FEBRUARY 20-26, 2014 Your Local News
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The Home News homenewspa.com
Proposal for fire tax in Lehigh Twsp. being addressed in letter By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
Residents of Lehigh Township will soon receive a letter asking their opinion about a possible fire tax to support the Lehigh Township Volunteer Fire Co. Two versions of the letter were discussed at a meeting of the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Feb. 11. The board, after some discussion voted 4 to 1 to send out the longer version. Voting in favor of that plan were chairmen Darryl Snover, Keith Hantz, Dell Grove, and Sandy Hopkins. Only Cindy Miller voted no, because she believes that the township would be better off adding an amount needed in the general budget than enforcing a fire tax to raise money for the fire company’s needs. There was a long discussion at the January 28 meeting that went along this same line of thinking. As it was pointed out at both meetings, the fire company has not been able to raise enough money through raffles, donations, drives, dances or other special events, rental of fire company-owned property, or the Country Garden banquet hall. They’ve also received grants and aid from the Firemen’s Relief Association. For 69 years, that’s how they’ve gotten money, along with an allotment of funds the township figured into its budget. But with new regulations and more training needed, they haven’t had the time to raise money, too. Richard Hildebrand of the fire company said on Tuesday, “No one likes to hear the word ‘tax’. Why try to hide it? We’re talking about fire safety and protection. Who cares about calling it a fire tax?” Mrs. Miller said, “There are major expenditures in the fire
73rd Year, Issue No. 8
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department we need to support. I just want to be sure we are making the right decision for the right reason.” Solicitor David Backenstoe said on Jan. 28, “If the board wants to help out the fire company, you need to either do it by increasing the general tax millage or by creating a separate fire tax. Some people like one way because it goes directly for the fire company, and the other way, the funds can be used for multiple purposes.” He said then that an amount of dollars can’t be set under the Second Class Township Code, that it must be by mills. However, it can’t be more than three mills, for then it would have to go on the ballot as a referendum. Mrs. Miller also said on Jan. 28, “The board was elected into office to make the difficult decisions and the decision is do we need to raise taxes regardless?” She believes that the township needs to support the fire company more and give them more money, but she believes it should be done by a general tax increase, not by allocating a separate amount for fire. All that will do in the long run is enable another tax that can be increased on residents.” The letter that will be sent out will include a date for a public meeting to explain the fire company’s needs, as well as offering a chance to see the equipment that the firemen have to maintain and use during fire emergencies. Other Matters • On proposed rezoning of the Cherryville intersection, there will be a need to amend the zoning map, changing it from village resiContinued on page 9
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Sports
Mark Scisly hired as new head football coach at Northampton. Page 6
Nothing was left of a double-wide manufactured home at Hickory Hills except debris on the snow and in nearby trees following Friday night’s explosion and fire. – Home News photo
Hickory Hills resident Dies in gas explosion By THE HOME NEWS STAFF
An explosion, apparently caused by leaking propane gas, on Friday night blew a double-wide home apart and killed a resident inside, before burning it to the ground. William D. Neith, Sr., 65, died in the fire and explosion of his home at 118 Hickory Hills Drive, in the Hickory Hills manufactured home community at Moorestown. Debris littered the snow that had fallen on Thursday into Friday, hurling some of it into nearby trees. Windows of homes nearby also were blown out and other homes shook from the force of the explosion. No one else was injured.
According to published reports, neighbors had smelled propane gas for days and the Hickory Hill heating and cooling maintenance people had checked Neith’s home, but found nothing. Neith lived with the home’s owner, Hilda Parsons, who was at work in Kohl’s department store when the explosion/fire occurred at about 9:15 p.m. Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek pronounced Neith dead at the scene of blunt force trauma, but an investigation is pending in the coroner’s office as well as by Moore Township police and a State Police fire marshal.
A UGI vehicle was at the development on Friday, but they did not supply natural gas to the home or others in the neighborhood. It was heated with propane gas. Neith played the drums in a country music band called Banned from the Ranch for several years. In addition to playing drums, he also was an avid golfer. It took more than three hours until the flames were put out. Assisting the Klecknersville Rangers Vol. Fire Co. of Moore Township in fighting the fire were companies from Bath, and the townships of East Allen, Lehigh, Upper Continued on page 7
Seniors Lehigh Twsp. Elem. School teacher to celebrate 100th birthday. Page 8
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