The Palmer Township Public Works, Parks and Public Utilities Operations provides many important services for township residents. These departments are made up of 29 full-time employees, eight part-time employees and eight seasonal employees that help with various tasks in the summer months. The departments are led by a Director that oversees all operations, and a Superintendent in each specific department, (Public Works, Parks Operations, Public Utilities Operations and Fleet Maintenance/Buildings and Grounds) with Public Utilities having an Assistant Superintendent as well. Each department has it’s assigned specialist, but all employees cross department lines to assist as needed.
Public Works
Public Works maintains 102 miles of township roads with PennDOT being responsible for 20 miles of various state roadways within the Township, which include Route 22, Route 33, Route 248/Nazareth Road, 25th Street, Freemansburg Avenue, William Penn Highway, a portion of Stones Crossing Road. (William Penn Highway to Freemansburg Avenue) Green Pond Road, a portion of Greenwood Avenue (William Penn Highway to Green Pond Road) Wood Avenue, Newburg Road, Northwood Avenue, Hackett Avenue, Tatamy Road, and the Nazareth-Tatamy Highway (Main Street).
The Public Works Department is responsible for maintenance of Township roadways, (street paving, pothole patching, sinkhole remediation, street sweeping, crack sealing) storm sewer systems, traffic lights, street lights, traffic signs, pavement markings, snow removal, leaf collection, tree trimming and removal, building and grounds maintenance and vehicle maintenance. Public Works is also responsible for the operations at the Hartley Avenue Recycling Center and the Berks Street Yard Waste Facility.
Parks Department Operation
Parks Department operations maintains the buildings and grounds at 18 parks throughout the township, many miles of scenic bikeways, ball fields, and in the grass growing months, weekly cuts 360 acres of grass that includes park areas, ball fields, storm water detention basins and other rite-of-ways and open space areas. During the grass growing season it takes a 14-man crew to maintain these 360 acres.
Parks Department Operations also does snow removal at all Township facilities, assists the Public Works Department with snow removal and leaf collection as well.
Public Utilities Operations
Public Utilities operations maintains over 160 miles of buried sanitary sewer mainlines, laterals, as well as, six pumping stations at various locations throughout the township.
Public Utilities Operations is responsible for administering the Pennsylvania One Call system as it relates to the sanitary sewer and storm sewer systems that the Township is responsible for.
Public Utilities Operations manages the emergency generators at three of the sewer pumping stations, portable generators for the remaining three smaller package stations, as well as, the emergency generator at the Public Works/Public Utilities garage and at the Palmer Police Station.
This crew handles all the video inspection work of the sanitary and storm water systems, as well as, maintenance and emergency flushing of these systems. The Department also manages the operations of the Palmer Pool, which includes the pool filter systems, pool chemistry and splash pad and other pool feature operations.
All Departments respond as necessary to any weather-related situation, which adversely impacts the Township. The Township is covered 24 hours a day 7 days a week through an on-call system and an extremely dedicated workforce.
