Township police to help veterans in crisis

            Near the end of the monthly Marlborough Township supervisors meeting last week, Chairman Billy Hurst announced receipt of a letter informing the township that the Highway Materials, Inc. quarry, on Crusher Road, had been purchased by Heidelberg Materials North America.

            The German-based company bought all of HMI's businesses on July 16 as part of an ongoing expansion of its holdings, including recent acquisitions of two Texas companies.

            On its website, Heidelberg Materials describes itself as "one of the world's largest integrated manufacturers of building materials and solutions." The conglomerate has holdings in 50 countries, with 3,000 locations, and employs over 50,000.

            Over the last several months, HMI had been involved in a rezoning effort that the Marlborough supervisors eventually denied after residents pushed back against HMI's request to rezone parts of the quarry to heavy industrial.

            Marya Schoenholtz, a leading spokesperson for Marlborough residents' fight against the rezoning, was on hand last week to question HMI's motivation and to thank the supervisors for their decision.

            "It's interesting that Highway Materials was almost certainly in negotiations with Heidelberg Materials for their sale while standing here and carrying out the rezoning process and promising the residents concessions that it seems they had no intention of fulfilling," Schoenholtz said.

            The heavy industrial designation would have potentially allowed uses such as a junkyard and oil and chemical storage, noted Schoenholtz. She described that scenario as one of the biggest fears of residents who live near the quarry.

            "So, thank goodness that you voted to maintain the protection through zoning on that quarry property," Schoenholtz told supervisors Hurst, Brian Doremus and Bill Jacobs.

            Schoenholtz expressed concern that Heidelberg Materials' goals will include "maximizing profits" at the expense of the land.

            "As we, as a township, negotiate through that process, I am relieved and grateful that this township is served by a board of supervisors that has demonstrated their commitment to the residents and the lands over the profiteering of a huge international conglomerate," she said.

            In police matters, Officer Mitch Mortimer gave a brief presentation to the meeting regarding his training in a Montgomery County program called the Veteran Response Team (VRT), a relatively new effort designed to help military Veterans in crisis.

            Members of VRT are notified if a police incident involves a Veteran and proceed to the scene. While on duty Mortimer would respond in Marlborough and the Upper Perk area. If he is not available, officers from other municipalities could fill in.

            The working theory behind the program involves a Veteran-to-Veteran connection.

            "Sometimes it's a little different if a Veteran [has] to talk to somebody from the civilian world," Mortimer said. "They might not have the same understandings and trainings that they have and they just don't connect [with] them." 

            Mortimer, a corporal in the National Guard, cited VRT liaisons with other police departments, including Philadelphia, surrounding counties, and the Veterans Administration.

Police Chief Darren Morgan thanked the Upper Perk community for its support of National Night Out (NNO) on Aug. 10.

"We had a great turnout. It ended up being a great day for everybody," Morgan said.

Morgan announced that Walmart awarded a grant of $1,000 for the NNO.

 Project Live contributed a general donation of $500 to the police from the proceeds of last November's Citizens Assist 5K Run/Walk, the last race Project Live will be sponsoring.

Morgan also revealed that the Marlborough police have partnered with St. John's Church for blood drives. The police will help spread the word about the drives which will occur once or twice a year.

The next blood drive will be on Friday, September 20, 12-5 p.m., at St. John's, 3104 Main St., Sumneytown. Donors can schedule an appointment through the Marlborough Township Police Department's Facebook page.

Morgan broached the possibility of using work-release prisoners for maintenance tasks at the township's facilities. Guards would accompany the prisoners and security at the site would be evaluated before using them. Morgan said he is researching the program.

Lower Providence Fire Department successfully uses work release prisoners from SCI Phoenix, located at Graterford, Morgan noted.

Morgan urged residents who would like a radar-monitored speed sign for their area to contact the police department.

The supervisors unanimously approved a resolution formalizing the disposal of electronic recordings of meetings. Recordings will be kept until "final approval of the official written minutes of the meeting," a practice already in effect.

Marlborough renewed a one-year agreement with Valley Soccer for use of Finland Road Park.

The 2025 budget process for the supervisors will begin with a workshop meeting on September 23, 6 p.m.

The supervisors held executive sessions on July 22, Aug. 7 and prior to last week's meeting to discuss a personnel matter. Their next general meeting is scheduled 7 p.m. on Sept. 11.