City Council

1 2 2022 Akron Borough Meeting MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2022 Akron Borough Office 117 S. 7th St Akron Pa  1 Borough of Akron Council Meeting-August 8, 2022 2 Council Members Present-Justin Gehman, Vice President; Ryan Cochran; Paul Swangren, Jr.; Bonnie Young; 3 Kleon Zimmerman 4 Others Present-John McBeth, Mayor; Susan Davidson, Borough Manager; Sean Molchany, Assistant Borough 5 Manager; Eric Higgins, West Earl Police Department, Suzanne Lausch-Minute taker. 6 Visitors- Tom Burnett 724 Fulton St, Akron; Dennis Stauffer 209 S. 10 th St, Akron; Jeff Shirk 307 Main St 7 Akron; Janet Stoner & John Stoner 728 Fulton St Akron; Susan Miller 279 Colonial Dr Akron; John Taylor 216 8 S. 8th St Akron, Sam & Jaclyn Hurst 699 Broad St Akron 9 I. Roll Call- 10 Bonnie Young, Present 11 Paul Swangren Jr, Present 12 Kleon Zimmerman, Present 13 Randall Justice, Absent 14 Ryan Cochran, Present 15 Justin Gehman, Vice-President Present 16 Nathan Imhoff, President Absent 17 John McBeth, Mayor Present 18 II. Pledge of Allegiance-6:30pm 19 III. Minutes for July 25, 2022 20 Paul Swangren, Jr motioned to approve Akron Borough Council minutes for July 25, 2022. Ryan 21 Cochran seconded the motion. Motion carried. 22 IV. Visitors/Comments from Public 23 a) Tom Burnett thanked Council for scheduling testing Akron Borough drinking water for PFAD/PFOS 24 compounds. Testing is scheduled for April 2023. Mr. Burnett distributed a document with information 25 regarding these compounds with information from The American Association for the Advancement of 26 Science. 27 b) Janet and John Stoner expressed concern about testing of water in Akron Borough in relation to heavy 28 metals. The annual report on Information regarding testing of Akron Borough Drinking water can be 29 found on the Akron Borough website under Communications>Consumer Confidence Report. Borough 30 staff will mail a copy of the Consumer Confidence Report to the Stoners. 1  1 c) Susan Miller expressed concern that after two months she has not heard what is happening with 2 sidewalks? She asked if she is required to do something or, are we collaborating with Ephrata 3 Township. Since her address is under Ephrata Township, Sean Molchany spoke to Steve Sawyer, 4 Ephrata Township manager about sidewalks. Steve should follow up with residents of Ephrata 5 Township. She stated that she had called Ephrata Township and they did not give any information to 6 her regarding her sidewalks. 7 d) Jeff Shirk expressed concern about any further discussion on swings to be placed near fire pit. They are 8 currently being stored in his garage and he would like direction on what should be done with them and 9 if council or committee members has made a decision. It was noted that the permit for the swings has 10 been submitted and that the Parks & Property committee had discussions. Council will check with 11 Randall Justice about further action. 12 e) Dennis Stauffer was requesting confirmation of Borough employees helping with Ephrata Fair and 13 moving trailer for the Akron Lions Club. The Borough Manager contacted the Borough’s insurance 14 company and they do not have issue. Assistance includes dropping off potatoes and picnic tables for 15 the fair. It was noted that the employee who moved trailer is no longer with borough. Council does 16 have another driver for the trailer. A question regarding the number of hours this might take for the 17 fair week was raised by Council. Dennis Stauffer answered approximately once a day for maybe an 18 hour. The Borough Manager suggested that a part time employee could be used for this task. Sean 19 Molchany advised that availability of employee should be verified. 20 f) Paul Swangren, Jr made a motion to approve assisting the Akron Lions Club during Ephrata Fair week 21 with dropping off potatoes, picnic tables and moving the trailer if Borough employees are available. 22 Bonnie Young seconded the motion. Motion was carried. 