SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP — During October’s South Abington Township supervisor’s meeting, Thom Welby, District Officer of state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, informed the supervisors that he talked with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency about reaching its threshold of $23 million damage from September flooding so the township could qualify for an emergency declaration.
He said that even though some of the counties reached the threshold, Gov. Josh Shapiro still denied them emergency funding.
“They’re going back and forth with the feds on what they can and cannot submit, and what’s going to be accepted and what isn’t going to be accepted,” he said.
Welby said that with a lot of money attributed for PennDOT repairs, some of the projects were already projected for funding and had to be deducted.
Supervisor Mark Dougherty asked him how close South Abington Township is reaching the threshold. Welby replied that it’s under a million.
“The water issue is the biggest issue facing the township in this area forever,” he said.
Welby agreed but mentioned that it’s self-inflicting due to years of paving.
Dougherty said that the drainage facilities or state roads are not being cleared. Welby said that he was told that there is a 75 to 25% chance of meeting the threshold and that it needs to be approved by the governor. He said that even if townships reach the threshold, it doesn’t necessarily mean that residents or businesses are going to get grants.
“They’re (municipalities) going to get low-interest loans, which they qualify for now,” he said.
Secretary JoAnn Pane said that there is a PEMA-reporting event on South Abington Township’s web page.
“We’re trying to pull more numbers and more damages and even businesses that haven’t reported to try to get close to that threshold so the state receives funding,” she said.
In other business:
• Since the bridge collapsed and the culvert pipe on Bailey Street was badly damaged from the storm on Sept. 9, the supervisors obtained an emergency permit to do an immediate creek bank restoration and fix the pipe. Road foreman Dean Faraday and assistant road foreman Dave Osterhout finished a survey and drafted drawings so that the township can receive a general permit. This permit would give the township permission to restore the creek and road without having to apply for an emergency permit.
• The supervisors voted for an application to change the timing on the street light at the intersection of Northern Boulevard and South Abington Elementary School. The light would give more time for buses and parents to turn onto Northern Boulevard after picking up children from school.
