Lower Allen Web Log

Having trouble determining who deserves your vote in the upcoming Primary election on May 19?

Fret not.

Head over to the onlive voter's guide at Pennlive.com, and start educating yourself. The guide features candidate comparisons and biographies to help you navigate your way through the decision-making process.

Looking for my information? Step right this way...

We've been tracking the fiscal tea leaves left by collected permit fees this year because they may provide some indication of both the health of the local economy and the accuracy of LAT budget projections.

This month's update is found in the March, 2009 Department of Community Development monthly report:

• Total fees collected for March, 2009: $8,876.86
• Total fees collected for March, 2008: $20,696.00

• Total fees collected for year-to-date 2009: $27,406.40
• Total fees collected for year-to-date 2008: $49,986.16

According to the 2009 budget, we expected to receive $200,000 for this line item. So, doing the math, we're at 13.7% of budget after 25% of the budget year.

Comparatively, we were at 18% of budget at this time last year, with the lending crisis and all other shoes left to drop.

What does it all mean? Well, you've read the same reports that I have which indicate the economy has hit bottom and may be rebounding. Based on what I can see, though, it appears the economy is bouncing more like a deflated basketball than a superball.

A late email today from PennDOT provides the details of next week's closing of the Shiremanstown exit on Route 15 South:

Shiremanstown Exit Closure (Permanent),
Beginning Wednesday, April 29, 2009 (Night Time)

On Wednesday Night, April 29, 2009, the contractor anticipates permanently closing and then removing the ramp from US 15 Southbound to Westbound Simpson Ferry Road (Shiremanstown Exit). Traffic will be diverted around the closed exit ramp via a signed detour route, until the new intersection at Lower Allen Drive is fully functional. The detour route will direct traffic to continue on US 15 Southbound to the Highland Park Exit, make a left turn onto Gettysburg Road, make a right turn onto Lower Allen Drive, and the detour will end at Simpson Ferry Road. A detailed animated map showing the detour route is available at: http://www.penndot8.com/projects/0015-006/images/ramp_d_detour.swf

If you don't want to click through, here's a quick look at that detour route:

If you are at all interested in local history, be sure to head over to a new web site, Celebrate Lisburn.

The site is locally built and maintained, and will provide information about events surrounding Lisburn's 270th anniversary celebration, a new book about the history of the village, and upcoming meetings.

One feature not to be missed is the photo page with pictures from both today and yesterday.

Nicely done.

I have been remiss for too long in posting a congratulatory note about the Lower Allen Township Police Department's recent CALEA reaccreditation.

The original press release can be found here if you want to read all the details.

This reaccreditation is significant for a couple reasons:

• First and foremost, being recognized by an international law enforement organization like CALEA that your local police department meets the highest industry standards is a testament to the quality all of LAT receives for its police budget dollars;
• Only nine police departments in the Commonwealth are accredited by CALEA. LATPD is truly one of the elite departments;
• LATPD received flagship status at this year's CALEA conference in Raleigh, NC. From CALEA's web site, flagship status will "...provide other agencies seeking accreditation with examples of 'best practices' on how to address compliance, policy development, file maintenance, and other issues relating to the accreditation process...." In short, this designation, which places LATPD in the top 1% of all accredited agencies, signifies that LATPD is the best of the best;

So, my hat's off to the men and women of the Lower Allen Township Police Department for all they do, day and night, to protect and defend our residents, businesses, their property, and all who travel through LAT.

One other set of kudos goes out to my fellow Commissioners Titzel, Black & Young. These three gentlemen traveled to Raleigh to support LATPD at the awards banquet, and did it on their own dime. In these days of contracting budgets and tight economic times, its one of those unheard stories which deserve to be told.

I read with great interest the article in this morning's Patriot-News detailing the impending removal of the dam near Green Lane Farms on the Yellow Breeches because I've spoken often to the LAT property owner mentioned in the story:

"...Getting to the cliff requires crossing private property. The cliff's owner, William Baker, has shouted at kids, posted no-trespassing signs and called the police.

On the other side of the creek, Mark and Maria Gregory have endured groups of young people crossing their backyard, littering, screaming and cursing. They hang wet clothes on the Gregorys' white fence...."

While discussion at a recent Lisburn Neighborhood Plan meeting spoke ill of the removal of the dam above the mill race, I have to admit that I support the removal of dams along the Yellow Breeches. The program returns the creek, as much as possible, to its original state, aids in flood control, allows for healthy natural habitats, and may contribute to the local economy by bringing more trout fishermen and fisherwomen to the area.

Of course, to the extent that the removal of the Green Lanes dam also allows the Gregorys to quietly enjoy their property while deterring thrill seekers from hurling themselves off the cliffs, it's all good.

From our friends in the Village of Lisburn, we have a couple updates regarding their upcoming 270th anniversary celebratrion.

First:

We would like to honor all Veterans of every war in our new Lisburn History Book. If you are or know a veteran that resides or resided in Lisburn and served in any United States War from the Civil War to Iraq and Afghanistan, please let us know.

We need as much information as possible such as name, address; years served (if known) and Branch of Service.

Please contact Brian Kline @ 620-8707 or email him at KlineBSA@hotmail.com.

On a more immediate note, a village walk is planned for mid-May. You can find the event flier here for more details about the May 17 tour, along with how to order tickets.

Don't miss it.

