May 22, 2012 By Steve Ferris heraldstandard.Com 2 min read

FARMINGTON — The Wharton Township supervisors on Monday agreed to a one-year contract with a landowners association to market township property for leasing to the gas and oil industry.

There is no fee to enter into the contract with Dick Landowners Group LLC, but the township would have to pay the company 10 percent of its royalties if it executes a gas or oil lease, solicitor Ricardo Cicconi said after reviewing a copy of the contract.

Supervisor Jack Lewis said supervisors have been attending meetings Dick has been holding with owners of property in the mountains and the company is interested in the property at the municipal building, park and the garage.

He said the park committee supported the idea, but hoped that income from leasing the park property would be spent on park improvements.

Supervisor Joe Henning said he supported that idea.

Many mountain property owners are signing marketing contracts with Dick, Lewis said, adding that property owners can impose restrictions on the use of their properties when they negotiate leases.

The contract allows Dick to bundle properties in order to get better deals from gas companies, Cicconi said.

In unrelated business, the supervisors said an issue that threatened the National Pike Water Authority’s (NPWA) current water line extension project has been resolved.

An NPWA representative, at the supervisors’ May 2 meeting, reported that high bonds for installing water lines along state roads were endangering the project.

The supervisors, state legislators, NPWA officials and state Department of Transportation officials met on May 11 and resolved the matter, Lewis said.

Water lines planned for Dinner Bell Five Forks Road, Nelson Road and Route 381 will proceed as planned, Lewis said.

He said the water lines, which include fire hydrants, provide residents with public water and fire protection.