May 31, 2001 The meeting of the Supervisors of Franklin Township, held in the Township office, was called to order by Chairman John Sachar with the Pledge of Allegiance at 0800 hours. Present were Sachar, Denver Ireland, David Henderson, Dennis Cholak, Gary and Hunter Truitt and Reporter Tim Hahn. VISITORS/PUBLIC COMMENT Discussion was held on the proposed petition for paving Eureka Road south of New Road to Crane Road. Discussion on the residents approaching Rep. Karl Boyes for additional funding. Truitt - what should be our time frame? Henderson - get the details worked out so we can get it into our budget for 2002. With the Neighborhood Improvement District Plan, people with vacant land profit if they sell off a lot. Truitt - if someone is selling before the assessment, who get the bill? Henderson - the new people. The seller should inform them before they purchase the property that there would be an assessment on it. Ireland - the vacant Ellis property, by the Improvement assessment they'd only pay $14 a year. How much would they pay by front foot? Henderson - how much someone pays is determined by the budget but that isn't determined yet. Any money from Rep. Boyes would affect the cost too. Ireland - I suggested for Silverthorn that everyone put up $1,000 and then go by front foot assessment. It would even things out for those with large frontages. Can you go 50/50 front foot assessment and the Neighborhood Improvement method? Henderson - so far we seem to be the first in the state to use this assessment method so it's a learning process. Truitt - the Township is putting up $75,000; Karl Boyes $31,000 and anything else you can get from him and the residents the rest. Henderson - Silverthorn was 1/3 each. Rep. Boyes gave $50,000 last time but we had to reserve some funds for another project. I suggest you see Mr. Boyes now so the figures can be included in the budget figures. The fly in the ointment is that the Township could be reapportioned out of Rep. Boyes' district. His district could get sucked up toward Millcreek and we'd be in Theresa Fourcier from Crawford County or John Evans district. Sachar moved to work up a budget for the Eureka Road Section 4 paving project. Henderson seconded. Carried. MINUTES Henderson moved to approve the minutes of 5/8/01 as presented. Ireland seconded. Carried. REPORTS Superintendent - Dave reported that the trucks have been spiffed up and the maintenance headaches are completed. Crew has been grading the roads. Next week the crew will be on summer vacation lay-off. Rick will be in Norfolk and Dave will go to Vermont. Mager Tree Report - Denver reported that he is getting ready to complete the work. Ireland to Henderson - have you operated any equipment this year? We can't have you just sitting here. Henderson - yes and producing all this paperwork. Sachar - it takes hours to do paperwork. He completes his obligations as Superintendent. Agility - Dave reported that he signed the agility contract with PennDOT as required. Snow Plowing Contract - Beaver Township is using 100% salt brine and PennDOT says it is okay with them. Henderson - we have a letter from PennDOT saying otherwise. We are banking our agility hours. Ireland - can we do plowing for them if they get in a bind? International Cab and Chassis - John said he is exploring other options. County Aid Application Revision - Henderson moved to revise the County Aid application to general maintenance instead of graveling. Sachar seconded. Carried. Add Richard J. Gould to Labor List - Henderson moved to add Richard J. Gould to the labor list. Sachar seconded. Carried. FINANCIAL AND TAXES Bills - discussion on various bills. Henderson moved to approve the bill list for payment totaling $7,316.03 general fund; $873.09 state fund. Ireland seconded. Sachar abstained from #16, Keystone Diesel Engine. Carried. Payroll - Henderson moved to approve payroll #10-01 and #11-01 as presented. Sachar seconded. Carried. PLANNING, ZONING, RECREATION, SAFETY AND HEALTH Planning Commission Minutes - nothing. Update Comprehensive Plan - nothing. Industrial Park/KOZ - nothing. Buren Update - the Burens are subdividing their property on Gudgeonville. Their 4.5-acre parcel on Clair Wright will be enlarged to 11 acres for their daughter Rosemary Aulenbacher. A five-acre lot on the corner of Gudgeonville and Clair Wright will be given to daughter Joanne Markham that includes an existing trailer and the old homestead building. The remaining 81 acres is being sold to a Mr. Schaaf. The Mylar will be brought to the Planning Commission meeting on June 5th and hopefully will be back from the County in time for the Supervisors meeting on June 12th. The closing is scheduled for June 13th. Ireland - will the school be discontinued? Henderson - yes, the trailers are out of there. Sachar - this still leaves us with the building on the corner that was to be converted to a storage building. Storage Trailers - nothing. Ordinance #2-01/Animal Density - waiting for the final draft from the Planning Commission. SOLICITOR No action on any of the items, waiting for the Solicitor to arrive. OLD BUSINESS Lights on for Safety - nothing. Recycle Day, June 23rd - the last newsletter will go out next week. Washington Township will supply a crew and bring volunteers also. Our crew will be here on a paid basis and anyone that volunteers from our Township. Boundary Road Agreement/Fry Road - Dave said that he would get the proposed agreement to Washington Township this week. They have agreed to pick up snow plowing this winter even though the agreement wouldn't start until 2002. GMSD Resource Police Officer - no word on a meeting. Girard Gravel Pit/Back Bill for Unbilled Costs - Dave suggested sending a letter to Richard Summerville asking for reimbursement of our pit costs in gravel (permit fees, bond fees). He would haul it over and put it in our pile. Ireland - does he agree that this is owed? Henderson - he hasn't been contacted yet. Sachar - he is in violation of the