Despite persistent collection efforts by Rush supervisors and office staff, many residents still haven't paid their sewer and trash bills. Delinquent sewer bills total $94,573 and delinquent trash bills total $52,074, supervisors said during a meeting Thursday.

"We have sent letters out," said Chairman Shawn Gilbert. "And we will shut off water for delinquents in two weeks."Since December 2013, $31,425 has been collected from delinquent sewer customers on the Hometown system, and $11,320 in past-due garbage bills has been collected.The supervisors said they will be cutting costs through an E-power program, which provides grant monies for projects which replace existing lighting with new, energy-efficient lighting. Through the grant, new lights for the township building garage will cost $3,862, but the cost to the township will be $1,286; for the sewer building, $782 with a cost to the township of $16; and for the township building exterior, $2,050 in lights will be replaced at no cost to the township.Resident Cathey Schimpf, who is a member of the township's zoning hearing board, had some questions about the township's fledgling curbside recycling program. In 2013, the yearly garbage bill for residents was $150, but in 2014 the township added curbside recycling and the yearly bill is $180.Once the township opted to run its own recycling program, Schuylkill County's office of waste management removed its recycling bins, which were located in the parking lot of the Hometown Fire Company. Schimpf said that during this month's meeting of Schuylkill Township supervisors, residents of that township were told they could bring their recyclables to Rush Township and use the multidoor recycling bin in the Rush Township building parking lot."Now I'm hearing that anybody who wants to can bring their recyclables to us," Schimpf said. "Why did I pay? It doesn't seem fair that the residents of Rush Township are paying to recycle when other people can drive by and drop off for free."Gilbert said he would look into that issue. Vice chairman Robert Leibensperger said that Rush Township will benefit in the long run by increasing its recycling tonnage.The supervisors voted to open all township-owned parks for Little League or children's sports organizations. Resident Wayne Postupak, who is chairman of the zoning hearing board, said he objects to the current method of scheduling use of the athletic fields, which is done through the Tamaqua baseball organization.Postupak pointed out that the work done on the parks was accomplished by local residents and businesses, and asked that Rush Township handle the scheduling in the future. Gilbert said that would become standard practice beginning in January 2015. Making the change sooner would be too disruptive to the already-established practice schedules, he said.Resident Bill Boyer said that the township has damaged trees near his house. Gilbert said that according to a survey, the trees are on township property, and the township plans to cut them down. Boyer said that he would sue the township if the trees are removed.