PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS
175 OAK GROVE ROAD, PINE GROVE, PA 17963
NOVEMBER 10, 2004 MEETING MINUTES
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CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Larry Zimmerman called the November 10, 2004 meeting to order at 7:00 PM and opened the meeting with
the Pledge of Allegiance. Attending were Supervisors Diane Tobin, Allen Aungst, and Jerry Wise. Also present were
Solicitor Gino DiNicola, Sect. / Treas. Kathy Ferguson, Judith Lehman, Clinton Koontz, Brian McFeaters, Chuck
Packard, Alan Petersen, Tim Williams, Donald Wenrich, Lee Zimmerman, Karen Love and other residents; list on file.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS – No comments.
MINUTES / FINANCIAL ITEMS
s September 22, 2004 Budget Meeting Minutes
s October 13, 2004 Meeting Minutes
s October 27, 2004 Budget Meeting Minutes
Allen Aungst said the minutes from September 22, 2004 should have “old” inserted in front of grader, also minutes from
October 27, 2004 should be changed to read “budget” each fire company $10,000 and “budgeted” expenses were
increased by $20,000. Zimmerman moved to approve the minutes with the corrections, Diane Tobin seconded the
motion, all were in favor and motion carried 4 to 0.
s Treasurer’s Report
General Fund beginning balance was $2,098,200.62; October receipts were $86,002.10, October expenses were
$62,318.23 and the ending balance is $2,121,884.49. Aungst moved to approve the Treasurer’s Report, Jerry Wise
seconded the motion, all were in favor, and motion carried 4 to 0.
s Approval of Bills
Ferguson noted the bills included the Road Project invoice of $96,696.60 and reported the Liquid Fuel Fund balance as
of October 31, 2004 was $135,756.33. Ferguson said the allowable portion of the truck dump body invoice previously
paid is $32,353.31 and if both bills were paid with Liquid Fuel Fund monies, it would leave a remaining balance of
$6,706.42 in the fund. Aungst moved to transfer the money from Liquid Fuels Fund to the General Fund to pay for the
Road Project of $96,696.60 and for the allowable portion of the truck expense, $32,353.31. Zimmerman seconded the
motion, all were in favor and motion carried 4 to 0. Tobin moved to pay the bills; Wise seconded the motion, all were in
favor and motion carried 4 to 0.
PERSONS TO BE HEARD
s Brian McFeaters representing Light-Heigel & Associates, Inc., one of the townships Sewage Enforcement Officers
presented their fee schedule for 2005 and noted there are no price increases this year. McFeaters distributed
brochures on sewage systems and said more are available for residents as needed.
Landfill Gas Project
s Ingenco representative Chuck Packard gave a brief presentation for the landfill on the gas to energy project.
Packard said they propose taking a wasted resource, the gas from the landfill and use it for energy for Guilford Mills, a
major employer in the area. Packard said the landfill produces energy that is equivalent to 5 million gallons of oil and
Guildford Mills uses energy equivalent to 3 million gallons of oil a year. Packard said the combined project would
involve running a gas line from the landfill to Guilford Mills and building a small electric generating facility so the landfill
gas would be used to supply heat and electricity to the mill. Packard said at times Guilford Mills would not need all the
electricity generated and some would be sold to the electric grid which would help support the community’s voltage in
the area and provide some of the benefits of having a distributive generating plant in this area.
Other items Packard covered in response to question from the supervisors and residents:
s Ingenco’s charts show a substantial gas resource for fuel energy will be available for 15 years and probably for
10 years more.
s Ingenco provides the capital investment for the generating station.
s Ingenco presently has five landfill gas to energy projects - one in Greencastle, PA; four in Virginia and some
proposed in North Carolina.
s It is not yet decided who would maintain the gas line; generally the pipes are maintained by Ingenco.
s Liability of the pipe system is low because it is a high density poly-ethylene pipe, about an inch thick; it is a low
pressure line (20 lbs psi) and the gas is 50% methane and 50% carbon dioxide.
s Special buildings are used to contain the noise inside the plant.
Alan Petersen from Waste Management added the fact the equipment units are smaller than other companies in this
business are using and modular is one of the reasons they feel that Ingenco’s business plan would work in this
situation. Clint Koontz said he thinks it is an excellent idea but his concern is pending legislation that will require electric
companies to show 15 % of their power generation from a renewable energy source. This project would fall under that
legislation and would then take decisions away from local governing bodies. Koontz said renewable energy sources are
not subject to local zoning ordinances and ten years from now they might locate another landfill here to continue
production of gas. Tim Williams from Guilford Mills said that they are in favor of the project and are pushing the project
so they can stay competitive. Tobin said that they have been following the legislation that Koontz talked about and the
alternative is to let the gas continue to burn off into the atmosphere. Zimmerman asked Tobin to set up a meeting with
Pine Grove Borough council members, Waste Management, Guilford Mills and Ingenco to answer any questions about
the project.
Executive Session entered into at 8 PM at the request of Larry Zimmerman for employee matters. Meeting resumed at 8:
15 PM, Zimmerman said cutting landfill personnel hours were discussed since the landfill is not receiving waste. No
decisions were made and it is tabled until all supervisors are present and the Host Municipal Inspector will be invited into
the executive session.
REPORTS
Engineers Report - Supervisors reviewed the Dennis Schneck Subdivision and Sewage Module that the Planning
Commission has granted conditional approval. Zimmerman said this subdivision met the requirements of our ordinance,
but the plan is an example of where our ordinances need to be changed to stop water from flowing from one property
onto another property. Aungst moved to approve the plan with the Planning Commission recommendations and the
waiver for section 5.521. Tobin seconded the motion; all were in favor and motion carried 4 to 0.
