heidelberg happenings · many parts make up a large truck or piece of machin-ery and any attempts...

HAPPY RETIREMENT TO A TOWNSHIP CONSTANT

H E I D E L B E R G T O W N S H I P , L E B A N O N C O U N T Y

WINTER/SPRING 2019

HEIDELBERG HAPPENINGS Special points of

interest:

Recycling the first

Saturday of the

month from 8-12 at

the Township

Building Lower Lot

The Township Office

will be closed:

April 15 & 16—PSATS

Municipal Convention

April 19—Good Friday

May 27—Memorial Day

Inside this issue:

Local Service Tax 2

New Storage

Building

2

House Numbers 3

Dietary Needs Busi-

ness

3

2019 Meeting

Schedule

4

On December 28, 2018, one of the

fixtures of Heidelberg Township

said “Goodbye” to full-time em-

ployment. After nearly 46 years of

employment with Heidelberg

Township, Howard “Hops” Leed

has officially hung up his Road

Foreman neon jacket and retired

to seasonal status.

Hops started his decades-long ca-

reer with Heidelberg Township on

April 4, 1973. Snow removal was

limited and use of pick-ups with

plows and hot cinders from local

wood stoves shoveled off the back

of those trucks was common. The

population at that time was ap-

proximately 2,850 residents and

the number of houses was just

starting to make a big jump with

new developments taking shape.

Through the years Hops has seen

so many changes. Houses built

and businesses started. Families

grow and lands change shape.

When asked about memorable

moments over his career, many

came to mind. Hops remembered

the large snow storm in 1996

where 26” of blowing and drifting

snow turned into rain. The rain

made the snow drifts turn into

hard snow and his V-plow wouldn’t

push the snow, only drive on top

of it. His co-worker at the time,

Bill Hauck, used the Loader to

plow snow where the drifts were

taller than the machinery. In

contrast, he also remembers the

winter of 1975 that had no plowing

at all! Hand-unloading hot paving

material on a scorching summer day

with Bill is a memory he won’t soon

forget either! Hops made so many

friends through his employment with

the Township. Being involved in the

well-being of daily life for many

creates connections not easily for-

gotten.

Hops won’t stop his work schedule

right away. He will continue to work

for the Township has a part-time/

seasonal employee. This winter he

will still be around to maintain win-

ter weather conditions and will also

lend a hand when machinery repairs

are needed.

Taking the reigns as Superintendent

of Public Works will be Sean Weik.

Sean grew up in Heidelberg Township

and currently lives in not-too-distant

Millcreek Township. Sean brings 25

years of experience in equipment

use and has also managed large utili-

ty construction crews for UGI. Sean

began working for the Township right

after the large rain event at the end

of August and immediately got to

work repairing bridges and cleaning

distressed areas. Nothing like trial

by fire! While he continues to work

with Hops to learn and understand

the many facets of municipal work,

Sean has made a fast impression as a

hard worker who wants to do what’s

best for Heidelberg Township.

As a celebration of Hops’ dedication

to the Township, Heidelberg Town-

ship invites residents to attend a

retirement gathering on March 30,

2019 from 1:00-4:00PM at the

Schaefferstown Fire Company ban-

quet hall located at 200 N. Locust

Street. The time will be spent remi-

niscing and extending a debt of grat-

itude to a man who devoted the

majority of his life to serving the

residents of Heidelberg Township.

NEW STORAGE BUILDING HOUSES EQUIPMENT

The Township

is looking for

some members

to fill out the

Park and

Recreation

Board roster.

Please contact

the Township

if interested.

H E I D E L B E R G H A P P E N I N G S

LOCAL SERVICE TAX TO AID EMS ORGANIZATIONS

After many years of saving and

nearly two years of planning,

Heidelberg Township was able

to build an equipment storage

building behind the township

office this year.

The construction contract for

the project was awarded to

the low-bidder Dutchman

Contracting, LLC in July for

$285,196.00. A review of

possible alterations suggested

by the contractor resulted in a

decrease of the project total

cost by $18,697.00. After

some site preparation work

was done by the excavator

over the summer, construction

began in early fall. Most of

the entire project is finished

at this time with only minor

interior items and site restora-

tion items to be completed.

The construction of a storage

building now enables equip-

ment that was previously left

in the elements to have a

home. Each piece of equip-

ment kept outside over winter

and inclement weather costs

money in repairs and additional

upkeep. Many parts make up a

large truck or piece of machin-

ery and any attempts to keep

them in the best working order

only aids the cost-saving

efforts.

If residents have any questions

about the project, feel free to

contact the Township Office at

(717) 949-3885.

Heidelberg Township immensely

values the efforts of our local

volunteer Emergency Services

organizations. In order to aid in

sustaining their financial needs,

the Board of Supervisors has en-

acted Ordinance 158 for a Local

Service Tax.

The Local Service Tax is assessed

to all of those employed by busi-

nesses located in Heidelberg

Township. This amount is not

paid by residents of the Township

unless you are employed by a

business in Heidelberg Township.

The amount collected yearly from

each individual will be $52 and

will begin in 2019. Employers will

deduct $1/week (or at a frequen-

cy that coincides with your pay-

roll schedule) from your payroll

check. If you work for two em-

ployers in Heidelberg Township,

your main employer will be the

only one collecting the money.

