Committee changes proposed dog park location
By: Jesse Reilly, Staff Writer
09/23/2008
After moving forward with the creation of a dog park in Mill Creek Park in May, the Upper Moreland Parks and Recreation Committee had to take a few steps back Monday night.
The park's original location was set between the fence and the creek in Mill Creek Park and approximately $25,000 of the project's estimated $63,000 cost was to build a dry ford across the waterway to improve accessibility. But, after receiving notification that a joint permit from the Army Corp of Engineers and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources would be required at a cost of approximate $25,000, the township decided to rethink the location.
"An $88,000 dog park is not acceptable for the taxpayers," committee member Lisa Romaniello said. (But a redundant website costing the taxpayers money was acceptable? How about that glass fountain - that is acceptable too we assume.) The committee decided to move forward with changing the location back to the second choice in the Hankin section of Veterans Memorial Park. "I am surprised a joint permit was required and am disappointed the park will not be at Mill Creek," Pat Stasio, director of parks and recreation said. "Mill Creek was the top choice because it was under utilized, but when we were deciding on the location both were pretty much even."
Stasio added that Paw Prints Dog Owners Group had been positive about the second choice location a few months ago. The move will create a slightly smaller economic burden on the township. The Veterans Memorial Dog Park is estimated to cost $55,000, about $8,000 less than the first location. "Most of the work can be done in-house," Stasio said. The committee moved the location change to be voted on at the board of commissioners meeting Oct. 6.
Congratulations to the Paw Prints Dog Owners Group for keeping up the good work for our furry friends and to UM Parks and Rec for having the forethought to keep additional sites in mind and consistently looking to keep our costs down and in turn our Taxes!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Commissioners give sewer authority OK to move plan foward
So what do you think? Should Horsham Township dictate what direction we take with our services? Should we be reviewing and planning for such an important service such as sewer? Should we not allow our service organizations the ability to plan for the future for something that another Township may or may not do?
By: Jesse Reilly, Staff Writer
09/16/2008
Against the wishes of some members, the Upper Moreland Board of Commissioners voted to allow the Upper Moreland-Hatboro Joint Sewer Authority to move forward with an update of the authority's Act 537 Plan.
In a 5-1 vote Sept. 8, the board directed Township Solicitor Kate Harper to draft a letter to the authority documenting their approval. "The decision is not an adoption of a new plan, it is simply allowing the sewer authority to move forward with its strategic plan," board President Stacey Efkowitz said.
Act 537, The Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, requires that all commonwealth municipalities develop and implement comprehensive official plans to provide for the resolution of existing sewage disposal problems and provide for the future, the Department of Environmental Protection's Web site said. The sewer authority is re-examining its plan because it has exceeded 80 percent capacity.
With Horsham Township utilizing 30 percent of capacity, approximately 2 million gallons per day, Commissioners Kevin Spearing and Lisa Romaniello were concerned with their neighboring township's commitment. "If Horsham diverted half a million gallons to another authority we would be below 80 percent," Spearing said.
"We wouldn't even have to have a 537 plan, we would save a lot of money."If the plan called for the expansion of the authority, a move that could cost upwards of $10 million, and Horsham decided to take its capacity elsewhere, the changes would be void. "It's just a good business decision," he said. "Let's not put the horse before the cart."
Although both were concerned with moving forward too quickly, Harper warned the board that by not allowing the authority to move forward they are putting pressure on the wrong entity - Horsham would not be affected by its holdout. "I would like to see a 20- or 30-year commitment from Horsham," he said.
In an attempt to ease fears and protect themselves, board members instructed Harper's letter to the sewer authority to address their concerns with Horsham's ability to decide against utilizing its 30 percent, information regarding other municipalities for long-term planning as well as the original documents that afford Horsham its portion.
Although Spearing said the township has more than enough capacity for redevelopment, Jonathon de Jonge, vice-chairman of the Advisory Planning Agency, was concerned that failing to move forward would inhibit growth in the downtown area. "We have already spent over $2 million on redevelopment," he said. "We cannot keep doing this dance, people won't come."
