The Lehigh Township Board of Supervisors met on Tuesday, March 14 at 7 p.m. Board chairman Michael Jones was absent, as was board member Gerald Pritchard; vice-chairman Cynthia Miller oversaw the meeting.
Requests for extensions on two projects were heard. The representative for Bulldog Properties at 4209 Lehigh Dr. reported that progress is being made on the site, where a bakery and pizzeria are being added, and asked for an extension until June 30. The representative for Riverview Self-Storage informed the board that they have completed the on-site testing and are waiting for approval of their report, and asked for an extension until July 31. Both requests were approved.
The recreation board is setting up a pet inoculation clinic and hopes to finalize the details soon. The supervisors were given draft copies of the proposed signage for the Danielsville and Delps parks, although the final draft has not yet been received. Miller said that the company making the signs also does wooden signs, and suggested that a wooden sign might last longer. Township Manager Alice Rehrig will consult with the company about this option.
Frank Zamadics of the public works department reported a largely quiet month. The recycling center is on track to open on April 3, and he is getting a quote to edit the sign which lists the material the center will accept. His crew is continuing to deal with trees which were brought down by recent storms.
Elizabeth Amato of the zoning board said that they issued 23 permits in February. The conditional use hearing for the solar farm took place as scheduled, and conditional approval for the project was granted.
A resolution provided by Police Chief Scott Fogel will be reviewed by the supervisors and added to the agenda for their next meeting.
Fire Commissioner Richard Hildebrand told the board that the ladder truck will be the next vehicle to need replacing. The fire company has received $35,000 in repairs to their pumper truck, and while he is deeply grateful for the community’s continued support, the department is struggling with the cost of apparatus repairs. He regrets bringing bad news to the board, but new trucks are the only way to prevent that from continuing to be a problem. The ladder truck is of paramount importance, because the services offered by the fire company cannot be reduced to less than what they currently are; a 100-foot ladder is vital due to the structure of some residences. He also said that it has been suggested that a municipality the size of Lehigh Township should have a second fire station. He was not asking for an immediate decision, but he did want the board to be aware of the situation due to a time constraint involved. The company has received three bids for a new truck and Hildebrand will provide the data to the board members once they have determined which vendors have the ability to meet the needed specifications, which he hopes they will be able to do before the next supervisor meeting.
Township Engineer Michael Muffley reported that all corrective work has been done on the Cherryville intersection and the final paperwork has been submitted to PennDOT. They are just waiting to receive the final invoice and PennDOT’s approval to close out the project.
The board members received a final draft of the ordinance regarding landscaping business definitions and requirements. The draft was approved and will be advertised for adoption at a future meeting. Township Solicitor David Backenstoe has completed his revisions on the resolution discussed at the previous meeting to establish a process for appointment to boards and commissions; the members will review the resolution and discuss it at a later date.
As a final note, everyone in attendance was advised that the fire company will be holding their 11th Annual Sportsman’s Night on Saturday, March 25 from 4 to 10 p.m. The board then adjourned for an executive session.
The next supervisors meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 28 at 7 p.m. in the municipal building at 1069 Municipal Rd., Walnutport.
