MINUTES

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS	LOWER ALLEN TOWNSHIP
REGULAR MEETING	MARCH 13, 2023
The following were in ATTENDANCE:
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS	TOWNSHIP PERSONNEL
Dean W. Villone, President	Thomas G. Vernau, Jr., Township Manager
H. Edward Black, Vice President	Erin G. Tone, Director of Community & Economic Development
Jennifer Caron	Steven P. Miner, Township Solicitor
Joshua Nagy	Richard A. Grove, Finance Director
Charles Brown	David Holl, Public Safety Director
	Rebecca Davis, Public Works Director
	Leon Crone, Police Captain
	Tony Deaven, EMS Captain
	Nate Sterling, Administrative Secretary
	Michelle Kilgore, Recording Secretary

President Villone called the March 13, 2023 Regular Meeting of the Board of Commissioners to order at 6:01 pm.  He announced that Proof of Publication for the meeting was available for review. This was followed by a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

President Villone noted that the BOC received a resignation letter from Andrew Ritter, resident of the Allendale neighborhood and the appointed representative for the Frederickson Library.  He added that the evening’s Executive Session should include a discussion around replacing Mr. Ritter in this role.

MEETING MINUTES
President Villone requested a motion to approve the minutes of the February 27, 2023 Regular Meeting.  Commissioner NAGY made the motion. Commissioner BROWN seconded.  The motion carried 5-0.

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:  Any item on the agenda.
President Villone advised the audience that if there were any item on that evening’s agenda that they wish to comment on, to please indicate as such.  There were none.

CONSENT AGENDA
President Villone stated that any Commissioner, staff member, or anyone in attendance who would like to have any item on the Consent Agenda removed for further discussion could do so at that time.  There were none.

Items on the Consent Agenda:

Accept motion to approve the items on the Consent Agenda, which are listed as follows:

a. Check Register of March 10, 2023 in the amount of $465,817.18.

b. Tax Collectors 2022 Annual Report.

c. Moving Officer Nicholas Hughes from Probationary status to regular full-time status effective March 13, 2023.

d. Moving Officer Tyler Lewis from Probationary status to regular full-time status effective March 13, 2023.

President Villone requested a motion to approve the items on the Consent Agenda.  Vice President BLACK moved to approve the items on the Consent Agenda.  Commissioner NAGY seconded. The motion carried 5-0.

PRESIDENT VILLONE
Resolution 2023-R-09
President Villone requested a motion appointing Marcus R. Brandt to the position of Zoning and Codes Administrator in the Community & Economic Development Department effective March 20, 2023.

Vice President Black requested a summary of the background of Mr. Brandt.  Erin Trone replied that Mr. Brandt is currently the Zoning and Codes Administrator for Newberry Township.  For about 1 ½ years, he’s overseen the township’s Zoning and Hearing Board and Planning Commission and was a CSO with Lower Allen Township eight years prior.  Ms. Trone added that LAT is not replacing John Eby with this role, as the job duties were reviewed and restructured after Mr. Eby’s retirement.  The new position was budgeted and planned for to align with the Township’s current and future operations.

Commissioner BROWN moved to approve RESOLUTION 2023-R-09.  Commissioner NAGY seconded.  The motion carried 5-0.

Resolution 2023-R-10
President Villone requested a motion appointing Hannah S. Schearer to the position of Advanced Emergency Medical Technician for the Emergency Medical Services Department effective April 3, 2023.

Vice President BLACK moved to approve RESOLUTION 2023-R-10.  Commissioner NAGY seconded.  The motion carried 5-0.

Resignation of Kathleen Ritter
President Villone requested a motion to accept the resignation of Kathleen Ritter, Accounting Specialist effective March 20, 2023.

Vice President BLACK moved, with regrets, to accept the resignation of Ms. Ritter.  Commissioner NAGY seconded.  The motion carried 5-0.

Ordinance 2023-02
President Villone requested a motion to enact ORDINANCE 2023-02, amending the Code of the Township of Lower Allen, Chapter 147, Noise Control, by amending Section 147-2, Definitions and standards; Section 147-3, Enforcement agencies; Section 147-4, Noises prohibited; Section 147-5, Motor vehicle noise levels; Section 147-8, Exemptions; and Section 147-10, Violations and penalties.

Commissioner BROWN moved to enact Ordinance 2023-02.  The Secretary called the roll:

Commissioner CARON – AYE
Vice President BLACK – AYE
Commissioner NAGY – AYE
Commissioner BROWN – AYE
President VILLONE – AYE

The motion carried 5-0.

ANY BUSINESS PERTINENT TO THE TOWNSHIP
President Villone noted that if anyone wished to speak on any subject pertinent to the Township, there would be 10 minutes allotted per person at the podium.

Michael Stipe, a resident at 1400 Chatham Road, Highland Park, approached the podium.  He indicated that he’s lived in that home for twenty years, directly across from the park.  He stated that recently a “No Parking” sign was erected on the park side of the road, causing park-goers to park in front of the neighborhood homes.  He and his neighbors are often forced to park blocks away from their homes.  He would like to know why the sign was erected.

