When: Conoy Township Board of Supervisors meeting, Feb. 13.
What happened: At the request of Vice Chair Justin Risser, the board approved a letter from the township to several area municipalities seeking repayment of costs incurred by the Municipal Emergency Services Authority for mutual aid calls.
Why it matters: Mutual aid calls occur when a municipality’s emergency services organization is unavailable and another service responds to the call.
Background: Several area municipalities chose not to participate in the emergency services authority when it launched last year, instead choosing to enter into an agreement with Penn State Health Life Lion. But Risser said MESA has covered 12 to one the number of mutual aid calls covered by Life Lion. The authority has sought repayment for the expense of the uncovered calls but thus far has been rebuffed.
More: Conoy’s letter states that MESA covered 110 of Life Lion’s calls in January, while only nine of MESA’s calls required mutual aid coverage. The letter asks the municipalities to consider budgeting to repay the costs or to consider joining MESA.
Stackstown Road: The board awarded a contract for demolition and removal of abandoned structures, including a house, barn and other buildings, on township property at 738 Stackstown Road to Dustin Nagy Excavating at a cost of $4,494. The demolition is the first stage in creating fishing access to Conoy Creek at the site. The township budgeted for the cost through grant funding. Supervisors added a stipulation that any items of value found at the site belong to the township.
Governor Stable Road: Township staff announced the pending arrival of a concrete culvert for one of three bridges on Governor Stable Road. The township purchased the culvert with $320,000 in state grant funding. Installation of the culvert will be put out for bid in the spring.
More: Supervisors also authorized township staff to look into the purchase of security cameras to cut back on vandalism of signs and lights at the road closure on Governor Stable Road. A resident has said they will allow the township access to their property to install the cameras.
Brush pile: Council decided to move the township brush pile to Conoy Creek Park on Division Street due to the sale of lots for home construction near the current site. Route 441 access will be closed. Once the site is moved, the township will activate the key fob access system.
Sewer: At the recommendation of engineers, the township purchased an Ecograph electronic flow recorder for the wastewater treatment plant at a cost of $3,633.
Personnel: The board approved William Sager as township roadmaster at a salary of $66,560 after a 90-day probationary period. The salary of Jesse Fitzke was reduced by $5 per hour as planned after serving extra duty during Sager’s probation. Supervisor Steve Mohr voted against the reduction.
What’s next: The board meets again March 13.
