Before
THE TOBYHANNA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
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In Re: Regular Business Meeting
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Tobyhanna Township Government Center Building
State Avenue
Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania 18350
Monday, March 8, 2010 beginning at 7:08 p.m.
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PRESENT: JOHN E. KERRICK, Chairperson
HEIDI A. PICKARD, Vice-Chairperson
JAMIE B. KEENER, Board Member
DONALD J. MOYER, Board Member
ANNE LAMBERTON, Board Member
PATRICK M. ARMSTRONG, ESQUIRE, Solicitor
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______________________________________________________
PANKO REPORTING
537 Sarah Street, 2nd Floor
Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 18360
(570) 421-3620
2
1 MR. KERRICK: Call the meeting to
2 order, regular business meeting, March 8, 2010.
3 Pledge of Allegiance, please.
4 (Pledge of Allegiance was recited.)
5 MR. KERRICK: I'd like to welcome
6 everyone here this evening.
7 First item, do we have any
8 announcements? No?
9 Next item, consider the minutes
10 December 14, 2009 regular business meeting;
11 February 1, 2010 work session on Lake Naomi
12 Pedestrian Bridge Walkway bids; and February 8,
13 2010 regular business meeting.
14 What's the board's pleasure?
15 MS. PICKARD: I'll make a motion
16 that we approve the December 14, 2009; the
17 February 1, 2010 work session; and the February 8
18 regular business meeting minutes.
19 MR. MOYER: Second.
20 MR. KERRICK: Motion and second on
21 the floor.
22 Any questions or comments from the
23 board?
24 Any questions or comments from the
25 public on the motion?
3
1 Call the vote?
2 Jamie?
3 MR. KEENER: I vote in favor.
4 MR. KERRICK: Anne?
5 MS. LAMBERTON: I vote in favor.
6 MR. KERRICK: Donny?
7 MR. MOYER: I vote in favor.
8 MR. KERRICK: Heidi?
9 MS. PICKARD: I vote in favor.
10 MR. KERRICK: I vote in favor.
11 Motion carried.
12 Next item on our agenda, bill pack
13 dated March 8, 2010. Total amount for board
14 approval; $132,145.51.
15 What's the board's pleasure?
16 MS. PICKARD: I make a motion that
17 we approve the March 8, 2010 bill pack in the
18 amount of $132,145.51.
19 MR. KEENER: Second.
20 MR. KERRICK: Motion and second.
21 Questions or comments from the
22 board?
23 Questions or comments from the
24 public on the motion?
25 Call the vote?
4
1 Jamie?
2 MR. KEENER: I vote in favor.
3 MR. KERRICK: Anne?
4 MS. LAMBERTON: I vote in favor.
5 MR. KERRICK: Donny?
6 MR. MOYER: I vote in favor.
7 MR. KERRICK: Heidi?
8 MS. PICKARD: I vote in favor.
9 MR. KERRICK: Motion carried.
10 Next item on our agenda, solicitor's
11 report.
12 MR. ARMSTRONG: The first item under
13 my report is Ordinance No. 486, the intermunicipal
14 agreement, authorization with Tunkhannock Township
15 for the sewage enforcement officer services
16 agreement with Tunkhannock Township.
17 This is an ordinance that would
18 authorize the township of Tobyhanna to enter into
19 an agreement with Tunkhannock Township. And in
20 doing that, the Intermunicipal Cooperation Act
21 requires such an ordinance before the actual
22 agreement is entered into.
23 This ordinance has been advertised
24 in the Pocono Record on March 1, 2010; and it's
25 been advertised for a public hearing this evening
5
1 at seven o'clock at the Tobyhanna Township
2 Government Center. It's also been provided at the
3 township offices, as well as the Monroe County Law
4 Library for public availability.
5 And what the ordinance does is, as I
6 indicated before, it authorizes you to enter into
7 an intermunicipal agreement with Tunkhannock
8 Township for the contraction of SEO services.
9 Basically Tunkhannock Township does not have an
10 SEO, sewage enforcement officer, and Tobyhanna
11 Township does. And Tobyhanna Township has
12 discussed with Tunkhannock Township the ability to
13 provide those services to Tunkhannock Township for
14 a certain fee. The fee is set in the agreement at
15 $40 per hour of the SEO officer's time, and that
16 fee can be adjusted annually by Tobyhanna Township
17 by way of a fee resolution.
18 So at this time it is set for a
19 public hearing. If there's no other comments or
20 questions from the board at this time, it would be
21 appropriate to open that hearing up to the public
22 for any public comment.
23 Seeing none, are there any comments
24 from the public at this time? This is a public
25 hearing. If you do, you have the right to indicate
6
1 so. Seeing none --
2 MR. KEENER: I make a motion we
3 close the hearing for Ordinance No. 486.
4 MR. ARMSTRONG: At this time if the
5 board would entertain a motion to approve Ordinance
6 No. 486.
7 MR. KEENER: I make a motion we
8 approve Ordinance No. 486, the intermunicipal
9 agreement with Tunkhannock Township relative to SEO
10 services.
11 MS. PICKARD: I'll second the
12 motion.
13 MR. KERRICK: Motion and second on
14 the floor.
15 Any questions or comments?
16 Questions or comments from the
17 public on the motion?
18 Call the vote.
19 Jamie?
20 MR. KEENER: I vote in favor.
21 MR. KERRICK: Anne?
22 MS. LAMBERTON: I vote in favor.
23 MR. KERRICK: Donny?
24 MR. MOYER: I vote in favor.
25 MR. KERRICK: Heidi?
7
1 MS. PICKARD: I vote in favor.
2 MR. KERRICK: I vote in favor.
3 Motion carried.
4 MR. ARMSTRONG: And along the same
5 lines, you have just adopted the ordinance
6 authorizing the entry into the agreement. Now
7 would be appropriate for you to consider the
8 approval and action of the actual agreement with
9 Tunkhannock Township.
10 MR. KEENER: I make a motion we
11 approve the SEO services with Tunkhannock Township.
12 MS. PICKARD: Second the motion.
13 MR. KERRICK: Motion and second.
14 Questions or comments?
15 Questions or comments from the
16 public?
17 Call the vote.
18 Jamie?
19 MR. KEENER: I vote in favor.
20 MR. KERRICK: Anne?
21 MS. LAMBERTON: I vote in favor.
22 MR. KERRICK: Donny?
23 MR. MOYER: I vote in favor.
24 MR. KERRICK: Heidi?
25 MS. PICKARD: I vote in favor.
8
1 MR. KERRICK: I vote in favor.
2 Motion carried.
3 MR. ARMSTRONG: The next item under
4 my agenda -- or under my report is just basically
5 notification of the Pinecrest Lake Phase 1C. Their
6 letter of credit has expired. There's a
7 correspondence from Community Bank dated
8 February 9, 2010 with respect to a return of the
9 letter of credit. The letter of credit expired;
10 there was no evergreen clause, it's no longer
11 valid. Bob McHale, the township engineer, reviewed
12 everything and it's my understanding that he's
13 agreeable that everything has been completed and
14 satisfactory.
15 There's still -- I'm not sure if
16 there's not necessarily the physical work, but I
17 believe he's waiting for some permitting from the
18 applicant. An NPDES notice of termination shall be
19 filed by the developer upon completion of the
20 improvements. The improvements are completed to my
21 understanding.
22 At this point this board can make a
23 motion to return that letter of credit to the bank
24 conditional upon satisfaction of all the required
25 improvements, to the satisfaction of the township's
9
1 engineer, as it's my understanding it is at this
2 point.
3 MS. PICKARD: So moved.
4 MR. KEENER: Second.
5 MR. KERRICK: Motion and second.
6 Questions or comments from the
7 board?
