DUBOIS – On Monday night, the Sandy Township Supervisors voted to approve a request from Penn Highlands Healthcare to construct new parking lots.
Representatives from Penn Highlands indicated these parking lots would be for employees only. This would free up parking closer to the hospital, which would be for patients and visitors only.
The Planning Commission deferred approval of the lots to the supervisors due to having safety concerns and the substantial impact on the community.
The safety issues were concerning:
- the lack of visibility.
- Wayne Road’s speed limit, which now may be too high in the area for a parking lot.
- residents who live along Wayne Road and who back out onto the roadway from their driveways.
Penn Highlands resolved the last issue by indicating it would help the primary family with developing a larger parking pad to allow them to turn around on their property.
Penn Highlands, along with the supervisors, also agreed it would pay 50 percent, or up to $15,000, to resolve any other safety issues that occur within two years of completion of the construction.
Also, on Monday night, the supervisors approved for the DuBois Mall to host an annual carnival in its parking lot from June 10-15.
The supervisors also reported a new police chief will be hired in the near future. This agenda item was removed at the beginning of the meeting, as the supervisors are still waiting on clearances.
Members of Boy Scout Troop 36 also attended the township meeting; of those, three were fulfilling merit badge requirements.
Pictured, from left, are: Dan McAninch, scoutmaster; Sean Fox, assistant scoutmaster; William Bell; Ryan Fox; Dennis Miller; and Jarred Mann.
