PRESENT: President Reichner, Councilman Myers, Councilwoman Hendrickson, Councilwoman McCuen, Councilwoman Shay, Councilman Smith, Mayor Schultz, Manager Hegele, Assistant Secretary DeRenzis, Chief Ruegg, Fire Marshal Valesky, Fire Company President Croak, Solicitor Plachta, Engineer MacNair, and Library Representative Kennedy were present.

ABSENT: Vice President Jacobus and Chief Davidson were excused.

CALL TO ORDER: The August 17, 2026, Committee meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Chief Ruegg led the Pledge of Allegiance.

INVOCATION: Mayor Schultz gave the invocation.

MEETING NOTES: President Reichner reviewed the public comment policy for addressing Council, time allotment, etc. President Reichner also reviewed the use of the podium and microphone when giving public comment.

PUBLIC COMMENT:
Bob Johnston State Farm Insurance 5 Williams Lane: Mr. Johnston stated that he wanted to thank the Chamber of Commerce for having great spring and summer events and a lot of attention that goes onto the town is missed through all the volunteers that are part of the Chamber of Commerce. He stated thank you to Kathy and all the volunteers. He stated he would also like to thank Council for last year, as there was some upset with some of the businesses in town related to feeling that they weren’t getting any support from the Borough. He stated that he would like to thank the Borough for acting upon that, and in his opinion, the right move with hiring Barth Consultants. He stated that the Borough and businesses worked with them many years ago and felt that progress was being made. He stated that he’s heard there’s been some criticism focused on Council for hiring Barth Consultants, and he is here tonight to hear the presentation. He stated that Council should also be thanks for putting up with that and stepping up and hiring their firm. He stated that they are here one day a week, not five days a week, and he doesn’t know if everybody realizes that. He stated there’s an awful lot of criticism just because of people just feel they can do that just online, and they don’t really know all the information.

Nicholas King Towey’s Tavern 117 S. York Road: Mr. King stated that he is the manager of Towey’s Tavern. He stated that Mr. Barth has helped them out with Valley Forge, and it has helped out the business. He stated he just wanted to come in and let that appreciation be known.

Gary Blickley 46 Harding Avenue: Mr. Blickley questioned what type of meeting that is being held tonight since there has been some flipping back and forth. He questioned if there was going to be four talking times or would there be discussion time during the actual committee meeting.

President Reichner stated that there is usually discussion during the committee meeting but there is also public comment listed so each public comment would be when public comment was heard.

Mr. Blickley stated that last month the discussion during the committee meeting was only allowed to occur between the committee people and the lawyer facilitated as well as the Councilperson who is not present, who was leading it and refused to let the public interact with anyone except for in their allocated three minutes. He stated that we are coming up on the fourth quarter now and Council has said for the last couple years that there would be budgetary updates on a regular, quarterly basis. He stated there has not been one this year. He stated there was a ridiculous tax increase last year of 18 percent and the year before that was a double-digit increase. He stated the Borough is fiscally in trouble with the amount of spending that’s occurring within the Borough. He stated that Council needs to take more of their time and focus on their spending habits, since it’s not an endless supply. He stated if this was a business, the board would be thinking about Chapter 11, the way they are spending money. He stated Council needs to do a better job. Mr. Blickley stated that capital budget has been discussed for four or five months now as well with zero updates. He stated there were promised to be put out. He stated there was some updates, but some of the suggestions weren’t incorporated and things that were promised weren’t in there, such as the police and public works, which was supposed to be a vehicle capital budget with timelines and vehicles. He stated the public hasn’t had any insight in that and it was interpreted during that meeting that information would be available to the public. He stated that it’s hard for the public to have relative comments when there is no information. He stated its muddy water and then Council says they are being transparent, but they aren’t being transparent because the public isn’t getting the information. Mr. Blickley questioned where that information is because Council is going to move forward again tonight with more items. He stated that he looked again at the capital information, it hasn’t changed in two months. He stated that Council needs to focus down, get more clarity, and focus on the most important thing which is how they are spending the taxpayer money.

BARTH CONSULTING PRESENTATION: Consultant Steve Barth provided an overview of his work over the last eight months in the Borough. He highlighted successful developments and new jobs that have been created through those. He reported that Downtown Hatboro has seen an increase in affluence. A copy of Mr. Barth’s presentation can be found on www.myhatboro.org.

NEW BUSINESS:

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE (JACOBUS/MCCUEN)

ENTERPRISE FIRE COMPANY EXPENDITURE LIST: Councilwoman McCuen stated that Council is in receipt of the Enterprise Fire Company Expenditure List for the month of July 2026 in the amount of $13,595.47. This item has been moved to the voting meeting portion of the agenda for consideration.

AXON CONTRACT: Chief Ruegg provided an overview of the Axon Contract. He stated that in 2022, the police department applied for a federal grant for body worn cameras and motor vehicle cameras, which they received. He stated that those contracts are 5-year contracts and expire in 2028. He stated as part of capital planning and planning for the future, he reached out to Axon to get pricing for a long-term contract for body cameras, car cameras, and tasers. He stated the taser model they have is no longer supported and would need to reinvest in new tasers as well in the near future. He stated he worked it out with Axon for a ten-year deal for all three items. He stated the original grant was about $45,000 a year for 5-years for just the body cameras and vehicle cameras. He stated they would be ending the contract early but receiving a $75,000 credit for the remaining years and then the yearly price came in at $55,266 a year for 10 years. He stated that is approximately $10,000 a year more than what they are currently paying, but it now includes the tasers as well. He stated that by locking in the price now, it’s a solid deal and the police can secure and invest in the future for all of those items. He stated one item that came up was if grants became available and he stated that they can still apply for the grant and renegotiate the contract to be able to use that grant money.

President Reichner questioned when looking at the quote, it appears they are shipping different things every year.

Chief Ruegg stated that the tasers have a five-year shelf life. He stated at the end of the five years, the old equipment will be sent back, and new equipment will be shipped out. He stated that keeps the department at the forefront of with the latest available technology and these items are all must-haves for the police.

Gary Blickley 46 Harding Avenue: Mr. Blickley questioned what the budgetary impact of this was. He questioned if this was an increase to next year’s budget, was any action being taken to offset that.

Chief Ruegg stated that every year the police department does it’s best to minimize cost and do a zero-based budget each year.
President Reichner stated that they are already paying $45,000 a year now.

Chief Ruegg stated that it was paid with a grant up front but yes, the police would be incurring the updated yearly cost a year early because the contract is being ended early.

Councilwoman McCuen stated that there is a $75,000 credit that is being applied to the front end and nothing would be owed for 2026.

Chief Ruegg affirmed that statement and stated that the first payment would not be due until December 2027. He stated that nothing is owed for 2026 and the 10 years go through 2036. He stated that if they do nothing and wait for the contract to expire, they would be making the first payment in a year a payment otherwise wouldn’t be due. He stated that as he explained, they are locking in a price now that’s being paid in 2026 and that will remain the price all the way through 2036. He stated that price will go up over the years and by making that long-term commitment we are paying a little bit more up front but saving more money in the end.

Mr. Blickley stated that he is not disagreeing with saving money in the contract but interested in next year’s budget.
Chief Ruegg stated that he appreciated Mr. Blickley’s question, but this was not a discussion about the next year’s budget, but a discussion about the contract, and if he wanted to have a discussion about the 2027 budget, that could be discussed at the appropriate time.

This item has been moved to the voting meeting portion of the agenda for consideration.

FIRE LANE UPDATES: Fire Marshal Valesky stated that she is requesting Council to authorize Solicitor Geiser to make an update to the Fire Lane Ordinance. She stated that at some point, the shared driveway that runs behind 2, 6, 8, and 10 N. York Road was a fire lane, and at some point, that designation dropped off the official ordinance, however, it is still signed and posted as a fire lane. She stated this change would make it clear that required area access must be unobstructed and it would give the Borough the appropriate mechanism to address any vehicles or other obstructions that could interfere with emergency operations. She stated she would like Council to consider adding that fire lane back in, and also make changes to other fire lanes that need changes, either because the name of the business has changed, or because the fire lane is no longer necessary. This item has been moved to the voting meeting portion of the agenda for consideration.

PARKING TOWN HALL ANNOUNCEMENT: Councilwoman McCuen stated the Borough will be holding a Parking Town Hall on Monday, September 14th, 2026, at 7pm at Borough Hall. She stated there was some confusion about the flyer that was posted and that the time is 7pm. She stated the town hall will discuss parking on the following streets: Broad Street, South Linden, Loller, Moreboro, Manor, Oakdale, Warren, Wilson, Wood, the intersection of Lancaster, Meadowbrook, and Windsor, Perishing Avenue, the 300 block of North Penn Street, Park Avenue, Drexel Road, and Springdale Avenue between Tanner and Summit. President Reichner stated that the residents of those streets are welcome, and Council hopes they will come, but anybody can come from all throughout the Borough. She stated that those are the affected streets are being discussed first and Council would like to hear what they have to say, and they are happy to hear anyone else as well.

