The Marlborough Township Board of Supervisors announced that there will be no tax increase for its residents in 2019 even as the township looks to purchase two new vehicles and augment the police force.

            "I think [the budget] meets the needs, makes some improvements in personnel and things for next year," said chairperson Brian Doremus. "We're still coming out in the black and it's maintaining the current tax structure, so we aren't proposing a tax increase."

            One of the improvements in personnel is the addition of a fourth full-time police officer.

            Currently, the Marlborough police contingent is composed of three full-time officers, including chief Darren Morgan, and three part-time officers.

            According to Morgan, the fourth full-timer will allow for 24/7 coverage of the township which is not always the case at the present time. Two part-time officers would be retained.

            All of the supervisors, Doremus, Billy Hurst and Bill Jacobs, have indicated that they are in favor of the addition.

            In a related item, the township is in the process of hiring a new part-time officer to replace Patrick Halcovage who resigned and accepted a full-time position with Hilltown Township.

            Morgan told the supervisors that he and the other Marlborough officers attended Halcovage's swearing-in ceremony at Hilltown as a gesture of support.

            The township will be purchasing a new police vehicle and a new truck for the Public Works Department in 2019.

            Notes from the work session held on October 22 indicated that the supervisors had agreed to salary increases for township personnel although no details were given last Wednesday night.

            The public can review the budget at the municipal building at 6040 Upper Ridge Rd. during regular business hours. The final adoption of the budget will be voted on at the next Board of Supervisors meeting on December 12.

            In other business, Marybeth Cody, the Township Secretary/Treasurer/Right to Know Officer, told the supervisors that PennDOT sent out a notice informing Marlborough that the long-awaited - and dreaded - bridge reconstructions are about to begin.

            The bridges in need of repair cross over the Unami Creek, Ridge Valley Creek and the East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek.

            During the work on the bridges that span the Unami and Ridge Valley Creeks, traffic will be detoured off Route 63 (Sumneytown Pike). Route 63 will remain open during the East Branch bridge replacement.

            While work is slated to begin before the calendar flips to 2019, the detour is not expected to take effect until the spring. PennDOT predicts that construction will finish in the summer of 2021.

            The business of the night actually began with an executive session from 6:30 to 6:40 p.m. to discuss police personnel matters.

            The regular meeting started with Luanne Stauffer and Michele Fillippo of the Upper Perk Chamber of Commerce on hand to thank Marlborough for its support of the now completed Regional Wayfinding Signage Program.

            Stauffer lauded Marlborough for its cooperation. "We could not have done it without strong partnerships with the municipalities."

            She told the supervisors that the "problematic" sign that obstructed a resident's traffic mirror on Sumneytown Pike will be rectified by PennDOT as part of the bridges project.

            Fillippo spoke about other projects of PerkUp, the Chamber's community and economic development initiative, and fielded specific questions about the Hometown Hero program which has placed banners honoring Valley military veterans mostly on Main St. in Red Hill, Pennsburg and East Greenville.

            She urged Marlborough to consider joining the program even though it does not have a "main street".

            The township's work session scheduled for November 26th was canceled.