Borough Council

MINUTES Stroudsburg Borough Council Meeting Tuesday, March 6, 2018 at 7:00 P.M. 1. Call to Order/Roll Call - Present were: Council Member Joanne Kochanski, Council Member Anthony Lanfrank, Council Vice President Boyd Weiss, Mayor Tarah Probst, Solicitor Joseph McDonald, Interim Borough Manager Mary Pat Quinn, Council Member Matt Abell, Council Member Mark Connors and Council Member Patrick Maurath. Absent was Council President James Smith, A Quorum was present. 2. Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 3. Public Input for Non-Agenda Items Motion by Mr. Maurath to close Public Input for Non-Agenda Items, second by Ms. Kochanski. All in favor, Motion Carries. 4. Approval of Council Meeting Minutes for February 20, 2018. Motion by Ms. Kochanski to approval of Council Meeting Minutes for the Council Meeting Minutes for February 20, 2018, second by Mr. Maurath. All in favor, Motion Carries. Old Business 5. Consideration of entering in to an Agreement with Mobile Payment Processing Systems, Inc. to use the mPay2 Parking Management and Revenue Control System. Solicitor McDonald spoke to the Regional Manager for Park Mobile since the last Council meeting. A letter was sent today to Mr. Zigler to terminate the agreement for non-performance over the past 14 months. There was no financial exchange. There is a termination clause which allows for a 75 days of notice. Motion by Mr. Maurath to table until Solicitor McDonald gets a response from Park Mobile to terminate, second by Ms. Kochanski. All in favor, Motion Carries. New Business 6. Discuss Stroud Fest 2018 Proposal with Tim Gasiewski, Special Event Coordinator of the Sherman Theatre. Tim Gasiewski was in attendance from the Sherman Theater and is in charge of Stroud Fest. We are planning to have 1 lane of traffic down Main Street from 5th to 9th. Vendors will line the streets from 11:00am to 6:00pm. Performances will be throughout the day. Stages will be setup at Courthouse Square and across from the Sherman Theater. There is a consideration to have the County parking deck open for people to park. N. 6th Street from Main to Quaker Alley should be bagged for emergency vehicles. We would like cars to turn from Sarah onto 6th Street, down the one way to Monroe, to get to the parking deck, making that section of 6th Street a 2 way street. Motion by Ms. Kochanski to table Stroud Fest 2018 Proposal so the Sherman Theatre can correct the proposal and include insurance and approval from the Fire Chief, second by Mr. Lanfrank. All in favor, Motion Carries. 7. Consideration of Request from Sandra Hess, Carbon Monroe Pike Mental Health and Developmental Services to conduct their 18th Annual Mental Health Awareness Walk on May 18, 2018. Jennifer Williams was in attendance. The walk will start at 8th and Main and go to Dansbury Park. In the past we have closed the road from 9:00am to 11:00 am. In the past the Street Department has barricaded from Ann Street and Mill Alley on 8th. Motion by Ms. Kochanski to approve the request from Sandra Hess, Carbon Monroe Pike Mental Health and Developmental Services to conduct their 18th Annual Mental Health Awareness Walk on May 18,  2018, second by Mr. Lanfrank. Ms. Quinn advised we notified Sandra Hess to correct the certificate of insurance. All in favor, Motion Carries. 8. Consideration of Request from Monroe County Veterans Association, Inc. to conduct the Annual Veterans Day Parade on Sunday, November 4, 2018. Andy Sterner was in attendance. The Veterans Association will take care of Penn Dot and is requesting the Borough takes care of Police and Fire Departments. This year’s theme is Beirut Lebanon and we are honoring the Dough Boys. We are looking for Beirut Lebanon survivors or family members and Gold Star Family Members. Motion by Ms. Kochanski to approve the request from Monroe County Veterans Association, Inc. to conduct the Annual Veterans Day Parade on Sunday, November 4, 2018 as long as the certificate of insurance and Penn Dot permits are in place, second by Mr. Abell. All in favor, Motion Carries. 9. Consideration of a request from John H. Parker, Jr. for a Zoning Amendment in the C-1 Zoning District, specifically 320 North 9th Street. Mr. Parker and Mr. Strunk are in attendance. Ms. Kochanski advises the Codes Committee reviewed this application, we are asking for a special exception for the C-1 zoning district to add a convenience store. We suggest Mr. Kimes recommend the square footage and the definition of a convenience store. Lengthy discussion ensued. We would need to advertise, the language goes to the County Planning Commission, the Borough’s Planning Commission and the Zoning Hearing Board. Motion by Mr. Connors to refer to the Planning Commission for review and input and to the Zoning Officer for additional review and input to craft an ordinance with consideration to amount of traffic and parking access second by Mr. Abell. All in favor, Motion Carries. 