The Morris Township Board of Supervisors met at the township office for their regular scheduled meeting. Present were Supervisors Dusty Stockdale, David Dietrich, Doug Smith, Zoning Officer Bob Sanders, Carl Sanders and Road Crew employees Rob Sanders and Jeff Mooney.
Chairman Smith called the meeting to order at 7:33 P.M. Minutes of the previous meeting were read. Smith wished to add that he also saw merit in road crew employees Sanders and Mooney attending the construction briefings pertaining to the new municipal building as their ideas were an asset to the briefings. Motion by Smith, second by Stockdale to approve the minutes as read and with the aforementioned addition. All agreed.
In old business, Vince Alfieri granted a building permit to the Grassers.
On Monday November 14th, the Zoning Hearing Board approved Dennis Locy’s request for a variance of the front setback distance of Zoning Ordinance #1 of 1973.
Secretary Lesnock was informed by both John Fonner and Tom Scherich that they do not want to be re-appointed to the Zoning Hearing Board in January of 2017. They both felt they have served long enough. Supervisors will have to find two others interested in the Zoning Hearing Board vacancies.
Dietrich stated that he met with CNX about the road issues at the upper end of Cabin and Harvey. CNX will have 2 box culverts installed and about 400 feet of paving will be placed from the intersection of Harvey and Cabin, up Cabin Road. CNX will also have a couple bad spots on Harvey repaired between Cabin Road and Mt. Zion.
The 2017 tentative budget was presented to the Board of Supervisors. It is revenue neutral. Due to the new Morris Township Assessed Valuation of $183,229,916.00, the new millage rate is set at .73. The total millage is divided as follows: .486 General Fund, .122 Fire Protection and .122 Equipment Fund. Motion by Smith, Second by Dietrich to approve the 2017 tentative budget. The 2017 budget will be formally adopted during the Supervisors meeting on Tuesday December 20, 2016. All agreed.
Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration installed the gutters and downspouts on the park pavilion.
Lesnock contacted West Penn Power to set up meeting with Dietrich, Mooney and Sanders at the cinder shed site so that electrical service can be established at that site. West Penn Power will get back to us.
Pertaining to the township employer contribution percentage rate for Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System, after much discussion, a motion by Stockdale and a second by Smith was made to approve Resolution #2 of 2016 thereby increasing the current township contribution rate from 3% to a total of 8%. This amount of employer contribution by Morris Township can be reimbursed to Morris Township by the State of Pennsylvania. However, the increased amount will not be reimbursed to Morris until the second year after the rate change. The township will received the 3% reimbursement from the State until then. All agreed. It is noted that the Board of Auditors will have to act upon this concerning Dietrich during their reorganization meeting.
In new business, Lesnock received a complaint from a resident on Craft Creek Road concerning a neighbors garbage bags not picked up by a trash hauler and now garbage is strew over neighbor’s property and then onto the callers property. Secretary to contact Consol as they own the property.
Motion by Smith, second by Dietrich to review and pay bills. Motion by Dietrich, second by Stockdale to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 9:01 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Lesnock, Secretary