The West Vincent Township Board of Supervisors held their regular meeting on the above date at the Township Building. Chairman Kenneth Miller called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.; also in attendance were Supervisors Zoë Perkins and Karl Brachwitz, Township Manager Allen Heist, and Township Solicitor Allan Greenwood.

Mr. Brachwitz read into the record Resolution No. 12-1999 (attached), expressing appreciation to George M. (Mike) Burnley for his thirty years of service to West Vincent Township as Planning Commission member, Supervisor, EAC member, Northern Federation representative and Treasurer. Mike will be retiring from his Township activities - EAC, Northern Federation and Treasurer position - effective December 31, 1999. The Board presented to him a framed copy of Resolution No. 12-1999, engraved silver box and Dillworthtown Inn gift certificate. Members of the Board and audience commended Mike for his dedicated service to the Township and his polite and considerate manner in dealing with the community. Mike expressed his immense enjoyment in serving West Vincent Township and his gratitude to his wife and children for supporting him through the many years of meetings. Resolution No. 12-1999 was unanimously adopted.

Correspondence:

• A press release was received from the Chester County Department of Emergency Services requesting residents not to pick up their telephone or call 9-1-1 after midnight on January 1^st unless they have a genuine emergency that requires immediate assistance.
• Mrs. Perkins moved that a donation in the amount of $60 be sent to Chester County InterLink for providing the Township with internet access service in 1999; the motion was seconded by Mr. Brachwitz and carried unanimously.

Subdivisions/Land Development/Zoning:

• Receipt of an agreement for subdivision review extension to March 31, 2000 for the Michael Matlock-Long Lane Subdivision was acknowledged with a motion from Mr. Brachwitz and second from Mrs. Perkins; the motion carried unanimously.
• A motion was made by Mr. Brachwitz to acknowledge receipt of a subdivision review extension agreement to March 31, 2000 for the Michael Matlock-Dawes Farm Subdivision; the motion was seconded by Mrs. Perkins and carried unanimously.
• Southdown Homes has requested a waiver from the 10' side and rear yard setback requirement for driveways of Wetherill Estates Lots 35 and 37; the issue was tabled until the Board receives notification that the concerns of adjacent property owner Timothy Golden have been satisfactorily addressed.
• Unanimous approval was granted for The Woods at Callowhill Escrow Release No. 4 in the amount of $8,386.75 upon a motion from Mr. Brachwitz and a second from Mrs. Perkins.
• Solicitor Greenwood has been working with Anita Focht and Albert Chadwick regarding the dedication of Brighton Way (Birchrun Hill Subdivision) to the Township and finds everything in order and appropriate for the Township to take action. The Township Engineer is satisfied that all punchlist items have been completed. A motion was made by Mrs. Perkins to adopt Resolution 13-1999, accepting the offer of dedication of Brighton Way under and subject to satisfaction of the following conditions:
  1. Authorization from Chadwick to record a deed containing a correct deed description.
  2. Receipt by the Township of an 18-month maintenance check for Brighton Way in the amount of $8,178.00 to be held by the Township in a separate non-interest bearing bank account or, in place thereof, a like-amount line of credit satisfactory to the Township.
  3. Approval by the Township Solicitor of the title insurance commitment regarding the Brighton Way land area to be held in fee simple title by the Township.
  4. Confirmation from the title insurance company or its agent of the receipt of an amount from Albert T. Chadwick sufficient to fully cover the cost of title insurance, the cost of deed recording, and all remaining closing costs.
  5. Receipt by the title company of a township solicitor-certified copy of this Resolution and a solicitor certification that all of the above conditions have been complied with after which the deed to Brighton Way may be recorded.
  The motion was seconded by Mr. Brachwitz and carried unanimously. Solicitor Greenwood will notify Manager Heist when all conditions have been satisfied and the deed and certified copy of the resolution accepting the offer of dedication are sent to Whitford Land Transfer Company for recording with the Recorder of Deeds.
• Eleanor Morris, French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, Inc., was present to request an increase in annual support from $750 to $15,000 for general fund expenses. "The Trust is taking an active role in West Vincent Township protecting open space and preserving historic places" and this task is resulting in increased operating costs. In 1997, the Board committed to an allocation of $100,000 - $25,000 per year for four years (the 2000 Budget reflects $75,000) - to be used toward the Trust's "Dirt Road Project". The purpose of the project is to protect properties along French Creek Road by purchase or easement. Mrs. Perkins suggested $25,000 of the $100,000 allocation be transferred to the Trust at this time. Mr. Brachwitz opposed the suggestion since the money will be used for operating expenses and not directly related to a particular project or purchase of land as specified in the conditions established in 1997. Mrs. Perkins moved to authorize an unrestrictive $15,000 allocation to French and Pickering Creeks Trusts, Inc. within the 2000 budget subject to receipt of acknowledgment from the Trust reducing the $100,000 allocation for the "Dirt Road Project" to $85,000. The motion was seconded by Mr. Miller and carried with Perkins and Miller voting in favor and Brachwitz opposed.

