Upper Nazareth Township Meetings

                                                                 Upper Nazareth Supervisor’s Meeting

                                                                                             July 1, 2015

Community Corner

There is an ordinance on weeds/mowing in the township. Residents continue to complain about a home on the Broad Street extension with high weeds.  It is believed the house is owned by Bank of America. Numerous calls to the corporation have yet to yield action. Another resident suggested the township adopt a Quality of Life Ordinance to deal with unkempt homes. This would allow the township to cut the grass and put a lien on the house for several hundred dollars.

Many homeowners from City View Drive to claim they were misled about their street remaining a cul-de-sac. Tuskes development is planning to put in a new development above them and will be using their driveways for access. There were many claims that Tuskes does not answer phone calls from residents.

Complaints about the Ranch House grill, an abandoned building on Shoeneck Ave and 191. It should be destroyed as it is in poor condition and infested with rats. The supervisors said they would contact the owner.

Presentation on CDBG Home Program by Victor Rodite

In light of a new grant which is going to be written, Mr. Rodite is seeking financial assistance from the township. CDBG is a program which gives financial assistance to homeowners to fix up their houses to meet health and safety standards. Grants will be concentrated in the east end of Nazareth to have the most impact on community improvement.

• There will be a public hearing on this program during the August 5^th meeting
  • Ads will be placed in the newspaper and on the township website
• These grants are targeted to lower income people
  • A single family has to have $39,900/year or less income to qualify
  • 2 person family – $45,600/year
  • 3 person family – $51,300/year
  • 4 person family – $56,950/year
  • 5 person family – $61,550/year
  • 6 person family – $66,100/year
• There is a long waiting list for these grants
• The board passed a motion, 4 to 1, to put between $7,000-$10,000/year into the program to be added to state and federal money
  • If the home is sold after the improvements, some percentage will come back to the program

Your Tax Dollars at Work

• The Supervisors discussed purchasing steel plates to cover road construction work for public safety – estimated cost $5,000
• The Supervisors voted to pay $3,000 for a background check into a candidate for town manager
• The Supervisors approved $7,500 for cement stabilization on Rose Inn and Gun Club Roads. This money will come out of the engineering budget

Grants

• Application has been made to PennDOt for an ARLE grant for an upgraded signal at 191 and Newport
• The tree vitalization grant must be submitted before the end of the month
• The grant for playground mulch is about to go out to bid

The Continuing Saga of Putting a light at Fridenstahl Ave and 191

• Members of the board have met with the school district engineer about storm drains
• On July 8^th, at 10 AM, supervisors will meet with school district officials about this project.

Becky Bartlett

(I am on the ballot in November for the open position of Upper Nazareth Supervisor)