Public Works Garage Update

Reprinted from the FAC blog:  Forks Township is seeking bids from professional
architectural/Engineering firms to build the new public works building. The following is
a summary of the bid notice obtained from the Forks Township website.  

“The Forks Township Board of Supervisors is seeking to secure the services of an
Architectural/Engineering Firm to design a public works facility
on a 53 acre parcel of
land owned by the township. This location was designated by a 2003 Feasibility Study,
commissioned by the Board of Supervisors to locate the future site of a municipal
public works facility
. If selected as one of the three finalists, copies will be made
available, upon request at no charge to the company. This location and facility is to be
compatible with at the future recreational design of the balance of the property.”

However, contrary to what the above notice implies, the BoS has not yet approved a
public works facility location.  Residents have expressed concerns about the above
noted location (it is future park land) at both the
recreation hearing and the garage
proposal workshop
.  Supervisors expressly said that the location and final design will
be discussed further with the BoS, Planning Commission, and the community and
that residents will have an opportunity for more input.
Are you looking for  Sullivan County, PA?
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Why F.A.C.?

Much of what happens in and to our community is not found in our local newspapers.  The Forks Action Committee's website
and
weblog are here to fill the void.  "Knowledge is power!"  Our goal is to keep you informed so that you have real power,
power at the polls and power at the podium.
August 31, 2006
We welcome those of you who reached our page in error when searching for Forks Township, PA in Sullivan County.  We are
the Forks Township in Northampton County!  Feel free to poke around and visit any time at all!
F.A.C. is for everyone!

Follow the news link to the left for updates on current and proposed projects in the township...  and more about F.A.C.  Don't
forget to visit our
forksaction weblog where you can read what others think as well as express your own concerns, ideas, and
facts!
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F.A.C. and YOU!

F.A.C. will do its best to keep you abreast of things that are happening in our township... things that impact you, the residents
of Forks.  For the 2005 Board of Supervisors race, we endorsed the candidacy of
C. David Howell.  He WON!  Read more
about the race on our
Election 05 page.  Is that a FAC?  You bet it is!
You are visitor #
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If you can't get there, visit our forksaction weblog.  Join in the dialogue!
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Counter
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Meetings are where YOU can listen and can be heard!
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Meetings are where things happen and happen TO you!
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In The News - F.A.C. Surveys!  

A special thanks to Express Times reporter  Sarah Mausolf for reminding folks that
they have a place to go to express their opinions.  Although our surveys are not
scientific, they are always  topical and often thought provoking.  We hope that you
continue to participate!  If you have a suggestion for a survey, please send us a note
either via
email or the form on the Contact Us page.
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School District Impact Assessments - An Update - 5/7/06

The Board agreed to sign the Impact Resolution (#060504) at their
meeting on 5/4/06!
 Forks Supervisors had this as an agenda item at their
meeting on the 4/20.  The Board listened to grassroots activists Don Dal Maso and
Richard Cowell (both of Lower Mount Bethel Township) describe the costs to our
schools of new developments and the children they bring. The Board learned that
other townships have already passed resolutions in support of school district impact
fees.  They learned that
Rep. Rich Grucela and Rep. Stephen Maitland (his bill is
lengthy - jump to page 24 for the meat of it)
have introduced bills in support of giving
townships the legal right to assess school impact fees on developers.  And, most
important to Forks taxpayers, our Supervisors voted in favor of a resolution supporting
the concept! -
Williams Township residents are starting to weigh in on it too!  It's got a
long way to go according to the
Morning Call.  

An
editorial in the Express Times described the proposal, the debate(s) to come, and
Rep. Grucela's efforts.  
This is a big deal.  To learn more about it, please contact Don
Dal Maso directly.  

Please see our December 2005 Archive and our blog for more on this topic.  Read Dal
Maso's latest
newsletter too and the Op-Ed piece in the Express Times.
No one knows that you CARE if you don't let them know!
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Recent Website Visits through 7/4/2009
Recent Blog Visits through 7/4/2009
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Building Moratoriums and Impact Fees - Not Forgotten!

On Wednesday, August 1st, State Representative Bob Freeman chaired a public hearing at Lafayette College to
discuss allowing municipalities to impose building moratoriums while zoning and comprehensive plans are
rewritten.  And, on Thursday, August 2nd, both Freeman and State Representative Rich Grucela hosted a
hearing
on developer impact fees (a way to pay for schools when development makes expansion necessary) in Upper
Mount Bethel Township.

