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| Boy Scouts from Troop 317 pack meeting, under supervision of Chaplain Barry Webb |
Spending
$116,474 to Recon Construction for cold in place asphalt recycling to rehabilitate Township roads. This was the lowest of two bids,and according to Township Manager Melissa Shafer, is $30,000 less than what was budgeted.
$68,000 to the Township's athletic associations. Bethlehem Township Athletic Ass'n, also known as the Bulldogs, received $40,000. The Freemansburg-Bethlehem Township Athletic Association, which runs the baseball program, only received $28,000. That's because the Township paid for the cost of lights, and the baseball association agreed to take $12,000 less each year for the next ten years.
Most of the other items are smaller expenditures, but they include a $5,000 contribution to The Miracle League of Northampton County.
Grants
$213,611 for Housenick Trails project. Thanks to the state's failure to adopt a timely budget, the Township has been forced to reapply. There is a matching grant from Northampton County's open space program. the time and materials
$60,000 from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency for clean-up costs associated with Superstorm Jonas. "We met the thresholds so that we can get reimbursement," stated Shafer
Did they act on the Paul Weiss issue?
ReplyDeleteMaybe they should just hand him some free money for his own stupidity because he was a twshp commissioner and a heck of a nice guy. The taxpayers can afford it .
ReplyDelete213 k for trails while the mansion deteriorates toward demolition just like Hudak wants but that wasn't what Mrs. Housenick wanted.
ReplyDeleteNo way Mike Hudak is going to let that happen, Paul will get paid!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that a township that can't even operate on a balanced budget can be so philanthropic. Miracle League, Baseball and football for youths. These are all great associations. There is no question on that. But why should a township that can't even afford to remove it's own snow without federal assistance be giving tax payer money so liberally to these organizations? Let's take care of the matters that directly impact taxpayers before looking to play philanthropist. And then we'll dole out another 32K for a contractor's mistake in the coming weeks. A first class township, indeed.
ReplyDeleteIf the contractor was anyone but Paul Weiss, they would not get a paid. This should be settled in a court of law, not the court of Mike Hudak. Shame on the remaining commissioners if they go along with this.
ReplyDeleteThe Paul Weiss issue was not even mentioned, nor was it listed as an agenda item. If Commissioners have decided not to pay it, that is an official action and should be voted on in public.
ReplyDeleteThe roads need more than patches. Anyone ever drive on Brodhead Rd? An embarrassment.
ReplyDelete" But why should a township that can't even afford to remove it's own snow without federal assistance be giving tax payer money so liberally to these organizations?"
ReplyDeleteThe twp can afford to do its own snow removal and did, along with numerous other communities. It applied for disaster relief bc it qualifies, as did most communities in the county. If you want to deprive the Miracle League or youth sports, that's fine. Mt guess is that your kids are grown, and I notice that you don't say who you are. Would you in a room full of township citizens?
"The roads need more than patches. Anyone ever drive on Brodhead Rd? An embarrassment. "
ReplyDeleteIt is very clearly an embarrassment and i wrote about it last week. The cost of repair is now over $3.1 million, and that is without grants.
they cant pay their bills yet they have $68,000 to hand out to baseball and football organizations ? love when the local govt picks winners and losers in regards to who might get a few tax payer bucks. two of the biggest organizations in the valley , in regards to participation and they get cash? how about jacking up the cost to play.
ReplyDeletethis is crazy. how about applying for grants or asking private industry to contribute. isnt this the same organization that wasted 300,000 on a bathroom? ah yes it is.
Nothing has been spent on the bathrooms. The Township has applied for grants and is seeking ways to reduce cost.
ReplyDelete"213 k for trails while the mansion deteriorates toward demolition just like Hudak wants but that wasn't what Mrs. Housenick wanted."
ReplyDeleteAcyally, it's about twice thatThe trails to me are just as important as the mansion. If the Township worked first at fixing the mansion (and it has been weatherproofed), someone would be complaining that the township is ignoring the trails.
Sell the community center to a for profit owner. Government should never be in the fitness center business.
ReplyDelete"My guess is that your kids are grown, and I notice that you don't say who you are. Would you in a room full of township citizens?"
ReplyDeleteAnonymity is one of the benefits of commenting on a blog. My kids are not fully grown and I hope they do play sports. If I had a special needs child, I would be more than grateful for the Miracle League being an option. I said these were all great organizations with good people involved.
But Bethlehem Township is spending $500,000 more than it is bringing in this year, according to its 2016 budget. That is a lack of discipline in spending. Residents didn't want to raise taxes 30+ percent. Yet the township keeps spending as if it did raise taxes that much.
The fact is that you are saying here what you would not say in a room full of Township citizens. That diminishes you and your argument.
ReplyDeleteThe youth organizations are receiving monies because the rec center is bleeding money and it's the township's way of running the deficit without too much attention.
ReplyDeleteTruth be told, the spending is out of control and the township needs someone with balls to step in / up to the plate and make some hard decisions on managing revenues and managing expenditures.
Brodhead and 191, OMG! Then Brodhead itself! That intersection needs work! Get rid of the junk yard on the one side and the rotting buildings on the other side. Just sayin.
ReplyDeleteThe entire area is the pits: Both ramps on and off of Rt 22 are littered and probably the worst looking area of Rt 22. The abandoned gas station for how many years and nothing can be done?
ReplyDeleteAgain, that entire area says "we don't give a shit about entering or exiting Bethlehem Township!
Weiss and Hudak......
ReplyDeleteNothing more needs to be said.
Check bacK 5 days we're talking there. Check everywhere you ass.
ReplyDeletePrivatize the community center
ReplyDelete