Special Meeting

Halifax Township held a Special Meeting on March 21, 2013, called specifically to address the township's financial relationship with the Halifax Area Recreation Association (HARA) and the threatened closure of the community pool. Chairman Kenneth Bechtel presided alongside Supervisors Brad Bruner, Ken Hoover, and Randy Paul; Supervisor Gary Shultz was absent. Several residents attended to urge the Board to help keep the pool open, and the primary outcome was a conditional funding commitment designed to protect both the pool and township dollars.

• HARA funding commitment approved (4-0): The Board authorized Solicitor Bruce Warshawsky to draft a Letter of Intent pledging at least $28,341 to HARA for calendar year 2014 — contingent on the pool remaining open for the entire 2013 season. If HARA fails to keep the pool open, the township expects a refund of up to $11,849, the pool-specific portion of its 2013 budget allocation.
• Background on the funding dispute: The township sent HARA a termination letter in December 2012, citing budget constraints. With Wayne Township and Jackson Township having dropped out of the HARA agreement years ago, Halifax Township has been covering roughly 75% of HARA's budget — currently $37,787 per year. HARA reported a $15,000 pool deficit from the prior year and warned it would be forced to close without continued township funding.
• Residents spoke in support of the pool: Robyn Alexander, representing the Twin Valley Aquatic Club, and Emily Hoffman — who noted YMCA Day Camp children also rely on the facility — both urged the Board to act and said they were exploring other avenues to sustain operations. Flo Mallonee echoed the call to seek alternatives and improve pool management.
• Skeptical public comment: Melinda Warfel argued the pool is HARA's problem, not the township's responsibility, and questioned whether the township would extend comparable support to little league and midget football. She said a simple donation would be acceptable.
• Fort Halifax event requests approved (4-0): Dane Snyder received permission to plow the north end of the field, display demo test units at a festival, and hold a youth event with the Ned Smith Center at Fort Halifax — the last item contingent on the commercial enterprise naming the township as an additional insured.
• Friends of Fort Halifax Park requests routed to committee (4-0): All future requests from the Friends of Ft. Halifax Park, discussed in the context of proposals from Frank Wilmarth, will be directed to a committee of Supervisors Randy Paul and Gary Shultz before reaching the full Board.