Township pays $185K for 20-acre open space parcel

UPPER POTTSGROVE >> Township commissioners voted unanimously Dec. 17 to purchase 19.26 acres of open space.

Called the Schwenk property, it’s located at the corner of Snyder and Schwenk roads.

The township paid $185,000 for the parcel.

The money came out of “money in the bank” that the township has raised from the .25 percent earned income tax residents voted to impose upon themselves in 2006, said Commissioner Elwood Taylor.

He said years ago, when the township first inquired about buying the parcel, the asking price was $600,000.

The new property is adjacent to Sussel Park, Taylor said.

The purchase comes in the wake of an award the township received for its efforts to preserve open space.

The township’s Open Space and Recreation Board was recently named the 2018 winner of the Planning Advocate Award by the Montgomery County Planning Commission.

The volunteer board was “recognized for community vision, sustained commitment to conservation of natural resources, and successful open space preservation and trail development achievements. Over nearly three decades, the board has created an enviable record of accomplishments, furthering the vision and goals of the township,” according to the announcement from the planning commission.

“Through the years, faced with mounting suburban development pressure on its farmlands and rural landscape, the township established a vision for retaining its valuable natural resources,” the planning commission wrote.

“In the early 1990s, these efforts were led primarily by a grassroots citizen group, which educated itself about environmental stewardship and land preservation,” formalizing the arrangement into a committee in 2004.

UPPER POTTSGROVE >> Township commissioners unanimously approved a three-year contract with the police union Dec. 17 that will provide raises of 10 percent over the course of the contract.

The contract also contains a provision that allows the township to extend the contract for a fourth year, along with an additional 4 percent raise.

Over the course of the first three years, the officers will receive a 4 percent raise in 2019; 3 percent in 2020 and 3 percent in 2021. If the contract goes to four years, they will receive another 4 percent raise.

Additionally, the officers, will pay 2 percent of their salary toward those costs in 2019; 3 percent in 2020; 3.5 percent in 2021 and 4 percent if the contract extends in 2022.

The contact covers the nine officers of the department, but does not apply to police Chief Francis Wheatly, who himself received a three-year contract Dec. 17 that gives him an 8 percent raise in 2019.

The raises are keeping with previous contracts.

Four years ago, the twoyear police contract included raises of 4 percent each year, as well as the first provisions for officer contributing to the cost of their health insurance.

The police budget consumes just over 50 percent of the general fund in the $3.4 million 2019 budget the commissioners adopted.