By SARIT LASCHINSKY

Special to The Press

Heidelberg Township supervisors received a Veterans Memorial Committee report from Supervisor Steve Bachman during their March meeting.

Bachman said that during a recent meeting, the committee worked on a program book and discussed possible speakers for the memorial’s installation ceremony, which he said was scheduled to take place Veterans Day, Nov. 11, at Ontelaunee Park.

He said the memorial’s fundraising efforts had raised more than 50 percent of the necessary money for the memorial.

In other matters, under subdivisions and land developments, the board considered granting preliminary plan approval for a minor subdivision at 5182 Mountain Road.

Art Swallow, speaking on behalf of the property owner, said the owner, who had a 13-acre property, wanted to divide off a piece for a single-family home.

Swallow told the board the plan received a recommendation of approval from the planning commission.

Zoning Officer Dawn Didra said the proposed home, driveway and septic location all met zoning requirements.

Supervisors granted preliminary approval, as well as two waivers related to the plan.

For unfinished business, engineer Chris Noll reported that township representatives had met with members of the Lehigh County Conservation District regarding the replacement of the Buckery Road Bridge, but were told there was no money left in the state’s Dirt Gravel and Low Volume Roads Program for the next two years, which had been a proposed source of funding for the project.

Noll said the township needed to devise a plan to obtain funding.

He would compile the necessary costs and figures to bring to the board, and to eventually put out for bid.

Township Administrator Janice Meyers said the township was applying for a multimodal grant with the assistance of state Sen. Pat Browne, R-16th. She added the bridge replacement could be covered by the grant.

In other matters, township Solicitor Charles Waters said the township received a signed easement agreement, which was accepted by the board, and work on the Hunters Hill Road drainage project could proceed.

Additionally, Waters said he studied the necessary ordinance language with regard to the township’s wanting to enact a Second Amendment Sanctuary Ordinance, a mainly symbolic move which would prevent township money from being used for federal or state actions perceived to infringe on residents’ Second Amendment rights.

Water suggested the board take action in the form of a resolution instead of an ordinance, as the former would send the same message but would be easier to enact.

Under new business, the board approved the change of indirect control of the franchisee, formerly RCN Telecom, under the township’s cable television franchise.

Supervisors also approved a resolution to appoint LTL Consultants Ltd. as one of the township’s building inspectors, and a similar resolution to make the necessary modifications to the township’s 2021 fee schedule.