September 8, 2026
7:30 PM Council Meeting
| Pledge of Allegiance | ||
| Roll Call | Jody Roberts, Sue Hunt, Heidi Sentivan, Ken Torres-Zickler, Andrea Juarez, Sean Sheehan, Andrew Marques, Mayor Gamal Sherif – Excused, Solicitor Meghan Byrnes, Borough Secretary Janet Diiorio – Excused | |
| Approval of Agenda | Amend to include Info sharing on Parks and Property Motion by Sheehan, second by Torres-Zickler. All in favor. | |
| Public Comment | Claire Kenney from the Swarthmorean requested council to please speak up for recording for quotes. | |
| Tax Collector’s Report | Real Estate Tax: 294,029.85 billed at face 7,995.01 Uncollected at face. Sewer: 179,954.76 billed at face, 6,900.92 uncollected at face. Trash: 152,454.00 billed at face, 4,573.62 uncollected at face.Clarification around adjustments, bills are based on the number of units in each household. Adjustments are because some on homes marked as multiple units were assessed and confirmed by Catania as single unit. | |
| Mayor’s Report | ||
| Approval of Minutes | Approve Meeting Minutes for 2026.08.17 Motion to approve by Sheehan, second by Hunt. Abstain by Roberts and Torres-Zickler. Remainder in favor. | |
| Activities Committee | Information Sharing | Yard Sale 9/12 No Rain DateOur Porch 9/26 – Triangle Park from 4-7PM, rain location of lower borough hall.Grow and Glow – Triangle Park as well, will consider moving for poor weather,Veterans Day – This will be the first time we have Veterans’ Day on our calendar of events and look forward to a small recognition. |
| Discussion | ||
| Action Item | ||
| Building Committee | Information Sharing | Borough Hall Roof – Continuing to work with insurance, Catania, and budgeting for the roof replacement project.Update on Code Enforcement Process – Followed up with code enforcement. Considerations will need to be made for Ticketing ordinance and costs of multiple follow ups on offenses.Discussion around scheduling and leniency on timelines as long as the resident is actively communicating and working on resolving the violation. |
| Discussion | ||
| Action Item | ||
| Communications Committee | Information Sharing | September Mailer Sent; next planned for the first week of December. |
| Discussion | Price of EDDM (USPS Mailing) Price overall has increased about 20% since Rutledge began mailing the newsletter. Based on 4 newsletters a year, council discussed advantages and if it valued as a budget request for 2027. | |
| Action Item | ||
| Finance Committee | Information Sharing | 2027 budget reminder for committees. |
| Discussion | ||
| Action Item | Vote on bills list 08.17.2026-09.03.2026Motion by Sentivan, Second by Marquis. | |
| Ordinance Committee | Information Sharing | |
| Discussion | ||
| Action Item | ||
| Parks and Property Committee | Information Sharing | Updates to Stormwater Management project for the Triangle Park softball field. Mostly complete, waiting for grass reseeding. First and second payments have been cleared for the grant reimbursement from the state but funding has not be received yet.Still pending the reimbursement for the shade structure, which can take up to 30 days. Coordinating with Shade Tree Commission for fall planting at the park. |
| Discussion | ||
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| Personnel Committee | Information Sharing | |
| Discussion | ||
| Action Item | ||
| Public Safety Committee | Information Sharing | Acknowledgements for the establishment of the Municipal Emergency Medical Services Authority of Delaware County. VP Sheehan shares thanks and congratulations to Tom Moleski for his appointment as the board member for the authority, representing Rutledge.Current Status of SPD MOU – While SPD is about 26% of our general fund, the current contract does not increase in cost equal to the increased operating costs of the SPD. Looking at several approaches to keep costs equitable and predictable.Concerns shared regarding cost increases without having any control/voting power related to the spending/budget for the department. Discussions around timelines for both boroughs to proposed budgets at once and potential for greater alignment in planning as multi-municipal partnership. |
| Discussion | ||
| Action Item | ||
| Sewer Committee | Information Sharing | |
| Discussion | ||
| Action Item | ||
| Streets Committee | Information Sharing | |
| Discussion | ||
| Action Item | ||
| Trash and Recycling | Information Sharing | Yard Waste two times in Sept to Nov (First and Third Mondays).Textile Bin after the Yard Sale on September 12thGlass Bin in Swarthmore Public WorksPenn State Partnership – Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Delaware County will showcase what is usable for downcycling. 9/22 from 6-7PM in Lower borough hall.TBA a Meeting with PRC and Swarthmore re: glass bin charges |
| Discussion | Purchasing bags for this pilot; question around where bags will be stored—we’d have a can that would house the bag and be taken by council person Hunt to the center. | |
| Action Item | Vote to purchase clear heavy duty trash bags at a cost not to exceed $40Motion by Hunt, Send by Juarez. All in favor. | |
| Planning Commission | ||
| Shade Tree Commission | ||
| Historical Committee | Presentation on completed tasks and next steps. Councilperson Marques presents history of the ad hoc historical committee. Reviews historical holdings and documents, six events, two lectures, and one fundraiser. Two weeks of Semiquincentennial celebrations. Over 900 documents available on rutledgepa.org/historical-rutledge. Councilperson Marques shares that he plans to propose draft resolution to extend the ad hoc committee through the end of 2028. Council shares appreciation for the achievements of the ad hoc committee and fondness for the outcomes and thanks to the community. | |
| Public Comment | ||
| New Business/Old Business | Vote to approve engagement with Curley & Rothman LLC for legal and investigative support not to exceed $10,000 to be paid from Borough Reserves.Question regarding timelines, it is not defined but investigation would be as quickly as possible. Motion to approve by Sheehan, second by Hunt. All in favor.Vote to rescind approval for use of Triangle Park for the Community Drum Circle on 9/20/2026. Motion to approve by Sheehan, second by Sentivan. All in favor. | |
| Adjournment | Motion to adjourn at 8:32PM by Sentivan. Second by Hunt. | |