Representatives from Lynn, Heidelberg, Weisenberg, Lowhill, North Whitehall and Washington townships met June 9 for their quarterly meeting at Lynn Township.

The discussion began with Heidelberg Township Roadmaster Kevin Huber.

He said township crews were working on drainage before doing base repair. Grass is growing rapidly and the boom mower the township purchased has had delivery put off once again, he said.

Huber traded an old Ford pickup and is getting a GMC in 1-1/2 to 2 months.

Roadmaster Tony Werley of Weisenberg said crews are also grass cutting. Most paving is finished and they are doing routine maintenance.

Washington Township Roadmaster Tom Dengler said his workers are taking care of the parks and replacing an old pickup truck. Pipes will be replaced when school is out.

Weisenberg Supervisor Bob Milot asked how far the trail went in Washington Township.

Dengler said it ended at the Slatedale Playground, a distance of approximately three miles. The township would like to see it extended to Germansville.

Milot said a branch is going to North Whitehall and the pieces are being tied together.

Dengler said it is amazing how many people use the trails.

Lynn Township Roadmaster Bruce Raber said he did not know how popular they are but bikes on the road are dangerous.

Vehicle drivers are supposed to be 4 feet away when they pass bicyles.

He said Lynn got a big hit from winter. The township wants to do some shoulder paving. Just tar and chipping will not hold up through another bad winter. Raber will be placing millings on a short section of dirt road, but the weather is not cooperating.

Winter was expensive and there is not enough money for all needed repairs. There doesn't seem to be enough hours in a day, he said.

Milot said there are more roads and people expect them to be in better condition.

Raber said Lynn used to have four or five roads they did not plow. He recalls one farmer who cleans his property with a sickle mower and another one who even bought a boom mower and cleared every road that touched his property.

"There are heavier trucks and more traffic," he said.

Lynn used to have a five-man crew but now has four. In some areas people park on the roads making plowing difficult.

"We have 55-miles of road plus the dirt roads," he said.

Lowhill Township representative Carl Kressley said road crews have been mowing and shoulder paving.

Some back roads are still not swept. He said the gutters are a never-ending process this year.

PennDOT is working on culverts and bridges on Route 100. Crews are cutting out cracks and putting in concrete.

They try to stay off the roads and work from the fields.

Heidelberg Township Supervisor Dave Fink asked about recycling.

The last six months it has been getting out of control in his township. Commercial use has been over-whelming residential use.

"We sent out letters and said commercial users will have to find their own place to dump," Fink said. "When someone does construction in the township they think it gives them the right to leave their scrap in the township. Anything left outside the bins is considered litter and subject to a $1,000 fine."

Milot said Weisenberg has Waste Manage-ment,which is open to residents of the township two days a week, but some people prefer collection.

Raber said when the county quit chipping yard waste it cost the township $2,000. He said the township needs a bigger chipper but it costs $20,000.

Fink said Heidelberg is a rural community and the board does not restrict residents' use.

Raber said so many people come to the Lynn drop-off site, it is difficult to watch for garbage mixed in the yard waste. It takes a half day to chip, a half day when no road-work gets done.

As collection of electronic items is only once or twice a year depending on the location, televisions have been dumped alongside the roads.

Raber sent someone out to pick up 10 tires and the man found many more deeper in the woods. They even found a hot tub rolled over a bank.