[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER]
TO ORDER THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE UPPER PROVIDENCE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MONDAY, JULY 17TH, 2023 IF EVERYONE WOULD RISE AS THEIR ABLE AND JOIN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[MOTION TO APPROVE BOARD AGENDA]
I KNOW EVERYBODY'S HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT OUR BOARD AGENDA.I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE.
ILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
ALL RIGHT, I HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
[PUBLIC COMMENT]
THE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THE LECTERN.
THE MICROPHONE IS ABOVE YOUR HEAD AND WE'LL PICK UP EVERYTHING YOU SAY.
IN FACT, IT PICKS UP PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING YOU SAID IN THE ROOM.
AND, UH, STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, AND TRY TO CONTAIN YOUR REMARKS TO THREE MINUTES.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I LIVE AT SIX 70 SOUTH FIFTH AVENUE HERE IN UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
MY CONCERN IS ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS IS AN OVERUSE OF FIREWORKS.
LOUD FIREWORKS, MORE THAN SHOULD BE NECESSARY.
WE UNDERSTAND 4TH OF JULY IS A WONDERFUL DAY.
NOT EVERY WEEKEND, NOT FRIDAY NIGHT, SATURDAY, SUNDAY NIGHT AFTER 10 O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING, TERRORIZING OUR DOGS, OUR NEIGHBORS AND I COME REPRESENTING THE SIX HOUSES RIGHT WHERE I LIVE AT.
WE'LL ALL HAVE DOGS AND ARE TERRIFIED BECAUSE OF THIS INDIVIDUAL SAYS VERY LOUD FIREWORKS OFF.
WHAT'S YOUR ADDRESS AGAIN? I'M SORRY.
SIX 70 SOUTH FIFTH AVENUE UP FOR PROVIDENCE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WAY I COULD DO ABOUT IT, WHAT WE COULD DO ABOUT IT.
BUT WE HAVE, I HAVE BEEN DOWN TO THE POLICE.
I CALLED THEM THE OTHER EVENING WHEN THEY WERE LETTING OFF ONES THAT WERE QUARTER STICK OF DYNAMITE OR LOUDER.
AND DO WE HAVE POLICE ORDINANCE OR THERE IS A NO NOTICE AFTER 10 O'CLOCK.
AND THIS ONE HAPPENED, THIS, THE REAL BIG ONE DID HAPPEN TO GO ON AFTER 10 O'CLOCK.
AND WE DON'T KNOW IF AT 10 18 I INSTANTLY CALLED THE, THE DISPATCHER.
THEY TALKED TO THE OFFICERS, THEY SENT SOMEBODY OUT, AND I KNOW WHERE THEY HIT THE SIREN AS SOON AS ONE OF THE BIG ONES WENT OFF.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AFTER RESULT.
I SAID IF THEY WANTED TO COME TALK TO ME, THEY COULD.
BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST, IT'S EVERY WEEKEND.
IT'S IS THAT SINCE THE POLICE WERE CALLING AND COME, IT HAS CALMED DOWN.
WE DID HAVE ONE GO OFF THE OTHER NIGHT.
I DID MAKE A CALL CAUSE THERE WAS NO MORE.
IT WAS ONLY ONE AND IT WASN'T THAT BIG.
YOU KNOW, THE STATE CHANGED THE, THE LAWS ON FIREWORKS RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW THEY CHANGED IT, BUT BETWEEN THE STATE, I'M SORRY.
WHEN ONE OF THOSE GOES OFF AND I LIVE ON FIFTH STREET AND THEY LIVE ON SIXTH STREET AND THE DEBRIS LANDS IN MY YARD.
I TOOK A LITTLE PUNCH, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN, AND, AND A FEW PEOPLE ACTUALLY, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE 150 FEET FROM ANY DWELLING VEHICLE OR ANYTHING.
I I'M VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I HAVE A DOG ALSO THAT I HAVE TO GET DRUGS TWO HOURS BEFORE FIREWORKS GO OFF.
AND IT WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY NICE TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE FIREWORKS GONNA GO OFF.
AND WE HAD FOUR NIGHTS THIS PAST 4TH OF JULY AND, AND IT'S, THE MEDICINE DOESN'T WORK.
I UNDERSTAND THE DOG BY ONE DOG.
YEAH, MY NEIGHBORS TOOK THEIR DOGS TO BED AND THE DOGS THREW UP AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.
ANYONE ELSE, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
MY NAME IS BLAKE WELLING, 1 35 BENNINGTON ROAD.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND TALK ABOUT PARKHOUSE AND THE BEAUTIFUL AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SIGNIFICANT OPEN SPACE THERE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY, ROYERS FORD HOLDINGS, HAS A NEW DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL THAT HAS BEEN SHARED WITH THE BOARD AND INVOLVES A HIGH DENSITY CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT OF MULTIFAMILY AND TOWNHOUSE UNITS.
I'LL SPEAK FOR MY NEIGHBORS AND I'LL SAY THAT WE DO NOT WANT THIS HIGH DENSITY DEVELOPMENT AND WE DO NOT
[00:05:01]
WANT ANY ZONING CHANGES.I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEW PROPOSAL LOOKS LIKE, BUT I KNOW THROUGH A RIGHT TO NO REQUEST THAT THERE ARE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR EXECUTIVE SESSIONS WHERE THE PROPOSAL IS BEING DISCUSSED.
I ALSO DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF THESE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS, BUT I'M ASKING THE BOARD NOT TO LET ANYONE CONVINCE YOU TO TAKE A COMPROMISE APPROACH FOR THIS ENVIRONMENTALLY SIGNIFICANT OPEN SPACE IN THIS TOWNSHIP.
PLEASE TAKE A STAND FOR THE RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
PLEASE KEEP PURSUING FUNDING OR GRANTS FROM THE STATE OR COUNTY OR ELSEWHERE.
THERE ARE MANY, MANY OPTIONS BEYOND THE TOWNSHIP PURCHASING A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY AS A COMPROMISE.
FOR INSTANCE, CONSIDER PRIVATELY OWNED, PRESERVED OPEN SPACE.
THERE ARE LANDOWNERS IN OUR AREA WHO MAY WANT TO ADD OPEN SPACE TO THEIR PORTFOLIO.
YES, IT TAKES A WILLING CURRENT LANDOWNER, BUT CONSIDER THE OPTION.
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO FULLY EXAMINE ALL IMPACTS OF DEVELOPMENT ON THIS OPEN SPACE.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT TRAFFIC ENVIRONMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, FLOODING, EMERGENCY SERVICES, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND MANY MORE.
PLEASE EVALUATE ALL THESE IMPACTS AND PLEASE TAKE THE TIME AGAIN, PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO EXPLORE ALL POSSIBLE OPTIONS.
AGAIN, PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO EXPLORE ALL POSSIBLE OPTIONS BEFORE YOU AGREE TO SOMETHING IN THESE CLOSED DOOR SESSIONS.
I JUST WANT TO, UH, ADDRESS ONE ASPECT OF WHAT YOU SAID AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
NOTHING GETS DECIDED BEHIND A CLOSED DOOR.
NOTHING WILL EVER HAPPEN THAT ISN'T VOTED ON IN THIS ROOM WITH PEOPLE PRESENT.
THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT FINAL DECISIONS ARE MADE OUT HERE.
I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION, SIR.
WELL, AND ONE OTHER NOTE, JOE, AND I WANT, THIS IS WHERE WE SHOULD BE DISCUSSING THINGS, OKAY.
IT, IT'S NOT TECHNICALLY OPEN SPACE, AND I KNOW THAT'S HOW YOU TURNED IT, IT IT'S PRIVATELY HELPED AND THAT'S, IT'S, OH, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, IT'S NOT, WELL, TWO THINGS.
I KNOW IF I HAVE IT RIGHT, SIR, YOU WERE THE RIGHT TO KNOW REQUEST PERSON.
SO I KNOW FROM GOING THROUGH THE RIGHT TO KNOW REQUEST A COUPLE CLARIFICATIONS, I CAN MAKE SURE, UM, BECAUSE I, I WORKED WITH CHERYL TO GET THE, THE MATERIALS TOGETHER MM-HMM.
WHEN YOU, WHEN UNDER THE STANDARDS THAT APPLY TO APPRAISALS, THEY HAVE TO APPRAISE TO THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE WHATEVER'S THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE.
SO IN HIS OPINION, THAT SUBSECTION OF THE ORDINANCE, THAT THAT ALLOWS WHAT THIS APPLICANT'S DOING IS THE HIGHEST AND BEST MEANING, MOST VALUABLE USE.
UM, A CONDITIONAL USE IS AN ALLOWED USE.
SO HE WOULD INCLUDE THAT IF IT WAS LISTED AS A PROHIBITED USE.
HE COULDN'T, A CONDITIONAL USE ISN'T PERMITTED USE, IT JUST HAS SOME EXTRA HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO HE, HE VALUED IT TO THE HIGHEST CONFESSED USE.
AND THAT'S VERY, I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S NOT ONLY STANDARD, IT'S WHAT APPRAISERS, THAT'S WHAT THEIR OBLIGATION IS.
UM, YEAH, AS FAR AS CALLING IT OPEN SPACE, UM, THE VERY FIRST MEETING THAT WE HELD HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE FIRST TWO MEETINGS THAT WE HELD ABOUT THIS, I WAS TRYING TO ESTABLISH A, A COUPLE OF THINGS, SORT OF THE BAD NEWS, WORSE NEWS FIRST, SO THAT PEOPLE COULD UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROCESS IS UNFOLDING.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I SAID AT THAT TIME, AND I GUESS IT WAS AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, UH, FIRST IS THAT, UM, THE PROPERTY IS NOT PROTECTED OPEN SPACE.
IT HAS NOT BEEN PROTECTED OPEN SPACE FOR MANY YEARS.
THE, THE, THE APPLICANT IS PROCEEDING UNDER THE OVERLAY ZONING.
WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU CALL SOMETHING OPEN SPACE, GENERALLY THAT MEANS IT'S GOVERNMENT LAND.
PRIVATE LAND ISN'T GENERALLY HELD AS PRESERVED OPEN SPACE.
IT WAS THEN YOU WOULD'VE TAKEN THE GUY'S
[00:10:01]
LAND AND WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO IT, I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS BECAUSE IT PRECEDES ME.BUT I BELIEVE THAT THAT ZONING CHANGE WAS MADE AS PART OF SOME LAST MINUTE ATTEMPT TO HOLD OFF THE COUNTY SALE OR SOMETHING.
IT WAS, BUT IT WAS NEVER, UM, IT WAS NEVER REALLY AN APPROPRIATE ZONING DESIGNATION FOR THE PROPERTY.
AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE, IF YOU GO AND LOOK AT THE MAP, OBVIOUSLY, OH, OPEN SPACE, WELL THEN THIS IS OPEN SPACE, BUT IT, THE OVERLAY TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWS THIS, THE RIVKIN GROUP TO COME IN HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR DECADES.
AND SO NO ONE USES THE UNDERLYING OPEN SPACE, WHICH IS PROBABLY SOME SORT OF MISTAKE IN A WAY, IN MY OPINION.
THEY WOULD ONLY PROCEED UNDER THE OVERLAY, WHICH INCLUDES, UM, THIS USE.
SO I KNOW EARLY ON THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SAID, PROTECT OUR O PROTECT THIS, UM, OPEN SPACE.
AND IT'S NEVER, IT'S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME SINCE IT WAS THAT IF IT, IF IT EVER WAS.
SO I WANTED TO, UM, SORT OF PRESENT THAT IN SO THAT YOU HAVE CONTEXT IN CONSIDERING WHATEVER DOES, UM, TURN OUT TO BE HOPEFULLY A RESOLUTION OF THE SITUATION, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE HOPE TO HAVE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, MAYBE WITHIN A COUPLE MONTHS.
I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION.
