Lynn Township Board of Supervisors discussed a proposal to offer fire tax relief money to members of Lynnport and New Tripoli fire companies. Solicitor Marc Fisher, partner with Gross, McGinley LLP Attorney at Law in Allentown, began the discussion at the Oct. 9 meeting.

Fisher said that at the request of the board he had prepared a draft ordinance.

“Essentially, it will establish the volunteer service credit program. The board, in consultation with the fire chiefs, will have to establish a resolution for the criteria to be applied. Each chief will have to keep specific records,” Fisher said. “It establishes, at least in the draft form, both a real estate tax credit that will apply only to volunteer firefighters who own homes in Lynn Township, and for an earned income tax credit as well.”

After chairman Brian Dietrich asked Fisher if there is a way that the board could get figures, vice chairman Fritz Najarian and Fisher discussed the Earned Income Tax credit.

“The earned income tax credit, is it set by the township in the ordinance at a flat amount, an X number of dollars?” Najarian asked Fisher.

“It really should be,” Fisher responded.

Najarian said his last question would be about eligibility.

“You have specific definitions [in the draft ordinance],” Najarian said before asking Fisher, “Working with the fire chiefs, their active volunteers and first responders, would we be able to set eligibility requirements outside of the ordinance by resolution?”

“Those are your criteria, and the board is supposed to consult with the fire chiefs and then make a decision as the board by a resolution to what the actual qualifications are, and you must consider those factors,” Fisher said.

Ron Jerdon said he has already consulted with both fire chiefs, and they talked a little bit about criteria possibilities.

“I think there were three samples that you had emailed all of us a month ago. So, I kind of planted the seed, no pun intended, for them to just start thinking about it,” Jerdon said to Fisher.

Jerdon then said he would like to recommend 50 percent of the real estate tax and a flat amount up to $250 for the EIT for Lynn Township residents only.

Najarian said he was OK with giving more.

“My thought is it’s easier to give more later than it is to take it away, so start out with a medium level and then potentially increase it down the road,” Jerdon said.

Fritz said he does not have a problem with that suggestion.

“I think it is a really good idea. The property taxes are really very minimal in Lynn Township,” Dietrich said. “I have talked for years already that we should set our millage at zero for Lynn Township’s portion for property owners, but if we want to do this for the volunteer firefighters, I’m fine with that.”

After further discussion, the board approved a motion to advertise the tax credits.

“I think it’s a worthwhile investment for the township to do this for the firefighter volunteers because we’re seeing a few thousand dollars a year to a couple million in lost property because we don’t have the volunteers,” Jerdon said after the vote.

Another major item on the agenda the board discussed was the building for the Lynn-Heidelberg Historical Society.

Dennis Hartman, a member of the historical society, began the discussion with a brief update before asking board members if they are going to give the society land in Ontelaunee Park.

“So, we’re back again asking are you going to give us land that is approved. If not by the end of this year, we will probably not get our loans and donations to get this building going,” Hartman said. “They [the historical society trustees] have told us that if it [building and land] is not approved by the supervisors, it [the building project] would be dissolved and the money will be donated to another organization. We are just looking at a tad under a quarter million dollars. That is a big jump, but we need somebody to step forward and tell us that we will have a site in the park and have it approved. We must get on this project under your approval so that we can retain that money.”

Dietrich said the board is OK with the concept of putting a building up. The only sticking point is the location.

After the board and Hartman further discussed the location and size of the building and its uses, Jerdon offered to help the historical society put together a written scope of work.

“We can just outline a brief narrative together with what the purpose of the building is going to be, a square footprint of it and what he [Najarian] is asking for and anything else. It will take us an hour and a half and we will have that put together,” he said.

Hartman said he was OK working with Jerdon, but then asked the board about where in the park the historical society could build its building?

“When I go back to the trustees, they’re going to ask where the building is going to be located, and I’ll have to say I don’t know,” Hartman said.

“The purpose of this building is that we want to open it just as we had done for the Pioneer Festival and the Apple Festival. We want to open it and show the artifacts we have.”

He said there are a lot of artifacts in people’s barns, potato cellars, sheds and garages, but nobody sees the. S, o the historical society wants to put them in a building and open it up for the public to see.

“Currently we have artifacts stored in the basement of the old New Tripoli Bank. The steps going down are narrow and small and we do not let anybody go down there from the public who would like to see some of the artifacts,” Hartman said.

“Those are the ones that are stored under temperature control, a lot of paperwork and a lot of delicate things printed on paper. That’s why we were adding this other room, so the public could see them. The other room is going to be where people can come in and talk about their genealogy. We’re also going to be holding our monthly meetings there.”

After further discussion, Hartman and the board agreed that Jerdon would attend the historical society’s October meeting.

Another item discussed on the agenda was opening a checking account for farmland preservation donations.

Najarian said he accepted two donations from township residents who had offered to give money towards the over cap appraisal of the Larry Grimm farm.

“One amount was $3,500 and another amount was $500 for a total of $4,000 which we would like to deposit in a farmland preservation account at New Tripoli Bank, keeping it separate from our existing funds,” he said.

“It would not involve any township money going into the account. It is strictly to keep these privately donated funds in a separate account.”

Najarian said the board received an email from Donna Wright, farmland preservation specialist with Lehigh County, that said the settlement from the Larry Grimm farm will be at the end of the month and that a check from Lynn Township for $3,649.50 would be needed. There would still be money left in the account.

The board approved a motion to open an account strictly for farmland preservation funds at New Tripoli Bank.