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First Posted: 5/6/2013

BEAR CREEK TWP. — The new franchise agreement between Bear Creek Township and Service Electric Cable TV will result in some free internet service for three buildings in the township, township officials said Monday.

The agreement charges the cable company the highest percentage fee allowed by law, Supervisor Chairman Gary Zingaretti said, and will include complimentary Internet service to two township buildings and the community center in the former St. Christopher’s Church as a service to the people of the township.

The agreement nets the township about $40,000 in income annually and helps keep property taxes down, Zingaretti said.

The supervisors also approved a resolution allowing the township to go ahead with the acquisition of a blighted park in the Forest Park development. Zingaretti said the township will take over the park and its maintenance and keep it as a park for the community.

In other business, the supervisors noted reports from the township engineers will be used as the basis for soliciting bids for work on Weiss Road and in the Laurelbrook area. Core samples will be taken from Laurelbrook Road to determine the stability of the structure under the road and set the parameters for how the job is bid, it was noted.

The supervisors also heard from resident Becky Dotzel, who lives near the intersection of Pittston Boulevard and Swanson Road. Dotzel raised concerns about speeding in the area, noting that a fence on her property was hit over the weekend and other accidents have occurred near her home in the past, and she said she has concerns about the safety of her three children.

She asked that the supervisors consider adding two additional stop signs to turn the intersection into a three-way stop to curb the speed of cars in the area.

Zingaretti said Pittston Boulevard is a state road and the supervisors will make a request to PennDOT to add the stop signs.