I AM CONCERNED WHEN I HEAR IT'S GONNA BE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO TAKE THE TIME THEY NEED TO EVALUATE ALL POSSIBLE OPTIONS.
I'LL ALSO POINT OUT THAT THIS LAND IS OPEN SPACE AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE, BUT THE LAND IS ZONED OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION WITH AN INSTITUTIONAL OVERLAY.
THE FIRST WORDS ARE OPEN SPACE.
WELL, I, I, I THINK, I THINK I TOOK IT AS FAR AS I CAN FOR TONIGHT.
I'M NOT GONNA GONNA DEBATE IT WITH YOU.
I CAN ONLY TELL YOU THAT THE APPLICANT IS NOT PROCEEDING UNDER THAT.
IT'S AS THOUGH IT'S NOT EVEN THERE.
AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, OURSELVES.
BUT I, I APPRECIATE YOUR POINTS THOUGH.
AND, AND, AND IN TERMS OF WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE, UM, WHATEVER, WHENEVER THE, WE, WE ALL COME BACK ON TO THIS DAY, AS WITH SOMETHING TO DESCRIBE OR, OR EXPLAIN AS AN OPTION, ALL OF THE OPTIONS WILL BE EXPLORED.
THE SUPERVISORS HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD TO EXPLORE THE OPTIONS.
UM, ONE OF THEM ASKED ME TO EXPLAIN ONE THING THAT'S NOT REALISTICALLY AN OPTION, WHICH IS, UH, EMINENT DOMAIN.
UM, YOU CAN'T SIMPLY WALK IN AND SAY, WE'RE TAKING THIS LAND.
YOU HAVE TO PAY FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR IT.
AND THE, AND THE FAIR MARKET VALUE, EVEN, EVEN IF THE GUY HAD VALUED IT WITH A DIFFERENT CONDITIONAL USE ASSUMPTION, WHICH WOULD BE IRREGULAR, IT'S NOT GOING TO COME DOWN TO A NUMBER THAT WORKS, UM, FOR EMINENT TO ME.
SO WHAT YOU'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS, UH, FUNDING.
AND I THINK THAT BY THE TIME ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING TO EXPLAIN TO YOU, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT, UM, EVERYTHING'S BEEN BEING PURSUED THAT POSSIBLY COULD BE PURSUED.
NOBODY'S TAKING IT LIGHTLY IN ANY WAY.
JOHN MCGUIGAN 1 0 3 BENNINGTON ROAD.
UH, THANK YOU MR. MR. UH, MADAM SUPERVISORS.
UH, I DID COME HERE TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF, UH, AN APPROPRIATE USE FOR THE PARKHOUSE COMMUNITY.
EVERY TIME WE'VE BEEN HERE IN THE MEETING, WE'VE GOTTEN GOOD INFORMATION AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO GET GOOD INFORMATION.
WHAT CONCERNS ME, WHAT I HEARD EARLIER THIS EVENING IS, UH, GOVERNS EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
AND I THINK BY THE PENNSYLVANIA SUNSHINE LAW THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH, YOU CAN DISCUSS LEGAL ACTION LIKE LAWSUITS AND PERSONNEL DECISIONS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, BUT AS, UH, SUPERVISOR KKI, UH, SPOKE EARLIER, MOST OF THE CONVERSATION HAS TO BE OUT IN THE, IN THE PUBLIC.
AND I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU AN AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY THAT, TO MAKE IT CLEAR FOR EVERYBODY.
CUZ I THINK WHEN PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, THEIR BACKS GET A LITTLE ARCHED AND THEY GET A LITTLE DEFENSIVE THAT SOMETHING'S GOING ON.
SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU, UH, I KNOW THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A BACK AND FORTH, BUT I WANT TO STRESS TO YOU THAT THAT HAS PEOPLE ON EDGE AND ANY CLARIFICATION THAT YOU CAN GIVE US AND REASSURANCES THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO MOST OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE HAVE BEEN BETWEEN ME AND THE ATTORNEY FOR THE APPLICANT, UH, AND THE APPLICANT FOR A MEETING WITH THE STAFF.
MY ONLY MEETINGS WITH, UH, THE APPLICANT AND HIS ATTORNEY HAVE BEEN WITH, IT WAS JUST BEEN ME AND JEFF GRACE, WHO IS A CONSULTANT FOR THE TOWNSHIP.
UH, THE ONLY MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE HAD WITH THE SUPERVISORS COME UNDER TWO DIFFERENT EXCEPTIONS TO THE SUNSHINE ACT.
ONE IS FOR LITIGATION BECAUSE THE CONDITIONAL USE HEARING IS LITIGATION.
AND ANOTHER IS FOR ACQUISITION OF REAL ESTATE,
[00:15:01]
WHICH IS ANOTHER EXCEPTION TO THE SUNSHINE ACT.UM, WE HAVE, WE TAKE THE SUNSHINE ACT SERIOUSLY.
WE DO NOT VIOLATE THE SUNSHINE ACT HERE.
UM, I, I DO WANT PEOPLE TO BE COMFORTABLE.
SOMETIMES WHEN YOU PUT THINGS TOGETHER, IT DOES REQUIRE SOME MEETINGS IN PRIVATE.
BUT I, WE'VE HAD MANY, MANY HOURS OF PUBLIC COMMENT AND DISCUSSION OUT HERE IN THIS ROOM ON PARKHOUSE, BOTH PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, I WOULD CALL IT EXHAUSTIVE, UM, DISCUSSIONS.
AND NOBODY EVER TRYING TO SILENCE ANYONE OR, YOU KNOW, EVERY, ALL POSITIONS WELCOMED.
I ANSWER EMAILS FROM CITIZENS WHO HAVE CONCERNS SOMETIMES, HOW ABOUT HOW THINGS WORK? HAPPY TO DO THAT.
UM, IT IS NOT, WHEN WE SAY IT'S A CLOSED DOOR PROCESS, OUT OF ALL THOSE HOURS, OVER ALL THE MONTHS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE SUPERVISORS HAVE PROBABLY MET PRIVATELY TO DISCUSS THIS FOR LIKE MAYBE AN HOUR, ADDING IT ALL UP TO ONE.
IF YOU ADDED IT ALL TOGETHER, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT WOULD TOTAL, UM, TO AN HOUR WHERE, WHERE JEFF AND I REPORT BACK TO THEM ON, UM, THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO'S CONCERNED ABOUT SUNSHINE LAW, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ONLY MAKE USE OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION EXCLUSIONS THAT THE LAW ALLOWS.
I DO, I DO WANNA MAKE A COMMENT, AND I KNOW IT'S NOT BACK AND FORTH, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE PERCEPTION WHEN YOU SEE EXECUTIVE SESSION AFTER EXECUTIVE, YOU LIKE WHAT IS GOING ON? AND I FEEL SO WELL AWARE OF THAT.
AND I WISH EVERYTHING COULD JUST BE OUT THERE.
I IT'S NOT LAWFUL, AND IT, AND I JUST, IT, IT PAINS ME, BELIEVE ME, BECAUSE I WISH I CAN BRING THIS WHOLE GROUP IN AND DISCUSS IT.
IT'S JUST NOT LIKE HOW IT WORKS.
AND I, I FEEL FOR YOU BECAUSE IF I WAS IN THAT SEAT OUT THERE, I'D BE LIKE, WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ALL THESE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS? SO I GET THE PERCEPTION AND WE CAN'T OPEN, WE CAN'T OPEN THAT PROCESS TO INDIVIDUALS OR EVEN ORGANIZED GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THEY DON'T SPEAK FOR EVERY TOWNSHIP PRESIDENT.
SO IT HAS TO BE AN ALL OR NOTHING TYPE OF THING.
WE CAN'T JUST LET SOME PEOPLE IN.
AND SO THE BEST WE CAN DO IS DO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND THEN COME BACK TO THE PUBLIC WITH OUR BEST EFFORT.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE PROBLEM? HI, GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME'S SUSAN DENBY AND I'M AT 1 35 BENNINGTON ROAD, UH, IN THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NEXT TO PARK HOUSE AT THE SOUTHERN END, WHERE WE SEE THAT BEAUTIFUL HILLSIDE THAT OFTEN HAS WATER GUSHING DOWN IT WHEN WE HAVE RAINS.
UM, I, I REALIZE THIS IS NOT OPEN SPACE, BUT TO BLAKE'S POINT, IT IS OPEN SPACE.
IT'S BEEN OPEN SPACE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND I'M ASKING YOU TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO PRESERVE THIS LAND BY WHEN YOU'RE NEGOTIATING WITH THE LAND OWNER, AS I HEAR YOU ARE, FIND WAYS TO SAVE ALL OF IT.
LIKE THERE, THERE'S DOLLAR SIGNS ON IT FOR THIS GENTLEMAN.
IT'S ALL ABOUT TURNING A PROFIT.
AND HE'LL FLIP IT AND IF HE DOESN'T FLIP IT, HE'S GONNA TURN IT INTO CONCRETE AND HIGH RISES IN A PLACE WHERE WE LIVE ON LIKE ALMOST HALF AN ACRE.
ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS LIVE ON DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE VERY WIDESPREAD ACROSS HERE FROM HOPEWOOD.
UH, THE, THE DEVELOPMENTS ALONG ONE 13.
HOW FAR BACK DO THEY GO WHEN THEY START THIS? THE WAY THIS TOWNSHIP HAS PROGRESSED IS TO, IS TO ME, TOTALLY INCONSISTENT WITH THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE GENERATIONS YOU'RE BUILDING, LETTING THINGS BE BUILT ON, UH, WITHIN WHAT IT SAID, 10, 20 FEET OF THE ROAD.
A ROAD THAT CAN'T SUSTAIN THE, THE TRAFFIC THAT'S THERE.
I GO OUTTA MY DEVELOPMENT ONE WAY OUT, ONE WAY IN, AND THAT'S ONE 13 WHEN I GO OUT, I'M WAITING AT THE, THE BRIDGE.
AND ANY TIME OF DAY THERE'S TRAFFIC THAT YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEBODY.
AND WHEN YOU ADD 10% OF A POPULATION IN THIS AREA TO THAT ONE LITTLE SECTION, CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT? THAT THAT'S GONNA CAUSE A LOT OF PAIN.
NOT TO MENTION THE EMS, IT'S, IT'S NOT, NOT REALLY THINKING ABOUT OUR, OUR PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO SAY HERE IS THINK DIFFERENTLY.
WE LIVE IN A GREAT COMMUNITY AND WE WANNA KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALSO DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR US, AND THAT YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT FUTURE.
DO YOU SEE ALL THE RAIN IS COMING DOWN? DO YOU KNOW THERE
[00:20:01]
WAS A REPORT TODAY ON NPR JUST ABOUT, ABOUT THIS.IT'S ONLY GONNA GET WORSE AND WE JUST FARED REALLY WELL THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
BUT THOSE FLOODS ARE COMING OUR WAY TOO.
AND BE THE PEOPLE WHO CHANGE PRECEDENT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW PRECEDENT.
THERE'S, THERE'S STAND UP AND, AND SAY NO DEVELOPERS DO NOT OWN OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT WE'VE GOTTA STOP THE MADNESS THAT HAS BEEN CREATED OVER THE YEARS.
IT IS JUST UNCONSCIONABLE TO ME THAT I HEAR THE LAWYERS IN TALKING WITH THEIR LAWYER THAT THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO THE LAWYER WAY LONG AGO, I THINK IT WAS IN DECEMBER OR FEBRUARY, WE TALKED ABOUT HIRING ANOTHER LAWYER, ONE WHO, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THAT LAWYER? IS THAT BEING ENTERTAINED? I MAY, IF I MAY EXPLAIN A COUPLE OF THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, I'VE BEEN DOING MUNICIPAL LAW SINCE THE 1980S.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT MUNICIPAL LAW, SIR.