By: Jesse Reilly, Staff Writer
09/16/2008
Against the wishes of some members, the Upper Moreland Board of Commissioners voted to allow the Upper Moreland-Hatboro Joint Sewer Authority to move forward with an update of the authority's Act 537 Plan.
In a 5-1 vote Sept. 8, the board directed Township Solicitor Kate Harper to draft a letter to the authority documenting their approval. "The decision is not an adoption of a new plan, it is simply allowing the sewer authority to move forward with its strategic plan," board President Stacey Efkowitz said.
Act 537, The Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, requires that all commonwealth municipalities develop and implement comprehensive official plans to provide for the resolution of existing sewage disposal problems and provide for the future, the Department of Environmental Protection's Web site said. The sewer authority is re-examining its plan because it has exceeded 80 percent capacity.
With Horsham Township utilizing 30 percent of capacity, approximately 2 million gallons per day, Commissioners Kevin Spearing and Lisa Romaniello were concerned with their neighboring township's commitment. "If Horsham diverted half a million gallons to another authority we would be below 80 percent," Spearing said.
"We wouldn't even have to have a 537 plan, we would save a lot of money."If the plan called for the expansion of the authority, a move that could cost upwards of $10 million, and Horsham decided to take its capacity elsewhere, the changes would be void. "It's just a good business decision," he said. "Let's not put the horse before the cart."
Although both were concerned with moving forward too quickly, Harper warned the board that by not allowing the authority to move forward they are putting pressure on the wrong entity - Horsham would not be affected by its holdout. "I would like to see a 20- or 30-year commitment from Horsham," he said.
In an attempt to ease fears and protect themselves, board members instructed Harper's letter to the sewer authority to address their concerns with Horsham's ability to decide against utilizing its 30 percent, information regarding other municipalities for long-term planning as well as the original documents that afford Horsham its portion.
Although Spearing said the township has more than enough capacity for redevelopment, Jonathon de Jonge, vice-chairman of the Advisory Planning Agency, was concerned that failing to move forward would inhibit growth in the downtown area. "We have already spent over $2 million on redevelopment," he said. "We cannot keep doing this dance, people won't come."
Monday, September 15, 2008
Turnpike will clear out debris . . .
Turnpike will clear out debris
By DOM COSENTINO
The Intelligencer
Kevin Spearing pointed to a pair of trees at either end of the small hillside, both of which were choking from the effects of the mounting pile of stone and debris.
“Look at those trees!” he shouted. “Those trees are dying!”
The pile extended the hillside outward from the contractor's storage area near Easton and Maryland roads in Upper Moreland, right next to the Willow Grove interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
It contained mostly paving material — concrete, gravel, rocks — plus a few pieces of misshapen metal and other detritus that had simply been dumped off the hillside, all the way to the bottom, all the way to the tall weeds below.
The small storage area sits within a mostly wooded right of way shared by the Turnpike Commission and the state Department of Transportation. Nearby, there is a makeshift access road at the intersection of Easton and Maryland roads. A sewer pipe that juts out into an adjacent creek and sits beneath piles of rocks had been put down to create the roadway. Numerous trees had obviously been cleared out for that purpose, too.
Spearing, an Upper Moreland commissioner, was at the site Thursday afternoon with a pair of turnpike officials: senior engineer and project manager Joe Serbu and public involvement specialist Mimi Lindelow.
While Spearing said there was no way the road could pass muster with the state Department of Environmental Protection, Serbu said there was no way of knowing at that moment what regulations applied to what had been done there, and when.
The access road leads to a culvert that runs beneath the turnpike interchange. The culvert, which is maintained by the township, has a dike in front of it that keeps the creek waters from flooding out downstream homeowners.
The nearby rock pile, however, was another matter.
The pile had been there for about a year, building and expanding to maybe 30 feet in width. It has become a source of frustration for Spearing, who said his attempts to get someone (I wonder if he even attempted to contact the Turnpike? I know his Father brought this before the comissioners way before the construction began and I think that it (the "construction debris") is the same size now as it was then.)— anyone — from the Turnpike Commission to do anything about it in the past had gone unheeded.
