| Forks Action Committee |
| Homepage - Last Day of the Month |
| January 31, 2007 |
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This week's meetings began January 2nd at 5:30 PM with Board of Supervisors interviews of candidates for
expiring terms on the Zoning Hearing Board, the Planning Commission, and the Recreation Board. Unlike last year, when
discussion of the candidates took place in public view in the front of the meeting room, this year the Supervisors moved out of the
meeting room and into the Supervisors' room for a private session (that was not called an Executive Session).
At 7:00 PM, the Board held its annual re-organization meeting where it failed for the second year in a row, to
appoint a Chairman. Appointments to boards, commissions, and other positions were made. And, at 7:30 PM, the Board
held its first regular meeting and first official Executive Session of the year. Reporters from all 3 area
newspapers were there. Only Jan Schott's (The Easton News) article appeared in an online edition. None of the reporters waited
for the Executive Session results.
Highlights of the night include:
- 2006 Chairman David Hoff was not present, thereby leaving 4 Supervisors to vote and not select a 2007 Chairman, Vice
Chairman, and Secretary/Treasurer. Elections of all three were tabled in 4:0 votes. They will be revisited at the January
18th meeting when all Supervisors are expected to be present. - Two candidates were interviewed for the Recreation Board position. It was given to the incumbent, Ray Guffy.
- Three candidates were interviewed for the 2 openings on the Planning Commission. Incumbent Dean Turner was given
one slot and appointment to the other was tabled in a 3:1 vote with Howell voting not to table. The position will be re-
advertised and the Board was advised by Solicitor Karl Kline that it must be filled within 30 days of the vacancy. - The new Fire Chief is Forks resident Bryan Weis. He was Deputy Fire Chief.
- No agreement has been reached in the non-uniformed employees contract negotiations. A State mediator is due soon.
Until then, wages will remain at 2006 levels. - Solicitor Kline's hourly rate was raised to $130/hr from last year's $120/hr..
- Purchase of the needed replacement DVR was approved. It will cost $7000 to $8000. The snowy, old one will be saved for
backup. - Nunet may not be retained as webhost for the Township's website. A vote to hire WSI was tabled 3:1 (with Howell voting
nay to table). Supervisor Ackerman wants both companies to present their "cases" to the Board. - Weis Market's time extension request (until 1/31/06) was approved in a 4:0 vote. Their conditional use hearing before the
Board is scheduled for 6:30 PM on Thursday, January 18th - before the regular BoS meeting. - After the official Executive Session the Board voted to raise attorney Michael Shay's rate to $100/hr. He is the legal counsel
to the Zoning Hearing Board. - Also, after the Executive Session, Gary Sandt was relieved of his position as Director of the Department of Public Works in
a 4:0 vote. He will remain in Township employ as a member of the road crew. A January 5 meeting with the DPW crew
chiefs to go over their responsibilities was scheduled for 7:00 AM.
Please read our blog for more meeting details! Don't forget to read some of the other posts there... and the Comments too. Don't
be afraid to join in the discussion(s) and add your own Comments.
The Elected Auditors met on January 3rd to set the salaries of Supervisors who work for the Township, specifically
Secretary/Treasurer, John Ackerman and Donald Miller. (David Howell serves as Secretary/Treasurer until the new elections on
January 18.) The Secretary/Treasurer's wage was raised to $2271 from $2100. Ackerman is approved to plow snow and should
he be needed this year, his new rate will be $18/hr (up from $16.22/hr). Miller is employed full time to run the Community Center
and his 2007 wage was raised to $43,000 from 2006's $27600. By law the Board of Supervisors is prohibited from setting these
wages. One of the three elected auditors, Wayne Docker, resigned in December 2006 leaving only 2, Elizabeth Casapulla and
James Craig, to perform the task of setting Township-employed Supervisors' wages.
Secretary/Treasurer, John Ackerman and Donald Miller. (David Howell serves as Secretary/Treasurer until the new elections on
January 18.) The Secretary/Treasurer's wage was raised to $2271 from $2100. Ackerman is approved to plow snow and should
he be needed this year, his new rate will be $18/hr (up from $16.22/hr). Miller is employed full time to run the Community Center
and his 2007 wage was raised to $43,000 from 2006's $27600. By law the Board of Supervisors is prohibited from setting these
wages. One of the three elected auditors, Wayne Docker, resigned in December 2006 leaving only 2, Elizabeth Casapulla and
James Craig, to perform the task of setting Township-employed Supervisors' wages.
