April 26, 2001

The meeting of the Supervisors of Franklin Township, held in the Township 
office, was called to order by Chairman John Sachar at 0800 hours with the 
Pledge of Allegiance.  Present were Sachar, Denver Ireland, David Henderson, 
Gary Truitt and son, Mary Holt, BTN and Lieutenant Bill Williams, PSP.

VISITORS/PUBLIC COMMENT
Lieutenant Williams said that all section leaders are to attend a township meeting 
once a month.  He asked if we are having any problems.

Sachar - our needs are few and you respond well.  Our only problem is ATV's 
tearing up the roads but that's everyone's problem.

Williams - we're told we will be getting an ATV for each troop.  They are a 
problem all over the State.

Lieutenant Williams left the meeting at 0807 hours.

MINUTES
Minutes of 4/10/01 tabled until all Supervisors have a chance to review them.

REPORTS
Superintendent - Dave reported that the snow equipment has been serviced 
and put in storage for summer.  We will need to purchase one spreader chain at 
an estimated cost of $900-$1,000.  The outside surfaces of the spreaders are in 
good shape.  The west side was graded yesterday, the east is being graded 
today but Rick has a doctor's appointment so it all may not get done.

Ireland - can you go out and grade?

Henderson - yes I can but we don't want to get to far ahead of ourselves or the 
guys will be out fitting them up half the night and it's suppose to rain tonight and 
tomorrow morning.

Mager Tree Report - nothing.
Generator - nothing.

Agility - Dave reported that we finished agility ditching on the west side, Crane 
and Old State.  West Stancliff on the east side may be done already also.  We 
may do some tail ditches for PennDOT but they need to check on funding and we 
will need dry weather in late summer.

Gravel and Dirt Roads Program - Dave stated that we have been approved for 
a grant to do the work on West Stancliff by the bridge at I-79.  Total repair cost is 
$44,922.  Grant requested is $38,739; in-kind work expense to the Township is 
$6,165.

Ireland - are we doing just one side of the road?

Henderson - no, both sides but one side gets most of the weather and water.  
The water will be diverted to one side.  The ditch will be filled in.

Ireland - will you slope the banks?

Henderson - we'll step-terrace the banks and put in an 18" storm drain with a 
catch basin on Johnson's side.  Nothing will be done on the south side. There will 
be an under-drain on the north side of 1-79.  The contract will come to us in 
several weeks.  This is a 2-phase project.  Phase one is everything but graveling, 
phase two is the graveling.  PennDOT contends that the compacted material will 
be as good as a hard surface.

Ireland - remember how we cut the ditches, will it be filled in?

Henderson - yes and 8 inches of material on the road surface.  Our contribution 
to the project is some material and labor.  We may need to reconsider some 
other work this summer to pay for this.  This project was not budgeted so 
something will have to be cut.

International Cab and Chassis - John stated that he might have a buyer.
Bids for Gravel and Trucking - will prepare the bid forms.

State Snow Plow Contract - breakdown chart was reviewed.

Sachar - one thought, if we don't do the plowing, we're providing services to only 
half of our residents.  I want to compare the numbers per household.

Ireland - we should be looking at the level of service we're giving versus the level 
of service PennDOT is giving.

Henderson - if you consider that, there must be some set off factor of miles 
plowed that are not in Franklin Township that we plow for PennDOT.

Ireland - at the convention, there was a resolution for raising the liquid fuels rate.

Henderson - you can't use that for snowplowing.  We already get more per mile 
than southern counties for a snow contract unlike the figuring of liquid fuels.  I 
heard there are 3 or 4 townships in Erie County who are dropping their 
snowplowing contracts.

FINANCIAL AND TAXES
Bills - discussion on the phone bill.  Denver questioned why we are paying $210 
a month for cell phones.  Dave answered that the listed bill is for the regular 
phones and that the base cost of two cell phones is around $60.  Henderson 
moved to approve the bills listed for payment totaling $5,620.63 general fund; 
$2,934.04 state fund.  Ireland seconded.  Carried.

Payroll - Henderson moved to approve payroll #8-01 and #9-01 as presented.  
Ireland seconded.  Carried.

Henderson - everyone is calling wanting to bring heavy loads over the Township 
roads.  I've been stalling them off.  As long as we have no heavy rains, we 
should be all right.

PLANNING, ZONING, RECREATION, SAFETY AND HEALTH
Review Planning Commission Minutes - nothing.
Update Comprehensive Plan - plan is in the rewrite stage.
 
Industrial Park/KOZ - Dave said that he had a discussion with Rick Novotny 
and a representative from Harrisburg.  We can't switch zones but Rick will ask 
Corry if they'll seek an extension.  If they are willing, we can also.

Buren Update - nothing.
Storage Trailers - nothing.
Ordinance #2-01/Animal Density - waiting for a revision from the Planning 
Commission.
Reassessment Update - nothing.

Bar None American Festival, Bar None ATV Rodeo - Dave stated that the 
ATV Rodeo is a new thing and on a separate weekend.  There may be some 
noise complaints on the rodeo but the site is a long way from the road and 
houses.  It will only be run during the day and not at night.

Ireland - there were 7,000 ATV's in Meadville.

Sachar - that was a poker run.

Ireland - does she have enough insurance coverage?

Henderson - she has $1 million in coverage.

