Summary of 8 May 2024 BOS Meeting
This is my personal summary of the May 8, 2024, meeting of the #NewtownPA Township Board of Supervisors (BOS). This is not a complete nor an official summary.
Access the 2024 BOS Chronicle for detailed summaries of all 2024 BOS meetings to date. Also, access the (UNOFFICIAL) 2024 BOS Voting Record.
Agenda Items, Discussions, Decisions, and More
- Reports of Committees, Boards and Commissions
- Board Members
- Reports of Officials
- Engineer’s Report
- Solicitor’s Report
- Manager’s Report
- Public Comments
- Other Items of Interest
29 April 2024 Meet Mack Monday Zoom Meeting
TOPICS COVERED:
- Chick-fil-A on the Bypass Update
- Plastic Bag Ban Begins
- Re-Revised Corners at Newtown Housing Plan
- Comprehensive Plan Housing Analysis
- Washington Crossing Bridge Replacement – BOS Response
- Debt Service Loan RFP – LED Streetlights & Additional Road Paving
- “Dolington Deep Ditch” Along LDR Trail
View the presentation on Youtube
Listen to the Chick-fil-A discussion:
BREAKING NEWS (5/10/2024; 9:04 AM): The #NewtownPA supervisors were notified that – at the request of Chick-fil-A – “the Township has granted an indefinite extension for the Chick Fil A zoning hearing application. The application will not be scheduled for review unless the applicant notifies the Township of its intent to proceed with the application." Is this a ploy to "bypass" strong public opposition - waiting for the dust to settle?
Engineer's Report: “Dolington Deep Ditch!”
NOTE: This item was note on the official agenda. I made an inquiry via email before the meeting.
QUESTION: In a 26 April 2024 email to Mr. Lewis and Mr. Schiavoni, I said “I see that a couple of cones have been placed in the ditch on LDR just north of Frost Lane [meanwhile, the ditch has become MUCH longer]. I can't tell you how many times we've come close to running into that ditch. So, what's the plan?”
ANSWER: From Mr. Schiavoni, “I received a few calls recently from residents regarding running off the edge of the road in that location, all of them blamed going around the center of road 'yield to pedestrian' sign in that location as a reason for going off of the edge. It is also my understanding that the damaged edge of road is on the RVE punch list for the paving contractor to repair. So until the RVE punch list is resolved the sign was removed and cones were placed to prevent further damage to the edge of the road. As you can see in your picture there still is a center of road 'yield to pedestrian' sign at the crosswalk for safety purposes.”
COMMENTS: I responded “Not sure what RVE is recommending on its punch list for Harris Paving, I assume. But if it is anything like our experience with the trail [contractor], this is going nowhere fast.”
As of May 10, the cones are still there and no other work was done. I don’t think having 2 cones in the ditch makes this any safer.
Engineer's Report: Newtown-Yardley Rd/Tara Dr Crosswalk Improvements
NOTE: This item was note on the official agenda. Supervisors received an inquiry from a Newtown Walk resident prior to the meeting.
Some Background
Read: “#NewtownPA Township To Get More Than $300,000 For Pedestrian Safety”
Resident Request: “5/6/24 Email from Charlie Feuer, a resident of Newtown Walk: “Having not received any feedback from the Board Of Supervisors(BOS) or Township Engineers(RVE) on my email of April 25th, we take it to believe that RVE will present the revised plan for the crosswalk based upon the recommendations by PENDOT(Mr. Cundari's email) to include " the median refuge island with an additional push-button on the median" at the BOS Meeting on May 8th along with revised cost estimates for approval. Please let us know if this is included as an agenda item for the BOS Meeting.”
Response from the Township Manager and Dominic Cundari – the Township Engineer – via email: “As far as I am aware,” said Micah Lewis, RVE is continuing to evaluate and incorporate the revisions/changes into the design drawings in order to resubmit to PennDOT. There will not be a future agenda item for the project, as the resubmission is an administrative/engineering function.”
From Dominic Cundari, Twp Engineer, via email: “That is correct. After receiving the comments from PennDOT on April 16th, we have been evaluating the cost implications of adding the refuge island and associated improvements. We have a ballpark idea of what this cost impact will be and will be sharing that with the Township. With that now complete, we can start to update the design based on the PennDOT comments.”
FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE: From Mr. Feuer: “Mr. Cundari's response is both frustrating and perplexing… Is this not an example of putting the cart before the horse? The "revised plan" must be provided to contractors in order to get estimates. Further, is it the role of the Township Engineer (RVE) contractor to assess cost of a project? It is my understanding that an engineering firm's role is to provide and acceptable plan as recommended by the state governing agency that will issue the permit to complete it.”
Mr. Feuer made further inquiries and comments the May 8, 2024, BOS meeting; see below.
Solicitor's Report: Consider adopting resolution approving sale of Township’s $1 Million General Obligation Note to The First National Bank & Trust of Newtown
Mr. Lewis via email noted “On April 25th, the Township issued an RFP for a General Obligation Note in the amount of $1,000,000. Responses from five financial institutions were received prior to the deadline on May 3rd. Upon review of the proposals received, it is my recommendation to award the financing to First National Bank of Newtown for a four-year term with the fixed interest rate of 5.10%”
The money from this loan will be used to pay for LED streetlight replacement and road paving. The BOS approved this by 4-1 vote (Mr. Davis voted No).
NOTE: When asked if some of the money would be used to repave Wexley Drive in 2024, Mr. Lewis said: “It [loan money] will not be used for paving in 2024, but more likely added as part of next year's road program. [Regarding Wexley Dr] the crews will be using the new [hot patch] equipment for parts of the repairs.” The following video (shot on 5/724) shows the preparation for repairs:
Manager's Report: Co-Responder Memorandum of Agreement
The Police Departments of Newtown Borough, Newtown Township, and Upper Makefield Township, Newtown Emergency Medical Services, and the County of Bucks Human Services Division. The Human Services Division in Bucks County (the “County”) oversees funding and contractual services for individuals in need of social services throughout the County. The MOU will remain in effect for a two-year period commencing June 01, 2024 and ending on May 31, 2026. This two-year period may require a flexible start and end date based on the hire date of the Co-Responders and grant extension, if granted.
Types of Calls – The following are typical situations which can benefit from the Co-Responders’ assistance:
- Suicidal thoughts without attempt
- Strange or bizarre behavior
- Persons with known mental illness disconnected from services and causing concern in the community
- Family and domestic violence involving multiple members
- Child and adolescent issues without criminality
- Runaways
- Questionable need for Adult or Child Protective Services
- Families and victims of traumatic events
- Geriatric issues with unknown needs for service
- Subjects who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol who are requesting help
Related Content: “Falls and Middletown Police Departments Join the Bucks County Mental Health Co-Responder Program”
The BOS approved this 5-0
Public Comment: Delancey Court Residents Request BOS Rescind Its Approval of Day Care/Medical Building Conditional Use Application
Comments by Dr Robert Fisher, VP of Delancey Court Homeowners Association:
Comments by another (unidentified) resident of Delancey Court:
Public Comment: Newtown Walk Resident Wants to Know Why the Delay in Moving Forward on Crosswalk Improvement Plan.
Newtown Walk resident Charlie Feuer asked why there is a delay in moving forward on the Newtown-Yardley Rd/Tara Blvd crosswalk improvement plan. Mr. Feuer noted that improvements were first approved in 2022. The township engineer noted that PennDOT suggested a revised plan that included a "Refuge" island with pedestrian crosswalk buttons rather than an overhead flashing beacon as in the original plan submitted to PennDOT.
Mr. Feuer asked 3 questions:
- When did the township engineer come to the determination that PennDOT is requiring a refuge Island on this mid-block crosswalk?
- When will the second plan with revisions be submitted to PennDOT for approval? Will it include the refuge Island which has become obviously a requirement?
- What is the specific timeline of events from today? What is the expected time of approval for that [plan] to get the permit? RVE has already told us that there's 30 days for a development of an estimate or bid process then there's 60 days for the bids to be replied to and then there's another 60-90 days until construction can begin.
Comments by Charles Feuer, a resident of Newtown Walk:
My Detailed Notes
The following notes were prepared prior to the meeting. View the notes embedded below or download the pdf document.
Official Video
Transcript
Download the unedited time-stamped transcript of this meeting prepared by Youtube from the video: download PDF document.
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