‘East Earl and Terre Hill Borough will be working in developing a workable and cost effective plan for waste water management,’ said Chairman Dave Zimmerman.
‘Both are under a consent order to make immediate actions to comply with mandates of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection,’ said Jeff Sweater, PE. S. E.O. of the E.L.A. Group, Engineers and Landscape Architects and Township Engineers. ‘There is the hope for a joint plan where both municipalities would work together on a plan with a treatment facility at Conestoga Wood Specialties Company along Route 625.’
‘By February 2015 it will be determined what plan is may be cost effective. After that there will be a 30 day time where residents will be able to provide comments. The location will be this building. Terre Hill is also doing a similar study as what plans would be most cost effective. We are not certain whether Terre Hill may do it alone.’
‘We have 180 days to put together workable plans,’ said Sweater. ‘In the spring we will be doing testing of wells along the proposed route of the trunk line to Conestoga Wood Specialties Company. We will also be looking for leaks in septic systems.’
Storm water management plans were approved for Lloyd Martin, John Berg, Jim Crawford, Lloyd Huyard, Bernard Ozga and Paul Huyard.
In other news, Supervisor Earl Kreider praised the work of the Road Crew under the direction of Road Master Zimmerman in making the roads passable during the snow storms.
Also, Zoning Officer Shaun Seymour said ‘during January he issued 20 permits worth $1,079,600 with fees of $2,234. A permit was renewed and there were 11 occupancy permits issued. The number of violations is down since December.’ He agreed that ‘the roads were in good shape considering the snow and ice storms.’
In other news, ‘We will be reviewing the recently updated flood plain boundaries established by FEMA,’ said Zimmerman. ‘After that we must update our flood plain ordinance. If we do not most residents living within the flood plain will see a tremendous increase in their insurance.’
In other news, East Earl Township and Terre Hill Borough were in a snow emergency for a 7 day period after 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 12, said Shirk. ‘In an emergency, bidding on necessities will not be required. We can get state aid and equipment. We are sharing salt with Denver and West Cocalico Township.’ ‘There is a hot line number 800-985-5940 for people to call who are discouraged or feeling bad because of the weather conditions.’ ‘P.P.& L. reported 377 power outages in East Earl’ said Shirk. ‘There were 1,700 in Brecknock Township and 1,300 in Salisbury Township.’
In other news Chief of Police Kevin McCarthy said ‘in January the police department had 139 calls for service. There were 21 traffic accidents investigated and 17 criminal investigations. In Terre Hill there were 19 calls for service and a traffic accident was investigated and there were 6 criminal investigations. 70 Citations were issued and 22 individuals were arrested for crimes codes violations.’ McCarthy agreed that ‘the roads were in good shape.’
Also, in other news, Larry Martin, Chief of the Garden Spot Fire Rescue said ‘this is a new experience.’ ‘The Blue Ball Fire Company combined with the Friendship Fire Company of New Holland, has received 408 calls for service in 2013.’ ‘Response to traffic accidents, medical assistance and mutual aid to other companies is not included in the total calls.’ ‘It has been a year in transition.’ ‘We started working together in 2013.’
‘December is usually our busiest month and Saturday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. is our busiest day,’ said Martin. ‘Approximately 263 hours of response time were provided by the fire company and it included 4,067 man hours on 193 fire calls. The Garden Spot Fire Rescue provides for part of East Earl Township, Earl Township and new Holland.’
‘If fire alarms are maintained properly there will not be any false alarms. The fire company qualified for a lower insurance premium after a safety inspection,’ said Martin.
‘Lancaster County Drug Task Force will receive a donation of $3,000 from East Earl Township’ said Kreider.
The 10h Annual New Holland Farmers 5K race will be held on April 26.
Zimmerman said ’12 contiguous municipalities will recently met in Ephrata to cooperate on materials and equipment needed for road work. By working together municipalities can get better prices and can benefit from the most up to date technologies.’
