A room full of residents from two different areas of Washington Township attended the supervisors’ June 15 meeting, all with complaints about water runoff.
Although their problems were not solved, a promise from supervisor Wendell Gainer that building plans for one of the areas, Harvey Drive and Evergreen Road, were made and will be studied by a civil engineer. One man agreed that was a good place to start, but the original plans may not be correct.
“We have to take care of what’s our responsibility,” Gainer said. “The runoff is also damaging the township’s road.”
Another man who lives on Frantz Road at the intersection of Route 443 also complained about water runoff from the other side of Route 443. At times, there is so much water against the house that boards were put up directing the water away from the house. The small pond on the property, he said, couldn’t take it all.
Across the road, a resident near the top of the hill said those residents have two inlets, both packed with debris. One at the very top is so full that the water comes down to his property.
“My insurance won’t pay,” the man said.
Business Manager Dawn Koch said she has set up a meeting with the Schuylkill Conservation District. Gainer suggested state Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Township, and state Rep. Mike Tobash, R-125, Pottsville, be invited to attend. PennDOT is not doing anything. Gainer instructed Koch to call him if she doesn’t get a response by the close of business Wednesday.
The board also discussed what to do with a request from Brown’s Church for a driveway permit. Koch suggested a traffic study be performed, which she is qualified to do accompanied by two other people. According to Gainer, the township would incur the expense for the study when the homes not far away from the church only have driveway permits.
An executive session was held to discuss the water leak discovered when one of the new windows installed by Muncy Windows and Doors took place.
Muncy had sent a letter along with the installation guide and a copy of the proposal sent by Rimkus Building Consultants in April agreeing to Muncy’s offer to re-install all 11 windows at no charge to the township. The supervisors instructed solicitor Rick Wiest to accept Muncy’s offer to install windows free of charge.
Koch said she had sent letters to the four fire companies that each receive a $4,500 annual donation from Washington Township: Pine Grove Hose, Hook & Ladder and North End, Pine Grove, and Friedensburg and Summit Station. The letter asks for a listing of what the money is spent on. Gainer instructed Koch not to distribute any of the contributions until the information is received.
A discussion was held again concerning the asphalt zipper. Gainer’s motion to purchase a new machine was unanimously approved pending Wiest’s review of the contract. All payment should be withheld until the year is almost up. Then, next year, make a full payment, said Gainer.
Last month, Koch was instructed to obtain the costs involved with renting the milling machine. According to Koch, it would cost $18,000 for one month, and $51,000 for three months.
The supervisors agreed to purchase “Road Biotics Software” at a cost of $5,100. According to Koch, two townships she questions said they use the information gained from the software to determine the condition of a road. The information, they said, can be used to create a 20-year plan for the road’s maintenance. When the survey is completed and sent to Road Biotics to evaluate, all sorts of information would come back to the township including the width of a road.
