Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Backroom deals, questionable contracts and other business dealings were contributing factors to the mass exodus of Foster Township employees six months ago. That's according to supervisor Jim Connelly Jr., who was asked during Monday’s meeting to elaborate on the “turmoil” that led to the resignation of several people, including two supervisors. For the next half an hour Connelly explained some of the things he saw going on in the township, the steps he took to rectify the situations and the reactions he got. He said he was approached about making a “backroom deal” that would keep residents Tom Perry, BJ Campbell (who was not a supervisor at the time), Joe Piganelli and himself quiet. “They wanted to negotiate on what it would take to keep this group quiet,” Connelly said. “Not me. That’s a backroom deal. I just took office in January and I wasn’t going in that room to make a backroom deal.” Perry wanted to change the practice of allowing then-police chief Jeff Wolbert and then-roa...

John Sullivan is taking over as Foster Township supervisor sooner than expected. BJ Campbell, who Sullivan defeated in last month’s primary election, tendered his resignation Monday and Sullivan was immediately appointed to the position. In accepting the resignation supervisor chairman Jim Connelly Jr. explained that Campbell is not resigning out of hostility. It’s simply that he “feels that he would like to give (Sullivan) the opportunity to get on board a little earlier. We are facing some pretty major decisions in regard to this township.” Connelly mentioned the sewer project and labor negations with the police and road departments. “BJ Campbell did a super job for this township,” Connelly said. “When I was sitting up here in December – It was a pretty rough night when everybody quit. I’ll be honest with you.” But, he added, Campbell had said that if anyone ever quit he would step up to the plate, and he did. Connelly went on to say that during his first week in office Campbell was ...

Newcomer John Sullivan appears to have beaten BJ Campbell for a Foster Township Supervisors’ seat in a close race. Sullivan garnered 320 votes while Campbell, who was appointed to the supervisor position earlier this year, picked up 275 votes. The totals are still unofficial until they are certified later this week by the McKean County Board of Elections.

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Foster Township supervisors are asking people who have not turned in their easement agreements for the new sewer line project, to turn them in as soon as possible. “We’ve got to get the project going,” said supervisor chairman Jim Connelly Jr. “It’s no longer February. We’ve got a contractor out there that wants to go to work.” He said he and supervisors BJ Campbell and Dale Phillips will be going door-to-door to talk with people who have not turned in their agreements yet, and asked that people who have a problem call them. Township engineer Roy Pedersen noted that Al Vanderpoel, also with E&M Engineers, has worked with a few residents who had issues and those issues have been resolved. Connelly wondered – because EDUs have been shut off in the Tuna Valley – if residents will be able to use the sewer system after they pay the tap-in fee. Pedersen because this is part of the Act 537 Plan people who hook up to the system will “absolutely” be ...

Tuesday was the last day to circulate and file nominating petitions for the May 17 primary election – and some history may have been made by who did not file. For the first time in recent memory, an incumbent Bradford mayor -- in this case Tom Riel -- is running unopposed in the primary. Others, however, do have opposition. Michele Alfieri-Causer, Tony Alfieri, Tony Clarke and Chris Hauser are all running for the second county judge position. In Foster Township, John Sullivan and BJ Campbell are running to fill the unexpired term of Bob Slike. That's for 2 years. Dale Phillips is running unopposed for the 6-year seat.

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Foster Township has a new supervisor. Businessman Dale Phillips was appointed during Monday’s meeting to fill the position left when Chris Wolcott resigned in December. Phillips is the brother-in-law of Bradford Mayor Tom Riel. Also during Monday’s meeting, Jim Connelly Jr. was voted chairman and BJ Campbell vice chairman. Campbell also resigned his position on the Zoning Hearing Board because he can’t hold both jobs. Virginia Hinaman also resigned from the Zoning Hearing Board. They were replaced by Bruce Cauvel and Norm Strotman Jr., who will serve for five years. Campbell said Hinaman was a “very attentive” board member and did a good job. Connelly thanked Cauvel and Strotman for “stepping up and serving Foster Township.” Also during the meeting Connelly acknowledged the work that Sally Scrivo does as emergency management coordinator for the township. “Unless there’s a major emergency or a catastrophe most people don’t even know Sally’s out ...