(1/2021) I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year. As everyone knows, 2020 was a very hard year for our country. Praise the Lord that is behind us now and hopefully, we can move forward with a brighter year ahead.

The Liberty Township Zoning Hearing Board welcomes new members Cindy Arentz and Donna Powers. Additionally, the Planning Commission Board welcomes two new members John Hutzell and Horst Stehmer. The Township greatly appreciates these individuals volunteering their time.

The Road Department continues to be busy winterizing equipment and cleaning culvert pipes. We ask that residents owning driveways constructed with culvert pipes please keep them clear of any debris. This is necessary to prevent water from accumulating and freezing on roads causing hazardous roadway conditions and damage to the roads. We appreciate your help in that area. We had several driveway applications and permit applications request this month that we went out and looked out and tentatively approved for the home owners. Again, as I address that driveway issue, our main objective is to keep the water from running out on the road, so please keep your pipes as clean as you can.

In February, you will see the Hamiltonban Township Road Crew helping us along our roads by cutting back some of the high areas in the township, specifically along Steelman Marker, McGlaughlin, Bullfrog, and Gladhill roads. At some point, they will be out on almost all of the roads with their boom mower cutting back the high brush and limbs that hang over our roads. We appreciate the cooperation of Hamiltonban Township and their assistance with our road maintenance.

A road sign inventory was completed this past month and we are working to bring the Township in to compliance with updated state regulations for reflective signs and break away poles. We have identified 160 signs and poles that were not in compliance. Once the signs are purchased, replacing the old signs will be an ongoing project for the road crew.

We have also put bid packets together for the roads that we are going to be working on in the Spring and some of the roads that are going to be getting attention this year as far as tar and chip and base repair are Brent Road, and lower half of McGlaughlin Road between Water Street and Bullfrog Road. Bullfrog Road will be getting some base repair done prior to the bridge to the Hamiltonban line. We will also be performing tar and chip on Irishtown Road. Old Waynesboro Road will be torn up this summer and re-graveled. Those are some of the roads that we plan on working on this year so I’m sure you will see us out and about trying to get them up to par.

We are also looking at adopting an ordinance to assist with tree removal of in the township. Section 2907 of the Pennsylvania Second-Class Township code allows for removal of diseased or dangerous trees by ordinance. We have been considering this option since 2018, and it is something I feel we need to do. As I have said in the past, we have a lot of dead ash trees along our roadways that are potentially very dangerous to the residents and motorists driving along our roads. It would be unrealistic as a Township to remove every tree that is dead along the roads without the cooperation of our residents. We currently wait to clear trees once they fall on to roadways, but we want to put into place measures that would permit us to approach the homeowners after we identify these trees and hopefully the homeowners can help us to address some of these issues. The goal is to work together with the property owners to maintain a safe environment identifying trees that could be a potential hazard to travelers along our roads and to utility services.

Key Services Heating & Cooling to begin installation of HVAC units in the township offices and Police Department on January 22. The new system will be more efficient and cost effective than our current system.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you as one of your Supervisors and as Roadmaster. We have a great group of people and I look forward to working with them each and every day. I really appreciate every one of them: Wendy Peck, Jessica Ilko, Chief Hansen, and our Part-time Police Officers. We have Bobby Keilholtz and Bruce Pecher as our road crew. The staff are frequently attending continuing education classes to better serve you.

We invite our residents to come out and be a part of our township meeting if they are able. If you cannot come in person, please join us on YouTube using the link on the township website or call in on the open line the first Tuesday of every month to be involved. We look forward to serving you going forward and hearing from you. Thank you again for allowing me to serve you. Have a Wonderful February!