FINANCE/GRANTS COMMITTEE (SMITH/SHAY)

CAPITAL BUDGET WORKSHOP UPDATE: Councilman Smith stated that Borough staff has been working on updating the capital budget. He stated that Council has not seen the capital budget since its first presentation, staff is still working on it, and they plan on seeing it in September at the next Committee/Council Meeting. He stated Council will need to consider the projects requested for 2027 through 2031, Borough staff will then begin working on financing for presentation and approval, which would be October- November timeframe. He stated any debt that is approved needs to be included in the sinking fund operating budget figures.

2027 BUDGET UPDATE: Councilman Smith stated that Borough staff has been working on the 2027 operating budget numbers. He stated the finance committee will meet in the coming weeks to schedule a public budget workshop in early October. He stated what the tentative timeline for the adoption of the budget would be: Early October, budget workshop. At the October 26 Committee/Council meeting, presentation of proposed preliminary 2027 budget and authorization to advertise preliminary adoption and public inspection period. At the November 16 Committee/Council meeting, presentation of the final budget, with any significant changes from the preliminary to the final reviewed at this meeting. He stated that advertising and adoption requirements may change depending on millage needed for the 2027 operation. He stated they are going for no change it the budget and then it can be adopted by way of resolution per the code. He stated if the millage changes, then an ordinance establishing the millage of 2027 would need to be advertised seven days prior to adoption. He stated according to the Borough code, Council is required to have the budget adopted by December 31st, so the final adoption date is at the December 14 Committee/Council meeting. Councilman Smith encourages all residents to attend the October budget workshop when it is scheduled. He stated Council wants to be transparent and always will be transparent. He stated there is no surplus. He stated he has heard a lot of people say Council is sitting on money and that is not the case. He stated the Borough takes in what they are supposed to take in through taxes and other fees and every dime of it is spent for the Borough, in the Borough to run the Borough, and translates to salaries of staff, police, public works, as well as their benefits and equipment necessary to do their jobs. He stated for some of the police and public works, the Borough is bound by agreements and each year, that is going to go up no matter what. He stated the Borough has no choice, and they have to fulfill that requirement. He stated money also will include support of the fire department, the rescue services, and the library, as well as many initiatives to support life, living, and the beautification of Hatboro. He stated they will not have frivolous, unnecessary spending embedded in the 2027 budget.

MAIN STREET MATTERS GRANT:
The Main Street Matters grant program included in your packet is a copy of the guidebook for the Main Street Matters program. Council will need to review the list of eligible projects within the guidebook and determine whether we are interested in applying. Bear in mind, many grants require a match, which would be something also we would have to consider in the budget. The deadline for applying is august 31.

Bill Tompkins 161 Spring Avenue- Mr. Tompkins questioned what the match was for the grant.

Councilman Smith said it depends on the grant. He stated some are as much as 50%, so it would depend because there are several they could discuss.

Mr. Tompkins questioned if Council was going to discuss which grant they were looking at during the committee meeting.
Councilman Smith stated not today but probably.

President Reichner stated that it needed to be discussed before Council voted so Council would need to decide if it was something Council was interested in and if so, which grant.

Councilwoman Shay questioned if there was enough time to go through all of the grant considerations, considering the shortage of staffing and filing deadline.

President Reichner stated technically this committee that is presenting the Main Street Matters grant should have been looking into it and tell Council what they were looking to do. She stated if that committee doesn’t have any suggestions, then Council would not vote on it tonight.

Councilman Smith stated he had no suggestions.

President Reichner stated it isn’t about going for the biggest grant, but looking at the specifics of each grant and what the committee is aiming for. She stated if there was no discussion then Council would have to move on from it and it wouldn’t happen this cycle.

Councilman Smith proposed that Council forgo this grant for this cycle.

Gary Blickley 46 Harding Avenue- Mr. Blickley stated there was just discussion about the budget and it was stated there would be no increase, but in the same sentence, it was indicated that there are budgetary requirements, contractual agreements, salaries, etc. that are going to require increases. He stated that part of that then is cutting or restricting in the budget to help offset hose costs. He questioned what activities are being done to reduce that. He stated historically the public has heard that 90% of the budget, nothing can be done about that, so just raise taxes. He questioned when Council is going to start working smarter instead of harder. He stated Council is asking the public to work harder because of tax increases. He stated that since contracts are negotiated and discussed by Council, they are aware of increases that are coming. He questioned how you reduce that increase in other areas without causing a tax increase on the taxpayers.

President Reichner stated that is what is done at the budget workshop.

Mr. Blickley stated at the budget workshop what the public gets told is that 90% there is nothing that can be done, here is what is going to be looked at, and then the public is sent out the door. He stated he is sorry, but he cannot accept that answer. He stated last year was 18% and this Council has exceeded the cost of living for this Borough every year for the last five, six years significantly. He stated Council needs to come up with solutions to account for the agencies that they approved and negotiated with to stay within the budget. He stated he is all for police, he has no problem with any of that, and he doesn’t want to fire or lay people off, he just wants this town and this budget, and the Borough to work smarter, not harder.

President Reichner stated she understood but at the same time, police is a large part of the budget, as well as public works and the staff, as well as health insurance and everything else that the Borough needs to cover.

Mr. Blickley stated all the increases last year were over the national average. He stated our guys do a great job, he’s not taking that away from anyone, but the Borough needs to be fiscally responsible.

President Reichner questioned what was above the national average.

Mr. Blickley stated that the National Average is usually about 3%. He stated the Borough’s was 4.2 or 4.5 plus longevity bonuses, which mean it’s a bigger increase. He stated that extra percent and a half on top of the standard living changes is just tax increases. He stated he is okay with that if Council comes up with a way to offset that in other areas or reduce spending in other areas. He stated work smarter, get more use out of the equipment. He stated that goes back to his question about the capital budget and our equipment that we have.

President Reichner stated that nothing is being done about the capital budget at the moment, Council is just trying to see what they can plan for at this point because that has not been done in the last 8 years or so.

Mr. Blickley stated that all of that stuff and information is tied together to the yearly budget. He stated if there are 15 PW trucks, that’s accounted for each year in the budget, do we need 15, do we need to stretch them out to save the taxpayers money.
President Reichner stated she understands and that is why they have the first budget workshop meeting, and they attempt to get through it all and end on a zero, and each time Council comes back, they show the public what they are trying to do at a public meeting to get that number to zero. She stated it may not all be done at the budget workshop, but it will be discussed at the public meetings. She said the plan is always not to raise taxes, as they are all taxpayers as well.

Mr. Blickley stated that he is frustrated with the conversation because last year it was 18% and he did not get an acceptable answer last year.

President Reichner stated she understood, and his point has been heard that he wants lower taxes.

Councilman Smith stated sometimes to lower taxes there has to be cuts to benefits or services so feel free to let him know at the budget workshop which services everyone can live without, and a lot of money could be saved then.

Mr. Blickley stated give him more access to the information and he can.

Councilman Smith stated he does not even have access to the information yet.

Marianne Reymer 120 Summit Avenue- Ms. Reymer stated she wanted to come back to the Main Street Manager Grant. She stated first, this is justification for having a second meeting every month, because the committee was not prepared to talk about which grant they want, and the application due date is August 31st. She stated it sounds like we are going to miss it for this year based on meeting timeline, voting, etc. She stated with that being said, she suggested Council consider the possibility tonight of voting for the grant and submitting the application to cover the salary of the Main Street Manager, if that is going to continue in 2027, because as we all know, the Borough did not get the grant money in 2026 and it came out of the budget. She stated let’s submit the application and cross our fingers that we get all or some of the money for 2027, otherwise it’s a missed opportunity. She stated seize the moment and apply.

Bill Tompkins 161 Spring Avenue- Mr. Tompkins questioned if a grant like the Main Street Manager one would apply to new spending, not existing spending already budgeted for. He stated if that’s not an option, then he understands the point of not doing anything.

President Reichner stated that this grant is the opposite, it had to be shown that you already have the funds in the budget before you can actually apply for it. She stated they want to know it can be done without their money and then they come back and tell you in March or April if you received the funding or not.

Mr. Tompkins stated that he wanted to echo Marianne’s comment then that it doesn’t make sense to not apply for the Main Street program again. He stated if you have the old paperwork from last year and the money planned for, why not do it.

Councilwoman Shay asked how that would work, could we submit the same paperwork as last year.

Manager Hegele stated yes, we could and now that Mr. Barth is here, that application can be fine tuned with some of the items he has done so far.

Councilwoman Shay questioned how much stress that would put on staff.

Manager Hegele stated that it would get done, as staff always does. She stated that the capital budget may not get on the website right away, but everything would get done.

Steve Barth, Barth Consulting- Mr. Barth stated that this grant is something that he can help with. He stated that is like that basketball metaphor that you miss all the shots you don’t take. He stated there are two pieces of the grant that align well with the Borough; first is planning grant for economic development and second is a revolving loan fund that could be dedicated towards a specific project that can be lent out, paid back, and used in perpetuity for projects.

