Samuel Howell, a volunteer for the Amity Fire Department since 2013, was sworn in as a fire policeman by the Amity Township Board of Supervisors on April 1.
“Fire Police is probably one of the most dangerous jobs,” said Amity Township Police Chief Kent A. Shuebrook.
“Thank you for your service – I know how hard they work.”
The board unanimously approved two road paving projects.
Supervisor Richard L. Gokey was absent from the meeting.
Bid A was awarded to Asphalt Maintenance Solutions, Emmaus, in the amount of $87,100, to pave Antietam Drive and Swatara Circle, Douglassville.
Bid B was awarded to EJB Paving & Materials Co., West Lawn, in the amount of $162,251 to pave Russell Avenue, Maplewood Drive at Route 422 West, and Hillview Drive at Route 422 East.
Township Manager Charles E. Lyon said the township is resubmitting a 50 percent matching grant application to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to rehabilitate and refurbish the pavilion at Lake Drive Recreation Area.
He said the estimated project cost is now $40,000, an increase of $8,500 from 2014.
Rehabilitation work would include installing a new one-inch waterline, new steel doors, a new A-frame roof (to prevent roof-climbing), ADA access, and the installation of two new parking spaces.
Shuebrook said the police department’s take (due to the assist provided by Amity Township Police) in the recent conviction of a local man, Stephen Fanfera, Douglassville, in a tax evasion, money laundering and drug case, is $31,680.
The police chief said a “large sum of cash was seized — by another agency, in another state,” and the township’s portion is “based upon actual criminal convicted acts.”
He said a traffic stop of Fanfera by Amity Township Police Officer Shawn O’Rourke, helped the case to be solved by Homeland Security Investigations/High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area/Financial Group.
“The money can only be used to supplement police operations, such as overtime for special investigations, not for budgeted items,” said Shuebrook.
