Summary of the 9 April 2025 BOS Meeting
This is my personal summary of the April 9, 2025, meeting of the #NewtownPA Township Board of Supervisors (BOS). This is not a complete nor an official summary.
AGENDA included: Consider payment of the April 9, 2025 bills list in the amount of $379,682.15 and transfers in the amount of $579,351.90 (see 9 April 2025 Bills List); Land Development: Durham Investment, LP, 413 Durham Road – Preliminary/Final Land Development (read “Planned Day Care & Medical Buildings on Durham Road in #NewtownPA Raises Traffic Concerns”); Solicitor Report: Consider authorizing Solicitor to sign Real Estate Tax Assessment Appeal Settlement Stipulations for Pembroke Brandywine, LLC, MCD 3, LLC, and 5 settlements for Newtown Vlg Plz Assoc. LP (BRIXMOR SHOPPING CENTER; refer to the 28 March 2025 Settlement MEMO); March 2025 Police Report (highlights presented by Chief Hearn); Appointment of Foster Digital for AV production services (read “#NewtownPA Posts Request For Qualifications (RFQ) for Video Production Services”).
Agenda Items, Discussions, Decisions, and More
- Public Comment
- Reports of Board Members
- Land Development
- Consent Agenda
- Police Chief Hearn Report
- Other Business
- Official Video
Public Comment
Charles Feuer Corrects Misinformation About Newtown Cemetery & Newtown Trail
Newtown Walk resident Charles Feuer, reported that he had a conversation with Richard Tomlinson president of the New Town Cemetery Association regarding the proposed sidewalk project adjacent to the cemetery on Newtown-Yardley Rd. Recall that this was proposed to replace the asphalt Newtown Trail that leads into the Borough (read “The Case for a Sidewalk Along Newtown-Yardley Road in #NewtownPA”).
At a previous BOS meeting, this proposed sidewalk was scuttled because one Board member claimed that the cemetery did not want a sidewalk or curb and that the cemetery actually owned the land on which the trail was located.
According to Mr. Feuer, Mr. Tomlinson said “I don't know who they talked to but that's no true. I am wholeheartedly in favor of that.” Listen to Mr. Feuer’s comments on Yiutube...
Furthermore, my research indicates that the cemetery does NOT own the land on which the trail is located (see image below).
Reports of Board Members
Mack Attended Newtown “Hands Off” Protest
On Saturday, April 4, 2025, I attended the “Hands Off” demonstration near Representative Fitzpatrick’s office along the Bypass in Newtown.
I wore my “Make America’s Constitution King” hat and several signs declared “NO KINGS!
Despite the rain and a hoax cancelation email, hundreds of protesters showed up.
I met a woman who sore a T-shirt that said “Politicians and Diapers Need to be Changed Often for the Same Reason,” which I thought was timely considering that in November two NEW Board of Supervisors (BOS) members will be elected.
April 2025 Sewer Authority Board Meeting
On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, supervisor Mack attended the Newtown Bucks County Joint Municipality Authority (NBCJMA, aka Sewer Authority) meeting. Topics included: Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) capacity issues, "I and I’s" ("I&I" stands for Infiltration and Inflow, referring to the unwanted entry of groundwater and stormwater into the sanitary sewer system, respectively), EDU’s, manhole covers, status of N Sycamore St, Appointment of Authority Right to Know Open Records Officer, etc.
I thanked Jerry Schenckman for revising the agenda so that the Exec Session was at the end of the agenda and for giving residents time for comments rather than chasing them out after the first public comment session. I cannot say the same for the Borough member who made snide remarks during my comments about sinking manholes on N. Sycamore Street!
Note on EDU’s from the Township Manager: All remaining misc. EDU’s have been allocated [as of 4/17/2025]. Any new customers seeking EDU’s must complete a form to be reviewed by the Township Engineer. Once reviewed, the request will be submitted to BCWSA/Caroll Engineering to determine if it will be added to the NICMP (“Neshaminy Interceptor”). NBCJMA or Newtown Township do not have any authority over the distribution, approval, or denial of EDU’s. This is a newly established process by the BCWSA.
QUESTION: Does the review by the Newtown Engineer include recommendations to add requested EDU’s to the NICMP. Regardless of the answer, do the supervisors an opportunity to review/approve the submission before it is submitted to BCWSA?
Peter Jordan, leader of the Stop the Sewer Plant Technical Task Force, commented on technical issues related to capacity of the proposed – now halted at a “juncture” – sewer treatment plant. Listen to his comments and discussion with Authority officials on Youtube:
9 Land Development
Durham Investment, LP, 413 Durham Road
A Delancey Court resident emailed me this comment:
“We all know that the stretch of Durham Rd from Stoopville Rd to the By-Pass is a dangerous part of road, with a considerable chance of a car going out of control at several locations; especially as you turn to approach the intersection of Durham Rd and the By-Pass. Over many years, PennDot has patched the patches over and over again. When are they going to resurface that stretch? I hope before someone gets killed due to the dangerous road condition.”
The BOS approved this land development plan 4-1. I opposed this plan because of traffic concerns expressed by residents of Delancey Court located across the road from the site. Listen to their comments at the 11 December 2024 BOS meeting in this Youtube video:
9 April 2025 Bills List
LINK: https://rebrand.ly/9Apr25_BillsList
TOTAL BILLS = $379,682.15
TOTAL FUNDS TRANSFER = $579,351.90
COMMENTS/QUESTIONS:
- Pg 1, ALLEN PORTABLE TOILETS INC., GEORGE, $628.00 (4 park porta-potties). This, I assume is just for cleaning, but what about dealing with vandalized toilets like what I notice this week in Roberts Ridge Park where the toilet was overturned? SEE BELOW…
- Pg 1, BCS Facilities Group, janitorial Service/Parks APR25, $1,250.00. QUESTION: What’s this for? Different than above? Can you explain what these two charges are for exactly?