10. Consideration of a Resolution to amend the Rates for Metered Parking on portions of Monroe Street, Sarah Street, and North Eighth Street. Motion by Ms. Kochanski to approve a resolution to amend the Rates for Metered Parking on portions of Monroe Street, Sarah Street, and North Eighth Street, second by Mr. Maurath. All in favor, Motion Carries. 11. Consideration of a Resolution to Transfer Budget Appropriations to close out CY 2017. Motion by Ms. Kochanski to approve a resolution to Transfer Budget Appropriations to close out CY 2017, second by Mr. Maurath. All in favor, Motion Carries. 12. Committee Reports: A. Codes Committee – Ms. Kochanski advises the committee met March 5th and will meet every Monday before the 1st Council Meeting of the month at 9:30am. We discussed the Parker property. Ordinance definitions for basement will be sent to the Planning Commission. Mr. Kimes is suggesting we go from 9 Committee members to 7 Committee members for the Planning Commission and is looking for Council’s approval. Motion by Ms. Kochanski to advertise an Ordinance Change for the Planning Commission from 9 members to 7 members at the next Council Meeting, second by Mr. Abell. All in favor, Motion Carries. We discussed Mr. Weiss’s concerns with unapproved parking on Broad Street in the rear of the properties. We also discussed the Mayor’s concerns with power outages from the last storm and we should send letters to Met Ed and PPL as they work on the streets to start putting in underground wiring. Motion by Ms. Kochanski to send letters to PPL and Met Ed, second by Mr. Connors. All in favor, Motion Carries. B. Finance Committee – No Finance Report  C. Parking Committee – Mr. Maurath advises we want to move the 15 minute meters on S. 6th by the Mitchell group and the Charcuterie on Main Street and move in front of Panda Kitchen and Fu Lay. Motion by Mr. Maurath to move the 15 minute meters on S. 6th by the Mitchell group and the Charcuterie on Main Street and move in front of Panda Kitchen and Fu Lay, second by Mr. Lanfrank. All in favor, Motion Carries. D. Recycling Committee – Ms. Quinn advises the Committee has not met yet. Brian Bond and I are meeting with Jim Lambert from Monroe County Waste Authority. E. Sewer Committee – Will be meeting Monday F. Street Committee – Mr. Lanfrank advises we met today and discussed the degradation formula we voted on previously to make into a resolution, the committee feels we should increase from $500 to $750. Motion by Mr. Lanfrank to change the base fee degradation fee schedule from $500 to $750, second by Mr. Abell. All in favor, Motion Carries. We discussed letter writing. We looked into the costs of speed tables at a cost of over $9K per Penn Dot’s recommendations. Mr. Ace will look into the specs and if we must follow Penn Dot’s recommendations and will re-price. I spoke to the High School and they are having traffic flow issues on Elizabeth and Linden and are asking for stop signs. Motion by Mr. Lanfrank to put a stop sign at the corner of Elizabeth and Hamilton subject to compliance with the Borough’s Code, second by Mr. Maurath. All in favor with Mr. Connors voting NO. Mayor Probst was invited to ESU innovations. They are there to help communities. I spoke about the signage on Rt. 80, Bike Racks, signage for side streets and Penn Dot is saying no. Zac Renner is setting up a meeting with Penn Dot to discuss. G. Personnel Committee – Mr. Connors advises we have a meeting next Tuesday at 4:00pm with Scott about the 12 candidates and their phone interviews. We will look to narrow those applications down. H. Public Relations/Media Committee – Mayor Probst advises Friday’s meeting at 3:30pm was cancelled due to the weather and will be re-scheduled. We will be talking about Concerts in the Park. I. Redevelopment Committee – Mr. Abell advises we are meeting Friday at 3:30pm. J. I-80 Expansion Task Force Committee – Mr. Connors handed out a summary. Representative Madden gave a presentation to Penn Dot and they are recommending a Project Advisory Committee. Our task force will be putting together a proposal for a broader based project advisory group to be ahead. We will continue to look at the issues; the cemetery will not be touched. Lengthy discussion about the Indian Head Gap rocks on the road and the traffic into Stroudsburg. 13. Solicitor’s Report – At the last meeting a motion was made to confirm terms for ESSA for monies currently in the PLGIT account. The insured maximum amount is $250K in total. Since transferring accounts to ESSA we are already beyond the insured amount. The Borough Code requires and Sarah Wallace from ESSA confirms they will post collateral for any new investment. ESSA will furnish a letter to the Borough’s auditor. Lengthy discussion ensued between the PLGIT account and ESSA.  