Nearly a dozen families from Bear Creek Lake attended Monday’s Penn Forest Township supervisors meeting to speak out against any proposal to put up a digital sign on Route 903 at the township park.

Concerns ranged from light pollution and it being a waste of money to whether the sign could reduce property values near it, whether the sign can be effective when drivers speed by at 55 mph, and whether the sign would encourage more signs like it on the commercial stretch.

Supervisor Dr. Pat Holland is opposed to the signs, saying that “I want to keep what we have here, here.”

Ideas floated included putting the sign at the municipal building, as well as looking at ways to light the soccer fields as the soccer program at the park continues to grow, spending money for the kids instead of for a sign.

No decisions were made.

Other business

Supervisors approved a $2,614,028 budget for general operations with no tax increase. Also approved was $272,345 for paving and road projects and $681,300 for sanitation.

• As part of working with the Natural Lands Trust, the township will hold a set of monthly zoning and SALDO workshops, starting at 3 p.m. Dec. 14 in the municipal building, and continuing the second Thursday of each month after that.

•There will be a public hearing ahead of the Dec. 4 regular meeting for the public to comment on updates to township codes.

• Holland suggested a gravel walk path north from the township park to the ice cream shop property so that there is a safer way to walk to and from the park.

• Bear Creek Lake families also asked if an owner of a short-term rental property stays in their own building, do they need to follow the STR rules. The answer is that the property, once it becomes an STR, remains so during the owner’s use and they would need to follow the rules set for their own renters.

• In roadmaster and supervisors’ chairman Roger Meckes’ report, the township will advertise for part-time plow truck drivers (no CDL needed), and will hire Shiffer Bituminous for an 8-ton truck and driver at $200 an hour as backup when needed during snowstorms, and Austin Logistics for a 2-ton truck and driver for $180 an hour.

• Shiffer completed paving of an emergency road drainpipe replacement on Smith Road. Cost for the pipe was $453 and for the paving $750. Supervisors decided to buy an extra 140-feet of 15-inch road pipe from Fry’s Plastic for $1,994.

• Given the backlog on obtaining plow trucks, the township has ordered ahead for a 2024 Crew Cab F350 from Miracle Ford, to be delivered the summer of 2024 with a Reading utility body. It will come with a Western V-plow for $89,562.

• Titan Tree Service is paving township roads for the next few months.

• Indian Mountain Lakes’ bus stop and recreation area project is complete. upervisors unanimously approved releasing the $173,815 escrow on the project.

• A resident asked for a traffic signal on Route 93 at Maury Road - there was some discussion about how long it takes to get a signal, but no action was taken.

• Additional software will be added to the township’s OPENGOV system to allow for online applications for on-lot sewage system permits for $3,705.

• Zoning officer’s work report for October shows 48 zoning permits and 20 building permits - 7 for new homes.

There will be an electronics recycling day for residents from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Transfer Station. Check with the township for details.