WHITEMARSH TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES A Regular Monthly Meeting of the Whitemarsh Township Board of Supervisors was called to order on Thursday at 7:00PM in the Whitemarsh Township Building, 616 Germantown Pike Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania. Supervisors Present: Peduzzi and James A. Totten Sara J. Erlbaum, Chair; Amy Grossman, Vice-Chair; Robert R. Hart; Cathy Also present: Richard L. Mellor, Jr., Township Manager; Sean P. Kilkenny, Esquire, Township Solicitor; Charles L. Guttenplan, AICP and James C. Sullivan, P.E., Township Engineer. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE and MOMENT OF SILENCE IN HONOR OF ARMED FORCES SERVING HERE AND ABROAD ANNOUNCEMENTS Supervisor Grossman announced: LEAF PICK UP - Last call for leaf pick up is Monday, December 22. All leaves must be piled by the street by 6:30 AM on Monday, December 22. RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE - Whitemarsh Township will be hosting an American Red Cross blood drive on Monday, December 29 from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at the Township Administration Building. Participants are asked to make an appointment on the American Red Cross website (www.redcrossblood.org) by entering Sponsor Code: Whitemarsh Township and selecting the preferred time, OR call 1-800-Red-CROSS to make an appointment by phone. HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND NEW YEAR - The Township Board of Supervisors would like to wish everyone happy holidays and a happy new year. Bill Fitzgerald, President of the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board made a presentation for #MakeItMontco. He explained the rebranding of the Board and their promotion of tourism in Montgomery County. PUBLIC HEARINGS None APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. December 4, 2014 On a motion by Supervisor Peduzzi, seconded by Supervisor Grossman (Vote 5-0) the Board of Supervisors approved the December 4, 2014 meeting minutes.
2 BOARD PUBLIC DISCUSSION ITEMS Action Items Ordinances 1. 2015 Real Estate Tax Rates Mr. Mellor explained staff is presenting the 2015 Final Budget in the amount of $21, 007,694, the budget is balanced and there is no tax increase. The millage will remain 2.0379 and the Township's average assessed home of $175,000 will continue to pay $357.00 per year in Whitemarsh Township real estate taxes. There is also no change to the Township refuse, light or fire hydrant fees for 2015. He explained based on the revised collections from Act 511 taxes which include Earned Income Tax (EIT), Local Services Taxes (LST), and Business Privilege Tax there is an anticipated $475,000 in additional revenue for 2014. Legal expenses were reduced by $275,000, the result of less than expected expense related to Creekside Commons land development, which increased the 2014 cash carry forward by $669,000. Several reductions in expenses totaling $594,594 were made for 2015 as two public works large dump trucks will be purchased through capital reserves. Additional costs have provided for the purchase of management software for the building, zoning and codes departments and increased the library support by 5% for 2015. The result of these adjustments will allow for a transfer to the capital reserve in the amount of $811,754 for 2015. A three-year $6.3 million dollar capital improvement plan is part of the 2015 budget. This allows for various infrastructure and facility upgrades and improvements as well as equipment replacementneeds. Overall there is an anticipated increase of 8% in revenue and 4% in expenditures for 2015 compared to 2014. Chair Erlbaum thanked staff for working diligently to provide the balanced budget and she is pleased that the township will not have to raise taxes. Supervisor Hart asked for the amount of overall surplus. Mr. Mellor stated it is approximately 28% of the overall budget, he said general practice is about 15%. Supervisor Peduzzi asked for an explanation of the debt carried by the township. Mr. Mellor explained there are several kinds of debt. He stated one is tied to the Open Space Earned Income Tax, which is primarily for the purchase of the Erdenheim Farm. He stated the.25% the township received from the Earned Income Tax goes towards paying down that debt. He explained there is also debt from borrowing which occurred previously in 2014. He explained that debt is off-set by revenues received from the General Fund, through real estate taxes and Act 511 taxes the township is able to cover the costs for the debt. He stated the debt ratio is low compared to what the township could borrow. Tom Doll (Fairway Road) asked for clarification of the percentage of surplus the township is carrying. Supervisors adopted Ordinance #947 fixing the tax rate millage at 2.0379 for all real property within Whitemarsh Township for the year 2015.
3 Resolutions 1. 2014 Interfund Balance Transfer Mr. Mellor explained this is an administrative accounting function to transfer through different funds in order to balance the budget. adopted Resolution #-2014-36 authorizing the 2014 Interfund Balance Transfers. 2. 2014 Budget Amendment Mr. Mellor explained as part of the 2014 budget there were funds available, staff is recommending the funds be placed in the Capital Reserve Fund to be used for Capital Improvement Projects. Additionally, the township has established an Auto Reserve Account, to have funds available through the year for large equipment purchases. Supervisors adopted Resolution #-2014-37 authorizing 2014 Budget Amendments 3. 2015 Refuse Service Charges adopted Resolution #-2014-38 authorizing the 2015 refuse fee of $230.00 per residential dwelling unit for the collection and disposal of trash and garbage. 4. 2015 Street Light and Fire Hydrant Assessment Rates On a motion by Supervisor Peduzzi, second by Supervisor Hart (Vote 5-0), the Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution #-2014-39 authorizing the 2015 assessment rate for the street light at $0.45 per foot, safety light at $0.24 per foot and fire hydrant at $0.14 per foot. 5. 2015 Operating and Capital Budget Mr. Mellor explained the three year Capital Improvement Plan, which will address infrastructure, facilities and equipment purchases in the township. adopted Resolution #-2014-40 authorizing a Capital Plan and Operational Budget for 2015. 6. 2015 Fee Schedule Mr. Mellor explained the changes in the Fee Schedule for 2015. He explained the township does not make money on the fees; they are set to cover costs. adopted Resolution #-2014-41 authorizing the 2015 fee schedule which will take effect on January 1, 2015.
