Abington meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Abington commissioners' agenda takes up road salt contract and bike lane plan; zoning board hears seven requests

Five Abington Township bodies met between Oct. 13 and Oct. 22, with agendas covering a road salt supply agreement, September spending, seven zoning requests and a review of a new middle school still to come. Minutes for all five of those meetings have not yet been published, so none of the outcomes below are confirmed. What follows is what each body was scheduled to take up, as listed on its agenda.

Board of Commissioners, Oct. 22

The commissioners' agenda listed a Road Salt Supply Agreement with Morton Salt at $73.44 per delivered ton and $73.00 per non-delivered ton. It also listed authorization to advertise bids for sidewalk and ADA ramp improvements on Meetinghouse Road between Sunset Avenue and Westbury Road.

Two resolutions were on the agenda: Resolution 26-032 to cancel the Existing Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation activity for Hurricane Ida relief, and Resolution 26-033 accepting the Abington Separated Bike Lanes Action Plan. A proposed ordinance amending Chapter 155 regarding Automated Red Light Enforcement Systems expiration was also listed.

The meeting included nominations for the offices of President and Vice-President, along with police promotions.

Finance Committee, Oct. 15

The committee was scheduled to consider approval of September 2026 expenditures totaling $4,564,500.09 and September 2026 salaries and wages totaling $2,577,078.86. Jim Kennedy of T. J. Anderson & Associates was listed to discuss the Minimum Municipal Obligation.

Zoning Hearing Board, Oct. 20

The board scheduled public hearings on seven variance and special exception requests. Five were itemized in the meeting summary:

• 2806 Limekiln Pike: mixed-use building variances regarding green area, ceiling height and parking
• 820 Meetinghouse Rd: special exception and variances to construct an attached Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 1450 Edge Hill Rd: variances to construct a single-family dwelling
• 2405 Jenkintown Rd: variance to subdivide a lot
• 1420 Orchard Hill Rd: variances for a detached residential accessory structure

The board was also scheduled to issue decisions on two previous applications.

Shade Tree Commission, Oct. 13

The agenda listed fall event planning, including invasive plant removal and a neighborhood tree distribution, and a Trees for Watershed Grant due 12/31/2026. Also listed: resource allocation for public lands and watersheds, requests regarding Penmore Place, Rydal Waters and Abington Meeting, and upcoming tree giveaways at Roychester and Crestmont Park.

Environmental Advisory Council, Oct. 21

Items listed were a Recycling Program Outreach update, an Energy Initiatives discussion, Bird Town Updates, Land Development review and a Road Salt Management Plan.

Coming up

Library Board of Trustees, Oct. 26. The board is scheduled to review the September 2026 Treasurer's Report and consider approval of the Sept. 28, 2026, meeting minutes, with reports from the Director and the Adult Literacy committee.

Planning Commission, Oct. 27. The commission is scheduled to review LD-26-04, the Abington School District New Middle School Preliminary/Final Land Development Plans. It will also consider a request for the Abington School District to sell 2828 Spear Avenue, Glenside, PA 19038 to the Township.

Abington agendas: Spear Avenue purchase, Ward 1 resignation and monthly spending

Four Abington Township bodies met between Oct. 7 and Oct. 15, and agendas for each are available, but minutes have not been published for any of them. The record so far shows what was scheduled for discussion or a vote, not what was approved. The items listed included a proposed purchase of 2828 Spear Avenue in Glenside from the Abington School District, a Ward 1 commissioner's resignation, and monthly spending totals in the millions.

Spear Avenue purchase listed on commissioners' agenda

The Board of Commissioners' Oct. 8 regular meeting agenda listed a purchase agreement with the Abington School District for the property at 2828 Spear Avenue, Glenside, PA 19038, along with a related proposal from Trusted Land Transfer, LLC. No purchase price appears in the agenda summary provided. Because minutes are not yet published, whether the board acted on the agreement is not established in the available record.

Ward 1 resignation on the same agenda

The Oct. 8 agenda also listed acceptance of the resignation of Ward 1 Commissioner Thomas Hecker, effective October 31, 2026.

Finance items: August and September figures

The Oct. 8 agenda listed Finance Committee consideration of August 2026 expenditures of $2,753,260.46 and salaries and wages of $2,618,005.32, and whether to select Independence Blue Cross as the retiree medical plan provider effective January 1, 2027.

The Finance Committee's Oct. 15 agenda listed approval of September 2026 expenditures totaling $4,564,500.09 and September 2026 salaries and wages totaling $2,577,078.86, plus a discussion of the Minimum Municipal Obligation with Jim Kennedy of T. J. Anderson & Associates. These are agenda figures listed for approval, not confirmed payments.

Human Relations Commission

The Oct. 7 agenda listed MLK Jr. Day Celebration planning, an Implicit Bias Training follow-up with APD, a Chief's Advisory Council meeting on November 2, a police report regarding Weldon playground, and Tri-State PHRC Mediation Training.

Shade Tree Commission

The Oct. 13 agenda listed fall event planning including invasive plant removal and neighborhood tree distribution, a Trees for Watershed Grant due 12/31/2026, resource allocation for public lands and watersheds, requests regarding Penmore Place, Rydal Waters and Abington Meeting, and upcoming tree giveaways at Roychester and Crestmont Park.

Coming up

Oct. 20 - Zoning Hearing Board. Public hearings on seven variance and special exception requests, according to the agenda summary; five are named in the item list: 2806 Limekiln Pike (mixed-use building variances on green area, ceiling height and parking), 820 Meetinghouse Rd (special exception and variances for an attached Accessory Dwelling Unit), 1450 Edge Hill Rd (variances for a single-family dwelling), 2405 Jenkintown Rd (variance to subdivide a lot) and 1420 Orchard Hill Rd (variances for a detached residential accessory structure). The board will also issue decisions on two previous applications.

Oct. 21 - Environmental Advisory Council. Recycling Program Outreach update, energy initiatives, Bird Town updates, land development review and the Road Salt Management Plan.

Oct. 22 - Board of Commissioners. Nominations for the offices of President and Vice-President; a Road Salt Supply Agreement with Morton Salt at $73.44 per delivered ton and $73.00 per non-delivered ton; authorization to advertise bids for sidewalk and ADA ramp improvements on Meetinghouse Road between Sunset Avenue and Westbury Road; Resolution 26-032 to cancel the Existing Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation activity for Hurricane Ida relief; Resolution 26-033 accepting the Abington Separated Bike Lanes Action Plan; and a proposed ordinance amending Chapter 155 regarding Automated Red Light Enforcement Systems expiration.