The Falls Township board of supervisors met virtually on the evening of Monday, April 20, and approved a number of items.
Falls OKs Police Share in Response to COVID-19
In an effort to continue uninterrupted policing in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Falls Township supervisors approved a resolution authorizing its police force to assist surrounding police departments if necessary.
During the virtual meeting, the board unanimously approved the township’s participation in the municipal police COVID-19 taskforce. The resolution allows Falls police to serve in other neighboring municipalities on an as-needed basis, according to supervisors chairman Jeff Dence. Falls is in “good shape” so far, he said, adding that several police in Middletown Township had to take time off due to testing positive for coronavirus.
“This just gives us the ability to help if they need it,” Dence said.
Police Chief William Wilcox said Falls police officers are healthy and that the department is taking precautions to keep it that way.
Falls wishes to “cooperate with surrounding municipalities to ensure continuous and uninterrupted policing of their respective jurisdictions for the protection of the community and public safety,” according to the resolution.
The Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Law enables a municipality to enter into an intergovernmental cooperative agreement upon the passage of an ordinance or resolution by its governing body. Municipalities can withdraw from the taskforce at any time. Falls intends to participate in the taskforce until the COVID-19 pandemic resolves or until its participation is no longer needed.
Restoration of Doughboy Statue
With an eye on preserving World War I history, the Falls supervisors hired a conservation company that had a hand in preserving the Rocky statue in Philadelphia, as well as historical monuments in Gettysburg and Washington, D.C.
The supervisors voted unanimously to hire Kreilick Conservation, LLC to breathe new life into its limestone Doughboy statue. The company plans to thoroughly clean the statue and pedestal. From there, it will be consolidated, a process that strengthens the stone while maintaining permeability. The company will also repair a crack and recreate a missing barrel on the rifle stock. The brick walkway and low wall will also be steam-cleaned to reduce soiling and biological growth.
Total cost for the restoration project is $10,700.
The work will be undertaken in accordance with the American Institute for Conservation’s Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice and in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Restoration.
The memorial is located in the heart of Fallsington and is meant to honor the veterans and casualties of WWI.
Supervisor John Palmer said acid rain and pollution have wreaked havoc on the statue.
“It’s in bad shape,” Palmer said, adding that the restoration company also worked on the William Penn statue, among others. “They are a complete historical reconstruction statue outfit. I’m glad we’re getting this thing moving ahead.”
Kreilick Conservation has performed conservation treatments, assessments, or material analysis at more than 40 national landmarks and conserved more than 250 monuments and outdoor sculptures.
Wheels Set in Motion for Road Program
The board of supervisors is looking to make driving on township roads much smoother. Through 2021, the supervisors plan to fully reconstruct or improve a dozen roads.
During the meeting, the board voted unanimously to authorize advertisement of its 2020 road improvement program. As part of that project, the following roads are planned for full-depth reconstruction:
– Simons Drive between Lions Drive and Bernard Drive
– Gilbert Drive between Elbow Lane and Bernard Drive
– Decou Drive between Walnut Lane and West Trenton Avenue
– Burgess Avenue from dead end to North Lafayette Avenue
The following roads are planned for mill and overlay improvements:
– Elbow Lane from Stony Hill Road and the Falls Township boundary
– Walnut Lane from the dead end to North Pennsylvania Avenue
– North Lafayette Avenue from North Pennsylvania Avenue to West Trenton Avenue
For 2021, the road program consists of full-depth reconstruction of Pinewood Drive, Willow Drive and Elderberry Drive.
In addition, the supervisors approved professional services proposals from township engineer Jones Engineering Associates for the 2020 and 2021 road programs. Jones Engineering will provide construction inspection and oversight for all work within the project scope and attend weekly progress meetings. For the 2021 road program, the firm will undertake those services, as well as surveying and base mapping, pavement core sampling and underground utility verification, engineering design and bid administration. The total cost for engineering services for both years is $1,261,300.
New Grant Opportunities
Noting that Middletown Township has seen more than $10 million in grant funding since 2010, the Falls supervisors have hired the same grant writing firm to actively seek grants for Falls projects.
During the meeting, the supervisors voted unanimously to hire Millennium Strategies, LLC to provide grant writing services.
Interim township manager Matt Takita said the firm will create a strategic plan, review each department’s upcoming projects, research grant opportunities related to what is planned and seek out a variety of grants.
According to the firm’s proposal, Millennium secured $654,510 for Middletown Township in 2019; $1,290,833 for 2018; and more than $10.3 million since the firm began working with Middletown in 2010.
Supervisors chairman Dence said there are many projects that Falls funds that could have been covered by grants, adding that Millennium “came highly recommended from some of our neighboring municipalities.”
Under the contract, the firm will receive $3,000 per month as part of the one-year contract. Falls can cancel the contract at any time with a 14-day notice.
“It does sound like a lot of money,” Dence said. “But the amount of money that we’ll potentially save is substantial.”
In addition to Falls and Middletown, Millennium Strategies provides grant writing services to more than 90 municipalities, counties, school districts and nonprofits in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Since its inception in 2005, the company has secured more than $600 million in both governmental and non-governmental grants for its clients.
Millennium has secured funding for a wide range of projects, including arts and culture, economic development, open space preservation, parks and recreation, environmental planning and restoration, public safety, sustainable energy, historic preservation, as well as transportation-related projects.
Installation of Adaptive Traffic Signals at 23 Intersections
How many times have you sat at a traffic light waiting to go when no other traffic is present in other directions? By 2021, this will be less of an issue for nearly two dozen Falls Township intersections with the installation of an adaptive traffic system.
In addition to the added convenience of faster travel, 80 percent of the projected $1,355,900 installation cost will be covered by a Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission grant. Falls will chip in 20 percent – $271,180 – for completion of adaptive signalization of up to 23 intersections.
During the meeting, the supervisors approved a proposal from Remington & Vernick Engineers to provide engineering and design services. Derrick Kennedy, Remington & Vernick project manager, told the board he expects construction to begin on the adaptive traffic signalization by spring or summer 2021 and complete that year. The effort will “better manage traffic” he said, adding that it will help to address recurring traffic issues.
“The signals optimize themselves in real time,” Kennedy said of the more efficient system. “This would be reactive to what’s happening out there moment to moment.”
Adaptive traffic signals adjust almost instantly to the changes in traffic. Instead of motorists having to wait for a predetermined traffic cycle, adaptive traffic signals would change based on the volume of vehicles in any given lane, meaning the lane with no cars in it, for example, would not be given the green light while drivers in other lanes waited their turn.
The system upgrades will be an extension of a similar signal system completed in Middletown Township, where traffic congestion was said to have been greatly reduced. The new technology will provide Falls with less maintenance intensive signal timing plans and will give PennDOT improved access for monitoring state roadways.
Adaptive signalization is planned for key corridors, including Lincoln Highway (Business Route 1), Tyburn Road, Oxford Valley Road and West Trenton Avenue.