4 7. Amendment to Loan Agreement - 2010 Library Loan - $300,000 Mr. Kilkenny explained the Board authorized a loan to the William Jeanes Memorial Library in 2010, in the amount of $300,000, in conjunction with the expansion of the Library and amendment of the lease agreement, to help cover the cost of "furniture, fixtures and equipment" associated with the expansion. Pursuant to the Loan Agreement the Library was obligated to conduct a capital campaign to raise funds to repay the loan, but the loan itself was not secured by any collateral. The Board is now contemplating forgiveness of the loan and based on our offices review of the loan documents we do not find any such impediment, but recommend a mutual release agreement be executed by the Board and the Library. The agreement will be provided to the Library's Solicitor as well as counsel for the Library's benefactor, the Karabots Foundation, as a courtesy, given the Foundation's significant involvement in the expansion and the preparation of all of the relevant documents in 2010. Chair Erlbaum pointed out that the amendment would not impact the 2015 budget. She spoke of the sense of community that came with the expansion of the library. Supervisor Peduzzi stated the library itself, with their annual fund is now raising a lot more money than previously and as a result are funding themselves more. Supervisor Hart gave a little history of how the original loan agreement came around. He thanked the Library Board for the work they do. Supervisor Totten commented on how far the library has come, since he remembered going to the original library, on the grounds of Plymouth Meeting Friends. Supervisor Grossman stated the library contributes to the overall health and well being of the community. Linda Doll (Fairway Road), President of the Friends of the Library thanked the Board of Supervisors for their support of the library. She also thanked the public and commented on how much the residents enjoy the library. Addie Ciannella, Director of the Library, thanked the Board of Supervisors, for being very invested in the library. She thanked the Board for their continued support. Helene Kline, Library Board Member, thanked the Board of Supervisor for their support. She stated the library is a hub of a community. Denise Magetti Novak (Barren Hill Road), Vice President of the Friends of the Library, stated the library, the Art Center and all the other things in the township is what makes the township an appealing place to live, work and play. Supervisors adopted Resolution #-2014-42 authorizing forgiveness of a $300,000 loan to the William Jeans Library, Nicholas & Athena Karabots Center for Learning. Motions
5 1. Consider Bid Award - Trash Disposal Contract Mr. Mellor explained Waste System Authority of Eastern Montgomery County will be terminated at the end of 2014, at the direction of the Montgomery County Commissioners. The result is the municipalities involved needed to contract on their own for trash disposal. He stated some of those communities formed a consortium and placed a bid that was advertised and opened. He explained the low bidder was Covanta 4 Recovery, LP. Covanta is currently the operator of the Plymouth Resource and Recovery plant. The five year agreement will actually lower the township s tipping fee (from $65/ton in 2014 down to $54/ton in 2015 and in the 5 years it will only increase to $56/ton). Mr. Mellor stated this will not change residential trash pick-up, this contract is specifically for the disposal of the trash collected. On a motion by Supervisor Peduzzi, second by Supervisor Hart (Vote 5-0), the Board of Supervisors awarded a five-year contract to Covanta 4Recovery, LP for disposal service of Municipal Solid Waste commencing January 1, 2015. 2. Consider Escrow Release No. 1; $861,231.67 - Reserve at Creekside; Stenton Avenue Supervisors authorized escrow release #1 for Reserve at Creekside, Stenton Avenue in the amount of $861,231.67. 3. Consider Escrow Release No. 3; $93,105.62 - Cold Point Farm; Butler Pike On a motion by Supervisor Hart, second by Supervisor Grossman (Vote 5-0), the Board of Supervisors authorized escrow release #3 for Cold Point Farm, Butler Pike in the amount of $93,105.62. 4. November 2014 Expenditures and Payroll and Pension Plan Paid Costs Supervisors approved expenditures totaling $642,749.12; payroll totaling $618,230.35 and pension paid costs totaling $2,978.31 for November 2014. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD None BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS None ANNOUNCE EXECUTIVE SESSION Chair Erlbaum announced the Board of Supervisors held an Executive Session before the public meeting where the Board discussed litigation.
6 ADJOURNMENT On a Motion by Supervisor Grossman, seconded by Supervisor Totten, the meeting was adjourned at 8:05 PM. Respectfully submitted, Richard L. Mellor, Jr. Township Manager