Southern York County Life

Supervisors address septic, safety issues

Hopewell Township’s board of supervisors responded to several residents’ requests on septic and safety issues.

The board also adopted the public sewer ordinance and intergovernmental cooperative agreement, related to Act 537, that requires all residents with septic problems to hook up to public sewer when it becomes available in their area and, if the current system is at capacity, when the new Stewartstown-Hopewell sewage treatment plant is completed in about two years.

Speed limit request: Marshall Childers of Marsteller Road approached the supervisors about getting the speed limit on his road reduced from the current 55 miles per hour to 45 or less. He said he is concerned about the safety of children, and he said that adjacent roads have a limit of 40 mph.

The board approved chairman William Streett’s motion that township secretary Pat Schaub request PennDOT to do a traffic study to justify a lower speed limit.

Ira Walker Jr., fire chief of the local Eureka Volunteer Fire company, delivered a 2004 year-end report. Of 349 calls, 136 were rescue/EMS incidents, 70 were fire-related, 45 were public service for auto accidents, and 31 were automatic fire alarms. Hopewell township accounted for 109 calls, Stewartstown borough for 79, East Hopewell township for 49 and a few calls even took the company into Maryland.

The company averaged 14 members on the total number of calls, but only six members for daytime calls, when many firefighters are away at work. Walker suggested that might affect the future of an all-volunteer fire company during daytime hours. The company had also applied for--and received—a $123,000 grant to replace all their air packs, which are due in two weeks.

In other business, the supervisors:

---Approved the concept of subdividing the Duncan farm along West Liberty Road so a small plot of land can help a neighbor with a septic system and two tracts totalling 22 acres can be given to the Fish and Game commission. Subdivision plans can now be drawn up given recommendations from the Agricultural review committee and the planning commission.

---Prepared an initial list of four roads to receive pothole repairs: Maddox, Bowman School, Orwig and Sadlers’ Church. Other roads will be added after the spring tour of the township.

---Authorized solicitor William Poole to advertise an ordinance raising recreation fees on newly constructed homes from $1,500 to $1,700 as long as the Hopewell Planning Commission approves, as did the York County Planning Commission.

---Adopted a new fee schedule for building permit officer Michael Lee because the new uniform construction code increases the number of required home inspections from five to 10.

-- Reach Bob Stier at 854-1575 or news@yorkdispatch.com .

Source: The York Dispatch (we obtain permission for external material)
by BOB STIER
Posted by Dan Baldwin on 02/24/2005 at 03:44 PM in News

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