Monthly Business Meeting
Executive session held October 21, 2019 9:30 PM – 10:15 PM; October 28, 2019 6:15 PM – 6:50 PM — Personnel matters
Summary
The Halifax Township Board of Supervisors held their monthly business meeting on November 11, 2019, with all five supervisors present: Chairman Kenneth Bechtel, Brad Bruner, Randy Paul, Steve Schreffler, and Scott McBurney. The nearly three-hour session covered land development approvals, infrastructure funding, property enforcement actions, and year-end budget planning. Every recorded vote of the evening was unanimous.
- Lehman subdivision conditionally approved: The board granted multiple SALDO waivers for Owen and Betty Lehman's subdivision — covering preliminary plan procedure, curbs and sidewalks, plan scale, sinkhole construction details, and contour intervals — then conditionally approved the subdivision subject to a lengthy list of engineering contingencies from Engineer Tim DeWire.
- Traffic signal project funded from General Fund: In connection with the Green Light Go grant, the board voted to pay for the township's traffic signal project out of the General Fund.
- Scholl Road abandonment rejected: Rather than abandon a portion of Scholl Road as requested by adjacent parcel owners, the board decided to research a DSA designation for the road instead. The property owners will be notified.
- Archaeology representative removed: Dane Snyder was removed as the township's archaeology representative. Solicitor Bruce Warshawsky was directed to notify him and search for a replacement.
- Nuisance enforcement escalated: A second nuisance letter with fine implications was authorized for a property belonging to a resident identified as "Brother," where no progress had been made. Two other nuisance properties — Ziegler (slow progress) and Neihart (vehicles moved but not fully abated) — remain under monitoring.
- Unpermitted construction flagged: The board voted to notify the Gearharts that a permit is required for a structure currently being built on their property.
- 2020 budget and financial audit advertised: The board approved advertising the 2020 budget for adoption at the December meeting and separately authorized advertising for a CPA firm to audit the township's 2019 financial records.
- Eagle Scout project approved at Fort Halifax: Ethan Snyder received board approval to erect a snake fence on the north side of Fort Halifax's entrance to match the existing south-side fence.
Who was there
Kenneth Bechtel (Chairman/Supervisor) · Brad Bruner (Supervisor) · Randy Paul (Supervisor) · Steve Schreffler (Supervisor) · Scott McBurney (Supervisor) · Bruce Warshawsky (Solicitor) · Wendy Wentzel (Secretary) · Tim DeWire (Engineer) · Tim Belk (Roadmaster) · Tim Neiter (EMC)
Meeting business
Secretary/Treasurer Report
Supervisors approved paid interim bills through November 11, 2019 (motion by Paul, second by Schreffler, 5-0) and unpaid bills through November 11, 2019 (motion by Schreffler, second by Paul, 5-0).
Three sets of minutes were approved unanimously: October 14, 2019 regular meeting (motion by McBurney), October 21, 2019 Budget Workshop (motion by Schreffler), and October 28, 2019 Budget Workshop (motion by McBurney).
EMC Report
EMC Tim Neiter had nothing to report as EMC but asked questions regarding the reporting of eligible firefighters under the Act 172 Ordinance.
Planning Commission Report
The Planning Commission recommended approval of the Owen and Betty Lehman subdivision with several waiver requests (including curbs/sidewalks, plan scale, sinkhole construction details, and contour intervals). The Board approved the waivers 5-0 (motion by Bruner) and conditionally approved the subdivision 5-0 (motion by Paul), subject to contingencies in Engineer DeWire's comments.
Solicitor Report
Solicitor Bruce Warshawsky reported that a complaint has been filed against North Country Ltd. The township is waiting for certified documents.
Roadmaster Report
Supervisors voted 5-0 (motion by Paul, second by McBurney) to expense the Green Light Go-Grant traffic signal project out of the General Fund.
SEO Report
The SEO report was submitted and placed on record. A letter was received by the Sewage Enforcement Officer regarding 81 Galli Road.
Friends of Fort Halifax
Supervisors voted 5-0 (motion by Schreffler, second by McBurney) to approve the "Butterflies, Birds, Bees and Bloom" workshop to be offered to the community on Saturday, June 10, 2020.
Administrative
Both the building electrical and roof replacement items were tabled until next month.
The Board received a proposal to audit the Halifax Fire Department monies received through the fire tax. No action was taken at this meeting.
Supervisors voted 5-0 (motion by McBurney, second by Schreffler) to send a second nuisance letter with fine implications to the Brother property since no changes had been made. The Ziegler property has ongoing slow progress, and vehicles were moved at the Neihart property but the nuisance is not totally abated.
Supervisors voted 5-0 (motion by Schreffler, second by Bruner) to send a letter to the Gearharts notifying them that a permit is needed for the structure currently being built.
Old Business
Supervisors voted (motion by Schreffler, second by Bruner) to wait until spring to make a decision about the Smokee Bros stormwater violation.
Supervisors voted 5-0 (motion by McBurney, second by Schreffler) to remove Dane Snyder as the township's archeology representative and to have Solicitor Warshawsky send him a letter and search for a replacement.
The Board decided not to abandon a portion of Scholl Road, opting instead to research DSA for the road. The parcel owners who requested the abandonment will be contacted with the Board's decision.
Solicitor Warshawsky will provide documents at next month's meeting to begin the process of turning land back to the property owners on Kieffer Road.
New Business
Ethan Snyder presented his Eagle Scout project proposing to erect a snake fence on the north side of the entrance to Fort Halifax to match the south side. The Board approved the project 5-0 (motion by Bruner, second by Paul).
Supervisors voted 5-0 (motion by Bruner, second by Paul) to advertise the 2020 Budget notice for adoption at December's Board meeting.
Supervisors voted 5-0 (motion by Bruner, second by Schreffler) to advertise notice for the use of a CPA firm to conduct an audit of Halifax Township's 2019 financial records.
Discussion took place regarding determining the owner of Fisher Street. Solicitor Warshawsky will research the matter.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 9:46 p.m. (motion by Bruner, second by Paul, 5-0).
This page is an automated summary of official township records. For the authoritative version, always refer to the original document.