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WEST GOSHEN TOWNSHIP A regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of West Goshen Township was called to order by Chairman Patricia B. McIlvaine at 4:01 p.m. on Wednesday, February 11, 2004, at the West Goshen Township Administration Building. All members were present. Ms. McIlvaine opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Ms. McIlvaine opened the floor for public comment. No comments were made. Ms. McIlvaine announced that the February 25, 2004, Board of Supervisors meeting has been cancelled. Ms. Nancy D. Rodgers, Zoning Officer, announced that the Zoning Hearing Board of West Goshen Township will conduct a Public Hearing on Thursday, February 12, 2004, at 7:00 p.m. at the Township Administration Building to hear two applications. The first is the Continued Hearing for William C. and Patti Gray Dunkin, 124 Woodmint Drive, West Chester, PA who are appealing an Enforcement Notice issued by the Township on November 25, 2003, which determined that the proposed home occupation "Dunkin Education Services, Inc." did not meet the requirements for either a "No-Impact Home Based Business" or a "Home Occupation" as provided for under the West Goshen Township Code. The second applicant and legal owner is Domestic Violence Center of Chester County. The conforming property is located at the northeast corner of Garfield Avenue and Paoli Pike and is zoned C-2 Commercial Shopping Center District. The applicant is seeking a Special Exception as provided for under Section 84-72-A to permit the crossing of the Flood Hazard District with a sanitary sewer line and any other relief necessary to construct a residential housing and day care facility. On motion by Dr. White, seconded by Ms. McIlvaine, the Board unanimously approved the Board of Supervisors minutes from January 5, January 14 and January 28, 2004. On motion by Mr. Meakim, seconded by Ms. McIlvaine, the Board unanimously approved the Treasurer's Report dated January 31, 2004 for the General Fund, the Sewer Revenue Fund, the Waste and Recycling Fund, and the Capital Reserve Fund, as well as the bills to be paid from the General Fund, the Sewer Fund, the Capital Reserve Fund, and the Waste and Recycling Fund. Chief Michael Carroll gave the Police Report for the month of January 2004. Ms. McIlvaine stated that at the September 10, 2003 Board of Supervisors meeting, Mrs. Evelyn Baker, 900 Sheridan Drive, had brought to the attention of the Supervisors the high number of false alarms the Police Department was responding to. She said she had read recent newspaper articles in the Daily Local News concerning the same problem in Uwchlan Township and West Whiteland Township. She added that West Whiteland Police Chief Ralph Burton confirmed that in December 2003 more than 15 of every 100 calls his officers responded to were false alarms at homes or businesses which involved a total of 18 hours spent responding to the false alarms. Chief Carroll said there are always increased false alarms versus valid alarms for West Goshen Township. He added that one Township business had 19 false alarms in one year and that the Police Department is working with the owner to reduce that number. He stated that one resident has had 5 false alarms in one year. Chief Carroll said that West Goshen Township's situation is not as bad as in Uwchlan Township or West Whiteland Township and that responding to the false alarms places patrol officers in areas of the Township they might not otherwise be patrolling in. He said the initial permit fee for installing an alarm system is $25 and the renewal of the permit is $10 a year with the fines for false alarms in a calendar year as follows: First false alarm – free, second through fifth false alarm - $25 each, sixth and more false alarms - $100 each. He added that one way to reduce the number of false alarms would be to increase the amount of the fines. Mrs. Baker asked if it would be possible to not respond to the alarms after a specified number of false activations have occurred. Chief Carroll responded he would not recommend doing that in West Goshen Township. Ms. Claire Fasko, 435 Caswallen Drive, said that she is a resident responsible for three false alarms at her residence in 2003. She stated that she had an alarm installed in her attic and kept forgetting to turn it off before entering the attic. She added that paying the fines was acceptable to her and she apologized for the incidents that had occurred. Ms. Sharon Lynn, Township Manager, stated that West Goshen Township's current schedule for fines was enacted on October 11, 1988 by Ordinance 8-1988. She advised the Board that if they wished to discuss the fines for false alarms, it would be appropriate to do so. After discussion by the Board of Supervisors, on motion by Dr. White, seconded by Mr. Meakim, the Board unanimously approved having an Ordinance prepared for consideration to amend the schedule of fines contained in Chapter 25 of the Code of West Goshen Township for false alarms as follows:
Chief Carroll said that all holders of permits for alarms in West Goshen Township would be notified by letter if the schedule was changed for fines. Mr. Robert Murlless, 824 Halvorsen Drive, asked about those who have alarms but do not have the necessary permit. Chief Carroll answered that unlicensed owners of alarm systems are fined under the Ordinance of the Township. Ms. Lynn added that the violation currently has a fine of $25.00. Mrs. Baker asked if alarm companies are aware that West Goshen Township requires a permit for alarms and Chief Carroll replied that they are aware of the need for a permit. Dr. White noted that moving violations are down in the Township and asked Chief Carroll if this was the result of increased traffic enforcement to which Chief Carroll replied that Sgt. Stephen Boland, who was the primary officer handling traffic violations, is on currently on sick leave. He added that others are providing coverage for traffic but manpower is an issue for the department. He said that Sgt. William Camlin is scheduled to return from Iraq in March and will be back at work in mid April which should improve the coverage. Mr. Ralph Brown, Fire Marshal, gave the Fire Marshal Report for the month of January 2004. Mr. Brown also gave the report for Goshen Fire Company, Good Fellowship Ambulance and West Chester Fire Company. Mr. Brown said that false alarms are a problem for the fire companies also but that he did not want to discourage residents and businesses from having their premises monitored. He added that he was happy to see the Board considering the matter. Dr. White referred to the Goshen Fire Company report and asked Mr. Brown what a "good intent call" was. Mr. Brown answered that a "good intent call" was a call to help residents with a problem such as a flooded basement. Mrs. Baker stated that two people had approached her with concerns regarding the West Chester Commons Dormitory being built on Rosedale Avenue because it is being constructed with wood and not with steel. She asked Mr. Brown if the building will have sprinklers in it and Mr. Brown said that it will have sprinklers and is being built according to code. Mr. Richard E. Hicks, Building Official, said that the building will have fire walls, sprinklers, a fire pump and fire doors. He added that steel gives way to heat before wood does. Mr. Richard E. Hicks, Building Official, gave the Building Inspection Activity Report for January 2004. On motion by Dr. White, seconded by Mr. Meakim, unanimous approval was given to accept a donation from West Chester University in the amount of $855.00. Said amount is to be deposited into the Fire Company Contribution Account of the General Fund. Ms. McIlvaine opened the floor for public comment. Mrs. Baker asked if there were any problems with flooding during the heavy rain the week of February 2nd at the West Chester Commons Dormitory site. Mr. Richard J. Craig, Township Engineer, replied that there were not any problems at that site although there were problems elsewhere in the Township. Ms. McIlvaine asked Chief Carroll about a recent bank robbery in West Goshen Township. Chief Carroll explained that the robbery occurred at the Citizens Bank located at 22 Turner Lane and that 1 minute and 30 seconds after receiving the call the West Goshen Township Police had the suspect in custody. He added that the suspect has confessed to two other bank robberies and the robbery of a gun store. He said that Sgt. Donald Loane, Ofc. Justin DiMedio, Ofc. Michael Cotter, Ofc. Brian Greisser and Ofc. Stephen Peacock participated in the arrest of the suspect. There being no further business, on motion by Mr. Meakim, seconded by Ms. McIlvaine, the meeting was adjourned at 4:36 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Sharon Lynn, |
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Copyright 2005, West Goshen Twp. |
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