Miscellaneous

Officials in Montgomeryville could soon take on more debt.   The Board of Supervisors Monday night authorized advertisement of an ordinance allowing the township to issue $10,000,000 in tax exempt bonds.   The borrowed money would provide most of the funding for building a new multi-purpose community center at Stump and Horsham Roads.   It would also be used to pay down the debt on two pieces of open space the township purchased last year.   The smaller of the two is the proposed site for the community center.   Township officials say the bond issue would not require a property tax hike.   The township supervisors will vote on approving the $10,000,000 bond issue at their February 25th meeting.

The Operations Manager for the Mechanical Group at Moyer Indoor-Outdoor in Souderton, John Haley, says a homeowner can save money on winter heat with a programmable thermostat because it automatically changes the settings for different times of the day.

Read more: Programmable Thermostat Saves Money

Chief Bucks County Adult Probation and Parole Officer Sean Ryan says the cost of corrections in the U.S. went from $12 billion a year to $52 billion over 20 years, suggesting strongly that longer and longer prison terms are not reducing crime.

Read more: Parole Chief: Longer Prison Terms Not Reducing Crime

Lansdale officials have successfully concluded negotiations for right-of-ways that will allow a major road improvement project to move ahead.   What's in the works is rebuilding and realigning parts of Vine Street, Susquehanna Avenue, Derstine Avenue and Wood Street to make it easier for both motorists and pedestrians to get around downtown.   None of the right-of-way acquisitions involved significant taking of property and in most cases were less than 20-square-feet.   Construction could start as soon as next month.