News

December 22, 2009

State plans Rt. 118 turning lane, Lehman Twp. supervisors hear

The township planning board will consider a proposal for gas drilling.

CAMILLE FIOTI Times Leader Correspondent

LEHMAN TWP. -- Preliminary plans have been drawn up to widen state Route 118 to include a center turning lane, Ken Austin of HRG Engineering told the board of supervisors Monday.

The firm was hired by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to design a road improvement plan, which also includes the intersections of Idetown and Huntsville roads. The firm will discuss the plans in depth at the regular township meeting in February.

In other business, the board accepted a conditional use application for gas drilling from EnCana, a Canadian-based natural gas company that plans to drill at a site on Peaceful Valley Road. The application will be referred to the planning commission, which will make a determination at its next meeting on Saturday at 7 p.m.

The supervisors will hold a special meeting for public input and a hearing on the matter on Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. The regular board meeting will follow.

The board passed the final reading of the 2010 budget. The $1,103,758 spending plan includes a property tax increase of .6661, which is roughly $70 to $80 per household. The new millage rate will be 1.25 mills. The current millage is .5839.

A mill is a $1 tax on every $1,000 of assessed property value.

The increase was necessary to help pay for road paving and a new garage for the township’s road department equipment, Treasurer Al Cragle said.

Also, the board voted to hire Kevin Novackowski of Harveys Lake and John Mendygral of Salisbury, Md., as part-time police officers. The two men will begin their duties in January.

A reorganization meeting will be held on Jan. 4 at 7 p.m.

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