WILSON BOROUGH
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
PENNSYLVANIA
JANUARY 24, 2005
The Second Meeting of the Council of The Borough of Wilson was
held in the Guy B. Tomaino Public Safety Building at 2040 Hay Terrace,
President Reiss called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Roll call followed.
PRESENT:
Leonard Feinberg
James
Klass
Joan A. Lilly
Daneen
McGinley
James McGowan
Ronald Nixon
Robert Reiss, President
David Schug
Louis Starniri
ABSENT:
None
Also present were: Mayor David S. Perruso,
Attorney Louis Minotti, Chief Richard Nace,
Assistant Superintendent Ron Behler, Code Enforcement Officer Paul R.
Corriere
READING OF THE MINUTES:
The Minutes of the January 10, 2005 Council
Meeting were approved on a Motion by Mr. McGowan.
Second by Ms. Lilly.
PRESENTATION OF MATTERS BY PERSONS PRESENT:
None
COMMUNICATIONS AND PETITIONS:
1.
Ms. Lohrman has received an Agreement for Use of Polling Place from
the County of Northampton.
The Municipal
Primary Election will be held on May 17, 2005 and the Municipal
General Election will be held
on November 8, 2005.
2.
Ms. Lohrman informed Council that there would be a Public Hearing on
February 14, 2005 at 7:00p.m. to
discuss our CDBG 2005 and HOME
programs.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE MAYOR:
1.
Mayor Perruso informed Council that the total fines collected by
Magistrate Koury were $6,640.60.
2.
Mayor Perruso has received information that Waste Management would be
on a holiday schedule this week due to the inclement weather.
Garbage pick up in Wilson will be on Friday this week.
3.
Mayor Perruso reiterated the lack of space in the police department.
Therefore, he suggested moving the meter department in the back
office were Mr. Toomey had been.
Mrs. Karp would be moved out front and the inside area have
four cubicles with desks in it. Mayor
Perruso did not have an estimate of the cost, but the Public Works
department would be doing most of the work.
Mayor Perruso presented a floor plan to Council members for
their review.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE BOROUGH MANAGER:
1.
Ms. Lohrman informed Council that she, Mayor Perruso, and Mr.McGowan
had met with Stacy Schlaner from Northampton County concerning the
Business and Community Revitalization Pilot Program.
The program is still going forward with Wilson Borough one of
the five boroughs in Northampton County chosen to participate. The participating Boroughs must execute the agreement with
the county before the state will approve the program. Ms. Lohrman requested permission to have Mr. Minotti review
the agreement when the addendums are received from Ms. Schlaner.
Necessary funds to participate in the program have been
budgeted.
2.
Ms. Lohrman stated that P.J. Lehman, the Borough’s engineer for the
24th Street bridge project had sent letters to
approximately 45 residents in the area of the bridge informing them
about a survey that would be done in proximity of the bridge.
The surveyors may need access to their properties to complete
the survey. PennDot
required our engineers to have the letters sent out certified under
the Borough’s letterhead and signature.
Ms. Lohrman supplied council members with a sample copy of a
letter.
3.
Ms. Lohrman reviewed that dates of the PSAB Spring Legislative
Conference to be held on March 20, 2005 to March 22, 2005 in
Grantville. Ms. Lohrman
requested that Council members let her know in the next week or so if
they wished to attend so she could send in the reservations.
4.
Ms. Lohrman requested that if any Borough officials were interested in
attending the PSAB seminar entitled “Understanding the EMST and
Other Tax Revenue Sources” to let her know and she would send in the
registration.
5.
Ms. Lohrman stated that she had planned to send out the next
newsletter in early to mid March. The
newsletter would include an article from Chief Nace, library event
information, the concert schedule, and the recycling calendar.
Rec Board has been informed of upcoming newsletter.
Ms. Lohrman requested that Ms. Lilly determine the swimming
pool schedule and fees for the summer season.
6.
Ms. Lohrman has received a packet of information she has reviewed with
Borough Engineer, Amy Riddle, concerning our stormwater management
plan. Ms. Lohrman intends
to send out educational information in the next two newsletters.
A stormwater management ordinance is required to be enacted.
Ms. Lohrman requested permission to have Mr. Minotti review the
draft ordinance prepared by the PADEP.
