January 14, 2019 Council Meeting
212 Unity Terrace
Rutledge, PA 19070
Meeting was called to order and Pledge of Allegiance recited at 7:08 pm.
Roll Call, present: Council President Heidi Sentivan, Vice-President Jody Roberts, Marie Govannicci, Ken Torres-Zickler, Christine Gradel, Lindsay Reed, Mayor Kevin Cunningham, Solicitor Christine Reuther (7:44 arrival), Administrator Barbarann Keffer; absent: Samantha Newell, excused
HS requested a change in the agenda order to allow Swarthmore Police Chief Craig to give a report and answer any questions.
Police Chief Craig gave a report and announced his retirement from the department.
Public Comment: none
Jackie Tassone and Kevin Buraks from Portnoff Law Associates gave a presentation about their firm which collects delinquent taxes, liens and fees on behalf of municipalities. They also distributed information to and answered questions from members of Council.
Minutes: December 3, 2018 minutes approved unanimously (HS/KTZ); December 17, 2018 minutes approved unanimously (JR/LR).
Trash & Recycling:
Communications: KTZ reported that the first 2019 newsletter is expected to go out around Valentine’s Day; there is a February 4 deadline for submissions for the next newsletter because the committee wishes to promote the soon-approaching Snow Jam and the Girl’s Club Beef-and-Beer.
KTZ created a Google Document for Council to send submissions for the “e-letters†and newsletters.
Parks: MG said that the committee is working on coordinating the DCNR grant for Triangle Park.
Activities: LR stated the doors will open at 6:30 pm for the first Movie Night. The Lego Movie will begin at 7 pm on Friday, January 19. The Borough is purchasing an inflatable projection screen, MG will be lending a projector and sound system and Jen Mickle will be lending a popcorn machine.
The Snow Jam will be Saturday, February 23, 2019.
Planning: JR stated that the committee will be meeting on the 3rd Tuesdays of January and February because of the MLK and President’s Day holidays and then the meetings will go back to the 3rd Monday of the month.
Two members of the MRFC who are Rutledge homeowners qualified for the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit.
Public Safety: LR read the MRFC’s December and the Annual reports (in binder).
Finance: JR stated that Council is transitioning to approving bills before they get signed. The December 2018 bills list was unanimously approved (MG/HS). The January 1-14 bills list was unanimously approved (KTZ/LR).
JR also gave a special thank-you to Charles Catania after the committee met with him to go over the final invoices for the past-years’ bills (2015-2018) and the work on the new fee schedule and ironing out the permitting process.
Streets: Catania will reach out to Aqua regarding potholes on Swarthmore Avenue. The paperwork for the agreement between the Borough and Chambers Memorial for snow removal/parking is still being finalized.
Sewer: Jim Jones, current Board member of the CDCA (Central Delaware County Authority), was unanimously nominated to the CDCA Board for a second five-year term (HS/MS).
Building: There was discussion on the need for a door for the upstairs closet, the amount of money left in the renovation fund and the need for new round and long tables and where they can be stored.
Motion to approve ordering 14 10-top round tables and 7-8 rectangular tables unanimously approved (HS/MG).
Mayor: SPD Chief’s December report was read by Mayor Cunningham. MC promoted the “Souper Bowl of Sharing†event which will be February 2, 2019 at Chambers Memorial Church.
Tax Collector: TH read the December report; mentioned that the 2018 municipal delinquencies will be reported to the County in early February. HS stated that the Finance Committee would like to meet with TH to discuss phasing out the per capita tax and Portnoff’s services.
Public Comment: TH discussed the traffic on Swarthmore Avenue and the need for a speed bump; the last traffic study done during the bridge reconstruction showed that Swarthmore Avenue did not meet PennDOT’s guidelines.
Al Frederico, Swarthmore resident and a traffic engineer, offered some guidance related to traffic calming. He runs a traffic consulting business and left his information with the borough.
Old Business: none
New Business: KTZ will update the new committee list for the website. HS requested that each committee be prepared to present and discuss goals for 2019 at the next work session meeting.
Motion to Adjourn; 8:24 pm (MG/LR).