I AM TALKING ABOUT I DIDN'T INTERRUPT YOU.
I'M ALSO, I'VE ALSO BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE TOWNSHIP FOR 33 YEARS.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT NUMEROUS PEOPLE CAME UP HERE AND SAID, PLEASE GET SOMEBODY ELSE.
THOSE PEOPLE DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WERE SAYING.
IF THERE'S A CONDITIONAL USE HEARING, THERE'S A SECOND LAWYER, I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
THAT PERSON IS NOT IN PLACE OF ME.
I CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THE BOARD.
THERE WOULD BE A SECOND LAWYER HIRED TO PRESENT EVIDENCE ON BEHALF OF THE TOWNSHIP, WHICH WAS MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD.
IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK THROUGH THE RECORDS, I'M NOT AFRAID OF ANOTHER ATTORNEY BEING IN THE ROOM.
IT'S ALL I'VE BEEN DOING FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
I UNDERSTAND THE TOWNSHIP'S INTEREST.
I'VE LIVED HERE AND RAISED MY KIDS HERE.
OKAY? BUT IT'S, THERE'S NOT, THERE WAS NOT A SCENARIO WHERE ANOTHER LAWYER WAS GOING TO COME IN FOR ME.
AND THE, AND THE REASON THAT I'M SPEAKING TO THEIR ATTORNEY IS BECAUSE THAT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO GET THINGS DONE.
THEY MAKE THE DECISIONS, BUT THEY PAY ME GOOD MONEY TO GIVE ME INSTRUCTIONS ON WHERE THEIR HEADS ARE AND TO GO OUT AND TRY TO EFFECTUATE THAT THROUGH MEETINGS WITH THE OTHER ATTORNEY.
THAT IS HOW IT'S DONE IN THIS WORLD ALL THE TIME.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
MY POINT WAS GOING TO BE, NOT TO REPLACE YOU, BUT TO COMPLIMENT YOU IN, IN THESE DECISIONS BECAUSE A LAWYER WHO'S VERSED IN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, SUSTAINABILITY, THAT IS SOMEBODY WHO CAN COMPLIMENT YOUR, YOUR, UH, GOOD WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE.
I WASN'T SUGGESTING TO REPLACE YOU.
I'M ALSO, WE'RE, WE'RE WELL BEYOND THREE MINUTES.
SO MY, MY WRAP UP TO THIS IS THAT I'D LIKE YOU TO NOT DO WHAT THE STATUS QUO IS.
THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A TIME OF CHANGE.
STATUS QUO DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE, AND IT'S NOT GONNA WORK IN THE FUTURE.
YOU CAN SEE ALL AROUND US THAT LAND IS GETTING CONSUMED UP BY DEVELOPERS FOR DISTRIBUTION CENTERS, FOR APARTMENT BUILDINGS THAT NOBODY'S GONNA LIVE IN.
SO I ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER HOW YOU CAN GO ABOUT THIS IN A DIFFERENT WAY, NOT THE STATUS QUO WAY.
WE, WE CAN'T NO LONGER SAY, WELL, THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE, PLEASE.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE, UH, GOOD EVENING.
VICTORIA BRIGHT, 360 4 VISTA DRIVE, UH, RIVERS BEND COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PARK HOUSE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, FOR QUITE A LONG WHILE.
UM, SO I'M NOT HERE TO, TO REHASH THE TIMELINE, ALTHOUGH I HAVE ACTUALLY STARTED TO COMPOSE A TIMELINE, WHICH IS PRETTY REVEALING.
UM, WE'VE ALSO HAD, UH, SOME INFORMATION THROUGH OUR THIRD RIGHT TO KNOW, UH, REQUEST THAT IS ALSO QUITE REVEALING.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE BOARD IS WHO WE ARE COMING TO.
REALLY ASKING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF SOME OF YOUR OWN WORK AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER TIME.
YOU HAVE A DEVELOPER WHO OWNS THE LAND PROCEEDING, HIS OWNERSHIP, THERE'S LOTS OF DOCUMENTATION THAT SAYS 10% OF THE LAND IS DEVELOPABLE.
THAT'S ACTUALLY THROUGH MONTGOMERY COUNTY PLANNING, UH, COMMISSION.
[00:25:01]
WE HAVE NATURAL LAND'S TRUST REPORT THAT SAYS HOW MUCH OF THAT LAND IS ACTUALLY DEVELOPABLE CONSIDERING THAT THEY WERE ALSO GIVEN INFORMATION THAT IT WILL BE DEVELOPED.THERE'S NOT BEEN ANY HEARING THAT YOU HAVE APPROVED DEVELOPMENT.
SO I GO BACK TO YOU AND ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER HOW THE INFORMATION IS LOOKING TO THE PUBLIC.
THE CONCERN THAT WE HAVE IS THAT THESE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, EMAILS BETWEEN ATTORNEYS, DON'T SEEM TO BE WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING IN THE NOTES SO THAT THE, THE RIGHT TO KNOW IS IMPORTANT.
I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE THAT WE ONLY RECEIVED IN PART THOUGH OF OUR RECENT REQUEST.
SO I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE OTHER PART IS BECAUSE WE'VE RECEIVED MAYBE ABOUT 15 OR 20 EMAILS IN THE CORRESPONDENCE FROM FEBRUARY, 2023 TO NOW.
AND I'M SURE THERE'S BEEN AN AWFUL LOT OF DIALOGUE GOING ON AROUND THIS.
SO AGAIN, WHAT OUR CONCERN IS IS THAT YOU HAVE AN APPRAISAL REPORT THAT EVEN IN THE RIGHT TO NO REQUEST, THERE WAS SOME CORRESPONDENCE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE APPRAISER AND THE NATURAL LANDS TRUST AND WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AN ACTUAL APPRAISAL REPORT.
SO DON'T WE ASK, AS A TOWNSHIP, LET'S SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE PROPER APPRAISAL REPORTS.
IF IT'S APPRAISED AT 41 MILLION AND NATURAL LANDS TRUST IS SAYING, WE CAN'T EVEN GIVE YOU AN ACTUAL FULL REPORT UNLESS WE KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THIS LAND HAS BEEN APPRAISED.
APPARENTLY SOMEBODY TOLD THE APPRAISER IT'S GONNA BE DEVELOPED EVEN THOUGH IT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S CLEAR, THAT'S IN WRITING.
SO AGAIN, WE COME TO YOU TO SAY, LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
CONSIDER AGAIN, WHAT OUR NEIGHBORS OR COMMUNITY CITIZENS, WHAT'S HAPPENING WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING AND TORRENTIAL RAINSTORMS COMING AND WHAT HAPPENED TO A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, TWO YEARS AGO AT PORT PROVIDENCE.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT FOR US, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR OUR KIDS, FOR OUR GRANDKIDS GOING FORWARD.
I MEAN, IF THIS IS THE LAST AREA AND IT'S CLEAR THAT IT SAYS THIS IS A MAJOR RUNOFF AREA FOR WATER, THERE'S SEEPS IN THERE, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF WATER FLOW ISSUES.
WHY WOULD WE ALLOW DEVELOPMENT? IT'S JUST GONNA MAKE IT WORSE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND, UH, HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS? BILL FELTON, 1 33 OLD STATE ROAD.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING THAT MS. DENBY SAID, UH, REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE TOWNSHIP.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE LIVED HERE SINCE 1977, BEFORE 4 22 WAS EVEN BUILT.
AND OBVIOUSLY THIS TOWNSHIP'S BEEN UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE FOR ALL THESE YEARS, SINCE 4 22 WAS BUILT AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND I, I THINK THIS TOWNSHIP'S DONE A GREAT JOB IN THEIR PLANNING.
YOU KNOW, THE FOCUS I KNOW HAS BEEN TO RETAIN THE RURAL CHARACTER OF THE TOWNSHIP.
AND I THINK WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.
YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB, YOUR PREDECESSORS, THE PLANNERS.
UM, BUT I THINK NOW WE'RE GETTING TO A TIPPING POINT WHERE WE'RE SO DEVELOPED AND THE PRESSURE IS EVEN GREATER.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE MASSES COMING FROM, YOU KNOW, EAST OF US PARTICULARLY WANTING TO, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP WHAT OPEN LAND THERE IS LEFT.
SO I KNOW IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK FOR OUR PLANNING COMMISSION FOR YOU GUYS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THIS PARKHOUSE PARCEL IN PARTICULAR WAS OWNED BY THE PUBLIC.
I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT PURCHASED IN 1801, THE FIRST RESIDENCE MOVED INTO THAT PLACE IN 1807 AND THE COUNTY WAS THE STEWARD OF THAT LAND.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AS THIS WHOLE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL GETS CONSIDERED.
UM, UH, AS FAR AS THIS APPRAISAL, I MEAN THESE NUMBERS THAT ARE BEING THROWN AROUND, I'M NOT SURE WHAT DIRECTION THAT WOULD TAKE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROPERTY, BUT I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, AND I KNOW THIS DEVELOPER, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
[00:30:01]
THIS IS THEIR BUSINESS.UH, I THINK THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE CONSIDERING THAT APPRAISAL TO TAKE SOME ACTION THAT COULD SAVE THIS PARCEL.
I'M AT 1 38 BENNINGTON ROAD WITH MY NEIGHBORS THERE.
I HAVE NOTHING PREPARED AS YOU GUYS CAN SEE.
SO I'M GONNA WING THIS, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT AND THEN A COUPLE KIND OF REQUESTS TO YOU GUYS.
UM, AND I USE GUYS GENERICALLY EVERYWHERE.
UM, ANYWAY, UM, MY COMMENT FIRST OF ALL IS I'M STILL STRUGGLING WITH THIS GUY BROUGHT THE LAND, YOU KNOW, BACK ALMOST 10 YEARS AGO, OVER 10 YEARS AGO WITH CLEAR ZONING OF MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING I WAS HERE THAT IT'S OPEN SPACE WITH, OR, I MEAN, THAT'S BACKWARDS, BUT IT'S BASICALLY INSTITUTIONAL OPEN SPACE.
ONE OVERLAYS THE OTHER, RIGHT? UM, THE PROPOSALS WE'RE SEEING SO FAR HAVE NOT BEEN INSTITUTIONAL TO THE, MY UNDERSTANDING, TRADITIONAL DEFINITION OF THAT.
UM, WHAT I'M SEEING NOW IS THIS, YOU KNOW, HUGE OBNOXIOUS DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS PROPOSED SO HE CAN KIND OF COME IN WITH SOMETHING LIKE KIND OF HORSE TRADING.
NOW, UM, I KIND OF LOST MY THOUGHT THERE, BUT, UM, MY, MY FEAR IS LIKE WHEN I HEAR IN THESE CLOSED DOOR SESSIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THIS IS STARTING TO SMELL LIKE THE DISASTER.
WHEN THE COUNTY SOLD US OUT FROM UNDER THE TOWNSHIP ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO TO THIS GUY, HE HAD CLEAR VISIBILITY TO WHAT THE ZONING WAS.
UM, I'M ASKING YOU, YOU ALL, UM, GOING FORWARD, LIKE AND I UNDERSTAND NO DECISION, FINAL DECISION WAS MADE WITHOUT BEING IN PUBLIC FORM, BUT IN ANY CLOSED DOOR SESSIONS, WHAT I'M ASKING EACH OF YOU IS DURING THIS HORSE TRADING SESSION, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT THIS GUY SET EVERYTHING UP FOR, LIKE BIG OBNOXIOUS 1200 UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
OKAY, WELL, WE'LL GIVE YOU SOME OPEN SPACE, BUT NOW I WANT, AND FROM WHAT I'M SEEING, IF HIS TOWNHOUSES, IT'S GONNA BE A ZONING CHANGE, POSSIBLY ASKING YOU GUYS TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO NOT AGREE TO ANYTHING, ANY ZONING CHANGES OR ANYTHING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
AND MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEARLY VISIBLE WITH ENOUGH TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT ON A ZONING CHANGE.
YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR JUST RESIDENTIAL HOUSING SUCH AS TOWNHOUSES BEFORE IT GOES FORWARD.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY.
ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
ALRIGHT, SEEING THAT, UH, NO ONE RISE, I'M GOING TO PROCEED WITH THE BUSINESS PART OF THE MEETING.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION REPORT]
EXECUTIVE SESSION REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SESSION WAS HELD PRIOR TO TONIGHT'S MEETING.UH, TOPICS DISCUSSED WERE REAL ESTATE, POTENTIAL LITIGATION AND PERSONNEL MATTERS.
[APPROVAL OF BILL LIST]
OF THE BILL LIST.I KNOW EVERYONE'S HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK.
UM, TIM, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT ON THE YEAH, I'LL JUST GIVE A, JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DO THE BILL LIST, WE HAVE, UM, 12 FUNDS.
UM, THAT'S, UM, INVOLVING THE GENERAL FUND, LIQUID FUELS RECREATION, SEWER, CAPITAL EXPENDITURE.
USUALLY OUR BILL LIST IS AROUND A LITTLE OVER A MILLION.
THIS CURRENT BILL LIST IS ABOUT 2.2 MILLION.
AND WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF, UM, LARGE EXPENDITURES.
JUST TO BRING THIS IN PERSPECTIVE.
WE HAVE ABOUT, UH, $55,000 PURCHASE FOR A, A POLICE VEHICLE THAT WAS A BUDGETED CAPITAL EXPENSE.
UM, OUR TWO ON 8 23 ROAD PAVING PROJECT AT AROUND $400,000 THAT COMES OUT OF OUR, UH, OH TWO ACCOUNT, OUR LIQUID FUELS ACCOUNT.
UM, WE ALSO INCLUDED THAT, THAT WAS THE $235,000 FOR THE, UH, RESTROOM, UH, BUILDING.
THAT'S THE BLACKROCK PARK, UH, RESTROOMS NEXT TO THE, UH, INCLUSIVE, UH, PLAYGROUND THAT COMES OUT OF OUR PARK FUND, UM, RECREATION FUND.
USUALLY WE PAY THE, WE JUST BECAUSE OF TIMING, UH, WE HAVE TWO INVOICES TO THE LOWER, UH, PERCUMIN VALLEY REGIONAL SEWER AUTHORITY, UH, OF AROUND $464,000 THAT COMES OUT OF THE UM, OH EIGHT SEWER ACCOUNT.
THE GENERAL FUND ACCOUNT ITSELF, UH, WAS AROUND $720,000.
SO JUST WANTED TO KEEP THAT IN PERSPECTIVE.
USUALLY OUR BILL IS ISN'T THAT HIGH, BUT WE HAD SOME, UM, CAPITAL BUDGET COSTS THAT CAME DUE THE SAME TIME.
AND I PROMISE NEXT TIME IT'S UNDER A MILLION.
I'M GONNA ASK WHY IS IT TOO SMALL? I NEVER DO.
OKAY, I'LL, UH, IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BILL LIST OF JUNE 1ST TO JUNE 30TH IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,236,169 AND 50 CENTS.
I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE BILL LIST FROM THE PERIOD JUNE ONE THROUGH JUNE 32, 20 23 IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,236,169 AND 50 CENTS.
[00:35:01]
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
HAD, UH, OUR JUNE 19TH, UH, REGULAR MEETING MINUTES IN OUR PACKET.UH, IF EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW, IF THERE'S NO CORRECTIONS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE JUNE 19TH, 2023 ORDER SUPERVISORS REGULAR MEETING MINUTES.
I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE BOARD SUPERVISOR'S REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FOR JUNE 19TH, 2023.
AND, UH, WE HAVE NO PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED THIS EVENING.
WE ALSO HAVE NO OLD BUSINESS ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.
[NEW BUSINESS (ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS)]
IS ITEM NUMBER THREE.UNDER NEW BUSINESS, CONSIDER AWARDING A BID FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 9 29 PORT PROVIDENCE ROAD TO FI CONTRACTORS.
I HOPE I'M SAYING THAT RIGHT, ABORTION PA IN THE AMOUNT OF $42,300 AS THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER.
UM, BRIAN? YEAH, THIS IS IN NO WAY, ALTHOUGH, ALTHOUGH THIS PROPERTY IS IN THE FLOOD PLAIN AND FLOODED DURING IDA, THIS IS IN NO WAY RELATED TO THE FEMA DOLLARS OR THE BUYOUT PROGRAM.
UM, THE SUPERVISORS ACQUIRED THIS PROPERTY LAST SUMMER, UM, JUST BEFORE IT WENT TO TAX SALE WITH THE INTENT OF DEMOLISHING THE PROPERTY.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, UM, WE PUT THE BID OUT ON THE STREET AND WE RECEIVED THE BIDS RANGING FROM 42,300 TO 121,400.
UM, JEN'S OFFICE HAS IDENTIFIED THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BILL FOR FIDELITY.
CONTRACTORS WERE ASKED THE BOARD TO AWARD THAT WITH THAT BID THIS EVENING.
IT'S WORTH MENTIONING TOO, THAT, UM, WHEN WE PAID THE OWNER TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY, THIS DEMOLITION COST WAS BACKED OUT OF WHAT HE RECEIVED.
SO IT WAS ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE PURCHASE PRICE.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO AWARD THE BID FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 9 29 PORT PROVIDENCE ROAD TO FEELY CONTRACTORS APPORTION PA IN THE AMOUNT OF $42,300 AS THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER.
I HAVE A MOTION AND A COUPLE OF SECONDS TO, UH, AWARD THE BID FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 9 29 PORT PROVIDENCE ROAD TO FIDELITY CONTRACTORS OF HAM PA IN THE AMOUNT OF $42,300 AS THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER.
AND, UH, NEXT IS A DISCUSSION OF RECYCLING COMPLIANCE ISSUES.
YOU WANNA LEAD US ON THAT? YEAH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I KIND OF GAVE A HIGHLIGHT IN MY LAST REPORT TO YOU, UH, THAT, UH, WE RECEIVED ANOTHER TRASH HAULER COMPLAINT, UH, WHICH THIS TIME PERTAINS TO WASTE MANAGEMENT.
UM, ON JUNE 13TH, THE WASTE MANAGEMENT NOTIFIED ALL THEIR CUSTOMERS THAT EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, UH, THEY WILL COLLECT RECYCLING ON AN EVERY OTHER WEEK SERVICE SCHEDULED TO PROVIDE A MORE EFFECTIVE SERVICE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS, QUOTE, BY REDUCING FUEL, FUEL USAGE, CONTROLLING INCREASED COSTS, AND MAXIMIZING OUR COLLECTION SERVICES EFFICIENCY.
REASON I BRING THIS TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION IS WE HAVE A KIND OF, UH, SOMEWHAT DATED TRASH AND RECYCLING ORDINANCE DATING BACK WHAT TO THE 1980S, JOE, BACK TO THE OLD RECYCLING DAYS, WHICH, UH, UH, THE STATE DOES ALLOW THE TOWNSHIPS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE STRICT ON HOW OFTEN, UH, WE CAN COLLECT RECYCLABLES.
THE STATE HAS THE, HAS PUT A MINIMUM OF ONE MONTH MONTHLY COLLECTABLE OF RECYCLABLES, WHICH WASTE MANAGEMENT WOULD BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE LAW.
IT IS IN, IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE TOWNSHIP'S CURRENT RECYCLING ORDINANCE, WHICH REQUIRES, UM, THAT WE HAVE WEEKLY RECYCLABLE.
UM, A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS, UH, ARE INTERPRETING OUR ORDINANCES IF THAT'S, UH, THAT IT'S INCUMBENT UPON THE TOWNSHIP TO ENFORCE OR ENJOIN COMPANIES LIKE WASTE MANAGEMENT TO FOLLOW OUR ORDINANCE.
UM, HOWEVER, UM, IN SPEAKING TO OUR TRASH, UH, CONSULTANT WHO HANDLES OUR DEP RECYCLING GRANT EVERY YEAR, UH, HE, UH, INFORMED ME THAT, UH, I GUESS SEVERAL YEARS AGO THERE'S BEEN SOME CASE LAW THAT WHERE THE STATE HAS STRIPPED THE TOWNSHIP'S ABILITY, ANY, ANY MUNICIPALITY'S ABILITY TO, UM, REGISTER OR, OR, UM, UM, REGULATE, UH, TRASH COLLECTOR, UH, TRASH COLLECTION ACTIVITIES.
UM, SO IT REALLY DEFAULTS TO THE STATE ORDINANCE.
SO WE REALLY PROBABLY HAVE NEED TO CLEAN UP, BUT WE NEED TO CLEAN UP OUR ORDINANCE TO MAKE SURE IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE.
SO IT DOESN'T GIVE AN, AN IMPRESSION, I THINK, TO THE RESIDENTS THAT, UM, THAT UH, UM, WE HAVE THIS
[00:40:01]
AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE THE ORDINANCE, WHICH WE DON'T.AND THE WAY IT IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN, UH, IS IT IS REALLY INCUMBENT UPON THE HOMEOWNER, NOT, NOT THE TOWNSHIP TO, TO FOLLOW, UH, THE RECYCLING ORDERS.
YOU, I WOULD ONLY ADD, YOU COULD ENFORCE IT MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE A CONTRACT FOR THE TRASH PICKUP FOR THE WHOLE TOWNSHIP.
THEY CAN ENFORCE IT AS A CONTRACTUAL ISSUE BECAUSE THEY'RE A PARTY TO THE CONTRACT HERE.
WE LET EACH HOMEOWNER DECIDE WHO THE HAULER IS AND SO THEREFORE IT'S A CONTRACTUAL ISSUE BETWEEN THAT.
UM, I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO CLEAN UP THIS, THIS ORDINANCE.
I JUST AM PUTTING THIS OUT FOR THE RECORD BECAUSE WE DID, WE GOT SEVERAL, UH, CALLS FROM RESIDENTS ASKING US TO ENFORCE THE ORDINANCE AND WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY.
SO WHEN YOU SAY CLEANUP, WOULD IT JUST STATE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO, IS THAT WHAT YOU BASICALLY, I WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S CONSISTENT.
PROBABLY JUST REFLECT THE ONCE A MONTH, ONCE A MONTH THAT THE STATE REQUIREMENT WE, WE WOULD EVEN REPEAL IT OR REPLACE IT WITH ONCE A MONTH TO REFLECT THAT WE REQUIRE A TOWNSHIP.
AND HAVE, WE'D HAVE TO ENFORCE THAT.
WELL, THE ENFORCING IS A WHOLE, IS WHAT THE ENFORCING IS A WHOLE OTHER ISSUE.
THE ENFORCING IS BETWEEN THE OWNER AND THE HAULER, BUT IF THE ORDINANCE IS, THE ORDINANCE NEEDS TO BE CORRECT IN ORDER FOR THE HOMEOWNER TO GO TO THEIR HAULER AND SAY, YOU ARE OR YOU ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH MY TOWNSHIP'S ORDINANCE.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE RIGHT ORDINANCE TO PUSH BACK AGAINST.
WE'RE NOT THE, WE'RE NOT THE ENFORCER IN OTHER REASONS.
YEAH, I, I THINK I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF REPEAL ALL TRASH COLLECTION.
THIS TOWNSHIP IS BY PRIVATE CONTRACT.
THE PRINT TOWNSHIP DOES NOT PICK UP ANY TRASH FOR ANYBODY, INCLUDING OUR OWN.
WE CONTRACT THE HEADQUARTERS ALL THE WAY.
BUT I WOULD SAY THIS, YOU KNOW, I FOR 30 YEARS, BUDZINSKI AND I KNOW THEY'RE ONE OF THE BIG COMPLAINTS WE GET TOO BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PICKING UP ALL OVER THE TOWNSHIP.
