Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

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 ...

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 ...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Some people think Foster Township residents are paying too much for their sewer tap-in fees, and that should change. Others agree the fee is too high, but think it should stay where it is. The $2,000 tap-in fee was one of the topics of Monday’s Foster Township supervisors meeting. Bradford Township residents pay $1,000. City residents pay $500. The issue arose, in part, because residents are concerned about what would happen if the three municipalities consolidate sewer services. Supervisor Jim Connelly, who believes the tap-in fee is too high, is hoping to find ways to cut costs – including being more diligent in collecting from delinquent customers – to lower the fee. “I think that’s ($2,000) a lot of money to ask somebody to pay,” Connelly said. He added that there are $30,000 in delinquent bills. “It’s not fair that some of us have to pay our sewer bills and some of us don’t,” Connelly said. East Main Street resident Don Pistner wanted to kn...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Different municipality. Same question. Why is code enforcement complaint driven? South Kendall Avenue resident Barb Price again on Monday asked Foster Township supervisors what’s being done about the “deplorable” conditions on her road and other areas in the township. Supervisors said letters have been sent out to several property owners about the problems. But Price still had a question. “Why is it that the citizens have to be the ones to complain about these conditions in the township when we have the township workers that are up and down the roads? The police can see them,” she said. “I don’t think that I have to be a watchdog for the township.” Supervisor Jim Connelly, who took a drive with Price to see some of the problem properties, asked Police Chief Jeff Wolbert and Road Supervisor Joe Sweet to report abandoned cars, junk and other problems. He said if they report the problems, the supervisors will make sure code enforcement officer John...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Frustration has been growing among Atlantic Broadband customers about television reception, and one person took his concerns to Bradford City Council Tuesday. Bradford resident Brad Mangel said, with the franchise contract coming up for renewal in a couple of years, maybe the city could do something. “The lower channels are terrible and they’re not doing anything about it,” Mangel said. "This new digital TV …was supposed to be a Godsend. Well, to me, it’s made my television reception worse,” he added. Police Chief Chris Lucco asked if Mangel had tried contacting the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Mangel said cable companies are not governed by the PUC. “I wish I could go to the PUC,” he said, “but it wouldn’t do any good.” "I’ll keep complaining to Atlantic Broadband and they’ll keep telling me it’s a satellite signal and clouds get in front of them, and I know better. I think they have some issues with their lines,” Mangel sa...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Engineers are currently trying to figure how to pay for the $800,000 sewer line project from Laffery Hollow to Corwins Corners. Foster Township Engineer Roy Pedersen said they are looking into a loan from PENNVEST, and will also be updating their H2O grant application. He said they are going to "see if we can figure out a way to do it without raising rates." He added that he doesn't know when the H2O grant money will be awarded "but at least they're taking applications." When asked about the possibility that the township will actually get the grant, Pedersen said, "I don't want to give you false hope. We applied for it last year to pay for that section of sewer line ... which would have been beautiful. ... We're hoping to get 100 percent funding so there would be no local borrowing." He said they are "shovel ready," which is one of the criteria for federal stimulus money. Supervisor Chris W...