Facing declining interest in Bingo — and declining revenue — the Bradford Township Volunteer Fire Department has been looking for other ways to fund the organization.

However, a few residents have taken issue with the department’s attempt to raise funding for the volunteer organization by building rental storage units.

Five local residents — Arthur and Barbara Steinhauer, Janice Caruso and Michael and Katie Caruso — filed an appeal to the Bradford Township Zoning Hearing Board decision that granted a variance allowing the fire department to build the units.

According to a legal notice in the April 12 edition of The Era, the plan was to build rental storage units in the parking lot across the street from the department’s 368 Interstate Parkway Station. The department uses the lot for extra parking during events.

The legal notice was announcing a public hearing was held April 26 on the matter. The zoning hearing board made the decision April 27.

All five appellants are either neighbors or owners of nearby property. The Steinhauers reside at 355 Interstate Parkway, and Michael and Katie Caruso live in 359 Interstate Parkway, owned by Janice Caruso.

The appeal was filed for them by attorney Greg Henry.

It’s filed against zoning hearing board members Norman Strotman, Greg Dennis, Daniel McCarthy, Sean Hvizdzak and Jean Hvizdzak; and Steve Disney, trustee for the fire department.

The appeal deals mostly with the neighbors’ perceived lack of opportunity for input, and claims that properties owned or lived on by the neighbors are negatively “affected by the challenged land use decision.”

It asserts there were “defects in the procedure,” such as a failure to properly post the notice of land use or keep a stenographic record, as well as defects in substance, meaning the board did not correctly consider other factors, according to the appeal.

In a response by attorney Christian Mattie III filed on behalf of the zoning hearing board and fire department disagrees with the neighbors’ assertions, but notes that the appeal was filed Aug. 23 — after the May 27 deadline for filing an appeal.

A document filed in the McKean County Courthouse indicates that final disposition for a hearing on the neighbors’ request for a preliminary injunction is scheduled for Monday.