BOROUGH OF SLATINGTON COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES 1/13/25 The Regular Meeting of the Slatington Borough Council (Council) was held on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 7:00 PM, to be held in the Council Room, 125 S. Walnut Street, First Floor, Slatington, PA 18080. Presiding: David Schnaars: President of Council Recording Secretary: Roy Hambrecht The meeting was called to order by President Schnaars at 7:00 PM with the following in attendance: ROLL CALL: PRESENT ABSENT OTHERS PRESENT VISITORS David Schnaars Ronald Kratz Roy Hambrecht Ron Hausman, Justin Gross Zach Halkias William Borst Drew Snowberger, Robin Distler Ryan Mayberry Robert Reph Robert Herzog William Schippers Lisa Young Kevin Steckel Jeralyn Schoch William Schippers EXECUTIVE SESSION: None NOTIFICATION: President Schnaars announced that all public sessions of Borough Council are electronically recorded, and such recordings are maintained as part of the meeting record until the minutes are transcribed and approved by the Council, at which time the recordings shall be erased. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING Councilor Mayberry made a motion, duly seconded by Councilor Schoch, to approve the following minutes with corrections. Attorney Young pointed out errors on the Council Meeting December 9, 2024, Committee Meetings - December 16, 2024, and December 23, 2024 - both were canceled. Special Meeting December 30, 2024. President Schnaars declared the motion passed following a Voice Vote, All in Favor. SPECIAL PRESENTATION: John Lee (Architect) = 105 6th Street - (Kern Alley) Mr. Lee's client has purchased the lot at the end of Kern Alley, opposite where the community center will be built. Mr. Lee provided copies of the property plan. Mr. Lee stated that his client went to County Records to look at purchasing this lot and downloaded the lot dimensions. However, when he went to obtain the survey, he found the setbacks from his original research on the web were not consistent with the setbacks contained in the official survey. In fact, the survey indicated that the setbacks created a significantly narrower property, insufficient to accommodate the proposed home. The property owner's proposed solution is to split Kern Alley; the borough vacates Kern Alley, and then the property owner grants the easement back to the Borough. This was discussed with the Borough's Zoning Officer, Duane Dellecker. President Schnaars requested that this issue placed on the next Water/Sewer/ighvay Committee agenda for further review. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - (For Agenda/Non-Agenda Items) please use Podium (three minutes per person/five minutes per group) You will have three (3) minutes to address Council from the podium. The three (3) minutes applies to your time at the podium. If you exit the podium, you have yielded the floor and any time you have remaining. None 1 PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENIS, COMMUNICATIONS: None REPORTS The reports of various committees, officials and officers were provided to Council and are on file in Borough Hall and are available for public inspection. APPROVAL OF ACCOUNTS PAYABLE/TRANSPER Councilor Mayberry made a motion, duly seconded by Councilor Schippers, to approve payment of the bills and transfers as presented by the Treasurer. President Schnaars declared the motion passed following a Roll Call, voting as follows: ROLL CALL AYES NAYS ABSTAIN David Schnaars Zachari Halkias Ryan Mayberry Aaron Schoch Kevin Steckel William Schippers MAYORS/POLICE REMARKS Mayor Jeralyn Schoch None Acting Police Chief Borst Acting Police Chief Borst provided total police activity for December 2024: incidents - 277; reports filed - 189; criminal arrests - 3; traffic citations - 3; parking tickets 37. The total for 2024: 312 traffic citations, 487 parking tickets; 39 written warnings; 79 criminal arrests. The total for the year is 2,728 total reports. Acting Chief Borst indicated that he is waiting for the Tasers and hardware that were approved with the grant. Acting Chief Borst stated that Officer Hutchins will be off field training sometime in late March or early April. Acting Chief Borst added that he is scheduling a candidate eligibility list to hire additional officers. On Wednesday, 1/15/25, Acting Chief Borst and Manager Hambrecht will be meeting with Senator Coleman's Office to discuss and locate grants for equipment and personnel, etc. Fire Chief Robert Reph Chief Reph provided totals for December - 16 emergency fire calls; total calls for the year 289 emergency calls; total man hours - 56.37 and 219 hours for training. Y-T-D for training and callout 5,418.80 hours. Chief Reph commended the members for all their hard work. There were 6 members who passed their Psychomotor EMT State exam, 2 oft them passed their NR EMT, and 4 are still waiting for their results. STANDING COMMITTEES A. Public Safety Councilor Ronald Kratz 1. Councilor Mayberry made a motion, duly seconded by Councilor Schippers, to authorize advertising on the proposed billing ordinance for the fire company. President Schnaars declared the motion passed following a Voice Vote, All in Favor. B. Highway Councilor Aaron Schoch 1. Consider agreement with PPL for conversion of streetlights to LED (Adopt Resolution). Councilor Schoch stated that by doing this, it would save on the electric bill and the bulbs would last longer. There are approximately 305 street lights that would need replacing. Councilor Schoch made a 2 motion, duly seconded by Councilor Mayberry, Resolution R-07-25 for authorizing Manager Hambrecht to execute the agreement for the conversion of streetlights to LED. President Schnaars declared the motion passed following a Roll Call, voting as follows: ROLL CALL AYES NAYS ABSTAIN David Schnaars Zachari Halkias Ryan Mayberry Aaron Schoch Kevin Steckel William Schippers 2. Lehigh Engineering specific project contract continuation. President Schnaars requested this be tabled until after executive session. C. Human/Community Services Councilor Zachari Halkias 1. Review proposal from the Springside Sportsman Club to modify its hatchery. Councilor Halkias made a motion, duly seconded by Councilor Schoch, to approve construction of a roof over the hatchery. The roof construction is conditionally approved pending Council review of the final design plan. President Schnaars declared the motion passed following a Voice Vote, All in Favor. 