BOROUGH OF EPHRATA –
COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA
MARCH 8, 2010
INVOCATION Rev. Kevin Eshelman, Ephrata Community Church
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ATTENDANCE
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Regular Council Meeting – February 8, 2010
ACCEPTANCE OF REPORTS
Budget and Finance Committee Report
Development Activities Committee Report
Highway Committee Report
Municipal Enterprises Committee Report
Lincoln Fire Company – February 2010
Pioneer Fire Company – February 2010
Ephrata Community Ambulance Association – February 2010
Ephrata Area Rescue Services – February 2010
REMARKS FROM VISITORS
CONSENT AGENDA (includes the following approvals)
1. That Borough Council note its review of drawings titled Sketch Plan for Susquehanna Bank, containing four sheets prepared by Alpha Consulting Engineers, Inc., dated December 14, 2009 and that Borough Council offer written comments to the applicant as outlined below:
· The applicant must address Points 1 through 4 of the December 22, 2009 memorandum from Zoning and Codes Administrator Nancy Harris to Community Relations Manager Shirley Daniels in future plan submissions.
· The applicant must address the three (3) General Comments and Circulation/Traffic Comments 1 through 3 from the letter dated December 29, 2010 from Mark Campbell, P.E. of Herbert Rowland and Grubic, Inc. to Shirley Daniels in future plan submissions.
· The internal circulation from the Hummer Road entrance must be revised to improve access to the proposed drive through.
· The existing West Main Street driveway shall be limited to right turn in/right turn out only.
2. That Borough Council award Bid No. 2010-3 for Old Mill Road Reconstruction from South State Street to Bridge Replacement Limit of Work to the low bidder, Burkholder Paving, Ephrata, PA in the amount of $38,330.90.
3. That Borough Council adopt Resolution 2010-9 allowing use of a price adjustment clause for bituminous materials to be included in certain bids in 2010.
STANDING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
Budget and Finance Committee
Development Activities Committee
Public Safety Committee
Highway Committee
Municipal Enterprises Committee
APPROVAL OF CHECKS 4431 THROUGH 4668 AND THE ACH REGISTERS DATED FEBRUARY 25, 2010 and MARCH 3, 2010
GENERAL DISCUSSION
ADJOURNMENT
BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT – MARCH 8, 2010
The Budget and Finance Committee met on February 22, 2010 and discussed the following:
1. The Committee revisited the proposal by Delaware Valley Insurance Trust to increase our insurance deductible in an effort to reduce our premium payments. Since the last meeting, a vehicle accident occurred causing the change in policy adopted at the February meeting to be unfavorable for the Borough since the claim may exceed the anticipated savings. The Committee will recommend keeping the current policy deductible levels for all coverage lines at the March Council meeting.
DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE REPORT – MARCH 8, 2010
The Development Activities Committee met on February 16, 2010 and discussed the following:
1. The Committee was addressed by Kenneth Smith and Tom Eiseman from Community Basics regarding the Cloister Heights project which proposes to construct permanent housing for those experiencing homelessness. Mr. Smith presented the plan concepts and answered all of the questions by those in attendance. The Committee will recommend that Borough Council vote to issue their support for the project at the March meeting.
2. The Committee reviewed the sketch plan for the Susquehanna Bank, 1300 West Main Street. The Committee will recommend that Borough Council at the March meeting issue the comments as presented by the staff and HRG. In addition, the Committee recommends that the internal circulation from the Hummer Road entrance be revised to improve access to the proposed drive through and that the West Main Street entrance be limited to right in/right out only.
3. The staff reviewed with the Committee the three concept plans prepared for the Railroad Station project prepared by ELA. Two of the three concepts are estimated in excess of the available funding. The staff was asked to determine if the concepts could be brought into budget through reductions in material selections or the elimination of amenities, phasing of construction or increasing revenue sources. The staff will review the concepts and report back to the Committee at their March meeting.
4. The Committee reviewed an application to the Zoning Hearing Board for a home related business at 126 West Sunset Street. The applicant plans to run a vending machine business from the home. No further action is planned by the Committee.
5. The solicitor reviewed with the Committee the proposed Amendment to the Purchase and Sale Agreement for the Ephrata Manufacturing property. The Committee will recommend that Borough Council approve the amendment at their March meeting.
HIGHWAY COMMITTEE REPORT – MARCH 8, 2010
The Highway Committee met on February 16, 2010 and discussed the following:
1. The Committee discussed prohibiting parking along Irene Avenue in front of the new homes across from the park. The Committee will recommend that Borough Council enact an ordinance amending the Code of the Borough to prohibit parking along Irene Avenue at their March meeting.
2. The Committee discussed changing the parking restrictions in front of Borough Hall to 2 hour parking, M-F, 9 AM-5 PM. In addition, the staff advised the Committee that the parking restrictions on the west side of State Street across from Borough Hall is not ordained. The Committee will recommend that Borough Council enact an ordinance to implement these changes to the Borough Code at their March meeting.
3. The Committee reviewed the bid results for Bid No. 2010-3 Old Mill Road Reconstruction from South State Street to Bridge Replacement Limit of Work. The Committee will recommend that Borough Council award the bid to the low bidder Burkholder Paving, Ephrata, PA in the amount of $38,330.90 at their March meeting. This amount is under the revised engineering estimate of $40,000. (The revised estimate is lower than the amount listed in the 2010 Budget, $55,000, due to a reduction in work quantities for the Borough project from an increase in work limit from PennDOT’s bridge replacement project.)
