Longtime Amity Township Supervisor Richard L. Gokey has resigned, effective with the board’s unanimous approval at its May 17 meeting. Gokey was serving the last year of his second, six-year term as an elected official.
He was absent from the meeting and resigned by a letter to the board.
His resignation coincided with the nomination of Kevin Keifrider to the Board of Supervisors in the May 16 primary election.
The six-year terms of Gokey and board chairperson Kimberly J. McGrath both expire on Dec. 31.
McGrath and Keifrider were nominated in the May 16 primary to those two open seats.
Barring a successful write-in campaign, they will be elected to the board in the Nov. 14 general election.
Keifrider is editor of the Hometown Coupon magazine.
He was previously a Pottstown Police officer, president of the Pottstown Police Association for four to five years, and served on the Police Athletic League.
In other business, the supervisors unanimously approved to award the Lake Drive Park Project to low bidder Construction Masters Services, LLC, of Reading.
Township Manager Troy Bingaman said the township received six bids ranging from $149,921 to $89,944. The township had estimated the total project to cost $75,000, with the pavilion estimated at $20,000. Lowest bid on the pavilion was $36,000.
The project will be paid from the township’s budgeted $40,000, an additional $20,000 from the capital fund, as well as the $30,000, 50 percent matching grant previously received from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Project scope expanded from renovating the pavilion and making the restrooms handicap accessible to demolishing the decades-old pavilion and constructing a new pavilion with restrooms. The new pavilion will be adjacent to the parking lot.
Board members unanimously approved expending $65,000 for the Montague Sewer Right of Way Settlement Resolution, plus $2,000 of landscaping costs, for the future Leaf Creek Interceptor sewer line.
McGrath said the $65,000 costs was based on a certified real estate appraisal.
The Leaf Creek Interceptor will extend from the Blacksmith subdivision at Blacksmith Road, to the 72-unit Arbour Green age targeted community (for age 55 and over) at Pine Forge and Old Swede roads, and to the 291-unit Leaf Creek Farms at the former Schmale Farm property, located adjacent to the Cider Mills subdivision.
The board unanimously approved a motion for the Amity Police Department to purchase for a new, four-door Ford Taurus with all-wheel drive and outfitting at a cost of $34,780. It also approved for the current police car to be put on munici-bid.
Board members approved to proceed with the document management and storage system of SharePoint Office 365 at a cost of $21,132.
Bingaman said the cost includes training, seven scanners, and one year of maintenance. He said the township has budgeted $20,000 for the service.