I PICKED UP MY TRASH, THEY'VE BEEN BOUGHT OUT BY A COST CUTTING OUTFIT FROM TAXES AND, UH, THAT'S THEIR RIGHT TO TRY TO CUT COSTS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO NOT PROVIDING SERVICES TO EVERY PRESIDENT THAT, THAT THEY'RE CONTRACTED TO GET.
SO I, I WOULD JUST TELL FOLKS I WOULDN'T HESITATE TO GET A NEW TRASH HAULER IF YOU'RE NOT HAPPY WITH THE ONE YOU GOT.
AND, UH, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, BUT IT IS A PRIVATE CONTRACT.
AND, UH, I THINK IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW SOMETIMES THEY'LL TELL YOU YOU CAN'T GET OUT WITH A CERTAIN, I KNOW THAT BOSKY, FOR INSTANCE, NOT IN THIS TOWNSHIP, BUT IN SURROUNDING TOWNSHIPS WHERE THEY HAVE A MUCH SMALLER FOOTPRINT, ARE ACTUALLY JUST CANCELING FOLKS.
AND EVEN AFTER THEY'VE PAID THEIR QUARTERLY BILL, THEY'RE TELLING 'EM IN TWO WEEKS WE'RE GONNA STOP PICKING UP A TRASH.
I ASSUME THEY'RE GONNA PROVIDE REFUNDS OR FED A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.
BUT IN ANY EVENT, WE WE'LL KEEP, WE ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON IT.
I'VE DRIVEN AROUND THE TOWNSHIP AND, UH, FOR THE LAST MONTH, UH, EVERY SATURDAY MORNING TO SEE WHO GOT PICKED UP AND WHO DIDN'T.
IT'S PROTECTING EGREGIOUS IN THE AREA OF THE TOWNSHIP UP AROUND, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOODS RIGHT BY THE NEW CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL THERE.
UH, I THINK THEY LET THEM GO ONE TIME, TWO WEEKS IN A ROW WITH UH, NO RECYCLE PICKUP.
AND SO IN ANY EVENT, UH, WE ARE AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND UH, BUT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN BY PRIVATE CONTRACT IN THIS TOWNSHIP.
AND UH, I THINK I WOULD PREFER TO LEAVE IT THAT WAY.
SO, AND ONE OTHER COMMENT, OR ACTUALLY TOO ON THAT IS, UM, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU CAN CALL YOUR HAULER AND SAY, I NEED MORE BINS FOR RECYCLABLES.
IF YOU'RE FILLING IT UP AND IT, YOU KNOW, ISN'T GONNA LAST TWO WEEKS, WE'LL CALL 'EM AND ASK THEM TO GET ANOTHER BIN FOR YOUR RECYCLABLES.
AND THIS SECOND COMMENT ON THAT IS ONLY 5% OF YOUR PLASTICS ARE RECYCLED ANYWAY, ONLY 5%.
AND THAT'S MAYBE ONLY NUMBERS ONE AND TWO, EVERYTHING ELSE IS GONNA GO TO THE LANDFILL ANYWAY BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA BE RECYCLED.
I THINK ALIGNING IT WITH THE STATE SO THAT PEOPLE RESEARCH INFORMATION, GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION.
BUT I, I ALSO LIKE THE POINT YOU MADE TIM ABOUT THIS.
THIS STATE ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN A LONG, LONG TIME AGO AND A LOT HAS CHANGED IN THE WORLD OF SUSTAINABILITY AND RECYCLING.
AND JUST TO NOTE THAT WE SHOULD CARRY THIS TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES AND TO OUR STATE SENATORS ABOUT WHAT IS THE CONVERSATION BACK AT THE STATE ABOUT THIS.
CAUSE I GOTTA IMAGINE THERE'S OTHER COMMUNITIES DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
SO JUST TO NOTE THAT, MAYBE WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THEM.
AND BILL, JUST ADD, WE DO HAVE A LIST OF ALL THE ALL, UM, ACTIVE, UH, TRASH HAULING COMPANIES ON OUR WEBSITE THAT IF PEOPLE AREN'T HAPPY THERE, I THINK WE HAVE A LIST OF WHAT, SEVEN OR ABOUT FIVE FIVE HOLLER THAT.
SHOULD WE START PUTTING STARS NEXT TO NO, WE WE'RE NOT GONNA START RATING.
UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? RECYCLED TRASH.
THAT'S A DIRTY ISSUE THAT, OKAY.
CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AGREEMENT
[00:45:01]
FOR COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT REAL ESTATE TAXES AND MUNICIPAL CLAIMS THROUGH PORT OFF ASSOCIATES.AND I'LL JUST ADD MUNICIPAL CLAIMS MEANS SEWER BILLS, SO, UM, THIS IS A NEW COLLECTION COMPANY.
MR. CHAIRMAN NUMBER FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN ARE ALL RELATED TO PORT OFF AND BELIEVE ALL OF YOU, UM, GOT IN YOUR, IN YOUR BINS KIND OF A LAYOUT OF UH, UH, THE PORT OFFICE SERVICES.
UM, AND UM, THIS WAS RECOMMENDED BY OUR FINANCE, UH, CONSULTANTS BASED ON THEIR GOOD EXPERIENCE ON THIS COMPANY AND OTHER TOWNS.
UM, THERE'S NO COST, UM, TO THE, UH, TO THE TOWNSHIP FOR THIS, UH, SERVICE.
UM, IT'S BASICALLY HELPING US TO CLEAN UP OUR BOOKS OF DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS.
UM, I DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE PORT OF HERE, UM, AND HE'S HERE IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS EXTENSIVELY.
UM, I PUT THIS OUT IN THE HIGHLIGHTS REPORT, BUT, UM, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE, UH, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER.
I TOLD HIM THERE, THERE'S NO NEED FOR A, A PUBLIC PRESENTATION, BUT UM, I WANTED YOU TO BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COURT.
YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
JUST, I MEAN, A QUICK BACKGROUND OF WHO WE ARE, JUST SO YOU KNOW WHO YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
SO, UH, I'M, I'M GONNA ATTORNEY.
MY NAME IS KEVIN AX WITH CORNELL LAW ASSOCIATES.
UH, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK IN PENNSYLVANIA FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE OVER 200 CLIENTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, INCLUDING 27 HERE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
THIS IS OUR ENTIRE LEGAL PRACTICE.
WE EITHER COLLECT BILL, CRIMINAL STATE TAXES, OR DELINQUENT UTILITY FEES.
UM, THE KEY TO WHAT WE DO IS WE PROCEED UNDER SPECIFIC STATE STATUTES CALLED MUNICIPAL CLAIMS AND TAX LIE ACT.
AND WHAT THAT DOES IS IT ALLOWS THE MUNICIPALITY TO SHIFT COLLECTION COSTS TO THE DELINQUENT PROPERTY OWNER.
BY SHIFTING THOSE COSTS, IT CREATES INCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO PAY BECAUSE PEOPLE REALIZE THAT IF THERE'S, IT'S GONNA COST THEM MORE GOING DOWN THE ROAD TO PAY, I'M GONNA COME AND DEAL WITH THE DELINQUENCY SOONER.
IT ALSO ALLOWS THE TOWNSHIP TO USE OUR SERVICES AND STILL RECEIVE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF YOUR MONEY.
ONE OTHER BENEFIT THAT YOU WOULD RECEIVE POTENTIALLY THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS OFTEN PEOPLE NOT ONLY AS A RESULT OF THIS ACT WITH THE SHIFTING OF THE FEES, NOT ONLY DO THEY PAY THEIR DELINQUENT BILL, BUT OFTEN MOST OF OUR CLIENTS TEND TO SEE LESS DELINQUENCIES GOING FORWARD.
CUZ THERE'S ALWAYS A GROUP THAT SEEMS TO HAVE POTENTIALLY THE ABILITY TO PAY A BILL AND JUST CHOOSES NOT TO CUZ THE INCENTIVE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THERE IN THE PAST TO, TO MAKE PAYMENT FOR A LOT OF OUR CLIENTS.
THE INCENTIVE THAT WE USE TO COLLECT THOSE DELINQUENT BILLS ALSO REFLECTS DOWN IN THE FUTURE.
AND OFTENTIMES WHEN THEY'LL GET A BILL FROM THE TOWNSHIP AND THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS WHERE NOW THEY HAD TO PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PAY BEFORE, OFTEN PEOPLE WILL COME AND PAY ON TIME.
WE HAD, I WAS, I WAS MENTIONED TO TO JOE BEFORE THAT WE HAVE ONE CLIENT, ACTUALLY IT'S A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WE REPRESENT FOR DE TAX COLLECTION.
WE'VE HELPED REDUCE THEIR DELINQUENCIES BY 70% AND THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER.
BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT POTENTIALLY HAD THE ABILITY TO PAY THEIR TAX BILLS AND JUST WERE CHOOSING NOT TO BECAUSE THE BENEFIT WASN'T THERE.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL REVERSE THAT FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED A LITTLE BIT OF ASSISTANCE.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK WITH PEOPLE.
SO WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A LARGE STAFF, OVER 90 PEOPLE IN OUR OFFICE.
UM, WE HAVE FLEXIBLE PAYMENT PLANS FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP.
WE HAVE A HARDSHIP PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WHERE THE TRADITIONAL PAYMENT PLAN MIGHT BE TOO SHORT.
WE HAVE A HARDSHIP PROGRAM FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHERE IT'S THEIR MEANS THAT SORT OF CREATE THE ABILITY TO PAY.
UM, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO LOOK ON, ON OUR WEBSITE, CHECK OUT THEIR BALANCES, PAY ONLINE.
SO FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT REALLY WANT TO PAY, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH THEM TO FACILITATE PAYMENT FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT NEED A LITTLE BIT OF A PUSH BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY.
UM, THE INCENTIVES AND MUNICIPAL CLAIMS AND TAX LIE ACT WILL CREATE THAT INCENTIVE TO PAY CUZ NO ONE WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO PAY WILL WANT TO PAY MORE WHEN THEY COULD PAY ON TIME.
SO THAT'S SORT OF IN A NUTSHELL WHEN WE COLLECT THE OR THE MONEY, YOU GET IT NEXT WEEK, ACH TRANSFERS, YOU GET THE MONEY RIGHT AWAY.
SO I MEAN, I THINK JUST TO SUMMARIZE, THE KEY TO THIS ACT IS THAT WE CAN CREATE INCENTIVES FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED A LITTLE BIT OF INCENTIVE TO PAY.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK AND BECOME MORE FLEXIBLE IN PAYMENT PLANS THAN TRADITIONALLY THE COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND THEN THE TAXES, THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
IT'S NOT A CUT ON THE COUNTY, BUT THEY'RE NOT EQUIPPED TO SET UP PAYMENT PLANS INDIVIDUALLY, CREATE A HARDSHIP PROGRAM.
SO THROUGH THIS COMBINATION OF THINGS, IT WORKS WELL.
AND I CAN JUST TELL YOU FROM, FROM YOUR SIDE OF THE TABLE, I WAS ON MY TOWN SCHOOL BOARD FOR EIGHT YEARS.
SO I'M USED TO SORT OF SITTING ON THAT SIDE OF THE TABLE.
AND DURING MY YEARS, MY, MY SCHOOL DISTRICT DID USE MY FIRM TO COLLECT DELINQUENT TAXES AND PEOPLE WEREN'T COMPLAINING.
AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD SIGN CAUSE PEOPLE TEND TO COME TO OUR MEETINGS AND YOU KNOW, USUALLY THERE'S SOMEONE WHO HAD SOME KIND OF BEEF WITH SOMETHING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS DOING.
IT'S IT'S TEA OVER IN CHESTER COUNTY.
