CLEARFIELD – At the end of Tuesday’s Lawrence Township Supervisors’ meeting, Solicitor James Naddeo informed the supervisors of a situation he said he finds “disconcerting.”
Naddeo said he sent a letter to the township’s engineer, Stiffler McGraw, with a series of questions he thought the engineering firm would be able to answer in regards to the township’s efforts to restrict inflow and infiltration into the sanitary sewer system.
The state Department of Environmental Protection wants the Clearfield Municipal Authority to close the Sanitary Sewer Overflow near the Hyde Bridge by September of this year, and the township has been working to track down problems, such as leaks in the lateral system, French drains, sump pumps, etc.
Naddeo said there may come a time when the situation will require his legal expertise in dealing with DEP and he wants to be prepared for that eventuality. And the questions are part of that preparation.
Naddeo said he was surprised to learn that the letter was not well received by the engineering firm, and Supervisor Randy Powell confirmed that he was contacted by Dave Stiffler, who asked him about the letter.
Powell added that Stiffler indicated he didn’t have answers to all the questions posed in the letter, and he wanted to know why Naddeo wanted the information.
Naddeo continued and said that he had explained his reasons in the letter, adding that he’s concerned that Stiffler didn’t contact him directly and the supervisors agreed.
Powell said he told Stiffler he needed to contact Naddeo, since he was the one who wrote the letter to begin with.
Police Chief Doug Clark reported that in the month of January criminal arrests were up from 49 in January of 2017 to 82 last month.
He said there were 117 traffic citations, up from 59 last year. There were 783 incidents the police responded to in January, including eight DUI, 19 drug arrests and 44 misdemeanor and felony arrests.
Supervisor Jeremy Ruffner said he has been working with the police on computers to go with the new in-vehicle computer system. He said right now they can get away with four computers, but they really need five. A quote from Dell for four computers and two monitors was $2,720 and an additional computer would be $575.
The supervisors decided to purchase all five computers now, and the computers can be purchased under the COSTARS program.
Ruffner noted that when the officers are connected to the station from their vehicles they don’t need to come in to file reports as often, since they can do much of that work in the vehicles and continue to be a visible presence in the community, which helps deter crime.
Clark also reported the department received $8,700 in donations, and he has ear-marked that money for in-car cameras.
Secretary Barbara Shaffner read a report from Roadmaster Ron Woodling. The report noted that the barriers erected at the end of Deacon Road, where it connects to High Level Road, are being moved.
Several years ago, at the request of residents, the supervisors passed an ordinance to close that point of entry, yet some residents have been moving barriers.
Clark asked about placing bollards, like the ones that restrict access to Rails to Trails. Powell said they had asked PennDOT, but PennDOT was concerned about access to the road by emergency vehicles.
Ruffner added that emergency vehicles wouldn’t use that access point in the winter, and Clark noted bollards can be removed if needed and the moving of barriers is going to continue to be a problem. The supervisors will be looking into options.
Under the secretary’s report, Shaffner presented a resolution for a flashing light at the intersection of Park Avenue and on/off ramp for the bypass.
This is in the event the Camp Hope Run landfill is approved and the supervisors have passed similar resolutions in the past.
Also, the supervisors approved a request from Tax Collector Kelly McCracken to change her deputy tax collector from Mark McCracken to Walter Fry.
The supervisors also approved participating in the illegal dumping enforcement program with the Clearfield County Solid Waste Authority at a cost of $500 for one year.