1. travel
2. tourist destinations
3. spas

Palmyra Borough Council Workshop Meeting
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
6:00 PM
Borough Council President Jane Quairoli called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers of
the Palmyra Municipal Building, 325 S. Railroad Street, Palmyra, PA 17078. Other Council members in
attendance included Brian Craig, Pat Hennessy, Gary Laudermilch, Beth Shearer, Joe Templin, and Ralph
Watts. Also present were Mayor Fred Carpenter, Police Chief Stan Jasinski, Borough Manager Roger
Powl and Assistant Borough Manager Brenda Pera.
Special Visitors
Geologist Bill Seaton and John Masland, P.E. from the ARM Group were present to discuss the findings
of the geophysical study they performed at the 900 Block of East Maple Street. They indicated that there
are several areas that show voids under the surface and advised Council that the injection well at that
location is only cased to a depth of 40-feet and is discharging water into a layer of broken rock and mixed
soil at the bottom of the 75-foot deep well, which is causing the subsidence in the immediate area around
the injection well. Mr. Seaton recommended drilling the existing well deeper into the underlying
bedrock, or relocating the well to an area that will allow drilling into the bedrock layer. Council asked
ARM to provide a proposal for the cost to deepen or to relocate the injection well.
Administration Department
a. New Municipal Building Project Status Update: Mr. Powl provided a copy of the March Construction
Manager Status Report from Robert J. Buchter, PE. He also outlined the remaining items for
completion as 1) finish landscaping, fine grading and lawn seeding which has resumed, 2) obtaining
proposals for antenna installation to make base radios more functional, and 3) Police processing room
ventilation hood to be installed by Borough after the project is complete.
He updated Council on the HVAC Commissioning Study Update by stating that the Borough is still
waiting for the report.
Mr. Powl also mentioned that the Borough has received requests to use the Council Chambers as a
community meeting room. Council expressed their concern with opening the building in the evening
for various groups to use the room and determined that it could conflict with the Magisterial District
Justice evening arraignments and they didn’t want to take the chance on leaving the building
unlocked in the evening for groups to use.
Mr. Powl also commented that the Borough received a request from the Palmyra Garden Club to
advertise their annual plant sale on the Borough electronic sign. Council decided that civic non-profit
organizations that are not athletic based can request to use the sign, but the Borough will only allow
four messages on the sign and all municipal building occupants have first priority. They also
establish a time frame of one week prior to the event for the civic non-profit messages.
b. Property Maintenance Issues: Mr. Powl provided a copy of the Light-Heigel Report from 3/07/15 to
4/09/15.
c. Resolutions:
1. #2015-05 – Authorizing the Sale of Borough Owned Real Estate - Mr. Powl informed Council
that this will be the only Resolution for the April Council meeting.
d. Delinquent Sewer & Refuse Account Report: Asst. Mgr. Pera provided a copy of the March
delinquency report.
e. Zoning Hearing Board:
1. Cherry & Lingle properties - Variances needed: Mr. Powl advised Council that the variances
needed on the properties at Cherry St. & Lingle Ave. are as follows:
Palmyra Borough Council Workshop Minutes
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Page 2 of 4

Section 211G
- Minimum lot area
- Minimum lot width at building setback line
- Maximum lot coverage
- Minimum front yard setback
- Minimum rear yard setback

