During the May 13 Lehigh Township Supervisors meeting, Township Engineer Michael Muffley reported that the Top of the Mountains Estate will be resubmitting their plan after making some necessary changes to deal with a few issues. Muffley has received a final working draft from the consultant on the changes to the zoning ordinances and will be reviewing them with the zoning officer in the near future, then submitting to the ad hoc committee for final review.
Sandra Hopkins with the recreation board said that her committee and Muffley met at the Danielsville Park to examine the tennis courts, and concluded that they will need to be redone entirely. She provided cost estimates for supervisors to consider.
Supervisors heard from a group of women who are planning a “Noon Year’s Eve” celebration at Bryfogle Park on Dec. 31. This will be a free community event aimed toward families and children. The board approved the event, asking the women to work with the recreation board and keep the supervisors updated.
Public Works Director Frank Zamadics announced that they have finished the line painting on township roads, and road salt has been stocked and is ready for next winter. The crew is preparing for their oil and chip project and have patched several roads, but are having difficulty with rain washing away the patchwork.
Zoning Officer Elizabeth Amato issued 46 new permits in April and received three new complaints. Board vice-chairman Gerald Pritchard announced that Amato has submitted her letter of resignation, which the supervisors have accepted “with reluctance,” and the search is on for a qualified replacement. Board member Janet Sheats thanked Amato for her years of service and for agreeing to help with the transition process. Katherine Mack also thanked Amato, saying that the zoning board members have enjoyed working with her and are sorry to see her go.
Police Chief Scott Fogel mentioned the observation of National Police Week, calling out the officers who were present for the meeting and thanking them for their service and dedication. On a more somber note, he asked the public to please be mindful of both pedestrians and school buses, as there have been many recent incidents of people driving past stopped school buses. On one such occasion, a car crashed into a resident’s porch while passing a stopped bus.
Board member Cynthia Miller also reminded the public that the new cell phone law goes into effect at the beginning of June, and drivers will receive citations if they are seen using their cell phones while driving, even if stopped at a light or stop sign. Functions which go through a car’s Bluetooth signal will still be permitted.
Sheats then stated that she asked for the state police to be listed on the meeting agenda, due to a misconception she encountered while campaigning. There is a popular belief that the township would save money by switching to state police protection instead of having its own department. She cited several reasons why she would personally never support such a thing, such as delays in response times. Miller said that she believed the rumor may have sprung from people asking her whether the state police are an option. She explained that legally, Lehigh Township could have state police rather than local; this is one of four possible ways that the township could have police protection. But she further stated that the board supports the local police and have never entertained the possibility of disbanding the department. Pritchard said that the rumor needs to die, as it has a negative impact on officers’ morale.
Township Manager Alice Rehrig reported that the replacement parts in the maintenance building are working well. The board agreed to honor the final payment request from Vision Mechanical.
A discussion was held with regard to the land preservation project. It was decided that once the gentlemen spearheading the possible project have completed the legwork which they agreed to do, they should contact one of the supervisors and it will be considered further. As neither of the men were present, Sheats volunteered to contact them personally and give them an update.
In other news, Rehrig stated there is a rumor being circulated that Lehigh Township is uninsurable, and she wanted to clarify that the township has insurance and has at no time been uninsured. The lawsuit with the police department and the resulting settlement did not impact the township’s insurance due to changing providers. She acknowledged that some insurance companies declined to give the township a quote due to the past loss, but other companies declined to give a quote because they could not compete with what the township already had.
Rehrig also reported that the police station is having issues with its air conditioning units; one is completely dead, while the other is “limping.” The board authorized her to get quotes for replacements.
In response to an inquiry at the previous meeting, the board voted to change the hours of operation for the yard waste facility. Moving forward, it will be open every day of the week except Wednesday, as that is the day when the maintenance crew cleans it. The board will also revisit whether the $10 usage fee is a one-time charge or an annual fee.
As a final note, the public works crew was thanked for their work with the Hometown Heroes banners. The families who have purchased them are very happy with the results.
The board then adjourned for an executive session, with no action being taken.
The next Board of Supervisors meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27 in the municipal building, located at 1069 Municipal Road, Walnutport.
