Act 537 Planning Meeting

Halifax Township's Act 537 Planning Committee held a special working session on January 21, 2009, to develop a public outreach strategy for the township's state-mandated sewage facilities plan. Chairman Norma Shearer called the meeting to order at 5:00 PM with all seven members present: Norma Shearer, Linda Ruff, Carol Eppley, Gary Shultz, Ken Hoover, Jim Eppley, and Justin Kuhn. The meeting was entirely focused on planning how to inform and engage residents ahead of the required public hearing — no formal action was taken beyond adjournment.

• Public comment was deferred for this working session; Norma Shearer cited Sunshine Law Sec. 710.1 and urged residents to attend the upcoming Act 537 Public Hearing, which she said would be widely advertised.
• Outreach channels selected: After discussion, the committee agreed on two main approaches — a question-and-answer newspaper article (to be developed by Jim Eppley and Justin Kuhn) and a direct mail piece to township residents.
• Grant funding explored but ruled out: Linda Ruff raised concerns that the USDA had determined the township doesn't qualify for grants. Justin Kuhn noted individuals may still qualify, and flagged the H2O PA grant program, but its February 13, 2009 deadline made it infeasible for the township to pursue.
• Public meeting planned for late March with a 7:00 PM start time, with March 23, 24, and 26 blocked as potential dates. The panel would include township supervisors, DEP representative John Borland, engineer Justin Kuhn, Fred Ford, Bob Kissinger, a Rural Utilities Service representative, and sewage enforcement officer Mike Brown.
• Meeting format: Panelists will be on stage with microphones, and two floor microphones will be available for citizens to ask questions. A projection screen may be used for informational displays.
• Regional context shared: Justin Kuhn reported Act 537 adoption dates for neighboring municipalities — Upper Paxton Township (2007), Jackson Township (2008), Wayne Township (2004), and Middle Paxton Township (1987) — underscoring that Halifax was among the last in the area to complete the process.
• Post-hearing options discussed: The committee reviewed the three paths available after the public hearing — approve, deny, or table the plan — and discussed the consequences of failing to approve.