News

July 10, 2008

Despite cash crunch, Jenkins Township plans road repairs

Amid higher costs for road materials and drop in HUD grants, officials award $84,000 project to Slusser Brothers to fix four roads in township.

RALPH NARDONE Times Leader Correspondent

JENKINS TWP. – Road repair projects topped the list of actions for the board of supervisors at Wednesday night’s meeting. Skyrocketing costs of road material and decreased grant funding are making it harder for the township to keep up with the necessary road jobs, supervisors said.

Russ Arnone, township secretary/treasurer, said the cost per square yard for road paving rose from $30 last year to $54 this year and it’s “killing” the township. The township can only do the worst roads initially and try to keep up with its pothole patching, he said.

An $84,000 paving project was awarded to Slusser Brothers from Pittston to pave Tenant, Brady and Second streets, and St. Joseph Lane. Slusser Brothers was the lowest of three bidders. The funding comes from the township’s $106,000 liquid fuels account, said Arnone, who added that these roads are in bad shape.

Another $100,000 in federal Housing and Urban Development money funneled through Luzerne County’s community development program is already slated for other road repairs. Township manager Robert Jones said past HUD grants dropped by $20,000 because of funding cuts.

Arnone added the cost increases are a direct result of the rising cost of oil, which is hitting the township in several ways.

In other votes, the supervisors authorized an ordinance to restrict known sexual offenders from residing in the township, according to board member Stanley Rovinski. The ordinance complies with Megan’s law.

Police chief Frank Mudlock said other local municipalities such as Pittston, Forty Fort and Kingston have taken similar measures and the township is following the trend.

The objective is to curtail violators from moving into the township, Mudlock said. He said he is not aware of any sex offenders residing in the township or neighboring municipalities and the law should help prevent it from happening.

Arnone said the measure is for the public’s safety. He warned that if all other municipalities enact the law and Jenkins does not it might open the door to sex offenders. Charles Goss, solicitor, said violators will face a mandatory three-year prison sentence once the ordinance is finalized.

The supervisors voted unanimously to authorize two more commercial developments within the CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park for the owner Mericle Commercial Real Estate.

Rovinski announced the township public works department will pick up yard waste on Thursdays until November. All yard waste must be in open containers, tied and less than three feet long.

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