Dimock advertised gas lease for bids

BY PAT FARNELLI

Dimock Township Supervisors were surprised to hear Monday night that one reason they have not received royalty checks for township property is that they did not advertise their municipal property for gas lease bids before signing it, years ago.

At the July 11 meeting, a representative from T.S. Caulkins, a landman who handles gas leases for Cabot Oil and Gas, was in attendance to provide information on the municipality’s “curative documents” for the 6-acre township property that was leased previously, and on a 1.25 acre plot on Hardwood Lane, which has also been advertised for bids recently by the township.

Paul Jennings, who was recently appointed supervisor to take the place of George Baker, said that the supervisors had not heard that gas leases by municipalities should be advertised for bidding, but when they were notified by Cabot, they did advertise in June.

Cabot was the only bidder for both properties.

The township property was bid by Cabot at $5,750 per acre, with 21 percent royalties.

Gerald Ellis has been busy working on the township roads and installing sluice pipes. He has completed 11 of the township’s many dirt roads, and has about 20 more to do this summer.

One resident living on Bare Valley Road attended the meeting to thank the supervisors for a good job on her road.

One of the blinker lights at the Dimock four corner intersection was repaired this past week, after it was damaged in a thunderstorm. The new blinker was ordered from Northeast Signal & Electric for $401.75 and installed by Penelec.

Supervisor Edwin Bunnell will not be running for re-election, and Matt Neenan, currently a township employee, is on the November ballot for Dimock supervisor.

The township meets on the first Monday of the month, except in cases of holidays.