Rush Township Supervisors passed a motion to advertise the 2022 budget for public view for the required 20 days. There is no tax increase in the new budget. The public will be able to view the budget at the township offices at 104 Mahanoy Ave., Tamaqua.

A motion was also passed to purchase 12 new grinder pumps in the amount of $23,432.88 from Site Specific.

The township approved a motion to hire part-time police officer Thomas Forte at $21 per hour. Also in personnel, Robert Sweeney was hired at $23 per hour and E.J. Poeldnurk at $18 per hour as part of the road crew.

A motion was passed to approve the purchase of a hydrostatic roller for $19,950.

Recycling

Rush Township Vice Chairman Robert J. Leibensperger said road crews have seen an increase in TV sets discarded along township roads.

He proposed, for the new year, allowing township residents to recycle one TV per year at no charge. Currently, the cost to bring a TV to be recycled is $25 per TV set.

“Even if we were to get a thousand TVs,” he observed, “the recycling money that we collect every year would pay for it.”

Leibensperger also said he would like to encourage more residents to recycle rather than just throw things in the trash.

“If more than 55% of the township recycled, even up to 100%, these programs would cost nothing for any of the residents; but, some residents just will not recycle. Instead of putting 1,190 tons into the landfill and recycling only 379 tons; if we would recycle the 1,190 tons and only put the 379 tons into the landfill, we would end up with $25,000 to $30,000 every year from the Recycling 904 grant money.”