The Schuylkill Township Supervisors were all ready to approve their 2024 road paving program Monday night when they had second thoughts.

Those second thoughts came from Constance Hacker, who said Porter Street in front of her home in Tuscarora is dusty since it was torn up to install new utilities and never repaved.

“I like living there. It’s quiet,” Hacker said., “I’ve been living there for 30 years. But the dust is bad for my son, who has special needs.”

The supervisors were set to approve a $61,275 road program that included work on Firehouse Road, $36,375; Coal Street, from Broad to Seneca Street, $7,800; Locust Street, from Wyoming to Locust Street, $10,600, and Forest Lane, from Sanderson Street to Sunny Drive, $6,500.

But Supervisor Mike Boyle said Porter Street should be addressed now. Supervisor Gary Feathers conferred with the township engineer, Dave Horst, who said he could look at the street Wednesday or Friday to come up with an estimate on the work needed to bring the street up to par.

Boyle said he was going by recommendations made by Mark Buccieri, the township road foreman, about which roads should be done this year. He said since taking office in January, he had no knowledge of Porter Street.

Buccieri said by telephone he was also unaware of the condition of Porter Street.

Supervisor Gary Feathers said only a portion of the road has to be addressed.

Horst said it would be better if the supervisors bid all of the roads to be done at once, to get a better price. So the supervisors delayed their decision until they get a price on Porter Street.

Since the supervisors budgeted only $53,000 for road work in 2024, they decided to take the remaining $8,275 out of the general fund to do the project. But with Porter Street, they will have to decide if they will take that cost out of the general fund, or rework the project by leaving a road out. It would take three to four months to get a loan approved, so the loan would only apply to a 2025 project.

The supervisors said they will either call a special meeting, or wait until their next scheduled meeting July 17 to decide on the final road program for 2024.

Other business

At their last meeting on June 19, the supervisors approved the $4,866.80 purchase of two Automated External Defibrillators, a device used in heart attacks. One was purchased for the municipal building, and one for the township police vehicle.

The township yard sale will be held Saturday, July 20, with a rain date of Saturday, July 27.

The township is applying for a grant for solar-powered stop signs, and approved the township fire company applying for a grant for a generator.