8 Questions or comments from the
9 public?
10 Call the vote.
11 Jamie?
12 MR. KEENER: I vote in favor.
13 MR. KERRICK: Anne?
14 MS. LAMBERTON: I vote in favor.
15 MR. KERRICK: Donny?
16 MR. MOYER: I vote in favor.
17 MR. KERRICK: Heidi?
18 MS. PICKARD: I vote in favor.
19 MR. KERRICK: I vote in favor.
20 Motion carried.
21 MR. ARMSTRONG: The next thing under
22 my report is the Lost Trails, LLC conditional use.
23 We currently -- well, we previously had an
24 extension of time to act on that conditional use
25 application until March 15. I believe this
10
1 morning -- or Friday we received another extension
2 of time until May 15. The board has been
3 considering this since, I believe, December, a
4 conditional use hearing. I think the applicant is
5 still working with PennDOT to secure some permits
6 from PennDOT. You do have a draft written
7 adjudication. I don't know if the applicant has
8 anything any presentation for the board at this
9 time, but if the board is agreeable to not act on
10 this at this time and accept the extension of time
11 from the applicant, you can do so.
12 MR. KEENER: When are you
13 anticipating opening again?
14 MR. ANTHONY NOVACK: Now.
15 MR. ARMSTRONG: The applicant does
16 not have a conditional use approval from this
17 board. And any decision from this board, there
18 will be a condition that he receives all of the
19 requisite approvals and permits from not only this
20 township but also outside agencies including
21 PennDOT, and the applicant should be made aware of
22 that if he does operate without a conditional use
23 approval from this township, he's not only in
24 violation of this township's ordinances but also in
25 violation of PennDOT, if you're operating without a
11
1 PennDOT approval at this time.
2 MS. PICKARD: Do you have an update
3 for us on what transpired at your meeting from
4 PennDOT and when you would expect to get the
5 permit?
6 MR. ANTHONY NOVACK: It took us over
7 a month getting a site meeting with them, but we
8 met on Tuesday, March -- just this past Tuesday.
9 We needed -- we had some concerns -- or my engineer
10 had some concerns with some site visibility and
11 guardrails that were there, but when we met with
12 PennDOT out there, what they had suggested, and now
13 we know what to present or put in our application,
14 is to move the driveway about 50 feet closer to
15 380, which would give you more sight going through
16 the tunnel and that was basically it. Okay?
17 So now my engineer should have
18 everything in to them within the next two weeks and
19 I'm waiting for their reply to come back. I've
20 kept Phyllis addressed; she's got copies of all the
21 e-mails that went back and forth with PennDOT, just
22 trying to get them to come out and meet with us.
23 MR. ARMSTRONG: So at this point I
24 think if the board -- you know, if you want to
25 issue the decision or if you want to hold off and
12
1 accept the additional extension of time, it's
2 whatever the pleasure of the board is at this
3 point.
4 MR. MOYER: Can we comment?
5 MR. KERRICK: What do you want to
6 do? Did everybody review the draft that Pat had?
7 MR. KEENER: A couple of months ago.
8 MR. KERRICK: Any other questions or
9 comments or additions to it?
10 MR. KEENER: No. I think it catches
11 all of the conditions that we had established.
12 Again, when did we meet, back in December?
13 MS. PICKARD: It was actually
14 November we had the hearing.
15 MR. ARMSTRONG: I believe it was
16 sometime in late 2009 was the hearing.
17 MR. KEENER: When are you going to
18 have this stuff back from PennDOT?
19 MR. ANTHONY NOVACK: Within the next
20 two weeks.
21 MS. PICKARD: We accept --
22 MR. ANTHONY NOVACK: I mean, I'm
23 agreeable to the extension.
24 MS. PICKARD: If we accept the
25 extension, we still can take action next month if
13
1 we --
2 MR. MOYER: Yeah.
3 MR. ARMSTRONG: I mean, granted, the
4 written extension takes us until May 15, but if you
5 wanted to act at your April meeting, you can as
6 well. There's nothing requiring you to wait until
7 the extension expires and the applicant's aware of
8 that.
9 MR. KEENER: It's the lesser of the
10 two approvals that I would be comfortable with. I
11 wouldn't want to approve the conditions at this
12 point because that basically says that he has to
13 meet all the conditions for operation. If he plans
14 on opening now, he's not going to meet the
15 conditions.
16 MR. ANTHONY NOVACK: Well, we
17 couldn't do any construction at all. Even PennDOT
18 said that even if they had everything a month ago,
19 they said they couldn't -- no, you couldn't do any
20 construction, they said, until April or May,
21 depending on the weather.
22 MR. KEENER: Right. But are they
23 going to allow you to operate with --
24 MR. ANTHONY NOVACK: I guess that
25 would have to come in with the packet, I mean, when
14
1 they answer us.
2 MR. KEENER: But I'm saying, now
3 that they know that your driveway is there and it
4 doesn't meet the criteria, are they going to allow
5 you to use that driveway to access your business?
6 MR. ANTHONY NOVACK: That I don't
7 know.
8 MS. PICKARD: That would be a part
9 of the condition when we approve the --
10 MR. KEENER: No, that's now. If
11 that thing's not compliant and they're using it,
12 it's at their risk and I'm sure that PennDOT would
13 be -- I would think that they would have a letter
14 out there saying that you're operating at your risk
15 and it doesn't meet the sight distance criteria. I
16 mean, this is the first I'm hearing about the sight
17 distance issue.
18 MR. ANTHONY NOVACK: Well, they were
19 a little up in the air too. The sight distances
20 were okay with what was existing as far as they
21 were concerned. However, there was another catch
22 about widening the road, adding eight more feet to
23 the shoulders on either side. And until they come
24 out and actually shoot everything, even they are
25 not a hundred percent sure. We were like on the
15
1 border. But they had to go check some charts,
2 which they said they would let us know about. So,
3 I'm sorry, I don't have full answers for you.
4 MR. KEENER: I'll make a motion we
5 approve the extension to May 15, 2010.
6 MR. MOYER: Second.
7 MR. KERRICK: Motion and second.
8 Questions or comments from the
9 board?
10 Questions or comments from the
11 public on the motion?
12 Call the vote.
13 Jamie?
14 MR. KEENER: I vote in favor.
15 MR. KERRICK: Anne?
16 MS. LAMBERTON: I vote in favor.
17 MR. KERRICK: Donny?
18 MR. MOYER: I vote in favor.
19 MR. KERRICK: Heidi?
20 MS. PICKARD: I vote in favor.
21 MR. KERRICK: I vote in favor.
22 Motion carried.
23 MR. ARMSTRONG: The only other thing
24 I wanted to mention is, I was copied on a letter
25 from PennDOT with respect to the Lake Naomi
16
1 pedestrian path. It looks like at least one of the
2 departments at PennDOT have approved for the bid.
3 I think we're waiting for a response from whoever
4 this letter from PennDOT is directed to at PennDOT,
5 if that makes any sense.
6 MR. KERRICK: Not really.
7 MR. ARMSTRONG: But I just wanted to
8 bring the board up to speed with respect to that
9 project, and that's all I have.
10 MR. KERRICK: Do you have anything
11 else? That's it?
12 MR. ARMSTRONG: That's it. I guess
13 once we get the final go ahead from PennDOT, we'll
14 go forward with notifying the bidders and open the
15 contracts out, open it out. That's all I have.
16 MR. KERRICK: You think that will
17 happen this year?
18 MS. PICKARD: On Memorial Day.
19 MR. KERRICK: Next item on our
20 agenda, new business. Accept resignation of sewage
21 hearing board officer George Ewald and consider
22 appointing a new sewage hearing board officer.
