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Jack Cahalan

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Park-School District Connector Trail Almost Finished

On April 4, Lower Saucon Township Manager Jack Cahalan announced that the new connector trail between Polk Valley Park and the Saucon Valley School District campus is nearing completion.

A pedestrian trail that will link the Saucon Valley School District campus with Polk Valley Park in Lower Saucon Township is nearing completion, township manager Jack Cahalan announced at township council's April 4 meeting. The connector trail parallels Polk Valley Road, and crosses a township-owned property where the Herman House formerly stood. Cahalan told council that he plans to schedule a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the trail's opening later this month. He suggested scheduling the ceremony for April 20, to coincide with the school district's official launch ceremony for the planned Saucon Valley Environmental Education Center. The education center will abut the school district campus, in between the middle and …

In this Article:

Saucon Valley School District, Polk Valley Park, Council Members at Odds Over Reuse of Building Materials, and 4 more ›

Thursday, April 12, 2012

'Green Mold' on Road Signs to Be Investigated

Lower Saucon Township Council president Glenn Kern recently asked township manager Jack Cahalan to find out if the mold can be removed from the signs.

A "green mold" that he has observed on some metal roadside signs in Lower Saucon Township has rendered them "unreadable," township council president Glenn Kern commented at council's April 4 meeting. Kern told township manager Jack Cahalan that he has observed the growth in his travels around the township. "However we get those signs cleaned, I'd like to get them cleaned," he said. Kern acknowledged that maintenance of some of the signs is likely the responsibility of the Pennsylvania Department of Transporation (PennDOT). Council vice president Tom Maxfield said he has observed the same problem in Upper Saucon Township, and, while council was on the subject of roadside signs, said he has seen many "temporary signs" appearing along …

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Council Weighs Converting Museum Furnace to Gas

Converting the Heller Homestead's oil furnace to gas could result in a significant savings. The potential for a conversion was discussed at Lower Saucon Township Council's March 7 meeting.

There was a time when oil heat was the preferred choice of many, but in recent years the high cost of home heating oil has caused some homeowners to switch to natural gas. And now, Lower Saucon Township is contemplating that decision on behalf of a property that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. At township council's March 7 meeting, members discussed the opportunity to convert the oil furnace in the Heller Homestead--a township-owned museum--to gas. The opportunity exists, township manager Jack Cahalan explained, because a gas line serves the Society Hill residential development, which is located directly west of the homestead property. The gas line is not buried in adjacent Friedensville Road, however, so "they would…

In this Article:

Lower Saucon Township and Heller Homestead

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Council Approves Issuing Compost Center ID Cards

The Saucon Valley Compost Center's popularity with local residents has grown considerably in recent years, Lower Saucon Township manager Jack Cahalan told council March 7.

A proposal by Lower Saucon Township manager Jack Cahalan to issue Saucon Valley Compost Center ID cards to residents was unanimously approved by township council March 7. Cahalan said the use of ID cards will help improve public access to the facility, which is located at 2011 Springtown Hill Road and is due to open for the season April 13.  Cahalan said the cards would be issued to residents at both Lower Saucon Town Hall and Hellertown Borough Hall. Due to the growing popularity of the compost center over the past few years, traffic tie-ups have become common at its entrance, where visitors have been required to sign in with a public works department employee before driving through to the mulch piles, he explained. The fact that compost …

In this Article:

Lower Saucon Township, Saucon Valley Compost Center, Borough of Hellertown, and 1 more ›

Stephanie Brown

8:33 am on Tuesday, March 20, 2012

There is a simple fix for the traffic problem, the center needs to be open more hours.   more ›

Monday, March 19, 2012

Council Authorizes Trail Commission to Approve Special Events

On March 7, Lower Saucon Township Council gave the green light to the Saucon Rail Trail Oversight Commission to approve special events held on the trail in the township, although it will retain final authority over those decisions.

Special events such as 5K races and bike rides could be coming to the Saucon Rail Trail in the near future. At Lower Saucon Township Council's March 7 meeting, township manager Jack Cahalan said the multi-municipal Saucon Rail Trail Oversight Commission has already received several requests to host special events such as races, in spite of the fact that the trail is less than a year old. Cahalan wanted to find out from council members whether the commission could be given the authority to approve events held on the rail trail, because no framework currently exists for it to do that. Without such a framework, he said, each member municipality's governing body--including the township council, Hellertown Borough Council and the Upper Saucon …

In this Article:

Saucon Rail Trail, Ribbon Cut on Saucon Rail Trail, and Lower Saucon Township

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Township Council Approves 3-Year Police Labor Contract

On March 7, Lower Saucon Township Council unanimously approved a three-year labor contract with the Lower Saucon Township Police Officers Association. The contract includes modest annual wage increases.

