MAHANOY CITY - The Mahanoy Township supervisors will apply for grant funding for additional recreation facilities in the villages of New Boston and Morea.
The supervisors approved submitting an application during Thursday's monthly meeting.
The details were described in the monthly consulting engineers written report from Alfred Benesch & Co. project engineer Michael J. Peleschak, P.E., and read by township Secretary Cheryl Backo.
"The application will be made to the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Financing Authority for their Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program," Peleschak said in the report.
The total project estimate is $120,000, with a 20 percent match required by the township.
"We will include a portion of the site work to be in-kind labor match where possible," Peleschak said.
An "in-kind" match could involve any labor on the project that would come from township laborers or a contractor would donate labor or materials. The use of township funds could also be used for the match.
In order to move the application forward, the supervisors were required to approve a resolution, which was done at the meeting in an unanimous vote. The application will be filed online before the July 31 deadline.
In other engineering matters, Benesch assisted in providing sign/flashing light technical specifications and other information to the FABCON manufacturing plant on Morea Road in the township.
The Park Place Parente Family Park playground project is moving forward. The Benesch staff has periodically visited the site in the village of Park Place. Peleschak said the township will need to place the drainage pipes and stone, and excavate for the walking path and parking lot. Once this work is completed, the township will contact Bill Davis Cement Contractors to schedule the subbase and pavement installation.
After the paving work is complete, the township will place mulch and complete the final site work. When construction is complete, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will be contacted for a final site inspection.
The Park Place stormwater project income survey information has been review by the county and has been submitted to the state for approval. Once approved, new storm drainage will be added to Park Place Road in order to reduce stormwater issues during heavy rains. The project is estimated to cost about $70,000.
Chairman James Stevens said a letter will be sent to the state Department of Transportation about a problem with the use of "Jake brakes" in the township, particularly on state Route 54 near the township municipal building to the west of Mahanoy City, and on Route 54 near the village of Vulcan. A Vulcan resident requested that signs be placed to prohibit the use of compression release engine brakes or "Jake brakes" near the village due to the loud noise the brakes produce, particularly during the night and early morning hours.
"We received information from PennDOT as to what we have to do and what we need to submit, and PennDOT will let us know what happens next," Stevens said. "We'll see what we can do."