SMETHPORT — The Keating Township Supervisors at a special meeting Wednesday afternoon voted to bid the Irons Hollow pipe replacement project that will replace an old sluice.
Speaking in favor of the project, Supervisor Doug Covert said, “this is a large project, and I’m in favor of bidding it so our employees are not there all summer.”
In another unanimous vote, the supervisors agreed to seek bids for the engineering survey for the Gifford Hollow Bridge project.
Township officials said the project could be eligible for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Retro-Reimbursement Program, which is designed to reduce the number of structurally-deficient bridges. A municipality that participates in the retro-reimbursement program would use local funds to rehabilitate or replace bridges and then request reimbursement from the state.
The supervisors also reviewed a tentative list of road projects for 2017. Installing a drain in Kent Hollow could be funded with money from the McKean County Conservation District.
Covert stated his concern about the damage that surface water is doing to township roads.
“We have to take a serious look at resolving this issue for the long term without impacting homeowners,” Covert said. “This won’t be resolved today, but we must start talking with homeowners.”
In other news, the supervisors discussed issues about the Aiken Water and Pithole Water companies.
For the Aiken system, the issue was considering a pump design that would allow backwash to enter the township sewer system. Due to its low flow, the Pithole system could use a conventional residential sewage system.
A problem has developed with the archaeological digs in Phase III, the site of the Farmers Valley sewage treatment plant. The artifacts were catalogued, but not labeled and therefore cannot be curated to meet the standards of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
Township officials are to contact Stiffler McGraw, the township’s engineering firm that handles the wastewater treatment project and had a contract with the original archaeologist.
Keating Township Citizens Committee president John Stratton questioned the supervisors about the status of the county committee that was formed several years ago to fight blighted properties.
Several years ago, the McKean County Redevelopment Authority worked cooperatively with Chris Gulotta, the Gulotta Group, and former executive director of the Housing and Redevelopment Authorities of Cumberland County, in developing a blight eradication program.
Stratton said he believes that while “the township needs a little bit of attention, there must be a culture developed for keeping properties attractive, but this takes time and energy.”
Melissa Jo Smith, township secretary-treasurer, said the township must adopt an anti-blight ordinance before the county would help.
Supervisor chairman David McClain stated concerns about the township’s financial obligations. “Personally I would tread lightly,” said McClain. “I remember the pushback from residents over an earlier attempt regarding a garbage ordinance.”
“And enforcement,” added Supervisor Rich Tanner.
“And with enforcement, we’re in a tough spot,” said McClain.
The supervisors’ next meeting is set for 6 p.m. March 1.
