Towamensing Township’s board of supervisors has set a date to review and finalize the 2018 budget, with plans to accommodate a rehaul of their recycling program in the coming year.

Due to surrounding counties’ decisions to drop their own recycling programs, Towamensing has picked up the slack. While the prospect of recycling efforts are a no-brainer on the surface, the truth is that the good deed doesn’t do much for the township’s bottom line. Only cardboard recycling seems to generate a return for the township, whereas plastic and glass recyclables actually cost them money to process.

“The primary issue right now is that all of our surrounding townships have dropped their recycling,” Supervisor Guy Seifert said. “First the county dropped it because they couldn’t make any money on it, now Lower Towamensing has dropped it, Franklin dropped theirs, so we’re the last one picking up the ball. So what happens is, everything is coming here.”

Seifert suggested that the township should focus some research efforts on packers in order to more efficiently process recycling products, which could eliminate extraneous costs associated with recycling. The strategy will be reviewed at next week’s budget meeting.

“The game plan is that we’re going to modernize that,” he said. “We’re going to put in packers out here with surge bins in them so our community can come in, dump their stuff in, and our crew can walk up, hit the button, and run it into the packer, pick up a roll-off container and haul it away.”

This method will help cut down on man hours that would normally be spent on separating and packing the recycling materials.

Cleanup for garbage dumping is another issue, as many people end up disposing usable furniture that can easily eat up workers’ time. The supervisors emphasized that many charitable groups, including the Red Cross, Valor House, Purple Heart and Family Promise will take gently used furniture, with some organizations even offering a tax write-off.

In other business

The Fire Police were approved to assist during the Palmerton Halloween Parade at 4 p.m. Sunday.

The board also presented a check in the amount of $28,017.70 to the fire company. The funds come from the 2017 Volunteer Fire Relief Association, and is based on the township’s population and real estate market value as compared to the state average.

The fire company extended thanks to the community for their support of the monthly breakfasts, along with a call for more volunteers.

“We want to thank the support of the patrons who came out for breakfast,” President Eric George said. “We had about 300 people. Our next breakfast in November will not be on the second Sunday, but the third Sunday (Nov. 19) of the month, so we don’t interfere with Polk Township in Monroe County.”

George announced that the fire company is still looking for volunteers in every category, ranging from active service to kitchen help.

George also warned that there will likely be increased traffic along Route 209 due to the enforced detour over the weekend, and that travelers should be careful.

Trick or treat night is scheduled for Oct. 28. The fire station will be open that evening for trick or treaters as well.