CLEARFIELD – One vote down, one to go on whether the question of Clearfield Borough and Lawrence Township becoming one municipality should be on the ballot.
At its regular meeting, Thursday, the Clearfield Borough Council voted unanimously to put the question of whether the two municipalities should become one on the ballot in May.
Council President Wade Cowder opened the floor to public comment. Jim Leitzinger, Tim Winters and Rob Swales all spoke in favor of the consolidation and thanked those who served on the committee for all their hard work.
All three said the consolidation would be beneficial, but that the council needed to pose the question to the public and let the people decide.
Now that the council has voted yes, the Lawrence Township Supervisors must also vote in favor of putting the question on the ballot.
If the supervisors vote no, then the debate will be over. If the supervisors vote yes, then the residents of both the borough and the township will have the opportunity to cast their votes in favor or against the consolidation.
The Lawrence Township Supervisors held their regular meeting Tuesday but did not vote on the consolidation question.
According to previously published GANT News article, there was confusion about whether the vote was to be taken at Tuesday’s meeting.
According to the article, more than 20 residents of both the township and some members of the consolidation committee attended the supervisors’ meeting in anticipation of the vote.
However, Supervisors Randy Powell and Dan Mitchell said they believed the vote on the consolidation would be on Thursday, when the borough council held their vote.
Township Solicitor James Naddeo also pointed out that an ordinance regarding the consolidation vote would need to be advertised for seven days before a vote could be taken.
The township will hold their vote at 7 p.m., Feb. 7 at the Florian Banquet Center on Mill Road, Clearfield.
