Long a feature of school districts and some municipalities, Supervisor Chairman Tony Matzura is proposing a finance committee for Springfield to keep abreast of budget changes and anticipate some of the surprise deficits, which the township has experienced in the past.
He said the body could be made up of supervisors, Manager Rich Pursell, a member of the public, and a police representative, who could present the data in a more digestible manner for the board and the public.
“Our legal expenses (are) going through the roof. We’ve had more zoning hearing boards going on than we’ve ever had. It’s tough to keep up with the budgeted items,” he noted at the April 18 meeting.
In other business, supervisors approved a resolution establishing a 25-mph speed limit on Mink Road after complaints from several residents.
“It’s a relatively low volume of vehicles but this seems like an easy way to be able to do something,” said Supervisor Bill Ryker.
A resident of the 3,000 block of the road complained that growing truck traffic was forcing drivers off the road in some cases. “We have a tremendously difficult time when we come upon these vehicles,” the woman said. “Our road is 16 feet wide, dump trucks 8.5 feet wide, the average car 6 feet wide.”
Supervisors and Police Chief Michael McDonald said there was little they could do as trash and dump trucks are permitted for local deliveries.
Supervisors backed a road-widening plan and installation of a catch basin on nearby School Road, a single-lane road. That $9,500 expense will come from the township’s COVID relief, or ARPA, fund. The township has spent about $215,000 of the $557,000 in ARPA money allocated by the government, including $96,000 in April for a township truck.
Board members also honored resident Catherine Marek with a citation. A member of the Historic Commission and historical society for over 30 years, Marek and others are credited with saving historical structures and cataloging over 40 log homes.
“When we have a question, you answer it with more knowledge than we can ask for,” observed Supervisor Jim Nilsen, who thanked Marek for her dedicated service. “It has been an honor to serve on the Historic Commission with Catherine,” added fellow commission member Ken Joire. “She is an encyclopedia of township history.”
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