Plans for improvements to Laubach Park may be scaled back.

That was the consensus of the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners during a workshop following the Feb. 22 township meeting.

During the 30-minute workshop, commissioners listed their goals for the township.

Board of Commissioners President Robert Martucci Jr. recommended the township take another look at the Laubach Park master plan. During the discussion that followed, other commissioners seem to agree with Martucci.

“I would like to see the Laubach Park plan upgraded,” Martucci said, indicating he would like to re-evaluate the plan.

“I’d rather spend the money on other projects,” Martucci said.

The Master Site Development Plan for the William H. Laubach Memorial Park and Franko Farm Recreation Area calls for an estimated $5 million in improvements.

The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 on a motion by Commissioner Joanne Ackerman and seconded by Commissioner James Seagreaves at the Jan. 26, 2017, township meeting to accept the master plan, which envisions major changes at the 14.25-acre Laubach Park, Lehigh and Fairview Avenues and the 93.72-acre Franko Farm Park, Black River Road.

“One of the biggest problems is the water table at Laubach,” Salisbury Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich said at the workshop.

Commissioners voted at the Dec. 8, 2016, township meeting for Gilmore & Associates, Inc. to do a hydrology study of Laubach Park.

During public hearings for the master plan, residents in the vicinity of Laubach complained about runoff problems around the park, which contains a pond, a creek and a flood plain.

“Wetlands are wetlands,” Ackerman said. “We have to work around it.”

A rough estimate for improvements is $3 million for Laubach and $1.7 million for Franko.

Urban Research & Development Corp., Bethlehem, is the consultant for the Laubach-Franko Master Plan.

A one-inch-thick, 115-page master plan booklet includes a recap of public participation in the master plan; information about township parks; sites, facilities and activities analysis; goals for parks improvements; design considerations, process and costs, maintenance and operating costs; photographs, and maps.

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources approved a $26,700 Community Conservation Partnership Program Grant for the Laubach Park Master Plan and Recreation Connections Project. The grant was matched with an equal amount from the township for the $55,400 project, which is the cost of the master plan.

The 22-member Laubach Park Master Site Plan Steering Committee met nearly every month, starting with a tour of Laubach July 20, 2015, for a total of 12 meetings.

Members of the committee included Salisbury Township Recreation Director Genny Baillie, Board of Commissioners Vice President Debra Brinton and Martucci.

During the workshop, Brinton said that bathroom facilities and the pavilion needs to be improved at Laubach. “I think that’s what needs to be done,” Brinton said.

Of Laubach Park improvements, Ackerman said, “I think there’s a better way to do this.”

In the master plan, a parking lot on the north side of the park would be eliminated to make way for an inclusive playground and a pickleball court. There would be 37 on-street parking spaces created along Lehigh Avenue, with curbing and sidewalks.

The Salisbury Youth Association uses Laubach Park for practice and games.

The Laubach Park plan calls for moving tennis courts from Laubach Park to Franko Farm Park, removing a softball field, relocating basketball courts closer to Lehigh Avenue, shifting the baseball field and relocating the football field.

The plan would add a 0.6-mile perimeter pathway, plant native trees and restore riparian buffers around the pond and along the creek.

A pavilion would be built closer to Lehigh Avenue to make the facility safer.

Restrooms, a concession stand and a storage shed would be built. Laubach restrooms do not comply with Americans with Disabilities Act regulations.

Laubach Park Priority Actions are:

Protect and improve water quality at Trout Creek and Laubach Pond by restoring 50-foot buffers, creating wetland to pond and not direct discharges to creek.

Improve active facilities, condition, size, over-used turf, flooded dugouts and playgrounds by relocating playground, relocating one ball field and football field and relocating the tennis court.

Provide Americans With Disabilities Act access to facilities and walking paths.

Manage stormwater using best management practices.

Other highlights of the Feb. 22 workshop:

“I want to run the township more on a business basis,” Brinton said.

She said she wants to make sure that “we are not duplicating anything.”

Brinton said her goal is for the township “to be fiscally-responsible.

“If I want to say, ‘I want improvements,’ I want to have the means to do it.

“We had a rough time, but we have a change to move forward.”

“I would like to have the commissioners’ meetings on the web,” Ackerman said.

Ackerman suggested the meetings could be telecast, streamed live or videotaped.

“I don’t know if we’d have the technical equipment to do a live broadcast,” Bonaskiewich said.

Salisbury Township Police Department Sgt .Donald Sabo Jr. suggested putting audio recordings of the meetings on the website. Sabo said the 2019 Phase Two of the township municipal building upgrade includes video cameras.

Ackerman said, “I’d like to revisit job descriptions. What’s expected.”

“I’ve started doing that,” Bonaskiewich said.

“I would like to have annual reviews [of township employees],” Ackerman said.

“Yes, that all ties back to the job descriptions,” Bonaskiewich said.

“I would like to have a monthly report from the department heads,” Ackerman said. “I think by having that, we can be more efficient.”

“I agree,” Bonaskiewich said.

“We have to have the groundwork to make a decision,” Ackerman said.

“I have no problem with that,” Bonaskiewich said.

Commissioner Rodney Conn, who is in his inaugural year on the board, said, “For anybody coming on the board, there’s a learning curve.

“I intend to visit the department heads and take Chief [Allen W.] Stiles’ offer for a ride along [in a township police department patrol vehicle].”

Conn noted his service on the Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board and Salisbury Township Environmental Advisory Council, on which he continues as the commissioners’ liaison to the board, succeeding Ackerman.

Commissioner James Seagreaves was not at the Feb. 22 township meeting and workshop.

Township millage for Salisbury Township property owners increased 0.224850 mills, from 1.97515 mills to 2.20 mills.

Based on the township median residential property assessment of $231,441, the annual increase is $52, from $462 to $514. Increases vary depending on property assessment.

Township commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 to approve the 2018 township budget and set the 2018 tax rates at the Dec. 28, 2017, meeting.

An 11.4 percent tax hike for property owners in Salisbury Township was approved.

The increase provides $279,000 more in revenue, compared to 2017.

The 2018 township general fund budget is $8,943,412, an increase of $537,857 from the 2017 general fund budget.

The overall 2018 township budget is $16,060,423, a decrease of $748,804 from the 2017 overall budget.