Marianne Reymer 120 Summit Avenue- Ms. Reymer stated about two months ago, she called the Southeastern PA office and spoke to the director who oversees the grants, and he told her the reason Council learned so late about the status was because the stated hadn’t passed a budget. She stated he told her that for this year since the state had passed a budget, he anticipated being able to communicate grant recipient awards by October/November, which would hugely help in the budget process.

President Reichner thanked everyone for the information and stated that Council is going to move forward with the Main Street Matters grant application.

Mr. Barth stated typically with a grant application Council needs a resolution for that.

Solicitor Geiser stated Council would go back and ratify it if that was the case for the grant.

Manager Hegele stated that what was occurred last year, the grant was applied for and then a resolution was passed at the next meeting.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH & EVENTS COMMITTEE (MCCUEN/HENDRICKSON)

UPCOMING EVENTS: Councilwoman McCuen stated this past week on Friday, National Night Out was held, and for the first time ever, a Pennypack Committee Event was combined with a Hatboro Chamber of Commerce event, and it was fantastic. She thanked Kathy and Robin for putting in the effort to bring some great vendors and a great time for the kids.
Councilwoman McCuen read a list of upcoming events as follows:
• Bingo for Seniors: Wednesday August 19, 2026, 10am, at Borough Hall.
• Bingo for Seniors: Wednesday August 26, 2026, 10am, at Borough Hall.
• Senior Tai Chi: Tai Chi for Seniors class at Pennypack on Wednesday August 26, 2026, from 1 PM to 2 PM. This event is free to attend. Please contact Borough Hall to register.
• Cruise Night: The Hatboro Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Cruise Night/Family Fun Night/Food Drive on Friday, August 21, 2026, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM.
• State Representative Guenst Back to School Event: State Representative Guenst is hosting a special Back to School at the Pool event on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at the Hatboro Pool.
• Children’s Entrepreneur Market: The Hatboro Chamber of Commerce is hosting the Children’s Entrepreneur Market on Saturday, September 5th from 10 AM to 1 PM in Miller Meadow.
• Fall Book Sale: The Union Library of Hatboro is hosting their annual Fall Book Sale on Saturday, September 12, 2026, from 9 AM to 2 PM.
• Keeping History Alive: Civil War Encampment: The Union Library of Hatboro is hosting this free living history event on Saturday, August 29th from 10 AM to 1 PM.
• Cruise Night: The Hatboro Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Cruise Night/Family Fun Night/Food Drive on Friday, September 18, 2026, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM.

NEW BUSINESSES: Councilwoman McCuen read a list of new businesses that have opened in Hatboro recently:

Dunkin Donuts – 256 S. York Road: Dunkin Donuts features donuts, specialty coffees, food, and more.

Walnut Street Closings LLC – 55 N. York Road: Walnut Street Closings is a full-service title company for every type of real estate venture.

Designs by Kari LLC – 260 E. County Line Road: Designs by Kari specializes in interior design and cabinetry sales.

Arts in Counseling – 67 Byberry Road, Suites 301/302: Arts in Counseling offers clinical psychotherapy using creative arts.

Mary Wilkins Therapy – 67 Byberry Road, Suite 201: Mary Wilkins Therapy offers mental health support, counseling, and more.

All These Things Counseling – 67 Byberry Road, Suite 203: All These Things Counseling offers mental health support, counseling, and more.

Meltzer and Associates – 330 S. Warminster Road: Meltzer and Associates offers a range of services including tax preparation, tan planning, business tax preparation, and more.

SPECIAL EVENT REQUEST: LINE DANCING: Councilwoman McCuen stated that Council is in receipt of a Special Event Request for a Line Dancing Event at Pennypack on November 14th at 6 PM. This item has been moved to the voting meeting portion of the agenda for consideration.

SPECIAL EVENT REQUEST EXTENSION: MILLBROOK ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIG 2027: Councilwoman McCuen stated that Council is in receipt of a Special Event Request from Millbrook to extend the date of their dig through 2027. Council previously approved Millbrook Society to perform their archaeological dig at Cressbrook through 2026. This item has been moved to the voting meeting portion of the agenda for consideration.

SPECIAL EVENT REQUEST: LINKED SOULS PARANORMAL: Councilwoman McCuen stated that Council is in receipt of a Special Event Request from Linked Souls Paranormal Events. She stated the first event took place on August 9th and because this is a routine event, this event was approved by Manager Hegele. She stated Council will need to ratify Manager Hegele’s approval of this date. She stated a second request for September 13th is also included for Council’s review and consideration. This item has been moved to the voting meeting portion of the agenda for consideration.

SPECIAL EVENT REQUEST: CUB SCOUT PACK 17 BBQ: Councilwoman McCuen stated that Council is in receipt of a Special Event Request from Cub Scout Pack 17 for a BBQ at Eaton Park on August 22, 2026. This item has been moved to the voting meeting portion of the agenda for consideration.

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE (SHAY/JACOBUS)

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS & PARKS (MYERS/SMITH)

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS & PARKS UPDATE: Councilman Myers stated he would like to publicly recognize the Events Committee, Hatboro Chamber, Borough Staff, and Public Works for their outstanding work on National Night Out and Party in the Park, the events drew great community turnout and mere hours after they arrived, the park was already back to spotless. He stated this kind of turnaround does not happen by accident; it is a direct reflection of the hard work, pride, and commitment of our volunteer staff and public works team that they bring to this borough and is a big part of why the Borough is able to keep offering these events to our residents and guests and thank you. He stated for the EAC update, they continue to work on the riparian buffer ordinance, which remains under review, and they are now setting up a subcommittee to look at the Montgomery County Model Native Plant Ordinance for Hatboro. He stated they would use the same review and amendment process and that is expected to take roughly three to six months before coming to Council. He stated the EAC will be making a budget request to ask for standing line items such as a We Conserve PA membership, which last time they joined cost around $400 a year, and that price has gone up. He stated they are also discussing a dedicated annual fundraiser. He stated other items include continued tracking of solar and Ready for 100 initiatives, road salt best practices, and a possible joint EAC/Birdtown event with a rain barrel workshop next spring. Councilman Myers stated for the Birdtown Committee, they ran a raffle basket at the National Night Out/Party in the Park, which is now located at Borough Hall for anyone interested. He stated as fundraising activity grows, they discussed adding a designated treasurer and providing clear financial reporting. He stated future partnerships may include a co-hosting of the World Migratory Bird Day on October 10th with Upper Moreland’s Bird Town, and they are developing joint walking groups with the volunteer walking group, the Soulmates, the possible sea library initiative, and a self-guided bird-friendly garden tour. He stated the committee is still pursuing a painted mural instead of the vinyl wrap for the utility box project and they are looking for a possible assist from the Hatboro-Horsham group that helped with the mural. Councilman Myers stated for the Shade Tree Commission, their meeting last month was canceled, so there is no new business to report, and their ongoing work continues with processing routine tree removal permits and reviewing the heritage tree ordinance.

EAGLE SCOUT STORY WALK COMPLETION: Councilman Myers stated the Eagle Scout Story Wall in Miller Meadow has been completed by Scout Aidan Wills of Troop Three. He stated the installation features a series of posts along the park, each displaying a page of a children’s book, so that visitors may read the full story front to back as they walk the trail. He stated the current book is Marie Boyd’s “Just a Worm”, and the plaque at the trailhead reads that the walk is a gift to the Hatboro community, celebrating reading, nature, and the spirit of scouting. He stated Aidan sends thanks to community members, local businesses, family, and friends whose donations made this project possible. He stated with the project complete, the Borough now owns and maintains the installations, and this committee will work with staff to build a rotating schedule of books so that the display may be refreshed periodically.

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PARTNERSHIP OF SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA (SEPSA) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING: Councilman Myers stated included in the packets is a Memorandum of Understanding for the Sustainable Energy Partnership of Southeastern Pennsylvania. He stated this would authorize the mayor to serve as Hatboro’s appointed representative. He stated this is a regional energy procurement partnership currently made up of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties, formed to pursue lower and more predictable energy costs, increase renewable energy purchasing through coordinated procurement. He stated a few key points from the memorandum of understanding; this includes new member qualifications, which includes receiving significant public funding or otherwise qualifying as a public institution, maintaining good financial standing, minimum annual electric load 100 MWH primarily within PECO service territory, and an agreement to the programs and documents such as the MOU, the electric cost management procurement plan, program operating procedures, and renewable energy strategy. He stated new members commit to a minimum five-year participation term and are added as non-voting members without entitlement to any pre-existing working capital balance. He stated this is a financial and legal commitment for the Borough, so Council will want to weigh the projected cost savings and renewable energy benefits against the five-year minimum term. He recommended that any specific legal questions be directed to the solicitor or defer to Mayor Schultz for any additional information he would like to share, as he would be the appointed representative to the partnership. This item has been moved to the voting meeting portion of the agenda for consideration.

SPECIAL EVENT REQUEST – FALL TREE PLANTING: Councilman Myers stated that Council is in receipt of a Special Event Request from Tree Tenders Kelly and Todd A’Harrah for a fall tree planting. He stated this would not be for new trees, but rather the replacement of dead trees from the previous two tree planting across several parks in November and would also be an opportunity to address that some of those plantings include thorns, which may become an issue later and those would be replaced with thornless species. This item has been moved to the voting meeting portion of the agenda for consideration.
Bill Tompkins 161 Spring Avenue- Mr. Tompkins questioned if the appointment of the included in the MOU commits the Borough to certain policies.

