The Salisbury Township Police Department will revive its K-9 Patrol and add a second canine patrol dog.

“Since our K-9 died, we’ve been without a K-9 dog,” Salisbury Township Chief of Police Donald Sabo said.

“But we’ve received multiple donations. So far, we have 100 percent funding for the dog and training,” Sabo said.

Salisbury Township police announced Oct. 14, 2023, the death of township K-9 Patrol Dog Miklo.

Miklo worked with K-9 Officer Brian Zulic for five years.

“We hope to have two dogs,” Sabo said in his report to commissioners at the March 28 township meeting.

“We are going to be able to pick our dog. We’re using a new vendor,” Sabo said.

K-9 training is anticipated in June.

Township commissioners voted 3-0, with two commissioners absent at the March 28 meeting, to approve:

- Resolution authorizing demolition of a house at 1316 E. Emmaus Ave. Commissioner Heather Lipkin made the motion, seconded by board of commissioners Vice President Rodney Conn.

“We have a contractor lined up for this,” Salisbury Assistant Township manager, director, Community Development Department Sandy Nicolo said.

“The owner is in the process of moving out. He’s in a touchy situation. We’re working with him,” Nicolo said.

“We’ll be able to place a municipal lien on the property,” Attorney Jason A. Ulrich, partner, Gross McGinley LLP, township solicitor said.

The resolution states township code enforcement measures attempted to secure compliance and the building “has been deemed structurally unsound” and “poses a threat to the health, safety and welfare to the township and its residents.”

According to the resolution, “all avenues of recourse to remedy the violation have been pursued with noncompliance from the property owner ... “the township deems the structure to be an imminent danger ... the structure on the property is unsafe.”

The township solicited three proposals, with the $32,500 proposal of Rizz Demolition LLC, Easton, accepted to demolish the house.

- Resolution approving disposition of Public Works Department equipment. Conn made the motion, seconded by Lipkin, to bring the resolution to a vote. A 2015 skid zero-turn mower will be sold via Municibid online government auctions, trade-in via the state’s Co-Star Program or sale by public bid or auction.

- Resolution approving South Whitehall Township’s Act 537 Sewage Facilities. Conn made the motion, seconded by Lipkin, to bring the resolution to a vote.

The transfer of the South Whitehall Township Authority is to South Whitehall Township.

South Whitehall Township has intermunicipal agreements with four adjacent municipalities, including Salisbury, Upper Macungie and Lower Macungie townships and the City of Allentown.

Wastewater from the townships is conveyed to the South Whitehall Township collection system via multiple interconnections, which is directed to Lehigh County Authority’s Kline Island Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The intermunicipal agreement with Salisbury Township was enacted Nov. 16, 1998.

“South Whitehall is doing away with their authority. This does not change anything,” Stan Wojciechowski, department head, Municipal Engineering Services, Barry Isett & Associates, Inc., township consulting engineer said.

- Motion accepting a time-extension to Aug. 1 for the land development plan for an eight-unit apartment building at 1350 E. Susquehanna St. Lipkin made the motion, seconded by Conn, to bring the motion to a vote.

“I will be meeting with them. There are some concerns with the stormwater,” Wojciechowski said.

- Motion authorizing entering into a donation agreement with Ravenwood Manor LLC and authorizing the township manager to execute documents related to donation of property, 3015 Barrington Lane, to Salisbury Township. Conn made the motion, seconded by Lipkin, to bring the resolution to a vote.

A fire burned down a mansion on the approximate five-acre property. “It’s a very generous donation,” Ulrich said.

- Motion authorizing entering into settlement agreement with Joe and Linda Thorpe, 333 E. Emmaus Ave. Lipkin made the motion, seconded by Conn, to bring the motion to a vote. The code enforcement pertains to a swimming pool and a fence in a matter dating to 2010, Nicolo told a reporter for The Press after the meeting.

The workshop topic was the Franko Farmhouse lease renewal.

At the March 14 township meeting, commissioners voted 5-0 to approve:

- Ordinance Amending Chapter 26, Part 1 and Repealing Part 3, Township Codified Ordinance pertaining to water service. Lipkin made the motion, seconded by Commissioner Alex Karol, to bring the ordinance to a vote. Details are in the ordinance posted on the township website under the March 14 meeting agenda.

- Appointment of Buckno, Lipsicky & Company as township auditor for fiscal years 2023-2025 with an option for a two-year extension. Conn made the motion, seconded by Commissioner Alok Patnaik, to bring the ordinance to a vote.

Salisbury Township Director of Finance Paul Ziegenfus said the township received inquiries from 10 firms and four proposals, recommending Buckno, Lipsicky & Company as the lowest responsible bidder.

Ziegenfus said township auditor, Frey & Company, did not submit a proposal.

- Audited financials for fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2022, by Frey & Company. Karol made the motion, seconded by Lipkin, to bring the motion to a vote. Ziegenfus said the township audit was “clean audit with no findings.”

Also at the March 14 commissioners’ meeting, Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong, in his visit to the township, updated officials on the county’s 911 emergency communication system upgrade.

The federal government is requiring emergency radios to be digital by 2026, therefore, first-responders need new radios.

Salisbury Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich asked Armstrong if Lehigh County is considering grants to fund the radios changeover for municipalities. Armstrong said he contacted Congressman Susan Wild, D-7th, and State Sen. Nick Miller, D-14th, concerning grants.

Armstrong, in answer to a question from a reporter for The Press, said there will be a payment plan available for municipalities to pay for the radios.

Sabo said he expects the cost to be $3,300 per radio unit.

Armstrong introduced Lehigh County Community Liaison Officer Adrianna Calderon, who attended the March 14 meeting.

In the commissioners’ comment portion of the March 14 meeting, Conn thanked the Department of Public Works for removing a tree and improving the line-of-sight at Iroquois Street and Keystone Avenue.

In reports to commissioners:

- Salisbury Township Director of Public Works Jim Levernier said the Department of Public Works has commenced construction of the Salisbury Township Police Department’s training facility.

- Sabo said the police department is working on traffic complaints from residents. Additional enforcement is utilizing seat belt and aggressive driving grants.

Sabo said a drive-by shooting occurred in Walking Purchase Park and Allentown Police apprehended suspects.

Sabo said because of illegal dumping, stolen cars and guns in Walking Purchase Park, there will be targeted enforcements.

To commemorate Earth Day 2024, tree plantings will take place April 13 and 14 in Lindberg Park, Devonshire Park and Franko Farm Park.

Volunteers, needed to plant new bare-root trees in parks that lost trees in the recent storms, are to meet 9 a.m. April 13 in Lindberg Park.

To volunteer, contact Michele Lopez, mlopez@salisburylehighpa.gov

Tree-planting is sponsored by the Salisbury Township Environmental Advisory Council.

Salisbury Township meetings in the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave., include: 7 p.m. April 10, zoning hearing Board; 7 p.m. April 11: board of commissioners; 7 p.m. April 17, environmental advisory council; 7 p.m. April 24, planning commission and 7 p.m. April 25, board of commissioners.