The twenty-first regular meeting of the Hamburg Borough Council for 2004 was held this evening at the Hamburg Municipal Center with President Adam Dries presiding. The meeting was opened with Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and a Prayer.

Members Present – Adam Dries, Tammy Wilkinson, Charles Figard, Jeanette Heckman, Martha Bertolet, Dale Schlenker

Members Absent – Tina Yoder

Also Present – Lynda G. Albright, Borough Manager, Kim Y. Berger, Recording Secretary, Mayor Roy Del Rosario

Visitors- Mike Trask, Maria Henn (Reading Eagle), Neven Dries, Norma Berger, Sylvia Summons, Kim Emes, Chief Michael Painter, John Timtishin, John Leonforte

A motion was made by Dale Schlenker and seconded by Charles Figard to approve the amended agenda by adding the Road Committee Report and a motion under New Business dealing with Turner Street.

ROLL CALL: AYES – A. Dries, T. Wilkinson, M. Bertolet, J. Heckman, C. Figard,D. Schlenker

NAYES – None

COURTESY TO AUDIENCE

Nothing

A motion was made by Martha Bertolet and seconded by Jeanette Heckman to approve the minutes of the October 25, 2004 meeting and the public hearing of October 25, 2004.

NAYES – None

A motion was made by and seconded by to approve the following reports: Borough Manager’s Report, Public Works Supt. Report, Water/Sewer Supt. Report, Office Manager’s Report, Treasurer’s Report, Police Report, Property Committee Report and the Road Committee Report

NAYES – None

The Borough Manager’s activities for the month of OCTOBER, 2004 included the following:

Held Staff meetings to discuss various issues.

Handled complaints as needed.

Met various times during the month with John Leonforte, Code Enforcement Officer, for updates on projects he is working on, as well as the Proposed Zoning Ordinance. The new zoning ordinance is being presented for adoption at the November 8, 2004 meeting. Also discussing proposed amendments to the UCC code.

Received 2005 budget requests from the department heads and continue working on the preliminary budget for submittal to Finance Committee Monday evening.

As you are aware, the paving project on the municipal lot is now complete; we are currently working on signage for the various need of the lot. Storm drain work commenced the day after election and should be complete by the end of the week.

Met with representatives from Fulton Bank to review and discuss the Borough’s banking needs. They may be submitting a proposal in the near future.

Have been looking at and meeting with various janitorial services for the upcoming year.

Met with Mary Rockwell, Appraiser, who will be appraising the vacant parking lot across from NAPA on State Street that the Borough has agreed to purchase.

Had a meeting, along with Council representatives and Code Enforcement Officer, with EPA to discuss Exide being added as a superfund site.

Attending a meeting in Shillington for the purpose of reviewing and discussing health insurance costs for 2005. We are again looking at a significant increase for next year. It is anticipated that these costs may start to level out somewhat in the next couple of years. We are also looking at broadening our consortium statewide in an effort to obtain more affordable prices.

Kim Berger, Office Manager and I met with representatives of Met-Ed (First Energy) to go over our current contract, and discuss our needs for the future and to discuss any concerns that the Borough has with the electric company.

Due to a meeting conflict I had, I asked Kim to attend a meeting with Berks Earned Income Tax regarding future collections of the Earned Income tax. More information on this will be forthcoming to the Finance Committee.

In addition to the two regular council meetings, Recreation Board, and Hamburg Municipal Authority, attended Property committee, Personnel Committee, Safety Committee, Finance and W/S/Public Relations.

If anyone has any questions regarding my report, please feel free to ask.

Attached with my report are the activities of my staff for the month of October, 2004.

Lynda G. Albright

Borough Manager

Water

The fall hydrant flushing has been completed. Over all the system looks good. Pressure changes during the flushing caused a service line to break. Repairs were made with a minimum of inconvenience.

Hamburg Center has finished their project and will be making bulk draws at night and drawing from their tank during the day. This seems to be working fine after some initial timing problems.

I attended a meeting with the Reading Area Water Authority in regard to extending their water main north to I-78. If that is to happen it will be several years away and will not affect the Hamburg Authority’s operation.

Wastewater

The belt filter press has been repaired and is operating. With the closing of the Pine Grove Landfill our sludge is now being disposed of at the Grand Central Sanitation Landfill in Pen Argyl Pa.

Several rattling, broken, and below grade manholes have been repaired, or replaced. There are several more to be done but it will have to wait till the weather breaks in the spring. We also did some TV work in the mains finding several breaks and cracks. The engineer is preparing a bid to make repairs and also to televise a significant portion of the system.

We have replaced the water bath in the laboratory and purchased a new, larger incubator. We also replaced the muffler on the emergency generator.

We had 2 incidents with MACA involving extremes in ph. We have spoken with them and there have been no further incidents. We have also had a few incidences where the influent contained some sort of dye. We have, as yet, been unable to determine where it came from.

We have received the results of the samples for the DMR quality assurance testing for the EPA. All results were satisfactory.

Preliminary budgets have been submitted with the only significant increases in the area of energy.

Respectfully Submitted

Keith L. Brobst

Water/Wastewater Superintendent

During the month of October:

Highway occupancy permits were completed for various leaks in the borough.

Throughout the month worked with the Jaycees and Chief Painter regarding the King Frost Parade.

Soliciting permits for the parade were completed.

Work has been completed on updating the EMA book.

Prepared an ordinance for the municipal center parking lot.

