BY SUSAN BRYANT

sbryant@tnonline.com

Upgrades for Lehigh County communication radios for the Lynn Township’s two fire departments were discussed at the supervisors March 13 meeting.

“I got to tell you and, I think some in this room will vouch for me, we got a bombshell dropped on us last week when the county set a deadline of March 31,” New Tripoli Fire Chief Gary Kuntz said. “All radio orders must be in by March 31 that are going through the county bond.

“They blindsided all of us.

“Luckily, I think, we were both (New Tripoli and Lynnport Fire companies) in pretty good shape.”

He then asked supervisors to look in a packet he prepared for them that would explain the entire scope of the communication project.

“The four regional departments, Germansville, Lynnport, New Tripoli and Weisenberg, went together and applied for a federal grant,” Kuntz said. “We were successful with that.

“Our department got $92,400 from that grant.

“We will be receiving 21 portable radios on that grant.

“The grant will be approximately $88,719.80 after the application fee.

He then discussed the county bond, which is an agreement between the county and the municipality.

“For our department, we’re looking at $61,153.07 and that will give us nine mobile radios and four of them are dual heads,” Kuntz said. “We will also need 15 additional portable radios at a cost of $65,817.98.

“So, the total for the bond through the county is $126, 971.05.”

Kuntz said the bond will only cover radios. They will not cover speaker mics or accessories.

“The accessories are $92,038.25,” Kuntz stated.

“The $719.80 is an overage on the grant. Regionally, we built out that grant to get the most amount of money we could.

“The total for the accessories and the grant is $99,058.05. The total cost for the township is $136,929.10.”

Kuntz said they did a radio survey in 2021 and the county sent that survey to each municipality describing what was on file with each fire department.

“If I take the grant money, the bonds, the accessories, our total just for New Tripoli is $229,329.10,” Kuntz said.”Something I wanted to point out is I broke it down just for our department but between Lynnport and New Tripoli with the grant, we are at approximately $155,000 that we saved the taxpayers, which I think is incredible.”

Board Vice Chairman Fritz Najarian asked Kuntz if the radios shown on the paperwork indicates the fire company’s current needs.

“Yes,” Kuntz replied. “What you see in front of you is maintaining what our department currently has.”

Najarian then asked Kuntz about the estimates that came by email from the county.

George Ballian with ECCO Communications LLC., responded.

“It seems to change day-to-day on the total amount you were allocated,” he stated. “They didn’t count for any kind of grant money so that’s kind of makes you ahead of the game with that.”

Najarian then commented on the time frame for the project.

“I’m going to make a comment here just for the general public,” Najarian said. “This has been in the works for 18 months or longer and they’re giving us 18 days or less to come up with the final solution.

“It’s unconscionable on the county’s part.

“The letter they sent out is dated Feb. 3 and we didn’t get it until March.

“We can’t blame the post office. It came by email.”

Jerdon commented on the letter.

“After reading this letter, it looks to me that by March 31, the fire departments must submit their reports to the county for final assessment and, we as a township, have until June 20 to execute the financing,” he stated.

Jerdon then asked board members their thoughts.

“Just doing some quick math here it looks like the total cost for the township is $251,438.91 for both fire departments together and of that $236,909.76 could be financed through the county bond, should we choose to do that,” Jerdon said. “The balance of $14,529.15 is the cost associated with the accessories, which are a necessity and that cost we would have to finance or pay for.”

Chairman Brian Dietrich then offered a suggestion.

“I think what we need to do, correct me if I’m wrong, is to approve the radio request for the department,” Dietrich said.

A motion was made to notify Lehigh County to approve the number and types of radios and the amounts of those radios as set forth in the overview provided by the New Tripoli and Lynnport Fire companies.

The motion carried.

Jerdon then discussed the situation with Night in the Country annual celebration.

“I am the Lynn Township representative on the Northwestern Lehigh Recreation Commission,” Jerdon said. “Statements have been made recently that it’s a waste of time, minimal profit is made there’s no leadership and the recreation commission is desperate to find somebody to take over.

“I just want to set the record straight that is extremely inaccurate because it’s very easy to stand on the sideline and criticize things, especially community events without even volunteering or attending it.”

“You can only experience it if you’re taking part in it or you are at least visiting it.

“This year will be the 26th year for Night in the Country.

“It’s a tremendous effort to put it on. I think it’s phenomenal for our community.”

He said the purpose isn’t just raising funds.

“It’s about bringing the community together, and that’s something that is precious and a lot of people don’t realize the value in that,” Jerdon said. “Similar events are the annual tree lighting, the Memorial Day event, the Veterans Day event and the Apple Festival, all that take place at Ontelaunee Park.

“Night in the Country brings numerous churches together, Boy Scout Troops, all of our local fire companies, EMS, and the farming community and a lot of food vendors all come together for a concerted effort to make it a wonderful event.”

He said last year the recreation commission planned to have a Northwestern Lehigh grad, who is a pilot in the Air National Guard, stationed at Fort Indiantown Gap fly in.

“He was all lined up. he had his flight path approved, he was bringing a Black Hawk helicopter in and he was going to land in the ball fields for a static display, it would have been fantastic, a Northwestern Lehigh grad,” Jerdon stated. “Well guess what, it’s going to happen this year.

“We had to cancel it last year because of the rain but the hope is that they’re going to be able to bring the bird in this time.

“We’ve got some phenomenal volunteers who are just really starting to get burned out.

“The rec commission is just asking for some volunteers to step up, even if they just want to give an hour or two.

“All the residents are encouraged to consider supporting the event.

“If anyone is interested in doing that reach out to me, I’ll get you connected with the right people and I’ll be volunteering at the same time.

“Night in the Country is a great event.”

Najarian asked Jerdon for his recommendation on how Lynn Township can help support the event, to get the word out that what people are generally hearing is not what’s really happening.

“One thing we could do is put it on our digital sign that Night in the Country is looking for volunteers,” Jerdon responded. “But everyone in this room should consider stepping up to do something, whether it’s with an organization you’re involved with or maybe it’s yourself.

“Let’s just roll our sleeves up and do what we have to do.”