Rush Township is buying a new backhoe, worth $154,368.

During a meeting Thursday, the supervisors said they'll get a 40 percent discount of $61,747 by purchasing through Co Stars, and get around $30,000 by trading in the township's 2005 backhoe. That knocks the cost down to $64,820. The township is purchasing a 2014 Case 580 Super N Wide track loader backhoe.Chairman Shawn Gilbert and supervisor Robert Leibensperger voted in favor of the purchase, while supervisor Jeanine Motroni voted against it."It's a lot of money," Motroni said after the meeting. "I would have liked to have seen estimates on the cost to repair the one we have now."The supervisors updated residents on their efforts to collect delinquent sewer and garbage bills. Since January 2014, the township has been able to reduce the delinquent sewer bills from Hometown from $81,709 to $41,056 and from Lake Hauto from $12,864 to $7,286.During the process, the supervisors shut off water for nine sewer customers, including eight in Hometown and one in Lake Hauto. Those nine customers have since paid their bills and had their water service restored.The township has not been as successful collecting delinquent garbage bills. In January 2014 past-due garbage bills were $52,074. At the end of June, past-due garbage bills were $62,464. The supervisors will have township solicitor Chris Riedlinger start sheriff sale proceedings against the worst offenders.Residents had some complaints related to parking and traffic at the Hometown Market, which is open year-round on Wednesdays. The market has about 300 vendors.Resident Charlie Shamonsky asked the supervisors when the township's contract with the Hometown Market ends. Currently, the Hometown Market pays the township $5,000 a year to operate the business.Riedlinger said the contract ends in December 2015. At that time, he said, the township can renegotiate the terms. He also pointed out that according to current township ordinance, merchants not operating in the Hometown Market pay $45 a month or $300 a year to operate a business.In other action, the supervisors appointed Robert Ritsick, who is a member of the Planning Commission, to serve as the township's representative on the Eastern Schuylkill Planning Commission. Eastern Schuylkill Planning is a joint venture to enact a comprehensive zoning ordinance which will cover Rush, Schuylkill and Walker townships and Tamaqua.