Sep 13, 2011 By Steve Ferrisheraldstandard.Com 3 min read

CUMBERLAND TWP. — Cumberland Township supervisors on Monday adopted two measures aimed at recouping costs for services stemming from Marcellus gas exploration.

Supervisors unanimously adopted an ordinance imposing a 1 percent earned income tax on nonresidents working in the township and a new heavy hauling agreement requiring companies to pay a $300 road maintenance bond application fee and post $3,000 surety to cover costs such as engineer’s fees.

“We’re tired of doing a lot of things and not getting paid for it,” said William Groves, chairman of the board of supervisors.

Previously, only residents paid earned income taxes. Nonresidents who work in the township and don’t pay the tax in their home municipalities will have to begin paying it to the township, he said.

The $300 fee and $3,000 surety must be paid in addition to the $12,500 bond that drillers and water hauling companies already pay, Groves said.

The $3,000 will be held to cover costs such as the township engineer’s fee for inspecting roads the trucks use, he said. The leftover money will be returned to the companies along with the bond after the roads are restored, Groves said.

In unrelated business, the supervisors said they would look into complaints from Nemacolin resident Gloria Konosky about a rented home adjacent to her home.

Konosky said said the tenants have at least 30 cats, two dogs and the home is infested with cockroaches. She said the dogs defecate on her back porch, the roaches enter their property, the tenants buried a dead dog next to the home and the odor from the home is overwhelming.

She said she talked to the tenants and the landlord, but nothing has been remedied.

Supervisor James Sokol said code enforcement officers are not allowed to enter a home, but the supervisors would contact the township solicitor to find out how to address the problem.

In other business, the supervisors:

n Voted to continue buying employee health insurance from Highmark despite a 3.39 percent rate increase and to continue buying vision insurance from Highmark despite a rate increase.

n Approved a contract allowing Southwest Regional Tax Bureau to continue collecting delinquent earned income taxes next year when a different tax collector will be in place.

n Approved hauling agreements with Chevron Appalachia for Hartley Road and with Laurel Mountain Mid-Stream for Hartley and Turkey Knob roads.

Renewed hauling agreements with Eastern America for Jackson Lane, Jim Hollow Road and Fox Road, and with Penneco for Blaker’s Ridge and Haines roads.

Approved an agreement allowing H&H Water Controls to collect sewage bills and fees in Crucible.