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12/17/2018 Legislative Digest

Hi, Neighbors. We had an Aleppo Legislative Meeting before the holidays and I wanted to tell you what happened.

It was a long one, with lots of year-end business covered. If you want to watch the meeting from the beginning, click here. Otherwise, feel free to click the links below to jump to the portions of the meeting that are of particular interest to you.

Before we get started, allow me to share two opinions. I usually try to make these digests facts only, without editorialization. But there are two topics that warrant more emphasis.

First–as you’ll see below–part of December’s meeting was approving an on-time, balanced budget that does not include a tax increase. That development is one that all of us who live in Aleppo should celebrate. We remain the municipality with the second-lowest taxes in the Quaker Valley School District and we enjoy high-quality township services. We’ve all seen first-hand from our state and federal governments that on-time, balanced budgets cannot be taken for granted, and I’m proud that here in Aleppo, we consistently meet this standard. I hope you’re happy about that, too!

Second, during the December meeting, I presented a year-end review of the township’s status. I discussed our accomplishments in 2018, where I think Aleppo is strong, and where I think our weaknesses lie. While it is more than just a few minutes long (it is closer to 20 minutes), it is my effort to tell my neighbors the most important facts about their township’s health as we transition from one year to the next. Many residents will not be interested in this much detail, but if you want my unvarnished view of what’s going on in Aleppo, I only take this time out of our meetings once per year and I encourage you to give it a watch. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.)

OK … off my soapbox. Here’s what happened at the December meeting:

• We held a zoning hearing to rule on the application of Northway Christian Church to occupy and operate out of the old printing press building on Deer Run Road that was previously owned by Vesuvius. We will be voting on this application at our January Legislative Meeting, so please let us know if you have any thoughts on the matter. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #PlanningZoning #NorthWayChristianCommunity #DeerRunRoad
• Our Police Chief told us about police activity in the township. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Police
• We heard about what our Public Works crews have been doing. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #PublicWorks
• I read emails to the board from residents about the storm grate at the bottom of River Road and truck parking in a lot on Deer Run Road. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #RedgateRoad #Stormwater #DeerRunRoad
• Our treasurer told us how much money we have collected in taxes and how much money we have in the bank. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #TaxCollector
• We voted (4-0) to exonerate two real estate taxpayers. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #TaxExonerations
• We voted (4-0) to adopt our 2019 Real Estate Tax Rate Ordinance, which–once again–includes no tax increase for 2019. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #TaxRate #Ordinance
• We voted (4-0) to adopt our 2019 Budget Ordinance, which includes an on-time, balanced budget. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Budget #Ordinance
• We voted (4-0) to adopt our 2019 Water Rate Ordinance. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #AleppoTownshipAuthority #Ordinance
• We voted (4-0) to accept a proposal to revise the township’s sewage disposal plan with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.  (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Sewage #DEP
• We voted (4-0) to appoint Dan Darragh to the Aleppo Township Water Authority Board to fill the term of a board member who resigned. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #AleppoTownshipAuthorityBoard
• Our solicitor updated us about the status of a potential plan to sell our interest in a lot near Weber Road (Lot 422-G-351). (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #WeberRoad
• I laid out the first draft of our goals for 2019. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting and click here to see the list of potential goals.) #Goals
• We heard from one of our residents about deer control and lyme disease, sewage and water rates, and commissioner service on the Authority board. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Deer #Sewage #AleppoTownshipAuthority #AleppoTownshipAuthorityBoard

Our next meeting will be on Monday, January 14, 2019 at 7:00 PM.  If any of these issues are important to you, please feel free to join us. If you cannot attend the meeting in person, please feel free to share your thoughts with me by email and I will be sure to convey your feelings to the other commissioners.

As always, thanks for making Aleppo a great place to live. 2018 was a great year for our and the best is yet to come, so stay tuned for another great year in 2019.

Best wishes,

Matthew Doebler
Aleppo Township Commissioner