SO IT'S, IT'S A GOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT YET WE WOULD STILL HAVE THE CONTINGENT THAT WOULD COME EVERY WEEK AND OR YOU KNOW, BE UNHAPPY WITH SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND THE FACT THAT THEY WEREN'T COMPLAINING ABOUT US AS A TAX COLLECTOR, WHICH IS A PRETTY EASY TARGET FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE UNHAPPY WITH, I ALWAYS TOOK THAT AS A GOOD SIGN THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB ON THE CUSTOMER SERVICE SIDE AND PEOPLE CALL IN AND WANNA WORK SOMETHING OUT, WE'RE GONNA WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH THEM.
SO THAT'S SORT OF BEEN IN A NUTSHELL.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE RELATIONSHIP? I, I KNOW RIGHT NOW WE USE THE
THAT WOULD CHANGE IF YOU WANNA JUST CORRECT.
SO ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT IS A RESOLUTION TELLING THE TAX CLAIM.
YOU'RE NOT TO COLLECT THOSE TAXES
[00:50:01]
THAT ARE BEING SENT TO MY FIRM.SO THAT WOULD START NEXT YEAR.
EVERYTHING THAT'S CURRENTLY WITH THE TAX COLLECTOR WOULD STAY WITH THE TAX COLLECTOR, YOUR ELECTED TAX COLLECTOR.
THEIR JOB DOESN'T CHANGE IN ANY WAY.
THEY'RE STILL COLLECTING THE CURRENT TAXES UP UNTIL THE TIME THEY GO DELINQUENT.
SO WHAT WE DO DOESN'T AFFECT THEIR JOB IN ANY WAY IS REALLY JUST GOING FORWARD, STARTING NEXT YEAR.
INSTEAD OF SENDING THEM TO THE COUNTY FOR COLLECTION, THEY'RE GONNA COME TO OUR FIRM FOR COLLECTION.
UM, THE COUNTY STILL BENEFITS TO BE HONEST.
SO UNDER THE CURRENT SITUATION, UNDER THE REAL ESTATE TAX SALE LAWS IS THE LAW THAT CREATED TAX FUND BUREAUS SETS FORTH THE PROCEDURES.
AND THE REASON, THAT'S LARGELY THE REASON WHY WE'RE ACTUALLY WAY MORE EFFECTIVE.
CAUSE THE REAL ESTATE TAX SALE LAW, IT'S A LAW THAT CREATES TEETH BY SELLING PROPERTY TWO OR THREE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WHEN THE INCENTIVE IS TWO YEAR, THREE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, PEOPLE OFTEN WAIT TWO OR THREE YEARS TO MAKE PAYMENT.
UNDER OUR PROCESS WE OPEN GREAT INCENTIVE ON THE EARLY SIDE AND THUS PEOPLE PAY NOT ONLY QUICKER ON THEIR DELINQUENCIES, BUT THEN HOPEFULLY THAN CURRENT.
BECAUSE AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED THAT THAT INCENTIVE IS THERE.
WHERE THE TAX PLAN BUREAU, THERE'S NO INCENTIVE REALLY TO CREATE CURRENT PAYMENTS IS PEOPLE TEND TO WANT TO PAY TWO TO THREE DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, BUT GOING FORWARD, THOSE TAXES WOULD COME TO US.
WE WOULD COLLECT EVERYTHING WITH THE COUNTY STAYS WITH THE COUNTY.
THE COUNTY STILL CONTINUES TO TAKE A 5% COMMISSION.
SO THAT DOESN'T CHANGE RIGHT NOW.
THEY TAKE A 5% COMMISSION, THEY'LL STILL CONTINUE TO TAKE A 5% COMMISSION.
WE'LL WORK WITH YOU GUYS TO GET THAT MONEY TO THEM.
IF YOU WANT US TO DO IT DIRECTLY, A LOT OF OUR CLIENTS DO.
UM, BUT THE REALITY IS YOU'LL STILL, YOU'LL SEE YOUR MONEY COMING FASTER BOTH ON THE COLLECTION SIDE AND THEN ALSO ON THE REMIT SIDE CUZ WE'LL REMIT IT TO YOU WEEKLY.
SO OVERALL THE, THE TOWNSHIP SHOULD SEE BETTER SERVICE ON THAT END AS WELL.
YOUR TAXPAYERS, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE CAN WORK WITH THEM IN A MANNER WITH PAYMENT PLANS AND HARDSHIP PROGRAMS WITH THE COUNTIES.
THEY'RE NOT EQUIPPED TO DO, THEY DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO DO IT AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE REGULATIONS THAT ALLOW THEM TO DO IT.
I SORT OF THINK THAT WAY BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS SOME PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT, WE CAN WORK WITH THEM.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED A PUSH, THEY'RE GONNA SEE THE INCENTIVE CREATED EARLY, NOT LATER.
SO THE TOWNSHIP SHOULD SEE ITS MONEY EARLIER AND THEN HOPEFULLY IN, YOU KNOW, FUTURE YEARS WHEN THEY GET THE TAX BILL, THEY'LL THINK TWICE ABOUT GOING DELINQUENT BECAUSE IF THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY, IT'S GONNA BE CHEAPER JUST TO PAY.
TIM IS THAT ANSWER? I THINK I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE AND THE FRAMEWORK OF THE AGREEMENT IS YOU'RE CHARGING THE FEES, THAT'S HOW YOU'RE COMPENSATED.
A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TAX COMES BACK HERE EXCEPT THE COUNTY GETS THEIR 5%.
THAT'S WHEN THERE IS AN OPTION TOO.
I MEAN THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DISCUSSED INTERNALLY.
IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT.
BUT ONE OPTION ALSO IS THAT SOME OF OUR CLIENTS AND SOME PARTICULARLY MONTGOMERY COUNTY, BECAUSE IN THE PAST THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY TAX VAN BUREAU USED TO WAIVE THAT 5%.
WHEN WE COLLECT, THEY DON'T WAIVE THAT ANYMORE.
IT'S BEEN SEVERAL YEARS SINCE THAT HAPPENED.
WE HAVE A, WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE, WE'RE IN 26 COUNTIES IN THE STATE AND THERE'S ONLY THREE THAT CONTINUE TO WAIVE THAT, THAT THAT PERCENTAGE WHEN WE'RE INVOLVED.
BUT IN ANY EVENT, SOME OF OUR CLIENTS DO CHOOSE TO SHIFT THAT 5% TO THE QUIN TAXPAYER TO ALLOW THE TOWNSHIP TO GET A HUNDRED PERCENT.
UM, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S AN INTERNAL DECISION.
YOU GUYS CAN STILL, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DECIDED RIGHT AWAY.
UM, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER IF YOU WANT TO CONSIDER IT.
SOME PEOPLE DO IT, SOME PEOPLE DON'T DO IT.
UM, WE DON'T RECOMMEND OR NOT RECOMMEND IT.
BUT SOME PEOPLE DO DO THAT TO CAPTURE THAT 5%.
AND THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT IS IT YEAR BY YEAR? SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STARTING JANUARY, 2024.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO COLLECTING DELINQUENT SEWER, WHICH THOSE CAN BE TURNED OVER SEWER SOONER.
AND I THINK THERE, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKLOG THAT I THINK THE QUICKER YOU SEND TO US, PROBABLY THE BETTER SEWER WE CAN GET SOME ICE.
THE TAXES WOULD START NEXT YEAR.
BUT THE AGREEMENT WITH YOUR FIRM, IS IT A IT'S THREE YEAR DEAL? IT'S, YEAH, IT'S VERY RIGHT FOR A COUPLE YEARS AND THEN IT ORDER AUTOMATICALLY RENEWS IF YOU WANT TO.
I MEAN, YOU CAN, YOU CAN CANCEL, BUT MOST OF OUR CLIENTS STAY WITH US BECAUSE ONCE, YOU KNOW, FOR US THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF STARTUP COST TO START UP, BUT ONCE YOU'RE IN, YOU'RE IN, WE SET UP FORMS, WE HAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS AND, UM, IT'S JUST MONEY'S COMING IN AND YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY WORK.
SO I MEAN FOR, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU'RE ALREADY, YOU'RE ALREADY, THE TAXES ARE ALREADY OUTSOURCED IN A SENSE, BUT, BUT THE DELINQUENT SEWER, WHEN IT'S IN HOUSE, ALL RESPONSIBILITY DEALING WITH THOSE DELINQUENCIES HAS NOW COME TO OUR FIRM.
SO WE ANSWER PHONE CALLS, WE TAKE MONEY, WE ACCEPT PAYMENTS, LIKE THERE'S NO INTERNAL COSTS OR OVERHEAD FOR THE TOWNSHIP DEALING WITH THOSE ANYMORE.
WE'LL DEAL WITH THEM AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO CALL.
AND THE REALITY IS LIKE PEOPLE CALL US, THAT MEANS THEY WANT TO PAY.
AND FOR OUR FIRM, RIGHT, WE ONLY GET MONEY IF WE COLLECT.
THAT WAY IF WE DON'T DO A GOOD JOB, WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY MONEY.
SO WE NEED TO COLLECT FOR YOU.
SO WE'RE HAPPY WHEN PEOPLE CONTACT OUR OFFICES.
IF THEY'RE CONTACTING OUR OFFICE, THAT MEANS THEY WANT TO DEAL WITH IT.
IT'S WORSE WHEN THEY DON'T CONTACT OUR OFFICE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO COLLECT THAT MONEY.
SO, UM, EVERYTHING WE DO, WE'RE A LAW FIRM TOO, SO JUST EVERYTHING WE DO IS THROUGH CORRESPONDENCE.
LIKE WE DON'T CALL PEOPLE, WE DON'T SEND, UH, CREDIT REPORTING, LIKE IT'S ALL, IT'S A LEGAL PROCESS THAT WE FOLLOW LOCKSTEP.
UM, AT ANY STEP IN OUR PROCESS, THEY CAN DO PAYMENT PLAN, HARDSHIP PROGRAM.
WE DON'T SHUT IT OFF THE VERY FIRST STEP IN
[00:55:01]
OUR PROCESS.ACTUALLY IT STARTED, THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE LAW NOVEMBER OF 2021.
$25 IS OUR FIRST STEP THAT WE TAKE.
IT'S, IT'S CALLED A VALIDATION NOTICE.
WE DON'T CHARGE ANYTHING TO THE TOWNSHIP, GOES DIRECTLY TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
IF SOMEONE REALLY, TRULY FORGOT THEIR OBLIGATION, JUST WHATEVER, THEY'RE ONLY PAYING AN EXTRA $25.
THE SECOND NOTICE IS A NOTICE OF FEE SHIFTING THAT COMES THAT COST OF $40 PLUS CERTIFIED POSTAGE.
SO AGAIN, YOUR FIRST TWO STEPS IN OUR PROCESS ARE PRETTY BENIGN.
AND IF SOMEONE REALLY JUST KIND OF FORGOT ABOUT IT, WANTS TO DEAL WITH IT, LIKE THEY'RE NOT PAYING A LOT OF EXTRA MONEY DOWN THE ROAD, THE FEES COULD ADD UP POTENTIALLY IF THEY DON'T PAY.
BUT THAT'S AFTER MULTIPLE NOTICES AND IGNORING MULTIPLE NOTICES.
THAT SECOND STEP IS THE ONLY CHARGE THAT WE CHARGE TO THE TOWNSHIP.
SO WE CHARGE $40 PER CERTIFIED POSTAGE, BUT IT'S FULLY REFUNDABLE AND WE DON'T BILL THE TOWNSHIP FOR THAT INVOICE UNTIL WE'VE COLLECTED THAT MUCH.
SO IT'S NEVER GONNA BE NEW MONEY COMING OUT OF THE TOWNSHIP'S ACCOUNT TO PAY FOR IT.
YOU GET THE A HUNDRED PERCENT BACK AND WE FRONT ALL HARD COSTS GOING FORWARD.
