New Aquashicola fire police officer is sworn in

The Aquashicola Fire Company has a new fire police officer.

Aleks Everett was sworn in Tuesday evening by Brent Green, chairman of the Lower Towamensing Township supervisors, at their regularly scheduled meeting.

Everett joined the fire department in October. A month later, he pitched in to help fire police in Franklin Township dig out motorists stuck on Route 209 by an unexpected snowstorm. That’s when Everett discovered how good it feels to help people in need.

“I like helping people,” he said.

That experience stirred his interest in finding out what it takes to become a fire police officer. He also found out that his fire department had just one fire police officer, but not for too much longer.

“There’s nobody else except Larry Hahn,” Everett said. “And he’s getting ready to retire.”

Everett stepped up and took a 16-hour course at Bucks County Community College in March, and now has been sworn in as a new fire police officer for Aquashicola Fire Company.

Everett said he looks forward to working with Hahn to learn what books can’t teach you, but experience can, now before Hahn retires.

In other business

The Lower Towamensing Township supervisors voted 2-1 to repair an old single-axle truck tractor. The cost is estimated to be between $1,600 and $1,800.

Road foreman Charles Shupp told the supervisors that if the body work is done to shore up the rotting tailgate, then he thinks the truck could last two more years.

“The cab is in good shape,” he said.

The truck also got a couple new tires this year and the motor is running well. Until the body work is fixed, the truck can’t pass inspection, he said.

Supervisors Ron Walbert and Jay Mullikin voted in favor of the work. Green voted against it.

Supervisors also heard from resident Steve Saas about a water drainage issue on his property.

Saas said water runoff is coming down from his neighbor’s house and into his yard. The curbing on the street is preventing the water from draining out of his yard.

Saas invited the supervisors to come down to his house and see the water-laden ground, but told them to make sure to bring their rubber boots.

Saas told the supervisors that he doesn’t think it’s just stormwater. He thinks there is sewage mixed in from his neighbor’s house. He’d like the township to do something about it.

The supervisors explained to him that Scott Bieber, the sewage enforcement officer, first has to test for a faulty septic system. If the property owner doesn’t allow him to come on his property to do the test, then Bieber will have to ask the supervisors to request a warrant from the district justice. Green said once the warrant is granted, then Bieber has 24 hours to go out to the property to get the water samples for the tests.

If the septic system is found to be faulty, then the property owner will have to fix it. If sewage isn’t present in the water, then it is just stormwater. Once that is known, the township can look into solutions to get the water to drain, including possibly modifying the curb. But until they find out what is in the water, the township can’t do anything about it.

Sewage can’t go into the stormwater drains, Green said.