SPRING TWP., Pa. – Stephen Powell, Spring Township's deputy police chief, informed the township supervisors Monday night that the police department had just issued 33 warrants for 21 individuals due to multiple reports of fraud in the township.
Powell also told the supervisors that the police department received 25 applications for an open police officer position. The top 15 applicants will be given the physical agility test by the end of February, and personal interviews will be scheduled for the second week of March.
Reconstruction of Cacoosing Meadows fields
At the suggestion of chairman George Stuck III, the supervisors tabled awarding a purchase order in the amount of $57,650 to Great Valley Consultants for design work for reconstruction of the Cacoosing Meadows Park recreation fields. Supervisor Robert Myer questioned the wisdom of spending the money to learn if the township needed to spend another $200,000 for reconstruction.
Flooding on the softball fields from the parking lot at Cacoosing in Spring Township in Berks County. (Aug. 4, 2018)
Houck said the reconstruction project was being considered because the Cacoosing Meadows fields are located in a flood plain and need to drain better by adding swales and eliminating cutout baseball infields. The 55-acre park is located on Reedy Road.
Houck and other township officials were asked by the supervisors to research all available information on the original construction of the fields in order to get a clearer understanding of the proposed project.
Other business
Anthony Tucci, chief executive director of the Western Berks Ambulance Association, reported that an ambulance caught fire Thursday night in the ambulance garage on Belmont Avenue in West Lawn. The ambulance was destroyed and the two other ambulances in the garage suffered smoke damage.
The Wyomissing Fire Company, Spring Township police, and multiple other crews responded to the fire at the Western Berks Ambulance station.
Tucci said firefighters arrived within five minutes and the ambulance company was back in service within two hours. In addition to the ambulance, Western Berks lost approximately $150,000 in supplies, but all losses are covered by insurance.
Judy Houck, the director of parks and recreation, reported that the low bid for contracted mowing of township properties, in the amount of $36,275, was received from Smitty's Lawn and Landscaping. Houck commented that the company "did great work" in previous years. The supervisors approved the bid.