23 First, motion to accept his
24 resignation?
25 MS. PICKARD: I make a motion we
17
1 accept the resignation of George Ewald as our
2 sewage hearing board officer.
3 MR. MOYER: Second.
4 MR. KERRICK: Motion and second.
5 Questions or comments?
6 Questions or comments from the
7 public?
8 Call the vote.
9 MR. KEENER: I vote in favor.
10 MR. KERRICK: Anne?
11 MS. LAMBERTON: I vote in favor.
12 MR. KERRICK: Donny?
13 MR. MOYER: I vote in favor.
14 MR. KERRICK: Heidi?
15 MS. PICKARD: I vote in favor.
16 MR. KERRICK: I vote in favor.
17 And at this time we --
18 MS. PICKARD: I make a motion we
19 table the appointment of the sewage hearing board
20 officer.
21 MR. KERRICK: Do I have a second?
22 Donny?
23 MR. MOYER: Second. Sorry.
24 MR. KERRICK: That's okay.
25 Questions or comments?
18
1 Questions or comments from the
2 public on the motion?
3 Call the vote.
4 Jamie?
5 MR. KEENER: I vote in favor.
6 MR. KERRICK: Anne?
7 MS. LAMBERTON: I vote in favor.
8 MR. KERRICK: Donny?
9 MR. MOYER: I vote in favor.
10 MR. KERRICK: Heidi?
11 MS. PICKARD: I vote in favor.
12 MR. KERRICK: I vote in favor.
13 Motion carried.
14 Next item on our agenda, Catherine
15 Aquilino, Lots 13, 14A, B, C, Block A-113, Section
16 5, Arrowhead Lake.
17 MS. PICKARD: It's a lot joinder and
18 we have everything that we required, so with that
19 I'll make a motion that we approve the lot joinder
20 of Catherine M. Aquilino, Lots 13 and 14A, B, C,
21 Block A-113, Section 5, Arrowhead Lake.
22 MR. KERRICK: We have a motion, do
23 we have a second?
24 MR. KEENER: Second.
25 MR. KERRICK: Questions or comments
19
1 from the board?
2 Questions or comments from the
3 public?
4 Call the vote.
5 Jamie?
6 MR. KEENER: I vote in favor.
7 MR. KERRICK: Anne?
8 MS. LAMBERTON: I vote in favor.
9 MR. KERRICK: Donny?
10 MR. MOYER: I vote in favor.
11 MR. KERRICK: Heidi?
12 MS. PICKARD: I vote in favor.
13 MR. KERRICK: I vote in favor.
14 Motion carried.
15 Next item, consider Act 537 update
16 and proposal. We'll table that until next month.
17 MR. MOYER: Yeah.
18 MS. PICKARD: Do we need a motion?
19 MR. KERRICK: No, I don't think we
20 need a motion for that.
21 Next item, Animal Welfare Society of
22 Monroe donation request.
23 Do you have anything you want to
24 add?
25 MS. PICKARD: No.
20
1 Is there anybody here from AWSOM?
2 They just sent a letter and asked to
3 be put on the agenda. They were looking to solicit
4 a donation.
5 MR. KERRICK: I mean, we normally
6 don't donate out. It's nothing against them, but
7 we really don't have the funds at the present time.
8 MS. PICKARD: I wanted to mention
9 that our council of government made a donation in
10 their golf tournament last year and proceeds went
11 to AWSOM as well, but they are looking for more.
12 We did not put it in the budget.
13 MR. KERRICK: Does the board have a
14 problem if we authorize Heidi to write them a
15 letter?
16 MS. LAMBERTON: No.
17 MS. PICKARD: Just saying we're --
18 MR. KERRICK: We can't afford it.
19 Next item on our agenda, Gearhart
20 Properties, LLC/Moose Crossing.
21 MR. HENRY GEARHART: My name is
22 Henry Gearhart. That's H-e-n-r-y G-e-a-r-h-a-r-t.
23 As you're aware Gearhart Properties,
24 LLC and Moose Crossing land plan development is up
25 for renewal June of this year. I sent in a letter
21
1 asking for an extension on that, you did extend it
2 for a year and I do appreciate that. However,
3 based on the economy, I'm asking for a three-year
4 extension because there's no way this year that I'm
5 going to start the project, based on the economy;
6 and probably next year the economy is still going
7 to be the same as it is this year.
8 So that is the only reason why I'm
9 asking for the extension. Believe me, I would love
10 to start it last year, as far as that goes. So it
11 would be June 2013. I would do the write-up, the
12 request, as we did before, have you sign it, record
13 it at the courthouse, as we did before.
14 MS. PICKARD: And we did take action
15 last month and granted a one-year.
16 MR. HENRY GEARHART: Yes, you did.
17 And again, I appreciate that. Thank you. But, as
18 I said, I'll be back here next here because there's
19 no way, based on the economy, that I'm going to
20 start the project now.
21 MR. KERRICK: We did discuss this at
22 our work session last week and the three-year did
23 come up. I think the board was more inclined with
24 a two-year.
25 MS. LAMBERTON: Yes.
22
1 MR. KERRICK: Is that still the same
2 thoughts of the board?
3 MR. MOYER: Yes.
4 MR. HENRY GEARHART: If I can just
5 comment again that next year in 2011 I don't see
6 the economy snapping back to where it was, you
7 know, two years ago. And plus, until I go through
8 the whole bid process, financing and everything
9 else, it's going to take nine months to a year to
10 even get it all finished. So, again, if I can get
11 three years I would certainly take it, but if I
12 have to take two, fine.
13 MS. LAMBERTON: Didn't the two go to
14 2012?
15 MR. HENRY GEARHART: Right. I'm
16 asking for 2013, yes.
17 MR. KERRICK: We were good with one.
18 We said we'd go two.
19 MS. PICKARD: Say if we can't do it
20 or we can get an update and come back in for
21 another extension.
22 MR. HENRY GEARHART: I'm sorry?
23 MS. PICKARD: I said we could ask
24 you to come back in before June of 2012 and come in
25 and ask for another extension if you're --
23
1 MR. HENRY GEARHART: Well, again, I
2 know it's not gonna happen. I have to go to the
3 courthouse and record this. I'm just trying to
4 eliminate all the steps 'cause I know exactly --
5 it's not -- because of the economy, it's not gonna
6 happen.
7 MR. KEENER: I don't think tonight's
8 decision is going to force him to do the job.
9 MR. KERRICK: Well, our concern was
10 that other projects around the area, if they did
11 start or complete that, it would give a different
12 face on his project and --
13 MR. HENRY GEARHART: Well, again,
14 believe me, I would love to start it.
15 MR. KERRICK: Well, I understand
16 that.
17 MS. PICKARD: There were traffic
18 concerns as well.
19 MR. KERRICK: There was traffic
20 concerns. Your land development plan's already
21 approved and things could change in the future. In
22 the next two years there's some projects that are
23 slated to maybe start possibly and it would put a
24 different perspective on that corner. So we didn't
25 want to go out in five years, that's why we came
24
1 back to one year.
2 MR. HENRY GEARHART: I understand
3 the five years, that's why -- but I know I'll be
4 back here. That's why I'm asking for three.
5 MS. LAMBERTON: I'll make the motion
6 to extend it for two years.
7 MR. KERRICK: Motion on the floor.
8 Do we have a second?
9 MS. PICKARD: So that's for June of
10 2012?
11 MS. LAMBERTON: 2012, correct.
12 MR. MOYER: Second.
13 MR. KERRICK: Motion and second.
14 Questions or comments?
15 Questions or comments from the
16 public?
