Since the opening of the Dollar General on Route 209 in Polk Township is water has been pooling in the parking lot and along Route 209 at the front of the lot.

Polk Township engineer Russell Kresge Jr. and Supervisors' Chairman/roadmaster Brian Ahner have inspected the area and determined two different areas of concern.Kresge said water is pooling in the parking lot as a result of a cap located on a basin outlet. The cap was originally left on to purposefully block that part of the basin.Kresge said he believes that if the cap is removed it will allow some of the excess water to flow more quickly into the stormwater basin and help to eliminate the pooling.Also in the parking lot of the Dollar General, above the outlet basin, grass has grown up in the area that is obstructing the flow that comes from the slight grade of the lot and into the basin.Once that grass is removed, both Ahner and Kresge believe that the issues with the water in the parking lot should be resolved.The water that is pooling along Route 209 appears to be coming off the roadway itself."I don't believe that the water is coming from the Dollar General," Kresge said."This is a 209 issue, not a Dollar General issue."Kresge said the water has most likely always run along there, but that now that there is a building there it is more noticeable."It is imperative that we figure this out," Ahner said."We need to get this done before it starts to freeze."Township secretary Ruthanne Toner has attempted to contact the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation which maintains Route 209 to ask for its assistance in assessing the situation.Toner said PennDOT has not responded.Other businessThe township supervisors also used the meeting to thank Toner for her efforts in making the township's Memorial Day ceremony special this year.Ahner said the township had received a thank-you from Chestnuthill Township for the loan of a fire engine.Earlier this month one of the West End Volunteer Fire Company's engines was damaged in a crash, and Polk Township Volunteer Fire Company has loaned Chestnuthill a truck to help the township out while its truck in being repaired.Chestnuthill's insurance company will reimburse Polk fire company for 40 days, after which Chestnuthill would be responsible for the cost of renting a truck."The fire company voted this month to allow Chestnuthill to use the truck free of charge from the 41st day through Sept. 5," Polk Chief Bill Tippett Jr. said.The supervisors also voted to accept a bid from Sensible Technology Solutions to design a new website for the township. The new design will be more easily updated and contain more information for residents.There will be a short public meeting before next month's supervisors meeting on a conditional use application submitted by RNR Motors.RNR Motors wants to open a small auto sales business at the site of the defunct West End Auto.The previous dealership was only permitted to have five cars on the lot at one time. RNR is asking to be permitted to have a larger number of vehicles displayed.The township will also advertise a revised ordinance that will require landlords to register their tenants with the township.There will be no public hearing on this registration plan and the supervisors expect to vote on the matter at the July meeting which will take place on July 24.