Schuylkill Township's Board of Supervisors has changed the format of its public meetings, adding an agenda item called "Answers to Last Month's Public Comment."

The new agenda item occurs just before the Public Comment agenda item. Supervisors said they made the change so that complaints or questions raised by residents would be answered thoroughly, and in a timely manner.During a meeting Wednesday, Supervisor Christine Verdier answered questions raised during the January reorganizational meeting.Township TowingPolicyDuring a meeting in December, resident Matt Hopes, Hopes Towing had asked that Hopes be established as the township's preferred towing service, meaning that the company would be called in every instance when a vehicle had to be towed.Wednesday, Verdier said that she had researched the question, and found that the owner or operator of a vehicle has the right to choose the towing provider. If the tow need is associated with an incident involving police response, the police officer will notify the selected towing service, she explained.Verdier said that those steps are in accordance with policy set by the Pennsylvania State Association of Townships.Newkirk Speed BumpsResidents had requested that speed bumps be installed on residential streets. Township solicitor Michael Greek said that it would be illegal to do so.Police ComplaintPolicySome residents had requested that the township form a committee which would investigate complaints regarding police actions. Greek said that this could not be done.Instead, as directed by supervisors, Greek will draw up an official written policy describing how complaints are currently handled complaints are handled by the supervisors, who investigate the matter by talking to the complainant and the officer.Code Enforcement OfficerThe township is seeking a new code enforcement officer. Police Officer Jennifer Dempsey offered to handle code enforcement issues in the interim, and the supervisors approved the action.