Ms. Riddle will discuss mapping and housecleaning issues with
Mr. Drake.
7.
Ms. Riddle has informed Ms. Lohrman that the bikepath survey has been
completed. The surveying
crew had intended to stake out the bikepath this week.
Ms. Lohrman felt they might be delayed because of the weather.
8.
Ms. Riddle has reviewed the information received from the water
company’s engineers concerning Fisk field.
Unfortunately, the information was not as helpful as had been
hoped. Ms. Riddle will
prepare a proposal for the surveying and topographical work that needs
to be completed before the plan is revised.
Mr. Reiss stated that there is money in the grant for the work
and we’ll do what we need to do to get the project completed.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES:
GENERAL GOVERNMENT:
1. Mr. Feinberg
reported that Mr. Minotti is reviewing the EMST information.
No decision has been made on the new
tax as of
yet.
FIRE:
None
POLICE:
1.
Chief Nace thanked Mayor Perruso for his early call for the snow
emergency. Because of the
advance notice given to the residents, only five or six cars had to be
towed.
PUBLIC WORKS:
1.
Mr. Reiss thanked the Public Works department of the good job they had
done in plowing the snow over the weekend.
Mr. Behler added that they had been out again this evening.
RECREATION AND PARKS:
None
ATTORNEY:
1. Mr. Minotti
requested a Caucus on three matters: the reassessment appeal, a labor
matter, and a personnel matter.
MECAB:
1. Mr. McGowan
reminded Council members that the next MECAB meeting would be held on
Wednesday evening,
January 26,
2005, at 7:00 p.m. in Stockertown.
The guest speaker will be Joe Jurinko from the Lehigh
Valley
Planning
Commission.
OLD BUSINESS:
None
DEFERRED BUSINESS:
1.
Motion by Mr. Feinberg to use the Municipal Building as a polling
place. Second by Mr.
Starniri.
2.
Motion by Mr. Starniri to authorize Mr. Minotti to review the Business
and Community Revitalization Program when the addendums are received.
Second by Mr. Feinberg.
3.
Motion by Mr. Feinberg to authorize Mr. Minotti to review the
stormwater management ordinance prepared by the PADEP.
Second by Ms. McGinley.
4.
Mr. Nixon made a Motion to have Mr. Minotti prepare an advertisement
to change the starting time of Council meetings from 7:30 p.m. to 7:00
p.m. Second by Ms. Lilly.
Mr. Minotti will shot for the actual change in meeting times
for the first meeting in March.
5.
Mr. Minotti has reviewed the information Ms. Lohrman has received from
Code Publishers concerning the PA Uniform Construction Code and our
previous codes. Mr.
Minotti requested that Mr. Corriere review the information to see if
the PA Uniform Construction Code repealed or superceded our original
codes.
6.
Motion by Mr. Feinberg to proceed with the proposed layout changes in
the Police department. Second
by Mr. Nixon.
NEW BUSINESS:
1.
Mr. Reiss inquired as to whether the animal control officer had
responded to the letter sent to her. Neither
Chief Nace or Ms. Lohrman has received any contact from her.
2.
Mr. Reiss mentioned that the Borough had been approached by someone
interested in developing a portion of the railroad property off Avona
Avenue near Iron Street. Mr.
Minotti stated that the best the Borough could do is to transfer the
title via a quick claim deed.
ORDINANCES
1. Ordinance
742 – Salary of Tax Collector. Affirmative votes were cast by: Mr. Feinberg, Ms. McGinley,
Mr. Nixon,
Mr. Reiss, Mr.
Schug, and Mr. Starniri. Negative
votes were cast by: Ms. Lilly and Mr. McGowan.
An abstention
was cast by Mr.
Klass. Ordinance 742
carried by a six to two to one vote.
RESOLUTIONS:
None
BILLS AND ACCOUNTS:
Bills of $137,164.88 by Mr. Feinberg.
Second by Ms. McGinley.
ADJOURNMENT:
Mr. Feinberg made a Motion to adjourn at 8:45
p.m. Second by Mr.
McGowan and Council concurred.
Transcribed from a tape.
KAREN A. LOHRMAN, BOROUGH SECRETARY
