The long awaited emergency electric generator is here.

The Eldred Township supervisors first introduced the project in 2023, when they were pursuing a grant. The generator will be a backup for electricity for the township’s office.

“It’s gonna happen,” said Supervisor Gary Hoffman.

Jonathan Gula, the supervisor of the Eldred Township Public Works Department, told the supervisors at their meeting on Nov. 19 that his department picked up the generator because it was faster than waiting for it to be delivered.

Gula also reported that his crew has done the excavation for the stone pad for the generator and set the propane tanks. Once the stone pad arrives, they will place it and put the generator on top of it.

Wind Gap Electric is doing the interior work in the municipal building for the generator.

Hoffman applauded the work the Public Works Department did on this project.

“We didn’t just sit back and wait on a contractor to do all this stuff,” Hoffman said. “Our guys in the Public Works Department put in a lot of time and effort, and energy into doing the work that we would have had to pay extra for. … Kudos to those guys. Because whether you know it or not, we have electricians, we have plumbers, we have HVAC techs, we have IT people within that group of four guys.”

Hoffman said it’s very important to understand that if it wasn’t for the work they do, this project would have cost the township tens of thousands.

“So good job gentlemen,” Hoffman said.

Gula expects the entire project will be done in two to three weeks.

He also reported that he found some lights that could be put on the caboose and on the edge of the roof of the municipal building for Christmas. The lights would stay on the roof all year long and would provide more lighting which is good for security, he said.

The supervisors approved the purchase of the lights for $700.

Gula added that his department has put the Christmas tree and lights on the stone arch bridge, which will be lit on Thanksgiving.

He also wanted to make the public aware that the red and green stakes along the roadway are used to mark the edge of the roadway for snow plowing. The colors do not have any meaning. They were just what was available in the Public Works garage, he said.