Upper Milford supervisors at their July 7 meeting approved the wording of an informational flyer about the open space referendum question which will be on the November ballot.

The question asks voters whether they favor the imposition of an additional .1385 percent earned income tax to finance the acquisition, protection, conservation or preservation of undeveloped open space.

The informational flyer can be printed inhouse, Assistant Township Manager Tim Haas said, and is intended for distribution to as many residents as possible. He said the wording was approved by Solicitor Marc Fisher.

The flyer states the additional tax would remain in effect for at least five years, at which time a new question can be placed on the ballot asking if voters want to rescind the tax.

It also notes property preservation will be at the property owner’s request and the tax increase, which will amount to $138.50 per $100,000 of income, would begin in 2017.

In related business, supervisors approved the inclusion of some 170 acres of land, belonging to four different property owners, in the township’s agricultural security area.

Supervisors explained after the meeting the open space referendum is likely the impetus for the recent flurry of requests for inclusion in the agricultural security area. In order for development rights to be purchased by the township to protect open space, the land must be in such an area.

The land added last week included about 33 acres on Kings Highway North owned by the H. Morton Smith Trust Property; about 45 acres on Kings Highway North and about seven acres on Mill Road owned by Glenroy and Patricia Miller; 26 acres on Shimerville Road owned by Houstin and Gail Lichtenwalner; and almost 58 acres on Indian Creek Road owned by William S. Harrison II.

Supervisors also acknowledged requests from Richard P. Malburg and Judith E. Parker to add land to the area. Malburg’s land includes almost nine acres on Vera Cruz Road and 3.4 acres on German Road.

Parkers land includes almost 14 acres on Chestnut Street.

In other meeting news, a handful of neighbors of Meadowbrook Farms voiced their latest complaints about alleged activity at the property, which Paul Sarver had been renting out for weddings in spite of a zoning hearing board ruling against him.

Peter Brown said advertising for the site can still be found on several websites, despite a recent agreement in which Sarver said no more weddings would be scheduled.

Brown said some of those ads are for the bed and breakfast, which has been approved by the zoning hearing board, but the way the site is advertised implies there is room for more people than approved by zoners and also indicates it can be used for special events.

He said neighbors are “concerned that what we’re seeing advertised doesn’t jibe with what’s permitted.”

Another neighbor, Melissa Kirschner, complained of hearing what sounded like gunshots in the early Sunday morning hours of the previous weekend and said it seemed there was an event going on there.

Sarver said he just had a group of friends visiting to celebrate the Fourth of July and they had been setting off firecrackers. He apologized for doing so at such a late hour.

He also said he is trying to remove his advertising from various websites, but it is not always easy to do.

Defending Sarver, Supervisor Robert Sentner noted, “It was Fourth of July weekend.”

Sarver also said he has met with the septic inspector and other officials to obtain all the necessary permits for the bed and breakfast.

“I’m working hard with the township to comply,” he said.

In other business, supervisors discussed a proposal from the recreation committee to install a dog waste station (which dispenses plastic poop bags) in Jasper Park. The committee says dog waste is a problem in all the township parks, but recommends initially installing just one station, at a cost of $250, to see whether it helps the situation.

“It’s a crazy price, but a good idea,” Sentner commented.

As supervisors expressed concern about the cost, Kim DeWire, one of the residents complaining about Meadowbrook Farms, suggested trying to find a Boy Scout or Girl Scout to build the station as a community project, such as for an Eagle award.

Supervisors seemed to like that idea, but weren’t sure how to find someone in Scouting to pursue it. Brown said he has contacts with the Boy Scouts and will follow up.

In other news, Sentner announced Western District Fire Company recently received a federal grant of $118,000 to purchase new bunker gear and air packs. He thanked Haas and township staff for helping to write the grant proposal.