contract. Henderson - he has always paid for what he has been billed. This is partly our fault. Sachar - from the start years ago, we opened that pit for our use. I argued against it but most of the gravel in it was sold to others. We spent a lot to open that pit up and we'll never recoup the costs. We sold the gravel way below what we should have. Henderson - all that is left now is mostly sand. We leased it thinking he'd be using the sand and mix it for topsoil. The last 3.5-acres that we thought was gravel was mostly sand. Sachar - I made the comment way back years ago that the Township would be subsidizing someone else's profit on the gravel. Henderson - I suggest we bill him and suggest we receive it in gravel and be more diligent in billing him in the future. Sachar - the scuttlebutt that I've been hearing is that he has bragged about not paying those expenses and has told others that. Henderson - Northwest Gravel has been told the truth. Sachar moved to bill Richard Summerville, Advantage Screened Topsoil, for previously unbilled costs for the Girard gravel pit and suggest that it be paid in gravel delivered to the Township pile. Henderson seconded. Carried. NEW BUSINESS Sign Recycle Grant Amendment - the amendment is for an extension of the contract. Henderson moved to sign the amendment. Sachar seconded. Carried. Public Assembly/Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm - application has been received from Wooden Nickel for three events to be held this summer. One event is on the same weekend as the Bar None Festival. Dave expressed concern on the possible amount of traffic on Fry Road and whether both events need to address the extra traffic load. Discussion on traffic problems at a future level if both events continue to grow. Sachar - they could end up needing a traffic control officer at Fry and 6-N. Suppose they do need one, how do we put that in the approval? Henderson - you could say that if a traffic problem occurs, extra control will be put at the corner of Fry and 6-N. You could get to the point that Fry would be restricted to one-way from Crane to 6-N. Review the application and we will vote on it next meeting, June 12th. VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER/EMT LOCAL AND STATE BENEFITS INITIATIVE RESOLUTION #2-01 WHEREAS, one of the finest traditions of American community life is the service that people render to others without remuneration. WHEREAS, volunteer firefighter/EMTs have long been in the forefront of this group. Now volunteer fire companies and ambulance services are struggling to keep personnel and maintain this fine tradition. WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of Local Governments and the Commonwealth to help, support and maintain this fine tradition. THEREFORE BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors of Franklin Township, Erie County does strongly support the following initiatives: Local Initiatives To Be Adopted By Local Businesses, Municipalities And School Districts EMT & Firefighter Pass EMT & Firefighter Pass when shown would entitle the firefighter/EMT to business discounts at participating restaurants, merchants and services providers. EMT & Firefighter Pass would permit free passage to personnel at all municipal sponsored and school district sponsored events, such as, fairs, festivals, athletic events, etc. Commonwealth Initiatives EMT & Firefighter Pass A Commonwealth created addition to the photo driver's license, similar to the Organ Donor Program identification that would identify the individual as a Volunteer Firefighter or EMT. This ID would be used with many initiative programs that enable benefits. Free Hunting and Fishing Licenses EMT & Firefighter Pass would enable the individual to receive free hunting and fishing licenses from the Commonwealth. Exclusive Hunting and Fishing Days Two days a year set aside for volunteer firefighters and EMTs to hunt and fish. Pennsylvania Property Tax and Income Tax Credit Create a property tax and income tax credit program for firefighters and EMTs (local and state). Free Registration and Inspection Stickers With presentation of the EMT & Firefighter Pass volunteer firefighters and EMTs would receive free auto registrations and free vehicle inspection stickers. Toll Road Free Passage With presentation of the EMT & Firefighter Pass volunteer firefighters and EMTs would receive free passage on any Commonwealth toll road, bridge or ferry. Professional and Collegiate Sports Tickets For athletic facilities that were built partially or wholly with state funds, the holder of an EMT & Firefighter Pass would be eligible for one pair of tickets at each facility annually. Free Post-Secondary Education Similar to state higher-education programs now in existence for faculty, permit children of volunteer firefighters and EMTs to attend the state's higher education institutions free of tuition costs. Free Health Screening and Checkups Twice a year free preventative health checkups and screening for volunteer firefighters and EMTs. Adopted this 31st day of May 2001 by unanimous vote. Henderson - these were Bill Welsh's ideas. I suggest we forward this Resolution to Karl Boyes. Henderson so moved, Sachar seconded. Carried. CORRESPONDENCE EIT Audit/GMSD - Henderson moved to send a letter to GMSD authorizing Monahan and Monahan to audit the earned income tax books of June Shelhamer. Ireland seconded. Carried. Land Use Seminar - John Sachar will attend the seminar to be held in Meadville. Cost is $25. Water Use Forum - Dave reported that there were a lot of suggestions for improvements in the conservation of water resources. This raised the issue of how these billion dollar suggestions are to be paid for. Dave felt that many of the ideas were good, like fixing all leaks in municipal water lines where an estimated 10% to 30% of water is lost statewide, but the big question remained, who pays for it. ADJOURN Sachar called the meeting adjourned at 0908 hours. Bonnie J. Bernhardt, Secretary