After re-electing Billy Hurst as chairman and Brian Doremus as vice chairman, the Marlborough supervisors made several appointments to various township committees before conducting the annual monthly meeting to begin 2023.

            Among those appointments were the naming of Barry Isett and Associates to code enforcement and zoning officer, assistant emergency management coordinator, and fire marshal; Burt Shive to the Green Lane Marlborough Joint Sewer Authority and the Park and Recreation Board; Don Orcutt to park and recreation; Scott Emmert to the Planning Commission and Barry Borchers to the Historical Commission.

            The supervisors voted to raise fees for outdoor events to $75 for small gatherings and $300 for large events, defined as hosting at least 300 people.

            Hurst justified the increase for large events because, by ordinance, the zoning officer gets involved–at a cost of $85 per hour.

            "The smallest number of people that that's going to affect is 300 people, so it's a dollar a person," noted Doremus.

            Smaller events are routinely reviewed by the township administration.

            Another fee discussion centered on driveway pipe replacement on residential driveways in the right-of-way. The township has been securing materials for residents at cost and delivering them to the job site, relieving homeowners of the burden of searching for and having items like pipes delivered. But labor costs are not included in the fee.

            "We don't want to make it prohibitive, but we also shouldn't be giving services away," said Hurst, who initiated the discussion.

            Doremus, in response, explained that the service is offered to homeowners living on township roads to encourage them to make improvements that will ultimately benefit the township, such as limiting water overflow onto roads that might require salting during the winter months.

           "Also to ensure that it's done properly," Doremus added.  "We may not even be covering our costs," Hurst said.

            "[Public Works Director] Steve [Fulmer] did a lot this year, a fair amount of them, and he said that it took a lot of his time," Township Manager Marybeth Cody said.

            At one point last summer, Fulmer had to request hiring a part-time grass mower because he was tied up with these requests, according to Cody.

            After further discussion, the supervisors ultimately decided to terminate the service except for those who are in the process of improving their driveways. Residents will now have to work with private contractors to secure materials.

            In other business, Hurst summarized a notification from Loftus Construction informing Marlborough that construction has begun on the Perkiomen Trail Bridge between Gravel Pike and Deep Creek Road. The work is expected to be completed in 2024.

            The Marlborough Area Preservation Society sent a letter to the township thanking it for a recent donation toward the ongoing work at Wetzel Mill. President Brian McNeill wrote that "[P]rogress is being made in creating a facility which the township and public will find attractive and interesting."

            On Jan. 23, the supervisors and the planning commission will hold a joint work session. The supervisors session will begin at 6 p.m. and the planning commission at 7 p.m.

            The February supervisors monthly meeting will be held on Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.