Dear West Goshen Residents and Business Owners,
While still enjoying the cooler weather of the fall season, the end of the year is approaching and I thought it would be timely to provide a progress update on our key projects for this year.
Management of stormwater infrastructure continues to require a significant amount of staff and Supervisors’ time to address both planned projects and unplanned events. A great example of a planned improvement is the recently completed Bolmar Street Culvert Replacement project. Check out a description of the work with photos here.
Our other planned stormwater projects for 2023 have been completed, with the exception of lining the pipe culvert under Matlack Street at the junction of Rt. 202, which is scheduled to occur in the next few weeks. Money received by the Township from the American Rescue Plan Act provided the funding for these projects and other stormwater improvement initiatives.
Due to aging, many neighborhoods in the Township have deteriorated corrugated metal pipe (CMP) stormwater systems, and a video assessment of those pipe systems suspected to be in most need of repair or replacement was reviewed with the Board in October. The good news is that the visual information obtained showed that overall the condition of many systems was not as bad as feared, and that where replacement was needed, the work could mostly be managed by our own Township Public Works team without using contractors. The team is certainly going to be busy in the next several years addressing these CMP projects.
Speaking of Public Works capabilities, check out the refurbishment work they performed at the WG Police Shooting Range here.
The investment in electrical infrastructure for EV charging capabilities at the Township complex is about to commence. The bid award was lower than our construction estimate and we are further seeking to reduce our cost by applying for a PECO grant award. The installation is designed to accommodate charging of multiple electric vehicles to enable the medium-term strategy of an EV fleet for the Police and Administration departments.
The Board recently directed our professional engineering firm to prepare a bid package for the installation of a solar array on the Public Works building. The Federal Inflation Reduction Act will provide funding for a minimum of 30% and possibly 40% of the entire cost for this project, resulting in a compelling investment case for this on-site power generation. However, given the extended supply chain duration to procure solar panels, the project completion will likely not be until the summer of 2025.
This year we have been the successful recipient of two grants, one from Chester County and one from the State of PA totaling $450,000. With this level of grant funding now secured, we can proceed with detailed design of the first phase of renovations to the West Goshen Community Park in 2024. Phase one will redo the basketball courts and improve drainage for the tennis court area.
The Board welcomes your input on any of our projects, or other Township services. Staff preparation of the 2024 Budget is moving along and budget discussions with the Board are held at our public meetings. As always, I encourage you to attend if you are interested in participating.
With best wishes,
Shaun Walsh
Chair, Board of Supervisors,
West Goshen Township