The Banks Township Supervisors opened their new municipal building for their monthly meeting for the first time Monday night.

About 30 people came out to see the new building — the former Capriotti’s banquet hall and former St. Bart’s Founders Hall — at 1 E. Maple St.

But many of them were there to complain about sewer backups along Maple Street in Tresckow.

Christy Davis is one of those Maple Street residents.

“We have 3 feet of raw sewage in our basement,” Davis told the supervisors. “I realize we got the worst of it, because we are at the lowest point on the street. I’ve called Carbon County, the (state) Department of Health, DEP (the state Department of Environmental Protection), and the Governor’s Office. We have a 4-year-old, and a dog. My house smells awful for days. I don’t know what else to do.”

Ken Schollenberger and Albert DeFrancesco Sr. had the same complaint.

Supervisor Rick Porpiglia said the sewer backups happen during exceptionally heavy rain, when rainwater mixes with sewage in the sewer lines.

Porpiglia said the supervisors are trying to identify a grant to separate the storm and sanitary sewer lines on Maple Street.

Supervisor Charles Schalles recommended residents install backflow regulators on their sewer line.

Residents said that would only chase the sewage back into the lines and it would only back up into a neighbor’s home.

But Schalles said when the Cherry Street sewer project was done a few years ago, backflow devices were placed on the sewer lines of all the residents on that street.

Residents also complained about excessive noise and garbage being brought in from outside the township.

In one instance, a resident told a neighbor he had a permit for the party he was holding.

Authorities are looking into what kind of a permit it could have been.

Some residents said they believe the township’s noise ordinance should be changed so loud noise is prohibited after 10 p.m.

Complaints were also made about junk and abandoned autos, but the supervisors had an answer for that.

Township Solicitor John Solt said he has received official word the City of Hazleton their officials have agreed to run Vehicle Identification Numbers and license plates to see who the abandoned vehicle’s owner is.

Porpiglia said the supervisors cannot tow a vehicle until they know who owns it.

Solt said the service will begin immediately, as soon as he finds out who the contact person is for the service.