“In my opinion,” Spearing said, “they were ignored.”
Serbu, however, expressed a willingness to get the pile cleaned up.
“We're going to rectify that,” Serbu said. “We're going to have them remove that. We're going to get them to pull it out.”
Serbu was referring to the contractor, whom he declined to name and who could not be proven guilty of having done the dumping, based on the fact that no one had actually observed it happen.
“We just want to make sure that now you know that we're listening,” Serbu said. (See, ask and ye shall receive!!!)
Dom Cosentino can be reached at 215-345-3148 or dcosentino@phillyBurbs.com.
By DOM COSENTINO
The Intelligencer
Kevin Spearing pointed to a pair of trees at either end of the small hillside, both of which were choking from the effects of the mounting pile of stone and debris.
“Look at those trees!” he shouted. “Those trees are dying!”
The pile extended the hillside outward from the contractor's storage area near Easton and Maryland roads in Upper Moreland, right next to the Willow Grove interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
It contained mostly paving material — concrete, gravel, rocks — plus a few pieces of misshapen metal and other detritus that had simply been dumped off the hillside, all the way to the bottom, all the way to the tall weeds below.
The small storage area sits within a mostly wooded right of way shared by the Turnpike Commission and the state Department of Transportation. Nearby, there is a makeshift access road at the intersection of Easton and Maryland roads. A sewer pipe that juts out into an adjacent creek and sits beneath piles of rocks had been put down to create the roadway. Numerous trees had obviously been cleared out for that purpose, too.
Spearing, an Upper Moreland commissioner, was at the site Thursday afternoon with a pair of turnpike officials: senior engineer and project manager Joe Serbu and public involvement specialist Mimi Lindelow.
While Spearing said there was no way the road could pass muster with the state Department of Environmental Protection, Serbu said there was no way of knowing at that moment what regulations applied to what had been done there, and when.
The access road leads to a culvert that runs beneath the turnpike interchange. The culvert, which is maintained by the township, has a dike in front of it that keeps the creek waters from flooding out downstream homeowners.
The nearby rock pile, however, was another matter.
The pile had been there for about a year, building and expanding to maybe 30 feet in width. It has become a source of frustration for Spearing, who said his attempts to get someone (I wonder if he even attempted to contact the Turnpike? I know his Father brought this before the comissioners way before the construction began and I think that it (the "construction debris") is the same size now as it was then.)— anyone — from the Turnpike Commission to do anything about it in the past had gone unheeded.
“In my opinion,” Spearing said, “they were ignored.”
Serbu, however, expressed a willingness to get the pile cleaned up.
“We're going to rectify that,” Serbu said. “We're going to have them remove that. We're going to get them to pull it out.”
Serbu was referring to the contractor, whom he declined to name and who could not be proven guilty of having done the dumping, based on the fact that no one had actually observed it happen.
“We just want to make sure that now you know that we're listening,” Serbu said. (See, ask and ye shall receive!!!)
Dom Cosentino can be reached at 215-345-3148 or dcosentino@phillyBurbs.com.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Here is something new (well maybe not so new)
Coming up sometime soon; might be this month, might be next month, there will be a vote on wether or not to provide funds to shore up a building at the Nathaniel Boileau Park. I believe that the amount requested is around $56,000. In my humble opinion that is throwing good money after bad! I wish the commissioners would take heed from a survey done several years ago and get moving on a community center! The results were that a majority of those who took the survey said that UM needed a community center. Instead of putting money into these buildings that, from what I can tell, not many residents care about, lets do something the whole township can get behind! The township should look into funding to make a community center at the Boileau Park grounds. I have heard several people talk about this (yes they are non-political types) and they feel, as I do, Boileau would be a great location for a community center. The senior citizens could use it during the day and the kids could use it on the weekends and some evenings. There are a multitude of things that can be done there. Just my opinion.
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