Durham Township will soon have an ordinance in place that will ban hunting on the township-owned portion of a 90-acre piece of public parkland off Stouts Valley Road.
The supervisors voted at their December meeting to authorize the township solicitor, Peter Nelson, to draw up an ordinance to prohibit hunting on a 39-acre portion of the tract owned by the township.
Hunting already is banned on the remaining acres the township leases from Bucks County. Township Roadmaster Peter Cox at a recent meeting asked the supervisors to consider such a move. He said he was concerned about a potential hunting accident because hikers walk a trail leading up to the hillside property and presently are unaware hunters also use the land. After the ordinance takes effect, No Hunting signs will be posted on the property.
The supervisors also gave final approval to the 2019 budget, a draft of which was presented at the November meeting. Durham residents will again be spared a tax increase, and will continue to pay 6 mills in township taxes. One mill is equal to $1 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value and is worth $19,000 in Durham. The owner of the average township property assessed at about $38,000 pays about $228 in township tax annually.
The township expects revenue of $383,975 with expenses equaling that sum in 2019.
The supervisors also voted to devote about $15,800 to repair and paint 40 windows in the Durham Grist Mill. The work will be shared by Classic Painting of Frenchtown and Karabin Construction of Riegelsville. The supervisors opted not to proceed with a full historical restoration by another contractor, which would have cost about $94,000 for more extensive work. Supervisor Richard Johnson said, “At least the lower cost will arrest deterioration.”
In other business, Cox also reported Dogwood Lane from Funk’s Mill Road north was opened to local traffic during Thanksgiving week. He advised, though, that it is best if the road is used only by those who live on the road and emergency vehicles. The road was heavily damaged by two summertime flash floods.
The supervisors announced the monthly recycling program will take place on Jan. 5 from 9 a.m. until noon.
The 2019 reorganization meeting is scheduled for Jan. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the township building.
