The sub-surface data collected will be used to complete design documents for a soldier beam and lagging retaining wall to mitigate a landslide that occurred in 2004 following Hurricane Ivan. Five homes on Boroview were affected by the slide and a study done by Garvin Boward in 2005 estimated the cost of a retaining wall to stabilize the hillside at $750,000.

Prior to the vote, residents and members of the board had questions about the proposed study and retaining wall. Scott resident Pat Martin asked where the retaining wall would be located and if the borings were being done on private property.

Board president Eileen Meyers said the retaining wall, if built, would be about a third of the way down on public property. Scott received a $100,000 Growing Greener grant from County Executive Dan Onorato in 2007 to help stabilize the hillside to protect a township roadway, Bluff Street Extension. A paper street, Bluff Street Extension is an overgrown pathway built and used by workers at Superior Mill, which is now closed.

The test borings will be done on private property, and Scott Township engineer Larry Lennon said easements would have to be obtained from homeowners before work could occur.

McTiernan said permission to do the test borings needed to be obtained from the homeowners.

Calabria said he thought it was a good idea to approve the study, adding that he had checked with other municipalities dealing with slides. He said that Brentwood had an engineering study conducted for those affected by slides to use so residents could take corrective action.

In a discussion after the meeting, township manager Denise Fitzgerald said the original design for the retaining wall called for drilling down to rock, erecting steel beams, and putting slats between the beams.

She said it was a design that could be done in sections so additional sections of the wall could be added if more funding became available.

After the meeting Meyers said she was not concerned about setting a precedent because part of the slide was on public property and the retaining wall would be built on public property.

In other business:

The board awarded the contract for their 2009 Roadway Improvement Program to Amity Asphalt Paving, Inc. The base bid approved was $330,370, and includes work on Plumtree Circle, Elmbrook Lane, Summerville Drive, Dale Street, Walker Street, Green Oak Lane, Stancey Road, Elm Drive, Thrush Drive, and Royal Oak Road.