President Thomas E. Stinnett called the Zoom regular meeting of the Riegelsville Borough Council to order at 7:02 p.m. July 8, 2020. Following the Pledge of Allegiance. PRESENT: Thomas Stinnett, Ed Bartosiewicz, Kate Brandes, Ann P Moyer, Rodney Scott, Mayor Stokes and Tammy Macaluso-Borough Treasurer.
REPORTS:
President- T. Stinnett reported to Council.
- We are recording all our Zoom meetings. If anyone makes inappropriate comments, tries to sell something, is attacking someone, etc. you will be removed from this meeting.
- Welcome to Zoom Borough Council meeting~ this is our third Council meeting and also had two Committee meetings due to the Coronavirus pandemic. We are following the “stay at Home request”. Bucks County remains in the Green Zone but still required safety precautions. We are doing the best we can during this declared emergency with the Borough code, and in the spirit of the Sunshine act.
- We continue to perform daily tasks plus added State, County & local Covid-19 pandemic emergency protective information that is being gathered and then being passed on via Borough website, “Rville Happenings”, posting on Borough office door.
Borough Secretary & Borough Treasurer/Tax collector are working remotely from the Borough office. Borough office phone has been forwarded to the Riegelsville Water Co. emergency after hour’s cell. Everything seems to be working smoothly. Matt Brady-fulltime laborer is working regular hours.
- Riegelsville Water Company is running the same as before this emergency.
- Senator Mensch, State Rep Ullman, BC Emergency Operations Center & Frank Preedy, Borough EMC has been sending email’s daily with county & state updates.
Roll call was taken.
- A Moyer motioned to approve the Council minutes from June 10, 2020, K. Brandes
Seconded. Unanimous.
REPORTS:
President: Council had an Executive session before the July 1, 2020 Streets & Properties Committee meeting for employee issues.
Mayor– Reported to Council:
- Mayor Stokes received a complaint about motorized vehicles he contacted the State Police and they said that would be dealt with by Borough ordinance, passed information onto Sherry and signage, bollards are in the plans.
- Mayor Stokes was approached by Borough resident in reference to a Bait business out of his home. Referred him to Sherry. Would probably need to be approved by Zoning.
- Riegelsville Reds start their season on Sunday 9:30 at the Borough Park.
COMMENTS OF CITIZENS: Please state your name, you have 3 minutes to speak.
9-Borough residents present on Zoom.
Borough Resident Kim Marciano-Hankinson requested comment “Parking issue on Court Lane”. Kim has not heard anything since the last meeting about the parking on Court Lane. Had to call the State Police because the neighbor was harassing the workers at her house because they are parking in Court Lane. Where are we in this process? She has done research that you do not need an engineer to just put stop parking signs up on Court Lane, Bidwell & Elmwood. That ordinance can be done quickly.
Rodney Scott, Council Utility Chair stated we are not getting an engineer involved and not putting up “No Parking signs”. During the research he found that Court Lane is 16ft.6inches wide. Asked if Kim has had a survey of her property since she owned it. Kim said no. Kim’s bushes need to be trimmed they are in the Lane. Rodney stated we recommend she have them trimmed. Kim replied there is still no room for an emergency vehicle to get through when his truck is parked there. Rodney suggested a survey so Kim knows where to cut her bushes back and if not then the Borough will need to do the survey to determine the correct width of the Lane. Kim responded she will talk to her attorney on this issue.
Borough Resident Don Monteverde requested comment on the “Trail”. Don stated Kim Monteverde was going to try to speak from out of town. Kim stated does the Linden Lane need to be an entrance point for the trail. T. Stinnett stated it will go back to how it always has been with a fence so vehicles can’t get through. Kim would like to suggest the opening be in the middle of the fence instead of by her property.
Council said that can be done. Kim is concerned with people parking on Linden Lane to access the trail. Kim asked if that could not be an entrance to the trail. Rodney stated that is a public road and people are allowed to park on it. Kim suggested putting up signs so trail walkers hopefully park in designated places. Don Monteverde stated about 30 yrs. ago he was awoken by drunks taking the fence apart so they didn’t get caught with a DWI. Rodney said the fence will be made so it will not be removed and the center will be open for walkers not vehicles.
COMMITTEE REPORTS: No Community Affairs and Utilities.
