Shamokin Township road plan going smoothly

Published: September 9, 2010

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by justin strawser

STONINGTON - The roadwork for the summer is finished in Shamokin Township, and the chairman of the board of supervisors is impressed with the outcome.

"The roads look pretty good," said Chairman Tom Carl at the board's meeting Wednesday night. "We're moving in a direction that the dirt roads are now seal-coat roads."

The estimated $1.2 million road maintenance plan, organized by Carl and Roadmaster Jon Clemens, has been in place since 2008 to improve the 50 miles of 39 township roads over the next five to 10 years.

Clemens explained that portions of Oak Road and all of Larch, Holly, South Lily, Mulberry, Locust and Dogwood roads have been seal-coated at a cost of $151,768.

He also informed the board that Fir and Lahr roads have been started with pipe work in accordance with the Dirt and Gravel Road Program.

According to the state Department of Agriculture website, the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission's Dirt and Gravel Road Program "is an innovative effort to fund environmentally sound maintenance of unpaved roadway sections that have been identified as sources of dust and sediment pollution."

"We need flexibility (on the road plan), but we're on track," said Carl.

Clemens said he will have a full report next month on the amount of work done to date and what still needs to be done.

The board also approved an agreement between Shamokin Township and the Ralpho Township Municipal Authority that allows the authority to service 11 Shamokin Township properties.

According to Solicitor Jim Bathgate, the agreement had been active for years, but was never in writing. The supervisors' approval made everything legal and official.

The agreement states that the township takes no responsibility for the properties and the authority will assume all operations, maintenance and repairs.

In other business:

- The township will partner with Rockefeller and Upper Augusta townships as part of the Council of Governments to purchase a $52,000 roller with federal grant money distributed from Sen. John Gordner's office.

- The Stonington Volunteer Fire Company is seeking financial assistance from the township to purchase as $138,000 brush truck. The council, which would fund a portion of the truck if approved, tabled a decision until a later meeting.

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