Repairs are imminent for Durham’s Dogwood Lane

Durham Township has received a $150,000 grant from Penn State’s Dirt, Gravel and Low-Volume Road Maintenance Program.

The funds will be used to provide temporary repair to the stretch of Dogwood Lane that heavy rains damaged on Aug. 11. The township supervisors discussed repairs to the road at the August meeting and Dani McClanahan, township administrator was notified the funds had been granted shortly after that session.

Roadmaster Peter Cox reported the road is closed and reminded residents not to drive in the vicinity of the washout, which destroyed a bridge over a tributary of Cooks Creek.

Meanwhile, another road damaged by the rains also will require extensive repairs. The township has applied for a federal grant to repair Stouts Valley Road, more heavily traveled than Dogwood Lane, and is awaiting notification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to determine if funds are available.

In other business, the supervisors, faced with a recycling issue, will poll residents to determine whether they want the township to continue to conduct free recycling at the township yard at the beginning of each month.

Supervisor Chairman Bartley E. Millett suggested that course of action after a general discussion about recycling at the meeting. DelGuerico’s Wrecking & Salvage Inc. has been collecting bulk recycling materials from the township yard for years but now it and other trash haulers have increased fees and are no longer accepting many items. Haulers claim people are not washing bottles and jars and are tossing in greasy pizza boxes which should be placed in the garbage instead of recycling. Another factor involves the fact that China has announced it will no longer accept contaminated plastics.

Supervisor Kathleen Gentner claimed, “Residents are adamant that we should keep recycling” and Millett suggested a poll to resolve the question. Many residents pay for private trash and recycling service rather than take their trash to the township once a month.

People also can vote on the matter at the township’s community picnic Oct. 13.

Sarah Snider was appointed to serve on the township’s environmental advisory council to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Isaac Danuloff.

Lois Oleksa announced the council will sponsor “A Walk in Penn’s Woods” 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 7, at Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary at 240 Sunnyside Road in Williams Township, just north of the Bucks-Northampton County line.