Lowhill Township representative Carl Kressley began the March 10 six-township meeting with what was a constant refrain that morning.

"We are trying to patch equipment back together," Kressley said. "Parts are hard to come by."

He also told the others gathered his township road crew is also sweeping antiskid material and starting work with the Tiger mower.

Kressley said flagger and Hazmat training has not been scheduled.

Lynn Township Roadmaster Bruce Raber also said his road crew is fixing equipment and they are cold patching the worst potholes but the weather is not cooperating.

Lynn is doing tree trimming but is behind on boom mowing. Stones are being added to soft spots on dirt roads.

Raber wants to stock up on road salt because he expects the price will increase.

Weisenberg Supervisor Bob Milot asked how the cold patch is working.

"UPM [Unique Paving Materials] really works. It holds up well," Raber said.

Raber also mentioned a common problem, residents plowing snow from their driveways onto the roads.

He told of one man who puts the snow just over the top of a hill narrowing the road to one lane.

He reminded everyone there is a $300 state fine for dumping snow on the roadways.

Heidelberg Township's Kevin Huber said snowmobiles tracked snow onto the roads and then it froze.

North Whitehall Roadmaster Garry Remaley said he did not want to sound like a broken record, regarding fixing trucks and plows, but he did not know where to obtain parts.

"Do you deal with Eastern Industries in Fogelsville?" he asked.

He said the site has been having sales of tools at cost.

Milot said maybe the company could sell the land for more than it makes operating the business.

Washington Township Roadmaster Tom Dengler said his road crew started brush cutting and is trying to find signs damaged by the wind.

The township has 50 tons of salt, he reported.

"It's a guessing game which storms are coming," he said.

Weisenberg Township Roadmaster Tony Werley said "ditto" on repairs to equipment.

His road crew began cold patching, but after mixing, it has to sit a while, so he is waiting for new material supplies.

Huber said the purchase of a new mower has been delayed two months.

The section of Werley's Corner Road that is a turnback road just needs paperwork from Penn- DOT, he reported. Half of the road will serve as a driveway for one house.

Werley asked why the township is doing work on a state road.

Huber said PennDOT asked for a list of costs to have the work done by an outside company.

The township was given that amount of money to either hire a company or do the work and keep the money, which is what supervisors chose to do.

The bridge on the road has been removed. He said residents wanted the bridge left open for hiking and biking but there was liability involved.

Remaley asked if the other townships did a state Dirt and Gravel Road Project.

Kressley said classes about the project were scheduled.

Blacktop roads with traffic under 500 vehicles a day are being added to the project, and drainage and some other work can be done through the program.