Below are links to meeting(s) coverage, some of the testimony, and the House Bills:
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House Bill 904 - Hearing - Building Moratoriums
  Express Times - HB 904 Hearing
  HB 904 - The Bill
  HB 904 Analysis - Freeman
  PSATS (PA State Association of Township Supervisors) Testimony
  PBA (PA Builders Association) Testimony
  PSBA (PA School Board Association) Comments
  EASD Business Manager - Jeffrey Bader - (excerpt) Testimony
  Easton News - Forks Supervisors Endorse Bill "in principle"
 
House Bill 72 - Hearing - Developer Impact Fees
  HB 72 - The Bill
  Express Times - HB 72 Hearing - sidebar
  Morning Call - HB 72 Hearing
Check out our Election 05 page for more on C. David Howell's election run and his victory.  You'll find charts and graphs
and even polling place details.  
Email us if there's anything else you'd like to see there.  

Our Howell links and the election results are now in one convenient place.  We hope you like it.  Congratulations to all who
voted!  









Lawsuit Filed - Tree Cutting!

Gary Strausser - the man - and Strausser Enterprises - the company - are being sued by Forks Township.  The
Board voted 4:0 at its meeting on September 20th to sue both Gary Strausser and Strausser Enterprises, the
developer of Riverview, for cutting the stately old township owned maples on Old River Road.  Read more in
articles by
JD Malone (Express Times) and by Tom De Martini (Morning Call).  This battle will be not be dull - Gary
Asteak, Esq. represents Gary Strausser and his company.  According to Township Solicitor, Karl Kline, the
Township has requested a jury trial.

Strausser In The News Again!

The Express Times' Jimmy Miller (9/2/07) reported further on the allegations made by Strausser representative Sal
Panto to the Forks Supervisors - that on at least four occasions, EMS (from outside Forks) did not arrive at the
Riverview Country Club when a 911 call was made because the (still private) Riverview roads are not on the
Northampton County 911 mapping system.  Panto said that dispatched vehicles are not able to find the golf course
country club on Winchester Drive. - Because of this, Strausser has asked  the Township to take over maintenance
of  Riverview's roads.

Barry Alberston, Jr. of Suburban EMS, said that this was untrue.  Apparently there are two witnesses to one of the
incidents - that of a woman fainting at the country club.  Albertson said that Forks EMS called off that ALS call.
..................................

Maples Gone - Strausser Gets TURKEY!

The giants - maple trees that are older than any of us - are gone.  Strausser Enterprises cut them down.  One was
53" in diameter.  Chopped to pieces.

An
Express Times TURKEY (August 25) went to Gary Strausser for cutting the trees and then asking the Forks
Supervisors to take over maintenance of some of the Riverview roads!  According to
Express Times reporter JD
Malone, the Township-hired arborist has finished inspecting the destroyed trees and will submit a report to the
Board.  This will be an agenda item at the September 6 meeting.

Candidates are not quiet on the issue either.  Bob Egolf's
letter to Morning Call calls for vigilance when dealing with
developers.  David Billings' letters to the editor  in both the
Morning Call and to the Express Times urge the Board
to take strong legal action.
In case any of you wonder how our website and blog are doing lately, here are some graphs to view.  Double click on the
images below for larger views.  We are excited at the traffic we are getting.
 Thank you all!  Tell your friends!
Diameter 53 inches - a maple tree no more
Residents from the area described the destruction to  the
Supervisors at the August 16 meeting.  The deed  cannot be undone.  
Forks Supervisors are considering the punishment.  

Read
Jimmy Miller (Express Times) and Madeleine Mathias (Morning
Call) for more.  

For more photos, see the FAC blog
Did You Hear The Trees Scream?
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Eight RIP Signs Planted - Eight Removed!

According to the Express Times, the signs were placed next to the
stumps of the Strausser-cut trees by Supervisor Howell.  After only
two days, the signs were removed -
by someone - not Mr. Howell.
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To those of you who have found your way here because of Sarah Mausolf's article in the 8/2/05 Express Times, we say THANK
YOU!
  Thank you for taking the time to see what  F.A.C. is all about for yourselves.  Before you dive in we want you to be aware
of  a few things:

  1. Despite what some may say, Forks Township is YOUR town.  F.A.C. is here to keep you informed and involved.
  2. Please take just a few moments to read our mission statement.
  3. Like other organizations, we need you.  Unlike other organizations, you can help us to help you from the comfort of your
    home... and, at your convenience.

                                           WELCOME!  
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FAC's Election 07 and Candidates In The News pages are very much alive and will remain available on this website.

The four Forks Supervisor candidates waged some of the cleanest campaigns ever seen.  It was truly a race among the good
guys.  It's too bad for Forks Township that only two candidates could win.  

