CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP
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The Charlestown Board of Supervisors held their regular monthly meeting at 8:00pm, Monday, December 2, 1991 at the Charlestown Elementary School, Charlestown Road, Devault.
| Present: | Irene W. Ewald, Chairman; John C. Martin, Jr., Vice Chairman; Vincent G. Kling, Sr., Member; Surender S. Kohli, P.E.; James E. McErlane, Esq.; Ruth W. Buckwalter, Secretary; and those on the attached list of attendees. |
The Chairman called the meeting to order.
Mr. Kling moved to approve the minutes of the November 11, 1991 meeting. Mr. Martin seconded the motion, it unanimously carried.
Mr. Martin moved to approve the November 1991 Treasurer’s Report. Mr. Kling seconded the motion and it unanimously carried.
Mr. Martin moved to approve the December 2, 1991 Accounts Payable. The motion was seconded by Mr. Kling and carried unanimously. The Chairman noted that she has repeatedly asked the Kimberton Fire Co. for a contract and a budget statement. but neither have been received.
Zoning Officer’s Report: Mr. Kohli submitted his report of Building and Use & Occupancy Permits issued during the month of November. He reported receiving a number of complaints against hunters on private property to which he informed residents their property must be posted for the Game Warden to enforce no hunting. In reply to Mrs. Ewald’s question, Mr. Kohli stated that no construction is taking place on the Cottman property to his knowledge, but he will check on the matter. Sewer issues re. both the Brownie and Cottman properties have been referred to the County.
Planning Commission Report: Mr. A. G. Ziegler reported on a second meeting with Mr. Volpi and the Planning Commission re his property on Yellow Springs Road and Phoenixville Pike. Also, plans were brought to the Commission meeting for Panilquin by Mr. Panizza with the request for approval at that time. The Commission needed time to review the plans and so informed Mr. Panizza he would have to wait for their next session.
Parks and Recreation Board: Bob Elmer presented the one issue of contention with the Phoenixville Area Soccer Club Agreement., and that is the time duration of the Agreement. The Soccer Club would like the same lease term as the Phoenixville Marian Youth Club has with the Township. Mrs. Ewald noted that the intent there is ”evergreen”. After further discussion, the Soccer Club representative, Tom Floyd, agreed to go with the up-dated Agreement. Mrs. Ewald stated that the only fees for the buildings, and so forth, will be direct reimbursement to the Township for Mr. Kohli’s direct time. Mr. McErlane will send the Agreement to the Soccer Club for signatures to be returned to Mrs. Ewald or the Township Secretary. Mr. Elmer then discussed the ponds on the park property which he would like to review with Mr. Kohli in the near future.
Historical Commission Report: Mrs. Janet Baldwin gave a review of the Historical Commission’s activity during 1991. She submitted, for the Township files, a complete listing of 140 historic properties in Charlestown accompanied by a numbered map identifying the location of each. The highlights of her report listed: 1.) the rebuilt stone wall at the Old Charlestown Cemetery. 2.) agreement with Morris Schindler to preserve both the 18th century tenant house and the oldest part of the former Alexander Smith house. 3.) Mr. Volpi’s tentative offer to donate the Cornog-Supplee House, originally one of Charlestown’s largest and handsomest 18th century dwellings, 4.)Judge Sugarman’s decision to uphold the easement re the former Baughman property. 5.) regrettably, the Four Oaks farmhouse was demolished. Mrs. Ewald thanked Mrs. Baldwin for the excellent report, and noted one more item for the Commission’s attention – the Patriotic Sons of America need to know the height of the flagpole that they will provide for the Old Cemetery and the exact location for installation of same.
Mr. John Samar came to the Board to formally ask relief from the condition attached to Heatherwood Subdivision that does not allow the 2 lots at the top of the hill to be developed until the bottom 4 lots are approved. The issue here is the storm water management system, which has never been tested because the roadwork is incomplete. Mr. Samar said that 80% of this project has been done by out-of-pocket financing and now he needs to arrange bank financing. The bank will not fund him without an approved 6 lot plan. Mrs. Ewald asked Mr. McErlane to check if Mr. Samar has an approved subdivision plan because he filed an appeal which was never heard. After further discussion, Mrs. Ewald suggested the Supervisors try to work something out that will address the same problem in a way that the bank will approve financing Mr. Samar’s project. The matter was then deferred until the December 16 meeting.
Mrs. Julianne Street called the Supervisors’ attention to alleged violations by the Riverdale Quarry according to their conditional Agreement of 1988. Conditions included installing a berm, putting, up a fence and planting trees. These have never been fulfilled. Mrs. Ewald informed her that these complaints were relayed to the Quarry owner at the November 25th meeting of the Supervisors. Mr. Hess had assured the Board that these projects were being handled at this time. Other complaints were listed by Mrs. Street which she asked to have checked with the Agreement regulations. Mr. Kohli offered to check out her complaints if she would call him when violations of noise, lights and working schedules are going on. Mr. Kohli will review the Quarry plan and the Secretary was asked to pull the Agreement from the files for review.
The Northern Chester County Nursing Service was tabled until the December 16 meeting.
The issue of an independent auditor was the next item on the agenda. Mrs. Ewald read aloud a ratification Resolution adopted at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting of November 25th 1991, which appointed an independent auditor for Charlestown Township for the coming year. [Amended 12-16-91 RWB.] On November 29, Mr. McErlane presented a petition, signed by Charlestown residents, and a proposed Order which appointed Emery S. Todd, CPA, to audit the accounts of Charlestown Township for a period of one year at the rate of compensation for said year not to exceed $3,000. Judge Shenkin signed the Order (copy on file at Township office) and it was filed. A hearing is to be scheduled by the Court Administrator at a later date. Mr. Martin objected to the procedure of this appointment and called it highly irregular. Pros and cons were exchanged by the Supervisors and also by the attendees. Mrs. Ewald asked for a motion to ratify the filing of the petition. Over Mr. Martin’s objection, Mr. Kling so moved, Mrs. Ewald seconded. The Chairman called for a roll call vote: Mrs. Ewald -yes; Mr. Kling - yes; Mr. Martin - no. Mr. Martin presented a motion that the Board revoke the decision of November 25th to petition the Court and therefore withdraw the petition to appoint a certified public accountant. The motion died for lack of a second.
The 1992 Budget was deferred until the December 16 meeting. Mr. Martin so moved, Mrs. Ewald seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
At this time, responsive government and goals for 1992 came under discussion. Mr. Kling listed improvements he would like implemented in a letter dated November 26 which included the following: 1.) a good public address system, 2.) sturdy easels with good lighting to display plans at public meetings, 3.) a large scale map of the Township showing surrounding townships and their land uses. Mrs. Ewald’s list: 1.) reinvestigate readdressing the Township, 2.) move forward on a recycling program, 3.) Ordinance revisions. Mr. Martin listed: 1.) more frequent Newsletters to the residents, 2.) legal, engineering and consultant fees should be reduced, applying this% money to items such as open space, the Rapp House and the Old Cemetery. [Amended 12-16-91 RWB.]
All business completed, Mr. Kling moved to adjourn the meeting, Mrs. Ewald seconded the motion, it so carried. The meeting was adjourned - 10:25pm.
Secretary
