Dimock considers how to spend Act 13 funds

BY PAT FARNELLI

Dimock Township supervisors are still mulling over the best use of Act 13 impact fee funds, which should be coming in soon, it was announced Monday night.

According to township secretary Esther Rayias, the funds should arrive sometime this month, but before the first of December. Dimock Township was given the maximum amount of impact funding due to the number of gas wells already in production in the township, which amounted to $500,000.

The township’s equipment is already in good shape, so improving the roads will be one priority, supervisors said .

Supervisor Matt Neenan read the list of approved options for using the impact funds at the meeting, and asked for residents to offer suggestions for spending the funds by the next meeting.

At the October meeting, Neenan read a letter of advice from Solicitor Sam Lewis about resident inquiries as to whether a sign ordinance should be adopted. Several residents attended to voice an opinion about signs posted that they found objectionable.

Lewis informed the supervisors that there is no county wide sign ordinance, and that if the township adopted such an ordinance, it would have to apply to any and all signs. He noted that the constitutional right to freedom of speech would probably be cited against the ordinance. The supervisors decided not to go forward with the sign ordinance.

Drilling permit applications, COG permits, and remediations were reviewed. All paperwork was made available for review by attendees.

Berkheimer Associates submitted forms for the supervisors to sign authorizing their company to collect the Earned Income Tax for the township, with Rayias as the contact person.

Supervisors had previously approved for Rayias’ name to be added to the bank accounts.

Permits were received from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for a central pipeline and gathering lines for the Williams pipeline company.

Correspondence was received from the Susquehanna County Planning Commission for the Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center’s expansion project on the Elk Lake school campus.

There were several subdivision and development permits that were available for review.

A number of permits for natural gas pads on the property of the late Edwin Bunnell were received, as well as nine drilling permits for Chesapeake Energy within the township.

There was a notification concerning the Teddick gas well sites in Brooklyn Township from Cabot Oil & Gas, as the property is close to the township line.

Williams had submitted information regarding a six inch pipeline for the Ely 1-7 gas wells.

There was information on an 11-mile pipeline to be constructed through the township running from Tunkhannock to Springville.

Dimock Township Supervisors meet on the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the township building on SR 3023, also known as Dimock to Brooklyn Road.