23 V. Jaclyn Hurst expressed concerns about any further information regarding the ordinance related to parking 24 her van and trailer near her residence. She states that her neighbor continues to call police regarding her 25 vehicles. Sean Molchany forwarded to the West Earl Police Department to review an ordinance from 1994. 26 West Earl Police Chief Eric Higgins stated that the police do what they can but “can’t know all the 27 ordinances”. Currently the Council has no active discussion related to this ordinance. Sean Molchany 28 explained the process for a resident to request that an ordinance be updated/changed. A public hearing 29 would have to be held to change the ordinance. Sean Molchany informed her that she could start a petition 30 and get legal advice to begin process or wait until council considers and moves it forward for change. 31 Discussion about adding this to the planning commission agenda for discussion. Sean Molchany says it’s not 32 the planning commission responsibility. Council will look deeper into this concern. 33 VI. Bills 34 Ryan Cochran made a motion to approve the August 2022, Board of Akron disbursements and 35 fund the appropriate account for the disbursements as reviewed by the Finance Committee. 36 Disbursements 2  1 General Fund $98,569.00 2 Water Fund $ 3,087.17 3 Escrow Fund $12, 592.39 4 Sewer Fund $ 9,957.92 5 Capital Projects Fund $ 5,579.20 6 Payroll Fund $ 1,336.26 7 Total $131,121.94 8 Kleon Zimmerman seconded the motion. The disbursements include the monthly police 9 contract payment. Motion carried. 10 11 VII. Reports/Announcements 12 a) Police Report-West Earl Police Chief, Eric Higgins did not have the police activity report available for 13 July for this meeting but will bring to the August 22, 2022 Council meeting; National Night Out went 14 well and was successful. West Earl Police Department will be sending thank you cards and make public 15 announcements to thank area businesses that assisted with this successful event. Chief Higgins also 16 plans to have debriefing for what went well and what could be improved. West Earl National Night Out 17 video can be watched on You Tube. 18 b) Mayor Report-nothing 19 c) Borough Manager Report-Susan Davidson mentioned July 2022 financials have been reconciled and 20 the August 2022 payables were reviewed by the Finance Committee. Davidson also mentioned the 21 prep for the 2023 budget will be starting this month and she would like to meet with the Commission 22 Chairpersons to discuss the proposed budget. There has been a number of graffiti incidents in the 23 Roland and Broad Street Parks and the West Earl Police Department has been notified. Staff met with 24 the Parks and Property Commission to discuss exterior improvements to the Park house located in 25 Roland Park. Staff will get an estimate on electrical work for the house. The wall between the former 26 police locker room and lab for the public works break room and work area was removed and a new 27 drop ceiling was installed, walls painted, and new floor installed. Next Concert in Roland Park is 28 scheduled for August 21 with the band, “Swing Street”. Thanks again to Randall Justice for sponsoring 29 these events. Currently interviewing for Public Works position and employee out on workman’s comp 30 now back on full time duty. Staff met with C. S. Davidson to discuss MS-4 annual report. Water/Sewer 31 bills will be mailed on August 15, 2022. A Zoning hearing requesting variances and a special exception 32 was scheduled for July 21, 2022 for the properties located at 1015 and 1019 Main Street was denied by 33 the Akron Zoning Hearing Board. The Web page for Akron Borough continues to be updated by staff. 34 PSAB is hosting a Fall Conference October 14-16, 2022 and contact staff if you plan on attending the 35 conference. 