Mayor Schultz stated no.

ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE (HENDRICKSON/MYERS)

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Councilwoman Hendrickson read a list of upcoming meetings as follows:
• Shade Tree Commission Wednesday, August 19th at 7 PM at Borough Hall
• Bird Town Committee: Wednesday, August 26th at 7 PM at Borough Hall
• EAC: Wednesday, September 2nd at 7 PM at Borough Hall
• Historical Commission: Tuesday, September 1st 7 PM at Pennypack
• Planning Commission: Tuesday, September 8th at 7 PM at Borough Hall
• Zoning Hearing Board: Wednesday, September 9th at 7 PM at Borough Hall
• Parking Town Hall: Monday, September 14th at 7 PM at Borough Hall
• Shade Tree Commission Wednesday, September 16th at 7 PM at Borough Hall
• Committee/Council Meeting: Monday, September 28th at 7 PM at Borough Hall
• Parking Commission: Tuesday, September 29th at 7 PM at Borough Hall
• Bird Town Committee: Wednesday, September 30th at 7 PM at Borough Hall

WEST MORELAND AVENUE BRIDGE PROJECT UPDATE: Councilwoman Hendrickson stated the project is progressing with no reported issues and the county is reporting no issues as well and they are working within guidelines. She stated the time frame for completion has not changed.

ZONING RE-WRITE UPDATE: Councilwoman Hendrickson stated the Borough Planning Commission met this month and after another review of the draft copy of the zoning re-write and had additional questions that they asked the county to go back and review and provide additional information/clarification. She stated they were not ready to recommend sending to Council. She stated the proposed timeframe is review at their September meeting and then if all is ok send to Council for discussion at their September meeting. She stated once the draft document is ready for Council, it will be shared with the public at the same time.

DATA CENTER ORDINANCE: Councilwoman Hendrickson stated included in the packet is a draft copy of the proposed Data Center Ordinance from the Solicitor’s office. She stated this will need to be a standalone ordinance and Council will need to authorize submission to the Planning Commission and Montgomery County Planning Commission for their review. This item has been moved to the voting meeting portion of the agenda for consideration.

MILLBROOK CRESSBROOK LEASE: Councilwoman Hendrickson stated last month Council heard from Millbrook President Bill Tompkins regarding a proposed lease. She stated this is on the agenda for a formal vote to authorize. She stated the Administrative Committee’s recommendation is to authorize the Solicitor’s office to prepare a lease for both Millbrook and the Borough to review and then formally vote to authorize at a future meeting. This item has been moved to the voting meeting portion of the agenda for consideration.

LOLLER CLOCK TOWER WORK: Councilwoman Hendrickson stated the Lukens Clock Preservation Committee has prepared a memo which was included in the packet, that outlines the logistical details for the relocation of the clock. She stated the logistical detail includes the display area layout, the actual movement of the clock, moving the bell, the electronic tower clock system installation, and its costs, and the electronic corillian system installation and costs, if desired. This item has been moved to the voting meeting portion of the agenda for consideration.

Bill Tompkins 161 Spring Avenue- Mr. Tompkins stated that as a member of the clock committee, one of the things they are asking for is the authorization to do a design and construct the display area in the lobby space of Borough Hall to display the clock, the bell, the pendulum, and the original hands from the clock tower. He stated they also want to add an electronic clock system to power the clock hands upstairs, restore the bell and yoke, and if desired by Council, fundraise for and install an electronic system in the tower. He stated all coordination would be done through the Borough Manger. He stated the idea on the electronic system is to be able to play a recording of the bells and it could also be used as an emergency management system. He stated the idea once the bell is restored is to record the ringing of the actual bell and then it would be sounded as Council approved it to be.
FRIENDS OF CRESSBROOK DISSOLUTION: Councilwoman Hendrickson stated last month, Council heard from Friends of Cressbrook member Bill Tompkins regarding dissolution of the Friends of Cressbrook. She stated it is the opinion of the solicitor’s officer that Borough Council does have the power to dissolve the non-profit.

Manager Hegele stated that this item was going to be tabled so that staff and the solicitor could look at the bylaws and do some additional research.

SHADE TREE RESIGNATION: Councilwoman Hendrickson stated Shade Tree Member Marianne Shaeffer has sent in her letter of resignation effective September 1st due to being an election worker and the current law and this will mean she will miss September & October’s meeting. She stated hopefully they will be able to meet and have a quorum, they have been experiencing issues with meetings due to lack of quorum. This item has been moved to the voting meeting portion of the agenda for consideration.

Marianne Reymer 120 Summit Avenue- Ms. Reymer questioned why the data center ordinance has to be approved or go to the County. She questioned why that can’t just stay here and why is the County involved.

Solicitor Geiser stated that because it is a zoning ordinance, the Borough is required to send it to the County and Local Planning Commissions for comment. She stated its advisory and they will probably have no comment since the ordinance she prepared is based on the model ordinance. She stated that the Engineer has to review it as well and has already suggested some changes. She stated that almost every Township and Borough in Montgomery County are sending their ordinances in currently for review.

OLD BUSINESS & UPDATES: None

PUBLIC COMMENT:
Mark Hanisco 120 Summit Avenue- Mr. Hanisco stated he had questions for the solicitor. He questioned if they could explain the difference between a memo of understanding, a memo of agreement, a plain old agreement, and a contract.

Solicitor Geiser stated off the top of her head, no since there are different legal implications for each. She stated that the Mayor and Council sent her what the Mayor is proposing to enter it and she had no legal issues. She stated she also sent it to a colleague whose municipality in their firm also is dealing with it, he looked over it and had no legal issues.

Mr. Hanisco questioned if any of those items are legally binding.

Solicitor Geiser stated that the MOU is not.

Mr. Hanisco questioned if an agreement is binding.

Solicitor Geiser stated that it depends on the agreement and that she would not be able to provide a legal discourse in different agreements.

Mr. Hanisco referenced the agreement between Barth Consulting and Hatboro. He stated that in one section (witness) it’s called a contract with a lowercase c, in another section (now therefore) it’s called an agreement with a lowercase c. He stated in another section (section 2 duties) it’s called an agreement with an uppercase A and under another section (three term) its called a lowercase c three times. He stated it’s back and forth and questioned if that was binding.

Solicitor Geiser stated she had not seen it and would not review it at a public meeting. She stated that she would be happy to review whatever the Borough Manager and Council direct her to review.

President Reichner indicated that was okay to review.

Mr. Hanisco stated that he would like to know if the agreement is binding or not because there are supposed to be four quarterly meetings with Mr. Barth, and he has not done a single one yet.

Solicitor Geiser stated that she will review it once the Borough Manager has sent it over and just wanted to clarify that for tax dollar reasons, she does not just review things unless Council has authorized her to do so.

Mr. Hanisco questioned how the body cam and car camera footage is stored and how long it is stored for.

Chief Ruegg stated that the footage is uploaded automatically when the body cameras are docked or when the cars go over 5G limit. He stated there is a minimum retention period of 60 days for all police videos. He stated that aligns with Act 22, which is the act on how you request police body cams. He stated depending on the incident, there are different retention categories, but if the video doesn’t need to be retained after the minimum days, it is purged, which keeps the police within their allotted storage capacity.

Mr. Hanisco questioned if the cloud was part of the contracts that were discussed.

Chief Ruegg stated it’s all encompassing. He stated nothing is stored on the internal server, it’s all cloud based, which is also compliant with the state.

Bill Tompkins 161 Spring Avenue- Mr. Tompkins stated he had a clarification on the archaeology request. He stated that will be an annual ongoing request as that archaeology continues. He stated he does not believe they will finish inside the tannery through next year, which would be before they started outside.

Councilman Myers questioned if Millbrook could make a presentation every once in awhile to keep the public in the loop.
Mr. Tompkins stated that is something could do.

Marianne Reymer 120 Summit Avenue- Ms. Reymer stated that there needs to be two meetings each month. She stated she sent in a RTK request for the micro school agreement (not a contract or MOU), and she had questions that don’t seem to be addressed in the agreement. She questioned if there was a security deposit for the school. She questioned who the personal contact was, who is cleaning the kitchen, the classrooms, the bathrooms. She questioned if one of the kids has an accident, who cleans and sanitizes that. She questioned what the school hours are. She questioned if PW had to modify their hours to clear Pennypack in the event of snow. She stated the micro school did not appear on the agenda until the June meeting, then it was tabled, and then it came up again in July and there was no discussion from Council regarding the agreement. She stated that nobody questioned anything as she just did. She questioned if there was discussion behind the scenes or does Council just agree it’s all good. She stated she was disappointed there wasn’t public discussion on the matter and felt that it wasn’t transparent. She stated it was on the July agenda and voted on in the same night and now here she is in August, after the fact, bringing questions because there was no opportunity before that. She questioned if the micro school had signed the agreement and returned it and if Council had also signed.

