Monthly Business Meeting
Summary
The Halifax Township Board of Supervisors held its monthly business meeting on October 9, 2017, called to order at 7:02 PM by Chairman Kenneth Bechtel. All five supervisors were present — Kenneth Bechtel, Brad Bruner, Randy Paul, Steve Schreffler, and Scott McBurney — along with Engineer Frank Gally, Solicitor Bruce Warshawsky, and Roadmaster Corey Stazewski. The two-hour meeting covered land development, property nuisance enforcement, infrastructure work at Fort Halifax, and several financial actions, with every motion passing unanimously.
- D&C Realty medical building addition approved on South River Road — The board granted waivers for preliminary plans and curb/sidewalk requirements, and approved the land development plan contingent on the applicant providing a financial security estimate, improvement guarantee, and all required seals and signatures.
- $20,424.59 in Volunteer Fire Relief funds sent to Halifax Fire Department — State fire relief money received by the township was forwarded to the local fire department.
- Surplus dump truck offered for sale at $20,000 — Roadmaster Corey Stazewski asked the board whether to keep or sell the old dump truck; supervisors authorized offering it to another township for $20,000.
- Liquid Fuels Account moved from BB&T Bank to Mid Penn Bank — The township's state road-funding account is changing depositories.
- Fort Halifax Brickhouse garage door openings to be sealed — The board voted to block and fill two garage door openings after reviewing estimates ranging from $1,380 (cinder block with steel plate) to $2,468 (formed and poured concrete).
- Employee Manual updated with revised bereavement leave policy — Language drafted by Solicitor Bruce Warshawsky was formally incorporated into the township employee handbook.
- Property nuisance enforcement ongoing at multiple sites — Tenant Holly Mallett appeared regarding cleanup at 207 Tourist Park Road (carried to November with no action taken); the Cedars Corner Lot owner was warned that fines and enforcement will follow if the lot is not cleaned up by the November meeting.
- Fort Halifax Railroad Crossing and Camp Hebron Road traffic study tabled — The board discussed the costs of maintaining the railroad crossing, including the option of closing the entrance and opening Buffalo Park Road instead, but deferred action to November. Separately, a proposed $1,500 traffic study on Camp Hebron Road — with Camp Hebron paying half — was tabled pending the camp's response.
Who was there
Kenneth Bechtel (Chairman/Supervisor) · Brad Bruner (Supervisor) · Randy Paul (Supervisor) · Steve Schreffler (Supervisor) · Scott McBurney (Supervisor) · Frank Gally (Engineer) · Bruce Warshawsky (Solicitor) · Corey Stazewski (Roadmaster) · Wendy Wentzel (Secretary)
Meeting business
SECRETARY/TREASURER REPORT
Supervisors approved paid interim bills through October 9, 2017 (motion by Paul, second by McBurney, 5-0), unpaid bills as of October 9, 2017 (motion by Schreffler, second by Paul, 5-0), and meeting minutes of September 11, 2017 (motion by Paul, second by Bruner, 5-0). The financial report was placed on file for audit.
PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT
The Planning Commission recommended approval with contingencies. Supervisors approved a waiver of Preliminary Plans and a conditional waiver for curbs and sidewalks with a provision that a note be placed on the plans (motion by Bruner, second by Paul, 5-0). A second motion approved the plan subject to contingencies including the required curbs/sidewalks note, Financial Security Estimate, Improvement Guarantee, and all seals and signatures (5-0).
No representation was present for the Farhat Subdivision/Land Development, so no action was taken.
SOLICITOR REPORT
A nuisance letter had been sent to the parcel owner. Tenant Holly Mallett was present to report on cleanup efforts at the property. No action was taken and the item was placed on the agenda for the next meeting.
The Township received an email indicating the corner lot would be taken care of. Solicitor Warshawsky recommended fines and enforcement be enacted if the lot is not cleaned up by the November Board meeting.
Discussion took place regarding the application process and the financial investment and annual costs the Township would incur if going forward. The option of closing the entrance and opening up Buffalo Park Road was discussed. No action was taken and the item was placed on the November agenda.
ROADMASTER REPORT
Roadmaster Stazewski asked whether to keep or sell the old dump truck. Supervisors voted 5-0 (motion by Paul, second by Bruner) to offer the dump truck to another township for $20,000.
ADMINISTRATIVE
Supervisors voted 5-0 (motion by Bruner, second by Paul) to move the Liquid Fuels Account from BB&T Bank to Mid Penn Bank.
OLD BUSINESS
Solicitor Warshawsky reported that interest accrued on the Plan Escrow account before it was moved to a non-interest-bearing account was not in violation of any 2nd Class Township Code provisions and may be moved to the General Fund. He recommended the Plan Escrow account remain as a non-interest-bearing account.
Solicitor Warshawsky provided a draft Bereavement Policy for the Employee Handbook. Supervisors voted 5-0 (motion by Bruner, second by McBurney) to amend the Halifax Township Employee Manual to include the revised Bereavement Leave language provided by the Solicitor.
Roadmaster Stazewski presented estimates to remove the garage doors: blocking up 2 openings with steel plate at $1,380, filling blocks with concrete adding $400, or forming and pouring two door openings with concrete at $2,468. Supervisors voted 5-0 (motion by Bruner, second by Schreffler) to have the two openings blocked and filled.
Engineer Gally reported on findings from the Traffic Engineer. The Board recommended sending a letter to Camp Hebron offering a simplified study costing $1,500, with Camp Hebron paying half the cost of the study and half the cost of signs, to be conducted in late spring/early summer. The item was tabled pending a response from Camp Hebron.
NEW BUSINESS
Supervisors voted 5-0 (motion by Bruner, second by Schreffler) to send the Volunteer Fire Relief monies received by the Township to the Halifax Fire Department in the amount of $20,424.59.
Supervisors waived the reading of the PLCB Resolution (motion by Bruner, second by Paul, 5-0) and then approved the PLCB Resolution (motion by Schreffler, second by Paul, 5-0).
Supervisors waived the reading and approved the Resolution for Form TE-160 based on Members 1st required agreements (motions by Bruner, second by Schreffler, both 5-0). Separately, they waived the reading and conditionally approved the Resolution for execution of Members 1st required agreements to maintain all Stormwater Management facilities within the PennDOT right-of-way (5-0).
A request was submitted for a volunteer donation to help defray the cost of repairing the forklift used for electronic recycling at Upper Paxton Township. Supervisors voted 5-0 (motion by McBurney, second by Bruner) to donate $275.00 toward the repair cost.
This page is an automated summary of official township records. For the authoritative version, always refer to the original document.