The Marlborough supervisors reelected Billy Hurst as chairman at its annual reorganization meeting on Monday night before proceeding with the regular monthly meeting.

            The vote was 2-1 with Supervisor Brian Doremus voting against the appointment and Bill Jacobs siding with Hurst. Doremus was reappointed vice chairman by a 3-0 vote.

            Marybeth Cody was unanimously reappointed secretary. Hurst announced several appointments and reappointments to township commissions and boards.

            Doremus also voted against supervisor compensation, tax collector compensation and advertisement of the meeting schedule for 2025. All those resolutions passed with affirmative votes from Hurst and Jacobs, with the latter invoking the ethics act to vote for tax collector compensation – rather than abstaining – because his wife is the tax collector for the township.

            In December, Doremus had asked that the meeting schedule for work sessions be adjusted by starting those meetings at 7 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. That request was rejected by Hurst and Jacobs.

            During the regular meeting, Cody announced that a letter was sent to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection stating that the township opposes Highway Materials' proposal to expand its quarry. Cody also pitched a discussion with Green Lane Borough regarding a traffic light or signal at the intersection of Upper Ridge Road and Route 63.

"I would favor that conversation," Doremus said.

            A kickoff meeting on the Reihman Road bridge construction has been held. One issue that arose involves remnants of a railroad in the vicinity of the bridge.

            Since everything that might be affected by the construction must be identified, "[the township engineer] is trying to figure out what the history of that was," Cody related.

            The township received preliminary notice that the DEP should compensate Marlborough nearly $3,000 for its 2023 recycling efforts. The delay in getting the money was caused by personnel issues at the DEP.

            For the first time, the township will accept credit card payments from residents beginning Jan. 15.

            At 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 27, the supervisors will conduct a joint work session with the planning commission at the township building on Upper Ridge Road. That night, a public hearing will also be held to consider the repeal of a 2019 ordinance that allowed supervisors to participate 100 percent in the township's health care plan.

            Doremus is the only supervisor to take advantage of the ordinance. If the ordinance to repeal passes, his health coverage will end with his term at the end of the year, even if he is reelected.

            Doremus has previously stated that he felt the effort to repeal the ordinance was a "direct attack" on him by the other supervisors.

            The next meeting of the supervisors will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at the township building.