No peddling without a permit in Liberty Township/By Martha Knight

LIBERTY VILLA–peddlers and solicitors are not at liberty to ply their trade in Liberty Township without a $25 permit, and then only for 30 days.

That is the main thrust of an ordinance adopted by the Liberty Township Supervisors at their meeting Tuesday night.

The restriction is not so hard and fast but what youth groups and charitable organizations can sell items for fundraising, sans permit. Other exceptions are farmers selling their own produce, sales of milk and meat, and insurance sales. Such activities are not included in the ordinance’s definition of peddling.

Persons wanting to engage in peddling or soliciting as defined by the measure are to apply for permits, and pay $25, at the township office. Permits are good for 30 days and renewable for another 30, for another fee.

Each individual peddler or solicitor must carry his or her permit when making rounds in the township. Permits may not be transferred or shared.

Peddling or soliciting is not permitted before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m. or on legal holidays.

The supervisors discussed various road and bridge repairs that are planned. Chairman Gary Turner said that there are many such needs in the township, because some infrastructure had been neglected and poor quality work had been performed for a number of years. He said the township is tackling many projects and making good progress in the past two years, but it will take a while to catch things up.

One urgent project is repairing a bridge on Fogel Road, the site of a fatal accident this past winter, in which the bridge was damaged. The bridge has been closed to traffic since then, awaiting repairs.

Turner and fellow supervisor Chuck Safford outlined the approach they will use to make the repairs and get the bridge open again. They estimate that it will cost the township $6,000 to $8,000.

A high use of gravel and shale, as shown on the bill list, was explained as resulting from the damage to several stretches of road caused by application of salt in the winter.

Areas where there are potholes and drop-offs were enumerated. Lillibridge Road is still scheduled for a major improvement, the supervisors said. A number of culverts have been installed, and more are in the offing.

Lanny Nunn mentioned that a ditch along Brooklynside still needs attention, and was assured that it is on the list of tasks they want the crew to tackle soon.

The supervisors listed their “under 20 feet” bridges that are not inspected by the state, and the four larger ones that are. Inspections are taking place now.

As a measure to keep bridges usable as much as possible while they are being repaired, it was explained, the highway crew is taking along a heavy steel plate to bear some traffic temporarily.

Sandra Kinney, who is treasurer for Samuel W. Smith Memorial Public Library and Bookmobile, thanked the supervisors for the township’s recent contribution to its operating budget.

The supervisors rejected the sole bid received in response to advertising for various road and antiskid materials. They will re-advertise.

Supervisor Bruce Klein was absent.