Lang Maid Lane bridgework and police enforcement of an aggressive driving initiative were the main topics of Monday’s Bradford Township supervisors meeting.
Supervisor chairman Jim Erwin said the Lang Maid Lane bridge project is really coming along, helped by the warm weather and lack of rain keeping the stream low as crews construct the bridge abutments. The first abutment has been completed, and they hope to finish the second one by the end of this week, he related.
Supervisors moved to authorize Erwin to exercise a contract with M+M Contractors for the use of a crane next week to install the bridge beams.
“The (township) crew has put in a lot of hours in this project, saving the taxpayers a lot of money, and they’ve done a fantastic job,” Erwin stated. “We should be proud of this crew. The bridge is going to be very nice looking, and it will last a long time.”
Once the bridge is completed, he said the road crew will get caught up with other tasks such as ditching around the township.
Erwin noted the contract for one engineer and a tech worker had to be extended by a few days to accommodate for a lag with the arrival of supplies. Supervisor Gayle Bauer and Erwin voted to approve the payment of the extra work days to complete the project; Supervisor Steve Mascho voted not to do so.
“It’s money well spent,” Bauer said. “These guys really keep it moving down there (at the job site).”
Mascho said he felt the job should have been done in the time scheduled for the engineer and his associate to be on site, which was 15 days. The cost will be $950 for the engineer and $750 for his associate for each extra day.
Bauer gave the floor to Police Chief Robb Shipman, who announced township officers will be partnering with Bradford City, Foster Township and Kane-based state police to conduct another aggressive driving initiative.
Shipman said PennDOT has targeted South Avenue and U.S. Route 219 as roads of high crash incidence, so officers will focus on these roads watching for things like motorists following too closely, passing illegally and speeding. They will have the use of state police radar, according to Shipman.
He went on to point out that there have been many issues with all-terrain vehicles this summer. “ATV use has been ridiculous lately,” Shipman reported. He explained that many ATVs have been found driving on someone else’s private property or even down roads with young people at the helm.
Shipman said police are being vigilant in stopping this issue, seizing the ATV from those driving them illegally until the owner can present proof of ownership. “We take this seriously, we don’t want to have a fatality,” he related. “If you see or hear one of those ATVs on your property, call it in right away. Don’t just mention it to us a few days later, we need to catch them in the act.”
During the public participation portion of the meeting, two residents spoke in praise of the township police, thanking them and letting them know their efforts do not go unnoticed.
Also at the meeting, supervisors adopted a resolution providing for supplemental appropriations for the 2016 budget for the recently received $42,064.50 in Act 13 Marcellus Shale impact fee revenue from the Commonwealth.
They said the amount received is lower than last year by about $800, which is not as much as they thought the township’s allocation would drop with shale development slowed in the region.
“We’re going to set that aside exclusively for the bridge fund so we can get these bridges taken care of,” Erwin said.
Supervisors announced the office hours for the township municipal building will change, effective July 18, to 1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday as a result of personnel issues. Those stopping to make a payment to the township outside of those hours may put their payment through the slot on the door.
Erwin explained the township is down to one employee in the office, and township Secretary/Treasurer Nora Stewart will be checking phone messages in the afternoon. Stewart requests callers listen to the voicemail prompts to help them be directed to the appropriate department.
Supervisors also approved the submission of a letter of support to the Bradford District Flood Control Authority in their efforts seeking a grant to maintain and improve the existing flood control project.
Zoning Officer Jack Carns said five permits were issued in the month of June, totalling $20,500 worth of improvements to the township. “It’s been really slow,” he told the supervisors.
Zoning Hearing Board member Jean Hvizdzak said a hearing is scheduled for Wednesday regarding Dollar General coming to the township, but the hearing will likely just be a meeting to say there has been a continuance as the attorney requires additional time for research.
The next scheduled board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Aug. 8.
