Borough Council
Borough Council Meeting Minutes
February 9, 2009
President Edwin Peterson called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM with the following Councilors present: Ms. Holliday Giles, Mr. Michael Birkner, Mr. John Butterfield, Mrs. Susan Naugle, Mr. Robert Krummerich, Mrs. Claire Lewis and Mayor William Troxell. Mr. Theodore Streeter and Ms. Alice Estrada were absent. Staff present included Manager John Lawver, Borough Secretary Sara Stull, Solicitor Harold Eastman, Chief Joseph Dougherty, Finance Director Ramona Overton and Planner Merry Bush.
Others present included Sergeant Kevin Wilson, Pam and Richard Wilson (wife and son), Gene Golden, borough vent, Darlene Brown, PICPI-ACHA, Judie Butterfield, 999 Sunset Avenue, Kathy Gilbert, 39 South Street, Bob Fanari, Healthy Adams County and Jim Cooke, 1040 Long Lane.
Representing the press were Scot Pitzer of the Gettysburg Times, Bill Swartz, Photographer Gettysburg Times, Max Stevens, WGET and Erin James representing the Evening Sun
Moved Mr. Birkner, seconded Mr. Krummerich, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
Moved Mr. Birkner, seconded Mr. Krummerich, to approve the January 12, 2009 minutes as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
Moved Mr. Birkner, seconded Mr. Krummerich, to approve the January 14, 2009 special council meeting minutes as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
Citizens in attendance:
Bob Fanari representing the Child Advocacy attended to request permission for them to place pinwheels on the circle in downtown Gettysburg. Manager Lawver responded this would require Penn DOT approval. He suggested they contact the office to discuss other options.
Gene Golden attended to express his concern about the delay in revising the sign ordinance. He pointed out he first approached Council in 2003 and the sign ordinance is still not complete. Mr. Golden requested a copy of the current work in progress that the Ad Hoc Committee has been developing. He also asked when the next meeting is schedule so he could attend and offer his assistance.
Solicitor Eastman responded the committee continues to work on the ordinance in "good faith" and is moving forward. He explained the committee has reviewed the comments from the sign makers and incorporated it into the ordinance. Solicitor Eastman pointed out they have literally been going line by line and that good legislation takes time.
Mayor Troxell announced the sergeant promotion and introduced Officer PFC Kevin Wilson.
Moved Mr. Butterfield, seconded Ms. Giles to promote Gettysburg Police Officer Kevin Wilson from the rank of PFC to the rank of Sergeant. Motion carried unanimously.
Mayor Troxell and Chief Dougherty presented Officer Wilson with his Sergeant Stripes with his wife and son by his side.
Mr. Peterson announced Mr. Streeter would serve on the Council of Government (COG) Board.
Moved Ms. Giles, seconded Mr. Birkner to adopt a resolution authorizing the Borough of Gettysburg to express support for and pursue federal transportation funding to execute and complete transportation improvements at the southern and western gateways of the Borough in preparation for increased visitor traffic related to the sesquicentennial (150th) anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg in 2013 and in order to enhance local economic development. Motion carried unanimously.
Mrs. Naugle asked what the improvements consist of. Ms. Giles answered the Main Street initiative and that more information would be available within the next few weeks.
Mr. Birkner reporting for the Public Works Committee noted the Borough is almost 100% in compliance with recycling.
Mr. Birkner reported the Recreation Committee met with the ball leagues and it went very well.
Mr. Birkner reported on the Inner Loop Bike Trail and that they continue to educate the public about the trail. Mrs. Naugle noted they are awaiting a response regarding the grant application that they submitted.
Mr. Birkner reported Sculptor Stanley Watts visited Gettysburg and looked at several locations for the Lincoln Statue. His goal is to place the statue this year and that he would have a fund set aside for the maintenance of the statue.
Moved Mr. Birkner, seconded Mr. Krummerich to approve HARB consent agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
Moved Mr. Butterfield, seconded Mr. Birkner to authorize solicitor to advertise for enactment an ordinance amending the solid waste ordinance to require that records be kept of municipal waste collection and disposal. Motion carried unanimously.