Keystone Collections will collect

the amount just as they do your

Earned Income Tax and will for-

ward the net amount to the Hei-

delberg Township office. ALL

money transferred from Keystone

Collections to the Township will

be forwarded to the Schaeffer-

stown Fire Company and the

Schaefferstown EMS. This money

is available for both entities to

pay monthly expenses and aid in

defraying the cost of running an

emergency service.

Some individuals may be eligible

for refunds of the money collect-

ed and/or considered to be ex-

empt. If you earn less than

$12,000 a given year, you may

file for a refund of the Local

Service Tax collected. Proof of

earnings at the end of the calen-

dar year is required to be eligible

for the refund. If you are a disa-

bled Veteran or are called to

Military Active Duty you are eligi-

ble for exemption. Forms for

both are located on the Township

website under the Documents

Page or at the Township Building.

The importance of the people who

volunteer their time to serve our

community is immeasurable. Hei-

delberg Township hopes the efforts

of this Ordinance assists our Volun-

teer Emergency Service organiza-

tions run their day to day opera-

tions. Understand that the amount

raised from this fee does not re-

place any personal donations resi-

dents send to the Emergency Ser-

vice Providers. Please mail any

resident donations to the following

addresses:

Schaefferstown EMS

PO Box 185

Schaefferstown, PA 17088

Schaefferstown Volunteer Fire Co.

PO Box 438


Heidelberg

Township

would like to

wish all

residents and

their families

a Blessed

Easter and a

glorious start

to spring!

WINTER/SPRING 2019

In an effort to assist all emergen-

cy responders and delivery com-

panies, Heidelberg Township

would like to remind all residents

to install reflective green num-

ber signs at their properties.

Rural route properties should put

the signs somewhere along the

road such as a mail box post or

another property land marker.

Properties located in town should

install the reflective signs in

front yards or on front porch or

yards areas.

Placing house numbers some-

where on your property alone is

beneficial, but they may not be

visible at night unless illuminat-

ed. The reflective signs ensure

that, day or night, your house

number is visible to those that

may need to find your residence.

HOUSE NUMBERS IMPORTATING INDENTIFIERS

DIETARY-NEED BAKERY OPENS IN TOWNSHIP As the quote goes “Necessity is

the mother of invention”. For

one township resident it meant

opening a home-based business

to aid other families in the same

situation as hers.

Mother May I Meals, LLC, located

in southern Heidelberg Township

is the product of a desire to

share the owner’s knowledge of

dietary restriction-friendly

foods. Elizabeth “EJ” May, own-

er, has an Associate Degree in

Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of

Arts in Culinary Management.

She has worked in the food pro-

duction arena for over 20 years

and has specialized in dietary

restriction food items for the

last 10 years.

Members of EJ’s family require

specialized foods due to allergies.

Using her culinary degrees she

developed foods that not only

taste good, but also allowed her

family members to enjoy them.

What is unique about Mother May I

Meals is the business’s ability to

customize food items to an individ-

ual’s needs. EJ can design baked

goods to address multiple dietary

restrictions where commercial

retailers tend to focus on a single

restriction. As well, all items are

produced in a dedicated gluten

free, dairy free, egg free and nut

free facility. The business re-

ceived zoning approval to oper-

ate in June and state licensing in

September. There is no store-

front but instead offers delivery

Currently, Zimmy’s Automotive

employee Leonard will make a

number sign for your property.

The fee is nominal and primari-

ly covers the cost of the reflec-

tive kit. Give Zimmy’s a call at

(717) 949-6513 and order your

sign when possible. It just may

help your property be identi-

fied in any situation where

time is important.

service for items ordered.

Check out the Mother May I

Meals, LLC Facebook page for

information about the business

and events she will attend com-

ing up in December! If you or

someone you know requires die-

tary restrictive baked goods,

please contact EJ on Facebook or

directly at

[email protected].

The Boy Scout Troop 417 Annual Spaghetti Dinner is

scheduled for March 9th! The dinner will be held at

the St. Paul’s UCC Social Hall at 115 N Carpenter St,

Schaefferstown. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for

children 10 and under. Please call (717) 949-8598 to

purchase tickets or with questions. Come out and

support the Boy Scouts while enjoying delicious spa-

ghetti with homemade meatballs and desserts!

Phone: 717-949-3885

Fax: 717-949-2915

E-mail: [email protected]

www.heidelbergtownship.com

PRESORTED STANDARD

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

LEBANON, PA 17042

PERMIT NO. 122

Heidelberg Township

111 Mill Road

PO Box 188


MEETING SCHEDULE 2019

H E I D E L B E R G H A P P E N I N G S

Please email

[email protected]

with any Township

news ideas

or events.

If you wish to attend a Township meeting, please see below for the

scheduled dates for 2019 meetings.

Board of Supervisors:

January 7th—Reorganization, January 22nd 7:00pm

February thru October—Second and Fourth Tuesday of the Month– 7:00pm

November 12th and December 17th due to Holidays

Board of Auditors: January 8th—7:00pm

Planning Commission: Third Monday of the Month – 7:00pm

Zoning Hearing Board: Fourth Wednesday of the Month – 7:00pm (if necessary)

Park & Rec Board: Fourth Monday of the Month –7:00pm (as needed)

Please note that any necessary meeting date changes will be advertised

in the Lebanon Daily News. Cancellations will be posted on the website

and the door of the Township Building.