The Moore Township Board of Supervisors met Tuesday, Feb. 4.
During the meeting, supervisors unanimously approved a waiver for a stormwater management provision regarding a subdivision adjacent to a conserved agricultural parcel that has already been approved. Township Engineer Kevin Horvath explained that the waiver was for a very minor situation for a proposed reduction of the dry well separation from the rear lot line from 40 feet to 15 feet. Horvath does not foresee an issue because there are no surrounding neighbors that would be affected if something were to go wrong with the dry well.
The meeting also had two presentations, one of which was for Logan Palmer Cupples’ Eagle Scout project to build bat and owl nesting boxes at Schiavone Park, Appalachian Trail Park, and also provide landscaping at those areas. The proposed boxes include five bat boxes and two owl boxes at each of the two locations that are 10 feet off the ground with signage. The purpose of the boxes is to provide a safe location for bats, barn owls and barred owls due to their ability to control mosquito and rodent populations.
Additionally, the bat boxes will require zero maintenance, the owl boxes will require maintenance once a year and the project will be funded through fundraising, which will not cost the township any money. Supervisors approved the project unanimously; however, the Minsi Trail Council still needs to also approve the project, so Cupples is looking to complete the project in spring and summer.
Next, Alloy5 and Boyle provided a presentation on the municipal building feasibility study. Project Manager Bill Deegan led the presentation for updates to the township’s administration and police department building, which is a 9.84-acre site along Route 946 that also includes the public works department’s materials storage, salt shed and garage. Currently, the building does not occupy the entire site and the existing parking lot on the site presents opportunity for a new build of the outdated, cramped facilities.
Evaluation of the current building reveals an overall rating of poor that will require updates within 1-3 years. Grades of poor and critical requiring updates either immediately or within 1-3 years were given to the building’s sidewalks, parking, roadways/circulation, exterior ADA/code compliance, exterior and interior walls, expansion joints/weather seals, exterior doors and windows, roof, security and entrance, storage/casework, adjacencies, acoustic privacy, circulation, visual privacy, personnel security, secure storage, lockers, equipment standards and technology.
Moreover, the building evaluation revealed that parking does not meet standards, exterior ADA has no signage/striping, exterior fenestration shows signs of aging, exterior walls show staining/cracking/spalling, lack of adequate storage, ADA doors/signs/bathrooms, finishes could be improved and adjacencies require improvement.
The existing building allows for four staff members and has 1,306 square feet dedicated to the administration, one staff member with 808 square feet of shared space, 12 staff members and 2,969 square feet for police and no space for building support for a combined total of 17 staff members and 5,350 square feet of space.
The proposed programming increases total square footage by 10,020 square feet, increases the potential for staff growth by 42% for one additional administration staff member and six police staff members, has additional programmed space for administration consisting of a shared reception/administration space, fire chief space and conference room, and has additional programmed space for police consisting of an interview room, training room, copy/break room, armory/training support, intake/processing, holding cell (youth), sally port, records storage, evidence storage, a server room and locker rooms for a combined total of 24 staff members and 15,370 square feet of space.
Deegan presented three schemes: Scheme 1 proposed a $12,713,037.50 new build for a 15,375-square-foot building; Scheme 2 proposed a $12,570,051.65 renovation and addition for a 16,022-square-foot building consisting of a 4,398 square feet renovation and an 11,635-square-foot new build; and Scheme 3 proposed an $8,792,894.75 renovation and addition for a 10,003-square-foot building consisting of a 5,349 square feet renovation and a 4,654-square-foot new build for the most cost-effective option.
The board will have to look into funding and grant options to pay for the project, which will take approximately two years to complete. During that time, the police department and administration will need to find temporary locations. Potential options for administration relocation include the Klecknersville Rangers Vol. Fire Co. and putting job trailers at the Recreation Center, but finding a location for the police department will be more challenging and may require partnering with a neighboring municipality’s police department for booking and other resources during that time.
During reports, Police Chief Gary West provided the monthly police report for January, which included 269 total incidents, one written warning issued, 26 traffic citations issued, four arrests made for two DUIs, trespassing and theft, one non-traffic citation issued for a dog violation, eight reportable crashes and three non-reportable crashes.
Fire Recorder Jason L. Harhart provided the January report for the Klecknersville Rangers Vol. Fire Co., which included 95 ambulance calls and 46 fire calls, consisting of five fires, five motor vehicle accidents, four automatic fire alarms, eight ambulance assists, seven wires down, two trees down, one gas leak, one rescue, four mutual aid calls with Bath for fire alarms, six mutual aid calls with Lehigh Township for fires, one mutual aid call with Allen Township for a fire and two mutual aid calls with Bushkill Township for a fire and wires down.
Harhart also reported that there were a total of 431 fire calls for the year 2024 and 1,085 ambulance calls.
In other business, supervisors unanimously approved the four Land and Environmental Protection Board items. This included the $26,614 Bealer easement stewardship endowment, which was higher than the initial estimate but less than the contract estimate, the $27,268 D Miller easement stewardship endowment, which was higher than the initial estimate but less than the contract estimate, the $109,008 Carpency Conservation easement agreement of sale to preserve the 13.62-acre property off of North Oaks Road and John Nierer’s member resignation. Nierer is retiring after more than 20 years of service and the board thanked him for his dedicated service to the township and the Land and Environmental Protection Board.
The Moore Township Community Days Committee announced they will be holding a tool bingo on Sunday, March 9 at Klecknersville Rangers Vol. Fire Co. Check the Moore Township Community News Facebook group periodically for updates on the event.
Following, supervisors unanimously approved the Zoning Hearing Board agenda items, which included changing the Zoning Hearing Board meetings to 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month as needed, appointing Victoria B. Valentine DeDominic as third alternate member and reinstating Tama Rigler from alternate to regular member.
The board also unanimously approved a security release for Aqua Pennsylvania. Inc. pending completion of the road bonding project and recognition for the 1170 Line Road natural subdivision request, which allows the property owner to sell the bifurcated two parcels of land separately.
In other news, the board unanimously approved two resolutions and two ordinances, which included an agricultural security amendment for Mack Farms adding 168 acres to their agricultural security area, updates to the township’s Towing Providers Policy, the Tax Duplicate and Tax Certification Fees Ordinance amending tax certification fees to be $40 and $20 for duplicates and the Driveway Ordinance amendment that cleans up the application process.
Last, supervisors denied the Boy Scouts $500 donation request from the Minsi Trail Council because they would prefer to donate to Scouts directly.
The next Moore Township Board of Supervisors regular monthly meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 4 at 6 p.m. in the municipal building, located at 2491 Community Drive.