Moved Mr. Butterfield, seconded Mrs. Naugle to authorize solicitor to advertise for enactment an ordinance to amend certain provisions of the Borough of Gettysburg Police Pension Plan. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Butterfield reported the Civil Service Commission and the Zoning Hearing Board have presented their annual reports. The Planning Commission has not submitted their report to date; the deadline is March.
Mr. Butterfield presented council with handouts of the research work he and Judie Butterfield completed regarding special events. Mr. Birkner thanked John and Judie for their extensive work in researching these events.
Moved Mrs. Naugle, seconded Mr. Butterfield to appoint John R. White to the Board of Gettysburg Area Industrial Development Authority to complete a term on that board which expires July 2011. Motion carried unanimously.
Moved Mrs. Naugle to appoint James R. Ekdahl to the Board of Gettysburg Area Industrial Development Authority to complete a term on that board which expires July 2012. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Krummerich reporting for the Finance Committee asked that an adjustment be made to the budget for the architectural consultant for the borough building $25,000; grant writing $2,500; Computer Server $10,000 and Train Station $7,500 for a total of $45,000. Ms. Giles asked if these amounts are estimates and would council have the opportunity to vote on these as they come in.
Manager Lawver responded they are all estimates except the grant writer. He would keep Council informed as information became available from the architects of these projects. Manager Lawver asked that Council modify the budget one time and that he would just be transferring funds from one fund to another. He pointed out it would be a line item on the budget for each of these projects.
Solicitor Eastman read the terms for modifying the budget and that they would not be amending it. He explained that the budget could only be amended on even numbered years for new Council members to have the opportunity to amend the budget.
Mrs. Naugle expressed concern that the grant writing would come back to Council before the contract is signed to make best use of the $2,500.
Moved Mr. Krummerich, seconded Mr. Birkner to modify the 2009 budget to transfer $45,000 from the Maintenance Reserve Account in the Capital Reserve Fund to the General Fund Checking Account. Motion carried unanimously.
Moved Mr. Krummerich, seconded Mr. Butterfield to approve all bills and payrolls for the month as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Birkner reporting for the College Community said they had concerns with renting houses and the Landlords. Manager Lawver explained the college doesn't own the property in question but that the Landlord has been a recurring problem. The house in question is rented to college students.
Moved Mr. Butterfield, seconded Mrs. Naugle to adopt a resolution of the Borough of Gettysburg to acknowledge and express support for the application of Gettysburg Municipal Authority for grant funding under the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania H20 PA Program through the Commonwealth financing Authority for costs associated with planned upgrades and improvements to the public sewer system. Motion carried unanimously.
Moved Mr. Butterfield, seconded Ms. Giles to accept the J. P. Harris tax exonerations for tax years 1999 thru 2007 as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
Ms. Giles asked when businesses have concerns regarding ADA what committee should handle them. Manager Lawver responded he is currently planning to conduct another meeting in the near future. He is awaiting a call from these agencies that attended last year to schedule a time suitable for everyone. Manager Lawver reported he also recently met with the Center for Independent Living.
Mrs. Naugle noted she may have sponsors for the ADA meeting and will forward this information to Manager Lawver. Manager Lawver will continue to work with Solicitor Eastman and Attorney Stanger and report to Council.
Moved Mr. Butterfield, seconded Mrs. Naugle to authorize the partial release of the financial security for the completion of required improvements in connection with the land development plan of West Street Plaza, Phase II from the amount of $37,009.10 to the amount of $18,992.16 consistent with the certification of C. S. Davidson Inc. dated January 15, 1009. Motion carried unanimously.
At this time the meeting was adjourned to an executive session to discuss real estate matters.
With no further business to come before council moved Ms. Giles, seconded Mr. Butterfield to adjourn the meeting at 10:00 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Sara L. Stull
Borough Secretary