The location of the Ironton Rail Trail pavilion was debated by supervisors and members of the IRT committee during the March 6 North Whitehall Township supervisors meeting.

IRT representatives told supervisors that after meeting with Township Manager Jeff Bartlett and the township engineer, it was recommended the pavilion be erected on the east end of the parking lot where the land is flat.

Supervisor Steve Pany had some concerns about the safety there due to the closeness of the ball fields.

“I’d like to see it west of the left-field line,” Pany said. “I think you’ll be distracting the ballplayers.”

Supervisor Mark Hills countered there are usually people parked there anyway and doubted the pavilion would create a distraction.

Due to the financial and topography advantages, the location was approved.

At an estimated cost of $40,000, Bartlett said the project will have to go out for bid.

Plans are in the works to apply for a mini-grant, the “Greenways, Trails and Recreation Grant” to help with costs.

In other business, Kristie Wilk, the newly appointed director of administration for Northern Valley Ambulance Corps, introduced herself to board, handed outbusiness cards and welcomed questions.

In the manager’s report, Barlett discussed the possibility of a summer internship at the township to work with the engineer in compiling the enormous amount of data collected for the MS4 permit renewal.

Barlett told the board he has been in contact with a representative at Lafayette College, who would help coordinate a summer intern.

“The intern could help fine tune all of the locations in the township, review overall plans to reduce stormwater runoff,” Barlett said. ‘Utilizing an intern would provide the township with substantial cost savings.”

Bartlett also spoke of plans being underway to provide public education, a requirement of the MS4.

He said there will be a public education outreach at a future supervisors’ meeting.