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The Heidelberg Township Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to advertise 2024 road projects for bid at its meeting March 26.
The township is requesting paving bids for Fawn Hollow Road from Sheep Hill to the Lebanon County line and Albright Road from the church through the S-turn past the hill, which are expected to use the total of the year’s paving budget.
“I drove all of them, and my opinion would be even though it gets the least amount of traffic, that Fawn Hollow is in the worst shape,” said supervisor Ted Cromleigh, to the agreement of other supervisors.
Cromleigh also pointed out the difficulty that emergency vehicles have traversing Albright, one of the most trafficked roads in the township, due to two hills along it.
“If something happens that Valley View gets closed off from the gravel side, I doubt a fire truck could get up over there,” he said. “There’s too many people that live back there; we can’t have the road in that shape.”
The board directed township engineer Bob Lynn to look into improvements that could be made to Albright, which was likely not originally paved by a contractor.
Lynn will add possible work on Valley View as an add-alternate in request for bidding, allowing supervisors to choose to undergo work with or without it.
Following some discussion, the board also unanimously agreed to purchase a skip loader with COSTARS estimate totaling $78,822.03. The purchase was budgeted evenly between water, sewer and township funds.
A skid loader will allow the township to perform various repairs on township roads, and Lynn expects that it will be used frequently. The equipment will have a five-year warranty.
The board also took action concerning several parks and recreation items.
Cromleigh celebrated the work the township has made on developing the township’s recreation area after attending an event Sunday with over 300 attendees.
“I know the playground’s just a small playground, but I think it’s really good that we worked with the park and rec board to put that there,” he said. “The community lost their playground that we helped build when our kids were little, and it’s nice to have something there.”
It unanimously agreed to purchase an evergreen cedar-colored water fountain (color selected by parks and recreation) for the recreation area for around $5,000.
Supervisors also unanimously agreed to purchase signage for the recreation area totaling $30 for basketball and pickelball signs and a sign with pickelball rules totaling $90.
They also authorized the township to apply for a recreation grant, with the proposed project including a picnic area with a pavilion, landscaping, a flagpole, and a connection path.
As of now, there has been no significant update on the acquisition of a small triangle of land from PennDOT, said solicitor Amy Leonard.
In other news, the board:
- Unanimously agreed to select Pennsy as the township’s 2024 supplier of stone and anti-skid.
- Unanimously agreed to authorize Leonard to draft a nuisance ordinance, as previously discussed.
- Gave permission for the township to apply to a Conservation District grant.
- Discussed an update to the stormwater management ordinance, which will likely be put out for advertisement next month.
- Heard a request from the fire police for equipment to be purchased, and requested further information about the accounting of supplies and the total cost.
- Declined to join Pennsylvania Rural Water, with a dual membership for a township of its size costing $556. It can opt to join at a later time.
- Unanimously agreed to accept updates made to the 226 Millbach subdivision plan and accompanying documents.
- Unanimously agreed to dispense $68,358,78 of the withholdings for Sunnyside Culvert Pay.
- Unanimously agreed to a time expension for Family Treasures Wholesale.
- Unanimously agreed to the annual submission of the Chapter 94 report.
- Tabled the purchase of a trailer until a second quote is obtained.
- Unanimously agreed to approve the minutes of its February meeting.
The Heidelberg Township Board of Supervisors meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the municipal building, 111 Mill Road. The next meeting will be held March 26.
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