Henderson moved to approve both the Bar None American Festival and the Bar 
None ATV Rodeo and to send a completed application to Washington Township.  
Sachar seconded.  Carried.

DCED Manual on Conditional Uses - Supervisors were urged to review the 
manual before the next conditional use hearing scheduled for next meeting.

OLD BUSINESS
Lights on for Safety - nothing.

Recycle Day/June 23rd - another newsletter will be mailed the first part of May.  
Washington Township sent a copy of their recycle flyer listing Franklin Township 
as the drop off site.

Fry Road Boundary Agreement - Dave reported that Washington Township 
seems to be inclined to accept the agreement.  It would be $4,452.77 a year in 
liquid fuels.  Koman Road east was added to the agreement and we would plow 
Koman Road west.

Karl Boyes Local Tax Issues Briefing - John Sachar will attend the briefing 
tonight.

West County Comm. Center/Grape Vines - target date for municipal workers is 
May 7 - 12.  Dave said that Washington Township and Edinboro Borough are 
both going over to the site to help.

GM School Board Response/Redistricting Directors - John stated that their 
response was interesting.  The Board said in their letter that there is the 
possibility of Franklin Township having five of the nine available seats.  They 
must figure 3 at-large and both of the seats assigned to Washington Township 
and Franklin Township.  They are adamant about maintaining the current districts 
and refuse to change.

Henderson - most of the school districts in the state don't have districts.  All 
positions are at-large.  Our way is better than most of the state.

NEW BUSINESS
Waste Management/Recycling - the letter authorized last meeting was not 
sent.

Henderson - I came to the understanding that Waste Management is 
intentionally not living up to our rules.

Sachar - what's the action needed?  Should we have the Solicitor send a letter 
stating that they must raise their rates to match their actual costs?

Henderson - Waste Management is charging Platea residents around $39 a 
quarter and there is no competition from Welka's Disposal in Platea.  Here where 
there is competition from Welka, they are charging less and not including 
recycling and undercutting Welka.

Sachar - the ordinance is clear on non-compliance.  It's a $300 a day penalty.

Ireland - should this come from our Attorney?

Henderson - in this case, Bonnie can file a case.  At the hearing, we would need 
our Attorney to handle it.  I think they are playing the big bully.  Welka is the last 
hauler around other than Waste Management.  Once Welka is run out of 
business, there is no limit on what they can charge.  With competition, it holds 
the rates down.

Sachar - based on the rates where there is no competition, the rates are the 
same as Welka's.  The rates are only decreased in this Township where they 
have competition.

Henderson moved to take the matter to court.  Ireland seconded.  Carried.

Sachar - research your data first.

GMSD Resource Police Officer - Dave said that he was shocked to get a bill 
for over $6,000 a year to pay to Edinboro Borough to put an officer in the 
schools.

Sachar - why do we need an officer on campus?  We would never have been 
able to prevent the Gillette shooting.  You'd need an officer in each building. 

Gary Truitt - I don't think it's needed.  I work at a school in Erie and my wife 
works at G.M.  They don't need it.  I can't call the Borough and say, "send out my 
cop".

Ireland - why doesn't General McLane hire it's own officer?  This should be 
coming from them not the Borough.  Find out when the meeting is to be held.  I'm 
not interested in funding this.   

Sachar - this would benefit the Borough, not us.  We don't have the money to do 
this.

Henderson - they could have rephrased it, contribute to General McLane's 
officer.  I wonder if we can apply for a grant to fund this?  Discussion on the 
COPS Program.

SOLICITOR
Township Nudity Ordinance Compared to City of Erie Nudity Ordinance - 
the City of Erie's ordinance went to the Federal Supreme Court and was 
affirmed.  Our ordinance was crafted before this.  Our ordinance should be 
reviewed and made to conform to the City's.

Erie Insurance Letter on Silverthorn Road Accident - Dave said that our 
insurance investigator said that the accident was not the Township's fault, that it 
was Russell Standard's fault.  The motorcycle rider contends that he dumped the 
bike due to loose gravel on the road.  I don't see why the insurance company is 
involving Russell Standard.  We hired the job done and they followed our 
specifications.  The accident occurred several months after the job was 
completed.

Sachar - we could ask Attorney Schroeck to ask them to clarify their decision to 
involve Russell Standard.  We can readdress the issue if Mr. Vogt carries the 
case further.

Letter from Rudy Ivancic's Attorney/Zessinger Pit - John said that our 
contract is valid in perpetuity.

Henderson - Rudy probably is trying to sell the land and it is clouded by the 
lease.  There is only about 5,000 yards there.  We can get it and stockpile it.  We 
can trade off reclamation costs for getting out of the lease.  The complication is 
that Rick Summerville has his screen in there mining Fred Zessinger's bank.  
We'd upset his work if we take gravel out and really upset it if we trade off 
reclamation.

Sachar - we don't have to do anything this month.

Henderson - we would have to crush or screen anything we take out unless you 
have a place to bury it because of the large rocks.  We can just bring it here and 
store it.

Western Trail/G. Antolik - nothing.
Impact Fee Ordinance - nothing.
Oshkosh Registration - no word from PSATS or Donna Mindek.

CORRESPONDENCE
No correspondence.

ADJOURN
Sachar called the meeting adjourned at 0908 hours.

Bonnie J. Bernhardt, Secretary