SO IF THERE'S COURT COSTS, IF THERE'S SHERIFF'S FEES, EVEN LISTED PROPERTY FOR SHERIFF'S SALE, WHICH IS PRETTY EXPENSIVE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, WE FRONT ALL THOSE COSTS.
BUT UNLIKE THE, UNLIKE THE COUNTY TAX CLAIM BUREAU WHERE THE TEETH AND THEIR PROCESSES, THE SELLING OF THE PROPERTY, WE VERY RARELY HAVE TO SELL PROPERTY.
SO JUST TO PUT SOME THINGS IN KIND OF, I THINK I'M TALKING TOO MUCH TO PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE, LAST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 77,000 ACCOUNTS THAT CAME INTO OUR OFFICE FOR COLLECTION.
WE SOLD 50 PROPERTIES THE YEAR BEFORE.
WE HAD ABOUT 80,000 ACCOUNTS, WHICH SHOWS THAT WE SORT OF LOSE DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS EVERY YEAR AS A RESULT OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE REDUCING SOME OF OUR, OUR CLIENTS' DELINQUENCIES.
BUT 80,000 ACCOUNTS IN 2021, WE SOLD 19 PROPERTIES.
SO WE'RE REALLY NOT SELLING A LOT OF PROPERTIES.
LIKE OUR GOAL IS TO GET THE MONEY IN EARLY AND WORK WITH PEOPLE AND HOPEFULLY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF YOUR DELINQUENCIES.
SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE PAYING LESS AND YOU'RE GETTING YOUR MONEY ON TIME.
SO I THINK THAT WAS A LITTLE LONGWINDED, BUT ANY, ANY, NO GOOD APPRECIATE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE WITH REGARD TO THIS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
THE REST OF THE BOARD SAYS GO ASK YOUR QUESTION.
I'M JUST CONFUSED AS TO HOW YOU, HOW YOU MAKE YOUR MONEY.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IS IT THE TAXPAYER WHO'S PAYING YOUR FEE? YEAH.
I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION IF YOU WANT ME TO.
COULD I HAVE YOU PLEASE STEP TO THE MIC AND GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE? SURE.
MARLENE LASKA, 1142 EGYPT ROAD.
YEAH, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, RIGHT, FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT DON'T PAY AND IGNORE NOTICES, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THERE'S LEGAL FEES, THEY'LL ADD UP.
SO THERE'S $25, THERE'S $40 PLUS CERTIFIED POSTAGE, SO THAT'S LIKE 70 SOME DOLLARS.
AFTER THE FIRST TWO NOTICES, OUR FIRM WILL MAKE $71.
THE NEXT STEP, OUR PROCESS IS MORE EXPENSES.
SO, INCREMENTALLY, THE STEPS WE HAVE TO TAKE MORE, MORE ACTIVE STEPS TO COLLECT, FOLLOWING A LIEN.
WE HAVE THE SHERIFF GO OUT, SERVE AND RID SAR FASCIA.
SO THERE'S DIFFERENT LEGAL ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE.
THEY ALL COME IN COST RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING.
THE PROPERTY OWNER WILL SEE WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE, BECAUSE TODAY, IF, IF WE'RE ELECTED, IF WE'RE HIRED, THE TOWNSHIP'S GONNA ENTER AN ORDINANCE, SHIFTING THE FEES AND SAYING WHAT THOSE FEES ARE, WE INCLUDE THOSE FEES IN OUR CORRESPONDENCE.
SO A PROPERTY OWNER CAN SEE, IF I DON'T DO ANYTHING AND I IGNORE THE NEXT SIX NOTICES, IT'S GONNA COST ME SOME MONEY.
SO MY FIRM WILL MAKE MONEY WHEN WE COLLECT BY HAVING THAT MONEY PAID TO US.
I, I GUESS WHAT, WHAT I'M TRYING TO CONFIRM IS THAT IF YOU PAY ON TIME, NO FEES TO US.
WE DON'T, WE NEVER GET AN ACCOUNT.
IF SOMEONE PAYS ON TIME, WE NEVER GET AN ACCOUNT.
ANYTHING THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT, YEAH, IF THEY, NO, NO FEES FROM US.
AND IF THEY, IF THEY GET THE FIRST NOTICE FROM US AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH MY GOD, I FORGOT IT'S ONLY $25.
SO THEY CAN GET OUT PRETTY QUICKLY IF THEY WANT TO.
THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT WILL CHOOSE NOT TO, AND UNFORTUNATELY THOSE PEOPLE MIGHT BE PAYING A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT THEN I WOULD GUARANTEE THE NEXT YEAR THEY'RE GONNA THINK TWICE ABOUT PAYING MORE IF THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING IS IT'S, IT, IT BENEFITS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY PAYING ON TIME.
INSTEAD OF US GOING OUT AND HIRING SOMEBODY AT AN EXPENSE TO THE MUNICIPALITY, THAT THE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT PAYING ON TIME ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO PAY THE LATE FEE IF I WANT TO CALL A LATE FEE.
SO IT'S LIKE IT'S ON THEM, UM, AND NOT THE REST OF THE, AND NOT A BURDEN ON THE REST OF THE TOWNSHIP.
THAT'S ONE THING THAT I'VE SEEN.
IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF FUNNY WHEN I'M, SO, AGAIN, WHEN I WAS ON YOUR SIDE OF THE TABLE, PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE DIDN'T INTEND TO AGREE WITH WHAT I WAS SAYING.
WHEN I'M ON THIS SIDE OF THE PODIUM SPEAKING TO BOARDS, A LOT OF TIMES THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE AND THEY HEAR THAT THERE'S MONEY ON THE STREET THAT HASN'T BEEN COLLECTED, AND POTENTIALLY THEIR TAXES OR UTILITY FEES ARE GOING UP, THEY'RE VERY HAPPY THAT WE'RE COMING IN AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE THAT AREN'T PAYING ARE DOING THEIR SHARE AND PAYING.
AND RIGHT, AS YOU SAID, THE VAST MAJORITY OF EVERY CLIENT WE HAVE, EVERY CLIENT WE HAVE, THE VERY VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE PAY ON TIME, AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO THEM.
[01:00:01]
AREN'T.SO, BUT FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH THEM.
BUT FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT DON'T NEED HELP AND JUST ARE SORT OF TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SYSTEM, THEY'RE GONNA KIND OF QUICKLY LEARN THAT THEY NEED TO PAY THE TOWNSHIP BILLS.
IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS, UH, ITEMS FIVE, SIX, AND SEVEN ALL DEAL WITH THIS, UM, THE FIRST MOTION WOULD BE TO, UH, TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH PORTNOFF TO COLLECT OUR DELINQUENT REAL ESTATE AND MUNICIPAL CLAIMS. THE SECOND IS TO ENACT AN ORDINANCE, UM, THAT, THAT ALLOWS THEM TO COLLECT ON OUR BEHALF.
AND THE THIRD ONE IS, UH, DIRECTING THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY TAX BUREAU NOT TO DO OUR COLLECTIONS ANYMORE.
SO, UM, WE CAN JUST TAKE THEM 1, 2, 3.
IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THOSE MOTIONS AND GIVE SOME SECONDS, WE'LL, WE'LL GET THE VOTES SIGNED.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT FOR COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT REAL ESTATE TAXES AND MUNICIPAL CLAIMS, THE PORTNOFF ASSOCIATE ASSOCIATES.
I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT FOR COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT REAL ESTATE TAXES AND MUNICIPAL CLAIMS TO REPORT AND OFFICE ASSOCIATES.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ENACT ORDINANCE 6 0 1, ALLOWING FOR THE COLLECTION OF UNPAID REAL ESTATE TAXES AND MUNICIPAL CLAIMS TO THE BOARD AND OFFICE ASSOCIATES.
I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ENACT ORDINANCE 6 0 1, ALLOWING FOR THE COLLECTION OF UNPAID REAL ESTATE TAXES AND MUNICIPAL CLAIMS TO REPORT OFFICE FEES.
AND FINALLY, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2023 DASH 26 DIRECTING THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY TAX BUREAU NOT TO COLLECT DELINQUENT REAL ESTATE TAXES FOR RUBBER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2023 DASH 26 DIRECTING THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY TAX BUREAU NOT TO COLLECT DELINQUENT REAL ESTATE TAXES FOR UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP.
AND THANK YOU TO, UH, OUR FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS THAT BROUGHT THIS TO US, BECAUSE THIS IS, FOR ME, WAS A NO-BRAINER AND REALLY GOOD STUFF.
OUR NEXT, UH, OUR NEXT ITEM IS ITEM A.
CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH DELTA DEVELOPMENT GROUP, INCORPORATED.
THEY ARE A GRANT SEEKING AND WRITING COMPANY.
THEY ALSO MANAGE THE GRANTS TOO, FROM BEGINNING TO END.
AND, UH, IF YOU'VE SEEN THE WORK THAT, THAT, UH, OUR STAFF'S HAD TO DO ON SOME OF THESE
SO ANYWAY, THE ONLY, UH, RECOMMENDED CHANGE I WOULD MAKE ON THIS IS JOHN DID BRING TO MY ATTENTION SOME INCIDENTAL COSTS.
AND THE, THE, I DID SPEAK TO THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY, AND HE'S AGREED TO, UM, WE CAN DO THIS, UH, APPROVAL CONDITIONALLY WITH, UH, UM, NEGOTIATED CHANGES TO THIS SO WE CAN, ANY INCIDENTAL COSTS HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE TOWNSHIP.
WE'RE JUST AGREEING TONIGHT TO ENTER INTO THE CONTRACT, BUT THE CONTRACT ITSELF, WE CAN STILL, YES.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN BRIEFED ON THIS.
SO GUESS MY ONLY QUESTION IS, CONTRACTUALLY, CAN YOU ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT TO A CONTRACT THAT ISN'T FINALIZED? WELL, I, I HAVE TO SIGN IT IN THE END.
AFTER, AFTER WE PASS IT, I COME IN THE NEXT DAY AND OR A WEEK FROM NOW.
I'M JUST SAYING, YEAH, IT'S CONTINGENT CONTRACT THAT'S NOT FINALLY BEEN NEGOTIATED.
WE JUST HAVE TO CHANGE A VERY MINOR SENTENCE REGARDING COST REIMBURSEMENT THAT IT DOESN'T GO TO THE HEART OF THE CONTRACT.
UM, I'LL ENTERTAIN THE MOTION IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS.
I'LL ENTERTAIN THE MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTION OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH DELTA DEVELOPMENT GROUP, A GRANT SEEKING AND WRITING COMPANY
I HAVE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTION OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH DELTA DEVELOPMENT GROUP, INCORPORATED A GRANT WRITING COMPANY.
ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE SOLICITOR TO EXECUTE A STIPULATION TO SETTLE REGARDING THE BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS ACTION FILED BY 1000 CAMPUS PARTNERS, LLC.
THIS IS THE IRON MOUNTAIN BUILDING OFF OF ARCOLA ROAD UP ON THE, THE HILL THERE.
UM, IT'S A PROPOSED REDUCTION FROM A LITTLE OVER 7 MILLION TO IN THE MID FOUR MILLIONS RANGE.
[01:05:01]
YEAR OVER A PERIOD OF A FEW YEARS, BUT THAT'S APPROXIMATELY THE SPREAD.UM, THEY HAVE, UH, THEY, WE HAD A ZOOM MEETING JEFF AND I DID WITH THESE APP, THESE OWNERS OF THIS BUILDING, THEY'RE REALLY STRUGGLING TO, UH, FIND A NEW USE FOR THAT BUILDING AND THEY'RE HAVING A HARD TIME.
AND I, I ASSUME THE SCHOOL BOARD TOOK THE LEAD ON THIS ONE OR CORRECT.
UM, THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
MAKE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE A SOLICITOR TO EXECUTE A STIPULATION TO SETTLE SETTLE REGARDING THE BOARD OF ASSESSMENT, APPEALS AND ACTION FILED BY 1000 CAMPUS PARTNERS.
