Harford Township opens bids

BY PAT FARNELLI

Harford Township Supervisors opened bids for road materials and fuels last Tuesday, Apr. 10.

The low bidder for most of the road materials was Eastern Industries, and the supervisor accepted that company’s bids for 2RCs, #67s, 1Bs, and 2Bs. Damascus Stone out of Montrose had the low bid for R4s, so that bid was accepted.

The low bid for clean black cinders was accepted, at $60.95 per cubic yard by Romanski Trucking.

Bids were solicited for 6,000 gallons of biodiesel fuel, which supervisors voted to accept Mirabito at escalating price.

At the March meeting, the supervisors decided to borrow funds to complete a major improvement project for the sewer plant. The project will cost approximately $100,000 to complete, and term quotes were received from Peoples Neighborhood Bank for $100,000 and $150,000.

The supervisors met with engineer David Klepadlo to discuss improvements to the plant, including a new control panel, waste gate values, blower units, and miscellaneous other improvements, all of which are necessargy for continued operation of the plant.

The supervisors raised the question of whether they need to advertise for bids for this project. Attorney Hailstone will discuss this issue with the engineer. Klepadlo will be writing bid specs as needed, Foltz said.

At the April meeting, the supervisors discussed the grates for the sewer plant, which urgently need replacement. The options were galvanized steel, 12 gauge expanded galvanized steel, or heavy, two-inch aluminum.

As the galvanized steel has not held up well in the past, the supervisors decided to advertise for bids for heavy aluminum grates.

Roadmaster Eric Allen presented the road report, including seven driveway permits, and stated, “If I can’t sign a driveway permit, then I should not be inspecting them.”

He said that he has been recognizing the site, then taking a photo and giving the information to the supervisors.

Supervisor Garry Foltz said that it was appropriate that the supervisors recognize Allen as one of the township officials, authorized to sign permits, make recommendations for culverts or sluic pipes, etc.

The supervisors approved recognizing Allen as roadmaster with the authority to sign permits and do other road related paperwork as a township official.

The township auditors presented their annual report. The township accounts were found to be in order, and a suggestion was made to use computer checks for all township business if possible.

Supervisor Doug Phelps suggested giving township employees an additional eight hours of personal time as of Jan. 1, 2013. He also would like to give employees an additional eight hour personal day for every three years from date of hire.

This would involve eliminating a policy created in May of 2002 and replacing it with this new policy, Foltz said. The matter was tabled until a later time.

The supervisors discussed the upcoming election, with over 900 voters in the township, and whether the voting booths were in good condition.

A subdivision for the Rutherford/Phelan property, which is an add on of a tiny lot to the existing property, was approved, as the current property line passes through a garage.

A driveway permit was approved for Dale Emplet, giving him an occupancy permit without a need to construct anything, at no charge. There are no water run-off issues or pipe involved, it was stated. There are three existing driveways that Emplet wishes to have recognizes as his own, to provide evidence that he has these driveways to access his fields from township roads.