At the Marlborough board of supervisors meeting last week, two topics that have brought concerned residents to recent meetings – dead trees and road dangers – were discussed.

            Township Manager/Secretary/Treasurer Marybeth Cody reported that Public Works Director Steve Fulmer and representatives from PECO assessed problem trees in proximity to PECO's power lines in the township.

            Cody relayed that PECO will be doing preventive maintenance during the first quarter of next year. "That's when they do the bulk of their tree removal," Cody said. "However, those few dead trees that are dangerous, they are inventorying them right now, and they're going to get back to us before 2023 on what they decide."

            Cody said that Fulmer and PECO identified "about seven" trees on Swamp Creek Road– including at the corner of Geryville Pike and Swamp Creek Road, and Long Road as needing immediate attention.

            In her monthly administrative report, Cody also noted that Marlborough's public works department continues to monitor the parks for dead trees, and Fulmer is contacting a tree service to remove trees that are too large for his department to handle.

            Board President Billy Hurst reported on a PennDOT traffic study of Main Street near its intersection with Geryville Pike. At the urging of residents concerned about speeding on Main Street, the township requested the study to determine if a reduction of the 35 mph speed limit was warranted. PennDOT's answer was no, based on reportable crash data and sight distance analysis.

            PennDOT did make several recommendations for "countermeasures" including the painting of speed limit "legends" on the road. The agency will pay for the improvements and suggested that the township may want to purchase a permanent or mobile Dynamic Speed Display sign to alert drivers to their speeds.

            A separate study did find an issue with the actual intersection of Main Street and Geryville Pike where Sumneytown Hotel sits. A communication from PennDOT to the township "determined that the parking on the property of the hotel has several parking spaces that must be adjusted or removed" to provide better sight lines for drivers trying to turn on to 63.

            The township's engineering firm, Technicon Enterprises, is investigating the situation.

            The third traffic problem area involves sight issues at the intersection of Magazine Road and Geryville Pike. Hurst said that Montgomery County's study found that plantings on a property near the intersection–labeled by neighbors as the source of the problem–have been pared back and that sight distances are adequate. 

            The property owner is in the process of applying to the township to turn his land into a meadow, Cody informed the meeting.

            In other business, the supervisors voted to contract with I T Landis to install new heating and air conditioning at the township building. The $51,350 cost will come out of Pres. Biden's American Rescue Plan (ARP) money.

            Marlborough recently received $117,712 in its second allocation of ARP funds.

            The board green-lighted a PECO Green Region Grant application for up to $10,000 to improve and add to the docks at Lake Skymount. The township would have to match the grant.

            The board again voted to acknowledge another 90-day extension–until January 19, 2023–for Dollar General's submission of relevant materials related to the proposed store along Route 63.

            The supervisors work session will be held on Monday, September 26 at 6 p.m. The next board meeting is on October 12 at 7 p.m. The November board meeting will be moved to November 16, instead of Nov. 9.