The Warriors Mark Township Supervisors held their February meeting Tuesday evening at the Warriors Mark Fire Hall.
Supervisors L. Stewart Neff and Rodney L. Marshall were present. There was a moment of silence at the beginning of the meeting in memory of Donald Bickle, who served as Township Supervisor and Roadmaster for fifteen years. Supervisor Stewart Neff had a few words to say in Bickle’s memory explaining that he was a good friend and was a colorful member of the board of supervisors. He also stated that he worked extremely hard in his position for the good of the township, stating that he was the closest thing to a Township Manager in Warriors Mark.
Prior to the regular meeting, a conditional use hearing was held concerning a basic shift of a property line for the Cox and Eyer properties on Pennington Road. It was approved by the Supervisors.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, residents from the Spring Ridge area voiced their concern due to a situation regarding the school bus traveling on Reese Road to pick up their children. According to these residents, the school bus transporting their children became stuck in the snow and was stuck for an hour and a half due to the road not being plowed properly. The Tyrone Area School District said they will not be sending up to Reese Road to pick up these children anymore. After checking out the roads, Supervisor Stewart Neff said that the township roads were plowed properly and the problem was an area used as a bus turn-around area. The turn-around area was not a Township road and was not the responsibility of Warriors Mark Township to take care of it. Neff also stated that after corresponding with the Tyrone Area School District and Rayco Transportation, the bus contractor, the situation was resolved. Students can now meet the bus at the old Farm and Fleet Building every morning. Middle school and high school students will be dropped off after school at the end of Reese Road. Younger students that require a parent present before they are dismissed off the bus will be dropped off at the old Farm and Fleet Building.
In other business, Stephen Parks was present to discuss the community park project in the township. He explained there is a timetable on the grant they received to finish building the park. The deadline is June 30. He displayed plans of the project and pictures of the playground equipment they plan to install. The township plans to renovate the baseball field, upgrade the playground equipment, add additional parking, handicap parking, community picnic pavilions, and a handicap accessible walkway between the ball field and the picnic area. There were concerns from the residents. One resident thought the money could be better spent. However, Parks explained that this is a grant from the state and that the grant is intended for parks and recreation projects. He also stated that if Warriors Mark Township doesn’t get the grant, another municipality will. Another resident was concerned about vandalism after what happened to the former Warriors Mark-Franklin School Building. Neff explained he felt that there are too many children in the community who really would enjoy and take care of a facility like this and a few shouldn’t ruin it for all of the children and their families who will enjoy it.
When asked by residents concerned about the vacant Supervisor position, Neff said the Supervisors have one month to appoint a new Supervisor. If they cannot agree on a candidate, a member of a committee that is in place for this purpose will come forward to break a tie. If the committee member cannot agree on any of the candidates, it will go to the Huntingdon County Court of Common Pleas and they will appoint someone to the Board of Supervisors.
Neff said that he will be temporarily assuming the role of Roadmaster. If anyone has concerns on these issues they can contact him.
Supervisors also appointed Mike Prinky to the vacancy on the Planning Commission.
The next meeting of the Warriors Mark Township Supervisors will be March 6 at the Warriors Mark Fire Hall.