17 Call the vote.
18 Jamie?
19 MR. KEENER: I abstain.
20 MR. KERRICK: Anne?
21 MS. LAMBERTON: I vote in favor.
22 MR. KERRICK: Donny?
23 MR. MOYER: I vote in favor.
24 MR. KERRICK: Heidi?
25 MS. PICKARD: I vote in favor.
25
1 MR. KERRICK: I vote in favor.
2 Thank you very much.
3 MR. HENRY GEARHART: Thank you.
4 MR. KERRICK: Next item on our
5 agenda, Arrowhead Lake Community Lodge. Is anyone
6 here from Arrowhead?
7 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: Good
8 evening, I'm Chad Lello, Pennoni Associates, here
9 representing the Arrowhead Lake Community
10 Association. We received our conditional use
11 approval. We received our preliminary plan
12 approval at the last planning commission meeting.
13 MR. ARMSTRONG: Recommendation.
14 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.:
15 Recommendation for approval. And we're here
16 tonight to request an approval on the land
17 development plan for the Arrowhead Lake Community
18 Lodge. And we're here to answer any questions or
19 talk about any other issues that you might have.
20 So do you have any questions or
21 comments?
22 MR. ARMSTRONG: Again, I think there
23 may have been some changes since you were before
24 this -- has this plan been before this board with
25 the exception of the conditional use?
26
1 MR. KEENER: No.
2 MR. ARMSTRONG: You know, it
3 probably would be helpful for this board to see
4 the -- oh, there it is.
5 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: The only
6 change since the conditional use was a modification
7 to the lighting plan, to minimize the amount of
8 lighting in the cul-de-sac just to the stay within
9 the ordinance requirements. And an emergency fire
10 lane -- the fire roadway was added around the back
11 of the building. Other than that, there has not
12 been any other profound change on the site plan
13 since we were here for the conditional use hearing.
14 MR. KERRICK: Do you have a list of
15 conditions? I don't know if you want to discuss it
16 now.
17 MR. ARMSTRONG: How are you with the
18 sewage situation?
19 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: The sewage
20 situation, I believe, Mr. Borek, Theodore Borek,
21 has been in contact with the Pennsylvania State DEP
22 about obtaining a letter. He spoke to them last
23 weekend and is in the process of getting a letter
24 stating that they'll allow for the connection to
25 the public system.
27
1 The testing was already done on the
2 site and testing results stated that an on-lot
3 system cannot be constructed on the site. So we're
4 waiting for a letter any day concerning that.
5 MR. THEODORE BOREK: To expedite the
6 letter from DEP, we drafted a sample letter for
7 them and sent it to them. They said they were
8 agreeable to it and they would execute it on their
9 letterhead and send it back to us. However, we did
10 not receive it in time for this meeting.
11 MS. PICKARD: When did you speak
12 with them?
13 MR. THEODORE BOREK: Last Tuesday.
14 MR. MOYER: Do you have a copy of
15 that?
16 MS. PICKARD: Who did you speak
17 with?
18 MR. THEODORE BOREK: Darryl Fritz.
19 MR. KERRICK: Oh, I didn't talk to
20 him on Friday.
21 MS. PICKARD: Brogan was here, it
22 was Thursday.
23 MR. KERRICK: It was before that
24 thing they had at the workshop.
25 MR. THEODORE BOREK: We're only
28
1 asking you to put into writing what he has verbally
2 communicated. Sometimes it's difficult to get DEP
3 to put things in writing.
4 MS. PICKARD: Yeah, I know. And we
5 spoke to Darryl at length and he didn't mention
6 that he was looking at the letter, but I think it
7 was Wednesday afternoon because it was right before
8 the --
9 MS. LAMBERTON: Thursday, the DEP
10 seminar.
11 MS. PICKARD: Thursday.
12 MR. KERRICK: It was Wednesday then.
13 MR. THEODORE BOREK: We had faxed
14 them back and forth to expedite it. I'm surprised
15 he didn't mention it.
16 MR. ARMSTRONG: Have you received
17 any comments from Bureau Veritas yet?
18 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: We
19 received an e-mail today. It wasn't sent directly
20 to us. It was sent to Phyllis and Bill and Bureau
21 Veritas, and there was a few comments that they had
22 had which we had addressed. Do you want me to
23 go -- have you seen any correspondence from them?
24 MR. ARMSTRONG: I'm probably looking
25 at the same e-mail that you got. It looks like
29
1 it's dated March 3. And you're planning on
2 complying with all of those comments on that
3 e-mail?
4 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: That is
5 correct, we will comply with all those comments.
6 MR. ARMSTRONG: Including the
7 sprinkler, I guess, requirements and the water
8 supply.
9 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: That's
10 under discussion right now with them. We just
11 received the comments today.
12 MR. ARMSTRONG: Right, right.
13 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: So
14 actually the architect for the project discussed
15 that issue because it was originally determined
16 that the sprinkler system would not be needed due
17 to the type of construction of the building. And
18 they just made that comment so it's something that
19 he has to -- they have to look into and address.
20 MR. THEODORE BOREK: The building
21 was designed so the travel distance was never
22 greater than 75 feet from any point in the building
23 to an exit and the building materials all met the
24 fire rating requirements so sprinklers is not
25 required.
30
1 MR. ARMSTRONG: And you've received
2 the conditional use adjudication, the written
3 adjudication?
4 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: Yes, we
5 did.
6 MR. ARMSTRONG: And you're in
7 agreement with all the conditions in that decision?
8 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: Yes.
9 MR. ARMSTRONG: And you've looked
10 over the February 4, 2010 review letter from the
11 township engineer?
12 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: That's
13 correct.
14 MR. ARMSTRONG: And you're going to
15 comply with all of those comments and conditions?
16 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: That is
17 correct. Yes, we will.
18 MR. ARMSTRONG: If there were a
19 sprinkler system required, do you have any idea of
20 how you would comply with that? Would it be a tank
21 or would it somehow pump the water from the lake?
22 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: We can't
23 answer that question for you.
24 MR. KERRICK: What's the board's
25 pleasure?
31
1 MS. PICKARD: If we were going to
2 approve with conditions --
3 MR. ARMSTRONG: If the board were to
4 consider approving your plan tonight, it obviously
5 would be a conditional approval because there
6 are -- there's a sewage outstanding item, as well
7 as this potential sprinkler system with Bureau
8 Veritas.
9 And these conditions would likely
10 include the condition that no building permit and
11 that the recordation of the plans not take place
12 not only until the conditions are met but also
13 until you get the green light from DEP with respect
14 to sewage and the township and, you know, all the
15 other permits and approvals that are required from
16 not only this township but outside agencies.
17 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: Excellent.
18 We would really appreciate a conditional approval
19 tonight.
20 MR. THEODORE BOREK: And those
21 conditions are acceptable to us.
22 MR. ARMSTRONG: They have to be.
23 MR. KERRICK: Nicely done.
24 MR. ARMSTRONG: So what's the
25 board's pleasure?
32
1 MR. KEENER: Can you just refresh my
2 memory on the conditions?
3 MR. ARMSTRONG: Oh, the conditional
4 approval? The conditions in the written decision
5 for the conditional approval included -- and,
6 again, this is the conditional approval dated
7 February 8, 2010 starting on Page 5: The applicant
8 shall comply with any and all township, state,
9 federal, and/or county requirements or regulations
10 and applied for and received any required approvals
11 from said agencies.
12 The applicant shall comply with the
13 parking requirements of the Tobyhanna Township
14 Zoning Ordinance. The applicant shall not expand
15 the existing operation and/or proposed lodge at the
16 property without prior township approval.
