Jackson Township makes purchases for storage area renovations

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The Jackson Township Board of Supervisors unanimously voted on April 7 to make several purchases as part of a renovation project to change a salt storage structure into storage for out-of-season vehicles.

They bought three overhead garage doors and one opener, three man-doors, and two windows. The overhead garage doors will cost $9,641.70, and the opener will cost $1,743.30, for a total of $11,385 from Shank Door. The other door purchase includes three steel doors, three steel frames, and three hinge kits for a total of $2,175.77 from Lebanon Building Supply. The two windows, also from Lebanon Building Supply, will cost $736.

The township crew will do the installation.

Supervisor Thomas Houtz said the purchases are part of an ongoing project on bays eight, nine, and ten.

“We’ve knocked down the interior cement block walls, and we had it all checked out with engineering, and it’s all self-supporting roof,” Houtz said. “It’s going to be storage for snow plows or whatever’s not in season.”

Intersection study

Road foreman Tim Hibshman brought up the intersection of Hergelrode and Krall roads, where there was a crash between a vehicle and a school van. He asked supervisors if they would like to add a fourth stop sign to prevent people from “blowing through” the intersection.

The van was only carrying the driver at the time of impact, and he said there were minor injuries.

Houtz said a stop sign could be troublesome during the winter months, as cars would have to stop and restart on an incline.

“I’m not jumping to put a stop sign for that reason,” Hibshman said. “But when you go over that now, that intersection is kind of weird. You don’t really have a whole lot of distance to see what’s coming on the other side.”

He said they hear complaints about speeding around the intersection.

Supervisors said engineer Stephen Sherk could look into the intersection, gather information, and bring a report to the next meeting.

Sherk said they would need an ordinance to add the sign and wouldn’t need PennDOT approval.

“It basically comes down to engineering judgment,” Sherk said. “There may be some things we look at with regard to safety issues or site distance or things like that.”

In other business:

• Sherk said the permits necessary for the Wintersville Road traffic signal upgrade were approved, and it is ready to go out to bid. They will open bids on May 2, and Sherk said he will have a recommendation for the board at the first May meeting.
• Supervisors unanimously voted for Summer Petruska to fill a vacancy on the recreation board, as recommended by the rec board through a 3-1 vote.
• They also approved Hollinger Alley repairs, which will cost about $31,000. It will be about 1,800 square yards, and the township will only be addressing the sections in bad condition.
• Supervisors approved soil testing with costs not to exceed $12,000. Houtz said he could not give much information about the testing because it was executive session business.

The Jackson Township Board of Supervisors will meet next at 60 N. Ramona Road on April 21 at 7:30 p.m.