Bright Idea Saves Township on Lighting

FONTANA — The South Annville supervisors Wednesday night agreed to sign a resolution to join a countywide group that plans to seek grant funds to replace traffic lights with LEDs.

Supervisor Donald Umberger reported the township has only one traffic light, and it already has been changed to an LED, or light-emitting diode, which has brought the monthly electricity cost for the light down from $80 to $20.

In a related move, the supervisors signed an annual maintenance agreement for the traffic light for $319.

In other business:

The supervisors opened bids for township road maintenance and snow removal. They will review the bids and are expected to take action on them at their August meeting.

The supervisors expect to act next month to pass a resolution setting fees for work related to reviews of subdivision and land-development plans submitted to the township.

Engineer James Caldwell reported that he examined projects currently being processed and analyzed time spent on those plans. He recommended establishing a $5,000 escrow fee for each plan submitted and an hourly fee for inspections.

Carl Myers, 790 Myers Court, asked the board to consider action to prevent trucks from using Jake brakes near his home on Route 934. Jake brakes use compression to stop larger vehicles — generally accompanied by loud air-brake noise.

Umberger said the township has asked PennDOT to review another area on Route 934 regarding the same issue, and he said he will ask them to survey Myers’ area as well. PennDOT must approve any signage because the highway is a state route.

Umberger reported state bridge inspectors have checked the township’s spans, and he expects a formal report soon indicating the bridges are in the same condition as when they were last inspected.

Umberger presented an update on the gypsy-moth issue. County officials, he said, note that the pests have been sparse this spring.