17 The applicant shall install a two
18 foot high earthen berm in size and form acceptable to
19 the township along the buffer and setback area
20 between the property and Arrowhead Drive at the
21 northwestern and western property boundaries. And
22 the berm shall include acceptable landscaping to
23 act as a buffer as shown on Exhibits A-1 and A-2.
24 A-1 and A-2 being the exhibits within the
25 applicant's conditional use application.
33
1 No. 5, the applicant shall install
2 landscaping in a form acceptable to the township
3 along the buffer and setback area between the
4 property and Lakeshore Drive at the southern
5 property boundary to act as a buffer as shown on
6 Exhibits A-1 and A-2 of that conditional use
7 application.
8 The applicant shall ensure that the
9 noise created by the proposed lodge and its use
10 complies with any and all township, state, and
11 federal noise regulations. The applicant shall
12 remove all markings, fencing, and netting of the
13 existing tennis court; and the tennis court area
14 shall no longer be used as a tennis court and shall
15 be devoted exclusively to parking.
16 No. 8, the applicant shall remove
17 the existing impervious surface and pavement along
18 the southern edge of the existing parking lot and
19 tennis court and the majority of the northwestern
20 corner of the existing entrance and parking lot,
21 consisting of the existing cul-de-sac in accordance
22 with the plans shown on Exhibits A-1 and A-2. And
23 said impervious surface and pavement shall be
24 replaced with grass and, where appropriate,
25 landscape plantings as set forth herein.
34
1 No. 9, the proposed lodge shall only
2 be used by and for the benefit of the families,
3 guests, and tenants of the lot owners within
4 Arrowhead Lake Community in accordance with the
5 zoning ordinance. The applicants shall comply with
6 all sections of the Tobyhanna Township Zoning
7 Ordinance and Subdivision and Land Development
8 Ordinance unless otherwise waived by the township.
9 The applicant shall be required to
10 receive all the requisite township approvals
11 including but not limited to those required under
12 the township's SALDO and UCC prior to the
13 construction indoor occupancy of the proposed
14 lodge. The proposed lodge shall be constructed in
15 accordance with Exhibits A-1, A-2, and A-3 unless
16 otherwise approved by the township.
17 The applicant shall be required to
18 receive any and all requisite permits and/or
19 approvals from -- and it says PA DEP; or other
20 agency if necessary for the public sewer and water
21 service prior to the final approval of a land
22 development plan and/or issuance of a building
23 permit and/or certificate of the occupancy.
24 I don't know why -- I was thinking
25 PennDOT for some reason. I got a little concerned.
35
1 Sorry about that.
2 The proposed shall not be located
3 within a hundred-year floodplain. The applicant
4 and the proposed lodge shall comply with the
5 township's stormwater management ordinance. And
6 the applicant shall comply with any recommendations
7 of the fire department and the township's building
8 code official. And the applicant shall comply with
9 any and all lighting requirements.
10 MR. KEENER: All of the conditions
11 are doubly covered.
12 MS. PICKARD: We also have waiver
13 requests.
14 MR. ARMSTRONG: There are certain
15 waiver requests that the applicant has requested,
16 and my understanding as to those requests are to
17 sections -- SALDO Section 135-12.D(2), SALDO
18 Section 135-15.A(15), SALDO Section 135-17 L&M, and
19 SALDO Section 135-22.A(2).
20 And if the board were to consider
21 approving the plan this evening, it would be
22 conditional upon the February 8, 2010 conditional
23 use adjudication that I just went through: The
24 compliance with all the comments in the February 4,
25 2010 review letter of Bob McHale; compliance with
36
1 the February 1, 2010 fire company letter;
2 compliance with the building code official's
3 comments and requirements; compliance with any and
4 all UCC requirements; confirmation of adequate
5 sewage; and receipt of all requisite approvals and
6 permits from the township and from Pennsylvania DEP
7 regarding the sewage; and that no building permit,
8 the C of O and/or other permits granted shall be
9 granted prior to the receipt of said approvals
10 unless otherwise granted by the township and also
11 prior to plan recordation. Also compliance with
12 all other outside agencies.
13 And I think that might cover it.
14 MR. KERRICK: I would think so.
15 MR. ARMSTRONG: If it were the
16 board's intent to make such a motion this evening.
17 MR. KEENER: I have a question on
18 the stormwater, 135-22.A(2). It says (inaudible)
19 development rate of runoff shall be equal or less
20 than (inaudible) development rate of runoff. And
21 you're asking for a waiver on that?
22 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: That's
23 correct. Waiver was requested due to the proximity
24 to the lake and also its proximity in the drainage
25 area since we are at the bottom of the drainage
37
1 area, you know, next to the lake. The increase of
2 runoff is very minimal and for us to meet the rate
3 requirements, we would have to propose a larger
4 detention basin on the site, which wouldn't make a
5 lot of sense. It wouldn't look really nice next to
6 the large lake that the site sits next to.
7 Mr. McHale did agree with that and
8 has given us a favorable recommendation at the
9 planning commission meeting.
10 MR. ARMSTRONG: It's on page -- if
11 you have Bob's review letter, it looks like it's on
12 Page 4 of 4.
13 MR. KEENER: Yeah, that's what I was
14 just looking at.
15 You provided calculations to show
16 the impact of what the increase is?
17 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: Yes. It's
18 in the stormwater management report that was
19 submitted.
20 MR. KEENER: And Bureau Veritas,
21 they didn't have any issues relative to the ADA
22 compliance for access?
23 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: I believe
24 not.
25 MR. KEENER: How are they getting
38
1 into the building? How will the wheelchairs get
2 into the building?
3 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: Okay.
4 There's a proposed ramp in the front of the
5 building on the southwest corner. There's a
6 proposed ramp that will ramp up to the main
7 entrance, adjacent the handicap space. You can see
8 that on Sheet CS-1001, which is called the layout
9 plan.
10 MR. KEENER: Yeah, I have it here,
11 but I can't see the ramp.
12 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: It's
13 actually right there.
14 MR. KEENER: Is that it there?
15 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: That's
16 correct.
17 MR. KERRICK: Any other questions?
18 MR. KEENER: We're good.
19 MR. KERRICK: What's the board's
20 pleasure?
21 MS. PICKARD: I make a motion that
22 we approve the Arrowhead Lake Community Association
23 proposed community lodge land development and
24 conditional -- well, land development plan project,
25 2009-005, subject to our solicitor's conditions.
39
1 MR. ARMSTRONG: Previously stated
2 conditions would be fine.
3 MS. PICKARD: Previously stated
4 conditions.
5 MR. MOYER: Second.
6 MR. KERRICK: Motion and second.
7 Questions or comments from the
8 board?
9 MR. KEENER: Did you identify all of
10 the waivers?
11 MS. PICKARD: Yes. He listed them
12 all.
13 MR. ARMSTRONG: You can do that by a
14 separate motion, if you'd like.
15 MS. PICKARD: But you had listed
16 them all.
17 MR. ARMSTRONG: I did list them all.
18 MR. KEENER: Well, they're in his
19 review letter as well.
20 MR. ARMSTRONG: Just make clear in
21 your motion that you're also agreeable to the
22 requested waivers.
23 MS. PICKARD: I'm also agreeable to
24 the requested waivers.
25 MR. KERRICK: Do you second? Do you
40
1 agree?
2 MR. MOYER: Aye. I second.
3 MR. KERRICK: Any other questions
4 from the board?
5 Questions from the public on the
6 motion?
