The East Allen Township Board of Supervisors met on Thursday, April 28 to discuss grants, capital equipment replacements, maintenance proposals, the Open Space Plan, and resident concerns regarding Locust Road.
The first order of business was the consideration of Resolution 2022-16, Northampton County Livable Landscapes grant application, in the amount of $75,000, which was previously discussed as a planning grant for the Recreational Open Space Plan. The grant was already submitted, so the board approved the item unanimously.
The board then discussed capital equipment replacements for the township. The two proposals for the Public Works Department are for one loader and one tractor side flail.
Public Works Coordinator Gary Mathesz expressed the loader is used on a regular basis and is key to township function. Mathesz added there is nothing wrong with the current 2014 loader, but both the loader and attachments are showing wear. Mathesz agreed with Township Manager Brent Green that rotating equipment out while they still hold value is a good thing.
Manager Green identified the cost for replacing the loader and all existing attachments would be $244,670.79, which includes pallets, material ending arm, forks, standard bucket side dump, hook, power angle broom, broom kit, and adapter for machine.
A motion was made to move forward with the purchase to replace capital equipment at the quoted prices and was amended to be contingent on the quoted trade-in value of current equipment and attachments. Both were approved unanimously, but the township will not see the equipment until spring 2023.
The Public Works Department is looking to purchase a new Massey Ferguson Diamond boom mower.
The proposed equipment purchase includes a Massey Ferguson Tractor, a Tiger mid-mount 75” flail mower, and a Tiger rear-mount 96” flail mower with freight and dealer preparation for a total of $147,347, which does not include any trade-in values. The contract price for the tractor alone would be for $86,829.05.
Manager Green explained that the township would be taking the money for the equipment out of capital funds that are already budgeted out in the township’s revolving equipment loan fund. The township will not have to pay interest on the equipment’s payment plan because they will not be going through a bank.
This estimated cost of the new tractor is roughly what the township paid for the last multi-purpose tractor’s full set-up, which includes the tractor, boom mower, side flail, and rear flail. Manager Green added that he will also have to check on the trade-in value of the current tractor.
The board decided to table the discussion on the proposed tractor and flail mower purchases to allow Manager Green to gather comparative quotes.
In other business, the board unanimously approved the recommendation to approve a proposal for basketball court surface restoration at Bicentennial Park with Pavement Maintenance Contractor’s Proposal Park in the amount of $25,450 and the recommendation to approve the pavement maintenance contractor’s proposal for two tennis courts in Bicentennial Park for the amount of $31,890.
When the board opened the floor up for public comments, resident Sharon Fournier asked the supervisors, “What is the status of Locust Road?”
Township Engineer James Milot responded that the contractor had done temporary patching on the road six months ago.
“They are supposed to return to do the final patching, but we haven’t seen them come back yet.” Milot added that he raised concerns with PennDOT about this last week, and he anticipates a response soon.
Fournier also asked the board what the status is of trucks parking on Silver Crest Road.
Township Manager Green stated the township can assess a $100 summary offense ticket to drivers parked there for obstructing the roadway, but ultimately, this doesn’t solve the problem of the trucks being there.
Chairperson Unangst proposed, “Let’s go to the magistrate and see what we can do.”
Solicitor Joe Piperato chimed in that the township would have to establish that a condition of the land development plan has been violated to pursue legal action against the company allowing drivers to park there.
To move forward, Engineer Milot will need to pull files on review letters to see the specific conditions outlined in the approval letter and land development plan, and Solicitor Piperato will need to file a complaint against the company on a land condition violation with the magistrate.
Chairperson Unangst made a motion to authorize township professionals and administrative staff to deal with the parking issue on Silver Crest Road, which was approved unanimously.
In other news, Supervisor Chris Cruz announced the signs came in for the Open Space Plan and that if any residents would like one, they can pick one up at the municipal building. For more information about open space and farmland preservation go to eatwp.org or contact Township Manager Brent Green at 610-262-7961.
The next East Allen Township Board of Supervisors meeting will be on Wednesday, May 11 at 7 p.m. at the East Allen Township Municipal Building, located at 5344 Nor-Bath Blvd.
