SUNBURY - Northumberland County Commissioner Vinny Clausi criticized Habitat for Wildlife President Dave Kaleta on Tuesday for making alleged false claims that the county illegally controls thousands of acres of property intended for the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA).
"This is outrageous, disgraceful and disgusting," Clausi said at the commissioners' meeting. "We have to put a stop to this. ... The county commissioners have a right to sell or hold onto that land."
He said Kaleta has "embarrassed the office of the commissioners."
Clausi claimed Kaleta has made the 500 acres of property he leased from the county in 2000 his "private club."
The county failed to renew the lease on the property at the end of 2010.
Contacted later Tuesday, Kaleta reserved comment about Clausi's remarks.
Commissioner Rick Shoch, a friend of Kaleta, said Kaleta and his small group of volunteers have done a lot of positive things, including planting trees, restoring habitat and removing tons of household trash and other debris from the abandoned coal property.
"Mr. Kaleta is very passionate, but his opinion about the land doesn't represent my opinion," Shoch said. "He has a right to speak his mind."
Shoch and Commissioner Stephen Bridy agreed to support a motion by Clausi to have the lock changed on the gate at the property near Excelsior since Habitat for Wildlife no longer leases the land.
Clausi said since Kaleta possessed the only key for the gate, emergency rescue personnel, firefighters and police couldn't access the land.
Arguments that the county must sell the land have been made in posts on the Facebook group site "No no no to Northumberland County OHV Recreation Park" and more publicly during a Shamokin Area School Board meeting in December by Kaleta. In his presentation, Kaleta said the county is illegally holding 2,700 acres in Coal Township because it was not sold in accordance with section 5860.701 of the Pennsylvania Real Estate Tax Sale Law. The law requires any property purchased by a board of county commissioners through a tax sale or a sale on judgment for a tax claim before Jan. 1, 1948, which has not been resold or used for public purpose, to be transferred to that county's tax claim bureau.
The county does not contest the land is required to be transferred to the tax claims bureau, but believes it is "crystal clear" the law is on its side because of the powers and duties provided to the bureau in the following section of the law. Section 5860.702 says the bureau "shall manage and control the property" for the county, with powers that include the ability to lease the property, which may be on a royalty basis for the purpose of extracting minerals, oil, or cutting of timber; to advertise it for sale or rent; and to sell it at a private sale. The law does not specifically say the property must be sold.