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Rapho Twp. reviews activities from 2012
BY ROCHELLE A. SHENK, Correspondent
Now that the books are closed on 2012, Rapho Township officials offered a review of the year as part of the annual report presented at the Jan. 17 supervisors meeting.
Township manager Sara Gibson said that after two years of planning and decision making, 2012 was a year of implementation.
The township's first municipal real estate tax was levied, and for the first time the township contracted police services, with Manheim Borough Police Department phasing in full-time service from Jan. 1 through April 1.
Additionally, the Fire Advisory Council began its oversight of the increased funds provided by the township to its three fire service providers: Mastersonville Fire Company, Manheim Fire Department and Fire Department Mount Joy.
"I'm excited about this coming year -- we had a lot of changes in 2012," Gibson said.
Supervisor Jere Swarr said, "It was a huge year for change. A lot of effort went into making the decisions."
Gibson said there also were several major public works projects completed last year, including the construction of two pavilions -- the Shamrock Pavilions -- at Rapho Township Community Park.
"The pavilions at the park are a huge benefit to the community," she said.
A bridge on Auction Road, which was damaged by flooding from remnants of Tropical Storm Lee in September, also was relocated, reconstructed and re-opened in December, less than three months after it was closed.
Gibson said that the township anticipates recovering all of the cost for the bridge construction from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. And, since the relocation was determined to be a flood mitigation project, half of the cost for the relocation is expected to be reimbursed by FEMA.
With regard to development, Gibson said that last year construction in the township's Urban Growth Area adjacent to Mount Joy Borough continued steadily, including the start of construction of three 20-unit apartment buildings between Elmcrest Boulevard and Route 230. There were also a number of other projects, including expansion of Bigbee Steel, also known as Highland Tank, to accommodate additional operations at the Elizabethtown Road site.
In another matter, the supervisors approved the use of Rapho Township Community Park on Saturday, May 18, for the Harvest Ministries 5K. This will be the second year for the event, and coordinator Susan Zeamer said that she expects to make some changes in the route, although details are not yet finalized.
Zeamer said that the 5K will begin at 9 a.m. and a walk will start at 9:15. All activities should be completed by 10:30 a.m.
For more Manheim Central area news, visit: My ManheimCentralNews.com.
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