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VOLUME 27, NUMBER 6

Early September, 2022

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Roads and road work Tunk topics in August by Lori Cooper and Seth Isenberg Tunkhannock Board of Supervisors talked roads at their August 10 meeting. Tar and chipping is being done in Indian Mountain Lake and Sierra View. There is a job opening for a DPW heavy equipment operator 2. They also talked about the bridge replacement project for Long Pond Road near Pocono Raceway, which was expected to start in late August and now is supposed to begin in October. Road issues included drivers traveling too fast along the curve on Allegheny Drive and speeding on Yellowstone Drive in Sierra View. Traffic calming possibilities were discussed such as speed bumps and/or police presence. It was noted that Stop signs and curb sign installation cost $3,000 each; these light up so are expensive. This is being studied. Proposed blasting on a property located near Route 115 and 903 by Route 115 Associates (the warehouse developer) was discussed. The board is not in favor of the blasting due to environmental consequences. Supervisors made it clear that no blasting was part of conditional use granted for

the warehouse, however it is possible that the state can change that decision. In current business, supervisors approved a resolution for Indian Mountain Lake Civic Association that acknowledges that it is a ‘Civic Association,’ which will allow the community to have bingo and small games of chance. New letters were sent out to owners of “ugly properties.” The township will be looking into grants to beautify derelict properties or get them knocked down. Members are needed for the UCC Hearing Board and the Planning Commission. A motion was passed for Robert Rinkovsky to join the Planning Commission. Conditional hearings were scheduled for August 16 for a 16,000 square foot warehouse pole building for Baykal Logistics, a trucking business, at 4111 Route 115 (Effort Mountain area), and also for the next door property, for Ivan Malanyuk who wants to add parking spaces for a vehicle sales lot. A motion also passed to get bids to repair park fences, as well as to buy and install new front and back doors for the municipal building. The proposed upgrades to the schoolhouse ahead of See TUNK. TWP., page 3

TOBYHANNA TOWNSHIP VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY CHIEF Troy Counterman reacts to the adoption of Ordinance No. 571–Chapter 9 Fire Companies Amendment by the board of supervisors at the August 15 meeting. From left are supervisors Rachel Schickling, Joseph Colyer, Brendan Carroll, David Carbone and John Kerrick, and solicitor Harry Coleman.

Heated reactions to Tobyhanna Twp. rule changes for fire companies by Ruth Isenberg The future of the Tobyhanna Township Volunteer Fire Company remains a question, following the unanimous adoption of new regulations for township fire companies at the August 15 Tobyhanna Township board of supervisors meeting. Solicitor Harry Coleman conducted a public hearing on the amendment, noting in his comments that Pocono Summit Volunteer Fire Company had been very cooperative in working with the supervisors, but that Tobyhanna Volunteer Fire Company will not agree to operate as an official fire company if it was adopted. This was disputed by Atty. Fred Buck, representing the TTVFC, who said the

fire company fully intends to provide fire protection services, and will always respond if called. He, fire company president Ed Tutrone, and fire chief Troy Counterman all asked why the supervisors felt this had to be done immediately, after 92 years of service to the community. Atty. Buck argued that the definition of “delinquencies” in the ordinance was vague. Tutrone said the fire company never received the list of delinquencies the township felt they had. The main item of contention seems to be the ownership of equipment, and the funding for new equipment. The Fire Tax Resolution adopted unanimously later in the meeting places the distribution of fire tax funds

to the companies serving the township at the discretion of the supervisors. A press release put out by the township regarding the ordinance reads in part: “This Proposed Ordinance by the Board intends to establish a baseline of accountability, to protect all parties, as volunteers and boards change over time, and to be consistent when those changes happen in the future. The Board has the responsibility under the law to provide fire service to the Township, as well as the fiduciary responsibility to have the funds, given to the local volunteer fire companies from your tax dollars, properly accounted for. The Supervisors’ proposed Ordinance is for those purposes only and should not be perceived as anything contrary.”