Damascus grant and road repair

By Z. A. KOHLOA
Posted 8/28/19

DAMASCUS TWP, PA — At the Damascus Board of Supervisors meeting on August 19, vice president Dan Rutledge gave an update on the $250,000 Department of Community Economic Development (DCED) …

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Damascus grant and road repair

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DAMASCUS TWP, PA — At the Damascus Board of Supervisors meeting on August 19, vice president Dan Rutledge gave an update on the $250,000 Department of Community Economic Development (DCED) grant the township applied for to use for parks and recreation.

“We are not sure if we will get the whole $250,000,” Rutledge said, “but it looks promising that we will get something.”

At last month’s board meeting, Dan Paparella, a resident of Beach Lake, told the board he had heard about one of the DCED grants received for the Parks and Recreation and said he wanted to be involved. Paparella, who has an environmental science degree and experience with the Upper Delaware Recreation Project, said, “Our goal, [through] the Upper Delaware Recreation Project, is to map, improve and promote all the existing trails and parks in the area as well as develop new ones and build a community around recreation. I need help from the community in pushing our project forward, and I would like to assist with building the park here in Damascus.”

At a previous meeting, Paparella had asked about possibly putting a bike trail in the park. Rutledge said Paparella will be returning to a future parks and recreation meeting and the committee is willing to have him offer his assistance and knowledge.

When the board opened the floor to public comment, Jim Bauhs asked the board if state or local agencies were planning to get involved in the tent caterpillar situation along roads.

“The state won’t do anything,” said board chair Joseph Canfield. “The state only sprays their roads. Private residents are on their own.”
Bauhs then asked, “Does the town have any long-range plan for road construction and maintenance? I know you’ve been behind the eight ball because of weather.”

Steven Adams, the operational supervisor, responded that there are 98 miles of road in the township and the township goal is to try and chip seal 10 a year. Due to the weather last fall and this spring, the goal was not met this year. He said that because of the improvements the town has made on the roads, it doesn’t have to rebuild them every year. “We only have so much time each year, so we have to do a little bit throughout the township,” he said. “Dirt roads migrate to the edge. That’s why we have to re-grade them every year.”

Bauhs said, one way or another, he pays for the poor conditions of the roads. “I either pay for it in taxes or I pay for it in repair of my automobile. Do you contract any work out?”

Adams responded by saying the township doesn’t have the funding or revenue to pay a large company.

“We can do it very reasonably ourselves,” he said. “We just have to have enough time to get it done.”

Damascus Township, roads, supervisors

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