Several residents came before Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners at the March 12 meeting to express concerns about parking and traffic at Fourth and Grape streets.

Tina and Harry Mellinger and Cindy and Bill Kern, all of whom live on Fourth Street, said they have been having ongoing issues with illegally parked vehicles and cars using private driveways to turn around. Tina Mellinger said her vehicle has been hit four times.

She alleged the traffic stems from the Indian Bazaar II grocery store, which only has 10 parking spaces and often has overflow traffic.

“It’s constant,” Harry Mellinger said. “It’s like the Port Authority.”

They asked if they could get a parking permit for on-street parking for their residence.

Township Engineer Frank Clark said residents cannot get parking permits for public streets.

Acting Mayor John D. Meyers said a recent parking permit the township tried to enact on Quarry Street was overturned in court. However, the commissioners agreed to discuss the problem in committee and have police increase routine patrols to enforce parking in the area.

“It does concern me that people are parked illegally,” said Dennis Hower, board president. “That’s a really bad intersection anyway.”

Philip Ginder, board vice president, welcomed Larissa Bruder as the township’s executive secretary. She replaces Pat Sweeney, who retired Feb. 28. Bruder previously was the operations secretary in the township development department.

Several community members were appointed to committees, including James Roth to Coplay Whitehall Sewer Authority; Antonio Pineda to Whitehall Township Environmental Advisory Council; and Diane Davidson and Vito Gallo to Whitehall Township Industrial and Commercial Development Authority.

Deanna Weaver was reappointed as deputy tax collector.

The next board of commissioners meeting will be 7 p.m. April 2.