Trappe Borough Swears in New Councilman and Appoints New VP

left several vacancies. One council seat, the office of vice president, and an appointment for Public Works all needed to be filled at the March 6 Trappe Borough meeting.

The open council position was advertised and applications were accepted until Feb. 24. Marshall Stomel was the only applicant. Stomel served on the Borough Council from May to December 2011. After a brief public interview, Stomel was sworn in by Mayor Connie Peck and took a seat at the council table. His term runs through Dec. 31, 2013.

All council members participated in a vote to elect a new vice president and a new Public Works representative. Paul Edwards was appointed to the vice president position and Lew DiPrete will represent Public Works on behalf of the Trappe council.

Several expenditures for Borough Hall were approved during the meeting. The 9-year-old computer server will be replaced with a new one at a cost not to exceed $6,549. Office blinds were repaired at a cost of $150, the hot water heater was replaced, and approval was granted to replace the carpeting in the office area at a cost not to exceed $2,600. New railings will be installed this month around the building and estimates have been received to repaint the columns and windows of the building. A discussion about installing screens in several windows was tabled as council wants to consider options to better insulate the windows. Further talk involved options for a security system at Borough Hall to protect employees and visitors. A security door, a buzzer system and a panic button were mentioned as possibilities to explore.

Mayor Connie Peck and Councilman Lew DiPrete attended the Excelon Emergency Management information session on Feb. 25. The session focused on explaining roles during an emergency from the federal level to the local area. The mayor also announced that Trappe Community Day will be held on Sept. 15, 2012, with a rain date of Sept. 22.

Borough engineer John Sartor informed Council that the bid documents for the remaining storm management repairs are nearly complete. Bids will be due March 29 and Mr. Sartor will make a presentation at the April council meeting.

Borough Manager Jacqui Guenther requested approval from council to proceed with a PennDOT permit for the April 14 5K Bunny Run, co-sponsored with Miracle in Motion. Council also authorized Borough Engineer John Sartor to create a design plan for a sidewalk to the playground behind Trappe Borough Hall. Open space money will be used for this project. Guenther provided council with a prioritized list of road painting needs throughout the borough. Many lines are faded and Heritage Park needs a center line.

President Fred Schuetz discussed possible considerations of new zoning for shopping areas in Trappe. He also talked about options for the Main Street Park site, stating that access for that area continues to be a challenge. Councilwoman Cathy Johnson offered to chair a meeting to discuss the Main Street Park land.

The next Trappe Borough Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 3, at 7 p.m. at Trappe Borough Hall. The public is welcome to attend. For a list of meetings, including Trappe, Today and Tomorrow (TTT), Streets, Traffic and Safety, and events such as the upcoming Easter Egg Hunt and the paper shredding day, see the Trappe Borough Upcoming Events page.