BOROUGH OF GORDON Meeting Minutes July 14, 2015  256  The regular monthly meeting of the Gordon Borough Council was held on Tuesday, July 14, 2015. The meeting was held at. 7:00 p.m. in the Gordon Municipal Building and Council President Michael Rader was presiding. Council persons present: Michael Rader, Valerie Stitzer, Richard Babb; Barry Brecker, Shannon Dumboski. Council persons absent: Councilmen Jason Quick and Jeffrey Hoffman: Also present at this meeting: DCED's Jim Rhoades, Stevens & Lee Municipal EIP Grant Auditors John Espenshade, Esq., and FINANCIAL S&LUTIONS' Ryan Hottenstein; Mayor George Brocious, Borough Solicitor Christopher Riedlinger, Esq.; and Citizens Ramon Soto, Leo Council President Michael Rader asked council to suspend their regular agenda in order to first hear the results of the DCED Early Intervention Program Grant Audit by Ryan Hottenstein, John Espenshade, and Jim Rhoades. Presentation booklets were. given tol borough council, and a copy of the PowerPoint slides from this meeting will be sent to the borough office for our file. The auditors found no financial issues nor distressed status for the borough through 2014; in fact, Hottenstein said he found the borough accounts to have healthy. balances. Two recommendations made during the audit's closing meeting have already been implemented: The purchase of and hired personnel for maintenance of a computerized accounting system, and hiring or Portnoff Law Associates for delinquent sewage account debt collections. He recommended the borough should also develop a mission statement, with objectives, values and a work plan' 3-5 years out. The borough should keep a monthly line item report. showing budget versus actual revenues and expenditures. The borough was encouraged to establish a fund balance policy (i.e., 6 months cash), participate in DCED training, evaluate the sale, transfer or lease of the borough sewage collection system, charge for all services provided (i.e., yard waste collection and increase existing fees), label all public works equipment, receive code complaints and action reports at least quarterly, create a reasonable job description for borough manager, develop a succession plan, and Motion by Babb that borough council accept the minutes from the last meeting June 9, 2015, as they were presented in written form by the secretary-treasurer. The motion was seconded by Motion by Stitzer that borough council accept the Sewage Revenue Account financial report, the Sewage Operations & Maintenance Account financial report, and the and the Sewage Reserve Account financial report as these reports were written and read by the secretary-treasurer. The Motion by. Brecker that borough council accept the General Account financial report and Motor License Fund report as these reports were written and read by the secretary-treasurer. The motion Motion by Babb that borough council pay all invoices presented for payment within reason on-time each month; don't hold until regular monthly meeting. The motion was seconded by Brecker and  Rauber, Randy Bilder, Suzie Hocking, and Courtney Balsavage.  hire. al borough maintenance worker.  Brecker and carried unanimously, upon voice vote.  motion was seconded by Brecker and carried unanimously upon voice vote.  was seconded, by Stitzer and carried unanimously upon voice vote.  carried unanimously upon voice vote.    BOROUGH OF GORDON Meeting Minutes July 14, 2015  257  Mayor George Brocious read Butler Township Chief of Police Ed Tarantelli's report for May, with 22 calls in Gordon: 3 domestics, 3 phone assignments, 3 EMS calls, 31 requests for assistance, 2 motor vehicle accidents, 1 suspicious person, 1 information request, 1 animal complaint, 11 burning complaint, 1theft, 1 criminal mischief, 1f follow-up investigation, and 1 harassment complaint. Motion by Stitzer to donate police radios (with 3 from Ashland Ambulance) to Schuylkill County Fire Police, with Green's Communications in Pottsville to reprogram them for free. The motion was seconded by Motion by Brecker that the Over. Age 50 Softball Team be granted use of! park facilities and ball field all day Saturday, August 29th. The motion seconded by Babb carried unanimously upon voice vote. Motion Stitzer to accept the resignation Code Enforcement Officer William Jeffrey Allar. Stitzer also suggested council check with police department contacts for replacement recommendations. Motion by Stitzer to pay any due Stevens & Lee EIP invoices as grant money is received from DCED. The motion was seconded by Brecker and carried unanimously upon voice vote. Motion by Babb to authorize Pennsylvania Association of Boroughs (PSAB). as the borough website host and designer at $389/yr.; the domain name wwwgoroboroughcom is available to register for a $10 annual fee, plus a $125 one-time initial design artist charge, a $50 logo design and a $50 new setup/reactivation fee., Thei motion seconded by Dumboski carried unanimously upon voice vote. Motion by Brecker to adopt the duly advertised Ordinance 071415A approving collection procedures and adopting interest and schedule