To see the final tally, click
here.  To read JD Malone's (Express Times) after election interviews with Erik Chuss and Bob Egolf,
click
here.
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... keeping you informed!
in beautiful Forks Township, PA 18040
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Things YOU can do now!                                                                      updated 7/4/2009
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June 30, 2008 text
 
For more, see - the F.A.C. unofficial Forks Meeting Calendar
Planning Commission - Regular Meeting - Thursday, July 9- 7:30 PM - Municipal Bldg
Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting - Thursday, July 16 - 7:30 PM
Planning Commission Workshop - Tuesday, July 28 - 7 PM - Municipal Bldg
Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting - Thursday, August 6 - 7:30 PM
Planning Commission - Regular Meeting - Thursday, August 13 - 7:30 PM - Municipal Bldg
Take our F.A.C. Weekly Survey!   CLICK HERE.  The results will be available for each survey
question the week following the survey.  To view the vote totals for last week's question, click
RESULTS!
If you'd like to see ALL of our weekly survey results,
click here.
Visit our (click on) BLOG!  In order to post comments, you must be registered with Google or
Blogger.  Registration is simple and free.  If you have questions, please drop us a line.  We will help
you.  You have only read 1/2 of our website if you do not read the
BLOG posts and the Comments too!
Bookmark this website (and blog). It is updated regularly and if you do not visit us at least once a
week you may be missing out on important information that affects your wallet and your quality of life!  
Also,
tell your friends, family, neighbors and EVERY Township resident that you know about this
website.
 Thanks!
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Advertised Meeting
Schedules 2009
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F.A.C. Blog
Meeting Calendar
Forks' Draft Comprehensive Plan - Update
PC & BoS ad hoc committee meetings completed -
June 8, 2009 was the last

Forks Board of Supervisors (BoS) and Planning Commissioners (PC) held a joint
public  workshop after the July 10, 2008 regular PC meeting.  The purpose was to
review/discuss the
latest draft of the Comprehensive Plan.  And, that they did.  

It was decided that the current draft is too generic and, at the same time, too detailed
to be the best guide possible for future Forks Supervisors and Planners.  The PC and
BoS opted to form an ad hoc committee composed of two members of the PC and two
of the BoS to tackle improvements to the draft Plan.  URDC will once again be charged
with making it all work.  

The Comprehensive Plan ad hoc committee members are:   David Howell (BoS
chairman), Dean Turner (PC chairman), Vito Tamborrino (PC), and Bob Egolf (BoS).  
Alternate members are David Billings (PC) and Bonnie Nicholas (BoS).

For more on the joint workshop see the
FAC blog.

The ad hoc committee meetings have now ended
- next up?  Revised new Comprehensive Plan!
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Meco/Sullivan traffic light is a GO - slow

Update 4/11/09:  Township Engineer Fred Hay told the Board at its March 19 meeting
that although the application is in, the rules keep changing for the handicap sidewalk
ramps.  The Federal government is making the State upgrade all State roads
(handicap ramps).  Hay said that the paperwork is horrendous.

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Reprinted from the FAC blog 3/15/09:  
According to Christopher Baxter of the Morning Call,
the longed for traffic light at Meco Road and Sullivan Trail will soon become a reality.  
Rob Leiser, owner of
Leiser's Rental Barn, has approved and signed the PennDOT
agreement.

In exchange for his cooperation, the Township will pay for and install two new
entrances to his business, one on Sullivan further from the intersection, and the other
on Meco behind his business.

Those of us who use that intersection owe Mr. Leiser our thanks.
Senator Wonderling has resigned

Please read the following for more:
Morning Call - June 1, 2009
Morning Call - June 2, 2009
Express Times - June 4, 2009
Forks Action Committee
FAC's Forks
Primary Election page
Forks Action Committee
March 31, 2009 text
The 2009 Primary Election

The May 19th Municipal Primary official winners are posted on the
F.A.C.
Forks-centric webpage.  
It's summer and it's kid time at Penn's Ridge Park!

On Friday June 26th, with a small ribbon cutting ceremony, phase I of the first of Forks'
neighborhood parks was dedicated.  

By noon, there were a few families and  even some "older" kids enjoying the new park
equipment.  It just proves the old adage, "If you build it, they will come."

Still to come for this newest of Forks parks are landscaping, a unique four board
basketball court, and a few more picnic tables.  
Forks Township's new website is open for business!

Check out Forks Township's brand new redesigned official website.  It sports a fresh
new look and it is content loaded.
Your access to legal notices - is it important? -  Click to vote!
Your access to legal notices - is it important? -  Click to vote!
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For the offical results see
Take the trolley to the Farmers' Market
Trips begin Saturday, June 6th - only $1

From the F.A.C. blog - 6/3/09:  The Easton Farmers' Market trolley will begin service on
Saturday, June 6. It will leave the Forks Township  Municipal Building at 8:45 AM for
College Hill and then to downtown.  The trolley will run continuously every half hour
with its last departure from Center Square at 12:45 PM.  

For more details, visit the
Easton Farmers' Market website... and don't forget your
dollar on Saturday.  Parking is free at the Municipal Building.
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