Lehigh Township supervisors began their Feb. 14 meeting early so they could choose a replacement for Rick Hildebrand, who resigned in January. The person chosen was Blaine Holden.

Also new is police officer Elias Batihk, who was sworn in during the meeting by District Justice Robert Hawke. Police Chief Scott Fogel said this was his favorite part of the job.

Batihk was accompanied by his extended family. An Allentown resident, he received an associate degree in applied science before entering the police academy.

He was born in 1990, and Fogel listed some of the historic things that happened that year.

“Who can ever forget the K Cop movies?” he asked.

Child abuse and convicts rights also were in the news in 1990, Fogel said.

Batihk is a part-timer who hopefully will become full time, he added.

His sister, Laurette Khouri, placed the badge on his uniform.

Fogel said all but one of his police officers are back after being out for medical reasons, putting the force nearly back to normal.

In township business, while discussing the Cherryville project, supervisors discussed a dangerous possibility of the porch falling from the Seidel building and hurting someone. The zoning officer will check it out.

Merf Miller has turned in his resignation from the recreation board. The position is being advertised. Miller will continue until a replacement is found.

An ordinance amending road access for driveways and onto public streets is being advertised.

The planning commission would like to redefine the term warehouse because the ordinance has not been updated in a long time, said Supervisor Cindy Miller. From once being a small addition to a business, warehouses are now huge stand-alone buildings.

Engineer Phil Malitsch said a bond should be added for the removal of cell towers when that ordinance was discussed. An amendment has been proposed, which will be added to the zoning ordinance. The tower ordinance includes antennas and adjacent equipment such as a small building and fences.

Solicitor David Backenstoe wants to go over the ordinance with Malitsch, saying it is complicated with overlapping conditions that must be cleaned up.

“Some townships are not doing anything because towers may become public utilities and can’t be regulated,” Backenstoe said.

Malitsch said the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System for the Hills of Greenock is in hand, and the next phase of the project can begin.

The public works department reportedly painted the hall in the police office and then expanded the work to the rooms off the hall. Fogel said it was a terrific job.

A township bucket truck that was repaired three years ago is said to now be leaking oil. A broken track also has been discovered. This type of bill is apt to come up every seven or eight years, township Manager Alice Rehrig said. The question was asked if the truck was needed now. Rehrig said it is used for tree trimming to a height of 40 feet. It is budgeted under vehicle maintenance and repair.

Talk began about replacing lights in all the buildings with new fixtures and LED lights. Sandy Hopkins asked if it was budgeted.

Supervisor Darryl Snover said a salesman will be invited to the next meeting and that PPL will do a lot of the work.

Residents at the meeting complained about brake retarders on Cherryville Road. Malitsch said they cannot be restricted on roads with a 4-percent grade or more. There are more trucks than usual on Cherryville Road because of bridge construction in Cementon.

Tax collector compensation is set at $36,000, a cut of $14,000, and cannot be reset for another four years.