South Union supervisors oppose proposal
The South Union Township supervisors voiced their opposition Wednesday to a Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture proposal that will set up a structure to handle disputes among agricultural interests and township leaders. The Agricultural, Communities and Rural Environment Initiative (ACRE) was designed to balance the interests of agriculture with the environmental and community concerns of local citizens and elected leaders, according to information from the department Web site.
According to supervisor Robert Schiffbauer, the initiative, if approved, would create the Office of Ordinance Review and the Ag Review Board. Those agencies would review complaints by either townships or farmers, and will issue recommendations, he said.
Members of the review board include Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Environmental Protection, the Secretary of Community and Economic Development, and two people appointed by the governor, one of which is involved in agriculture sciences at a state-owned or state-related university.
“Anyone can see that this board’s makeup is weighted on the side of agriculture,” Schiffbauer said. “It’s so disconcerting to this board of supervisors that these two bodies that are biased and slanted have adjudication power.”
The ruling by the agencies can be appealed to Commonwealth Court and the Attorney General would enforce the final decision, he said.
While some urban townships might not be concerned about the initiative, legislation for which is still being drafted, Schiffbauer said ACRE could have long-term impact on all townships in Pennsylvania.
“What will stop other interest groups from asking our legislators to devise a similar situation?” he said.
“If you don’t like a township ordinance, then we can form a bureaucratic agency to do away with it.”
Schiffbauer said the initiative would be another action by state government to erode the authority of local government officials, who are trying to protect the interests of their residents.
He said supervisors from townships in Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties have met to discuss ACRE and are meeting with local legislators and county commissioners to seek support for opposing the initiative.
“This is the first time in my 26 years with the township that four counties have joined together in a common interest to fight a piece of legislation that we feel is bad for our constituents,” Schiffbauer said.
He said supervisors from Beaver and Somerset counties might also join in the lobbying effort to see ACRE defeated. Both the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors and the Pennsylvania Farmers Union are opposed to ACRE, he said.
The supervisors adopted a resolution opposing the legislation and asking that legislators remove any support for the initiative.
Among other business, the supervisors awarded an $18,800 contract to Golden Eagle Construction Co. of Uniontown for asphalt, a $21,700 contract to Laurel Aggregates of Gans for stone, and a $16,680 contract to Walsh Equipment of Prospect for a spreader, hydraulic system and plow.
The supervisors also tabled awarding a contract for a cab and chassis until the July meeting so that the three bids opened Wednesday could be reviewed further.
They announced the July meeting date has been changed to July 13 at 4 p.m. in the township building.