Borough Council

MINUTES Stroudsburg Borough Council Meeting Tuesday, October 1, 2019 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, Council President James Smith, Interim Borough Manager Quinn, Council Member Mark Connors and Council Member Erica McCabe.Absent was Council Member Matt Abell. A Quorum was present. 2. Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 3. Public Input for Agenda Items. Mr. Kreske residing at 106 N 6th was in attendance to discuss replacement gutters. Mr. Smith referred Mr. Kreske to speak with Mr. Kimes. 4. Approval of Council Meeting Minutes for Regular Meeting,September 17, 2019. Motion by Mr. Weiss to Approve Council Meeting Minutes for Regular Meeting, September 17, 2019, second by Ms. Kochanski. All in favor, Motion Carries. Old Business 5. Status of Municipal Building Renovation Project, re: Fire Alarm System, Upgrade Reception Area, HVAC improvements. Ms. Quinn advises item #14 is the approval for the Fire Alarm System for the Municipal Building, which was approved by Barry Isset. Mr. Kimes has completed the punch list for the interior finishes and has sent to the contractor today. Barry Isset is preparing the bid packets for the HVAC system. 6. Status of Bike Rack Project. Ms. Quinn advises there is no update. 7. Status of proposed LERTA Ordinance.Solicitor McDonald does not have any updates from the School District or Dr. Curry. Solicitor McDonaldreached out to Dr. Curry about LERTA and the Little League sub-lease. The School Board has LERTA as an item on the October 16th agenda. Ms. Kochanski recommends Michelle or Mr. Chuck Leonard from the Pocono Economic Development be at the School Board meeting. Ms. Quinn will send a letter to Pocono Economic Development and will look for the minutes approving the buses for 10th Street and forward to Dr. Curry. Ms. Quinn advises once Council approved the buses to use 10th Street, our Ordinance was never updated. Motion by Mr. Connors to direct staff to prepare the Ordinance to allow school buses to use 10th Street in preparation for a Public Hearing, second by Ms. McCabe. All in favor, Motion Carries. 8. Status of proposed Short-Term Rental Ordinance. Solicitor McDonald submitted a revised draft last month which is included in tonight’s packet. Lengthy discussion ensued. Motion by Mr. Lanfrank to authorize Solicitor McDonald to split into two, (One) Zoning Amendment to designate where the units are permitted and (Two) to govern day to day operations and the impact criteria that appears in the County’s recommended Ordinance, second by Mr. Connors. All in favor, Motion Carries. New Business 9. Consideration to schedule a Public Hearing for An Ordinance of the Stroudsburg Borough Council to Amend Chapter 15, Motor Vehicles and Traffic, Part 3, Section 15-309 Entitled “Special Purpose Parking Zones Established; Parking Otherwise Prohibited” of the Stroudsburg Borough Code.” The proposed Ordinance will change the Motorcycle Only parking spaces to Compact Only spaces and remove the parking space in front of 425 Main Street to allow for improved site distance from Kitson Alley. Motion by Ms. Kochanski to schedule a Public Hearing October 15, 2019 for An Ordinance of the Stroudsburg Borough Council to Amend Chapter 15, Motor Vehicles and Traffic, Part 3, Section 15-309 Entitled “Special Purpose Parking Zones Established; Parking Otherwise Prohibited” of the Stroudsburg Borough Code.” The proposed Ordinance will change the Motorcycle Only parking spaces to Compact Only spaces and remove the parking space in front of 425 Main Street to allow for improved site distance from Kitson Alley, second by Mr. Connors. All in favor, Motion Carries. 10. Consideration to Adopt a Resolution to Establish a Fee for the Replacement of Residential Parking Visitor Passes. Motion by Mr. Lanfrank to adopt a Resolution to Establish a Fee for the Replacement of Residential Parking Visitor Passes, second by Mr. Weiss. All in favor, Motion Carries. 11. Consideration to Adopt a Resolution to Authorize the Destruction of expired Health Licenses and Code Enforcement Citation files pursuant to the Municipal Records Act. Motion by Mr. Lanfrank to adopt a Resolution to Authorize the Destruction of expired Health Licenses and Code Enforcement Citation files pursuant to the Municipal Records Act, second by Ms. Kochanski. All in favor, Motion Carries. 12. Consideration to Approve the 2018 Audited Financial Statements of the Borough of Stroudsburg. Motion byMs. Kochanski to approve the 2018 Audited Financial Statements of the Borough of Stroudsburg, second by Mr. Weiss. Discussion on the difference between Approve and Accept. Mr. Connors would like more time to review. Motion by Mr. Lanfrank to table, second by Mr. Connors. Mr. Smith advises this be added as Old Business to the next agenda. All in favor, Motion Carries. 