TOWNSHIP OF SALISBURY
LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

MINUTES FROM THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR MEETING – 7:30 PM
August 9, 2007

The Public Meeting of the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners was held on the above date at in the Township Municipal Building located at 2900 South Pike Avenue, Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

Members attending:
Larry Unger, President
James Brown, Vice-President
Kent Herman
Robert Martucci, Jr.
Norma Cusick

Staff attending:
Gabriel Khalife, Township Manager
Carl Best, Director of Planning & Zoning
John Andreas, Director of Public Works
Cathy Bonaskiewich, Finance Director
Allen Stiles, Chief of Police
John Ashley, Township Solicitor
David Tettemer, representative of Keystone Consulting Engineers, Township Engineer

CALL TO ORDER
Commissioner Unger called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

NOTIFICATION
Mr. Khalife informed the attendees that all sessions of the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners regular meetings are being electronically recorded for the purpose of taking the Minutes. All public comments on agenda items will be taken at the time of the vote. All public comments related to non-agenda items will be taken after the agenda has been satisfied.

SWEARING IN OF POLICE OFFICER RONALD PATTEN FOR SERGEANT POSITION
Commissioner Unger swore in Ronald Patten for promotion to Police Sergeant.

PAYMENT OF THE BILLS
Mrs. Bonaskiewich presented the Board with an additional bill in the amount of $34,948.17 for the new Public Works truck.

On motion of Commissioner Cusick, seconded by Commissioner Martucci, the Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to authorize payment of the bills.

MINUTES
July 26, 2007
Commissioner Brown noted a correction to Mr. Siuciak’s name on Page 5.

Commissioner Herman noted that there was a discussion on the policy of not having residents contact the Township’s professionals. He suggested an addition on Page 4 to read:

“Commissioner Herman noted that the Board does not wish to have citizens directly contacting the Township’s professional consultants, engineer, and lawyer.”

Commissioner Unger declared the July 26, 2007 Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes approved with the above-noted changes.

ORDINANCES
None

RESOLUTIONS
None.

MOTIONS
Consideration of a motion to join as an additional defendant in the Gatta lawsuit.

Attorney Ashley summarized that there is a resident alleging that there were some additional storm water problems created by a project in the Township. He noted that there is a meeting scheduled to take place on the matter in August prior to the next Board meeting.

Commissioner Herman made a motion to join the consulting engineer who designed the project as an additional defendant in the Gatta lawsuit, if deemed necessary. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Brown and unanimously approved.

Consideration of a street tree removal request for 3122 Dogwood Lane.

Mr. Best noted that the tree appears to be diseased and he recommends having the tree removed without replacement. He noted that there would be 6 or 7 street trees remaining.

On motion of Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Martucci, the Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the street tree removal request for 3122 Dogwood Lane without requiring replacement.

Additional Item
Consideration of a street tree removal request for 960 Buckingham Drive.
Mr. Best explained that there are two street trees at the property that were planted by the developer that are completely dead. He recommended that the owner replant two additional trees. He noted that the maintenance period expired.

On motion of Commissioner Martucci, seconded by Commissioner Cusick, the Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the removal of two street trees for 960 Buckingham Drive, with the condition that the owner replants two additional street trees.

Mr. Khalife noted that there would not be an Executive Session.

PUBLIC COMMENT
Jane Benning of 3111 Douglas Road explained that she is attempting to locate plans that had been submitted back in 1984 for a garage built on her property. She noted that she would like to make an addition and needs information from the plans regarding the footers.

Mr. Best noted that they had searched the Township files and could not locate a permit application or plans for the garage.

Commissioner Martucci made several suggestions to assist Ms. Benning in locating the footers.

Mr. Khalife commented that they will continue to search for the permit and plans.

Mr. S. E. Siuciak of 1215 Caroline Avenue requested the Township provide all of the files since the Hospital property was originally developed. He requested a chronological listing with dates that the Hospital made submissions, obtained approvals, etc. He noted that he is attempting to obtain information regarding promises that the Hospital made that they had not followed through on.

Commissioner Herman explained to Mr. Siuciak that he is receiving more information and cooperation than the Township’s staff and taxpayers are obligated to provide. He noted that there is a right-to-know law and the staff is obligated to provide information from the records to some extent. He explained that the Township is not required to perform research in which there are many hours and weeks spent.

Mr. Khalife explained that the files would be made available to Mr. Siuciak to research the information he is looking for.

Mr. Siuciak commented that in the past he had difficulty in locating information when the tapes ran out at a meeting or the minutes did not include the information he was looking for.

The Board suggested that Mr. Siuciak go through each file and come up with a specific list of items that he believes the Hospital did not take care of.

Barbara Rowley of 3114 Liberty Street in South Whitehall Township spoke to the Board regarding the roadway widening project along Cedar Crest Boulevard at the Hospital. She expressed concerns that the pedestrian and bicycle facilities are being worsened in the area. She made several suggestions to make improvements for pedestrians such as in the area of the bridge and installing sidewalks from Lincoln Avenue up to Fish Hatchery Road.

Mr. Best explained that there is no additional right-of-way along Cedar Crest Boulevard and it would take an enormous effort to secure additional right-of-way from each property owner along Cedar Crest Boulevard and he does not think that PennDOT or the Township should encourage pedestrian traffic along Cedar Crest Boulevard.

Mr. Tettemer explained that Cedar Crest Boulevard is a PennDOT right-of-way and PennDOT has full authority of what goes within that right-of-way, although the Township does have a right to comment on what goes in there.

There was a brief discussion on whether the Township could realistically revisit the issue of trying to accommodate pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the area of Cedar Crest Boulevard.

Mr. Tettemer noted that once permits are approved by PennDOT, then the developer is approved to make those improvements as designed. He noted that if the Hospital chooses to voluntarily go to PennDOT to make the requested changes, then that would be their decision to make. He noted that the Township cannot force the Hospital to make the changes.

A gentleman in the audience suggested that the Township request PennDOT and Lehigh Valley Hospital to revisit the issue to make things as safe as possible for pedestrians and to take a close look at the area of the bridge.

Chief Stiles noted that studies have been performed about the Cedar Crest Boulevard corridor and also Route 145/South Pike Avenue. He noted that PennDOT conducts the studies which include what PennDOT would like to see occur in those corridors for the next 20 years. He commented that it is nearly impossible to have PennDOT agree to changes once a highway occupancy permit is issued.

Ms. Benning commented that there are numerous vehicles traveling too fast in the area of the Girl Scouts Campgrounds where they conduct a day camp at their facility on West Rock Road. She requested if speed bumps could be placed in the road.

There was a brief discussion about the effectiveness of signage.

ADJOURNMENT
As no other business was presented, the meeting was adjourned. The Board of Commissioners went into Workshop.