ADOPTION OF 2022 BUDGET IN PRELIMINARY FORM
The budget for the calendar year 2022 for Pike Township, Berks County has been adopted in Preliminary Form by the Board of Supervisors and is available for inspection at the Township Building, 810 Hill Church Road, Boyertown, PA 19512 during office hours Tues. & Thurs. 10 am to 3 pm and Wed. 8 am to 1 pm. The 2022 Budget Resolution and a Tax Levy Resolution will be adopted at the Budget Closeout Meeting held by the Board of Supervisors 7:30 pm, Wednesday, December 15, 2021, at the Township Building.
The building is ADA accessible. Anyone requiring special accommodations should contact the township office at 610-987-6023. | Pike Township
810 Hill Church Road
Boyertown PA 19512
Phone: 610-987-6023
Fax: 610-987-0116 Email: piketownship@juno.com
Township Garage: 610-987-8905 Office Hours: Tuesdays 10 am - 3 pm Wednesdays 8 am - 1 pm Thursdays 10 am - 3 pm |
Welcome to the Pike Township Website
I am pleased to welcome you to the Pike Township website. Our website provides a central location to obtain draft agendas for regular meetings, copies of ordinances, lists of members of the various committees, contact information, Township background and history, and information on “happenings” in Pike Township. I encourage residents to visit the site frequently and to get involved in their areas of interest.
Jeffrey E. Gorrin, Chairman,
Pike Township Board of Supervisors
2021 PUBLIC MEETINGS NOTICE
Board of Supervisors Regular Monthly meetings: 7:30 pm, 1st Tues, as follows:
Nov 2 Dec 7
Environmental Advisory Council monthly meetings: 7:30 pm, 2nd Mon, as follows (as necessary):Planning and Zoning Commission meetings: 7:30 pm, 3rd Wed, as follows (as necessary):
Nov 17 Dec 15
Zoning Hearing Board: as advertised
Emergency Preparedness Special Needs Survey
The East Central PA Counter Terrorism Task Force (ECPCTTF) is a cooperative effort of Berks, Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, and Wyoming counties. The task force is organized to assist member agencies with tools, strategies and guidance in their efforts toward an all hazards approach to emergency preparedness. This project, the ECPCTTF Special Needs Survey, is an example of these efforts. For the purpose of this project, a special needs individual is someone who is likely to require assistance in excess of that provided to the general public in a time of disaster, particularly in the event that large scale evacuation is necessary. These special needs could include, but are not limited to, requiring specialized medical equipment, difficulty walking, blindness, deafness, or being bedridden. They could also include having limited access to transportation, not understanding directions public safety officials will provide due to language barriers, and not being able to receive those directions due to not having access to television, internet or radio.
The information entered in this database will be used by emergency responders to better identify and assist those individuals in our community who may be least able to help themselves in times of disaster. For more information and to register, you can access the survey using this link: Special Needs Survey
If you would prefer completing this survey offline, you can download a copy of the survey with this link: Downloadable Special Needs Survey
| In the summer, Spotted Lanternfly become more mobile and increase in size and strength, specifically around the month of July. This means that these insects will be more visible and able to travel further distances. This year, improved control methods have been introduced for property owners, with the release of modified circle traps. Sticky bands are still effective, however circle traps are better at catching the adult Spotted Lanternfly and assist in minimizing the ecological impact on non-target species. The circle trap is made of mesh and wraps completely around the tree. As Spotted Lanternfly climb the tree, the mesh guides it up into a collection bag in which it is unable to escape. The bag can be replaced as it fills up, while the rest of the trap remains in place throughout the season. To purchase a trap, visit: https://www.greatlakesipm.com/product_search/?q=spotted%20la To make your own trap, visit: https://extension.psu.edu/how-to-build-a-new-type-of-spotted-lanternfly-trap-called-a-circ le-trap When you leave your home this summer, don't forget to take precautions that prevent Spotted Lanternfly from traveling with you from place-to-place. Egg masses look like a splash of mud and can be hidden on any flat surface while easily blending in and moving with you anywhere that you go. Be sure to check all vehicles, trailers, campers, and other equipment including around front and rear windshield wipers, grills, roof racks, wheel wells, and truck beds. With this, a Spotted Lanternfly permit is required for all businesses, agencies and organizations, agricultural and non-agricultural, working within a quarantine zone, which move regulated articles, such as products, vehicles, and other conveyances, within or from a quarantine zone. The goal of the permitting process is education. Through the permit course, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences explain the risks to Pennsylvania's economy and residents' quality of life, how to identify the insect in all stages of its life, and how to prevent the spread. You can contact the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture team with questions on permitting and assistance with quarantine compliance at slfpermit@pa.gov or 717-787-5674. Contact the Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences' team for help with questions on Spotted Lanternfly management or to report SLF sightings at extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly or 1-888-422-3359. |
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today urged all Pennsylvanians to test their homes for radon, a deadly radioactive gas thats the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers in the United States. DEP also urged residents to take action to reduce radon levels in their homes if they are high.Due to our geology, radon is found everywhere in Pennsylvania. For that reason, we urge residents to test their homes to protect themselves and their family's health, said DEP Secretary John Quigley. Winter is the best time to test your home for radon because doors and windows are typically closed and tightly sealed, producing the most accurate results.January is Radon Action Month, and a great time to test. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets the action level for radon at 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air. Residents with levels at or above that figure should take steps to lower them.Testing for radon is the only way to know if a home, school, workplace or other structure has elevated concentrations of radon. Test kits can be purchased at most hardware or home improvement stores at an average cost of $15 to $25 per test. If you are uncomfortable doing the testing yourself you can hire a state-certified radon tester, or if you are selling your home and want a radon test, it is best to hire a certified tester. The cost of a mitigation system typically ranges around $1,000.Pennsylvania law requires all radon service providers, such as radon testers, radon mitigators and radon laboratories to be certified by DEP. The list of Pennsylvania-certified radon service providers is updated monthly and available on DEP's website. You can also obtain a hard copy of the directory or verify a company's certification by calling 800-23RADON.In 2014, the highest radon level ever recorded in the U.S. was found in a home in Lehigh County.The concentration measured was 3,715 pCi/L, more than 900 times EPA's action level of 4 pCi/L. DEP recommended the owners vacate their home until it could be remediated to safe levels.Approximately 20,000 lung cancer deaths per year are attributable to radon exposure so the threat is very real,†said Secretary of Health Dr. Karen Murphy. Radon exposure combined with smoking is a particularly lethal combination so we encourage everyone to take steps to reduce their risk.If you are building a new home, DEP recommends installing a passive radon system during construction. If high radon levels are found when the home is completed, a fan can be readily installed. There are good reasons to install a radon system during construction:There is no reliable way to test the ground in advance for radon.The average residential radon level in Pennsylvania is 7-8 picocuries per liter.The cost of installing the radon system during construction should be less than installing one after the fact.Building the radon system internally should keep aesthetics of the home intact. If radon is not addressed during construction, an outside radon system may be required if the radon test comes back greater than 4 picocuries per liter.For people buying or selling a home, Pennsylvania's Real Estate Seller Disclosure Act requires sellers to disclose the results of any known radon testing. DEP's website lists radon testing options for real estate transactionsDEP, in cooperation with Commonwealth Media Services, has produced a public service announcement about the importance of radon testing. The PSA is currently airing on Pennsylvania, television and radio stations during January. The PSA is available on DEP's YouTube Channel.For more information about radon testing and radon resistant construction, visit DEP's website at www.dep.pa.gov/radon.MEDIA CONTACT: Susan Rickens, 717-787-1323
