May 16, 2022, Meet Mack Monday Meeting

Items on the agenda included: Wawa Land Development, Better BOS Meeting Audio-Visual Technology, ARP Funds, More...

 Wawa Land Development

[Newtown Township, May 11, 2022] At 4:21 PM, Newtown Township Manager Micah Lewis informed supervisors that “Provco/Wawa will be removed from tonight's agenda at the request of the Applicant.” According to a letter received via email from John A. VanLuvanee, the attorney representing Provco Pinegood Newtown, LLC, who said that his client has “elected to grant the Township a 90-day extension of the time period within which the Board of Supervisors is required to take action on its pending preliminary/final land development plan application. The time for the Township to take action pursuant to the most recent extension that I granted expires on May 15, 2022. Accordingly, this extension is granted throught (sic) August 15, 2022.”

Mr. VanLuvanee requested that the plan be removed from the agenda of the May 11, 2022, Board of Supervisors meeting. No reason was given. Was it a "poison pill*" that that arose at the last minute? What's Next?

*Poison Pill: See page 41 of the 2022 BOS Chronicle.

Background: "Planning Commission vs Wawa & Calabro"

Better Meeting Audio-Visual Technology

This special Meet Mack Monday (MMM) meeting will be held before a Board of Supervisors (BOS) Work Session on the same day at 7:00 PM. Supervisors will discuss upgrading the public meeting room audio-visual, live streaming and production technology (e.g., hybrid meetings). What's YOUR Opinion? More details about this agenda item...

Other Items on the Agenda

Reports from the EAC (renewable energy), JZC (Comprehensive Plan, Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, Billboards on the Bypass, Wireless 5G Antennas), Planning Commission (LI/OLI Rezoning, Sidewalk Improvements) 

ARP Funds Are Sitting in the Bank

Some time ago Newtown Township supervisors were asked to submit comments on their priorities regarding the Township Manager's recommendations for the use of over $2 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds available or soon to be available to the Township. The recommendations were developed based on opinions by department heads (police, parks and rec, public works, and finance). However, residents have not had a chance to officially review or comment on these recommendations.

Upgrades to the public meeting room A/V system were suggested under the “Technology” category with suggested dollars amounts as shown in the table below.

My Suggestions

"Hardware and wiring upgrades to improve the quality of meeting productions" seems focused on technology to broadcast live BOS meetings. Improvements in that area include higher resolution cameras for live streaming via Youtube and cable TV. 

Many people who attend the meetings cannot hear what is being said or see the displays on the monitors. To improve the room audio/visual technology we need better microphones, better speakers in the front and back of the room and bigger and higher resolution (4K) monitors in the room. 

Currently, supervisors must use there own laptops or iPads during meetings. These are small screen devices that may not be secure. We need secure large-screen workstations for supervisors.

In addition, we need to implement truly hybrid meetings that allow older and handicapped as well as busy parents of young children to attend and participate remotely.