TREVORTON - Zerbe Township supervisors took "provisional" steps to fight blight Monday.
Supervisors passed Act 90, known in other municipalities as the "Neighborhood Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Act," on a 2-0 vote with chairman Michael Schwartz and supervisor Gene Geise voting yes. Supervisor Mike Mazer was absent from the meeting.
However, supervisors said that enforcement of the act will be carried out provided funding is received by the task force to take care of blighted properties in the township.
"The way I understand it to work, we will give a list to the county for the properties that we think should be prioritized," solicitor Roger Wiest said. "They will look into it, but they have final say on the matter what gets picked."
The act authorizes supervisors to deny permits and approvals for serious code violators until their violations are corrected.
The act, recommended by the Northumberland County Blight Task Force, is adopted from a state law by the same name that went into effect in April 2011.
If a code violation is left unaddressed by a property owner for six consecutive months, the law allows a municipality to take action, including having an out-of-state offender extradited for prosecution. Also, punishment can include placing a lien against other properties owned by the alleged offender, or against a mortgage lender, limited partner and others, to recoup costs.
In other business, the board met with members of the Northumberland County Planning Department concerning county Community Block Grant funding. If a grant is received, Schwartz said Schwartz Hill Road and First Street will be slated for paving.
The township's annual spring cleanup is April 15 to 26. Street department workers will pick up yard waste, twigs and debris in Zerbe Township.
Line Mountain's National Honor Society will hold their annual community service project in the township April 26. Members will pick up litter on Gap Road and Route 225 from the sewer plant to the township line, and paint picnic tables at the Foundry recreation area.
Permission was granted for St. Patrick's Church to use the township's picnic tables for their annual parish festival from Aug. 8 to 10. The tables will be transported to the church grounds.