Middletown approves agreement letting Pendell Borough use its Technical Code Review Board

Middletown Township's Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to authorize an intergovernmental agreement allowing nearby Pendell Borough to use the township's Technical Code Review Board to handle appeals under the Uniform Construction Code.

Township solicitor Mister Esposito told the board the agreement responds to Pendell's difficulty staffing the technically specialized board and that Pendell would pay any costs arising from its use of Middletown's board. "Pendell Borough has asked Middletown to allow them to utilize its Technical Code Review Board," Esposito said, and he added that "that board does have its own solicitor. And if any cost with associated with that, Pendell Borough would reimburse the township for those costs." The Technical Code Review Board requires members with civil engineering and construction expertise, which smaller municipalities sometimes struggle to recruit.

A supervisor asked whether there would be a financial cost to Middletown; Esposito said no, and that Pendell would reimburse any costs. A motion to authorize the township to enter the cooperative agreement was made and seconded and carried by voice vote, 5-0.

The action is limited to allowing Pendell Borough to use Middletown's existing Technical Code Review Board for appeals; staff noted Pendell would continue to provide its own solicitor and would reimburse any direct costs. No other terms of the agreement were discussed on the record during this meeting. The board moved on to other agenda items after the vote.