Bethlehem Township Commissioners have taken no action to support or oppose the proposed PennEast Pipeline. That's a high pressure, 108-mile long natural gas pipeline which extends from Wilkes-Barre to Trenton, N.J. It is still in the pre-planning stages with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Though the route has changed three times, some of them are close to residential developments, Green Pond and St. Luke's Hospital.

Though commissioners have remained neutral, Solicitor Jim Broughal told them the pipeline consortium of six natural gas companies will have to negotiate with the township for easements over and under public rights of way.

At their March 16 meeting, they voted unanimously to hire Carroll Engineering to identify "potential geological hazards," lifestyle risks and even provide an emergency action plan if something goes wrong. The firm will be paid a maximum of $4,745.

In other business, in what Township Manager Melissa Shafer calls a "major success for the township," there's a big change coming to the pension plans for all new hires, except for those in the police department. Instead of participating in a defined benefit pension plan, they will be in a defined contribution plan.

What's the difference?

A defined benefit plan pays a retired employee a specific or defined benefit, based on years of service, if the stock market crashes and the pension fund struggles, the township has to dig into its own resources. Also, the payments continue until death. In contrast, a defined contribution plan is one in which an employee makes a defined contribution into a fund every year, which he can then draw down after retirement. The payments stop when the well runs dry. The employee also assumes the risk that the pension fund may perform poorly.

Township commissioners also voted, at their March 16 meeting, to make different changes to the pension plans, mostly to enable gay married couples to participate.