RUTLEDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES
January 17, 2023
7:30 PM Council Meeting- work session
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call Jody Roberts, Samantha Newell-excused, Marlaina Kloepfer-excused, Heidi Sentivan, Christine Gradel, Ken Torres-Zickler, Sue Hunt, Mayor Gamal Sherif , Administrator Jen Mickle.
Guest: Eleanor Roberts and Chief Stufflet
Approval of Agenda as stands HS/SH unanimous approval
Appointments:
Solicitor- Robert Scott & Carl Ewald CG/HS unanimous approval
Catania Engineering KTZ/CG unanimous approval
Public Comment: none
Tax Collector: none
Mayor’s Report:
Police Report
Mayor GS read the SPD report Dec 19 2022 – Jan 16 2023
SH: support for individuals who are non-verbal in interactions with with SPD [county-wide effort]
JM: questions of contractors parking on wrong side of the street
Reminders to call 911 even for non-emergencies
Reminders to contractors to abide by local ordinances – waste/disposal; parking – for Buildings Committee and permit issuance
CIT for officers – yes
Transitions in the SPD
Retirement of Sgt. Thomas in March & Officer Bardo in May
Two PT officers- can step into those positions when the retirement take place and they will have had some time to be accustomed to the department
Continue to be short one officer – not authorized to pursue a new FT officer at this time.
There is a crisis level of recruiting locally and nationally
Speed checks on President Ave
Minutes:
Approval of Minutes from 1.3.2023 KTZ/HS unanimous approval
Trash & Recycling: Consider eliminating a yard waste collection in February/March to allow for a 2nd pick up in November; 2023 Trash/Recycling/Yard Waste
No recycling this week.
Considering a second yard waste pick-up in Nov
SH and KTZ presented an overview of activities for the coming year focused on education, feedback, and possible enforcement mechanisms [finding a way to communicate the why]; communicating the collective effort and the collective good
HS: noted that we are in the second year of our waste contract; tonnage continues to grow; we don’t have strong ordinances for trash at the moment; is this the time to pursue a more proactive agenda on waste management?
SH: a focus on increasing the quality of recycling; county advisor to possibly due a recycling audit to communicate back to residents; set up for a recycling workshop; providing alternatives available for use
Communications:
KTZ: newsletter distributed
Aiming for another newsletter in spring
Updates to website
Updating tech infrastructure for streaming
Parks & Property:
Goals and Priorities for Triangle Park 2023:
Close out DCNR Phase 1 and Utilize DCNR Phase 2
Design of Gather Space Phase 1 ($510,000 in funding plus borough funds)
Bid of Gather Space Phase 1 (target construction completion in 2024)
If Small Waters Grant is awarded move forward with design of Stormwater under the softball field (target 2024 construction)
Activities:
Bingo 2/3/23
Souper Bowl of Caring
Help with Souper Bowl (2/4 – Pick-up; 2/11 – sorting)
Chester Eastside food pantry is empty; donations can be dropped off
Activities meeting on Monday 1/23
Strengthening core activities; recruiting more volunteers
Public Safety:
Coordinating hand-off with EOP; and updates
Bike safety
Finance: distributions and bills list 1.4.2023 to 1.17.2023 HS/KTZ unanimous approval
Streets:
Street plan for evaluating and implementation of experimental traffic calming
AQUA permits; digging work on a number of streets in the Borough
Sewers:
Research sealing lateral vents and small refund for fully sealed laterals.
Rethinking the relationship between sewer and stormwater issues
Building:
Dec 2022 Catania Engineering Report
Ongoing issues with the hose bib
Issues about who has access to the building
Education about how to care properly for the building and its maintenance
Ordinance:
Codification of the Ordinances a priority. Pending CDBG County Grant to fund this work.This would provide online access to our ordinances and allow for ordinance updates to be available online in a timely fashion.
Goal of improving digital access to the Borough Ordinances.
Personnel:
Work on creating a office manual
Borough Commissions:
Shade Tree:
Requesting use of garage. The Building Committee will review this request. The garage is very full at the moment with the truck and the snow related equipment.
Tree Surveys: tree canopy measurements; data on plantings
Planning Commission: Updates on several items in the coming months.
Public Comment: none
Old Business/New Business:
CG: 2025: 140th anniversary – could be a goal for something?
Adjournment 9:13 pm SH/HS unanimous approval