tax Levy Ordinance.

A-4       A Hillegass/Crouthamel motion carried unanimously (7-0) adopting the 2012 Holiday Schedule as presented to Council.

FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE:  There was no report at this time.

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE:  Mr. Maxwell

PZ-1     A Maxwell/Crouthamel motion carried unanimously (7-0) approving the 2012 Indian Valley Regional Planning Commission budget.

PZ-2     Bob Irick of Irick, Eberhardt & Mientus, Inc. gave a brief presentation on the Altek Business Systems Revised Land Development Plan, which currently

includes an 18,273 sq. ft. office/warehouse facility.  The ultimate build-out of the building will be 25,500 sq. ft., which will require 6 additional parking spaces. 

Ray Derstine gave a brief description of what Altek does, which includes IT services, office equipment sales and service, print services and document      management.

Engineer Patrick DiGangi gave a brief summary of the CKS review letters.

A Maxwell/Schaeffer motion carried unanimously giving preliminary and final approval to the Altek Business Systems Revised Land Development Plan, subject to addressing the comments in the CKS letters dated November 29, 2011.

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE:  Mr. Nyce

PUBLIC WORKS/BUILDINGS & PLANT COMMITTEE:  Mr. Landis

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE:  Mr. Baker

DEVELOPMENT & CULTURE COMMITTEE:  Ms. Crouthamel

DC-1     The Telford Christmas Tree Lighting will be on Friday, December 9^th at 7:00 pm.

OTHER BUSINESS:

A Landis/Crouthamel motion carried unanimously (7-0) appointing Mark Fournier as the Telford Borough alternate voting delegate for the Tax Collection Committee.

A Schaeffer/Landis motion carried unanimously (7-0) appointing Scott Hillegass to the Telford Industrial Development Authority.  Mr. Hillegass is replacing Dwight Kleist, who stepped down due to health issues.

EXECUTIVE SESSION:

Borough Council entered into Executive Session at 8:42 pm to discuss personnel matters.

Borough Council closed executive session at 9:45 pm. 

A Baker/Maxwell motion carried unanimously (7-0) approving the conditional hiring of part-time police officer Robert Seville.  Upon the conditional offer, he would then need to undergo the required medical and psychological evaluations.  Upon satisfactorily passing the evaluations, he would be eligible for certification.  His starting salary would be $16.00 per hour, with a salary increase to $17.00 per hour after he successfully completes a six-month probationary period.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:48 pm by a Landis/Hillegass motion.

Respectfully submitted,

Mark D. Fournier

Secretary