7 Call the vote.
8 Jamie?
9 MR. KEENER: I vote in favor.
10 MR. KERRICK: Anne?
11 MS. LAMBERTON: I vote in favor.
12 MR. KERRICK: Donny?
13 MR. MOYER: I vote in favor.
14 MR. KERRICK: Heidi?
15 MS. PICKARD: I vote in favor.
16 MR. KERRICK: I vote in favor.
17 Motion carried. Thank you.
18 MR. CHAD M. LELLO, P.E.: Thank you
19 very much.
20 MR. THEODORE BOREK: Thank you very
21 much.
22 MR. KERRICK: Next item on our
23 agenda, US Census job opportunities.
24 MS. JOYCE RACZKO: That's me. My
25 name is Joyce Raczko. That's R-a-c-z-k-o. And I'm
41
1 here with my associate, Tom Wyble. That's
2 W-y-b-l-e. And we are recruiters for the Census
3 Bureau and we also are the examiners who administer
4 the test to qualify for jobs. And we appreciate
5 the time that the board is giving us tonight.
6 We're here to talk about the -- we
7 want to talk about how we can increase applicant
8 participation specifically in Tobyhanna Township.
9 Now, we know that we don't have to reiterate the
10 benefits of this 2010 census to you, the board,
11 because you realize all of the importance and the
12 impacts that the population has on government
13 funding, as well as legislative representation.
14 And in order to do -- in order to
15 get a complete count here in Monroe County and here
16 in Tobyhanna Township, we need to have an adequate
17 workforce of qualified census takers. And in
18 Tobyhanna Township we need hundreds and right now
19 we have dozens.
20 So we thought that we should just
21 reiterate the benefits of these positions, talk a
22 little bit about what the qualifications are and
23 then my partner Tom can talk about the activities
24 we've done, recruitment activities that we've done
25 here in Tobyhanna Township, and perhaps enlist your
42
1 help, advice, assistance on what our next steps
2 might be.
3 So just briefly, the census jobs
4 offer great, great benefits in terms of pay. The
5 rate is $14 an hour which is, I think, very, very
6 good in this economy. Plus there's a 50 cent per
7 mile reimbursement for travel because most of the
8 work is out in the field and the census takers are
9 driving from place to place. And as we get more
10 rural, the place to place gets farther and farther
11 away.
12 Another benefit is the work
13 schedule. It can be part-time, it can be
14 full-time. Many people who are working for the
15 census have other part-time jobs as, again, in
16 today's economy many people have several part-time
17 jobs just to make ends meet. Also, there are
18 census workers who can work a full-time job and
19 this job, if they so desire, because of the
20 flexibility of the work schedule in terms of
21 working evenings, weekends, or during the week. So
22 it's ideal for also retired people, students, moms
23 with kids in school, et cetera.
24 The other benefit is that people can
25 work close to home. The Census Bureau wants people
43
1 to work in the communities where they live or near
2 the communities where they live. And that's an
3 important factor especially where we are because
4 then they know their neighborhood, they know that
5 road there is someone's driveway versus it's a
6 street that doesn't have a road sign. People know
7 who they are, they know who people are so there's a
8 certain comfort factor besides.
9 There's paid training and it gives
10 everyone the opportunity to serve their community.
11 In terms of applying, applicants only need to be
12 18 years old. There is an exam, it's 30 minutes,
13 basic skills, plus a background check. And they
14 also have an exam offered in Spanish because we
15 need bilingual people as well. So what we're
16 trying to do is get the word out as best we can.
17 We have been working for a few months, but we
18 really need more people. So Tom's just going to
19 address some of the things he has been doing up
20 here.
21 MR. TOM WYBLE: Hello, thank you.
22 My name is Tom Wyble. That's W-y-b-l-e. And I am
23 a census recruiter and an examiner, as well as what
24 Joyce does. And what I was tasked with early last
25 year was to work in your area, Tobyhanna Township.
44
1 And I had two objectives and that was to recruit
2 people to be census takers, as well as to get the
3 word out to all your residents within Tobyhanna
4 Township that the census is coming. As a matter of
5 fact, we're only about 22 days away from April 1,
6 which is census day.
7 Joyce and I are both residents of
8 Monroe County. We didn't just take the job just to
9 make money, we took the jobs because we're
10 interested in what happens within Monroe County. I
11 don't live here in Tobyhanna Township, I live in
12 Polk, but I still consider this Monroe County and
13 I'm doing the best I can as far as recruiting
14 people to work for the Census Bureau.
15 As of around October/November of
16 last year I started working in this area called 940
17 corridor, and to do that I met with the majority of
18 the large size and medium size communities that you
19 have in the area. That included Arrowhead and Lake
20 Naomi and, like I said, the large size and medium
21 size.
22 I met with community managers and
23 staff to share the word with them that the census
24 is coming, get them prepared, and also to ask them
25 for their assistance in different ways. Some of
45
1 the ways was putting posters up, which they allowed
2 me to do in most cases, leaving brochures in common
3 areas where the residents were able to get to, and
4 some of them even put them on their private TV
5 channels, which was beneficial.
6 We also offered to set up local test
7 sites within the community for the residents.
8 We've done a couple of those in PCP, done it in
9 Emerald Lakes, which were beneficial as well.
10 Unfortunately we haven't reached our quota numbers
11 for Tobyhanna Township as far as the number of
12 people we need to do census taking. So that's one
13 of the reasons we're here tonight, to ask for your
14 help, any kind of ideas that you can come up with
15 help getting the word out to our residents up here.
16 Also, spreading the word again.
17 We've had assistance by some of the local
18 newspapers put the word out that the census is
19 coming and we're also hiring. And with the way the
20 economy is today, we have done pretty good as far
21 as getting people that are interested in the job.
22 The thing is, we need qualified people. We get
23 plenty of those, we also get some people who aren't
24 so qualified. But they need the jobs and they want
25 to work.
46
1 But, again, we need to -- we need
2 some more ideas. I'm starting to run out of ideas
3 and any ideas that you can come up with to help
4 would be greatly appreciated.
5 MR. KEENER: Have you talked to John
6 Casella at the CareerLink?
7 MR. TOM WYBLE: We've held tests in
8 CareerLink. In Tannersville you're talking about?
9 Yes. We completed our tests in that area. So we
10 divided this into tracts, and that tract down there
11 we've met -- or exceeded our quota as far as the
12 amount of people.
13 MR. KEENER: I think they cover the
14 whole county as far as people that they serve. I'm
15 on the workforce investment board for the county
16 and there might be people there that are coming to
17 CareerLink looking for a job from Tobyhanna
18 Township -- or if you can't get enough just in
19 Tobyhanna, then I would look in Tunk or Coolbaugh
20 with the municipalities that are close. And I
21 would think that they would be able to come up with
22 a list of folks that are looking for work that can
23 meet certain skill levels.
24 MR. TOM WYBLE: We've been fortunate
25 with CareerLink. We've had tests there. They've
47
1 let us use their conference room in there for the
2 last three months weekly, one day out of the week.
3 And their conference room held 30 people; we were
4 pretty close to 30 people almost every time we had
5 a test there.
6 But, again, we're back to the point.
7 And I appreciate you telling me that. And I met
8 with Cathy today at the CareerLink, and she was my
9 interface. And I discussed with her that we didn't
10 need her location for testing anymore, but I wanted
11 to make sure that she understood that we were
12 looking for people in the area of Tobyhanna and
13 Coolbaugh because that's our lowest return rate as
14 far as hirees up here in this area.
15 In 2000 we were instructed that the
16 count was -- we were undercounted up here, which
17 I'm sure you are aware of more than I would be
18 because I don't live here; but that's what we were
19 instructed. And I was told that I needed to try to
20 improve the count as far as hirees, as well as
21 responses back with the questionnaires from the
22 census.
