Upper Milford Township Manager Daniel DeLong told township supervisors at the Aug. 20 meeting the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has received their letter with objections to the Chestnut Street railroad bridge project and is willing to meet with supervisors to discuss it.

At their last meeting, supervisors raised a number of concerns about PennDOT’s plan to reconstruct the bridge, which is just south of Emmaus and is very heavily traveled. Supervisors felt the PennDOT plan, which would keep at least one lane of Chestnut Street open throughout the construction, had numerous problems.

The concern about alternatives, DeLong said, is “we’re talking about closing Chestnut Street for an entire construction season.”

He also said Benchmark Engineering has been engaged by the township to conduct a traffic study of the area, so supervisors have a more complete perspective on its problems before meeting with PennDOT. No date was mentioned for the meeting.

In other business, supervisors received a letter from developer Rick Koze saying he wants to submit two sketch plans for a subdivision on the Kohler property for supervisors to discuss at the Sept. 17 meeting. In the letter, Koze says he has found numerous other properties which would be more suitable for recreation than that land, which is designated for recreation in the township comprehensive plan.

Supervisor Robert Sentner said Koze is free to submit the plans, but they would have to go to the planning commission first and he was “put on notice that the recreation land is on the official map.”

Supervisors Chairman George DeVault remarked, “I’m getting a little tired of people pushing us to do something immediately that will have an impact for 50 to 100 years.”

Supervisors also endorsed developing a plan to reimburse firefighters for training, which has been recommended by the fire company steering committee. The ad hoc committee was created to review the operations of the two fire companies.

Assistant Township Manager Tim Haas said the committee is encouraging the public, and all members of the two fire companies, to attend their next meeting Sept. 14 in the auditorium of the township building. Sentner said maybe that would help kill rumors the township is trying to force a merger of the two companies.

Haas said the committee has also discussed holding a carnival to raise funds for both companies, as well as other fundraising ideas, and has come up with draft ordinances for lock boxes and fines for false alarms. The draft ordinances have been given to both fire companies for their input.

In other action, supervisors voted to use Paypal to accept credit card payments from property owners with delinquent tax bills. DeLong said township Treasurer Jessi O’Donald has estimated this would take care of 90 percent of the delinquent bills.

Supervisor Daniel Mohr reported attendance was down at the annual Vera Cruz Homecoming, due to the heat, but the event was still a success. DeVault presented a check for $108 to Vera Cruz Fire Chief Joe Sherman which he had raised at the homecoming event by selling his book about volunteer firefighters. DeVault had promised to give $10 from every book sale to the fire company.

Jeff Hoffman of the Emmaus Ambulance Corps made a brief presentation to supervisors about their service to the township. They are the first responders in the eastern portion of the township, roughly the same area served by the Vera Cruz Fire Company and also provide backup to the Macungie Ambulance Corps for the rest of the township.

Hoffman said the ambulance corps has added a wheelchair van to expand non-emergency transport services, but are trying to keep rates reasonable. Their rates of $450 for a basic life support transport and $750 for paramedics are the lowest in the area, Hoffman said.