The search has officially begun for former Foster Township Supervisor Jim Connelly Jr.’s replacement following his surprise May 5 resignation.
Foster Township Board of Supervisors George Hocker and Dale Philips formally accepted Connelly’s resignation during their work session Thursday. The acceptance begins a 30-day period to find a replacement.
“We’re looking for someone who’s interested in the betterment of the township,” Phillips said of prospective applicants.
A poll of roughly one-half dozen residents in attendance at Thursday’s work session found no one declaring any interest in the position.
Phillips confirmed formal applications made for the position have yet to be made, but interested parties can submit letters of interest through the township municipal building.
Applicants must be residents of the township and express, in writing, a willingness to hold the position until Connelly’s term expires in December 2015.
If supervisors Hocker and Phillips are unable to find a replacement, the county Elections Office will step in.
If the supervisors settle on two different applicants, a township arbitrator will help break the deadlock.
In announcing his resignation, Connelly cited a desire to focus more time and energy at home and work. Connelly was not in attendance at Thursday’s work session.
In the work session, the board also said it would continue to go door-to-door seeking home owner consent for easements needed to complete a state-mandated sewer upgrade and retain $4.5 million in low interests loans for the project.
The immediate focus will be on obtaining 13 remaining easements needed to complete installation of a main line portion of the sewer project.
Hocker said some residents have been reluctant to sign off, given confusion surrounding the invasiveness of the construction as well as name changes on deeds and property title, adding those with questions “can come to us or we can come to them.”
There is currently no time table for completion of the easements. Hocker said the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) overseeing the Act 537 mandated project remains “happy with the progress.”
Thursday’s work session also included brainstorming on how to get the Derrick City School building off the repository sale and back on the tax rolls again.
The roughly one acre property closed in 1997 with the consolidation of schools in the Bradford School District. It has since been abandoned due to asbestos contamination.
“If we can get the asbestos out we can get it rented and back on the tax roll,” Phillips said.
Supervisors are looking into the cost of asbestos abatement work at the site. They mentioned fundraisers, and donations of equipment and time by residents in keeping costs down as well as what funding might be available from the county to perform the work.
Aside from rehabilitation, the other option remains demolition.
Phillips said even without the property, the parcel itself could attract a buyer.
“It’s a beautiful lot . . . it’s a nice acre in a nice location,” he said.
Finally, the supervisors are eyeing use of a microseal coating technology on municipal roads they say would last twice as long as current tar and chip methods.
The cost is more but the longevity is seven years as opposed to between two and three under current tar and chip maintenance, the supervisors said.
State funding under Act 89, the governor’s multi-billion dollar Transportation Funding package, could be used to help cover the costs. Allocations for upkeep of municipal dirt roads vary from $3 million to $30 million under the legislation, according to Phillips.
“We’re always looking for how to do it better and do it cheaper, to get the most bang for our buck,” Phillips said.
The next board meeting will be held June 2.
