Carbon County officials are taking another look at an agreement they recently made with neighboring Northampton County for help with regards to the $10 million open space program that is being developed.

On Thursday, Penn Forest Township Supervisor Patrick Holland approached the commissioners to ask how some of the money will be allotted, mainly because Penn Forest Township is in the process of planning a trail through the township.

Holland said that he was hoping to find out if the money that will be available through the open space committee will be able to be used for legal fees to gain easements for greenway purposes.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said Carbon County and Northampton County are working on some items in the memorandum of understanding the two parties signed earlier this year.

He said that the policies were being reviewed and hopefully will be back this week. Then the county should be able to move forward.

Ahner told Holland that things like his request are things they want to make sure are outlined so they know how to proceeds with requests like this.

Carbon County is in the process of hiring an open space coordinator and already has an open space advisory committee established.

The $10 million open space bond that the county will borrow, was approved by taxpayers in a referendum vote in November 2022 for land preservation purposes.

The referendum question came about nearly three years ago when the Carbon County Agricultural Land Preservation Board began looking at funding sources because of the need to help farmers who wanted to join the preservation list.

The goal is to help protect the water quality, wildlife and farms for future generations.

“The people in this county love its natural resources. They are some of the greatest aspects of this county, and we want to keep that,” said Dan Kunkle, chairman of Carbon County Citizens for Water, Farms and Land in 2022.

In related preservation matters, the commissioners approved a proposal with Andress Appraisals of Palmerton for appraisal services for farms under the consideration of agricultural conservation. The properties are owned by Robert and Michele Selert of Weatherly and John and Diane Strockoz of Andreas at a cost of $3,000 per farm.