President Villone asked Township staff for comment.  Rebecca Davis stated that there were signs in that area that were recently replaced due to loss of reflectivity and general fading.  She brought up Google Maps from 2020 and pointed out one of the now-replaced signs that stood in the same area that Mr. Sipe referenced.  She also iterated that there is an existing Township ordinance restricting parking on the park side of the street.  Mr. Sipe concurred that a sign always existed there but indicated that the previous sign read that parking on the park side of the street was restricted all months except January through March.  Ms. Davis stated that the former sign is a replica of the current sign and the ordinance has been in place since 1998, therefore nothing has changed in the parking rules.  Mr. Sipe reiterated that he has lived there for twenty years and is certain the sign verbiage has changed.

President Villone asked Ms. Davis if there are detailed records of the signage replacement initiative that could be reviewed for clarification.  Ms. Davis said she would refer to the GIS inventory’s database where she could find details on whether the sign verbiage was replaced word for word, or if there were any alterations.  She indicated she would get back with Mr. Sipe directly.  Mr. Sipe agreed on the plan of action and stated he hoped that the new sign was placed there in error.  President Villone iterated that the original sign may possibly have been the error, and that the new sign may have been updated in efforts to bring the Township compliant to the ordinance.

Mr. Sipe thanked the Board.  He shared that he had been served a parking ticket on two separate occasions over that past week and a half which he feels does not make any sense.

Vice President Black indicated he had lived in that neighborhood at one time and remembered the signs as alternating the parking to various sides of the street depending on month.  Mr. Sipe agreed that was the protocol until recently.  Mr. Vernau clarified that the current new signs show the standard “No Parking” sign – a “P” with a slashed circle and that he remembers the previous sign to be the same, at least going back to 2014.

COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Zoning Hearing Board
Erin Trone requested a motion to approve that the Zoning Hearing Board proceed on March 16, 2023 without the Township Solicitor present.  She explained there are two dockets for discussion at the upcoming meeting, and generally if items for discussion are not too contentious, the presence of the Zoning Hearing Board’s own solicitor is deemed as sufficient.

Commissioner Brown asked Mr. Miner if he was comfortable with his absence from this meeting.  Mr. Miner stated that a commissioner would normally advise him in advance if there were any concerns they feel may need his guidance.

Commissioner BROWN moved to approve for the Zoning Hearing Board to proceed on March 16, 2023 without the Township Solicitor present.  Commissioner CARON seconded.  The motion carried 5-0.

Spring Lake Apartment Land Development Plan
Erin Trone requested a motion to accept the 30-day time-extension from Frederick, Siebert & Associates, Inc for the Spring Lake Apartment Land Development Plan.  Located at the corner of Orchard and Carlisle Roads, it was once the Hartman Associates building.  Ms. Trone explained the plan originally came in for proposal in December, but that January was intentionally passed over due to Frederick, Siebert & Associates were not ready to come back.  She added that the Board would generally have 90 days from the date of the proposal to decide on the plan, which would make that deadline 3/20/23.  Because this date falls before the next BOC meeting date, the developer is seeking a 30-day extension to allow for more time.

Commissioner NAGY moved to accept the 30-day time-extension from Frederick, Siebert & Associates, Inc for the Spring Lake Apartment Land Development Plan.  Commissioner CARON seconded.  The motion carried 5-0.

MANAGER
Annual Trap, Neuter & Return (TNR) Program Report
Mr. Vernau reported on the TNR Program run by Nobody’s Cats Foundation headquartered on Hartzdale Drive.  The program has been running in the Township since 2018 to address feral cat colonies in the Township.  In the entire year of 2022 there were 0 kittens born within the registered colonies (noting there are several non-registered colonies in existence).  Only two unaltered animals exist in one of the new registered colonies on Scarsdale Drive.  Overall, the colonies are declining considerably.  The Township offers registration forms, which allow for 4 free vouchers to take to Nobody’s Cats to have them altered free of charge (Township pays).

COMMISSIONER REPORTS
Mr. Sterling announced eight (8) views on that evening’s live feed.

Commissioner Nagy noted how impressed he is with the Township’s staff stepping up to take on some of the work that was completed by retiring Township Accountant Kathleen Ritter.

Commissioner Brown asked Tony Deaven to come up to the podium to summarize the UPMC Outreach Program.  Mr. Deaven noted that in 2020 Vice President Black facilitated a relationship between UPMC and Lower Allen Township EMS allowing for recently discharged patients with high risk of re-admittance to be visited in their homes by LAT paramedics for treatments, assessments, and interventions. This program prevents increased medical costs and helps to treat the patients within their community.  He added that the program also helps reduce unnecessary falls.

RECESS TO EXECUTIVE SESSION
The regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners recessed to Executive session at 6:40PM to discuss the vacant position created by Kathy Ritter’s resignation.

RECONVENE FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION
Commissioner BROWN moved to ratify the Manager’s action to advertise of the position of Assistant Finance Director.  Commissioner CARON seconded.  The motion carried 5-0.

ADJOURNMENT
The regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners adjourned at 7:18 pm.