Lower Mac Discusses Regional Police Force

The Lower Macungie Township Commissioners met Aug. 4 to address a moderately light agenda.

Since the years-old issue of a private the police force -- as opposed to the state police who currently cover the area -- is again coming to the fore, residents of Lower Macungie Township will have an opportunity to voice their comments concerning the future of the township's police coverage at 7 p.m. on Aug. 16 at the .

The Public Safety Committee intends to further discuss a at a workshop that evening and will welcome any input the public has to offer.  It has not been determined when the survey might be mailed to residents.

“This meeting and survey are to determine what, if any, steps need to be taken if the state begins to charge for their police services,” said Roger Reis, president of the Lower Macungie Commissioners.

In related business, commissioners received a letter from Macungie Borough Council asking for a meeting with Mayor Rick Hoffman and Police Chief Ed Harry regarding a possible regional police force.  The commissioners agreed to begin the discussion process and will proceed to set up a meeting with the borough.

Additionally, the Public Safety Committee will review a proposal to modify the signal at Kressler Road and Hamilton Blvd, as requested by Christopher Surovy of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

“It is possible that all that is needed is a timing change,” said Reis.  It may even help to alleviate some of the heavy traffic on East Texas Road, possibly caused by the current timing of the light, he added.

Also at the meeting, the commissioners approved two requests from the East Penn School District:

1. Upon the recommendation from the Parks and Recreation Department, the district be permitted to use the ball field on at Church Lane Park from March 2012 through June, 2012.
2. The Emmaus High School Cross Country team requested the use of Camp Olympic for practice and home use beginning August, 2011.  A conditional approval was granted: the area used must be left the way it is found and the district must present proof of insurance coverage.