AND SECOND, TO AUTHORIZE THE SOLICITOR EXECUTE A STIPULATION TO SETTLE REGARDING THE BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS ACTION FILED BY 1000 CAMPUS PARTNERS, LLL C ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[MANAGER AND DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS]
DOWN TO MANAGER AND DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS.AND I KNOW IT'S YOUR ATTORNEY, TIM, BUT GIMME JUST A SECOND CUZ I DON'T WANT TO FORGET THIS.
UM, IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION FROM THE BOARD, I'D LIKE TO DIRECT OUR SOLICITOR TO GO TO THE ZONING HEARING BOARD, UM, ON TWO PROJECTS, THE, UH, AMELIA STREET PROJECT AND THE WATERS LANE PROJECT.
AND ASK AND ASK THAT ARE STEEP SLOPES ORDINANCE BE ENFORCED? UM, I THINK THEY'RE SEEKING TO, UH, TO GET AN EXCEPTION TO THAT, WE WOULD NOT LIKE THEM TO HAVE AN EXCEPTION TO THAT.
WE HAVE THAT ORDINANCE FOR A REASON.
ANYBODY? EVERYBODY ALRIGHT WITH THAT? OKAY.
WELL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO SEND OUR SOLICITOR TO, UH, UH, PROTECT OUR STEEP SLOPE ORDINANCES.
SECOND TO SEND OUR SOLICITOR TO THE ZONING HEARING BOARD TO DEFEND OUR STEEP SLOPES.
ALRIGHT, NOW JUST A REMINDER, THIS, UH, WEDNESDAY AT AT FOUR O'CLOCK, WE HAVE OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP RIGHT BACK THERE.
SO SHORTLY, I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY ONE PERSON IN THE ROOM THAT WILL BE HERE BESIDES US
WE'RE NOT BE GONNA BE DIGGING INTO EACH DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS JUST TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET.
WE'RE STARTING MUCH EARLIER THAN NORM.
A LOT OF TOWNS, MAINLY BECAUSE WE'RE GOING THROUGH SOME CHANGES IN OUR FINANCE, UH, DEPARTMENT AND THE, OUR BUDGET STRUCTURES CHANGING.
SO ALL, ANY DEPARTMENT HEADS OF ANYTHING YOU WANNA SAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, WHAT TO BRING TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION? UM, SUPERVISOR PEARSON EXPRESSED THE DESIRE TO WAIVE SEWER CHARGES FOR, UM, PARTICIPANTS IN THE BUYOUT PROGRAM WHO'VE BEEN LIVING IN THEIR HOMES, NOT BEEN LIVING IN THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HABITABLE.
UM, AND I SUGGEST WE DISCUSS IT TONIGHT AT THE PUBLIC MEETING.
UM, IF IT'S THE BOARD'S DESIRE TO FOLLOW DOWN THAT PATH, UM, I'D SUGGEST YOU DIRECT STAFF AND, UM, WE'LL COME UP WITH A FRAMEWORK OF WORKABLE, UM, POLICY, UM, AFTER DETERMINING THAT THE HOME IS IN FACT NOT OCCUPIED, THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN CONTRIBUTING FLOWS TO THE SEWER TREATMENT PLAN AND MAYBE HAVE A FRAMEWORK IN PLACE FOR, UH, FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION IN AUGUST.
THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP, BRIAN.
UM, I, I, A SITUATION AROSE WITH SOME PEOPLE IN PORT PROVIDENCE.
UM, UH, AN ELDERLY WOMAN, SHE'S NOW LIVING WITH HER GRANDDAUGHTER.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHETHER THAT'S THE EXACT AMOUNT OR NOT.
SHE WANTED TO KNOW SINCE HER MOTHER GRAND, SINCE HER GRANDMOTHER'S BEEN LIVING WITH HER FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS BECAUSE FEMA HASN'T FINALIZED EVERYTHING DOWN THERE.
WHY SHE HAS TO PAY A SEWER BILL THAT SHE HASN'T BEEN USING.
AND I ASKED BRIAN TO LOOK INTO THIS AND I SPOKE TO, UM, MIKE MCGANN FROM THE LOWER BUR VALLEY REGIONAL SEWER AUTHORITY.
AND MIKE AND BRIAN ARE GONNA GET TOGETHER AND FORMULATE A PLAN SO THAT NO ONE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS THING OTHER THAN THOSE THAT ARE, UM, IN THAT SITUATION DOWN THERE IN POOR PROVINCE.
SO, UH, DO WE HAVE, DO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION OR ANYTHING TO THAT EFFECT, OR, I DON'T THINK YOU NEED A MOTION TONIGHT.
WE WILL ASK FOR THE BOARD, ACTUALLY VOTE ON THE POLICY ONCE WE'VE DRAFTED IT.
BUT IF IT'S YOUR DESIRE, WE WOULD PROCEED WITH THAT.
WE'LL HAVE IT READY FOR THE AUGUST AGENDA.
[CONSULTANT REPORTS]
REPORTS.UH, LATER THIS WEEK, YEAGER ROACH SHOULD HAVE ITS PERMANENT STRIPING ON THE HIGH FRICTION SURFACE TREATMENT.
WE'RE OUT SWEEPING IN TODAY FOR THE FINAL TIME.
I'VE DRIVEN THROUGH THERE VERY FAST.
LET'S NOT NO, I, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO TEST.
[01:10:01]
DO YOU? I HAVEN'T SKID IT YET FOR JOB.IS IT ONLY THE TOP PART THAT GETS THE OVERLAY? THAT TOP CURVE HAS THAT DIFFERENT COLOR.
IT'S COMPLETELY FINISHED OTHER THAN THE PERMANENT ROAD STRIPING.
BUT THE WHOLE ROOM HAD TO BE REP PAVED.
THAT'S PART OF THE ROADS PROJECT TO BEGIN WITH.
THE SURFACE TREATMENT WAS JUST FOR THE CURB.
WE HAVE A, UM, ESCROW TO RELEASE.
CONSIDER APPROVING THE MONTHLY DEVELOPER IMPROVEMENT GUARANTEE REDUCTION LIST.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION.
SO I WANT TO REPEAT THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE RELEASE, UH, THAT, THAT WE, UH, MAKE THE MO THAT WE RELEASE DEVELOPER IMPROVEMENT, GUARANTEED REDUCTION FOR SHEPHERD DISTRIBUTION RELEASE NUMBER 10, $141,000, $93 AND ZERO AND 60 CENTS.
[SOLICITOR REPORT]
UH, SOLICITOR, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT? NOTHING FURTHER.AND NOW IT'S TIME JUST IN TIME.
[SUPERVISORS COMMENTS]
SUPERVISOR'S COMMENTS.AND, UH, I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY.
ONE IS I WANNA REITERATE WHAT MR. BRESSEN SAID EARLIER IS THAT, UM, THE PARKHOUSE PARCEL WAS OPEN SPACE WHEN IT WAS OWNED BY THE COUNTY.
WHEN THE COUNTY SOLD IT, IT BECAME NO LONGER OPEN SPACE.
JUST BECAUSE IT'S NOT DEVELOPED DOESN'T MAKE IT OPEN SPACE.
IT JUST MEANS IT'S UNDEVELOPED LAND IN CONCERT WITH THAT.
PRIVATE OWNERS HAVE PROPERTY RIGHTS.
EACH ONE OF US, IF WE OWN PROPERTY, WE HAVE OUR OWN PROPERTY RIGHTS AND WE CAN PRETTY MUCH DO WHAT WE WANT WITH OUR PROPERTY WITHIN THE LAW.
IF WE WANNA SELL IT, WE CAN SELL IT.
IF THE PROPERTY OWNER WANTS TO SELL IT TO A DEVELOPER, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO SELL IT TO A DEVELOPER.
IF THEY WANT TO DEVELOP THEMSELVES, THEY CAN WITHIN THE LAW, ET CETERA.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S STATE LAW.
THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.
YOU DON'T LIKE IT WHEN IT'S, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL QUOTE UNQUOTE OPEN SPACE.
IT ISN'T OPEN SPACE, IT'S JUST UNDEVELOPED PROPERTY.
I'D LIKE TO SAVE EVERY SINGLE ACRE THAT THERE IS TO NOT EVER, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S NOT AN OPTION.
AND I WANNA SAY THAT WE HAVE LOOKED FOR EVERY SINGLE OPTION THAT WE COULD, AND WE'VE BEEN WRESTLING WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR FIVE YEARS AT THIS POINT.
SO TO SAY THAT WE'RE RUSHING INTO ANYTHING IS NOT TRUE.
THE OTHER IS RECYCLING AND PLASTICS.
THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH YOUR RECYCLING AND PLASTICS IS DON'T BUY SINGLE USE PLASTICS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
MY HUSBAND LIVES ON HUMMUS, POTATO SALAD AND PICKLES, AND I COULDN'T STAND ALL THE PLASTICS.
I CAN MAKE HIS PICKLES IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.
I CAN MAKE HIS HUMMUS IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, AND IT TAKES MAYBE AN HOUR EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS TO DO THE POTATO SALAD.
HE WAS SURPRISED AT HOW MUCH LESS RECYCLABLE PLASTIC WE HAD IN OUR BIN.
PLEASE, IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PLANET, DON'T BUY SINGLE USE PLASTICS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SUPERVISORS? YES, I HAVE.
UM, THE, THE FIRST ONE THAT I'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS IS, UH, I WANT EVERYBODY TO REMEMBER THE WALL THAT HEALS.
PLEASE LOOK IT UP ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, I KNOW IT'S A LONG WAY OFF, BUT PLEASE, UH, FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING THIS THING, PLEASE CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING SOME OF YOUR TIME FOR A GOOD CAUSE.
SECOND THING I WANT TO BRING ATTENTION TO, UM, TORI, WHO WAS ONE OF THE LAST SPEAKERS UP HERE, TEXTED ME AFTER SHE LEFT THAT, UM, OFFICER, AN EX OFFICER THAT WE HAD HERE, BERT SMITH, HAS RECENTLY PASSED AWAY.
UM, EVERYBODY GIVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR HIS PASSING.
[01:15:05]
AND THANK YOU TORI, FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.ONE OTHER COMMENT ABOUT THE WALL THAT HEALS, NOT ONLY TIME, BUT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR DONATIONS AS WELL, RIGHT, JOHN, THANK YOU.
[UPCOMING EVENTS]
IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS, I'M GONNA REVIEW THE UPCOMING EVENTS, UH, BOARD SUPERVISORS MEETINGS SCHEDULED.THAT'S, UH, OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP THIS THURSDAY AT FOUR O'CLOCK IS FOUR TO SIX.
WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY, FOUR TO SIX.
WELL, AND THEN OUR NEXT, UH, REGULAR MEETING IS AUGUST 21ST AT 7:00 PM AND AFTER THAT, SEPTEMBER 18TH AT 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING IS, UH, MEETING JULY 19TH AND SEVEN.
AND THEN AGAIN, THEY HAVE A SCHEDULED MEETING FOR AUGUST 2ND AT 7:00 PM HERE.
UH, ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETS HERE JULY 19TH AT 6:00 PM UH, PARKS AND REA PARKS AND RECREATION MEETS AUGUST 9TH HERE AT 6:00 PM MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY MEETING WILL BE AUGUST 3RD, SE, OH, EXCUSE ME, THAT IS CANCELED.
NO MUNICIPAL MEETING, UH, MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY MEETING, UH, ZONING, HEARING BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE.
THEY HAVE A, UH, HEARING SCHEDULED AS OF RIGHT NOW FOR AUGUST 1ST AT 7:00 PM AND THE APPLICATION IS AMELIA STREET, TOWN HOMES AND STEEP SLOPES ARE THE ISSUE.
UM, IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.