Just passing this along from our friends at PennDOT:

Nighttime Single Lane Closures on PA 581 Eastbound and Westbound for median work.
Monday, April 6, 2009, to Thursday, April 9, 2009 (Nighttime); and Monday, April 13, 2009, to April 17, 2009 (Nighttime)

The contractor anticipates implementing nighttime single lane traffic patterns on PA 581 Eastbound and Westbound to remove the existing median barrier, and place temporary concrete barrier. Additional work will include the installation of temporary bituminous pavement and pavement markings. This lane closure will begin east of the I-83 /PA 581 intersection and continue through to the PA 641 Mechanicsburg exit. These closures should be expected between the hours of 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM. All ramp movements at the US 15/PA 581 interchange will remain open to unrestricted traffic during the closures.

Up before the sun this morning, and I have brunch with my wife and in-laws in my immediate future, so I have a few minutes to dive through the papers piled on my desk.

In no particular order, here are a few notes from recent meetings, etc.:

• I posted earlier about the January LAT permit fees being far off the budget mark and what we saw last year, but I then neglected to update you re February's results. We didn't beat 2008's figures, but we came far closer than the first month of the year: $9,586.19 to $11,333.60. Hopefully this is the start of a trend and not a blip.
• In a previous post, I shared my opinion of a proposal being considered by the BOC to increase some staff salary pay bands. I was the sole no vote on the matter - Resolution 2009-R-05 - at the March 23 meeting because staff indicated, both in an earlier meeting and in a memo to the BOC, that there is no actual need to increase the maximum rates at this time, and because no staff member would have been impacted until 2013, after the next salary survey.
• At the March 23 meeting, I asked staff for some background research into the costs of EPA approved Phase 1 and Phase 2 hydronic heaters in conjunction with Ordinance 2009-04. The ordinance, approved Feb. 23, permits certain hydronic heaters - commonly known as wood heaters or outdoor wood boilers - in LAT with some restrictions. I believe that, given our air quality issues in Cumberland County, we should only allow EPA-approved Phase 2 heaters which reduce particulate emissions by 90%. That's why I voted against the ordinance, and have requested the further study.
• While technically correct, in a March 20 article in The Patriot-News, writer Rick Selzer missed the mark when he wrote about West Pennsboro Township considering a hydronic heater ordinance, and went on to say: "Dickinson Twp. supervisors are reviewing a similar measure. North Middleton, Middlesex and South Middleton townships recently adopted their own regulations." Again, LAT fell below The Patriot's radar. You need to know there's more going on at LAT than what you read in the best local newspaper. Stay informed. Read the agendas. Ask questions. Engage.

In the midst of this very blustery morning, I dropped in on the LAT Easter egg hunt at LACP.

The Recreation and Parks committee did another bang up job this year with the egg hunt. More than 100 kids lined up for the youngest group, and the crowds for the other two groups were robust as well.

For this event which is over in a half hour, LAT staff and volunteers began preparing in January. With more than 1,000 eggs to "hide" at three locations in the park, while you and I were sipping a cup of coffee and watching the trees whip around this morning, heartier folks were out by 8 a.m. at LACP making sure everything was ready to go for the kids.

So, after the second group did its egg scramble - sorry, couldn't resist - I decided to ramble around the park. I haven't been out there all winter, and I wanted to see a few things in particular.

First stop was the vegetation break between Lisburn and LACP, which had been discussed at the recent Lisburn Neighborhood Plan meeting. The barrier is not very wide in places, and the double row of pine trees actually does a fairly effective job of keeping undergrowth in check. As a result, there is very little noise barrier between LACP and Main Street, Lisburn.

Next I walked down to see the grading work underway on the lower soccer fields. When I heard they wouldn't be ready for play this year, I was surprised. After seeing the work to date for myself, I understand why local soccer players won't be on the fields until fall, 2010. To my untrained eye, it looks like there is a lot more work to be done.

From there, I dropped by the boat launch and the nature trail along Yellow Breeches Creek. On this first day of trout season, I figured something would be happening there.

The trail head signage and benches constructed by a local Eagle Scout are in place, and look to be well built. I don't know why no material is displayed in the trail head sign, but maybe we're between seasons for that.

Several fishermen and fisherwomen were in and along the creek this morning. Some of the people I asked had had some luck, but the stream is running high, fast and muddy after yesterday's rain. Regardless, everybody seemed to be enjoying the day.

Since I've received some complaints about dogs running unleashed on the nature trail in the past, and because it came up again at a recent Lisburn meeting, I walked the nature trail. Signage announcing that all dogs must be leashed is clear and unambiguous, and waste bags are well stocked along the trail. Everything appeared in place.

Further down the trail, though, I met a man working with his dog on some water retrieving. The man stood on the creek bank, and tossed an orange training dummy into the creek. The dog leapt off the bank, retrieved the dummy, and climbed out of the creek by a drain pipe.

As the wet dog trotted back, I mentioned to the man that the dog needed to be leashed. I identified myself as a local commissioner, repeated that the dog needed to be leashed, and walked on down the trail.

When I left the trail and reached the lower parking lot, I heard a voice calling behind me. It was the same man with his dog leashed. He was pointing to another unleashed dog, and asking if I was going to do anything about it.

As I walked back, he asked for my name. I introduced myself, shook his hand, thanked him for putting his dog on the leash, and asked for his name. I then walked over to the other lady, asked her to put her dog on the leash, and walked on.

I had left my car in the Fun Fort parking lot, so I walked past the dog park on the last leg of my perambulation. About 10 dogs and owners were in the park, with some just walking out of the fence as I approached. The owners had their dogs leashed on their way back to the car, and it looked like everybody was having a great time.

By the way, if you happen to be in the park and come across an unleashed dog, please ask the owner to comply with park rules. If they won't comply, please call the Lower Allen Police Department's non-emergency number, or take down the license plate number of the person's car, and report the incident to LAT staff.