2. The Masonic Lodge and the use of the easement. This will be tabled to executive session. D. imancePamning/oming Councilor Ryan Mayberry 1. Councilor Mayberry made a motion, duly seconded by Councilor Schoch, to adopt Resolution R- 01-25 ai resolution ofthe Borough ofs Slatington, Lehigh County, Pennsy/vania, establishing the fee for garbage and refuse removal. The fee for garbage and refuse collection disposal shall be $90.00 per dwelling unit, per quarter. President Schnaars declared the motion passed following a Roll Call, voting as follows: ROLL CALL AYES NAYS ABSTAIN David Schnaars Zachari Halkias Ryan Mayberry Aaron Schoch Kevin Steckel William Schippers 2. Councilor Mayberry made a motion, duly seconded by Councilor Schippers, to approve Resolution R-02-25, a resolution of the Borough of Slatington, Lehigh County, Commonwealth of Pennsy/vanid, establishing payments into the police pension fund by members for the year 2025. President Schnaars declared the motion passed following a Roll Call, voting as follows: ROLL CALL AYES NAYS ABSTAIN David Schnaars Zachari Halkias Ryan Mayberry Aaron Schoch Kevin Steckel William Schippers 3 3. Councilor Mayberry made a motion, duly seçonded by Councilor Schippers, to approve Resolution R-03-25, a resolution to appoint Campbell, Rappold & Yurasits auditor. for FY 2025. President Schnaars declared the motion passed following a Roll Call, voting as follows: ROLL CALL AYES NAYS ABSTAIN David Schnaars Zachari Halkias Ryan Mayberry Aaron Schoch Kevin Steckel William Schippers 4. Councilor Mayberry made a motion, duly seconded by Councilor Schoch, to approve Resolution R-04-25, a resolution establishing Borough, fees and charges for Borough services or. for the use ofl Borough, facilities for fiscal year 2025. President Schnaars declared the motion passed following a Roll Call, voting as follows: ROLL CALL AYES NAYS ABSTAIN David Schnaars Zachari Halkias Ryan Mayberry Aaron Schoch Kevin Steckel William Schippers 5. Councilor Mayberry made a motion, duly seconded by Councilor Schippers, to approve Resolution R-05-25, a resolution providing. for the wages ofcertain employees ofthe Borough of Slatington for 2025. Tabled to executive session. 6. Councilor Mayberry made a motion, duly seconded by Councilor Schoch, to approve Resolution R-06-25, a resolution appointing Elite Revenue Solutions to serve as the delinquent tax collector for the Borough ofSlatington real estate tax 2024. President Schnaars declared the motion passed following a Roll Call, voting as follows: ROLL CALL AYES NAYS ABSTAIN David Schnaars Zachari Halkias Ryan Mayberry Aaron Schoch Kevin Steckel William Schippers 7. The Council discussed, and possible motion, to approve the use of purchase cards Borough wide. Manager Hambrecht stated that currently the Borough has an exorbitant number of purchase orders passing through the Borough office. He went on to indicate that the number of POs is increasing at a rate of 8% a year. Finally, he indicated that this pace is unsustainable. The Borough staff will be better able to track spending in comparison to prior years. There will be parameters in place to monitor spending. It will still be necessary for approval prior to purchase, and a mechanism is being developed to track all spending requests and reconcile the spending with the requests. Councilor Mayberry made a motion, duly seconded by Councilor Schippers, to approve the use of purchase cards Borough-wide. President Schnaars declared the motion passed following a Roll Call, voting as follows: 4 ROLL CALL AYES NAYS ABSTAIN David Schnaars Zachari Halkias Ryan Mayberry Aaron Schoch Kevin Steckel William Schippers E. Sewer/Solid Waste Councilor William Schippers F. Water/Special Sewer Committee Councilor Kevin Steckel 1. Water Test Statement - Water was tested and found safe for human consumption UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: None NEW BUSINESS: None COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S REPORT: None David Schnaars COURTESY OF THE FLOOR - (Agenda Items Only - You will have two (2) minutes to address Council from the podium on Agenda Items Only.) None EXECUTIVE SESSION: President Schnaars recessed to executive session at 7:54 PM. At 9:29 PM President Schnaars reconvened the meeting. Matters of legal and personnel were discussed in exeçutive session. Councilor Mayberry made a motion, duly seconded by Councilor Schippers, to approve Resolution R-05- 25, a resolution providing for the wages of certain employees of the Borough of Slatington for 2025. President Schnaars declared the motion passed following a Roll Call, voting as follows: ROLL CALL AYES NAYS ABSTAIN David Schnaars Zachari Halkias Ryan Mayberry Aaron Schoch Kevin Steckel William Schippers ADJOURNMENT Being no further business, Councilor Schoch made the motion, duly seconded by Councilor Mayberry, to adjourn the meeting. President Schnaars declared the motion passed following a Voice Vote, All in Favor. President Schnaars declared the meeting adjourned at 9:30 PM. Roy Hambrecht Borough Manager 5