President Reichner stated yes to both had signed it. She stated as far of the cleaning, they are doing all of the cleaning.

Manger Hegele stated that the agreement was signed by both parties after the meeting last month. She stated as far as the snow, the micro school operates off the same schedule as Hatboro Horsham School District, so if they are delayed opening, then the micro school is delayed opening. She stated that is no different than how PW handles things now when it comes to plowing, since PW already has to modify to plow Crooked Billet. She stated for cleaning, they are responsible for the three classrooms they have. She stated they do not have a kitchen. She stated each classroom has its own bathroom, and they are totally responsible for the cleaning of all of that, the Borough does nothing. She stated they will do the same as every other tenant when it comes to trash, which is stick it in the hallway and when PW is there to clean once a day, which they are already doing, they will pick up the trash and dispose of it. She stated there was no security deposit for that one.

Ms. Reymer questioned if there should be one.

Manager Hegele stated it would be up to Council if they would want to require a security deposit, but the micro school is required to pay their rent by the first of the month.

President Reichner stated the contract goes until June of next year and a security deposit could be added then and in any future agreements with tenants coming in.

Manager Hegele stated that there have been no security deposits asked for from any of the tenants that are there. She stated if Council felt they needed a security deposit from them, the Borough could ask them to amend the agreement and put up a security deposit.

Councilwoman McCuen stated the agreement was amended already to include that they micro school is responsible for any damages that are incurred by someone attending their school or by anyone working with their school.

Manager Hegele stated she had some concerns about items that were addressed in the lease. She stated they do have insurance and had to provide proof of that insurance to the Borough.

Ms. Reymer questioned that the total amount they are paying is $39,000 for September to June.

Manager Hegele stated they are paying $3,250 a month.

President Reichner stated they should be moving in by the end of the month for August so they can start in September. She stated as far as the meetings, there was an initial meeting between the micro school, the Borough Manager, and the Pennypack Committee (President Reichner, Vice President Jacobus, Councilwoman McCuen) to speak with them. She stated there was a second meeting that Manager Hegele, Vice President Jacobus and Councilwoman McCuen attended and disseminated that information to President Reichner. She stated that Manager Hegele shared an email to Council, so everyone was aware of the micro school information.

Ms. Reymer stated that none of that was disclosed publicly at any point. She stated the public did not know any of those parts and Council voted on it last month. She stated it wasn’t talked about at the table and so the public only knew that an agreement existed, and it was going forward. She stated it wasn’t until she dug into it that she found out what it was about, which she doesn’t have a problem with, but her point is Council should have discussed back and forth at the table about it.

Gary Blickley 46 Harding Avenue- Mr. Blickley questioned the agreement in relation to the access to the auxiliary spaces. He questioned if the items Ms. Reymer brough up apply to the kitchen, gym, and other auxiliary areas that they may have access to.
Manager Hegele stated they have no access to anything but their three classrooms and the front door. She stated that everything else is locked down, they can’t use the gym, kitchen, or library. She stated they would need permission and would be subject to fees to use any of those spaces.

Councilwoman McCuen stated unless they request access to shared spaces within the building, they do not have access, just like the other tenants. She stated if they request access, then they pay the fees.

Mr. Blickley stated they have a right to so many times of that, which isn’t disclosed real clearly, so it is auxiliary spaces that they have access to at request.

Councilwoman McCuen stated that they may request access, like anyone else, and would have to pay, like anyone else.

Mr. Blickley stated when he read the agreement it didn’t say there was any payment required.

Mr. Blickey questioned where Council stood regarding the discussion around the amount of interest the Borough is earning on the money. He stated there has been no additional discussion and the public was told there would be additional information provided.
Manager Hegele stated she had an update which was included in her report. She stated the Borough has scheduled meetings with three different investment firms/banks for the beginning of September.

President Reichner apologized as there was delay because she was on vacation so they pushed the meetings to September so she could attend.

Merrie Keller 110 W. Monument Avenue- Ms. Keller stated she is preparing for the budget and questioned how many trees are needed for the fall tree planting.

Councilman Myers stated he was not sure, but they weren’t new trees, it is a replacement of trees and they were already provided for free from the A’Harrahs.

Ms. Keller questioned how many and where they were going.

Councilman Myers stated he believed it was around 52 or 53 and they were replacing the trees that were planted at Eaton, Pennypack, and Celano.

Ms. Keller stated for the Enterprise Fire Company, she looked over the expenditure list quickly and thought it was really nice that they are generous, but what was the $250 donation to North Penn Goodwill.

Fire Marshal Valesky stated that it is a canteen service that if there is a large fire or incident, they will respond and feed the firefighters on scene. She stated that they rely on donations from the fire companies around the area they service to help pay for those services. She stated it is part of the mutual aid services.

Ms. Keller questioned the copier lease and usage that was on the expenditure list. She stated that a copier lease for a month is $305.22 to Wells Fargo and copier usage for three months is $19.67 to Wells Fargo.

Fire Marshal Valesky stated that the fire company has two copiers, one of the first floor and one on the second floor. She stated those are leased units and then every three months, the fire company is charged for the usage, meaning how many papers they print or make copies of.

Ms. Keller questioned if the fire company ever considered buying one.

Fire Marshal Valesky stated it has been discussed.

Ms. Keller questioned when the fire company was going to buy one.

Fire Marshal Valesky stated that the fire company is in the process of working on their budget and it is something that has been discussed.

Councilman Myers clarified that it was 63 total trees at Pennypack, the Little League Field, and Eaton Park and they are all along the riparian buffer.

ADJOURNMENT: The August 17, 2026, Committee meeting was adjourned at 8:39 PM

COUNCIL MEETING

CALL TO ORDER: The August 17, 2026, Council meeting was called to order at 8:39 PM.

MEETING NOTES

PUBLIC COMMENT: President Reichner reviewed the Public Comment Policy and Time Allotment.

PUBLIC COMMENT – (VOTING ITEMS ONLY): None

MAYOR’S REPORT: Mayor Schultz stated that Saturday, July 25th was the 33rd annual Moonlight Memories Car Show here in the Borough. He stated the weather was perfect, there was food, refreshments, and plenty of beautiful cars to enjoy. He stated he wanted again to thank our awesome Public Works Department, led by Charlie. He stated there was Greg, Joe, Harrison, and all the other guys. He thanked the helpful firefighting volunteers of the Enterprise Fire Company, and their fire police detail who come from all parts of Montgomery and Bucks counties. He also thanked our amazing police department, led by Chief Ruegg, as well as Second Alarmers, and the incomparable Fire Marshal Kate Valesky. He stated thank you to the car people, your dedication to the preservation and modification of your ride is unparalleled. Mayor Schultz also thanked the army of volunteers at the Chamber of Commerce, led by Kathy Salemno. He stated thanks to our Council people, Hendrickson, Smith, and McCuen, they were there with smiling faces all day long.

He stated as was already reported on, National Night Out was held this past Friday after being postponed a week due to the weather. He stated it was a combination event with artists forming the first Art in the Park Art Show. He thanked Robin Laufer for her work organizing the arts portion. He stated it was a great night and this long-running event was designed to connect our first responders to the community. He stated it has grown into a major event, but it has never lost its mission of personalizing and humanizing our local public safety heroes in conversations with the community and our kids. He stated the talented DJ Dev provided the terrific music and set the vibe for the evening. He thanked the dedicated Public Works Department, Enterprise Fire, Second Alarmers, Hatboro PD, and other regional police departments. He stated the Montco Sheriff’s Department was there as well as our Montco SWAT team. He stated thanks again to Kathy and Councilwoman McCuen for organizing this great night, family fun, and educational opportunities for all. He stated he would like to reshare his thoughts about volunteering. Mayor Schultz stated the events he just mentioned would not be possible without a group of unpaid volunteers who spend their time helping others. He stated there are plenty of places and organizations who need your help and want your help. He stated volunteers make our corner of the world a better place because they show up, they contribute, and they care. He stated volunteers help to put the smiles on kids’ faces, volunteers green up the environment, listen to neighbors when they may never have been afforded the opportunity to share their thoughts with others. He stated that includes the volunteers in our Borough government and if you are on a committee, a commission, a planning group, or the EAC, your voice, your leadership, your ideas are necessary for the health of our community, and will be appreciated by this Mayor, this Council, and Borough Manager Hegele.

OFFICERS’ REPORTS:
PRESIDENT’S REPORT: President Reichner stated school is back for Hatboro Horsham and Upper Moreland students August 31st, which is the earliest Hatboro Horsham has ever gone back, so please keep that in mind when driving around town. She stated there will be kids at bus stops, kids walking to school, so please make sure to be aware of what’s happening. She stated make sure you’re not on the phone and help keep our kids safe as they’re walking and riding their bikes to school and everything. She thanked the staff of the Hatboro Pool for all that they handled each day, the lifeguards, these kids come and must handle a lot of different things every day. She stated if you saw the pool was closed for 24 to 36 hours this past weekend, that was lifeguards and the wonderful management staff, especially Gianna, who handled that incident as well as our wonderful PW who stepped in to help. She thanked Cindy, Greg, and Gianna and all of the lifeguards, as well as the front desk kids, for all they do to help keep our members and guests safe. President Reichner also thanked the Chamber for all the events they do, it helps make the community feel more like a community where people get to come out and be together, especially the car show and parade.

