Pipeline A Necessary Solution To Dimock Water Woes Commentary George E. Turner

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Supervisors discuss potential paving project that could benefit entire Back Mountain.


DALLAS TWP. &ndash; Supervisors passed a budget for 2011 that will include no tax increases for residents. 
Board members did not reveal figures for the proposed budget at a meeting Tuesday night, but records show the current millage rate for the township is .52. A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value.
The board of supervisors also discussed a potential paving project that could benefit the entire Back Mountain community. 
The proposed project entails paving and conducting street improvements to Fairground Road, which starts at Conygham Avenue and ends at Lower Demunds Road. The road is currently blocked off due to its condition.
&ldquo;The biggest thing is that it would take traffic from the school and Hildebrandt Road,&rdquo; said Vice Chairman Frank Wagner.
The board made a proposal to the Luzerne County Office of Community Development after being notified that the township was eligible for a 2011 grant. The grant, estimated to be as much as $100,000, will be provided if the project benefits low-to-moderate-income families. 
A survey will be conducted to determine the income levels of the benefactors, which the board argues will include a larger area than just the community surrounding the road.
A bridge at the intersection of Fairground and Lower Demunds roads was replaced last year when the township received $1 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency due to flooding in June 2006. Board members said the bridge is barely used by citizens.
In other news, the board voted to pay Popple Construction Inc. $234,791 for a contracted paving project that was recently completed. The agreed-upon price totaled $204,173, but unforeseen repairs to manholes and additional paving added $30,618 to the bill.
Tom Reilly, of Reilly Engineering, and Bill Grant, a partner of the Dorchester Land Developers, gave an update on the water main replacement project in accordance with the new Geisinger building construction. 
Dorchester Drive will be paved starting this week from Westminster Drive to Kingswood Drive, and fire hydrants will be replaced along the road.
Grant said the paving should last about a week.
Brandon Allen of The Ambassador Co. based in North Carolina spoke to the board about a character program to be incorporated at Dallas Elementary early next year. 
Next meeting

The next meeting of the Dallas Township Board of Supervisors will be Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the municipal building at 601 Tunkhannock Highway.

Taxes To Stay Same In Dallas Twp.