Penn Forest Township is moving toward offering tax credits and fee savings to the township’s volunteer emergency responders. Details remain to be worked out, including establishing rules on who qualifies. A public hearing on the matter will be scheduled, with the hopes of having the credits in place this summer.

Later in the meeting, it was also discussed to waive the garbage fees for these same volunteers. Township solicitor Tom Nanovic wants a good set of rules, in order to create a good set of lists (from each emergency service station) of those eligible.

A request by Verizon to get a right of way to run an underground line to the new cell tower, located on township property, was tabled. It was decided to send the request back to Verizon and ask them to make the language on the agreement clearer and more specific.

Shiffer Bituminous will again be contracted to come and fill potholes with their hot patch truck, at a cost of $3,000 for two truckloads.

A split vote approved the township signing up for the Penn Bid software program. As explained, the program posts all the bid documents online. Bidders then download what they need, and submit a bid if interested. The winning bidder pays a fee of one-third of 1% to cover costs. Ads would also go into the newspaper. Supervisor Judy Knappenberger wants to keep contractors local, and was the sole no vote.

It was agreed to buy the license for one Adobe Acrobat Pro for the office.

The Stoney Creek Road drainage project is ready to go to bid. It will be advertised, with documents posted to Penn Bid.

The short stretch of Forest Street into Beltzville Lake Estates needs to be repaired and repaved, in some places from the base up. It’s a small project, and quotes will be sought.

Another road project will be prepared for bidding, that of replacing about 37 pipes under township roads at the north end of the township. Some are settling, others have become “big bumps.” It was agreed to work with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to get specs together in order to prepare bid documents for the work to be done this paving season.

PennDOT will also be consulted as to what roads should be added to the summer’s paving projects, using this year’s liquid fuels money. Suggested were parts of Schoolhouse and Stony Mountain Roads, and a large length of Unionville Road.

The township park’s walking trail will get repairs to its full length, with bad areas fixed and then the whole thing getting an overlay. It was also agreed to get two loads of infield mix so that the field that had the grass removed (from the infield) can be ready for softball this summer.

Supervisor Roger Meckes reported that there has been “a tremendous volume” at the transfer station, due to having lots of the summer homes now occupied full time. There have been some long lines, and some backups. Extra help was to return to work full time on May 11.

A noise complaint was submitted (about loud music from a neighbor). The township does not have a noise ordinance, so it’s not something the township will act upon. It will need to be resolved by each neighbor.

Supervisors approved four reverse subdivisions/lot consolidations, for the Sacchetti family within the Marty Axman development, the Bucci family in the same development, the Findle family in Bear Creek Lakes, and the Lay/McCoy family in Sunrise Ridge. All were approved conditional to satisfying items listed in letters by engineers of Barry Isett & Associates.

A park and recreation meeting may be held at the park, socially distanced, on May 21. The next regular board meeting is June 1, to be announced if it’s again via the internet.

The township offices are open again, with limited staff. To enter the building, people are asked to be wearing their masks. The office will be closed on May 25 for Memorial Day.

Supervisors extended the declaration of emergency to June 20.