She stated that she wanted to echo the mayor’s sentiments for the Pennypack Events Committee and all of the volunteers of all of the committees. She stated the library just had the Colonial Day, all of these things are wonderful and just weave the wonderful quilt that is Hatboro. She also thanked everyone who keeps the Borough running.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Manager Hegele stated as Council knows, Ms. Laufer was appointed treasurer last month by Council and in the last month, staff has been working on paperwork and administrative things for her to become treasurer. She stated on Friday her paperwork came back and all was good, so next steps will be access to the bank accounts and training by staff on what she needs to do and how to prepare her reports. She stated in the interim, for the month of August, the ending balance was $5,865,091.93, and $3,840.89 earned in interest.

Merrie Keller 110 W. Monument Avenue- Ms. Keller questioned if the $3,840.89 included in the 5 million.

Manager Hegele stated that is separate on some of the accounts, but the Borough is still operating at two banks, so each bank does it differently. She stated for the most part the interest is separate from the balance reported.

SOLICITOR’S REPORT: Solicitor Geiser stated the focus the past month has been the Data Center Ordinance and routine Borough business.

ENGINEER’S REPORT: Engineer MacNair provided the following report:

Land Development Projects:
21 through 23 and 27 N. York Rd, The Station at Hatboro: Approved project, three-story mixed-use building with 102 residential units and 4,732 square feet of retail space. Punch list issued on April 23, 2026. Escrow release approved at the April Council meeting. Engineer is reviewing as-built plan submission and punch list completion prior to recommending final escrow release.

Permanent Projects:
206 Wood Street, Lot Two: Engineer has reviewed and recommended approval of the grading and stormwater design related to a new single-family dwelling. (at the time of the meeting construction has started).
420 Jacksonville Road: Engineer has recommended approval of the grading and stormwater design related to replacement of an existing underground stormwater facility and reviewed the stormwater easement and operations and maintenance agreement for new stormwater utility.

110 West Lehman Avenue: Engineer recommended approval of the grading and stormwater design, awaiting notice that construction has started (at the time of the meeting construction has started).

MS4 Permitting: Engineer recommended to the Borough for meeting the DEP’s MS4 permit requirements. Engineer submitted the final PRP report by the September 30, 2025, deadline, and the DEP inspection that was held on December 22, 2025, showed that no violations were found in the MS4, and Engineer is preparing an annual report, which is due by the end of September for the new MS4 permitting.

Road Opening: Engineer provided draft updates to the Borough’s street excavations and sidewalks and curb ordinances for Borough review.

2026 Paving Program: Engineer completed the base bid to pave Wood Street and Abbotts Lane, and alternate bids to pave portions of Horsham and Broad that were awarded to Bray Brothers at the June Council meeting, authorization to advertise approved at the May Council meeting, and bids were opened in June with five bids received, coordinating liquid fuels approval and pre-construction meeting and construction schedule.

Councilman Smith stated for the 206 Wood Street project, when it was approved by Council to split that property into two, there was an issue about whether they were going to have enough room to have a driveway on the new property. He questioned how that was solved.

Engineer MacNair stated they were able to construct a driveway on the new property without impeding the other property.

MANAGER’S REPORT: Manager Hegele clarified that when someone builds a new house, they go through the building permit process and there are a lot of items that the BCO handles. She stated the Engineer also goes out and does inspections, there are final inspections, there is a while process, so even though the planning commission and Council authorize, there are still things that go on day to day behind the scenes that people may not see or be aware of. She stated you may not see those things until it comes back for an escrow release or that kind of thing. She stated she wanted to assure everyone that a lot happens behind the scenes with land development. Manager Hegele stated that the Barth Consulting Presentation and Dining Guide will be shared on the website. She stated that Mr. Barth will also be out handing out the Dining Guide as well. Manager Hegele stated for Dunkin, she is working with the owner on a light study, and she has requested a lighting as-built plan based on light measurements taken with a light meter 1 hour past sunset per IES guidelines. She stated once she has that report, she will work with Engineer MacNair in reviewing and then will provide an update to Council and the public with the results and if any action is needed. Manager Hegele stated the Planning Commission update remains the same as what was shared earlier, there are changes that need to go back to the County. Manager Hegele stated the Zoning Hearing Board will meet in September; they are up to 4 applications. She stated she has continued to work with the Finance Committee on scheduling a meeting to discuss banking and investments. She stated the meeting will be taking place the second week in September and an update will be provided once all the information has been gathered. She reiterated that summer is hard, and vacations and schedules caused a slight delay in getting the meeting scheduled.

Manager Hegele stated she and staff are working on the operating budget as well as finalizing the capital budget. She stated work has been on going behind the scenes with making changes and obtaining numbers. She stated internal changes were made and items were shifted around by department. She stated the pool has its own line item, parks have their own, Pennypack has its own, PW, Police, Admin, Second Alarmers building, all the input that was given to the Borough was taken. She stated that staff is working to try and finalize numbers and come back with accurate numbers rather than just estimates, which is time-consuming trying to obtain quotes, since most places will not provide quotes for work they are not getting. She stated staff is doing their due-diligence and working as quickly as they can. She stated that all boards and commissions were sent budget request sheets via their chairs and asked to return those with backup information. She stated that the fire company and library are working on their budgets as well and they will be provided dates for them to come in and make their presentation. She stated there will be more information in September on the capital budget and once items are picked for 2027, that will coincide with the sinking fund and operating budget. She stated staff and Council want to be transparent, they want public input, and she wants to make sure that staff is capturing everything that is needed to run the Borough. She stated she has sat down with the Chief to go over things and will continue to work in the coming weeks to finish everything. Manager Hegele stated she has received a number of responses to the notice that was delivered and comments from residents on the affected streets who cannot attend. She stated she wanted to encourage everyone that received the notice and cannot make the meeting or have questions to please reach out, all comments received will be read at the town hall whether for or against the changes. She stated staff was able to field questions at National Night Out as there was a big A-frame sign that announced the town hall and streets considered and staff spent time updating and discussing with the residents. Manager Hegele stated she has received a few emails from residents around the new restaurant on Jacksonville Road, the restaurant has followed all applicable zoning regulations for use. She stated that the parking lot has not been paved or striped yet, so it appears that there may not be enough parking. She stated until the lot is striped, she can’t verify that they meet the parking requirements that they were given during their zoning review. She stated she wants to remind everyone that customers to any business can park on any public street as long as they are legally permitted to do so. She stated the Chief will corroborate from an enforcement perspective that people cannot be told they cannot park legally on a public street. She stated she will continue to monitor the area once the establishment opens for business, and once that happens if the Borough needs to go back and do enforcement, we will. Manager Hegele reminded everyone on September 12th, there is a walk to raise funds and awareness for the Veterans and First Responders who are in crisis, held by the Honor and Courage Foundation, a local organization from Southampton. She stated the event is in Miller Meadow, and the walk is from Miller Meadow to York & Summit and then back to the meadow. She stated if you are interested in walking, donating to the cause, volunteering, sponsoring, or donating a gift for raffles, the information is on the back table. Manager Hegele stated to watch out for the next Hatboro Happenings Newsletter that should be on the street soon. Manager Hegele thanked everyone who came out for National Night Out, and to the organizers. She stated it was a beautiful night and well attended by so many. She stated it was nice to see so many from the community participating. Manager Hegele reminded everyone to sign up for Savvy Citizen to stay up to date on events, and other important communications. She stated that it includes weather updates, traffic updates, and multiple groups use it, and it is a great place to get information. Manager Hegele stated that staff does their best to try and get the information out. She stated that almost 1,200 letters were hand delivered to residents regarding the parking town hall. She stated the Borough is not required to do that, but the Parking Commission and staff felt it was prudent that information got out there. She stated often people come to meetings after the fact and say they did not know about, so staff really tries. She stated that Borough Hall has very limited staff and is doing the best they can. She stated for example, she is not only the Borough Manager, but also the zoning officer, the right to know officer, she hand-delivered flyers for the town hall, she dressed up as Bindy during National Night Out. She stated that staff works very hard to do all that they can, and it is nothing personal against anyone. She stated she is always open to feedback if there are things people think that can be done better, just reach out and she is happy to discuss. Manager Hegele stated that the County notified the Borough that Pennypack is most likely not going to be a polling place for South 1 and South 2 voters. She stated they are looking to relocate voting to Lehman Church for both of those wards. She suggested if you live in those areas, that you stay tuned for notifications from Voter Services and the Borough will share any updates on this change should it occur.

STAFF REPORTS
POLICE: Chief Ruegg thanked everyone at the Chamber and the Borough who helped plan National Night Out. He stated the PD is fortunate to have the support who can set up the vendors and the event because without it, the events wouldn’t happen, and thank you for a great event. He stated its always enjoyable getting out there, talking with everyone, doing giveaways, etc. He stated the PD will be completing their annual use of force and defensive tactics training, which is a state requirement. He stated the department goes half at a time. He stated as President Reichner said, school is going back into session, so please drive carefully. He stated make sure you stop for school busses with the arms extended, or you will receive a $300 fine. He stated going around a down stop arm is a huge safety issue. He stated for the drone grant, it is almost wrapped up. He stated it goes to Manager Hegele next for approval and then it will be submitted, and then announcements should be made in October.