Streets & Properties:
Sherry Masteller, Borough Secretary stated” We are recording this Zoom meeting. If anyone makes inappropriate comments, tries to sell something, is attacking someone, etc. you will be removed from this meeting”.
Ed Bartosiewicz called the meeting to order at 7:01 pm on July 1, 2020 at the Riegelsville Borough Hall.
Members Present:
Ed Bartosiewicz, Kate Brandes, Ann Moyer, Rodney Scott and Tom Stinnett.
Others Present:
Mayor Stokes, Tammy Macaluso- Borough Treasurer and Sherry Masteller-Borough Secretary.
Comments from Citizens: Please state your name, you have maximum 3 minutes to speak.
7- Borough residents present.
Don Monteverde, Borough Resident lives very close to the new path and wants to know how the town council will handle the motorized vehicles? When it was a common path and Don mowed there dog owners did not pick up after their dogs, he suggests dog bags be available. Also when Don walked the trail there is a lot of properties that are very close to the path, Council said that there was extra money they may be able to put up some plants. T. Stinnett stated that they tried to keep the path far away as possible from the properties unfortunately by Linden Lane there is a huge drop off. R. Scott stated there will be signage to keep motorized vehicles off the trail, E. Bartosiewicz stated we will put up dog bag stations too.
Maureen Woerner, Borough Resident asked if there is a completion date. S. Masteller stated we do not have a date yet. Where do you gain access to the path? T. Stinnett stated he is not sure, but Spring Hill Road, Sherer’s/Delaware Road, Linden Lane, we will get back to everyone when we have a more definitive list. Maureen stated isn’t it too steep to enter the path from Spring Hill Road plus no parking. K. Brandes said she walked the path and it was fine if you are walking at that entrance.
Don Monteverde asked how long the path is. Approximately 1.4 miles. Also is there going to be stop signs at the Sherer’s/Delaware Road for kids walking across and not looking. S. Masteller did note that they are on the list. K. Brandes also asked if we can paint a cross walk on the road, yes we can.
Discussions:
Borough Building & Concession Stand- Storm update
- Masteller was concerned since we had a bad windy, raining storm that hopefully the park concession stand didn’t take in water. Matt Brady looked and there was a little water on the one corner from the front door.
- Bartosiewicz reported that he and Matt looked into the Northwest corner downspout was overflowing and caused a water leak in corner of basement. Matt dug it out to see where the line went to nowhere and was clogged with roots. They are working on a plan to change it from where it is now.
Keystone Library Grant update-
The rebid contract was put on PennBid on Friday June 26. Legal add for Newspaper went out today to post twice.
The interior plaster repair, and alternates for storm windows and window glazing for UV protection were removed. The pre bid meeting July 14th and the bids are due July 28th so they have a recommendation to be reviewed at the August Council meeting.
Trail update-
Nansteel will finish placing the stone walking surface (antiskid/AS3) this week. Thursday he hopes to start the pedestrian bridge near Spring Hill Rd. Next week they will continue work on the bridge (original schedule allotted a month) as well as place topsoil and fine grade along the edges of the trail.
Court Lane update-
We have been researching ordinances from prior years that address similar issues. We are looking into options such as amending an existing ordinance from the last time a no parking sign was put up in a similar situation. This was in 2002. We will continue to give time and effort to resolve this as soon as possible.
Spring hill Road traffic calming-
A Vote for the Engineer Cost was missed during the June Council Meeting, will be added for a vote during the July 8, Council meeting agenda.
Meeting adjourned 7:17 pm
Next Streets/Properties meeting will be held on August 5, 2020 at 7:00 pm in the Riegelsville Borough Hall.
Zoom recording link:
Password: 7L.M%8.8
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/opNYEoqo8mBLS6vUwUjxZJQKONTdeaa80XVIqacMyUiwxt2oJXP-Ga1-OR7U0wCB
Finance:
We are recording this Zoom meeting. If anyone makes inappropriate comments, tries to sell something, is attacking someone, etc. you will be removed from this meeting.
Kate Brandes called the meeting to order on July 1, 2020 at 7:17pm at the Riegelsville Borough Hall.
Members Present:
Kate Brandes, Ed Bartosiewicz, Ann Moyer, Rodney Scott and Tom Stinnett.
