FORWARD TWP — Township officials are asking residents to answer questions on the need for municipal buildings, parks and other amenities.

Stephanie Sellers, township secretary/treasurer, said the officials want to gauge the public’s wants and needs.

“The supervisors truly believe that they need to take into consideration what they (residents) feel they need for the entire community,” she said.

Supervisors are asking the community to return the surveys to the township building by Sept. 30.

Sellers said the preliminary findings of the survey could be discussed as early as the October supervisors meeting.

Residents can stop at the township building at 207 Ash Stop Road to obtain the necessary site development survey forms or residents may log onto the township website to obtain the necessary forms at www.forwardtwpbutlerco.us.

Completed forms should be mailed to the township building or emailed to forwardtownship@zoominternet.net.

Mark Wilson, supervisors’ chairman, said the township owns a good bit of ground around its municipal building on Route 68. The property currently has a small park and a ballfield.

The officials are asking residents what it would like to see on that property.

Some of the examples Wilson gave for the property included the potential for expanding parks opportunities there along with a potential for a canoe ramp on the Connoquenessing Creek.

Wilson said the municipal building currently could be renovated and expanded or it could be converted for use by the road department only, and a new municipal building could be designed for another area of the property.

The township is beginning to see some growth with several developments, he said.

The supervisors decided it was time to look at some of the needs for the community in the next 5 to 20 years.

Once some of the community’s needs are identified, Wilson said, a second more specific survey would be conducted in the coming months to narrow the goals.

He said the township may look to a consultant to compile the final results and determine the feasibility of the findings.

In addition, the township also is seeking individuals interested in serving on the Forward Township Citizen Road Advisory Committee,

The first meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 24 at the township building. For more information, call 724-538-9251.