Spring time has different meanings to everyone and for Franklin Township Road Foreman Robin Cressley, spring time means planning the fall township road paving project.

Despite higher paving costs, Franklin Township supervisors hope to pave several roads before winter. Plans are to pave Elm Street to the township line; Airport Road to Snyder Drive; Lower Greenwood Street from the township line to Hemlock Street; and Upper Greenwood Street, from Hemlock to the township line. Plans to include Briar Street fell through when costs were above the amount of $35,000 the township set aside for this year's road projects.The township on Tuesday accepted the bid of $36,032.44 offered by Asphalt Paving Systems, Inc. of Lehighton, to purchase the materials. Included in the bid were 28,372 square yards of bituminous seal coat.Cressley noted that the township had used APS for past jobs and he was satisfied with their performance and materials."We had hoped the bids would be lower so we could do Briar Street," said Cressley. "That hasn't happened."In another road related matter, supervisors voted to seek bids to pave a portion of Plantation Drive in Homestead in the Pines. Supervisors had revoked the developers agreement with Homestead in the Pines developer Mieczyslaw Klecha in February. By revoking the letter of credit, it freed up the escrow account for the township to complete the road.Michael Popovich, one of the residents who lives on Plantation Drive said that he was glad to finally get his home out of the dirt. "Now my children will be able to ride their bikes and I won't have to deal with the dust anymore," said Popovich.The bids for Plantation Drive will be opened at the next township meeting.The board also appointed a Safety Committee whose responsibility will be to reduce safety risks in the township for township employees and township property. Committee members are Robin Cressley, Brenda Neeb, Dennis Schaeffer, Keith Seltzer and Jason Doll, all township employees.Township secretary Sandra Gaumer said that the township receives a lower insurance premium by forming a Safety Committee. The Committee will also be charged with reviewing any safety occurrence that affect township property or employees.Supervisors also approved allowing Mark Miller to obtain a wood burner stove permit. Miller said that he meets front and rear set backs, but not side yard set backs. Miller said that no one lives near him and the property is unbuildable because of wetlands on the side of his property and a rocky clift to the north. His request was approved.Also Roland Kassis of Momenee and Associates was denied his request to develop Christmas Tree Hill Estates on property in the Beltzville Airport area of the township in five phases. Kassis made the request because of the difficulty in securing funding.Rod Green said that the project isn't large enough for five phases. Green said the normal phasing for developments is in three phases. Green advised Kassis to discuss the project with township engineer Ron Tirpak.Jeff Hoffman of Bartush signs was granted a conditional use permit to install an electronic messaging sign at Ohl Fuel Oil that will replace a standard painted sign on the building.