Upper Macungie supervisors have given final plan approval for the proposed Ocean Spray facility.

There was some confusion at the Aug. 2 meeting as to whether the matter was on the agenda.

Ocean Spray recently reviewed revised plans with the planning commission.

"It had to do with downsizing the building," Director of Community Development Ken Molony explained.

After a discussion, supervisors decided to address the matter and gave quick approval.

In other matters, the board balked at spending money for a electrical system upgrade for Good Will Fire Company No. 1, Trexlertown.

The expenditure would have made the facility more energy efficient and saved on utility bills, which the township pays.

Supervisor Sam Ashmar objected to making the payment both because the township had recently agreed to incur the cost of a new roof for the facility and because Station 8, Fogelsville, had incurred the cost itself for a similar project.

Ashmar said the township would be "showing favoritism" if it paid for one fire company's project and not the other.

Supervisors also received an update on the Tilghman Street bridge project, which has rerouted traffic in the township.

"The project is on schedule to be completed by Aug. 30," engineer Scott Stenroos reported.

Engineer Dean Haas also updated supervisors on the need to work on the Fogelsville Dam.

He said a meeting with the state Department of Environmental Protection will take place Sept. 5.

"Hopefully, they will come to the table and propose something that will be funded," Haas said.

The dam has come under DEP scrutiny despite no reports of problems with the century-old structure.

In other matters, Parkland School District received approval for a new crosswalk for Jaindl Elementary School for residents in nearby apartments.

The district requested the crosswalk a few months ago and agreed to pay to install and maintain the markings and signage.

Supervisors approved the crosswalk subject to the owner of Parkland View Apartments agreeing to some road markings on that property.

The board also took action to ensure the 28 members of the Upper Macungie Police Department will be able to communicate with each other in approving an expenditure of $115,000 for a communication tower to be installed on Church Street, and up to $35,000 for a support building.

"It is something we have to have in place before January," Ashmar explained.

Funding will come from the Local Services Tax or alternate sources.

Following approval on July 30 of a 30-member strong force with 28 positions budgeted for 2013, it was reported at the Aug. 2 meeting offer letters had gone out to successful applicants from the disbanding Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Department.

"We are waiting to see which officers come here," Ashmar reported. "We are forging ahead with the department [and are] on target to be on the streets at midnight New Year's Eve."

The department is authorized to begin no later than Jan. 1, 2013.

Full-time members of the department, its chief, two lieutenants and an office manager begin Aug. 20.

The new police station is nearing completion, with Molony reporting the contractor was presented with four punch lists of items requiring attention by Aug. 20.

"We'd like to have it completed by that date," Supervisor Ed Earley said, pointing out it was the start date for the department's leadership team.

It was also reported that impact bargaining would take place sometime between Aug. 12 and 14 to determine the impact upon the police union of the disbanding of the BLRPD and the creation of the new Upper Macungie and Maxatawny Departments.