Others Present:
Mayor Stokes, Tammy Macaluso-Borough Treasurer and Sherry Masteller-Borough Secretary.
Comment from Citizens: Please state your name, you have maximum 3 minutes to speak.
7- Borough residents present. No comments.
Discussions:
The 2020/2021 Penn Dot Winter Maintenance Agreement (611 to Delaware Road to River Bridge) is $657.55. T. Stinnett asked what last year’s amount is. T. Stinnett found it $649.00, T. Macaluso stated it goes up each year.
Council looked over finances. T. Stinnett stated when he looked over the financials he noticed the Local Services Tax was lower and he said it is probably due to the empty call center on Durham Road. T. Macaluso said that is exactly why. T. Macaluso continued to say that the tax income is comparable to last year’s totals at this time even considering what we are all dealing with. Starting this month and next we will be getting earned income taxes in. Then that will show how we are doing during this virus. Real estate taxes are good 86% of budget. T. Stinnett stated Income VS expenses are dead on. T. Macaluso said we are not doing badly. The rest of Council said the financials look good.
Meeting adjourned at 7:22 pm.
Next Finance meeting will be held August 5, 2020 immediately following Streets/Properties
Zoom recording link:
Password: 7L.M%8.8
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/opNYEoqo8mBLS6vUwUjxZJQKONTdeaa80XVIqacMyUiwxt2oJXP-Ga1-OR7U0wCB
ESSENTIAL BUSINESS:
Approval of pay request #3 (Stone Trail) recommendations from Cowan Associates $114,837.61 to Charlie Nansteel Tree & Excavation. R. Scott motioned to approve and E. Bartosiewicz seconded. Unanimous. T. Stinnett stated they will probably have one more pay request. They are still working on the pedestrian walkway. They are waiting on an order for treated wood, there is a shortage due to the Covid-19. They are also spreading topsoil along the shoulders.
Approval of Entrust Energy (Electric Generation Supplier) Contract .0569. Starts 3/2022. A. Moyer motioned to approve and K. Brandes seconded. Unanimous.
Approval of 2020-2021 Borough Insurance Renewal with FIFS LLC in the annual amount of $17,967.00, with quarterly payments. E. Bartosiewicz motioned to approve and A. Moyer seconded. Unanimous.
Council discussion “Recommendation letter from Cowan, 300 Maple Lane Driveway Restoration”.
- Bartosiewicz motioned to approval of Passerini & Sons, Inc to proceed with the contracted scope of repairs as Cowan recommends, K. Brandes seconded. Unanimous.
Estimate $362.00 approval for Riegelsville Auto to undercoat the Borough’s Ford Dump Truck.
- Bartosiewicz motioned to approve and K. Brandes seconded. Unanimous.
Amber Campbell asked on the chat if the Traffic calming was going to be voted on tonight. T. Stinnett stated yes that this was omitted from the published agenda. That will be next.
Kate said before we go on Maureen Warner did not hear the Cowan’s recommendation letter. T. Stinnett repeated from the discussion above to have the contractor proceed with the contracted scope of work of repairs at 300 Maple Lane.
Approval of $2500.00 for Cowan’s services for Traffic Calming study on Spring Hill Road. R. Scott motioned to approve and A. Moyer seconded. Unanimous.
T. Stinnett asked if there was anything else. S. Masteller reported to Council that M. Brady spoke to J. Kopchak, Borough Zoning officer in reference to the down spout issue at the Borough Building and he said since T. Myers- Cowan Associates is the Borough’s Storm water manager he should take a look at that. M. Brady is setting up a time for that inspection.
APPROVAL OF BILLS: Total: 136,223.86
Council had no questions. A. Moyer motioned to approve bills. K. Brandes seconded. Unanimous.
T. Stinnett stated he is attending a DCNR Canal advisory meeting tomorrow online. He will ask when we will have water in the canal.
Next Council meeting August 12, 2020, 7:00pm.
Meeting adjourned 7:29 PM.
Sherry Masteller
Borough Secretary
Zoom recording link: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/xsNEK5PC3DJJGI3Q8WbyC5wmA9X9eaa803MX8vBfxEkVfXRnSOf-qIGkUCnfQO7X
Password: 0E*p=3s&