23 So, again, my task is to -- was
24 supposed to be devoted to here and Coolbaugh and
25 Tunkhannock Townships. But I appreciate that.
48
1 MR. KEENER: Did they do training in
2 here?
3 MS. PICKARD: They did do training
4 here for the people that had already tested and had
5 been hired.
6 MR. TOM WYBLE: We had been doing
7 Clymer Library for testing.
8 MS. PICKARD: And that was my
9 concern. I had mentioned to Joyce, but I bring it
10 up for everybody's benefit, we had the card with
11 the 800 number and a couple of people that I had
12 given that number to got really conflicting
13 information. They didn't seem to know where to go.
14 I'd rather have them -- give them a local number or
15 something.
16 They were told two different rates.
17 If they went to Scranton it was 11, in Allentown
18 14. They didn't know they would stay local and I
19 think that's what they wanted to do. So that was a
20 concern that we kind of throw it out to this 800
21 number. I don't know where they're calling. I
22 don't know if that's a federal number that's on the
23 card.
24 MS. JOYCE RACZKO: It's a central
25 location and you're asked to provide their Zip code
49
1 and then you're directed to your local census
2 office. And --
3 MS. PICKARD: And would that be
4 Scranton and Allentown?
5 MR. TOM WYBLE: Depends on the
6 township you live in, the county you live in.
7 MS. PICKARD: Well, if you're here
8 and they were telling them they could go to
9 Scranton or Allentown, I didn't know -- I thought
10 they were a little confused.
11 MS. JOYCE RACZKO: No, Allentown is
12 the local census office for Monroe, Lehigh, and
13 Northampton. There is some overlap, more so we
14 found it, in Tunkhannock Township and Indian
15 Mountain Lakes where they have one foot in Carbon
16 and one foot in Monroe. And some people I know
17 that live there, even though they're -- physically
18 their house is in Monroe County, they are in
19 Harrisburg LCO. So that's just the way it's set
20 up.
21 MR. TOM WYBLE: That is one
22 difficulty we have. I live in Polk Township, my
23 mailing address is Kunkletown, which is right on
24 the border of Monroe and Carbon County. And when I
25 call, try the number, they routed me to the
50
1 Harrisburg office, but I live in Monroe County. So
2 that's going to happen whether --
3 MS. PICKARD: So if that does
4 happen, is there any recourse they have or --
5 you're losing people probably.
6 MR. TOM WYBLE: Well, what happens
7 is, we'll test them, we don't care where they are.
8 If they want to come to one of our test locations
9 in Monroe to test them --
10 MS. PICKARD: Can they just show up
11 at a test location?
12 MR. TOM WYBLE: They're scheduled.
13 When they call in that toll free number, they're
14 routed by the area code to the proper LCO office,
15 which is Allentown for Monroe County. If they get
16 sent to Carbon County, to Harrisburg, or to
17 Wilkes-Barre, then they're referred back to the
18 Allentown office if they say they live in Monroe
19 County. Then they get scheduled here.
20 We've been taking people in from
21 Carbon County, giving them tests, but we sent their
22 paperwork back to Wilkes-Barre or Harrisburg,
23 whichever one it is.
24 MR. KEENER: What are they doing?
25 Who are these individuals that you're looking for
51
1 specifically? Are they just taking envelopes and
2 hanging them on the doorknobs like was done on my
3 house?
4 MR. TOM WYBLE: There are two phases
5 typically with the census, the ten-year census is,
6 we used to mail them out to all the homes.
7 March 15 they'd be mailed out with questionnaires.
8 And then by April 1 they're expected to be returned
9 and completed to the Census Bureau. But with
10 Monroe County we made a change because we had a
11 poor response to the mailing back of the
12 questionnaires, so it was decided to take them out
13 and hang them on the doors. And then of course
14 we'll go back after April 1 for those who did not
15 fill it out or fill it out completely.
16 MR. KEENER: Did everybody receive
17 their packet?
18 MS. PICKARD: No.
19 MR. MOYER: I didn't.
20 MR. TOM WYBLE: It's going slow out
21 here because we don't have enough people doing it,
22 but it's going on.
23 MS. PICKARD: Now, my mother across
24 the street had one, but I didn't know whether they
25 were on one side of the street. And we saw them
52
1 hang it on one side in Arrowhead and I didn't
2 notice --
3 MS. JOYCE RACZKO: That's the way
4 the workers are instructed, you go one side of the
5 street, and the other side of the street might be a
6 different, what's called, a block. So that might
7 be somebody else for a different day.
8 There's a science. Believe me there
9 is.
10 MR. TOM WYBLE: There is a science.
11 MS. JOYCE RACZKO: What some other
12 municipalities have done -- and I haven't done due
13 diligence in knowing everything that he's done.
14 What others have done is put information on their
15 Web site and whether it be census jobs with a link
16 to an information page or census jobs with a link
17 to the census jobs Web page. Also put information
18 in a newsletter, if you have a newsletter weekly,
19 monthly, whatever.
20 Posted information in the municipal
21 building. Some -- I'm not sure if the
22 municipalities or not, but some have had e-mails
23 sent out. We've been able to do that with some of
24 the legislators and with the Chamber of Commerce
25 and doing e-mail blasts. I did one for RSVP, but
53
1 those are more countywide programs. And we're
2 trying to just target in on Tobyhanna Township.
3 And now you mentioned Tunkhannock.
4 We're going to meet with those supervisors on
5 Wednesday evening because we're telling them the
6 same thing and asking them the same thing as well.
7 MR. TOM WYBLE: Many of the
8 communities I've been to, they've all put articles
9 in their newsletters that they put out, which goes
10 to all of the residents. All of the larger ones
11 have done that.
12 We've also gone to every business on
13 the 940 corridor from Mount Pocono out to Blakeslee
14 on both sides of the street. Almost every -- 98
15 percent of the businesses have brochures and/or
16 posters on them, which are replenished almost every
17 week. So we kind of used up our ideas and we were
18 hoping you guys would come up with something else.
19 MR. KEENER: I mean, I wish I saw
20 you a couple of months ago. But what are we at,
21 three weeks left?
22 MR. TOM WYBLE: We'll be hiring in
23 through April, probably going into May because this
24 will continue on to May. But the thing is April 1,
25 of course, is census day. Although it won't be
54
1 over then.
2 MR. KEENER: Well, when will it be
3 over?
4 MR. TOM WYBLE: It could go into
5 May, it could go into June, depending on how many
6 people respond to the questionnaires. That's what
7 keeps us going is because after April 1, whichever
8 questionnaires have not been returned either
9 completed or returned at all, that's when we start
10 really working. That's when the census takers
11 start going to the doors.
12 MR. KEENER: When are you going to
13 have all of the surveys out?
14 MR. TOM WYBLE: Well, they should be
15 out within the next week or so because they're
16 supposed to be filled in and completed and mailed
17 back by April 1.
18 MR. KEENER: Well, that's what I'm
19 wondering. Are you at the point where you said you
20 have dozens but you need hundreds, is that to get
21 the surveys out initially or is that to follow up
22 with --
23 MR. TOM WYBLE: To follow up mainly
24 because we're just anticipating that the response
25 rate is going to be low like it was in 2000. I'm
55
1 hoping differently. I'd like to be optimistic, but
2 you have to anticipate that it's going to be a poor
3 response or a low response, and we have to have the
4 people to go out, get the questionnaires, and
5 answer the door.
6 MS. PICKARD: I think you're going
7 to have an issue with the second homes. The people
8 from Arrowhead today, they're not going to be up
9 until the summer.
