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Jack Cahalan

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Highest Paid in Lower Saucon Twp: Manager, Police Chief

Information about Lower Saucon Township's highest-paid employees was revealed by a recent Right-to-Know request.

Are you curious to know how much Lower Saucon Township employees make? If you pay municipal taxes as a resident or business owner, the answer to that question is most likely "yes." And you're in luck, because a recent Right-to-Know request by Lehigh Valley Live resulted in the release of a list of township employees' 2012 W-2 earnings. According to that list, the township's manager, Jack Cahalan, and its chief of police, Guy Lesser, were the two highest paid employees last year, earning $84,387.34 and $83,641.32 respectively. In addition to Lesser, police officers make up the rest of the Top 10, which is not unusual given the fact that local police often earn more than their base salaries by working overtime. Below are the Top 15 earners …

In this Article:

Lower Saucon Township

Mary Anne Looby

12:29 pm on Sunday, February 24, 2013

Since this is showing what the police officers make utilizing over time, what is the base salary for these guys. These numbers make it look like they make a lot, but not if the overtime is what is boosting their pay. And if they have to work hours and hours of overtime to make these wages, does that say we are spreading them too thin, working them longer then they should in an already stressful …   more ›

Monday, February 4, 2013

Dog Control Officer Sought by Township

The position was discussed at length by Lower Saucon Township Council on Jan. 16.

Lower Saucon Township has announced that it is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Township Dog Control Officer. The position was discussed at council's Jan. 16 meeting, after Township Manager Jack Cahalan explained that Lower Saucon's relationship with the Center for Animal Health and Welfare--where stray dogs have been accepted for years--is tenuous. "This is a problem I guess all over Pennsylvania," Cahalan said. "The biggest problem is sheltering. There just (are) not enough facilities." Cahalan said the Center continues to have space issues, meaning that in some cases it is unable to accept stray dogs from municipalities with whom it has contracts. Before the township can attempt to drop off an animal at the Center--which…

In this Article:

Lower Saucon Township, Center for Animal Health & Welfare Marks 100 Years, Borough of Hellertown, and 1 more ›

Friday, November 30, 2012

Officials Discuss Fire Companies' Cooperation

Municipal managers Cathy Kichline and Jack Cahalan told members of the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce Sept. 27 that local volunteer fire companies cooperate extensively with one another.

The day after Se-Wy-Co and Leithsville volunteer fire companies announced their formal merger--the first in the history of Northampton County--Hellertown Borough Manager Cathy Kichline and Lower Saucon Township Manager Jack Cahalan discussed how the Saucon Valley's four all-volunteer companies continue to cooperate to better serve local residents. In a presentation to members of the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce that focused on projects involving intermunicipal cooperation, Cahalan said necessity has been a driving force behind the movement toward fire company consolidation. Years ago, he said, many of the volunteer members of Se-Wy-Co, Steel City, Southeastern and Dewey fire companies worked shifts at Bethlehem Steel, which …

In this Article:

Se-Wy-Co Fire Company, Leithsville Volunteer Fire Company, Local Fire Companies Announce Formal Merger, and 3 more ›

Friday, October 19, 2012

Compost Center's Success Could Mean Extended Hours

Local officials say the Saucon Valley Compost Center could open on additional days next year if enough volunteer help can be found.

The Saucon Valley Compost Center has become so popular that there's now demand for it to be open on additional days, Lower Saucon Township Manager Jack Cahalan and Hellertown Borough Manager Cathy Kichline told members of the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce during a presentation Sept. 27. The center, which is currently open Fridays and Saturdays from 9am to 1pm in season, is jointly operated by the borough and the township for the benefit of their residents. Staffed by public works department employees from both municipalities, the center's success necessitated the use of ID cards beginning this year. Cahalan said more than 6,000 visits to the Springtown Hill Road, Lower Saucon facility have been recorded so far this year. And …

In this Article:

Saucon Valley Compost Center and Council Approves Issuing Compost Center ID Cards

Friday, October 5, 2012

Saucon Valley Recreation Partnership Discussed

The partnership represents an effort by Hellertown and Lower Saucon officials to create a single information source for local users of parks and other recreational facilities.

The Saucon Valley Recreation Partnership was one of a number of joint planning projects discussed by Hellertown Borough Manager Cathy Kichline and Lower Saucon Township Manager Jack Cahalan at a breakfast presentation to members of the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce Sept. 27. The partnership represents an effort by local officials to better coordinate the use of Saucon Valley parks and recreational facilities that are enjoyed by residents of both Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township. "There was no one cohesive place for people to go (for information)," Kichline said. In the near future, an online portal will be unveiled that will provide residents with all local recreation-related information in one spot. A system for …

In this Article:

Photos: Flora and Fauna Along the Saucon Rail Trail and Ribbon Cut on Saucon Rail Trail

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Manager: Hand Dryers Could Save Township Money

A plan to replace paper towels with electric hand dryers in two park restrooms was embraced by Lower Saucon Township Council Sept. 5.