A new three-year labor contract with the Lower Saucon Township Police Officers Association was unanimously approved by Lower Saucon Township Council at its March 7 meeting, following ratification by the association Feb. 29. According to the terms of the new contract, police officers will receive a two percent wage increase this year; a 2.5 percent wage increase in 2013; and a three percent increase in 2014. "The agreement was reached after a nine-month period of negotiations" between the township and the association, a press release from township manager Jack Cahalan indicated. The contract also includes "modest increases in longevity pay and uniform allowances for the officers...along with an increase in their life insurance coverage," …

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Township Council Approves Animal Shelter Contract

Lower Saucon Township officials announced, however, that they will continue to look for more desirable alternatives for dealing with strays.

At their Dec. 21 meeting, Lower Saucon Township Council members voted 4-0 to approve a contract with the Center for Animal Health and Welfare in Williams Township. Council members—except Sandra Yerger, who was absent for the meeting—all voiced previously discussed concerns about the contract, but voted to approve it because there are currently no other alternatives for dealing with strays in the township. “Unfortunately, it’s the only game in town,” said township manager Jack Cahalan, who reviewed the 2012 contract with council members. Cahalan noted some of the changes and increasing costs the township will be faced with under the terms of the new contract. The agreement now includes cats and will allow residents to bring in wandering …

In this Article:

Township Council Postpones Shelter Contract Decision, Proposed Animal Shelter Contract Called 'Unsuitable', Council Rejects 2012 Contract with Animal Shelter, and 1 more ›

Priscilla deLeon

12:49 pm on Saturday, December 31, 2011

I do know that the Center is a “rescue” organization and support their mission. My response was regarding a possible situation if the Center would suspend the acceptance of animals if there were space limitations [per the contract]. LST would then, as I was told at the council meeting on 12/21, have to call the State Dog Warden. I asked if we could get in touch with “other” rescues. Council …   more ›

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Township Manager: Adopt-A-Road Program 'Highly Successful'

The Lower Saucon Township program encourages local families, businesses and organizations to take responsibility for the cleanliness of local roads.

After just two years, Lower Saucon Township's Adopt-A-Road program is "highly successful," Township Manager Jack Cahalan told council Dec. 7. The program encourages local families, businesses and organizations to take responsiblity for the cleanliness of stretches of local roadway by performing clean-ups at least twice each year. Each adopted road is marked by a blue-and-white sign that features the name of the group that has adopted it and the phrase "Keep Lower Saucon Township Clean & Beautiful." The township supplies all volunteers with safety equipment and trash bags to aid in the clean-ups. "We have 21 organizations or family groups who have adopted roads in the township...and they go back twice a year and remove debris from these …

In this Article:

Saucon Valley Farmers' Market 'Adopts a Road' in Lower Saucon Township, IESI Bethlehem Landfill, Lutz-Franklin Schoolhouse, and 5 more ›

Friday, December 2, 2011

Township Official Calls Gaming Grant Review Process 'Dog and Pony Show'

Lower Saucon Township Manager Jack Cahalan told members of the Northampton County Gaming Revenue and Economic Redevelopment Authority Nov. 28 that the township could have been notified if something in one of its recent grant applications was amiss.

In addition to Hellertown officials, Lower Saucon Township representatives were on hand at the Northampton County Gaming Revenue and Economic Redevelopment Authority's Nov. 28 meeting, where one of them voiced displeasure over the manner in which the authority recently awarded restricted funds grants to municipalities that are contiguous to the City of Bethlehem--the host city for the Sands casino. Restricted funds are awarded based upon proven impact to geographically contiguous municipalities in Northampton County, including Hellertown, Lower Saucon, Freemansburg, Bethlehem Township and Hanover Township. Although Lower Saucon Township was awarded a number of grants for initiatives designed to help alleviate various impacts from the …

In this Article:

Hellertown Denied Second Shot at Gaming Grant and Northampton County Gaming Authority Awards $800K in Grants

Stephanie Brown

6:00 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

Lower Saucon Township has recived its fair share of money, from the grant process. In tthe past Lower Saucon's manager has publically question the request by Freemansburg Borough for money to update and expand theri police facilites as an impact of the casino. Rather he stated that should be s a cost that should be paid by the tax payeersr of the borough as a cost of having a police department. …   more ›

Monday, October 10, 2011

Lower Saucon Township Acquires Trailhead Land

Plans call for turning the 2-acre tract into an access point along the Saucon Rail Trail.

Lower Saucon Township is in the process of acquiring a two-acre parcel of land at Reading Drive and Bingen Road, which will be used as a trailhead for the Saucon Rail Trail. Lower Saucon Township Manager Jack Cahalan said the purchase is not yet finalized, but the township has offered the Timko Family Trust $40,000 for the property. The township has a tentative agreement, subject to the Timkos' attorney's review, approving the agreement of sale. Lower Saucon Township Council approved the purchase of the land at its Sept. 22 meeting. The township submitted a grant application to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) for 50 percent of the purchase price. If the township is awarded the grant, the acquisition cost to …

In this Article:

Ribbon Cut on Saucon Rail Trail, Grants Presentation Held in Borough Park, and Water Street Park

John Pitosky

10:26 pm on Monday, October 10, 2011

Typical government thinking. Wow, look? We saved $20,000. No, you spent $20,000 plus whatever it takes to fix the place.   more ›

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