New sign will honor late Bowmanstown resident

Bowmanstown Borough Council plans to add a new sign outside the Oliver Solt pavilion to honor the late police chief and public servant.

Council voted 6-0 Tuesday night to hire Jet Signs to produce a new sign to be placed in the grove, next to the pavilion that bears Solt’s name.

The estimated cost of creating and installing the sign is $470.

Councilman Norman Engle Jr. said he wanted to see a sign that used a sandstone rock outside the pavilion.

He expressed concern that the sign might be stolen.

“We have street signs that get stolen quick,” he said.

Councilman Rob Moyer said they considered several ideas, but a free-standing sign was the best option.

The rock was painted as a sign, but the paint has peeled over time.

Repainting wouldn’t last, he said. A metal plaque was considered, but Moyer said he was afraid that will be stolen for scrap value. A headstone was cost-prohibitive.

“This is something we figure we can actually afford, and it’s proper to honor Mr. Solt.”

Darren Thomas said the sign would be set in front of the rock, and flowers may be added around it. Borough workers will pour concrete and set the posts, and Jet Signs will install the sign.

Moyer suggested that they contact the Solt family before moving forward with the plans, but council approved the plan 6-0, with Burdell Steigerwalt absent.

Solt served as Bowmanstown’s Police Chief for 38 years and was a life member of the Bowmanstown Fire Co., according to his obituary. He died last February at age 103.

In other business

• Council directed their solicitor, Jim Preston, to respond to a letter from an attorney representing a resident refusing to pay a sanitation bill from the borough. Preston said council passed an ordinance in December that requires all residents to pay a trash bill, whether or not they use the service. They agreed to give the resident 90 days to comply. Moyer voted against.

• Council directed the property committee to see if there are any projects where the borough could apply for recreation and conservation grants from the state.

• Council approved a request to reduce the number of EDUs for 700 Lehigh St. from 5 to 1. The property is currently used as a storage facility. Engle expressed concern over the number of trailers on the site, and Preston said if he has a concern about a zoning issue he should contact the borough’s zoning officer.

• Council agreed to look for a new fuel oil supplier for the sewage plant. They also plan to hire a new propane service. Their current supplier, AmeriGas, did not respond in a timely manner when the department was low on propane used as a backup at the White Street pumping station during a recent power outage. Thomas said the situation could have resulted in sewage pipes backing up.

• Fire Chief Mike Spairana requested a meeting with council’s fire committee to discuss what can and cannot be purchased with fire tax money. He wants to use it to help fund department expenses like insurance and mortgage costs.

• Barbara Eastland said the borough’s delinquent property taxes for 2017 totaled $10,090. She asked if there was anything the borough could do itself to recover the money. Engle advised that the county provides delinquent tax collection through Berkheimer.