3  1 d) Finance Report July 31,2022 2 i) General Fund-$252,594.55 3 ii) Water Fund-$7252.11 4 iii) Sewer Fund-$104,043.31 5 iv) Highway Aid-$168,962.70 6 v) General Fund Reserves General Fund Reserves 7 (1) Restricted-$158,000.00 Restricted (Goal) $144,363.00 8 Total- $144,363.00 9 (2) Operating-161,401.26 10 (3) Capital-$291,224.72 11 (4) Total-$610,625.98 12 vi) Water Fund Reserves 13 (1) Restricted-$121,822.00 14 (2) Operating-$220,299.70 15 (3) Capital-0.00 16 (4) Total-293,291.70 17 vii) Sewer Fund Reserves 18 (1) Restricted-$121,822.00 19 (2) Operating-$310,908.55 20 (3) Capital-$0.00 21 (4) Total-432,730.55 22 viii) Capital Projects-$381.47 23 ix) Community Fund-$2,060.05 24 TOTAL-$1,871,942.42 25 ESCROW-$18,600.29 26 e) Community Relations Report-Bonnie Young met with staff about the remodeling of the Akron Park 27 House. Repairs are needed to update the house. Publicity regarding the concerts in the park are in 28 newsletters and on Akron Borough Website. Bonnie discussed an e-mail she received from Akron 29 resident Austin Gehman which suggested that the heavily used disc golf needs updated in Roland Park 30 and suggested a pickle ball court in one of the parks might be a good idea. Discussion on local Pickle 31 ball courts ensued and include Lancaster’s Stauffer Park; Spooky Nook, Woodcrest Villa. Discussion on 4  1 what type of court is used: Asphalt or concrete for court and one quarter of size as tennis court. 20x40 2 feet long. Also suggested that other places mark off the current tennis courts for pickle ball. Bonnie will 3 reach out to Wesley Moyer from the Disc Golf and set up a meeting to discuss updates to the Roland 4 Park disc golf course. 5 f) Parks and Property Report-graffiti incidents still an issue; exterior improvements will need budget 6 approvals; good turnout for National Night Out and West Earl would like to do this again next year 7 perhaps at Broad St Park venue. Council may consider. Discussion of what Pickle ball is and popularity 8 with no formal discussion. 9 g) Personnel Report- Paul Swangren, Jr. mentioned that we have a new minute taker, Suzanne Lausch. 10 Paul also mentioned we are continuing with interviews for a full-time public works employee. 11 h) Streets Report- Nothing to report 12 i) Public Utilities Report- Kleon Zimmerman mentioned staff is still changing water meters and more 13 meters have been ordered to finish the project by the end of this year. 14VIII. Public Hearings/Presentations/Appointments 15 a) Survey monkey for Akron transportation Project still available on Website 16 b) Website being improved; Paul Swangren, Jr. thanked staff for their work on the Borough webpage. 17 IX. Old Business 18 i) Park House Improvements Committee Report-ongoing 19 ii) Pavilion 1 and Park Bathroom Roofs-nothing new to report and will reach out to the Akron Lions 20 Club for more information and 2023 budget numbers. 21 iii) Lions Club-Helping at the Ephrata Fair 22 X. New Business 23 a) 2023 Budget-Staff will be meeting with Council chairpersons for information. 24 b) Update Fee Schedule- Sean Molchany handed out a proposed fee schedule at the last meeting for 25 Council’s review and comment and there was no additional comments or changes. Molchany 26 mentioned the Resolution to update fee schedule is on the agenda this evening and the fees have not 27 been updated since 2004 and it should be done yearly. 28 Paul Swangren Jr. motioned to approve Resolution #2346 establishing the Borough of Akron’s 29 comprehensive schedule of fees and charges for services. Ryan Cochran seconded. Motion carried. 30 c) Distribution of Active Transportation Plan 31 Latest draft of the Active Transportation Plan was handed out by Sean Molchany and no discussion 32 needed today and will discuss at September’s Council meeting after Council has an opportunity to 33 review. There will be a formal presentation on September 12, 2022. This plan has been reviewed by 5  1 Akron Borough Planning Commission and public comment will be posted on the Borough website. 2 This plan must be approved by the end of September 2022. 3 XI. Motions and Decisions 4 XII. Ordinances 5XIII. Resolutions 6 a) Fee Schedule 7XIV. Acknowledgments-none 8 XV. Other Business/Deliberations 9XVI. Correspondence and Petitions 10XVII. Adjournment 11 a) Motion by Paul Swangren, Jr to adjourn the meeting. Kleon Zimmerman seconded the motion. Motion 12 carried. 13 14 Meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m. 15 16 Respectfully submitted, 17 18 Susan Davidson 19 Borough Manager/Secretary 20 21 6