August 11, 2011
GROVE TOWNSHIP MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Wednesday August 11, 2011
Chairman Robert Bushor called the Wednesday, August 11, 2011, meeting to order in the Grove Township Bldg. at 5:00pm
Present were Robert Bushor, Frank Ross (via phone), Walter Sipe, Brandie Sherry
Absent: none
VISITORS: Dale Woods, Butch Kehl, Peter Wolf, Jeff Nachman, Michael Fortonato
ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: Michael, Peter and Jeff have a presentation for the plan they have that would include the use of the ball field and the parking area.
READING OF THE MINUTES of July meeting
A motion was made by Robert Bushor and seconded by Walter Sipe to accept the minutes as presented.
All present were in favor and motion carried.
FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR July
Brandie read the financial report aloud
A motion was made by Robert Bushor and seconded by Walter Sipe accept the financial reports as presented.
All presents were in favor and motion carried.
Brandie stated that she forgot to include the PLIGIT account totals
PAY BILLS AS PRESENTED:
A motion was made by Robert Bushor and seconded by Walter Spe to pay bills as presented.
All present were in favor and motion carried.
SECRETARY REPORT
Brandie attended the LERTA meeting with the Commissioners. It was an informational meeting explaining the LERTA (Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act). This act will allow for any new or existing business to help with property tax breaks. The County is currently looking at tax breaks for 5 years, but the school and the local municipalities will have to draw up their own LERTA ordinance if they also want to give the tax break. The breaks are on new construction, additions and repairs to their property and business.
The next hazard mitigation plan meeting will be on August 19, 2021, starting at 1:00 pm, Brandie will attend, she missed the first one, but she has completed the paperwork they needed back.
Friday’s Gas and Oil sent a postcard out about prepaying for propane. The cap price would be $2.09 a gallon (meaning it can not go over $2.09 but could be less.) From January to June 2021, we used 2,200 gallons so prebuy amount would be around $4,650.00.
Frank Ross wants me to ask Friday’s if there is there a prepay for diesel
Walter Sipe wants me to ask them if there is different rate if you own your own propane tank.
Accepting credit cards payments for trash and crestline.
QuickBooks has this feature, but it is pricey
C&N Bank has this feature – there you pay as you go, $10.00 a month there is also a fee of 2.4% on credit cards, $3.00 on ach and $3.00 on electric checks, they can link to quick books and send invoices for us and automatically add late fees. but we would have to raise the price of trash/crestline to cover the cost of this services.
MuniciPay is a company that many PA townships are using, I got their information from other Secretaries that recommend them. There are no long-term fees, or contract in fact no fees at all for the Township to use this service, however they will charge each person who uses a credit card a 2.65% charge up to $3.00 r a $1.50 for electrical checks. We will get an online URL for online payments, and we get a report with everyone’s information and amounts that have been paid, we receive the full amount of the payment and MuniciPay receives the fees they charge the customer for using the service. They also explained that if our Tax collector would like to use this service that she can be added to our account since we use the same FEIN, but she would have her own access site and I would have no way to get the information.
A motion was made by Robert Bushor and seconded by Frank Ross to get MuniciPAy to handle online payments from our customers.
All presents were in favor and motion carried.
ROADMASTER REPORT
The three bridges on Jerry Run Road have been placed, for the Jerry Run DSA project. There is a meeting set up with Penn Line this week to see what is needed for guiderails. Frank meet with Daren Stover.
The pipes that Dale Wood told us about were checked. There is a separation in the pipe up on the hill, that will be getting fixed.
Benson Roads ditches were cleaned
Lick Island and Jericho appeared goof
The rental of the bridges is being paid for by Conservation because the bridges had to be placed to do the DSA project. Frank has been in contact with ADM welding and PennDOT and these bridges can be left permanently, and this will fix them. Liquid fuel and County aid would not be able to be used. Maybe able to apply for County act 13 money. 80% of the rental fee will go towards the purchase price. Looking at approx. $124,000 for the three bridges.
A motion was made by Frank Ross and seconded by Robert Bushor to purchase the three bridges on Jerry Run Road, that we are renting from ADM welding.
All presents were in favor and motion carried.
This leaves only one more bridge to repair, and that is the big one that goes over Wykoff Run on Jerry Run Road.
BUSINES
Tabled from last meeting – Cameron County Ambulance is seeking donations to help with their expenses of responding in our area when Sinnamahoning Ambulance isn’t in service.
A motion was made by Walter Sipe and seconded by Robert Bushor to give Cameron County Ambulance Service for $250.00.
All presents were in favor and motion carried.
A motion was made by Robert Bushor and seconded Walter Sipe to have Gambino Construction to install new doors and key all the locks the same at the ball field pavilion.
All presents were in favor and motion carried.
Summit door has installed the new garage door.
Lawnmower is done and is back here, so it is ready to use and mow, the water pump was bad.
Still working on Crestline’s permit for flow meter
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Dale asked if there was anything wrong with backhoe, he noticed they were working on it. Robert said yes, it is working now, once it cooled off it started to work fine. No codes were shown on the computer screen, it showed picture of the book, it said either too low on oil or too high on low. Frank stated it could be a sensor.
Dale asked if there is any work scheduled with Gibson Township, as far as Robert knows there isn’t.
Dale asked if we were hauling out of Driftwood, and Robert said yes, we were hauling material from Grove Hill to use for the approach of the bridge. Dale asked what the legal amounts are for the white truck and the Mac to haul. The white F550 can legally haul 3 tons and the Mac can legally haul 15 tons.
ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA:
Peter Wolf, Jeff Nachman and Michael Fortonato
Jeff put together a very nice presentation of his plans for the ballfield and possibly the old schoolhouse in Driftwood. These projects are to help with tourism and conservation. Phase I on his plan is to use the ballfield for an outfitter/trading post, ecology/interpretive center. Phase II is for a community center, brewery, or distillery.
Robert Bushor and Walter Sipe stopped him and explained that it was 99% out of the questions about using the ball field. They explained that the field and buildings were built by our local ballplayers and the community. The Barclay family donated the land to the community for recreational usage, there fore we can not just let anyone come in and turn it commercial. They explained that in order to use the land they would have to talk to the Barclay family members and see if they approve of such a thing.
So, the presentation was cut short, and Jeff, Michael and Peter will attempt to contact the Barclay family.
OTHER REPORTS:
Next meeting will be held on September 8, 2021, at the township building the meeting will begin at 5:00 p.m.
On a motion made by Robert Bushor and seconded by Walter Sipe to adjourn the August 11, 2021, meeting at 5:55
Respectfully submitted,
Brandie Sherry, Secretary