The East Penn board of supervisors has agreed on a starting point to tackle the extensive road repairs needed in the township.

Municipal, Troxell, Summer Mountain, Smithlane and Dieters Hill roads will be listed in a construction bid advertisement for a single seal coat this month. The township's roadmaster will read the bids at the end of May and make a recommendation to the board regarding which company will be awarded the 8 miles worth of work on June 6.Board Supervisor Richard DeLuca said the repairs will cost an estimated $170,000.Chairman William Schwab asked DeLuca if there are funds for the project."There is $125,000 from the previous board, plus without a police department, I feel comfortable making the recommendation for this. I know people want us to do other roads first, but," DeLuca said."Stone Mountain and Pine were higher on the engineer's list," Schwab said."We have these roads that the repairs will last for six years. We have to Band-Aid the roads. This is more of an aggressive plan. There hasn't been this many miles done at once. We have to do them, otherwise it will cost a fortune later," DeLuca said.Along with the single seal coat work, township roads are being examined for line-painting and shoulder work.The board passed a motion to take out a $76,000 loan from Mauch Chunk Trust Company for the purchase of a new Skidsteer for the township. The loan will be paid back over 10 years, DeLuca said."It (the payment installments) will cost less than the township paid to rent on last year," he said.East Penn will sell what is considered a surplus road paver in June to another local municipality."It'll cost $17,000 to fix it," said DeLuca of the two-year-old equipment.The township board agreed to hired six additional part-time road crew members for the upcoming spring/summer season.An advertisement will soon circulate for full- or part-time police officers for East Penn."We currently only have one part-time officer who is on light duty, but he can't patrol," Schwab said."We don't need an officer for light duty. We need someone who can patrol. We've already gone this long without one," DeLuca said."Do we just want to let it stay where it is?" Schwab asked."We have had complaints about speeding traffic near the school when students are let out," Supervisor Alice Berger said."We haven't even advertised since Danner resigned last December," Schwab said."We should advertise to see what's out there, but not necessarily hire right at this time," DeLuca said.The board was in agreement.