of attorney fees and charges to be added to the amount collected as part of unpaid sewer fees for delinquent accounts. The motion was seconded Motion by Babb that borough council adopt Resolution 06092015A as duly advertised, appointing Jason Quick to fill the unexpired council term of Mary Ellen Mulligan, expiring December 31, 2015. The motion was seconded by Dumboski and carried unanimously upon voice vote. Motion by Dumboski to accept duly advertised Resolution 06092015B naming new bank account signatories and online access users. Motion seconded by Babb carried unanimously upon voice vote. Motion by Babb that the borough reinvest the $7870.58 Miners Bank Sewage Reserve Account CD proceeds at maturity into another CD at Mid Penn with the shortest term possible 0.65% rate of interest, until rates can be compared with PLGIT and other local banks, such as Susquehanna. The Council President Michael Rader requested a motion from council to nominate an officiant pro-tem toj preside in the absence ofb both the council president and vice-president. Motion by Dumboski and seconded by Brecker to appoint Richard Babb as pro-tem carried unanimously upon voice vote. Council President Michael Rader requested a motion from council to get rid of the necessity for seconds to a motion before going to a vote to help streamline the process, effective immediately. The motion by Stitzer, and seconded by Brecker, carried unanimously upon voice vote.  Brecker and carried unanimously upon voice vote.  Motion seconded by Dumboski and carried unanimously upon voice vote.  by Dumboski and carried unanimously upon voice vote.  motion was seconded by Dumboski and carried unanimously upon voice vote.    BOROUGH OF GORDON Meeting Minutes July 14,2015  258  Friends of Gordon (FOG) reported that the Schuylkill County juvenile probation workers will be kept busy with painting and weed control. Richard Babb discussed the "Welcome to Gordon" signs, stating that some of the signs are in poor condition, and suggesting we locate a vendor. Local vendors Randy Reidler or Don Beauliu made the originals of a composite material, and we have Next meeting of borough council is Tuesday, August 11, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. in the Gordon Municipal Building. Council was provided a line item budget of all accounts showing revenues and Borough Manager Snyder met with Butler Township Police on 2 occasions to discuss complaints received by Gordon Borough, issued 1 UCC permit for a new deck and 2 other building permits, with a UCC permit pending for a new swimming pool. Meter readings on the sewage collection were consistently high, especially after a rain storm in excess of 100,000 gallons per day. Two swings in the park are broken along with a spring mount for the plastic dog bouncer. Two trees were reported down in the bend of the stream by the Royer Street pavilion, with another tree down blocking the road, requiring emergency removal by Paul Snyder with help from Scott Blewis. Inl Public Participation, East Biddle Street resident Randy Bilder, who bought the Schally property for right of way access for his utilities, handed out a street map to council showing an unused 20 foot alleyway that runs through the Getty and Schally (Bilder) properties through to Sosar's. Bilder requested council deed the alley over to the landowners to ensure the 40 foot right of way access in order to cut down trees. Solicitor Riedlinger suggested more research must be done on the plot/subdivision plan, which triggers an implied dedication to the municipality by statute. The municipality has 21 years to open that "paper" street for public use; otherwise, the dedication lapses and the municipality loses all rights to the street. Based on this fact, Gordon Borough has no right to deed over the street, SO it reverts back to the private property owners to the middle of the street, with public easement access. Riedlinger gave Mr. Bilder the statutory citation, and suggested Bilder should hire a private attorney for advice. Resident Suzie Hocking asked if the alley by the Methodist church falls into this rule also, and was given the same response. Hocking also asked on behalf of Jane Faust what progress was being made by Dr. Joseph Weber on cleaning up his East Biddle Street property. Riedlinger replied that a certified letter will be sent, advising Weber to comply or face charges. Courtney Balsavage added to the borough's EIP recommendations, saying we should embrace growth, go with change, offer e-access, accept credit cards, and change to monthly rather than quarterly sewer payments tol help residents spread costs out to ai more: affordable level. Motion by Dumboski that this meeting of the Gordon Borough Council be adjourned, carried  one extra in storage. The last sign was made by the state prison in Camp Hill.  expenditures for the month and year to date.  Schuylkill Tax Collection Committee balance is $140,228.46  unanimously upon voice vote. The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m.  Attest: PR.S Paul L. Snyder, secretary-Ireasurer July 14, 2015