GALENA — From road work to cleanup, it’s been a busy fall in Berkshire Township.
Sixteen volunteers, including six students from Berkshire Middle School, cleaned the community gardens on Nov. 6. They cut back plants, weeded, and hauled away debris. The township is interested in establishing a community garden club. If interested, email Administrative Assistant Tracy George at [email protected].
Berkshire Township’s Road Department cleaned the former barn/silo area next to the gardens, dumping debris and planting grass. The department consists of two full-time employees and a summer seasonal employee, and it’s responsible for more than 20 miles of roadway, with 25 new roads added this year. The department also handles the grounds and building maintenance, Berkshire Cemetery (including burials), ditches, road signage, potholes, berms, litter and snow removal.
The township notes residents can help the road department with the snow removal by keeping items out of the roadway (including leaning mailboxes), keeping cars off the street overnight, and pruning trees to 14 feet above the road. Like other communities, Berkshire plows snow from the main roads first before getting to subdivisions. The township has an equipment replacement program so vehicles are replaced every eight or 12 years, depending on their size.
“The township recently completed road improvement projects totaling $135,740,” the township said in its Fall Newsletter. “Those projects were: Grader patch and pavement repairs and onyx on Blaney Road; full-depth construction of Joe Walker Road south (in partnership with the Village of Galena); grader patch and chip-sealing of Joe Walker Road north; 2” milling and repaving of Bent Tree Drive; pavement markings on Fourwinds Drive and chip sealing on a section of Stockwell Drive.
“Twice a year the township performs an inspection on all township roads and grades the roads on the present conditions,” the newsletter continued. “We use these grades to assist us in determining, and budgeting for, what projects need completed in the next construction season. We also rely on the Delaware County Engineer’s Office to support us in the construction projects through the process to construction management.”
The township’s inaugural Holiday Food Drive delivered five full banker’s boxes to People In Need, Inc. of Delaware County on Nov. 23.
Lastly, “We now have a Notary Public on staff in the township office,” the township said in its Holiday Newsletter. “We are happy to offer this service to our residents free of charge by appointment only.”
