At the October 24 Lower Frederick Township board of supervisors work session, the board authorized township manager Jason Wager to apply for a local share account (LSA) grant on behalf of the township's fire company for the purchase of a new fire engine. Because the fire company is ineligible to apply for the grant directly, they requested that the township do so on its behalf.

            The estimated cost of a new engine is $1.2 million. The current engine was purchased in 1999 with an expected life span of 20 years. 

            The board approved Resolution 2023 R-21, conditionally granting Sacks & Sons, an excavating and paving company located at 1207 Gravel Pike, Zieglersville, the conditional use requested in their application, allowing intrusions into and construction upon steep slopes as defined by the Lower Frederick zoning ordinance.

            Township solicitor Peter Nelson read the order aloud and listed 11 conditions required to be met by Sacks & Sons, including the installation of buffer plantings, construction of an additional entrance to the property, and the construction of a permanent 6' high fence.

            Supervisor Terry Sacks, father of applicant Matthew Sacks, President of Sacks & Sons, recused himself from any participation in the matter.

            On August 30, the board held a conditional use public hearing for Sacks & Sons.

            The board moved to provide up to $75,000 to be paid from the township's open space fund for the "total easement acquisition cost" of the Barber property, located at 333 Salford Station Road under the Highlands Conservation Federal Grant program.

            Manager Wager suggested that the board authorize the submission of a grant application to the PECO Green Region Open Space Program for up to $10,000.

            Although he did not have a specific project in mind, Wager stated that "there seems to be a lot of low-hanging fruit as far as what we might be able to use this for … I thought Park and Rec might have a project on the shelf to apply for it. This would be improvements to our open space properties, specifically looking at our parks … Projects would be approved at the November 8th general meeting along with a resolution."

            The board authorized Wager to submit the application.

            On October 5th, Wager received a request from Montgomery County asking the township to contribute 15 percent ($45,600) towards the preservation of 38 acres of farmland located at 8 Cepp Road. The township is not obligated to contribute to the preservation of open space within its boundaries, but it is common practice to do so.

            The township's open space committee recommended the township contribute $15,000 from the township's open space fund.

            After a brief discussion the board approved Resolution 2023 R-22 authorizing a contribution of $30,000 towards the agricultural easement purchase of the property. As a member of the Farm Preservation Board, Chair Marla Hexter recused herself from the vote.

            The board authorized township solicitor Peter Nelson to write a "letter of interest" to township residents Philip and Gail Gosser Smith regarding their generous offer to donate a trail easement on their property located at 3 South Ryanford Road.  The Smiths are in the process of permanently preserving their land with a conservation easement through the nonprofit lands trust, Natural Lands (NL), so their offer of a donated trail easement to the township would be aligned with their land preservation initiative currently being done through NL. 

            Since their property spans both Lower Frederick and Limerick Township, the Smiths have also approached Limerick Township with a trail easement offer in order that the Stone Hill Greenway trail network can be connected to adjoining Limerick Township open space lands to the west of their property. 

            This would enable an extension of the very successful Stone Hill Greenway inter-municipal trail system. Currently between Natural Lands, Limerick, and Lower Frederick Township there are about 2 1/2 miles of publicly accessible hiking trails within the Stone Hill Greenway. The Lower Frederick Township board of supervisors welcomed the offer and will now begin the process of seeing if this donation can be realized.