Attendance: ---------- 8

Courtesy of the Floor: None

Approval of Minutes: November 5, 2007 - Budget Meeting

Motion: I move we waive the reading of the Minutes of the November 5, 2007 Budget Meeting and accept same as presented.

Paulus, Hayden: Moved and Seconded
Atkinson, Dreisbach, Hayden, Kovacs, Paulus: ------- Aye ------- Unan.

Old Business:

1.) Public Hearing – Continuation of Proposed 2008 Operating, Capital Reserve, Liquid Fuels, Water and Sewer Budgets (Review and Discussion).

Chairman Paulus opened the Public Hearing on the proposed 2008 Budgets. He noted that in attendance at the meeting to review their Budgets were the Public Works Director and the Fire Chief as well as several representatives of Han-Le-Co Volunteer Fire Company No. 1. Prior to opening the discussions with respect to the Highway Budget and the Fire Budget, the Township Manager advised the Board that she would like to review with them certain changes to the Liquid Fuels Budget for the year 2008.

The Township Manager advised the Board that expenditures for the Township’s Road Program were much less than the budgeted amount of $190,000. Accordingly, the Liquid Fuels Budget will need to be revised to reflect a Beginning Operating Reserve of $88,250. With respect to Revenues, Interest has been revised from $100 to $200. State Allocation has been revised from $47,300 to $50,455. Mrs. Pudliner noted that the Township has received the State Allocation funds for this year and that is the reason why same has been revised for 2008 to reflect the increase. Total Receipts has been revised from $47,600 to $138,905. With respect to the Expenditure portion of the Liquid Fuels Budget, the Township Manager advised that Street Lighting has been revised from $45,000 to $72,000. Mrs. Pudliner noted that it is her intent to pay the entire Street Lighting bill from Liquid Fuels funds and eliminate that expense in the General Fund Budget. Accordingly, Total Expenditures was revised from $45,000 to $72,000. All of these changes revise the ending balance from $2,600 to $66,905. The Township Manager noted that in reviewing the Highway Department Budget the Street Lighting figure in that budget will be reduced to zero as a result of the changes reflected in the Liquid Fuels Budget.

At this point in the meeting, the Board proceeded to review the proposed 2008 Highway Budget with the Township’s Public Works Director. As a result of discussions regarding the Budget, the line item for Traffic Signal Electric was revised from $4,700 to $5,500. There was a discussion with respect to the purchase of a Flail Mower at an expense of $60,000. The Public Works Director advised the Board that the current mower is approximately 20 years old and you cannot get parts for same at this time. He indicated the Township just spent $3,000 to repair this piece of equipment. Council was of the opinion that a new Flail Mower should be purchased in the year 2008 and accordingly the line item for Flail Mower in the amount of $60,000 remained in the Budget. As previously noted, the line item for Street Lighting which is budgeted at $72,000 has been reduced to zero as a result of the Liquid Fuels Account paying street lighting expenditures in the year 2008. No other changes were made to the Highway Budget.

At this point in the meeting, the Board reviewed the Proposed 2008 Fire Budget. No revisions were made to the Budget at this time. However, there was discussion with respect to a new category titled Firemen’s Fund in the amount of $11,000. Mr. Joe Samanka, President of Han-Le-Co Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 appeared at the meeting and advised the Board that these monies have been put in the Budget to offset some of the costs to the Township’s fire fighters. He noted that the Fire Company’s biggest revenue maker had been the coin tosses, which had been deemed illegal and, accordingly, the Fire Company had ceased doing the coin tosses. He noted that the $11,000 figure represents payment to the fire fighters, which is not a salary and really represents $3.00 per call. Mr. Samanka noted that he had done a survey of other fire companies to come up with the $3.00 per call figure. Councilman Kovacs questioned what the payments were to the firemen in the year 2006. Mr. Samanka noted that last year they were reimbursed $1.00 per call, $1.00 per training session, $1.00 per special assignment, and $1.00 for each meeting they attended. Councilman Kovacs inquired as to what the other fire companies surveyed are doing and Mr. Samanka noted that the Borough of Catasauqua is paying $3.00 to $4.00 per call, Whitehall Township is paying $3.00 to $5.00 per call and Lower Macungie is paying $3.00 to $4.00 per call. He also noted that the Borough of Emmaus has a paid department although they are volunteers. Upon questioning, Mr. Samanka advised the Board that the fire company had approximately 270 calls in the year 2007. Councilman Kovacs noted that at $3.00 a call the figure would be more in the area of $6,000 to $7,000. Mr. Samanka indicated that the officers of Han-Le-Co get more than the individual fire fighters. Councilman Kovacs questioned whether or not the fire company could provide the Board, for their next meeting, all the figures that were discussed at this meeting relative to per call payments for fire fighters and officers.

