The Eldred Township supervisors decided to get some help with appropriately spending funds from the American Rescue Plan within the guidelines.

Chairman Gary Hoffman said they attended a Chestnuthill, Jackson, Eldred, Ross and Polk townships Regional Planning Committee meeting in Chestnuthill Township and listened to a presentation given by Zelenkofske Axelrod LLC, an accounting and auditing services company based in Jamison. The Monroe County Pocono Mountain Council of Governments asked them to give a quote if all the municipalities in Monroe County would hire them to help with this process. Each municipality would pay based on their population. For Eldred Township, the cost would be about $10,000.

The supervisors approved hiring the firm Wednesday night.

“That money can be paid out of the actual money from the American Rescue Plan and funds,” Hoffman said. “That’s an eligible cost.”

The township received about $165,000 this year from the American Rescue Plan and will receive another $165,000 next year.

The supervisors also created a new Pennsylvania Local Government Investment Trust account in which to deposit the funds received through the American Rescue Plan.

In other business

Hoffman said the post office, which rents space from the township in the municipal building, would like the township to expand the building to give them more space. He said the postmaster contacted him and told him that a large housing development is coming into Polk Township. In order to increase their mail delivery services, the post office is planning to hire more mail carriers and purchase six to eight delivery vehicles for them to use, instead of using their own vehicles. In addition to expanding the building, the post office would need more parking available for the delivery vehicles.

The supervisors decided it would be best to ask the township engineer, Brian Kocher with Hanover Engineering, to contact the postal service engineers about the possible plans.

“I think this is multifaceted. It’s not just expanding the building. There’s going to be an impact on the HVAC system, the electrical system, plumbing and so on and so forth,” Hoffman said.

The township ratified the hiring of Ryan Nametko and Duane Evans, both at $17.50 per hour, in the public works department. Both men have been working for the township for 45 days and completed the probationary period. The report about their performance showed that they have met expectations, Hoffman said.

The supervisors also approved advertising the township’s surplus equipment on Municibid.

“We have a lot of numerous surplus, used, extremely used, overused pieces of equipment down back,” Hoffman said. “We’d like to get that cleaned up before winter.”

Hoffman also made a couple other suggestions. He suggested that there need to be more cameras at the community center in the area of the Thrift Shop, after Supervisor JoAnn Bush said people continued to drop off items at the Eldred Township Community Center during the three weeks that the Thrift Shop was closed in July.

“They are walking right past the ‘No Drop Off’ signs,” he said.

Hoffman also suggested that no overnight parking signs be posted in the parking lot near the stone bridge. The signs would include that vehicles left there will be towed at the owner’s expense.

“I think we need to explore it, especially if that place develops out,” he said.

And lastly, the township plans to participate in the Pick Up The Poconos Day cleanup project from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 25. Supplies are available at the municipal building. There will also be an Eldred Township Cleanup Day on Sept. 24 and 25. For more information, contact the township office.