Updates from Borough Council

At its monthly meeting on September 2, Borough Council:

• heard a public statement from Delaware Valley Regional High School (DVRHS) Board of Education representative Tom Loughlin about the referendum that will appear on November 3’s election ballot. The referendum is for a new fire alarm system at DVRHS. The current system is 20 years old and needs replacing. Since the previous installation, the fire code has changed. The replacement system must meet the new state requirements, including adding strobes and speakers in each of the spaces throughout the building. Voter approval of the referendum allows the district to qualify for 34% state debt-service aid on eligible project costs, reducing the district’s share of the total project cost from the estimated and approved eligible cost of $926,000 to $611,160; this includes costs for equipment, installation, architectural/engineering fees and permits. If the final costs come in below the estimated cost, excess bond proceeds can be used to pay the bond, reducing the district’s local share further. The system is going to be paid for out of DVRHS’s reserve funds and will not raise taxes. All registered voters in Frenchtown can vote on the referendum. To learn more about the referendum, visit: dvrhs.org/page/bond-referendum-project-details. To read DVRHS Superintendent Scott McKinney’s letter to the community on the referendum, click here.
• extended its authorization to establish and continue the operations of The Frenchtown Sun as an entity of the borough.
• introduced a capital ordinance providing various improvements to Borough Hall, appropriating $250,000; $50,000 from the borough’s capital improvement fund and $200,000 from a grant from the state.
• introduced a land use ordinance for exceptions, modifications and supplementary regulations of the borough code to establish exceptions for permanent wheelchair ramps, first floor bathrooms and medically necessary equipment for residents with mobility limitations and health conditions. The ordinance is a direct outcome of the borough’s adoption of an Age-Friendly Action Plan that can be found at: frenchtownboro.com/community-services/age-friendly-frenchtown.
• the Planning/Zoning Board recommended two new land use ordinances to Council for their consideration. One ordinance provides standards for the installation of roof-mounted solar panels, which are already permitted as an accessory use throughout the borough. The second recommended ordinance would prohibit data centers anywhere in the borough. Similar data center ordinances have been adopted by nearby municipalities (including the borough of Milford, Holland, Alexandria and Kingwood townships) and others across the state. In both cases, the Planning Board’s recommendations follow the advice of the borough master plan and borough planner Darlene Green, who shared more information about these potential ordinances at the meeting, sharing the goals of encouraging the efficient use of energy and the use of renewable energy sources while also preserving the natural, scenic, historic and aesthetic aspects of the community and its environment. The Council will discuss these ordinances further in October.
• acknowledged that the Frenchtown Fire Department was awarded a $12,000 grant for portable radios.