ANSWER: The Allen invoice is for rental of the portable restrooms. When vandalism happens we contact the vendor and they address it. The BCS invoice is for monthly janitorial services to clean the Township's restrooms.
NOTE: The restrooms are all open (except for veterans park for a water line issue) for the season. The portable restrooms will be removed from most parks shortly.
- Pg 4, ESTABLISHED TRAFFIC CONTROL, Replacement signs for the existing old/faded Newtown Trail signs, $432. QUESTION: Does this include new signs along the trail on Newtown-Yardley Rd in front of the cemetery?
- Pg 12, VIDEO “FOOLS” GOLD PRODUCTIONS, Broadcast Services/Laptop & DVD Rentals 2025 Blanket P.O.3/12 and 3/26 BOS Mtg, $894. QUESTION: Why are we renting Laptops and DVDs and not owning them?
Aggressive Driving and Pedestrian Safety
I noted that it was reported in the Patch today (Apr 9) that Newtown Borough Police Chief James Sabath informed the Boro council that the Borough police department in the month of March had a heavy emphasis on traffic enforcement operating under an aggressive driving grant through PENDOT which runs through 4/27 and then beginning on 4/28 it will switch to pedestrian safety enforcement under another grant.
Chief Sabath said pedestrian safety enforcement is "like Christmas around here for us because that's a big emphasis for us."
My QUESTION TO CHIEF HEARN: Did Newtown Twp ever get such a grant for pedestrian safety? What about aggressive driving? I assume we have no such grant money available at this time, but what would it take to get grants similar to what the Borough received? Thanks in advance for any comments you can provide regarding this matter.
ANSWER: “The Newtown Township Police department consistently applies for and also receives these grants through PennDot that we get through the County administrator when announced and when needed. They are usually done in block hours or set dollar amounts and we target the specifics of the grant; i.e aggressive driving, pedestrian safety, DUI, seatbelt enforcement etc. as authorized. We have been using this since my hiring in Newtown. It must have been a slow new day in the patch.”
MY RESPONSE AND FURTHER QUESTIONS: It may be a slow news day but drivers are driving too fast through our neighborhoods! Such as Country Bend and Woods of Saxony. I'm aware that you have probably responded to these concerns especially about the difficulty of enforcement. The issue of speed indicator signs mounted on poles came up in my conversations with HOA members of these two communities. I seem to recall that you mentioned to me previously that the signs in the possession of the township are not fully functional and that new ones need to be purchased. Unfortunately, these are not in the budget. Can you again explain the situation with the signs we do have? View the Chief’s comments in the following video clip from the meeting:
I know you have deployed the trailer sign and use decoy cop cars, but these cannot be long deployed in the most egregious locations in these communities - Davis Ln and Yorshire Dr. I see that the Borough somehow can afford several of these signs posted more or less permanently in a few locations (such as Washington Ave). A prosperous town like Newtown Township should also be able to afford this - I know that you agree and would welcome to see pedestrian safety "Christmas" here as well.
Should Newtown Join Class-Action Case Against Sunoco?
The BOS requested that the Solicitor investigate a class-action law suit filed by Upper Makefield residents regarding the leaking Sunoco pipeline. Specifically, supervisors asked the solicitor to determine if Upper Makefield was a party to the case and, if so, advise Newtown Townshipif it too can be a party to the case.
According to attorneys for the plaintiffs: “The class-action suit that was filed by On March 27, 2025, Plaintiffs Daniel La Hart and Katherine La Hart (“Plaintiffs”), individually and on behalf of all affected Pennsylvania residents, filed a Class Action Complaint against Defendants Sunoco Pipeline L.P. (“Sunoco”), Energy Transfer (R&M), LLC and Energy Transfer LP (collectively, “Defendants”), alleging that the Defendants’ are at fault for the Pipeline Leak based upon their maintenance, operation, and control of the Twin Oaks Pipeline, which has resulted in a still unquantified leak of jet fuel and resulting toxins, pollutants, and contaminants into the environment. The Complaint alleges that the Pipeline Leak has unleashed a catastrophic environmental disaster on a previously idyllic Bucks County, Pennsylvania, community. including but not limited to the Mt. Eyre Manor community and surrounding neighborhoods that are subject to the plume caused by the Pipeline Leak.”
Appointment of Foster Digital for AV Services
Newtown Township issued an RFQ for Video Production Services on February 10th. Four responses were submitted to the Township. Below are the rate structures proposed by the respondents.
Foster Digital Media Productions, LLC (FDM) is a professional audiovisual (AV) production and digital media management company founded in 2000 by David Kelliher. With over two decades of industry experience, FDM specializes in providing high-quality AV content management and operates across multiple municipal facilities, including
- Northampton Township, which “highly recommend Foster Digital for anyone looking to enhance their Board Meetings, capture special moments, or create engaging visual content.”
- Lower Makefield Township, which says that FDM “significantly improved our ability to archive and share important discussions with the community”
- Falls Township
The BOS approved Foster Digital Media Productions as its new AV vendor 3-2 (Davis and Calabro voting “Nay”). I voted “YEA” TWICE because the township has had poor quality of service from its current AV vendor Video Gold – or, as I Iike to call them, Video FOOL’s GOLD!
It is understood that time for training, acclimating to the system and adjustments would be necessary.
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