Thoughts on the December '03 and January '04 meetings:
Budget:
We passed the budget in December. Our treasurer Diane Hollenbach did an excellent job in preparing the budget, and we were able to pass a budget that addresses the needs of the township without a tax increase.
Storm Water Damage:
We had a storm in October that filled the culvert near Cornerstone Drive and Blandon Meadows Parkway and this storm also did quite a bit of erosion damage in the new community park. The total cost of repairs was about $18 K. The cost of cleaning out the large oval pipes on Cornerstone was $5.5 K. This is the second time this year we have spent good money to clean out that culvert.
The design is flawed in that the corrugated pipes slow the water down enough such that the sediments suspended in the water are deposited in the pipe. During a storm, the fact that the water must split between two pipes further allows the rocks and debris to fill the pipes. I believe this situation would be better if the stream bed were more natural and spanned by a bridge. The engineer is investigating the cost of this type of modification. I suspect a better design will quickly pay for itself, if we can avoid these clean out fees.
Sports Equipment in the Streets:
There has been much discussion about the ordinance that prohibits sports equipment in the streets. Several people have complained. The ordinance was passed in response to complaints about basketball nets, hockey nets, and skate board ramps in the public streets. It was not the intention of the supervisors to prevent bicycle riding in the street or even skate boarding and roller blading. People doing those things are using the street for transportation. It was the sports equipment of a more permanent structural nature that was the problem. Under the ordinance, it is OK to skate board around the block, but it is a violation to set up a ramp in the public street. It is OK to play basket ball in your drive way. It is a violation to have your net in your driveway positioned such that the play is in the street.
Township Computers:
The township had an older computer fail for what appears to be a hard drive. At the November Meeting the board authorized the purchase of two new machines not to exceed $600 per machine. Due to the deep discounts around Thanksgiving time, we were able to get two machines for $800; well below the allotted amount. It does bother me that the price of these computers is so low that you can not afford to have anyone work on them. If the older machine (about 500 MHz Compac) only has a bad hard drive, you still can't afford to pay anyone some $40/hr to replace it. When you can get a 2.5 GHz machine for under $400. So we may have an older computer with a perfectly good power supply etc. that is not economic to fix. If anyone wants it get in touch. We'll have to figure out how to dispose of it in accordance with the PA laws concerning disposal of township property.
Pay Increase for Supervisors:
Pennsylvania law allows supervisors of townships like Maidencreek to receive a maximum of $2,400 per year. The rate of pay is independent of how many meetings are called, and how many hours are spent on township business. Currently Maidencreek pays its supervisors $1,200 per year. The law prevents a conflict of interest, by preventing a supervisor from voting on his/her own pay raise. In other words, a pay raise does not take effect until the next election cycle. I made a motion seconded by Robert Kopfer to increase Maidencreek's pay for supervisors from the $1,200 to $1,800. This is half way from where we are to the state maximum. This rate would only apply to the new supervisor taking office in January of 2004, and anyone filling a term elected after that date. Gloria Kemmerer abstained, since (before the election) she is most likely to benefit from this decision.
General Observations and Advice:
I have seen various complaints that stem from people not carefully researching their house purchase before they buy. There are many public documents available to you both in the township building and the court house that people should look at before they buy.
Each development has a multi-sheet drawing packet that is filed in the Court House at the Recorder of Deeds office, and it is also at the township building. This packet shows the entire plan for the development.
It shows:
Where the developer is going to landscape.
The location of the 100 year flood plane.
The location of all the streets (even those not yet built)
The location of utility, and storm water easements.
The topographical map of the finished development.
The reason the government (in this case the township complying with state land development laws) has this information recorded as a public document, is so you the public can make a fully informed decision about the purchase of land or a house. It seems many people never look at these plans. They buy their houses with information based on what they heard from others. Sometimes they place their landscaping in areas that the developer has slated for different landscaping. Sometimes they place sheds or gardens in areas susceptible to storm water damage. When things do not go the way they expect, they complain to the township. The trouble is that the township has already informed the public about all these things, through the recording of the plan in the recorder of deeds office.
My House as an example:
My house is next to a stream. I was very concerned about the buffer between my house and the stream. I checked out the location of the 100 year flood plane on the plan before I bought the house. I also talked to long time residents that had been here in 1972 when hurricane Agnes went through. The plan showed the 100 year flood plane well away from our house. We have lived here for 14 years and have only seen the water past the 100 year flood plane level once. According to zoning ordinances the building envelope on my property extends fairly close to the stream, but outside the 100 year flood plane. I can comply with all the ordinances and erect a garage or other building closer to the stream that I think is prudent. I personally will not put a garage closer to the stream than the high water mark I observed on 7/25/2001. However, if I did put something close to the stream (in compliance with the ordinances) and had it washed away, the township would not be responsible.
Paid for by Roy Timpe