Hop Bottom: Creek returning to former bed

BY PAT FARNELLI

Recent hurricanes and storms have rerouted Martin’s Creek in Hop Bottom, causing the meandering waterway to return to its previous course, a borough official said.

During a meeting Nov. 1, council President John Koshinski said that the creek has “moved back where it used to be when I moved to town.”

Council has been struggling to maintain the banks of the creek, both for environmental reasons and for safety’s sake, and the recent floods have underscored the need to shore up the creek’s banks and to contain it so that the town is not flooded and forced to evacuate.

The creek now runs through the Webster property, and the sediment basin needs to be completely redone. The stream bank stabilization work completed this summer is moved from its original location as well, and the bank where entry was made to do the recent work permitted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection needs to be raised back up to its former height.

The spillway needs to be cleaned up, gravel needs to be removed, knotweed needs to be removed, and the gate needs to be repaired. The banks were cleared prior to the high water events, but now need to be completely redone. Many rocks, including some as large as the borough front desk, have moved great distances from the powerful force of the engorged stream, it was reported.

Borough secretary Deb Norton said that several council members attended a recent FEMA meeting.

Hop Bottom had only two damage situations to report from Hurricane Irene, which at $500 and $250 did not meet the minimum requirement.

However, Hurricane Lee did widespread damage, and will qualify for disaster aid. Although there will not be funding for cleaning waterways or restoring banks, culvert repairs, the creek bank where the culvert meets the bridge, and sediment replacement projects may be eligible.

Norton said a resolution form needs to be filled out, and an applicant agent needs to be appointed to represent Hop Bottom.

Councilwoman Janice Webster was chosen, and Councilman Bill Black will serve as co-agent as needed.

In other business, the ordinance committee needs to update a fine schedule. The police officer, Ron Cosklo, is the supervisor ofFellTownship, and might be able to help write one.

The signs were completed by Molenko’s, and they did a nice job, said Councilman Ron Barankovich. He noted that because they took longer to paint than expected, $100 was knocked off the estimated price.

Barankovich is installing the 6×6 fence posts for the park as soon as he finishes removing the old fence and brush. He said that the park gates and fencing will be installed at the same time.
The borough building’s new metal roof has arrived, but the screws had not. The roof should be finished in the next two weeks.

The garage should have electrical service and lighting by the start of 2012, and Penelec will be the utility. Trees need to be trimmed to allow the borough police car to pull into the garage.

The borough has been discussing reducing the council members to five, but will need to have a petition signed by at least 10 percent of the people in town.

They are also waiting for information from the solicitor.

The council was pleased to introduce two write in candidates for borough council seats: Gary Czekalski and Frederick Fry, both of whom were in attendance.

Bethany Klees, a junior atMountain ViewHigh School, said she wanted to do her senior project in some form of service to the borough.

The possibility of putting liens on the property of Hal Akoa, whose property was addressed in a hearing at theSusquehannaCountycourthouse, was brought up. The secretary said that another $15 check was received from Akoa toward his fines.

The borough is still not leased for gas well exploration, and the council discussed advertising for bids.

Webster said she would be attending a seminar in Bradford County on planning to manage secondary effects of natural gas drilling. The council approved paying the $50 fee.