A non-profit Huntingdon County-based environmental group continues to seek the help of local public officials to determine the extent of dumping problems in Warriors Mark Township.
Dorothy Gurney, a Save Our Streams Inc. representative, spoke during public comment at Tuesday night’s supervisors meeting. She detailed several requests made in a letter sent to the supervisors by certified and regular mail dated May 24, 2004.
One of the requests focused on asking the township to provide information on “the manner sewage is disposed of” that is generated by apartments owned by the John G. Gilliland family.
The organization noted the township had asked the state Department of Environmental Protection to consider expanding the scope of an already in progress investigation about sewage dumping on some of Gilliland’s property. Gurney urged (the township) should conduct its own investigation if it had not received a reply from DEP.
Clapper confirmed that he has received “no response” from DEP regarding his letter. Gurney said she has not received any return phone calls from DEP counsel or the DEP official in charge of investigating illegal dumping concerns at another Gilliland property.
The group had previously asked DEP to expand the scope of its investigation to properties owned by Gilliland which are not included in a March 2, 2004 order issued by the DEP.
Gurney did indicate the group has been working with Governor Ed Rendell’s office to set up a meeting between the group, the DEP and the governor’s office. She emphasized his office has agreed to such a meeting and the logistics are still being worked on as of yesterday.
Last month, Save Our Streams held a press conference to show it had received more than one thousand signatures asking the governor to intervene on its behalf regarding environmental concerns in the Warriors Mark area. The group plans to deliver the signed petitions when it eventually has its meeting with state officials in Harrisburg.
She also requested copies of receipts for sewage pumping and hauling from Gilliland’s apartments. The Daily Herald obtained a copy of the May 24 letter to the supervisors. It says Gilliland has been required to submit receipts on a monthly basis and has been required to do so since 1994.
The letter also requested a copy of an agreement which was signed “on or about April 1994, between the supervisors, waste hauler Barefoot, Inc. and John G. Gilliland or family members” regarding the pumping of sewage from apartments located at the intersection of Routes 350 and 500 in Warriors Mark Township.
The letter also requested a list of all Gilliland subdivisions, regardless of status.
“I’ll be making a formal request, on a form, for a list of subdivisions and each one’s status,” said Gurney on Wednesday.
“I also made a written request (at Tuesday’s meeting) for a copy of a map of the subdivision,” she said. “I think the supervisors were very receptive and we are hoping for their full cooperation (about those two issues).”
Clapper explained why the supervisors were willing to make certain information available.
“The township was agreeable to allow the engineer to give to the group what it has already supplied to the supervisors,” said Clapper.
He also noted the supervisors are under no obligation to prepare and provide documents which don’t already exist.
Rebecca Walter, a representative of Gilliland, was in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting.
She was asked if she had any comment about the group’s requests concerning the Gilliland property at the 350/550 intersection. She declined to comment about those issues.
The group also asked if a proposed zoning ordinance be made available to the public for review at a location other than the township secretary’s home or place of business in Tyrone. Save Our Streams Inc. stated, “It is not reasonable, and possibly not legal to require residents to travel outside the township to view township documents.”
The group also asked supervisors to advise them as soon as possible about any public hearing held by the supervisors about the proposed zoning ordinance.
Other requests focused on the availability of minutes from the previous supervisors meeting and the availability of the agenda for
upcoming meetings. Save Our Streams requested the ability to look at the previous meeting’s minutes prior to the next meeting. Gurmey said this would allow the public a chance to comment about the minutes and ask for corrections or clarifications.
Clapper explained what the obligations of the township are in providing minutes to the public.
“Until the supervisors approve them, they are not the actual minutes of the previous meeting,” said Clapper. “After they are adopted, the public can obtain copies and then make objections and ask the supervisors to amend the minutes, at the meeting after which they were adopted.”
In regard to the publishing of an agenda, Clapper said he could understand why Gurney would want to see it in advance. However, he didn’t think with the small staff at Warriors Mark, the agenda could be put together days in advance. During the meeting, he noted items are still being placed on the agenda on the day of the meeting.