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The Planning Commission held its Re-Organization meeting on January 11th at 7:00 PM. Erik Chuss was
elected Chairman, Dean Turner is the new Vice Chairman, and John Castrovinci is the new Secretary. Their next action was to
discuss and vote to recommend to the Board of Supervisors that the Weis Market be approved as a conditional use in the
Economic Center zoning district. Votes were taken on a list of requirements that must be met including whether or not the use fit
the intent of the Comprehensive Plan. Here Dean Turner cast the sole nay vote of the night. The overall vote was 5:0 to
recommend the use. (Les Ottenwalder was absent and one PC position remains unfilled.) For more, read Courtney Lomax
(Express Times) and Joe Nixon (Morning Call.) Note: The ordinance change that allows the grocery is being contested by a group
of Forks residents. Hearings are ongoing with the next scheduled for February 26th at 7:30 PM.
elected Chairman, Dean Turner is the new Vice Chairman, and John Castrovinci is the new Secretary. Their next action was to
discuss and vote to recommend to the Board of Supervisors that the Weis Market be approved as a conditional use in the
Economic Center zoning district. Votes were taken on a list of requirements that must be met including whether or not the use fit
the intent of the Comprehensive Plan. Here Dean Turner cast the sole nay vote of the night. The overall vote was 5:0 to
recommend the use. (Les Ottenwalder was absent and one PC position remains unfilled.) For more, read Courtney Lomax
(Express Times) and Joe Nixon (Morning Call.) Note: The ordinance change that allows the grocery is being contested by a group
of Forks residents. Hearings are ongoing with the next scheduled for February 26th at 7:30 PM.
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On January 18th, Forks Board of Supervisors began a very long night with the 6:30 PM Weis
Market Conditional Use Hearing. The hearing was stopped at 8:00 PM and will be continued on
Tuesday, February 6th at 6:30 PM. Please read Joe Nixon (Morning Call) and Courtney Lomax (Express
Times) for reports about the hearing. And, yes, the unreceived (by Zoning Officer Tim Weis) traffic report
was indeed received - by Fred Hay, Township Engineer - last August.
The rest of the night - in a nutshell:
Please read our blog for more meeting details! Don't forget to read some of the other posts there... and
the Comments too. Don't be afraid to join in the discussion(s) and add your own Comments.
Market Conditional Use Hearing. The hearing was stopped at 8:00 PM and will be continued on
Tuesday, February 6th at 6:30 PM. Please read Joe Nixon (Morning Call) and Courtney Lomax (Express
Times) for reports about the hearing. And, yes, the unreceived (by Zoning Officer Tim Weis) traffic report
was indeed received - by Fred Hay, Township Engineer - last August.
The rest of the night - in a nutshell:
- The Township's paid auditors have suggested that audits be requested of all non-profit
organizations used by the Township (ie. fire, EMS, recreation, etc.) - All employee training is tracked by Barb Bartek and regular reports may be made to the Board.
- Preparation and article writing will begin soon for the spring issue of the Forks Quarterly.
- Public Works met with all Township crew chiefs on January 5th to discuss how things were
going and what they planned to accomplish with their workers in the upcoming year. - The new storage facility behind the Community Center is finished and the old space has been
refurbished for rentals (parties, meetings, etc.) - Forks is getting a new web host for the Township website. Valuenet of Florida has been
selected as providing more than enough space for the Forks site now and in the future at the
reasonable price of $14-$15/mth. - The Finance & Administration Committee will learn (at its 1/24 meeting) the details of the cell
tower location that Verizon wants to erect on Township land. - The Easton Area Joint Sewer Authority has billed the Township for additional charges - for back
years. The figures are being checked by Finance Manager Jim Farley. - Negotiations with the non-uniformed bargaining unit continue. A State mediator is now involved.
The next session will be next Tuesday. - Wayne Docker submitted a formal letter of resignation from his position as an Elected Auditor.
The Board must appoint an auditor to finish the term within 30 days of 1/12/07. It expires
12/31/07. The elected auditors' sole function in Forks is to set the wages of Supervisors who
work for the Township in other capacities. For example, John Ackerman could plow snow if
needed, David Howell is paid a little extra as the Secretary/Treasurer, and Don Miller has a full-
time job running the Community Center. - Forks EMS may get a provisional license to begin operations as a BLS provider as soon as
March of this year. If they do, Suburban will move out of Forks but continue to provide ALS
service. Please read Lomax (Express Times) and Nixon (Morning Call) for details. - The Forks Township Fire Department raised $147,011in 2006 through grants and donations.
This matched 94.2% of their budget. They are the 2nd largest (60 firefighters) and the 3rd
busiest volunteer fire company in Northampton County!
Please read our blog for more meeting details! Don't forget to read some of the other posts there... and
the Comments too. Don't be afraid to join in the discussion(s) and add your own Comments.
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In case any of you wonder how our website and blog are doing lately, here are some graphs to view. Double click on the
images below for larger views. We are excited at the traffic we are getting. Thank you all! Tell your friends!
images below for larger views. We are excited at the traffic we are getting. Thank you all! Tell your friends!