EAST SMETHPORT — The Keating Township Supervisors announced at their monthly meeting Wednesday that the Valley Crossroads Bridge over Potato Creek will reopen today.
Supervisor Chairman Doug Covert said the township had received a letter from the engineering firm stating “an interim inspection of the structure has been completed and it is safe to re-open at the posted limit of three tons.”
The letter also noted, “Per the township’s request, we will evaluate whether or not the posting can be safely increased to four tons.”
For his part, Covert noted, “The decking should be good enough so as not to impact a four-ton limit.”
Replying to a question from a resident, the supervisors said if the bridge were to be sandblasted and painted, the cost could be about $300,000.
The bridge was closed temporarily for repairs to the floor system and deck. The engineering firm stated that it is their understanding that the township hopes to complete similar repairs to replace the far left half of the bridge in a couple of years.
Covert said that several of the old steel beams were brought back to the township sheds so residents could see the deterioration.
“Our employees did an awesome job in restoring the bridge,” Covert said. “They felt a sense of urgency, but still took their time to do an excellent job. It has been a successful project, and we look forward to using it for many years.”
Supervisors said that steps will be taken to deal with drivers who disobey the weight limit.
Numerous financial matters were on the meeting’s agenda. Alan C. Felix, a certified public accountant with Felix and Gloekler Inc. in Erie, reported on the township’s 2017 audit.
“This was a clean opinion with no exceptions,” he said before briefly explaining the major sections and different accounts in the 48-page document.
During this time, some discussion was held about amending the budget — often caused by major unexpected expenditures — and Felix advised this action should be done at a public meeting.
Covert lauded township secretary-treasurer Melissa Jo Smith “for another excellent audit.”
In other financial matters, supervisors unanimously adopted resolutions authorizing the township to remove some funds from local banks and transfer the balances to the Pennsylvania Local Government Investment Trust, a professionally managed money market trust fund that is administered by and for local government units and pays higher interest rates.
These included the transfer of $500,000 from the Hamlin Bank General Fund Money Market Account and the closing of the following accounts: $107,851.07 at Northwest; $171,840.41 in the state aid money market at Hamlin Bank and $339,588.54 in the sewer debt reserve account, also at Hamlin Bank.
Supervisors also discussed establishing a road bond escrow account that would only affect future bonds after official adoption of the ordinance. Final action on such an ordinance will be on the agenda at the supervisors’ public meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 3.
Supervisors also adopted a resolution that appoints the current secretary-treasurer as a liaison with Berkheimer Associates, the collector of local earned income taxes for the municipality.
In another matter, supervisors tabled any action on proceeding with efforts to secure grants to fund significant repairs to the Phase I sewer pump station in East Smethport. The action came after the officials said they just received pertinent information Wednesday and didn’t have sufficient time to study it.
Supervisors accepted IA’s bid of $13.25 per ton for anti-skid material.
Smith will secure telephone quotes for diesel fuel because the expense would be under $19,700.
