The classic country-western song popularized by Brenda Lee, “Break It to Me Gently,” also a hit later performed by Juice Newton, might have been heard softly in the background as Moore Township Community Days leader Lois Kerbacher broke the news to her team that the 2020 Moore Township Community Days celebration has been canceled.

The Moore Township festival has become a popular and increasingly successful event.

“We cannot hold [Community Days] because we would have no liability insurance according to our carrier and the rules from the state limiting us to 250 attendees,” Kerbacher said.

Kerbacher’s announcement was made at the July 9 Community Days committee meeting.

At the July 7 Moore Township Board of Supervisors meeting, supervisors decided not to vote on canceling Community Days. Instead, the board chose to leave the decision to the event organizers.

Also at the July 7 board of supervisors meeting, fireworks concerns were a hot topic of discussion. Township Manager Nicholas Steiner noted supervisors are seeking more input from the public to get a richer understanding of public concerns.

Moore Township Police Chief Gary West recently said he does not understand why fireworks complaints are higher for the first six months of 2020 than the entire year of 2019.

“Is it that people are bored? I get calls like, ‘A neighbor has set off fireworks three or four nights in a row,’” he said.

Often, the caller asks West to stop by to speak with the alleged perpetrator to stop the nuisance.

West explained the problem is with the current state fireworks law. Police have to catch the person in the act of lighting the fireworks in order to issue a citation.

Steiner said Nazareth Area Council of Governments plans to send state legislators a letter requesting the fireworks law be changed to address the noise and safety complaints experienced statewide. NAZCOG will consider asking Harrisburg to grant local control of fireworks regulation.

Farmland and open space preservation efforts of Moore Township Land & Environmental Protection Board continue. A property of about 11 acres will be going into open-space preservation.

The board of supervisors also extended the disaster declaration that will end when Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf removes the statewide declaration.

Supervisors approved the purchase of approximately 100 largemouth bass for stocking the two ponds at Schiavone Park. Steiner informed council this is a catch-and-release fishing location.

Apparently, before the catch-and-release signage was erected at the park, anglers caught most of the fish for personal consumption.

The next Moore Township Board of Supervisors meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 4 at the Moore Township Recreation Center pavilion, 635 English Road, Bath.