Pennsburg Council officially hired two new consultants during Monday's regular meeting. It voted to appoint a new engineering firm and a zoning officer.

            The members voted to elevate Remington & Vernick Engineers (RVE) as its primary engineering firm retroactive to Oct. 25. They also hired Barry Isett & Associates to serve as the municipality's code official and zoning officer.

            Council appeared to change direction on the code official and and zoning officer position. One month earlier, after adding council had added the King of Prussia business as a supplemental engineering firm, municipal officials announced that John Rundy, a project manager with RVE, who lives in New Hanover, will work directly with the borough and serve as its new code enforcement officer.

            President Diane Stevens said after the Oct. 25 workshop meeting that RVE would likely become its primary engineering consultant on Jan. 1. However, Pennsburg officials chose not to wait until the new year to supplant Great Valley Consultants, of Wyomissing, as its primary engineer. The company was not getting things done in a timely manner, according to municipal officials. Stevens described the firm as understaffed.

            This week, council voted separately to appoint Matthew T. McCloskey – a codes operations manager with Barry Isett & Associates – to serve as the borough's code official and zoning officer, and to execute a professional services agreement with the Allentown firm.

            According to Administrative Manager Lisa Hiltz, Pennsburg officials met with "a couple of firms" regarding the code official and zoning officer positions. She said after the meeting that Barry Isett & Associates "provided the best fit." Hiltz added that Barry Isett & Associates and RVE were familiar with each other, and should work together smoothly.

            In other news, the members voted to terminate its services with ACI Payments, its current credit card processing vendor, effective Dec. 1. According to the manager, the company proposed raising its interest rate from 2.55 percent to 15 percent.

            Council tabled a motion to hire a new provider until next Tuesday's meeting.  Stevens said she would work on collecting a list of potential options.

            A Conditional Use hearing (7 p.m., Dec. 8) and planning meeting (7 p.m., Dec, 20) – both related to the Deerfield Land Development Project, located on Montgomery Avenue – have been scheduled. Both will be held at the Pennsburg Municipal Building, located at 76 West 6th Street.

            In October, the Upper Perk Police Department responded to 483 total calls. That included 214 calls for public service, 38 vehicle investigations and 21 traffic details, according to information provided by Chief Joe Adam.

            The officers issued 22 warnings, 13 traffic citations and nine parking tickets or warnings. They responded to six reportable accidents, four false alarms and two non-reportable accidents.

            Additionally, the department made three criminal arrests and issued one non-traffic citation. It responded to three incidents of theft and DUI, two each for public drunkenness/disorderly conduct, vandalism/criminal mischief and forgery/fraud/identity theft as well as one each of assault/harassment/stalking, trespassing, liquor law violation and sex offense, according to the document.

            Council Vice President Patrick Suter ran the meeting. President Diane Stevens, Member Wayne Stevens, Mayor Charles Shagg and Solicitor Daniel I. Sager participated via telephone.

            After the public portion of the meeting, the members held an executive session to discuss issues of personnel and the borough's lawsuit with East Greenville, according to Diane Stevens. No votes were taken, according to Suter.