September 3, 2013
The Telford Borough Council meeting held this date was called to order at 7:31 p.m. by President Carolyn Crouthamel with the following members in attendance: Robert Baker, Jeffrey Maxwell, Stanley Nyce, James Schaeffer and Mayor Jay Stover. Also present were Manager Mark Fournier, Solicitor Mark Weand, Public Works Director Gary Yoder, Police Chief Randall Floyd, Detective Daniel Fox, Officer David Bechtel, Officer Jeremy Kim, Officer Brett Popiny, Officer Robert Seville, Police Department Secretary Gladys Gradel, Tax Collector Emiline Weiss, Recording Secretary Megan McShane, Souderton-Telford Main Streets representative Pam Baker, families of officers, resident David Snook, and a press reporter. Scott Hillegass and J. Allen Landis were absent.
The invocation was given by Stanley Nyce, followed by the pledge of allegiance.
AWARDS PRESENTATION:
Police Chief Randall Floyd presented Detective Daniel Fox and Officers Bechtel, Kim and Popiny with the following awards:
Detective Daniel S. Fox
Commendation Bar
Service Bar – 20 Years of Service
Education Achievement – Advanced College Level Evidence Course
Specialty Bar – Criminal Investigation
Officer Brett M. Popiny
Commendation Bar
Community Service – Boys & Girls Club/Soapbox Program
Specialty Bars – Tactical Team and Field Training Officer
Officer David Bechtel
Community Service – Boys & Girls Club/Soapbox Program
Education Achievement – Bachelors Degree
Specialty Bar – Tactical Team
Officer Jeremy Y. Kim
Commendation Bar
Service Bar – 10 Years of Service (12 actual)
Community Service Award – Boys & Girls Club/Soapbox Program
Specialty Bar – Field Training Officer
Chief’s Award of Excellence – Honor and Integrity
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING:
A Baker/Maxwell motion carried unanimously (5-0) approving the minutes of the August 5, 2013 Borough Council meeting.
TREASURER’S REPORT: We received the written monthly report for August, 2013 for the file.
Manager Mark Fournier reported that we’ve taken in 84.21% of our revenues and have spent about 63.64% of our expenditures.
A Baker/Nyce motion carried unanimously (5-0) approving the Treasurer’s Report.
MAYOR’S REPORT:
Mayor Jay Stover reported that he attended the August Council meeting and that there was no Library Board meeting during the month of August.
POLICE REPORT: We received a written monthly report for the file.
Chief Floyd reported that random drug testing will now be done for all Borough Police Department members, including the department secretary. Chief Floyd emphasized that he does not have any concerns; this testing has simply been implemented as part of the Policy Manual.
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.
Manager Mark Fournier reported that he and the Finance Director will begin budget preparation shortly, and that if there are any items that Council wants them to incorporate into the budget, please let them know.
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.
Solicitor Mark Weand reported that the Rock Community Church property at 114 W. Broad Street was not sold during the month of August. A new tax exemption hearing with the Montgomery County Board of Assessment Appeals has been scheduled for October 15, 2013.
Solicitor Weand also informed Council that he, Manager Fournier and Administrative Secretary Megan McShane met with Ken Rotz from Keystate Publishers to review the preliminary editorial report for the codification. A draft of the codification should be ready for review in about 45 days and we’ll look to adopt the codification in new year.
ENGINEER’S REPORT: We received a written monthly report for the file.
COMMENTS FROM AUDIENCE: There were no comments from the audience.
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE: Mr. Hillegass
A-1 A Maxwell/Schaeffer motion carried unanimously (5-0) accepting the paymentof the bills for the month of August, 2013 in the amount of $ 179,060.72.
A-2 A Maxwell/Schaeffer motion carried unanimously (5-0) approving the hiring of Jeremy Davies for the Laborer position at a starting salary of $18.00 per hour, conditioned upon his successful passing of a drug & alcohol test.
A-3 A Maxwell/Baker motion carried unanimously (5-0) approving the PoliceContract for the term 1/1/14 to 12/31/17.
A-4 A Maxwell/Schaeffer motion carried unanimously (5-0) to adopt the Minimum Municipal Obligation for the year 2014 for the Non-Uniform Pension Plan.
A-5 A Maxwell/Schaeffer motion carried unanimously (5-0) to adopt the Minimum Municipal Obligation for the Police Pension Plan for the year 2014.
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE: There was nothing to report at this time.
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE: There was nothing to report at this time.
PUBLIC WORKS/BUILDINGS & PLANT COMMITTEE: There was nothing to report at this time.
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE: There was nothing to report at this time.
DEVELOPMENT & CULTURE COMMITTEE: Mr. Nyce
DC-1 Manager Mark Fournier informed Council that there will be a Grand Opening celebration at Franconia Avenue Park on Saturday, September 21st at 11:00 am.
DC-2 Souderton-Telford Main Streets representative Pam Baker gave an overview of the festivities planned for the October Fest that is scheduled for Saturday, October 19, 2013, from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Part of the festivities will take place at Stover Park, on the property across Crest Avenue at 4th and Crest,and at Stover Beverage. Crest Avenue will be closed to thru traffic during the event, and there will be a crosswalk with crossing guards across 4th Street.
The event is scheduled to occur rain or shine, and Mrs. Baker emphasized thatno alcoholic beverages will leave the Stover Beverage property.
Manager Mark Fournier informed Mrs. Baker that Main Streets will need toprovide a Certificate of Insurance to the Borough, listing both Telford Borough and Moyer Indoor/Outdoor as additional insured parties. He also reported thatthere will be on-street parking available on 4th Street, and that a group uses Stover Field on Friday nights, so the field will not be available for set-up untilSaturday morning.
Jeffrey Maxwell asked Chief Floyd if he foresees any issues with what isproposed for this event, and Chief Floyd stated that he does not.
A Nyce/Baker motion carried unanimously (5-0) authorizing Main Streets to use Stover Park for October Fest on October 19, 2013.
OTHER BUSINESS:
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Borough Council entered into Executive Session at 8:40 pm to discuss a matter of litigation and personnel matters.
Borough Council closed executive session at 8:54 pm. No action was taken.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 pm by a Schaeffer/Nyce motion.
Respectfully submitted,
Mark D. Fournier
Secretary
