Kidder Supervisors heard complaints about fireworks and renters’ behaviors at the board’s recent meeting.

The crowd wanting to attend and to speak spilled out into the parking lot due to COVID-19 social separation rules limiting capacity in the meeting room.

Citizen after citizen got up to offer stories of bad behaviors from renters in their neighborhoods. Several offered constructive ideas about how to limit the problems.

Supervisors explained that the township is working to hire a code enforcement officer. That officer, once trained, would go out and enforce the rules, especially those about fireworks, noise and trash.

Resident Tom Davis was among the first to speak. He had brought samples of fireworks cases that were used at neighbors’ homes last year, and returned to make the same complaints. He said that the fireworks have been set off “every single night… sometimes well into the early morning, in one case at 4:30 a.m.”

Davis pointed out that the township’s fines for shooting fireworks, now $50 to $100, are “not much” for someone renting a home for perhaps thousands of dollars for a weekend.

Davis and other rental property owners said that they see to it that their renters understand the township rules, and follow them.

Joe Arking, an owner of rentals, told supervisors that “you have a lack of control.”

Resident Winnie Kee complained about living next to a “mini-hotel.” She’s concerned about these properties’ heavy use of services, including trash and sewers.

This comment prompted a discussion about whether metering sewer use would be a fairer way to pay for sewers led by supervisor and business owner Louis Pantages.

With all the issues and suggestions from citizens and supervisors, supervisor Bruce Berger asked for workshop meeting of the supervisors and planning and zoning commissions, along with interested citizens. This was agreed to unanimously.

Supervisors were also unanimous in agreeing to chief of police Matt Kuzma’s offer to add an officer using overtime hours to work Fridays and Saturdays to work the quality of life issues, at least until the new code enforcement officer is hired and up to speed.

In other business, roadwork contracts were awarded to Wayco Inc. for the Kirk Street project, at a cost of $39,813; and to Barletta Materials and Construction for the paving of Kresge Lane and the short stretch of Moseywood Road, at a total of $296,688.

Wayco Inc. also was the low quote on emergency repairs work on Henning Lane - to remove a tree and install catch basins and a pipe, at a cost of $14,794.