West Penn approves contract for road line painting

The West Penn Township Board of Supervisors have awarded a contract for line painting on township roads.

On Monday the supervisors reviewed three quotes obtained by Group Leader Jeremy Frable for 84,797 feet of line painting, approximately 16.06 miles, with a four-inch yellow double line.

The board moved to award the contract to Milantic Marking, Gaithersburg, Maryland, at the cost of $6,274;98.

The other quotes were obtained from Interstate Road Management, Hazleton, for $6.783.76 and from Denville Line Painting, Rockaway, New Jersey, for $10,515.

Frable said the line painting will cover portions of Pine Hll Road, Blue Mountain Road, School Drive, Retreat Road, Andreas Road, St. Peter's Road and Zion Stone Church Road.

Supervisors Chairman Randy Troxell said the township has $10,000 budgeted for the line painting.

Turbine ordinance tabled

In other business, the board once again tabled a proposed wind energy turbine system ordinance.

Troxell announced that the ordinance, which had been revised by West Penn Solicitor Paul J. Datte, Pottsville, would need to be delayed because the revised version had only been advertised for public inspection for five days. "We want to allow it to be in the office for a month," said Troxell.

"We will readvertise it again, to make sure there's no issue with it," added Datte.

The supervisors' next meeting will be Monday, Nov. 2.

The board also set a date for a special meeting to begin budget discussions for 2010. The first budget schedule will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. at the West Penn Municipal Building. The township's planning commission will move its meeting to the West Penn Annex that meeting if it has any business to conduct.

Speed reduction request

West Penn Police Chief Brian Johnson said he spoke with a resident who requested a reduction of the speed limit on Cemetery Road, which runs past Zion's Stone Church.

Johnson said the limit is currently 35 miles per hour, and the resident, who is handicapped, requested it be lowered to 25 m.p.h., as the resident often takes walks to nearby West Penn Park.

Datte suggested that the request might not meet the need for a residence zone, during which speed limits can be lowered on request if it meets the requirement of having residences a certain number of feet apart.

"It may not qualify. We would need a traffic study done to place a residence district there," said Datte.

Frable said the road department had previously placed "pedestrian crossing" signs in that area.

Edward Dudley, planning commission chairman, asked if having the park in the vicinity would merit the residence zone reduction.

Johnson suggested township police patrol the area. "We can have a police car sit at the stop sign there to slow them down," he said.

"I guess we'll just go on patrol there," said Troxell.

West Penn Park East

During the engineer's report, consultant Clayton Bubeck of Rettew, Inc., Schuylkill Haven, updated the progress on the proposed West Penn Park East, which is being planned for off Route 443 near the Carbon County border.

Bubeck said the redesign of the site and the bid specifications are being finalized, but as mentioned last month, Rettew is waiting for the completion of the state budget before the project can be completed.

"At this time, the anticipated schedule would be to bid the project over the winter for an early spring construction, with the anticipation of being complete prior to the first day of summer," said Bubeck.

Even at that point, the field would just begin to be planted and wouldn't be ready for immediate use.

Bubeck said that two general permits have been received for road crew culvert work from the State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

A proposed culvert for Troxell Valley Road, where an existing 28 square-foot opening is proposed to be widened to 43 square feet, would now require an H&H study, which would cost between $5,000-$6,000. The Pine Hill Road project is acceptable, although DEP now wants the two projects submitted separately.

Bubeck also spoke with a representative from the Schuylkill Conservation District concerning a water runoff problem at Orchard Estates, and the home owners were informed that this is not a Chapter 102 violation because earth moving activities have ceased.

Trick of Treat

The board established Trick or Treat Night in the township for Saturday, Oct. 31 between 6-9 p.m.

A bill for $131.25 for the traffic signal at the Leiby's Intersection of Routes 309 and 443 in South Tamaqua is being reviewed. Johnson said the township had a quarterly agreement with Traffic Pumps and Solutions for the signal. That company has since folded, and the bill was issued by successor Signal Solutions.

The board approved the participation of Patrolman Jason Lorah in the Tamaqua D.A.R.E. drug education program while working on department time, as well as the attendance of Officer Melissa Johnson in the Top Gun drug education school at Fort Indiantown Gap from Oct. 25-31, the latter at no cost to the township other that police hours committed.

The township is putting a1982 International dump truck with cinder spreader up for sale. It will be advertised for bid for the November meeting.

Treasurer Karen Wittig said the township received its fire relief fund check for 2009 in the amount of $27,123.76. No action was taken. The check will be disbursed at the November meeting.