A recent Times News article about overflowing trash at Riverview Park was a main topic of discussion at Monday's East Penn Township Board of Supervisors meeting.

Bill Schwab, the former East Penn Township Parks Commission chairman and a former township supervisor, read from a prepared statement that it was unfortunate that "it took a front page (newspaper) article for the township to take pride in their park and clean it up Friday."He also said that "unfortunately one cleanup does not solve the park systems' problems," and that, though the township had removed the overflowing garbage Friday, by Sunday trash had begun to build up again.Chairman Dean Kercsmar thanked him for his remarks then later said the commission had requested the board take action on three items: trash barrels' pickup in park system, adoption of ordinance and fee schedule, and creating or designating the parks commission as a separate, independent entity or authority."The board of supervisors have taken measures to take care of the trash concerns and are reviewing the other issues prior to making any decisions," Kercsmar said.He then asked Schwab if the parks commission, which has been in charge of cleaning the parks for the past five years, will cut grass and remove garbage until more decisions are made.When Schwab said he was unsure if he can get volunteers to clean up again, Kercsmar asked Road Foreman Cory Smith if he and his crew could take care of keeping the park in order until all matters with the parks commission are resolved. Smith said they would.Afterward, Kercsmar said, "Five years, Bill. Five years we didn't have (any) trash problems … then all of a sudden (the cans are) overflowing and we've got pictures in the paper. My concern here, which is why I asked if you'd like me to have the road master take care of the grass, (is that) I don't want to pick up the Times News next week and see 6 foot of grass."After the meeting, Kercsmar said the supervisors had no idea the parks commission would no longer be removing trash at the park, which then led to the cans overflowing.He also said the supervisors had removed the cans because the commission had been complaining about household trash being dumped there and had proposed several ideas, including cameras and/or police patrols of the area, but that the board had been trying to keep costs down for the taxpayers."And (removing the cans) wasn't long-term, this was just to see (if this idea would work)," Kercsmar said.