COAL TOWNSHIP - Commissioner Gerard Waugh III, in his recreation committee report at last week's township commissioners' meeting, asked that anyone walking their dogs and picking up their feces refrain from disposing the waste in garbage cans at township playgrounds, specifically the Arch Street playground. He said such disposal in a public park could be a health risk.
In other businsess, Waugh said the Anthracite Idol talent contest, a fundraiser for the Lower Anthracite Regional Recreation Committee, has been moved to May 12.
He also asked that anyone interested in volunteering with the committee, which is seeking to establish a recreation area along Trevorton Road, should attend a meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 21, at Brewser's SportsGrille. Also, the committee will host its second charity golf tournament at Knoebels Three Ponds Golf Course on July 28, with a shotgun start at 9 a.m.
Sweeper starts March 26
Commissioner Gene Welsh, in his report on the street department, said the street sweeper would begin to operate March 26, and that a schedule would be published in The News-Item and at www.coaltownship.org.
Once the street sweeper is run, street paving will begin, Welsh said.
Street department employees were called to duty for winter weather conditions on Feb. 8, 11 and 12. They also filled pot holes last month, performed maintenance on playground equipment, finished work on Cemetery Road, picked up dirt piles and branches and began semi-annual maintenance on township equipment.
Crews also started work on a new deer pen at the Tharptown playground. A new concrete pad was poured and pre-fabrication for framing was completed at the shop during rainy days. The frame was then erected and fit with siding, roofing and trim. Finishing work and touch-ups remain.
In all, department employees traveled 3,267 miles in street department vehicles last month.
Police
Craig Fetterman, board president, commended township officers for their handling of a deadly incident last month on Route 61 near McDonald's restaurant when a man wanted in connection with a double-homicide in Carbon County committed suicide, ending a tense standoff.
According to Police Chief William Carpenter's monthly report, officers responded to 228 complaints in February, investigated five vehicle accidents, issued 31 parking tickets, 37 criminal complaints or citations and 51 traffic citations, and made 119 total arrests. Officers patrolled a total of 5,563 miles.
Recycling
Fetterman announced 1,576,380 pounds of recyclable material was collected at the township center in 2011.
