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Woodward reportedly under investigation

River lot rental lottery scheduled for May

LOCKPORT — Another local township is reportedly under scrutiny by the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission.

At the Woodward Township supervisors meeting Tuesday, Corey Lucas, a former township employee, said the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission is investigating something.

He said he returned calls from both the Ethics Commission and “Child Labor” but does not know exactly what the investigation is about. He told the supervisors that an Ethics Commission detective told him two “kids” were paid more as township employees than he had been paid. He said he started working at minimum wage and then received a raise while in the township’s employ.

Former supervisor Marie Selfe said an investigator visited her house three times, and the subject seemed to be the Recreation Committee.

The two supervisors present, Kyle Coleman and Brian Hoy, both said they were contacted as well but they do not know what the investigation is about. (Supervisor Clyde Glossner was absent.)

“As to what they are fishing for, your guess is as good as mine,” Hoy said.

A controversy has arisen over Supervisor Hoy’s son working for the township last summer. Hoy said after Tuesday’s meeting that an issue had been raised about how his son was hired, not how old he was when he did the work. Hoy also said the hiring was normal as far as he knew.

RIVER LOTS

Two river lots are open for the coming boating season, and the Woodward Township supervisors will draw names next month, giving everyone a chance to apply to rent one.

All those interested in Lot 26 or Lot 6A are invited to register for the drawing by going in person to the township office during business hours and filling out a ticket. Only one person per household may fill out a ticket. The deadline is 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 16. The drawing will be held that evening, during the supervisors meeting.

One of the lots is by Riverview Park, and the other is by Veterans Bridge. Both include grassy areas.

River lots rent for two different prices, $350 or $400 for the season, depending on the lot.

BOUNDARY DISPUTE

The township seems ready to go to court over its boundary with Dunnstable Township. All it will take is Glossner’s signature as supervisor chair on a petition for a court hearing.

Woodward Township contends that an error on a county map re-drew the boundary line in Dunnstable’s favor. The error stems from the map-maker using a midpoint in the river rather than the established monuments that indicate the boundary, according to Woodward Township.

The supervisors of both townships have met and discussed the matter. Both townships have hired surveyors, and both surveyors have come up with a different report. The Dunnstable supervisors seem to want to let the matter go, but the Woodward supervisors want to defend the boundary and get the affected land back. They also want the county to pay for the costs associated with what is apparently a mapping mistake.

Hoy said the deed that created the township, in 1841, is on file in the courthouse, and apparently no changes have been made to it since it was filed.

DUST AND MUD

Township residents complained about the fill-dirt project off Park Drive in Webbwood. Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc. is excavating soil from a hillside there and trucking the fill to the First Quality Tissue site at Lock Haven, so that First Quality can build a new building and expand its operations.

Hawbaker expected to complete the digging by the end of May.

The township has a legal agreement with Hawbaker that addresses such issues as traffic control, dust, mud, lighting, and respect for night hours. There may be an agreement, but the dust and mud are mighty annoying right now, according to Jim Cozzi and Will Hanson.

Hoy said Hawbaker is not required to keep tarps over its truck beds, but the township is meeting with the company once a week and Hawbaker seems to be cooperating.

Hanson showed the supervisors photos of the situation and asked them to take the complaints to Hawbaker.

Coleman said, “We had two advertised meetings about this and no one came. We tried to do the best we could for the residents… We laid out things (for Hawbaker) and they have pretty much met everything.”

The township also took a video of the roads the trucks are using, before the work started, and will have Hawbaker fix the roads if needed.

The company also has done the annual sweeping of all township roads as a courtesy, at no charge, Coleman said. This has saved the township about $4,000, the amount typically paid for this service in recent years, he said.

OTHER MATTERS

An annual donation of $15,000 to Dunnstown Fire Co. was approved. It had been waiting for financial records from the fire company.

The police force is now down to Police Chief Steve Falotico and Sgt. Miles Houseknecht, so the township will advertise for applicants.

The state Attorney General’s office has sent an opinion regarding pig farmer John Grand’s barn and its location, which may not be set back far enough from neighboring properties. The supervisors said they do not know what the Attorney General’s opinion is and will leave that to the township solicitor, Robert D. O’Connor Jr.

The letter may not matter, since the supervisors voted recently to drop the issue.

Resident Sharon Reeder commended Tammy Novosel, one of the township’s zoning officers, for addressing garbage at houses on Hickory Drive recently. Reeder also told the supervisors that a junked car that has been at Woodland Drive “for two years” is still there.

Spring cleanup dates are April 24, 28 and May 1.

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