The cost of paper towels may seem trivial, but it adds up. That was the message delivered to Lower Saucon Township Council by manager Jack Cahalan Sept. 5. Cahalan said he's recommending that the disposable paper towels currently used in two public park restrooms--at Town Hall Park and Southeastern Park--be replaced with electric hand dryers. “We spend about $500 a year on paper towels and a lot of it is wasted by the kids using the recreation programs,” he said. When paper towels are tossed around the restrooms, staff have to spend time picking them up and properly disposing of them, he explained. In recent years, many municipalities have moved to replace the paper towel dispensers in their public restrooms with electric hand dryers, he …

In this Article:

Town Hall Park and Southeastern Park

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Josh Popichak

8:33 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013

"Now, you're telling me (hand dryers are) bad." Sorry, but that's not what the article says. This article is about a discussion that was focused on the potential savings that could come from the use of hand dryers. It's not an endorsement of hand dryers or paper towels.   more ›

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Old Mill Road Bridge Repairs Bid Awarded

The $164,000 bid for repairs to Lower Saucon Township's historic Old Mill Road Bridge was awarded to Professional Construction Inc. of Bethlehem earlier this month.

Repairs to an historic Lower Saucon Township bridge are closer to being made, after township council members accepted a $164,253 bid for the work from Professional Construction Inc. of Bethlehem Sept. 5. Professional Construction Inc. is known as a "reputable firm," township engineer Dan Miller said. He told council that in addition to being the lowest bidder for the Old Mill Road Bridge project, "they took the most time to know what they were bidding on" and "seemed most knowledgeable about the project." Bids were opened by township officials Aug. 27. The repairs that will be made include: tightening the bridge's suspension chords; replacing U-bolts in the walking surface; acid-washing abutments; removing the bridge's badly flaking coat …

In this Article:

Saucon Rail Trail

Oil Man

5:02 pm on Sunday, September 16, 2012

Wow that's a great now they need to start working on the High Street wooden bridge get that replaced or fixed that would be much better   more ›

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Council Approves 'Virtually Indestructible' Park Toilet

The high-tech composting toilet will be purchased and installed at Kingston Park in Lower Saucon Township.

Lower Saucon Township Council voted 3-0 Sept. 4 to authorize the purchase of a $63,000 composting toilet that township manager Jack Cahalan said will save the township money over the long run. The bathroom facility--which will be made by Modern Concrete--will be installed at Kingston Park, near the Lutz-Franklin Schoolhouse on Countryside Lane. The restroom will be used by many of the school groups that visit the historic one-room schoolhouse throughout the year and at special events, officials said. Cahalan said the composting toilet will be more cost-efficient than a traditional Port-a-Potty, and noted that plans are to install similar toilets at Steel City and Polk Valley parks. He contrasted the Modern Concrete model the township will …

In this Article:

Lutz-Franklin Schoolhouse, Steel City Park, Polk Valley Park, and 5 more ›

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Parking Plan for Easton Road Ballfields Endorsed

On June 20, Lower Saucon Township Council unanimously endorsed a plan that will improve access to two underutilized Little League fields on Easton Road near Mockingbird Hill Road.

Two Little League fields on Easton Road near Mockingbird Hill Road are located in an attractive part of Lower Saucon Township, but access to the municipally-owned fields is currently poor. However, the township hopes to change that with a parking plan that was discussed and endorsed by council June 20. Township planner Karen Mallo, of Boucher and James, told council the proposal would add approximately 39 parking spaces near the fields, with access to the parking from Easton Road. Access to the fields--which are located across from Christ Lutheran Church of Lower Saucon--had previously been suggested for Mockingbird Hill Road. New Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements are "what basically shaped this project," Mallo said, and …

In this Article:

Christ Lutheran Church of Lower Saucon

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Old Mill Bridge Restoration Project Moving Ahead

On June 20, Lower Saucon Township Council authorized township staff to advertise for bids to restore the historic bridge across the Saucon Creek at the end of Old Mill Road.

Lower Saucon Township's historic Old Mill Bridge will soon be getting a makeover. On June 20, township council voted 4-0 to approve a motion authorizing staff to advertise for bids for the project, once all permits for the renovations have been secured. The landmark metal truss bridge is located at the end of Old Mill Road, where it spans the Saucon Creek in an area that has been designated by the National Park Service as the Ehrhart's Mill Historic District. The bridge is no longer open to vehicular traffic, however it is a popular crossing point for pedestrians and bicyclists, particularly due to its proximity to the nearby Saucon Rail Trail. Township manager Jack Cahalan told council that the plans are to "repair and rehabilitate" the …

In this Article:

Viewfinder: Foggy Mornin' in Lower Saucon, Where Does the Word "Saucon" Come From?, and Saucon Rail Trail

Jason N. Kipp

9:07 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012

Amusing that she never answers his question!   more ›

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