Lehigh Township Supervisors are planning the budget for 2017.A backhoe is on the list of proposed road equipment to be purchased.

A backhoe should last 25 years but the township's is only seven or eight years old and has required $11,000 in repairs this year, with another $10,000 coming up.Frank Zamadics, road foreman, has been looking at John Deere or Case as a replacement. The old one would be traded or auctioned off.A car tire balancer is also on list to be used for the police cars.A new laptop is needed, at a cost of $14,000 for the computer, setup and programs.A license plate reader is required and there is still a question if a new computer would be needed. The readers will be quicker and more efficient, according to Chief Scott Fogel.Supervisor Keith Hantz noted that the police have scales on their list of needed equipment.Two sets would cost $15,000 and would prevent police from moving the scales in one stop. It would be sufficient for everything except large tractor-trailers.Three sets are needed, which would cost $22,000.Supervisor Darryl Snover said the township gets more than its share of heavy trucks coming through from New Jersey.For the office a document-imaging machine is needed with searchable storage. It would free up manpower, said township Manager Alice Rehrig.A wide-format copier is also needed.Electronic submission of plans may be required from developers since the township needs both electronic and paper plans.In recreation, $6,000 of infield mix is required to repair the fields. The Danielsville field needs an electric outlet for refrigeration. Water filters on the fields are being replaced monthly instead of quarterly, Zamadics said.Interviews with applicants for the zoning position will be held before the next meeting at an executive session at 6 p.m.Supervisors said a highway occupancy permit should be received by the Cherryville developer for the new Turkey Hill in early November. Work on the new Turkey Hill could begin in early 2017. The new store will be built across from the current location at Route 248 and Blue Mountain Drive.