Work has been completed on renewing the trash and recycling contract.

Lynda and I met with representatives from Met-Ed regarding streetlights in the borough.

Various letters were mailed in response to complaints received regarding trash, debris, junk vehicles, water meters being blocked et.

Attended a meeting with Berks EIT in reference to collection of the local taxes. More information is to come on this subject.

Attended EMA training – 1^st Responder and Haz-Mat Awareness given through Reading Area Community College.

Attended two council meetings, one EMA meeting, one Civil Service Commission meeting and staff meetings as necessary.

Respectfully submitted,

Kim Y. Berger
Office Manager

HAMBURG BOROUGH POLICE DEPARTMENT

OCTOBER 2004 ACTIVITY REPORT

None due to illness

PROPERTY COMMITTEE MEETING

OCTOBER 26, 2004

MUNICIPAL BUILDING – 4PM

ATTENDING: Lynda Albright, Jeanette Heckman, Martha Bertolet, Tammy Wilkinson, Chuck Figard, John Leonforte & Dale Schlenker

Final payment letters have been sent to delinquent property owners who have not paid their Property Maintenance Code fee.

Mary Rockwell, Register Appraiser, should have the appraisal of value for the NAPA property the Borough would like to purchase.

The Library has received a grant for improvements to the building and they will begin shortly.

The zoning ordinance has been revised and the final public hearing should occur at the next Council Meeting.

Much discussion concerning the fee schedule for the Uniform Construction Code that the state has implemented. It was mentioned the state will receive a portion of each fee. The Zoning Officer will begin to track his time with the beginning of 2005; the Property Committee will then receive/act upon a final review implementation of fees.

Lynda Albright presented a parking diagram for the employees of the Borough, Legislative Office and D.J.’s office employees. The committee approved the diagram.

Landscaping at the base of the new scoreboard, at the park, has been completed, as an Eagle Scout project.

Wade Associates was contacted, the second time, for their appearance at a meeting to address the pool issues. We are anticipating a meeting shortly.

Deena Kerschner, from Our Town Foundation (OTF), made a presentation concerning the issue of "backlit signs." The concern is the direction of Hamburg and the implementation of the historical and nostalgic aura the town is trying to develop and the co-operation between Council and the OTF, in the future. Many communities are seeing a 81% increase in tourism and with that in mind the OTF has advertise, via banners, brochures and other media, the Historic Hamburg theme. Backlit signs do not fit this theme. It is the hope, Council will address this issue with an ordinance to promote the vision of Historic Hamburg by reviewing the OTF’s request for historical appropriate signage.

There are no updates available for the County’s Transportation Study; Barta Bus concerns; Salt storage; Cougle’s fencing; Municipal Building Fountain improvement; Ambulance Lease & Park Vandalism.

Chairman of Property

Dale R. Schlenker

On the recommendation of the Planning Commission and Bldg/Zoning Officer, a motion was made by Dale Schlenker and seconded by Charles Figard to adopt the new amended zoning ordinance as has been presented and advertised.

ROLL CALL: AYES – A. Dries, T. Wilkinson, M. Bertolet, J. Heckman, C. Figard, D. Schlenker

NAYES – None

On the recommendation of the Borough Manager, a motion was made by Dale Schlenker and seconded by Jeanette Heckman to adopt ordinance #723-04 authorizing the borough to join with other political subdivisions as a member

of the Pennsylvania Municipal Health Insurance Cooperative, to enter into an intergovernmental agreement for the purpose of joining the "PMHIC" and to participate as a member of the "PMHIC".

NAYES – None

On the recommendation of the Borough Manager, a motion was made by Charles Figard and seconded by Jeanette Heckman to approve the agreement with the Pennsylvania Municipal Health Insurance Cooperative.

ROLL CALL: AYES – A. Dries, T. Wilkinson, M. Bertolet, J. Heckman, C. Figard, D. Schlenker

NAYES – None

On the recommendation of the Property Committee, a motion was made by Dale Schlenker and seconded by Charles Figard to authorize a change to the zoning

ordinance regarding backlit signs in various sections of the Borough to promote the vision of historic Hamburg as requested by the OTF.

ROLL CALL: AYES –, M. Bertolet, J. Heckman, C. Figard, D. Schlenker

NAYES – A. Dries, T. Wilkinson

On the recommendation of the Finance Committee, a motion was made by Charles Figard and seconded by Jeanette Heckman authorizing the Borough Manager to work with the solicitor on applying for a Tax Anticipation Note for 2005.

NAYES – None

On the recommendation of the Finance Committee, a motion was made by Dale Schlenker and seconded by Charles Figard to award a contract to Schuylkill Paving Inc. in the amount of $7,300 to repair a 200’ X 25’ section of Turner Street before the end of November.

A motion was made by Charles Figard and seconded by Jeanette Heckman to approve payment of invoices totaling $113,398.38.

T. Wilkinson abstained from Reading Eagle (direct income) and Met-Ed (family member works for them)

NAYES – None

Nothing

NOVEMBER 15, 2004 – 7 P.M. – PLANNING COMMISSION

NOVEMBER 16, 2004 – 3:30 P.M. – SAFETY COMMITTEE

NOVEMBER 17, 2004 – 7 P.M. – AUTHORITY MEETING

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m. on the motion of Jeanette Heckman and seconded by Tammy Wilkinson.

Attest:

Kim Y. Berger
Recording Secretary/Office Manager