Hatboro Seeks Grant for New Recycling Truck

voted unanimously Monday to approve a grant application that, if approved by the state Department of Environmental Protection, will allow Hatboro to purchase a new single-stream recycling truck.

If approved, the grant would pay for 90 percent of the new $130,000 truck, according to Borough Manager Steven Plaugher and Public Works Superintendent Fred Zollers. Hatboro would have to to chip in the remaining 10 percent, which comes to about $13,000.

The borough used the same grant to purchase its current 2006 model year recycling truck in the middle part of the last decade, Zollers said.

Under the terms of that grant, the truck came with a 10-year commitment that the vehicle would have to either be traded-in or sold for no more than the 10 percent the borough contributed when it purchased the orange-and-white truck several years ago, according to Zollers and Plaugher.

The new truck the borough is eyeing is better designed and would increase the amount of recyclables that could be transported at one time, Zollers said. It would also be able to be used to assist the borough’s yard waste collection truck during peak times of the year.

In other business, the council to purchase and install eight playground pieces at borough-owned .

During the public comment portion of the meeting, John Farnen, who led the fundraising effort for park improvements, thanked the council for approval.

Also, Police Chief James Gardner told the council that the department’s new police vehicle will be picked up Tuesday and put into service in the next few weeks.

In addition, the chief said the borough’s , has begun with the department and has started partaking in ride-along training.

Council President John Zygmont noted the department’s recent capture of the suspect accused of the January of.