13. Consideration of a Request from the American Cancer Society to hang purple flags along Main Street from June 1 to June 14, 2020 during the “Paint the Town Purple” promotion. Mr. John Barnak was in attendance and lengthy discussion about another group hanging flags for the same time. Motion by Ms. Kochanski to direct staff to talk to Pride and American Cancer Society to coordinate both flags, second by Ms. McCabe. All in favor, Motion Carries. 14. Consideration to Approve a proposal from Johnson Controls for a Fire Alarm System for the Municipal Building. Motion byMr. Weiss to Approve a proposal from Johnson Controls for a Fire Alarm System for the Municipal Building, second by Ms. Kochanski. All in favor, Motion Carries. 15. Consideration to Approve a proposal from Traffic Planning and Design, Inc. to prepare a conceptual roadway improvement plan depicting modification to the intersection of Lower Main Street and North 5th Street in the amount of $4,500.00. Motion by Mr. Lanfrank to Table until the next Council Meeting, second by Mr. Connors. All in favor, Motion Carries. 16. Consideration to Approve Change Order #2 for the 1st Street Paving and ADA Ramps Project and Review the scope of work for Change Order #1. Motion by Mr. Weiss to Approve Change Order #2 for the 1st Street Paving and ADA Ramps Project and Review the scope of work for Change Order #1, second by Ms. Kochanski. All in favor, Motion Carries. 17. Consideration to Approve Change Order #1 for the King Street Paving and ADA Ramps Project. Motion by Mr. Weiss to Approve Change Order #1 for the King Street Paving and ADA Ramps Project, second by Ms. Kochanski. All in favor, Motion Carries. 18. Consideration to Approve a request from Muscle Inc. Gym to reserve six parking spaces in front of 600 Main Street on Sunday, October 6, 2019 for the Miller-Keystone Blood Center mobile blood bus. The gym is participating in a blood drive that will support Ryan Smith, a local member of the ESU Men’s Basketball Team. A request was made for a waiver of the meter bag fee. Motion by Mr. Weiss to Approve a request from Muscle Inc. Gym to reserve six parking spaces in front of 600 Main Street on Sunday, October 6, 2019 for the Miller-Keystone Blood Center mobile blood bus and to waive the meter bag fee, second by Ms. McCabe. All in favor, Motion Carries. 19. Consideration to Adopt a Budget Transfer Resolution to cover costs for the basketball court at the Third Street Park. Motion by Mr. Lanfrank to Adopt a Budget Transfer Resolution to cover costs for the basketball court at the Third Street Park, second by Mr. Weiss. Ms. Quinn advises funds were transferred within the Recreation Fund. All in favor, Motion Carries. 20. Committee Reports A. Codes Committee - No Report B. Budget Committee – Mr. Smith advises we are still working on the Budget. C. Parking Committee – Ms. McCabe advised the Committee’s item were on tonight’s agenda. D. Recycling Committee - No Report E. Sewer Committee - No Report F. Street Committee – Mr. Lanfrank advises the Committee’s items were on tonight’s agenda. G. Personnel Committee – Mr. Connors advises there is an item for Executive Session tonight. The Committee discussedwhether to modify the Borough Manager’s job description for areas of emphasis and will pass onto the consultant.The Committee is recommending qualifications to include a morefinancial background,being detailed oriented; the activities would emphasison team building motivation and management of Borough staff and project oversight; living within 25-30  miles within 6 months to one year of being hired and not allowing any other jobs to be held; skills to include grants for infrastructure; grant writers could possibly be used to free up the Manager (the Finance Committee would need to budget);Economic Development ongoing with documentation and processes. H. Public Relations/Media Committee – Mayor Probst would like to thank TV stations and newspapers for coverage of all Ordinances, keep forwarding information so Facebook can be updated. I. Redevelopment Committee - No Report J. I-80 Expansion Task Force Committee – Mr. Connors advises the Northeast Pennsylvania Alliance held a meeting, we were prepared with questions which were all not covered, we will forward the complete list to the Northeast Pennsylvania Alliance. The Committee has written a response to Mario Scavello; Ms. Battle met with the President of the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau; we have started meeting with the Mayor of Knowlton, NJ whose I-80 project is scheduled within the same timeframe as ours; they have had 9 incidents in the last 16 years with rock falls, we are taking some tips from their lobbying efforts. The Committee is in support of an Economic Study. K. Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission – Mr. Weiss advises there is a get together tomorrow night to recognize the new SROSRC manager. 21. Mayor’s Report - Mayor Probst would like to thank Mr. Ace and the Streets Department for keeping up with the street lights. We have had a lot of press for the Blighted Ordinance which is good, there has not been a lot of questions. 22. Council Member Reports Ms. McCabe - No Report Mr. Connors - No Report Mr. Smith - Mr. Smith has received positive feedback about street paving. Mr. Smith asked Mr. Kimes if he visited the house and documented all the violations. Mr. Kimes advises a certified letter was sent to the property owner and the resident who made the complaint sawMr. Kimes and Mr. Stevens at the house; there is no danger to the public unless someone trespasses. Mr. Smith asked Mr. Ace to look at low hanging wires by Perkins on West Main. Mr. Weiss - Mr. Weiss advised he was looking for the house from last Council Meeting in South Stroudsburg; half the alley was blocked and it’s not taken care of; part of the alley was paved in front of the garage. Mr. Lanfrank - No Report Ms. Kochanski - No Report 23. Solicitor’s Report– Solicitor McDonald has a brief item for Executive Session. 24. Manager’s Report– Ms. Quinn advises DCED is reviewing the Borough’s Local Share Account Grant Application for the Ann Street Sewer Rehabilitation/Replacement Project and the Site Development  Office asked for additional information which was provided yesterday. The grant request is $1,550,097.00. The Borough received notice today that we are the recipient of a $2,500 grant from Keystone Municipal Insurance Trust (KMIT). KMIT is the provider for the Borough’s Workers Compensation Insurance. KMIT offers Grant Opportunities to its members for purchases and expenditures that directly reduce hazards and increase employee safety. The grant was submitted by Ms. Maier, our previous Borough Manager, for the installation of an exhaust fan in the DPW garage where vehicles are repaired and welding takes place. A combined eyewash/shower will be installed at the garage for the DPW staff to use if they come in contact with sewerage or hazardous chemicals. The Borough received notice that another $10,000 Grant was awarded from Driving PA forward for another EV charging station. The project must be completed by March 28, 2020 and I recommend we get it done before winter. Unfortunately, the Borough was not awarded the Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program Grant from the PA Financing Authority for the pool complex renovation. The grant request was $244,375.00. Ms. Wall and I found out Met Ed will be doing line work on Monroe Street to install 2 new poles and wires; it’s supposed to start mid-October and last 2-3 weeks; it will affect the 600 and 700 blocks which will need to be closed. I have reached out to Met Ed for concrete dates. 25. Code Enforcement Officer’s Report– Mr. Kimes advises as of last Friday we have received 1,113 registered tenants which is $11,130. 26. Street Superintendent’s Report–Mr. Ace provided a photo with the Christmas wreath and the Veterans Banners; the Veterans are seeking approval to keep the banners up. Lengthy discussion ensued. Motion by Mr. Weiss to keep the Veterans Banners up all winter, second by Ms. McCabe. All in favor Voting YES (Ms. Kochanski, Mr. Lanfrank, Mr. Weiss, Mr. Smith, Ms. McCabe), Voting NO (Mr. Connors), Motion Carries. 27. Approval of Bills on Warrants 191001. Motion by Ms. Kochanski to Approve Bills on Warrants 191001, second by Mr. Weiss. All in favor, Motion Carries. 28. Public Input for Non-Agenda Items. No Public Input 29. Executive Session. Motion by Mr. Lanfrank to adjourn to Executive Session at 8:30pm, second by Ms. Kochanski. All in favor, Motion Carries. Motion by Mr. Lanfrank to re-convene Regular Council Meeting at 9:35pm, second by Ms. Kochanski. All in favor, Motion Carries. Motion by Mr. Connors to authorize the Borough’s Solicitor to intervene in the appeal of Adams Outdoor Advertising, second by Mr. Weiss. All in favor, Motion Carries. 30. Adjournment Motion by Mr. Weiss to adjourn at 9:35pm, second by Ms. Kochanski. All in favor, Motion Carries.