10 MR. TOM WYBLE: I know, July.
11 MS. PICKARD: And we have snowbirds
12 that maybe start coming back in April. I mean, so
13 you're going to have a lot of packets hanging on
14 doors.
15 MR. TOM WYBLE: And I have done
16 PowerPoint presentations in Allentown in December
17 pointing these facts out. Lake Naomi, 80 percent
18 of the population is gone until July.
19 MR. MOYER: Arrowhead.
20 MR. KEENER: This is the thing that
21 still disturbs me about the 9-1-1 thing because if
22 we had that in place, had all the readdressing
23 going and had the GIS system up-and-running, there
24 would be a lot better -- the results would be a lot
25 better than what we're going to get. Just another
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1 example of why we can't delay things.
2 MR. TOM WYBLE: And, of course, you
3 can't be counted in two different places. You're
4 counted where you are April 1.
5 MS. PICKARD: We got a little update
6 today from Gary Hoffman that they're working
7 things out with the post office, but it's really --
8 we're waiting on the post office.
9 MR. TOM WYBLE: Again, thank you for
10 your time. We appreciate you taking the time to
11 listen to us and we'll leave our phone numbers, our
12 local numbers so if anyone contacts you with issues
13 or anything, have them call us and we'll try to
14 give them a straight answer.
15 MR. KEENER: There are a lot of
16 college students looking for summer work --
17 MR. MOYER: Yeah, how about the high
18 school?
19 MS. LAMBERTON: They have to be 18.
20 MR. MOYER: Well, there's kids that
21 are 18. There are 18-year-olds in high school.
22 MR. TOM WYBLE: We're not allowed to
23 go --
24 MR. KEENER: There shouldn't be too
25 many.
57
1 MS. LAMBERTON: They start a year
2 later now.
3 MS. PICKARD: But the senior center.
4 Donny had mentioned that meeting. I don't know if
5 that --
6 MS. LAMBERTON: What about the Lions
7 Club, groups like that where you had --
8 MR. MOYER: They already have the
9 seniors' meeting Tuesday.
10 MS. LAMBERTON: Or Christ the King,
11 the community center.
12 MR. MOYER: I don't know how many
13 you'd get, but there's at least 40 of them.
14 MR. TOM WYBLE: Somebody told me
15 about Christ the King.
16 MS. LAMBERTON: They have many
17 groups that meet there. That might be worth your
18 interest to stop there.
19 MR. TOM WYBLE: Now that you
20 mentioned it again, that probably would be a good
21 place to go.
22 MS. SUE SNELL: There's a food
23 pantry distribution on the 16th up at Christ the
24 King.
25 MR. TOM WYBLE: On the 16th?
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1 MS. SUE SNELL: On the 16th.
2 MR. TOM WYBLE: Where is that at?
3 MS. SUE SNELL: In Blakeslee.
4 MS. LAMBERTON: It's the community
5 center that I just mentioned.
6 MR. TOM WYBLE: Oh, okay.
7 MS. JOYCE RACZKO: And relative to
8 the schools, we actually have -- Northampton
9 Community College is one of our test sites, and
10 they've really been great because that's a test
11 site that we can use in the evenings and on
12 weekends when people might be more available for
13 whatever reason.
14 We also have a recruitment effort at
15 ESU that's ongoing as well. So we are targeting
16 the students. We had -- working through the Monroe
17 County Area Agency on Aging, we just had a story in
18 the Senior Express Times which is their newsletter.
19 So we're doing all of those things. I think that
20 the Christ the King and the American Legion, that
21 are local, we're going to be more targeted with
22 residents of Tobyhanna Township that way.
23 MR. TOM WYBLE: We'll also leave our
24 e-mail. If something would pop in your head while
25 you're sitting around and you're thinking about
59
1 it --
2 MS. LAMBERTON: Do any of the
3 communities do newsletters on-line for the folks
4 that are not here until July?
5 MR. TOM WYBLE: They've done the
6 Web. Like I said, most of the larger ones,
7 Arrowhead, Lake Naomi, Emerald Lake.
8 MS. PICKARD: I just think the
9 population is commuter seasonal and second home, so
10 I just think it's a very difficult time to get
11 people up here.
12 MR. TOM WYBLE: I know. Since
13 November I've been doing it. I stood today at
14 Emerald Lake in the parking lot when the school
15 buses were coming -- just before they came, to meet
16 with the parents, going around car to car. I
17 handed out like 50 of them today. People sounded
18 like they were interested, those are the kind of
19 things that are just -- I just thought of doing
20 that.
21 But, like I said -- we're not
22 allowed to go to the high schools, that's a
23 problem. I think there's been a big discussion
24 about this in the past, like ROTC and things like
25 that. And I guess people are getting nervous about
60
1 going to schools and so we've been told not to
2 address schools.
3 MS. JOYCE RACZKO: Thank you so much
4 for your time.
5 MR. KERRICK: Thank you.
6 Next item on our agenda, Hanover
7 Engineering proposal.
8 MS. PICKARD: I'd just like to make
9 a motion that we approve the Task A building code
10 review in the amount not to exceed $1100 with
11 Hanover Engineering for the renovation on the
12 existing stone building in the Blakeslee Natural
13 Area.
14 MR. MOYER: I second that.
15 MR. KERRICK: Motion and second.
16 Questions or comments from the
17 board?
18 Comments from the public?
19 Call the vote.
20 Jamie?
21 MR. KEENER: I vote in favor.
22 MR. KERRICK: Anne?
23 MS. LAMBERTON: I vote in favor.
24 MR. KERRICK: Donny?
25 MR. MOYER: I vote in favor.
61
1 MR. KERRICK: Heidi?
2 MS. PICKARD: I vote in favor.
3 MR. KERRICK: I vote in favor.
4 Motion carried.
5 Does anyone from the board have
6 anything else they'd like to discuss?
7 MR. MOYER: Anybody want to talk
8 about anything?
9 MR. KEENER: You want to talk about
10 snow removal or any --
11 MS. PICKARD: It's going to rain.
12 MR. KEENER: I actually have to
13 commend DPW. I think they did a great job with the
14 snow removal.
15 MS. LAMBERTON: I agree.
16 MR. KEENER: There's issues
17 regarding mailboxes that we always have to address
18 but, you know, in traveling from Milford the one
19 night that we got around ten to twelve inches, once
20 I got into Tobyhanna Township it was very nice to
21 be on the roads versus some of the others.
22 Thank you.
23 MR. MOYER: They did an excellent
24 job.
25 MR. KERRICK: Thank you. We had a
62
1 few issues, but we pretty much made it through and
2 spent the better part of last week widening and
3 opening drainings because we're supposed to have a
4 lot of rain this week, a potential one to three
5 inches.
6 MR. KEENER: The only thing I would
7 mention, and I'm sure it's not our folks, but it
8 seemed like some of the developments, when they
9 were pushing out the intersections, some of the
10 snow piles were getting pretty high, which would
11 impact the site triangles approaching the
12 intersections. If you see those while you're out
13 there, maybe you can --
14 MR. MOYER: Knock them down.
15 MR. KEENER: -- knock them down or
16 get a hold of somebody that would.
17 MR. KERRICK: Anything else? Anyone
18 from the public?
19 MS. PICKARD: Motion to adjourn.
20 MR. KERRICK: Don't need it. We're
21 adjourned.
22 (Meeting concluded at 8:12 p.m.)
23 ---
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7 I hereby certify that the
8 proceedings and evidence are contained fully and
9 accurately, to the best of my ability, in the notes
10 taken by me at the hearing in the above matter; and
11 that the foregoing is a true and correct transcript
12 of the same.
13
14
15 ______________________
16 EVILYS E. BRATHWAITE
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