Motion by Ms. Kochanski to send to the Finance Committee to review, second by Mr. Connors. All in favor, Motion Carries. There are 2 pending Zoning Hearing requests filed by Adams Outdoor on behalf of 2 different property owners. The appeals conflict with the timing of our proposed Curative Amendment Ordinance for changing and updating section 8 or our Zoning Ordinance. It is scheduled for April 3, 2018. Counsel needs to either withdraw the application without prejudice or grant the Zoning Hearing Board additional time to consider the appeals that have been filed on behalf of the 2 land owners until it sees the Curative Amendment Ordinance the Borough intends to consider and adopt on April 3rd. There is no formal hearing scheduled if Adams does not grant additional time or does not withdraw; Attorney Weitzman will have to schedule a hearing to challenge an Ordinance the Borough has deemed to be invalid and we are fixing ourselves. 14. Mayor’s Report – The County Commissioners have a meeting regarding monies for festivals and hotel tax. In 2019 if we go through the Pocono Arts Council as a Stroudsburg downtown festival, we will be given money toward the festivals. If we come back in September we may be able to get help for Halloween on Main. The Commissioners will be signing off on the Quaker Alley Park. Lackawanna County has a Resolution for buildings that they have a stake in it. When a lot is purchased there are timeframes and deadlines given to be completed. Motion by Mark Connors to refer the Mayor’s concern to the Redevelopment Committee, second by Mr. Abell. All in favor, Motion Carries. 15. Council Member Reports Ms. Kochanski – Motion to send a letter to the Red Cross about the shelter at the high school during the storm second by Mr. Connors. All in favor, Motion Carries. Want to thank Brian Ace for patching pot holes. Mr. Lanfrank – Thank the Street Department with Borough’s roads during the storms. Mr. Weiss – Nothing to report Mr. Abell – There are signs all over town for cash for houses. Mr. Connors - Nothing to report Mr. Maurath - Nothing to report 16. Manager’s Report – The Borough Council authorized changes suggested by the Parking Committee in connection with the permitted vs. metered parking in Municipal Lots 3 and 5. Section 15-401 (2) of the Stroudsburg Borough Code establishes meters and permits in all of the Municipal Lots. An ordinance amendment is not required. Robin found out that a minimum of 6 permits should be maintained in Lot 3 to accommodate two businesses that need to load and unload. The changes in Lot 5 that were determined by Council at that meeting are on the schedule of the Street Department. Regarding the removal of the Degradation Fee Amount from the Borough Code. 21-105 (5) authorizes to the Borough Manager to establish and maintain a schedule of charges for inspections, labor, materials, etc. based on prevailing costs in the area. The Street Superintendent is reviewing the existing degradation fee to determine if it is sufficient.  The Pension Board met on February 26, 2018. The Board did not recommend cost-of-living increases to benefit recipients of the Stroudsburg Borough Non-Uniformed Pension Plan. Report from Univest is in Council packets. Univest Municipal Pension Services prepared the 2017 Act 205 Report and Actuarial Valuation Report, which was forwarded to the office of the Department of the Auditor General on February 9, 2018 (deadline for filing is March 31, 2018). Motion by Ms. Kochanski to not give a cost of living increase to benefit recipients per recommendations, second by Mr. Abell. All in favor, Motion Carries. The Borough received notification that its 2017 Multimodal Transportation Fund Grant Application was not approved for funding. Copies were given to Council. Results of Levee Culvert Rehabilitation bid opening at 1 PM earlier today. Spreadsheet provided to Council. Engineer estimated the project at $56K. I attended the monthly meeting of the Historical Architectural Review Board. The Borough’s application for the installation of bike racks along Main Street at the bump outs was carried from HARB’s meeting on February 5. The members felt that an alternate to the proposed bike rack could be a hitching post with two rings, which would mirror several which still exist in parts of the Borough. A subcommittee consisting of Ted Hoyt, Ken Sandri and Ron Kimes were appointed by HARB to meeting with Council or a sub-committee of Council to further discuss the project. Mr. Weiss advised we received a letter from the Mattioli Fund about the bench issue. They also stated $10K was too expensive and they will donate money for 4 bike racks, 20 is too many. Motion by Mr. Connors to refer the bike racks and meeting with HARB representatives to the Streets Committee, second by Ms. Kochanski. All in favor, Motion Carries. Due to the impending severe weather, I would like to close the office tomorrow. 17. Approval of Bills on Warrants 180306. Motion by Mr. Lanfrank to Approve Bills on Warrants 180306, second by Ms. Kochanski. All in favor, Motion Carries. 18. Executive Session – No Executive Session 19. Adjournment Motion by Ms. Kochanski to adjourn at 8:47pm, second by Mr. Lanfrank. All in favor, Motion Carries. A family was in attendance, they currently live in Cresco and bought properties in Stroudsburg.