Old Business:

• A unanimous motion was made by Mr. Brachwitz, seconded by Mrs. Perkins, to adopt Resolution 14-1999, appropriating specific sums in accordance with the attached Budget 2000 estimated to be required for operation of the Township during the year 2000.
• Proposals for creating a West Vincent Township web site have been received from Voyager 2 in the amount of $599.00 and Dobson Web Design in the amount of $525.00. A motion was made by Mr. Brachwitz to contract with Dobson Web Design to create a web site at a cost of $525.00; the motion was seconded by Mrs. Perkins and carried unanimously.
• Mrs. Perkins voiced her concerns regarding Cathers & Associates, Inc. letter dated December 21, 1999 regarding the municipal complex. The architectural firm states the job is 1,835 square feet larger than the Request for Proposal scheme and estimated cost is $348,000 more than budgeted resulting in a fee increase of $18,000. At the same time, Cathers & Associates is not performing construction documents, bidding and construction administration work on the maintenance buildings resulting in a $7,500 rebate. Solicitor Greenwood, Building Inspector Byron Law, and Mr. Brachwitz will review the proposed revised plan, fee revisions and contract prior to the January 10^th Board meeting.
• Michael Morgan, developer of St. Stephens Greene, has requested a final punchlist for road and stormwater dedication. The Township Engineer's estimated costs to complete the outstanding items is $102,191.47, developed using prevailing rate numbers; the Township is holding approximately $76,000 in two escrow accounts.
• Regarding Act 45 of 1999, the Statewide Building Code legislation, Manager Heist will request Fronefield Crawford to review Ordinance 103-1999, adopting the 1999 BOCA Code and amendments.

New Business:

• Solicitor Greenwood reviewed the employment contract between West Vincent Township and Allen Heist and has prepared Resolution 15-1999, setting salary. A motion was made by Mr. Brachwitz, seconded by Mrs. Perkins, to renew the Employment Agreement with Township Manager Allen Heist as set forth in Ordinance 47-1989; the motion carried unanimously. Mr. Brachwitz moved to adopt Resolution 15-1999, which sets compensation in the amount of $50,000 for Township Manager Allen Heist and is consistent with the employment agreement for 2000. The motion was seconded by Mrs. Perkins and carried unanimously.

• Board Members advised Manager Heist to pursue technical assistance from the County Bridge Unit Engineers to assist the Township Road Crew in the placement of grout bags under two abutments of the Flowing Springs Road Bridge ("middle", single span bridge over the Birch Run). Hurricane Floyd floodwaters undermined the masonry abutments at the foundation areas of the bridge.

• A motion was made by Mr. Brachwitz to accept the public official bond proposal from Selective Insurance Companies of America for $300,000 coverage effective January 1, 2000 for the Township Manager, Secretary and Treasurer in the amount of $400 per bond. The motion was seconded by Mrs. Perkins and carried unanimously.
• A West Vincent Township citizen representative to the Northern Federation of Chester County Communities is needed; the Federation meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. A notice will be placed in the Township Newsletter.
• A sample Anti-Litter Ordinance was distributed to Board Members for review.

Bills List:

• Mr. Brachwitz made a motion to pay the bills on the Bills List dated December 27, 1999; it was seconded by Mrs. Perkins and carried unanimously.

There being no further business, Mrs. Perkins moved the meeting be adjourned; the motion was seconded by Mr. Brachwitz and the meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,