Summary of 12 February 2025 BOS Meeting
This is my personal summary of the February 12, 2025, meeting of the #NewtownPA Township Board of Supervisors (BOS). This is not a complete nor an official summary.
Agenda Items, Discussions, Decisions, and More
- Reports of Committees, Boards and Commissions
- John Mack – 11 February 2025 Newtown Sewer Authority Meeting
- Consent Agenda
- Engineer’s Report
- Other Items of Interest
Reports
John Mack: Newtown Sewer Authority Meeting
I attended the 11 February 2025 public meeting of the Newtown Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority (aka Newtown Sewer Authority). There were several Newtown and Middletown residents in attendance. Listen…
Donna Serdula submitted a list of questions to the Authority Board. These were the same as in her “Formal Submission of Questions Regarding the Proposed Wastewater Treatment Plant and Request for Public Answers” that she submitted at this Board of Supervisors Meeting.
Other people had more questions and the Authority said they would answer them. I requested that all such questions with answers be posted to their FAQ list - they said they would do that. The Authority adjourned to Executive Session after the first round of Public Comment (item 3 on the 19-item agenda). Thus, residents had to leave before the bulk of the agenda was covered. I suggest that in the future the Authority puts the Executive Session at the END of the agenda.
Consent Agenda
TOTAL BILLS = $ 253,111.46
TOTAL FUNDS TRANSFER = $ 296,462.15
COMMENTS/QUESTIONS:
- Pg 1, ARMOUR & SONS ELECTRIC INC., Various Street Light Repairs: $6,737.41; [TOTAL BILLED YTD 2024: $61,522.56; 2024 BUDGET = $60,000; TOTAL BILLED YTD 2025: $6,737.41]
- COMMENT: I received a text message from Bob Lutz on Saturday, Feb 1: "We haven’t had street lights on Sycamore Street in more than 2 weeks," Joe Schiavoni said: “I'm not sure how many people this issue has filtered to, but the street lights along Sycamore St from Durham Rd to the Bypass have been out for a little over a week. Originally it was believed to be a PECO feed issue but it is not, after a couple days of troubleshooting it Armour has found an equipment issue within the controller cabinet for the street lights. Parts have been ordered and the goal is to have them operational prior to the upcoming weekend.”
QUESTION: Last I saw on Monday 10 February 2025, the lights were still on during daylight hours. Is the “controller panel” part of the LED upgrade? Has this been fixed?
- Pg 1, ASAP, Brochure Postage and Printing March 2025: $3,716.47; QUESTION: WHAT IS THIS? It’s the township newsletter!
- Pg 7, MCDONALD UNIFORMS INC.: $12,723.77; COMMENT: THAT’S A LOT OF UNIFORMS! I suppose these are ALL police uniforms?
- Pg 11, TD CARD SERVICES: $9,430.42; QUESTION: HAVE WE RECEIVED ANY RESPONSES TO THE BANKING SERVICES RFP?
- Pg 12, VIDEO GOLD PRODUCTIONS: $ 1,005.7; QUESTION: HAVE WE RECEIVED ANY RESPONSES TO THE AUDIOVISUAL RFQ? [See ] NOTE: Youtube video pauses every few seconds. See UPDATE (2/25/25)...
- Pg 14, MORTON SALT INC., Bulk Safe-T-Salt: $24,812.67; COMMENT: THAT’S A LOT OF SALT!
Authorize Purchase of Speed Trailer
At the 13 November 2024 BOS/Budget meeting, I requested the inclusion of a speed sign and trailer for the township to be included in the 2025 Budget.
This is a state-of-the-art solar-powered speed sign trailer! Here are some of the features of the Speed Alert 24 Message Trailer:
- Speed Alert 24 Radar Message Sign - 28 x 60 display
- Message Board that can store up to 25 pre-programmed messages
- Speed Dependent Messages - will trigger a different message based on speed vehicle is traveling
- Bluetooth
- Traffic Cloud - software package that will give 6 reports from data collected from the trailer and allow remote messaging into the trailer
- Wireless Cloud access to trailer and reports for the first year -optional renewal after first year
- ATS 5 Trailer
- 4 - Deep Cycle Batteries (470 ah)
- 90-watt Solar Panel
- 3 year warranty
- Free Training Webinar for your staff
- Unlimited Tech support - at no charge
- 100% Made in USA (Pennsylvania)
The BOS approved the purchase of this item for $19,436.00.
Engineer’s Report
Engineer’s Report: February 6, 2025
PennDOT has APPROVED the request to use remaining MTF grant money for a new sidewalk on Newtown - Yardley Road. [Find the PennDOT letter here: xxx]
Micah Lewis said in an email: “RVE has estimated that the construction cost is roughly $540,000 (plus engineering). The Township's 30% required match would be approximately $160,000, which is currently not included in the 2025 Budget. Please recall that the LSA Grant is not eligible for use as a match for the project. As the Solicitor previously mentioned, should this project move forward, it will need to be bid separately from the contract that was awarded last year.”
My Comment/Request Sent to Leanna: I have been informed that even though "Engineer's Report" in on this Wednesday's BOS agenda and because there are no items for the engineer, AND because of the weather, you won’t be required to attend the meeting.
I do have a question/request for you and was advised to email it to you for an answer. It is a followup to the PennDOT letter approving the suggested revision to the MTF project to add a sidewalk along Newtown-Yardley Rd - RVE made the is request on instructions to do so by the BOS (BTW, I don't see that in the latest Engineer's Report - it should be added for the record).
I request that the Township Engineer - I guess that's you now - should conduct a Conceptual Design for a ***more accurate *** cost estimate and for bidding to divide the Terry Drive-to-Borough Line stretch into three parts;
- Terry Drive-to-South Elm Ave
- Terry Drive-to-Tara Intersection Crosswalk
- Tara Intersection Crosswalk-to-South Elm Ave
I would like to know what the matching cost would be specifically for #3 as this is the more critical and logical need - to continue a ***safe*** walkway as part of the Newtown Trail into the Borough.
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