The Upper Milford Township Board of Supervisors discussed maintenance operations and future construction projects at its Nov. 5 meeting.

Following the commencement of the meeting, the board accepted regular meeting minutes and workshop minutes from Oct. 15.

Following that, Supervisor Robert Sentner and Township Manager Bud Carter discussed plans to approve a time extension for Lehigh Engineering General Manager Lewis Rauch II for the Fields at Indian Creek lot line consolidation and annex. The board carried a motion to approve the extension.

Next, Carter brought up a letter from the emergency services commission regarding the fire hydrants around Upper Milford. Carter reported ESC representatives from the Vera Cruz Fire Department informed the board they plan to check hydrants at the following locations in Little Lehigh Acres: Pine Street and Oakwood Drive, Oakwood Drive and Chris Drive, Chris Drive and Miriam Drive, Miriam Drive and Dru Drive, Chris Drive and Thomas Drive and Chris Drive and Lea Drive.

“There are several concerns,” Carter said. “One was the functionality of these hydrants. Several were hard to open.”

The board contacted Lehigh County Authority about one particular hydrant which was difficult to open.

“Looking at these hydrants ... no one’s touched these hydrants,” Sentner said. “If we’re going to pay for maintenance ... we’re probably going to be approaching 50 or 60 hydrants ... I think there needs to be some type of tracking [to ensure which hydrants were and were not checked].”

Sentner made a motion for staff to work with Lehigh County Authority to determine what needs maintenance and to receive reports to share with the ESC. The motion carried.

Joseph Sherman, chief of Citizens Fire Company, reached out to the board to “ask if the township could draft an ... ordinance for yearly inspections for multilevel family homes,” according to Carter. It was recommended to table the discussion.

“I would send it back to the committee, see what the fire departments are looking for from us and we can have [Solicitor] Marc [Fisher] go through it and see if that’s something viable,” Sentner said. “I think it’s a great idea – I think it’s a slippery slope.”

Chairperson Joyce Moore agreed.

I think it’s a good idea too,” Moore said. “We want to be sure everyone’s safe. Particularly, we don’t want renters to die in a fire. I think we should pursue this ... carefully.”

“Pursue it and then we’ll come back and have a discussion and see whether it’s something which can or can’t be done [or] perhaps be done a different way,” Fisher said.

Lisa Marten, representing the Emmaus Public Library, attended the meeting to deliver thanks on behalf of the library.

“[We] just wanted to say thank you for your continuous support of the library,” Marten said. “The community is also grateful to be able to come in and borrow books, use computers and printers and read newspapers. With schools being not fully open, parents are really grateful to be able to come in and take out piles of books to be able to cement and expand their children’s lessons.”

Vice-Chairperson Daniel Mohr delivered a report on the state of the roadwork in the township, saying the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is beginning to mark some of the roads.

Sentner then proposed a motion to donate $500 to the Zion’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and Old Zionsville United Church of Christ for their work on Election Day.

“I’d like to thank both the churches for what they had to put up with [on Nov. 3],” Sentner said. “I think they went above and beyond for what they signed up for. So I’d like to donate $500 to both churches from the township. [This statement is] nothing political. I’d like to thank them for what they did.”

The board agreed with Sentner and carried a motion for the donations.

Lastly, Carter reported he attended an Indian Creek Turnpike Commission meeting Oct. 27. The commission plans on starting bridge work for Indian Creek in 2023, utilizing one lane at all times. The project will likely last two years. The Vera Cruz road bridge construction will start in 2022 and last one construction season.

“The turnpike is hoping to hold a virtual meeting in the spring and start talking about the bridge,” Carter said.

Moore also warned the board to remain vigilant of the pandemic as Lehigh County continues to observe a rise in reported cases.

“COVID is coming back fiercely,” Moore said. “Please be careful, wear your masks, maintain your distance and wash your hands. I know I say it every meeting, but I mean it because I want everyone to come back next time. So, please be careful out there.”