Councilman Atkinson opened a discussion with respect to the fact that there will probably be legislation to revise the state law to allow coin tosses in the near future. Mr. Samanka indicated that he believed the legislation only allowed the coin tosses at four way stop intersections and that would limit Han-Le-Co to Irving and Lloyd Streets. Councilman Kovacs commented that he had been advised by two of our state representatives that the coin tosses would be reinstated. Councilman Kovacs questioned where coin tosses were held by Han-Le-Co and Mr. Samanka noted that they held coin tosses at Catasauqua Rd. and on a Friday night in front of the fire station. There was some discussion with respect to the fact that previously the fire company had been before the Board and had indicated that the coin toss revenue was between, $5,000 to $7,000. The Budget figure in the 2008 Budget as proposed is $11,000. There was discussion with respect to securing donations from residents and businesses. The Township Fire Chief, Robin Yoder, noted that the donations are basically from the residents. He also noted that the newsletter, which the Fire Company sends out, costs them approximately $800 and the donation collections may be around $1,500 to $2,000. Mr. Samanka noted that Han-Le-Co had actually sent letters out to the businesses this year but received a poor response. Councilman Kovacs questioned whether or not a donation was received from B. Braun. Mr. Samanka noted that this past year he believed they had donated $200 or $300. Councilman Kovacs questioned the Fire Company’s procedure with respect to false alarms. He indicated that he was of the opinion that the third time the Fire Company had to respond to a false alarm there was a charge of $100. Mr. Yoder acknowledged that was the case; however, he noted that the Fire Company had continually gone to the Hilton because kids were pulling the pull station. The Fire Company told them how to fix it by placing a child guard on the unit and kept telling them, but they did not respond and, eventually, the Fire Company enacted their fining process and when the fines reached $800 the Hilton paid same. The matter was finally resolved by the installation of the child guard. Mr. Yoder also indicated that same process had to be used for the business where Pos’ Tive Produce is now located. Chairman Paulus commented that he felt the Fire Company should be able to get better participation from the Township businesses. Mr. Yoder noted that everybody thinks that the Fire Departments are paid. He further noted that the Lehigh Valley is going to get to a level where you need paid people during the day. Some of the other municipalities are saying Public Works personnel that are hired must be a fire fighter and willing to train and respond to daytime calls. Mr. Samanka noted that a lot of the municipalities have enacted the EMS tax at the rate of $52 per year which only hits employees who work in the Township. There was some discussion with respect to a fire tax, which would be added on to the real estate tax. In conclusion of the discussions, Council asked the Fire Company representatives to give the numbers requested to the Township Manager or Township Clerk for the Board to review at their next meeting.

At this point in the meeting, the Board reviewed the Emergency Management Budget with the Township’s Fire Chief and made no changes to that Department.

Since there were no more discussions to be held this evening, Chairman Paulus closed the Public Hearing on the Proposed 2008 Budgets with the next meeting to be held on Monday, November 19, 2007 at 7:00 P.M.

New Business: None

Courtesy of the Floor: None

Adjournment:

The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 P.M..

Respectfully submitted,

Sandra A. Pudliner
Township Manager