Zimmerman moved to adopt resolution #111004A for the Schneck Subdivision Sewage Module, Aungst seconded the
motion, all were in favor and motion carried 4 to 0.
Landfill Inspector - No comments.
Roadmaster - No comments.
Zoning Officer - No comments.
OLD BUSINESS
Dry Hydrants at Sweet Arrow Lake - Aungst moved to approve and sign the revised County agreement for two dry
hydrants at Sweet Arrow Lake. Tobin asked if the changes were made as requested, Aungst said the changes were
made and the supervisors received a copy, Tobin said she had not gotten a copy and asked if the fire companies had
commented on it. Zimmerman said Greg ok’d it and was the one who had brought it to the supervisors. Zimmerman
seconded the motion, all were in favor and motion carried 4 to 0.
Per Capita Tax - DiNicola prepared a draft of the ordinance for the supervisors to review. DiNicola said the school
district has been placed on notice that the board’s intent is to consider adopting an ordinance to levy a $5 per capita
tax, there is no public hearing necessary, but there are special advertising requirements and his office has already
prepared the advertisements. Zimmerman said DiNicola should use the Press Herald for the advertisement if possible.
Zimmerman moved to advertise the Per Capita Tax ordinance for possible adoption at the December 8th meeting, Tobin
seconded the motion, all were in favor and motion carried 4 to 0. Zimmerman noted this is not a new tax; the township
will be getting the $5 instead of the school board who is collecting it now.
NEW BUSINESS
Zoning Ordinance Amendment - DiNicola said the Pine Grove Joint Treatment Authority has requested the board
amend their zoning ordinance definition of municipal use to permit uses by the Authority consistent with the Act 537
Plan. DiNicola said he reviewed and assisted with the preparation of the language of the proposed amendment which
was circulated to the County and the Township Planning Commission. DiNicola said the proposed amendment would
permit the Joint Treatment Authority to construct its facility without going to the Zoning Hearing Board for a variance.
Zimmerman moved to advertise for a public hearing on December 8th at 6:30 PM and possible adoption of the zoning
ordinance amendment on December 8th at the township meeting. Aungst seconded the motion, all were in favor and
motion carried 4 to 0.
Library Survey - Zimmerman said the total votes from the survey taken on Election Day were 794. “No” votes for all
three questions were 322; “yes” votes for all three questions were 355, mixed votes were 117. Results and comments
are available for public review. Tobin noted Washington Township had almost the same results, the majority wants the
library, but the majority does not want to pay the tax for it.
Independent Auditor - Tobin moved to advertise for an independent auditor for the 2004 audit, Wise seconded the
motion, all were in favor and motion carried 4 to 0.
Emergency Management deputy position - Tobin said she has received a volunteer, Venetta Pettigrew, for the position
as assistant to the coordinator and she will come into the township office to complete the necessary forms.
Help #’s - Tobin said she talked to the Help # system coordinator and reviewed the Help # system and the 911 address
listing and maps. Tobin said she understands why they use the Help # in the ambulance, because it is so easy. Tobin
said that original Help #’s are still valid and new numbers are available. Tobin will put the number on the township
website.
Ravine Fire Company Letter - Tobin said Ravine Fire Company gave her a copy of a collection letter they received and
asked if our solicitor could advise them on the situation. Zimmerman moved to approve allowing our solicitor to handle it
for the Fire Company, Tobin seconded the motion, all were in favor and motion carried 4 to 0.
CORRESPONDENCE - No comments.
PUBLIC COMMENT
s Wise said with the recent flooding, he received flyers “Emotional Response to Floods” by Schuylkill County
Service Access Management, an agency to help the public with the stress of the floods. The flyers are available to the
public.
s Aungst said at the election there was confusion where to go to vote and he feels the supervisors need to take a
look at the listing of the voters, he doesn’t see why they need to be separated into the East Ward and Ravine Precinct.
Aungst said over 500 voted downstairs and 1,080 voted upstairs. Aungst will follow up with Betty Dries at the Election
Board.
s Aungst said the township needs a resolution to appoint an agent for FEMA transactions. Someone will be coming
to assess our damages. Aungst said the agent is responsible for the information that is on the forms and sending the
forms in, he assumes they would want Kathy to be the agent. Zimmerman said if she is only mailing things, but not if
she will be spending time explaining things to them. Aungst said when the assessor comes he will sit with John and
himself and go over the work and the use of the equipment to justify the money we are claiming. Aungst motioned to
adopt Resolution #111004B to appoint Kathy Ferguson as the agent for FEMA transactions, Zimmerman seconded the
motion, all were in favor and motion carried 4 to 0.
s Karen Love said she filled out a complaint about the noise at Zimmerman’s Sawmill in Ravine since they moved a
chipper in and wants to know if it was checked into. Ferguson said it is in the correspondence folder and a copy was
given to Koontz. Love asked when she would hear from Koontz. Koontz said when a complaint is made he investigates
it and the complainant is out of the process then, he reports to the board. Koontz said he talked to Mr. Zimmerman and
said he can’t regulate their business hours. Koontz said the only part of the ordinance that may have something to do
with it is non-residential and non-agricultural use in a commercial industrial area, noise level can’t be above 60 decibels
at the property line; but he has no way to check on that. Zimmerman said we could rent a meter to see if it is above the
60 decibels. Koontz said if they want the noise level measured they should hire someone who knows how to do it, it is
not his job. Tobin said if it is in the zoning ordinance, then it is his job. Aungst said he would see if a meter is available
for rental.
ADJOURNMENT
At 9:15 PM, Zimmerman moved to adjourn the meeting, Aungst seconded the motion, all in favor, motion carried 4 to 0
and meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Ferguson, Secretary / Treasurer
Approved by BOS 12/08/04.