ATLAS - The July 17 meeting of the Mount Carmel Township Board of Supervisors turned into a town hall forum when several residents questioned elected officials on various topics.
According to the minutes of the meeting provided by the township, the majority of the questions came from Rich Mychak, of Shady Acres, who attends the meetings regularly. Several of his questions posed to supervisors Joseph Zanella and Reynold Scicchitano dealt with the street department.
Mychak asked why reports on mileage and gas consumption are only given for the township's police vehicles and not all vehicles, he wondered what is being done about high grass on two properties on West Saylor Street since he filed a complaint on them and he asked why township workers spent time boarding up several dilapidated buildings on May 6 and who was responsible for the costs in doing so.
Supervisors said the township does not require vehicle records to be provided at the meeting, but that employee Sean Zanella keeps maintenance records on each vehicle.
The two properties where Mychak said high grass exists, 100 and 116 W. Saylor St., were addressed by township police chief Brian Hollenbush. He said 100 W. Saylor St. is in the process of being taken over by a bank from the previous owner, but the township cannot do anything with the property until someone has ownership of it, the minutes say.
Mychak said township workers previously cut the grass at 116 W. Saylor St., but never picked up the clippings and the grass has grown more than 6-inches high again. Hollenbush said the township only has three laborers and that "cleaning up grass clippings isn't a high priority."
As far as boarding up properties, supervisors said the township picked up the cost of the work, including the labor, benefits and materials. The work, they said, was done to prevent vandalism and arson.
It was reported that all building codes were followed and the work was inspected by a third party agent.
Later in the public comment portion of the meeting, Mychak asked why work detail logs for the street department are vague. Zanella said he knows what work is being done and is confident in the work. More detail is not required, he said, because it would not be cost-effective to have them spend time filling out logs instead of actually working.
Resident Patty Scicchitano spoke up for the street department, complementing their work and praising Zanella, whom she said will come out to handle a problem no matter what time it occurs.
Paul Pahutski questioned the supervisors about the street sweeper and why Mulberry Street isn't being cleaned. Supervisor Reynold Scicchitano said street department workers said the street isn't dirtier than any other street. Joseph Chimel said he thinks it is in fact dirtier because of the coal breaker operating at the end of the street.
Chimel then asked if anyone does plan reviews on permits. Solicitor Vincent Rovito said no, but if someone sees something they feel is not up to code, he should report the matter to code enforcement officer Don Geary.
In other business, according to the minutes:
- The 2012 township audit, conducted by Klacik and Associates, was approved.
- Two amended ordinances were approved, one that would reduce the time limit for compliance to notices for cutting grass and weeds to three days, down from 10, the other to make Fern Street in Atlas between Route 61 and Girard Street a one-way street, going south off the highway.
- The board received one bid for a 1990 trash compactor, but, according to the solicitor, it was not correctly submitted and could only be accepted as an offer. No action was taken on the offer.
All motions were approved 2-0 with Scicchitano and Zanella voting yes. Board chairman Charles Gasperetti was absent.
A representative from the office of U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta (R-11) will be available for community outreach at the municipal building from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Aug. 13.
Atlas will hold its community yard sale Saturday, while Den-Mar Gardens will hold its sale on Saturday, Aug. 3.