The Upper Milford Township Supervisors met May 19, after having held an executive session 6:30 p.m. to discuss a personnel matter.

The Pledge of Allegiance commenced before public input was welcomed.

Public input began with a discussion of the difficulties surrounding Stonebridge Estates Lot 7.

It was said multiple efforts to communicate with the township engineer and Lehigh County Conservation District were made to no avail. After imploring the approval of the development plans in question, the supervisors pledged to reach out themselves.

A suggestion arose from a concerned civilian regarding the allocation of tax dollars. Since the metrics surrounding allocation have changed a bit in the past couple of years, he urged for more transparency and for clarity to be shared on a micro-level.

Next, a resident spoke up about his neighbor’s vehicle parking on acreage close to their properties. It turns out parking in the area violates an ordinance; however, beyond 90-day warnings, a failed lawsuit and a letter never sent, no action was taken. Discussion on how to adjust to often “frustrating court decisions” followed.

A motion to approve minutes from the May 5 meeting was passed.

A motion to pay the bills including the general fund of $22,808.17, the streetlight fund of $2,201.81, the fire hydrant fund of $2,335.91 and the New Tripoli bank checking fund of $38,380.54 was passed.

A letter from April 18 detailing a Citizens Fire Company request followed. The letter requested assistance to help alleviate loans strapping the department’s finances, requesting a total of $165,153.02 in funds to preserve the current monthly payment for the purchase of a new fire truck.

Supervisor John Zgura took a moment to reflect upon past audits and “frivolous spending” the fire departments have demonstrated and emphasized the need to ensure taxpayer dollars are being valued and allocated appropriately.

The discussion unfolded to further include interest rates, conditions of the loans and fundraising and its futility. After lengthy deliberation, a motion was passed to table the matter until a hopefully decisive discussion at the next meeting.

Zoom attendance was the next matter of note, where low attendance remains a steady trend. Issues of poor audio quality were cited but no action to amend it was immediately proposed. There was no protest against continuing Zoom meetings.

The renting of halls in the township building to outside residents was discussed next. Options for supervisors to continue to meet in the bigger hall or start using the smaller one equipped with a public address system were discussed. The consensus was the current arrangement is sufficient for supervisors and halls will not be rented out. Options for space rentals include the fire companies, St. Peter’s Church and the Wellness Center at Jasper Mountain.

A memo requesting the purchase of a vehicle lift was next on the agenda. With a projected 30-year life span, the lift was perceived as a tool to greatly improve efficiency. After clarifying there was enough space in the budget and it was a worthy investment – paying for itself over time – a favorable motion was passed.

A letter from Richard Koze requested the extension for Phase 1 of the necessary improvements at the Fields at Indian Creek. An extension of 365 days, concluding on July 1, 2023, was granted via a passed motion.