The Schuylkill Township Board of Supervisors held their Reorganization Meeting for the year 2009 on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at the Township Hall. Members of the Board present were Mr. Norman Vutz, Mrs. Barbara Cohen, Mr. Lee Ledbetter, Mr. Jim Morrisson and Mrs. Laurie Williams. Also present were Mr. William Brennan, Township Solicitor and Ms. Mary Bird, Township Manager. Mrs. Cohen acted as temporary Chair.
Norman Vutz was elected Chair of the Board of Supervisors for the year 2009.
Moved: Cohen Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
Barbara Cohen was elected Vice-Chair of the Board of Supervisors for the year 2009.
Moved: Vutz Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
Mr. Ledbetter nominated Barbara Cohen as Treasurer of the Board of Supervisors for the year 2009.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Vutz Approval: Ledbetter, Morrisson, Vutz
Dissent: Williams
Mrs. Williams voiced her objection in that she wanted to put herself forward for the post. Mrs. Cohen made a motion to have Mrs. Williams serve as Vice Treasurer of the Board of Supervisors for the year 2009. Mrs. Williams accepted the position and the motion was put to the Board.
Moved: Cohen Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
The Treasurer’s Bond was set at $2,000,000.00.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Vutz Approval: Unanimous
Madeline M. Harbison was appointed Township Secretary for the year 2009.
Moved: Vutz Second: Williams Approval: Unanimous
Mary R. Bird was reappointed Township Manager for the year 2009.
Moved: Vutz Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
Laurie Williams was appointed Highway Committee Chair.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Cohen Approval: Unanimous
Norman Vutz was appointed Highway Committee Vice-Chair.
Moved: Williams Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
Barbara Cohen was appointed Police Committee Chair.
Moved: Vutz Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
Jim Morrisson was appointed Police Committee Vice-Chair.
Moved: Williams Second: Cohen Approval: Unanimous
Norman Vutz was appointed Fire Committee Chair.
Moved: Williams Second: Cohen Approval: Unanimous
Barbara Cohen was appointed Fire Committee Vice-Chair.
Moved: Williams Second: Morrisson Approval: Unanimous
Barbara Cohen was appointed Office Management Chair.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Williams Approval: Unanimous
Jim Morrisson was appointed Office Management Vice-Chair.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Vutz Approval: Unanimous
Barbara Cohen was appointed Building and Grounds Committee Chair.
Moved: Morrison Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
Jim Morrisson was appointed Zoning Management Chair.
Moved: Williams Second: Vutz Approval: Unanimous
Jim Morrisson was appointed Township Planning Commission Liaison.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Vutz Approval: Unanimous
Barbara Cohen was appointed Township Historical Commission Liaison.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Williams Approval: Unanimous
Laurie Williams was appointed Township Environmental Advisory Council Liaison.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Vutz Approval: Unanimous
Jim Morrisson was appointed as Township Open Space Commission Liaison.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Williams Approval: Unanimous
Lee Ledbetter was appointed as Alternate Township Open Space Commission Liaison.
Moved: Williams Second: Vutz Approval: Unanimous
Jim Morrison was appointed as Township Regional Planning Liaison.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Vutz Approval: Unanimous
Lee Ledbetter was appointed as Alternate Township Regional Planning Liaison.
Moved: Vutz Second: Williams Approval: Unanimous
Fred Honigman was appointed Township Emergency Management Coordinator and Sandi Henzie was appointed Assistant Township Emergency Management Coordinator.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Vutz Approval: Unanimous
Richard Downs was appointed Vacancy Board Chair.
Moved: Vutz Second: Cohen Approval: Unanimous
Jim Morrisson was appointed Township Deer Management Committee Chair.
Moved: Williams Second: Vutz Approval: Unanimous
James Shaughnessy was appointed Township Recycling Committee Chair and Chester County Solid Waste Committee Township Representative.
Moved: Cohen Second: Williams Approval: Unanimous
Jack Claffey was reappointed to the Township Planning Commission for a four-year term.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Vutz Approval: Cohen, Ledbetter, Morrisson, Vutz
Thomas Davis and Brian Lange were recommended for appointment by the Planning Commission. Mr. Davis and Mr. Lange were appointed to the Planning Commission.
Moved: Williams Second: Ledbetter Approval: Cohen, Ledbetter, Vutz, Williams
Dissent: Morrisson
Mr. Morrisson objected to the appointments because he had not interviewed the candidates.
Members of the Township Planning Commission for 2009 are:
James Reading Term Expires December 31, 2010
Jack Claffey Term Expires December 31, 2012
Thomas Davis Term Expires December 31, 2011
Brian Lange Term Expires December 31, 2012
Daniel Keogh Term Expires December 31, 2011
Jan Potts Term Expires December 31, 2009
Morris Quigg Term Expires December 31, 2010
Alternate-Vacant
No terms expired for the Schuylkill Township Historical Commission. Members of the Township Historical Commission for 2009 are:
Jerry O’Dell and Stephen Frasch were reappointed to a three-year term on the Township Environmental Advisory Council.