Section 305.B
- Minimum driveway setback from a street right-of-way
Council discussed the option of applying for the variances before the sale of the property versus
selling the property as is. Council asked Mr. Powl to apply for the variances.
Council agreed to accept sealed bids rather than hire an auctioneer to sell the properties.
Council also discussed the need to replace the Zoning Hearing Board Solicitor and President Quairoli
agreed to speak to the Zoning Hearing Board Chairman.
Police Department, Fire Department, and Emergency Management
a. Mr. Powl informed Council that an intergovernmental agreement will be necessary for financing the
Citizens Fire Co. #1 building. He will keep Council apprised of the process. He also mentioned that
the Fire Company will need to prepare, submit, and obtain approval land plan for developing their lot.
Councilor Hennessy asked President Quairoli if the Library has made any decision on where they
plan to locate. President Quairoli indicated that no decision has been made for the library’s future
location. Councilor Hennessy stated that the Borough may need to consider rescinding the Resolution
giving the corner parcel to the Library.
Public Works Department
a. Mr. Powl provided a copy of the Superintendent’s Report.
b. Parks:
1. Fireman’s Park Project Update: Ms. Pera informed Council that a meeting was held with
RETTEW to review the park submission information. The plan is to turn the storm water basin
into a functional wetlands in the attempt to use the DEP Growing Greener grant funds in order to
use more of the DCNR grant for the park upgrades.
2. Garden Club - Bowman Trust: Ms. Pera informed Council that staff is considering a proposal to
the Garden Club to cover the costs of trees and shrubs for the park improvements. This would
allow the costs of the landscaping materials to come out of the DCNR grant.
c. Street & Alley Maintenance: Mr. Powl informed Council that he and Ms. Pera are meeting with a
representative from Cedar Palmyra Shopping Center to discuss the public dedication of N. Duke St. &
E. Arch Street. He will keep Council apprised of the conversation.
d. Stormwater Management:
1. Mr. Powl informed Council that RETTEW is looking to add a functional wetland to the detention
basin in order to use the DEP Growing Greener grant funds as part of the Injection Well #9
Project at the 900 Block of E. Cherry Street.
e. Sinkholes:
1. 300 Block E. Cherry St / 100 Block S. Grant St: Mr. Powl mentioned that staff and the Borough
Engineer are working towards getting all the paperwork together in order to submit the grant
application to PEMA for review before final submission to FEMA. He also informed Council
that he contacted Mr. Hammond, the owner of 310 & 312 E. Cherry Street to discuss the
possibility of placing millings under the foundation and was told Mr. Hammond did not grant the
permission and explained that he is planning to fix the property in the future. Mr. Powl also
Palmyra Borough Council Workshop Minutes
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Page 3 of 4
inquired if Mr. Hammond would be willing to give the property to the Borough, but Mr.
Hammond has not provided Mr. Powl with an answer to that as of yet.
Council discussed the need to implement the property maintenance code on these properties at
this time.
Motion:
To enforce the International Property Maintenance Code on 310, and 312 East
Cherry Street. Motion by Pat Hennessy, second by Ralph Watts.
President Quairoli opened the floor to public comment.
 Greg & Maddie Reed, 221 E. Hazel Street, asked Council to consider initiating the property
maintenance code on all the effected properties.
Councilor Hennessy and Watts amended their motion.
Motion:
f.
To enforce the International Property Maintenance Code on 306, 308, 310, and
312 East Cherry Street. Motion by Pat Hennessy, second by Ralph Watts.
Motion passed.
Traffic Signals:
1. Earl Drive Traffic Signal - Traffic Study: Mr. Powl reported that the preliminary study shows that
the light does not meet warrants and can be removed. He is waiting for the final report and will
share that with Council upon receipt.
2. US 422 Adaptive Traffic Signal System: Mr. Powl mentioned that a conference call was
conducted on April 8th regarding the following issues:
 Communication errors resolved with replacement of radio at repeater. Grant Street radio was
used to make the repair.
 Repeated failed pedestrian button at Forge Rd. C.M. High will replace the button, and they
suspect that there may be a wiring issue within the pole since this is a repetitive problem.
 Bike zone detection areas have been increased to the curb lines. No feedback has been
received from any bike groups as of yet.
 Left turn arrows at Route 934 & US422? The County does not support the installation of turn
arrows due to the backlog it will create on US422. Annville Twp will need to conduct traffic
studies showing left turn arrows are warranted in order to proceed further.
 Crosswalks leading to nowhere at Walmart will be removed with submission of As-Built
drawings.
 Palmyra conducting traffic signal removal study at Earl Dr.
Other Business
 President Quairoli announced that the Palmyra Area Heritage Association is planning to hold
their annual Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 25, 2015 at 9 AM. She needs a motion to
close the roads. There was no public comment.
Motion:
To authorize the Palmyra Heritage Association to assemble and conduct the
Palmyra Memorial Day Parade on Monday May 25, 2014 at 9:00 AM beginning
at the Palmyra Area Middle School on West Cherry Street and traveling East on
Cherry Street, turning right on South Railroad Street, turning left on East Maple
Street to South Green Street; North on Green Street to East Main Street; West on
Main Street to South Locust Street; South on Locust Street to West Cherry Street,
and; disbanding at the Palmyra Area Middle School. Motion by Pat Hennessy,
second by Joe Templin. Motion passed.
Palmyra Borough Council Workshop Minutes
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Page 4 of 4

President Quairoli addressed the issue of a recent email from former Councilor Bob Dailey
requesting her to resign. Councilor Laudermilch asked her when the email was received. She
indicated that the email was sent March 29th and she forwarded it to Council on April 4th.
Councilor Laudermilch expressed his concern over the delay and called for her to resign as
Council President.
Motion:
To replace Jane Quairoli with Pat Hennessy as Borough Council President.
Motion by Gary Laudermilch.
Council asked Mr. Powl if the motion needed a second since it was pertaining to a nomination.
Mr. Powl left the meeting to research the Borough Code.
Mr. Powl returned to the meeting and stated that the Borough Code did not specifically mention
the requirements for replacing an officer outside of the reorganization meeting.
Vice President Hennessy opened the floor for public comment.

Greg Reed, 221 E. Hazel Street, asked Council to keep the current leadership.
Vice President Hennessy called for a roll call vote:
Brian Craig
Pat Hennessy
Gary Laudermilch
Beth Shearer
Joe Templin
Ralph Watts
Jane Quairoli
-
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
The motion was defeated by a 5-2 vote.
President Quairoli offered to make copies of the email exchange between her and Bob Dailey
available to anyone that wanted to read the information.

Councilor Watts commended Mr. Powl for the response that he provided to Mr. Dailey
addressing several items that were misrepresented.

President Quairoli commended Mr. Powl for the response that he provided to Kenneth Medina,
234 E Cherry Street regarding the status of the sinkholes in the area.
Announcement
President Quairoli announced that Borough Council will conduct the regular monthly public meeting on
Tuesday, April 28, 2015 beginning at 7:00 PM and a public workshop meeting on Tuesday, May 12, 2015
beginning at 6:00 PM
Motion to Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 8:14 PM by unanimous consent.
Respectfully submitted,
Roger E. Powl
Borough Manager