4. The Committee reviewed a proposed resolution for price adjustment of bituminous materials for small quantities. This resolution establishes the conditions of the escalator clause included in the Borough bids for the 2010 Street program. The Committee will recommend that Borough Council adopt the resolution at their March meeting.
5. The staff advised the Committee that due to the fact that PennDOT’s Old Mill Road Bridge replacement project’s limit of work extended further into Old Mill Road than anticipated the quantities included in Bid 2010-3 were less than originally budgeted for in the 2010 Budget (38,330.90 vs. $55,000). Therefore the staff is recommending that the 2010 Street program be modified to include Fulton Street from Lake Street to Akron Road in the mircosurfacing project. The Committee supports adding the street to the microsurface bid as an add alternate.
6. The staff distributed to the Committee proposed revised curb and sidewalk specifications to be discussed at the March Committee meeting. The revised specifications will require adoption by resolution at a future meeting of Council.
7. The Committee reviewed the Ephrata Farmers Day Association’s Financial Statement for the period November 1, 2008 through October 31, 2009. No further action is planned on this item.
8. The Committee discussed the street concern with the dip in Poplar Street. The Committee directed the staff to erect a sign warning of the condition.
9. Chairman Good inquired about the status of the 272 sidewalk project and Ephrata Township’s response to the funding shortfall. No response has been received from Ephrata Township at this time. The staff will contact the Township for a response and report back at the March Committee meeting.
10. Chairman Good raised an issue with sight distance along East Main Street at the cross walk in front of the Ephrata National Bank. The staff will investigate and report back to the Committee at the March Committee meeting.
11. Councilwoman Perillo advised the Committee that a resident informed her that they plan to paint pavement markings in the street in front of their property to control traffic. The staff will send a letter to the resident informing them that all pavement markings must be authorized by Borough Council and only the Borough may place traffic markings.
MUNICIPALENTERPRISES COMMITTEE REPORT – MARCH 8, 2010
The Municipal Enterprises Committee met on February 16, 2010 and discussed the following:
1. At the suggestion of the Borough Solicitor, the Committee held an executive session to discuss the Robert Eby lien. The situation at hand is unusual in that Eby is the owner of a mobile home park at which a tenant having a medical certificate prohibiting disconnection left a large unpaid utility balance. Rather than litigate the lien and bear the cost of that process, the Committee authorized the Solicitor to seek to settle the matter.
2. The Committee discussed Resolution 2010-3 regarding participation in the Meldahl and Greenup hydroelectric generation projects planned by American Municipal Power, Inc. of Columbus, Ohio. The Committee will recommend adoption of the Resolution at the March Council meeting, noting that there may be changes necessary in the Power Sales Contracts before the Borough can execute those Contracts. The Committee further noted that the state legislation enabling participation has not yet passed in both houses of the General Assembly.
3. The Committee discussed draft Power Supply Acquisition Strategy Objectives prepared by the staff in response to the recommendations of the February 1, 2010 GDS Associates Short-term Power Supply Review. The Committee will consider the document during the next few weeks and finalize the Objectives at its next meeting.
BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION – 3/8/2010
The Budget and Finance Committee recommends the following:
1. That Borough Council rescind its decision made at the February 8, 2010 Council meeting to increase insurance deductibles for various lines of coverage with the Delaware Valley Insurance Trust in favor of retaining the standard deductible levels. The lines of coverage affected include property, auto liability, auto physical damage, general liability, law enforcement liability and public officials’ liability.
2. That Borough Council approve the February 8, 2010 “Summary of Agreement, IBEW Local 1600 – Borough of Ephrata” setting forth the tentative agreement between the parties for a new collective bargaining agreement to become effective January 1, 2010.
DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION – 3/8/2010
The Development Activities Committee recommends the following:
1. That Borough Council approve the Amendment to the Purchase and Sale Agreement between the Ephrata National Bank and the Borough of Ephrata amending the Purchase and Sale Agreement between the Bank and the Borough dated July 2, 2008 for the purchase of the former Ephrata Manufacturing Company property at 104 West Pine Street in Ephrata.
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION – 3/8/2010
The Public Safety Committee recommends the following:
1. That Borough Council ratify the “Declaration of Disaster Emergency” originally approved by telephonic responses of Council Members on February 10, 2010, a copy of which will be inserted into the official minutes of this meeting. The Declaration was necessary to ensure the health, safety and welfare of Borough citizens during the snow storm occurring around that date.
2. That Borough Council authorize the purchase of three Ford Expedition SSV police vehicles and one Ford Ranger XLT pickup truck for the Police Department through the COSTARS cooperative purchasing program, said purchases to be financed through a five-year lease with Sovereign Bank at an annual cost not to exceed $30,000. The lease shall be in a form acceptable to the Borough Solicitor.
HIGHWAY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION – 3/8/2010
The Highway Committee recommends the following:
1. That Borough Council enact Ordinance 1461 amending the Code of the Borough of Ephrata Chapter 305 Vehicles and Traffic, Article XI, Section 305-100, Schedule XVII, by prohibiting parking along a portion of the south side of Irene Avenue and Section 305-102, Schedule XIX, by changing parking time limits and the permissible locations of on-street parking along certain portions of South State Street.
MUNICIPAL ENTERPRISES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION – 3/8/2010
The Municipal Enterprises Committee recommends the following:
1. That Borough Council adopt Resolution 2010-3 to approve participation in the Meldahl and Greenup hydroelectric generation projects of American Municipal Power, Inc.