Moved: Williams Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
Members of the Township Environmental Advisory Council for 2009 are:
Peter Mercuri was reappointed as Alternate Member to the Township Zoning Hearing Board on a temporary basis until a successor is named or March 31, 2009, whichever occurs first.
Moved: Williams Second: Vutz Approval: Unanimous
Members of the Township Zoning Hearing Board for 2009 are:
Susan Guerette Term Expires December 31, 2010
Galloway Morris Term Expires December 31, 2010
Uday Patankar Term Expires December 31, 2009
Peter Mercuri Term Expires March 31, 2009
Walter Mostek, Open Space Committee Alternate, was recommended for appointment as a member of the Township Open Space Commission to replace Tim McAvoy who is retiring from the Commission. A motion to appoint Mr. Mostek for a three-year term and advertise for a replacement alternate member to the Commission was made.
Moved: Williams Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
Open Space Commission members for 2009 are:
Bob Mauch Term Expires December 31, 2009
Greg Blazic Term Expires December 31, 2009
Bob Cooney Term Expires December 31, 2009
Bud Emig Term Expires December 31, 2009
Gary Gounaris Term Expires December 31, 2010
Bereth Graeff Term Expires December 31, 2010
Walter Mostek Term Expires December 31, 2011
Alternate-Vacant
Mr. Daniel Reese was reappointed as a member of the Valley Forge Sewer Authority Board.
Moved: Williams Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
Members of the Valley Forge Sewer Authority Board from Schuylkill Township that are appointed to a five year term are:
Norman Vutz Term Expires December 31, 2009
Dan Reese Term Expires December 31, 2013
Laurie Williams was appointed as the Township Valley Forge Sewer Authority Joint Board Liaison for 2009.
Moved: Vutz Second: Cohen Approval: Unanimous
Berkheimer Associates was appointed Township Tax Hearing Officer for Earned Income Tax for 2009.
Moved: Vutz Second: Cohen Approval: Unanimous
Mr. Ledbetter recommended to the Board that the Township should appoint a Township EIT County Representative as soon as possible but no later than September of 2009. Chester County will be holding a meeting for all municipal EIT representatives on November 15, 2009.
Wachovia was appointed as the Township Prime Depository for all funds until a successor is named.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Vutz Approval: Cohen, Ledbetter, Morrisson, Vutz
Dissent: Williams
Mrs. Williams dissented because she is not convinced the Township is getting the best interest rates on its accounts with Wachovia.
Nicholas Cinciripino was reappointed Township Roadmaster for 2009.
Moved: Williams Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
William Brennan was reappointed Township Solicitor for 2009.
Moved: Cohen Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
Gilmore & Associates was reappointed Township Engineer, with Mr. Sartor of Gilmore & Associates as the Township’s principal contact.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Cohen Approval: Cohen, Ledbetter, Vutz
Dissent: Williams Abstain: Morrisson
Mrs. Williams dissented on the grounds that, in her opinion, Gilmore & Associates bills to the Township were excessive in some cases.
Rhonda Jones was reappointed Township Zoning Administrative Officer for 2009.
Moved: Williams Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
Yerkes & Associates was reappointed Township Code Enforcement Officer.
Moved: Vutz Second: Ledbetter Approval: Ledbetter, Morrisson, Vutz
Dissent: Williams Abstain: Cohen
Ms. Cohen abstained because of several calls she has received regarding the procedural manner in which Yerkes conducts inspections. Ms. Cohen expressed a wish to review these complaints and/or procedures with the Township Manager. Mrs. Williams stated that her dissent is based on the same issue.
Richard Beittel, Jr. was reappointed Fire Marshal for the Township. The Fire Police Captain will serve until a successor is named.
Moved: Williams Second: Cohen Approval: Unanimous
Tom Cole was reappointed Fire Police Captain. The Fire Police Captain will serve until a successor is named.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Cohen Approval: Unanimous
The official meeting date for the Township Board of Supervisors will be the first (1st) Wednesday of each month at 7:30 P.M. at the Township Hall except if such date falls on a holiday; the Board will meet on the day following such holiday unless otherwise advertised.
Moved: Cohen Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
The Township Manager will advertise the specific dates for the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, Environmental Advisory Council, Historical Commission, Open Space Commission and the Regional Planning Commission meetings.
Moved: Cohen Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
A motion was made to set the Township mileage reimbursement rate to follow the IRS mileage rate of $0.55/mile.
Moved: Williams Second: Cohen Approval: Unanimous
A motion to approve Resolution #2009-01 designating the Valley Forge Volunteer Fire Company to provide fire protection to Schuylkill Township was made.
Moved: Ledbetter Second: Williams Approval: Unanimous
A motion was made to approve the 2009 Township Fee Schedule until such time as amended by the Board of Supervisors.
Moved: Cohen Second: Ledbetter Approval: Unanimous
At 7:30 p.m., a motion to adjourn the Reorganization Meeting was made.
Moved: Vutz Second: Williams Approval: Unanimous
Respectfully submitted,
Madeline M. Harbison
Township Secretary