Monthly Business
Executive session held 6:35 pm - 7:00 pm — Personnel matters
Summary
The Halifax Township Board of Supervisors held their monthly business meeting on August 12, 2019, called to order at 7:07 p.m. by Chairman Kenneth Bechtel following an executive session on personnel matters. All five supervisors were present: Kenneth Bechtel, Brad Bruner, Randy Paul, Steve Schreffler, and Scott McBurney. The nearly three-hour meeting covered land development approvals, a new inter-township equipment-sharing agreement, multiple property nuisance enforcement actions, and improvements at Fort Halifax park.
- Graceful Acres Land Development Plan approved unanimously: The board granted waivers for preliminary plan procedures, curbs and sidewalks, plan scale, sinkhole construction details, and screening buffer yards, then approved the plan with conditions per K&W Engineering's July 29, 2019 review comments.
- Wayne Township equipment-sharing agreement finalized: The board adopted an intermunicipal ordinance and approved an agreement allowing Wayne Township to use Halifax Township equipment. A separate motion to set the boom mower rental rate at $15/hour passed 4-1, with Chairman Kenneth Bechtel casting the lone dissenting vote.
- Kieffer Road dedicated to the township: The board accepted a deed of dedication from Charles and Alice Funk, formally bringing Kieffer Road under township ownership.
- Assistant Roadmaster resignation accepted: Levi Swigart's resignation was accepted with an effective date of July 29, 2019. The board waived his remaining 8 hours of PTO and forgave a $316 welding class reimbursement.
- Three property nuisance letters authorized: Formal letters were directed to the bank owning the Paulvir property (high grass), a Buffalo Park Road property owner, and a separate parcel owner given 45 days to address a cat nuisance and excessive vehicles on the property.
- Fort Halifax park improvements: The board authorized PPL's tree-trimming contractor to dump wood chips at the park and directed Roadmaster Tim Belk to design and paint designated parking spaces on the park's paved areas.
- Fire Department service agreement review scheduled: The board voted to meet with the fire department before the upcoming budget workshop to update the service agreement in response to auditor findings.
- Smokee Bros stormwater plan deferred: Owner Paul Morgan proposed using permeable asphalt instead of submitting a full stormwater management plan. The township engineer will review the approach and report back next month.
Who was there
Kenneth Bechtel (Supervisor, Chairman) · Brad Bruner (Supervisor) · Randy Paul (Supervisor) · Steve Schreffler (Supervisor) · Scott McBurney (Supervisor) · Bruce Warshawsky (Solicitor) · Wendy Wentzel (Secretary) · Tim DeWire (Engineer) · Tim Belk (Roadmaster)
Public comments
Meeting business
Secretary/Treasurer Report
Supervisors approved paid interim bills and current unpaid bills through August 12, 2019, and approved the July 8, 2019 meeting minutes. All three motions carried 5-0. The financial report was placed on file for audit.
Planning Commission Report
The Planning Commission recommended conditional approval of the Graceful Acres Land Development Plan with waiver requests for preliminary plan procedure, curbs and sidewalks, plan scale, sinkhole construction details, and screening buffer yards. Supervisors approved the waivers (5-0) and approved the plans with conditions per K&W Engineering comments dated July 29, 2019 (5-0).
Solicitor Report
Supervisors voted 5-0 to send a letter to the bank that now owns the Paulvir property regarding the nuisance of high grass.
Roadmaster Report
After discussion, supervisors voted 5-0 to allow the dumping of wood chips at Fort Halifax from the contractor doing tree trimming for PPL along the power lines.
Friends of Fort Halifax
Supervisors voted 5-0 to have Roadmaster Tim Belk assist in designing and painting designated parking spaces on the paved areas within Fort Halifax park.
Administrative
Supervisors voted 5-0 to accept Doceo's proposal for a five-year copier lease including free maintenance, parts, and 30,000 black and white copies. Supervisor Bruner asked if Doceo could provide free color copies, which will be researched.
Supervisors voted 5-0 to accept Levi Swigart's resignation letter received July 15, 2019, with the Board accepting the standard two-week notice giving an end date of July 29, 2019 and waiving the 8 hours of PTO and the $316 reimbursement for a welding class.
Supervisors voted 5-0 to contact the Fire Department and schedule a meeting prior to the Budget Workshop to update the Service Agreement per the Auditors' report.
Old Business
Supervisors voted 5-0 to send a formal nuisance letter to the property owner on Buffalo Park Road.
Supervisors adopted the ordinance with Wayne Township (5-0), approved the agreement for use of Halifax Township's equipment (5-0), and voted 4-1 to charge $15 per hour for use of the boom mower, with Chairman Bechtel casting the lone no vote.
Supervisors voted 5-0 to accept the Deed of Dedication for Kieffer Road from Charles and Alice Funk, dispensed with the reading of the resolution (5-0), and approved the Resolution Authorizing the Acceptance of a Deed of Dedication for Road Purposes (5-0).
Supervisors voted 5-0 to send a letter to the parcel owner providing 45 days to address the cat nuisance and the numerous automobiles on the property.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 p.m. on a motion by Supervisor Bruner, seconded by Supervisor Paul, carrying 5-0.
This page is an automated summary of official township records. For the authoritative version, always refer to the original document.