South Union supervisors to send letter to turnpike commission
South Union Township supervisors said Wednesday they will send a letter to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission asking them to reconsider placing a tollbooth at the Fan Hollow Interchange. The interchange will allow people traveling on the Mon/Fayette Expressway to merge onto or exit the toll-road, which is currently under construction.
Township Supervisor Robert Schiffbauer said the toll both will be detrimental to the ongoing economic development in South Union because people will have to pay a 50 to 75 cent toll to travel less than a mile on the road.
Schiffbauer said he believes people won’t want to pay the toll and will take other routes, instead of traveling the toll-road, further congesting Route 119 and Route 40.
The township is trying to attract people to the area, Schiffbauer said, and is worried the tollbooth will make it difficult for people coming and leaving the area.
Supervisors said they are worried the intersection that allows vehicles to merge onto Route 119 north before entering Uniontown will become increasingly busier because of the proposed tollbooth.
Schiffbauer said the supervisors believe the turnpike commission should forego plans to place a tollbooth at the Fan Hollow Interchange and allow people to exit the expressway without paying a toll.
He said Route 43 in Washington County allows passengers to travel about six miles and exit at California and Elco without paying a toll.
“We’re talking less than a mile here,” he said.
As for other matters, supervisors said the township code enforcement officer will cite property owners with delinquent garbage bills.
Supervisor Rick Vernon said courtesy letters were sent out Monday to more than 20 people with unpaid bills. Each person has 14 days to settle his or her account with Veolia Environmental Services, the township’s garbage collection company.
If the account is not settled within 14 days, the code enforcement officer will issue citations, Vernon said, noting that property owners are held responsible even if they are renting the property in question and the tenant is supposed to pay for garbage collection according to their lease agreement.
Vernon said the township is completely within its rights to issue citations for delinquent accounts, since Veolia is contracted to pick up garbage at every residence even if the bill has gone unpaid for several months.
Those who receive citations will have to go before Magisterial District Judge Joseph George Jr.
In an unrelated matter, Supervisor Thomas Frankhouser said the township received a $25,000 safe water grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection.
The grant money will be used to install water lines in the area of Varva Street and Shaffers Corner Road, Frankhouser said.
Supervisors also conducted the following business:
– Announced trick or treating will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31. Anyone wishing to participate should turn on a porch or yard light. Supervisors reminded everyone trick or treating is for township residents only and that children should stay within their own neighborhood.
– Appointed David Jones to the township Zoning Hearing Board for the remainder of the 2006 calendar year. The supervisors will take appropriate action to appoint Jones to a 5-year term in January.