DUBOIS – Citizen Charles Gunderman questioned the Sandy Township Supervisors about pensions and blighted property during Monday night’s meeting.
“There’s been a great deal of concern about funded pensions,” said Gunderman.
Gunderman questioned about how much the township contributed, as well as if the pensions were being fully funded.
Secretary/Treasurer Barb Miller explained that the township matched up to 6 percent for non-uniformed employees and 5 percent for members of the uniformed police pension. There was also yearly state aid, she said.
“Sandy Township has always funded our pension,” said Miller. Gunderman countered that both the state and federal governments had, as well, until getting into debit.
“We had a meeting this summer. We are solvent. We have more money coming in than is going out,” said Supervisor Jim Jeffers. He welcomed Gunderman to come in and look at the data at a later date.
Gunderman also asked the supervisors to take action regarding the clean-up of the Kegle property on Oklahoma-Salem Road.
More specifically, his request was for the structure to be made “suitable for habitation” rather than just being structurally-sound. He asked “for there to be teeth” in forcing either a clean-up or sale of the property.
Supervisor Dave Sylvis explained that the challenge wasn’t passing laws, but passing laws that Sandy Township could enforce. He pointed out that the township was working on the blighted property problem.