Councilman Smith questioned the $1,250 discount on the 10-year lease. He stated he looked at all of the totals of everything and added them up and the Borough was receiving $1,250 more value of equipment than what we would pay for.

Chief Ruegg stated he would have to look at the specific document but some of the things that they negotiated for, like community link which is something the PD already has and doesn’t get billed for, would continue to be free, and there were a few other freebies in there. He stated some of those features that are add-on’s that other departments pay for, like the community link. He stated that there will be a $15,201.52 credit that can be applied to whatever year the Borough wants.

Mark Hanisco 120 Summit Avenue- He stated he just watched one of those drones shows that was 12 minutes long, and he looked it up and they are only 12 minutes because drones can only stay up for 15 minutes. He questioned how long the drone the PD applied for could stay up.

Chief Ruegg stated it is a 45-minute charge, but he is not a drone expert by any means. He stated the drones used in drone shows are probably smaller with lower flight time. He stated that the drone the PD is applying for is a larger, advanced drone and the batteries can be hot swapped, so that means you can bypass resetting it and docking it. He stated they also include technology to avoid colliding into things.

TAX COLLECTIONS: The Tax Collector’s report was submitted in advance. $201,685.20 was collected.

PUBLIC WORKS: Manager Hegele thanked everyone on Council for their support of the PW department and stated she would relay that information back to Assistant Foreman Puceta. She stated recent storms have been tough on some trees in our parks and staff has been working with the Shade Tree Commission on removal and trimming of some. She stated while the Borough does not like removing trees, sometimes situations warrant the removal for the safety of all that use our parks. She stated that Pennypack is ready for the new Micro School who will be moving in later this month. She stated that for the pool, there are 3 weeks left and just a reminder, if you are a member or a guest and you are not feeling well, can you please obey the pool rules and stay home. She stated this past weekend was the first incident that resulted in a prolonged closure. She stated that PW had their annual PA One Call check, PA Law requires a property owner, contractor, or municipality to call 811 before digging. She stated the Borough passed with a grade of 100. She stated staff has to answer these calls 7 days a week and respond and mark any underground infrastructure owned by the Borough. She stated that PW has to respond with urgency and that the Borough had a perfect response rate thanks to the hard work of PW and the management team of PW. She stated the due diligence of the PW, they are saving the taxpayers money because the Borough could be fined if not in compliance. She stated that PW is busy as always, and there are a few more weeks left of summer and hopefully the nice weather continues into the fall. She stated as a reminder, if you see a streetlight out on your street, please call Borough Hall or send an email so PW can fix. She stated thank you again for the support shown to PW. She stated they see the nice comments and posts on social media about their hard work, and the support of the residents is much appreciated by the Department.

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT UPDATE: Manager Hegele stated that Mr. Barth’s report mirrors some of the things he stated in his presentation. She stated he reported on the recent article in the Courier Times by reporter Michelle Haddon that she did on the downtown Hatboro dining area. She stated he reported on the Dunkin grand opening on July 25th. She stated he reported on the dining guide, which was shared this evening. She stated he worked with Sylvara Labs and the owner of Plunkett Funeral home. She stated in case people didn’t know, Mr. Plunkett sold a portion of that, so he’s still involved but there’s another funeral director in there also. She stated he continues to work with the Iron Oven. She stated a lot of us have continued to work with the Iron Oven, meeting with him, trying to facilitate everything he needs. She stated she has a meeting with him on Wednesday to go over what he needs for building permits, with the Fire Marshal and BCO. She stated he met with the owner of Casa De Fehu. She stated he also attended the Hatboro monthly Chamber meeting at Cyrenity Sips on July 28th, and he continues to make social media posts.
Councilman Myers questioned if Council was expecting another presentation with Mr. Barth.

Manager Hegele stated she would like to meet with the Downton Development Committee and get direction. She stated his next steps are to complete the survey and she would like to see what next steps the Committee has.

FIRE MARSHAL REPORT: Fire Marshal Valesky reported the following for the month of July:

INSPECTIONS:
62 Commercial Fire Inspections (YTD: 161) 0 Fire Re-inspection
5 Residential U&O Inspections (YTD: 42) 0 Residential U&O reinspection
1 Units/ 1 Properties Rental Inspections (YTD: 310 Units/56 Properties) 1 Rental Re-inspection
FIRE CALLS/INVESTIGATIONS:
11 Fire Calls (YTD: 74)
0 Investigations (YTD: 7). Car into porch that required follow-up.

SMOKE DETECTOR INSTALLS: Installed 5 smoke alarms (YTD: 33)

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE:
Received 44 complaints (End of July: 362). The breakdown is as follows:
15 Work w/o permit complaints
0 Unregistered rental complaint
2 Unregistered business complaints
11 Grass/tree/overgrowth complaints
11 Safety/Fire complaints (failed wall, fence, wires)
5 Misc. complaints (zoning)
1 Shade Tree (York Rd trees)

Fire Marshal Valesky provided the following safety message:
Only 26% of families have and practice a fire escape plan. 80% of Americans don’t know home fires are the most common disaster in the U.S. Working smoke alarms reduce the chance of dying in a fire by almost half, and children under 15 comprised 60% of deaths caused by someone playing with a heat source. With kids headed back to school, here are a few tips:
Fires happen fast. Teach kids never to play with fire, and if they see matches or lighters, do not touch them, give them to an adult. Leave snacks at home that don’t need to be warmed up. Kids should not have to use the stove or another heating appliance. Practice an escape plan for when they are home alone, so they know to grab any family members or pets in the house with them to get out, stay out, and call 911.

Fire Marshal Valesky provided an update to the fire company meeting with ISO the previous month. She stated ISO is a survey that is scored based on a couple different factors, such as water supply, 9-1-1 center, dispatch procedures, training records, and testing of equipment. She stated it assesses the department’s ability to respond to fires, and departments are scored between 1 and 10, with a 1 being the highest level of fire protection. She stated a higher rating reflects better preparedness and impacts insurance premiums. She stated the last time Enterprise had the survey completed was in 2012, and at that time, they were rated a four. She stated Enterprise spent two hours last month meeting with the ISO survey representative, which didn’t include all the preparation work. She stated they will know in approximately four to six months what the score will be, and they will report back once they have that score.

FIRE COMPANY REPORT: President Croak provided the following report for the month of July. He stated the fire department responded to 25 fires, 11 in the Borough and 14 to the surrounding townships around us with one of the big ones being the Doylestown Township Fire, the recycling plant that burned for about six hours, and Enterprise was there for about four hours on the street, and then covering Doylestown Borough. He stated they continue their Wednesday night training with the last couple weeks focusing on water rescue and elevator rescue. He stated the drivers continue to go over pump operations, get qualified, and attend community events. He stated last month Enterprise had a first responder trailer there, and he can’t thank the residents and the businesses and everybody who donated to the fire department. He stated they received over 275 cases of water, roughly 25 cases of Gatorade and energy drinks, and some of that water is going to be donated to the police department, to public works, and second alarmers. He stated Enterprise attended a few daycare camps, helped the Fire Marshal with bringing a fire truck out to the Cub Scouts at Pennypack, attended some birthday parties. He stated it is the Fire Company’s pleasure to work with the Borough and the Chamber to protect the residents and the public during the car show. He stated the 2026 Fund Drive will be going out in September, so look for that in the mail, and as always, the fire department is always looking for volunteers.

SECOND ALARMERS REPORT: President Reichner read out the SARS report as follows:
81 calls for the month. 51% were transports, 9% non-transports, 36% other dispositions. No Narcan was administered by SARS. SARS has two full-time EMT and three full-time paramedic positions open. Chief Davidson continues to ask for support of House Bill 1152, and Act 54 of 2024, please contact your state representatives and urge them to support these. New rates for SARS are published on the website effective June 1st for details and standbys of EMS units, municipalities that provide funding to SARS receive a discounted rate for their service.

UNION LIBRARY REPORT: Library Representative Kennedy provided the library report as follows:
New Patrons – We have 69 new library card members since July 1, 2026. (60 adults / 9 children). 53 Hatboro / 13 Non-Hatboro
New Books – Since July 1, 2026, we have ordered and received 246 new books (79 adults / 90 children – Borough tax funded – 77 Adult Books)
Programs – 57 programs held July 1 – August 11 [38 adult / 19 children/YA] – Borough tax funded – 3 Adult Programs
Total Circulation – 3022 Books, DVDs, etc. have been checked out of our physical building since July 1, 2026.
TRIPLE L CONCERTS– Our weekly Friday Lunch Concerts will this month as follows: August 21 – Lolly and August 28 – Jefferson Barry.

CIVIL WAR ENCAMPMENT – The Baker-Fisher Camp 101 (Sons of the Union) will host the second annual Civil War Encampment on the library lawn on Saturday, August 22 at 10a – 1p. There will be musket firing during this event.

