Bernie Telatovich of Benchmark Engineering gave a presentation to North Whitehall supervisors at their Aug. 6 meeting concerning the requirement of municipalities to develop an MS4 stormwater management plan.

Municipalities are under order to decrease the sediment, sulfate and other pollutants which drain into township’s waters.

Over the next five years, the township must reduce pollutants by 150,000 lbs. Funding is in the budget to address this issue.

Telatovich said residents must get involved and be educated in the problems with pollutants.

He noted there are four named streams on the township map but other minor ones should also be named and noted.

Rockdale, Fells, Coplay and Jordan creeks traverse the township, he said adding other minor streams probably have some historic names which should be noted.

Those without any designation should be given a name, Telatovich said.

One example of stream pollution, Telatovich gave, is allowing grass clippings to blow into the creeks. These should be disposed of by some other means, he said.

Any municipality which has a storm sewer system must comply with the MS4 requirements.

Those seeking permits must incorporate the following items in their plans: public education and outreach, public involvement and participation, illicit discharge detection and elimination, construction site runoff control, post construction storm water management in new development and redevelopment, and pollution prevention and good housekeeping for municipal operations and maintenance.

Township Manager Jeff Bartlett noted North Whitehall has had quite a bit of flooding recently and admonished people who drove around the road barriers set up at flooded areas.

The barricades and tape are there for public safety and should not be taken lightly, he said.

Solicitor Lisa Young noted the meeting dates for the Farmland Preservation Committee.

The committee will meet quarterly on the second Thursday. Meetings will be at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10, April 11, July 11 and Oct. 10, 2019.

Representatives of Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, Dan Kotran and Kevin Markell, presented a plan to the board for a welding lab.

This plan, along with one from Lehigh Carbon Community College concerning a vet tech facility, represented by Tom Deily and Carl Peckitt, were reviewed by supervisors during the meeting.

The vet tech building was noted to be in the center of the lot, a distance from the main campus. After some discussion, supervisors gave preliminary/final approval and granted some waiver requests.

Kathleen Jones of Neffs asked of the board what could be done about certain property along Route 873.

She said the roof is coming off the house, weeds and trash are everywhere and she has seen some rats.

Bartlett, who will continue to monitor the situation, said the property owner has been cited several times and has been before the district judge.

The North Whitehall Township office will be closed Sept. 3 due to the Labor Day holiday. The regular supervisors monthly meeting has been moved to Sept. 10.