TEEN COSPLAY – A night of fun for our teens age 13 – 18 on Tuesday, August 25 @6 – 8p. Dress in your favorite cosplay and join us for games, crafts, fashion show, and more. REGISTRATION REQUIRED!

FAMILY GAME NIGHT – A casual family game night will be held throughout the library on Thursday, August 27th @6 – 8p. We invite you to come and play your favorite games from our shelves or bring your own! NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

INSURANCE CLAIM – TREE REPLACEMENT – all quotes have been sent to the adjustor, and we are awaiting claim resolution.

Mark Hanisco 120 Summit Avenue- Mr. Hanisco questioned the 9 non-residents if that was access PA.

Library Representative Kennedy stated she was not sure and would find out.

ORDER OF BUSINESS & VOTING ITEMS:

ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF REPORTS: Councilwoman Hendrickson motioned to acknowledge receipt of public works, fire marshal, treasurer’s reports, EAC minutes, bird town minutes and UMHJSA minutes. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman McCuen, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

APPROVAL OF WARRANT LIST, PAYMENT OF BILLS, MANUAL CHECKS AND TRANSFERS:
Councilwoman Shay motioned to approve warrant list, payment of bills, manual checks, and transfers for the month of august 2026. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman Hendrickson, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

JULY 20, 2026, COMMITTEE/COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES: Councilwoman McCuen motioned to approve the July 20, 2026, committee/council meeting minutes. Motion was seconded by Councilman Myers. President Reichner was absent from the July 20th meeting and abstained from the vote. A vote was cast, all ayes. Motion carried 5-0 with one abstention.

ENTERPRISE FIRE COMPANY EXPENDITURE LIST: Councilman Myers motioned to approve the enterprise fire company expenditure list for the month of July 2026 in the amount of $13,595.47. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman McCuen, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

AXON CONTRACT/AGREEMENT: Councilwoman McCuen motioned to approve the updated lease agreement between the Hatboro police department and axon for tasers, body cameras, and associated equipment. Motion was seconded by Councilman Myers, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

FIRE LANE UPDATES: Councilwoman Hendrickson motioned to authorize the solicitor to prepare an amendment to the borough’s fire lane ordinance. Motion was seconded by Councilman Myers, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

MAIN STREET MATTERS GRANT: Councilwoman Hendrickson motioned to authorize application to the main street matters program planning grant. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman Shay, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

EVENT REQUEST: LINE DANCING: Councilwoman Shay motioned to approve the special event request for the line dancing event taking place at the Pennypack community center on November 14, 2026 from 6 pm to 10 pm. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman Hendrickson, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

EVENT REQUEST EXTENSION: MILLBROOK ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIG: Councilman Myers motioned to approve the extension request submitted by Millbrook society extending the approval for their archaeological dig through 2027. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman McCuen, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

EVENT REQUEST: LINKED SOULS PARANORMAL:
Councilwoman Shay motioned to ratify approval of the linked soul’s paranormal investigation that took place at the Pennypack Community Center on August 9, 2026. Motion was seconded by Councilman Myers, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

Councilman Myers motioned to approve the linked soul’s paranormal investigation event taking place at the Pennypack Community Center on September 13, 2026. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman Hendrickson, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

EVENT REQUEST: CUB SCOUT PACK 17 BBQ: Councilwoman Shay motioned to approve the special event request for the cub scout pack 17 BBQ taking place in Eaton Park on august 22, 2026. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman Hendrickson, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PARTNERSHIP OF SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA (SEPSA) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING: Councilman Myers motioned to approve the memorandum of understanding for the Sustainable Energy Partnership of Southeast Pennsylvania. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman McCuen, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

PHS FALL TREE PLANTING REQUEST: Councilwoman Shay motioned to approve the PHS fall tree planting special event request to take place on November 14, 2026, from 9 am – 2 pm at the Pennypack Community Center. Motion was seconded by Councilman Myers, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

DATA CENTER ORDINANCE: Councilwoman Hendrickson motioned to direct the borough’s Planning Commission and Montgomery County Planning Commission to review the draft data center ordinance. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman Shay, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

MILLBROOK CRESSBROOK LEASE: Councilman Myers motioned to authorize the solicitor’s office to prepare and draft a lease between the borough of Hatboro and the Millbrook society for the use of the springhouse and tannery at the Cressbrook property. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman Hendrickson, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

LOLLER CLOCK TOWER WORK: Councilman Myers motioned to authorize the clock tower committee to begin preparations for the relocation of the Hedderly bell and associated equipment from the bell tower in Loller Academy. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman McCuen, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

FRIENDS OF CRESSBROOK DISSOLUTION: This item was tabled.

SHADE TREE RESIGNATION: Councilwoman Hendrickson motioned to accept the resignation of Marianne Shaeffer from the borough’s shade tree commission effective September 1, 2026. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman McCuen, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.

OLD BUSINESS AND UPDATES: None

NEW BUSINESS:
Councilman Smith stated he had a question and that it probably was a bit of both old and new business, but he wanted to make a motion that Council considered going back to two meetings.

President Reichner stated that it was not on the agenda and could not be done at this meeting.

Councilman Smith stated he was inquiring if it could be added to next month’s agenda, not this month, to discuss going back to two meetings.

Solicitor Geiser stated it doesn’t need to be a motion, it just is something that can be written down and added to the agenda for the following month.

PUBLIC COMMENT:
Mark Hanisco 120 Summit Avenue- Mr. Hanisco stated he had a question for Fire Marshal Valesky. He questioned about Montana Brothers, a property on Bonair Avenue, where they are storing items in their parking lot and have five to six air conditioning units stacked on top of each other, at least 20ft in the air. He stated the property is unsightly.

Fire Marshal Valesky stated she was there last week for their fire inspection and spoke with them about the same concerns and gave them 30 days to get the items cleaned up.

Mr. Hanisco stated for the pool snack stand, the Borough may want to speak to Silvio’s. He stated it’s a little early, but he wanted to suggest that.

Mr. Hanisco stated that the Borough may want to speak to the folks at Cape May as far as the interest discussion goes. He stated they had a newsletter from them back in 1990 and they were making about $6,000 a month on their money, and they are making over a million dollars now. He stated they do have a bigger pile of cash but different percentages so maybe they have some suggestions that will work for the Borough.

Bill Tompkins 161 Spring Avenue- Mr. Tompkins wanted to thank Council for the archaeology extension, and the clock tower authorization. He stated for the Solicitor drafting the lease for Cressbrook there are two places that have similar ideas, those are the Moland House in Warwick Township and Old York Road Historic Society who leases space from Abington Township. Mr. Tompkins stated he could provide copies of those leases to Borough Manager Hegele.

Marianne Reymer 120 Summit Avenue- Ms. Reymer stated that back in June, Manager Hegele talked about the EPA and the Superfund site and two new testing wells. She questioned if there was an update, if they were coming to talk to the Borough, and was there any information about the old wells that were put in in 2016.

Manager Hegele stated that they may be drilling this week, but the Borough had not heard. Chief Ruegg affirmed to Manager Hegele that there would be drill tomorrow in the back parking lot of the PD. She stated they were supposed to come out and give a presentation to Council, but Mr. Redmond, who is the Borough EPA rep and PIO officer for the EPA, went out and had surgery, so everything is delayed with him coming out and making a presentation. She stated the Borough has not heard of any other drilling and no updates regarding any past testing. She stated that when testing occurs on private property, the EPA does not have to share what was found, but rather that is up to the state. She stated that when they test on Borough owned property, the Borough would be aware and could share information/results as the property owner.

Ms. Reymer stated the existing wells that were installed in 2016 were installed in the streets, so there is no private wells. She questioned where that reports go to.

Manager Hegele stated that the feds receive the information and then it is sent to the state and then the state apparently releases that information. She stated she does not know why they do not release the information at the federal level. She stated that Mr. Redmond knows the information and reports to the state. She stated that she can ask him what the state does with the information once he provides it to them.

Ms. Reymer questioned how much revenue the Borough would lose with voter services moving to Lehman.

Manager Hegele stated the Borough does not make any money on that. She stated the Borough receives $75 to use that building and the costs to clean up, use the electric, PW to open and close the building after hours (overtime), the Borough taxpayers lose money on that deal. She stated the Borough would save money with them leaving.

Gary Blickley 46 Harding Avenue- Mr. Blickley stated he wanted to renew his request to have the additional information included in the packets afforded to the public. He stated sitting there tonight, there were additional items provided in the packet that the public does not get to see. He stated Council wants full disclosure and to be clear and all of that, then the information should be put out there. He stated that he appreciates there is sensitive information but how much of that information is sensitive, he would imagine it’s not very much. He stated this way the public would have a better idea of what’s going on and probably be able to give more intelligent questions and maybe less questions. He stated he does appreciate the additional information that has been provided.

ADJOURNMENT: Councilman Myers motioned to adjourn the August 17, 2026, Council Meeting at 9:35 PM. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman Hendrickson, all ayes. Motion carried 6-0.