The South Shenango Board of Supervisors held their May meeting, with Board members Linda Floch, Joe Livingston and Jim Slozat attending. Secretary Kathy Amon took the minutes and there were 7 concerned citizens present.

The minutes were approved and Secretary Amon then read the Treasurer’s Report. This, too, was accepted.

Under Visitor’s Recognition, Mike Cadman was scheduled to be at the meeting, however, he had called to cancel. He did say that the contract in question has had no changes to it.

Clay Fails from Hill Engineering was next, and he stood to introduce himself. He is from a municipal work and engineering firm and has done work with Joe Franks in the past.

He is interested in doing work in SST, and stated that he knows the Act 167 Storm Water Plan and also the new FEMA Flood Plain Map.

Supervisor Joe Livingston informed Mr. Fails that he had already been appointed with his firm to do some work in SST.

Fails then thanked the Board, mentioning he and Joe Franks were to have toured the township together that day. However, Joe Franks had cancelled, due some health concerns with his wife.

Bob Hutton spoke up then, offering to take Mr. Fails on a tour of SST.

A citizen stood at this time, continuing an ongoing complaint about a trailer with illegal license plates and plates from out of state. She also complained about an ongoing garbage and junk concern at the residence in question.

The Supervisors did not have any answers for her at this time.

She went on to complain that the owner of the residence is running a lawn care business out of his house, which is zoned Residential Neighborhood, and that he is dragging home clippings and leaves and burning them there.

The Supervisors said that this is a matter for the Home Owner’s Association of the Allotment, but she said it has been abandoned for a number of years, due to infighting.

There is no zoning in SST, so the citizen is somewhat in limbo. Joe Franks, Building Official, was not at the meeting to consult with, thus leaving the citizen to wait until the June SST Super’s meeting.

The citizens who complained at the April meeting about barking dogs and noise then stood to be recognized. They stated that the dogs continue to bark and that the neighbors are noisy at all hours of the day or night.

The SST Solicitor, David Hotchkiss, had stated in April he would look in to Noise and Dog Nuisance Ordinances from some other municipalities, however, at this meeting, he said he forgot to do that.

Supervisor Linda Floch spoke up, saying she has been trying to contact the Secretary at North Shenango Township, in an effort to obtain a copy of the Noise and Nuisance Dog Ordinance there. She has been unable to reach anyone in the office up there.

Floch continued, saying that to enforce an Ordinance, the Code Officer would investigate, a Notice of Violation would have to be posted at the residence in question, a file opened at the Magistrate’s office at Rita Marwood’s, with penalties listed, and then a hearing would be scheduled.

Fines could run as high as $100.00 per occurrence and each time thereafter.

Floch is still procuring a copy of the Ordinance from NST.

She mentioned shooting some video footage of the offenders or running a tape recorder, for evidence.

She cited three cases being tried successfully in NST.

Moving on, Attorney C. Barton Jones stood to be recognized. He and his client were in attendance at the meeting, as his client wishes to build a small winery and B & B out on Jameson Road.

They have their Architect Plans, but the Handicap Access is apparently being held up.

His Plan has been approved by the State LCB and other regulatory committees.

The rest rooms, which must be handicap accessible, would be holding tanks, and all would be a seasonal business.

The client did not want SST to have to schedule a special meeting for this issue.

The Solicitor, David Hotchkiss, spoke, saying that a bond may be requested to cover costs in the event that SST might have to come in and clean the holding tanks, should the owner ever fail to do so.

C. Barton Jones stated that he and his client will submit a Plan Module to the township, soon.

Joe Biery gave the Road Report: He will be going back to the original black top plans for roads for the summer. There is no grant money available for anything, so Colonial Estates will not get sewers.

This means it will not get any paving either; no sewers, no paving.

Biery is holding off on the insulation issue for now, on the building.

He mentioned the new tar kettle, to which the Supervisors responded by passing the motion unanimously to purchase it from Walsh Equipment, through the Co-Stars Program of the Pa.. Department of General Services, Contract #2420-02.

Jim Reaugh, assistant, spoke up, saying that the tar buggy is actually bigger and better that what they had thought. It has arrived and is doing a lot of work already.

It is functioning well and the hosing is good, as is the machine.

The Road Crew is doing some grading and putting salt brine on roads; all dirt roads in SST are on the list for salt brine.

Supervisor Jim Slozat then complimented Jim Reaugh and Joe Biery for their work on the roads in SST.

Biery then went on to talk about a door in the township yard that needs some shoring up, in order to keep mice and wood chucks from entering the building.

Biery will call the Doors and More Company, out of Hadley, Pa., to discuss options.

He gave some prices on purchase and installation, with a remote door opener.

The motion then carried unanimously to buy and install a new door and remove the old one.

SST Clean-up Day is set for June 4 and 5, and the bins are ready.

For the Solicitor’s Report, Attorney David Hotchkiss stated that the Haines property owners have been served a notice of Property Maintenance Ordinance Violations.

The revising of the new Flood Plain Map continues and he has a copy of an Ordinance based on the County’s. There are some alternative approaches being discussed; flood levels will be set at 1st floor levels, or 1-1/2 feet above flood stage.

Some development may be reduced in Flood Plain areas; it will either prevent or permit certain buildings that house or store chemicals, the construction of parks, trailer parks or hospitals.

If these types of structures are permitted to be built in the Flood Plain, they will be regulated.

Insurance companies will be apprised of all situations.

The Storm Water Management Plan was brought up next. This pertains to builders and developers obtaining permits to manage water on impermeable surfaces of 1,000 sq. feet, 2,500 sq. feet and 5,000 sq. feet on up, such as buildings, driveways or parking lots.

Small mobile homes under 1,000 sq. feet would be exempt.

Catch basins and rain gardens were mentioned as means of possible water run-off management.

Consulting firms have asked the county to possibly ease some of the restrictions on these permits and SST has encouraged the County to expand some of the exemptions.

The Solicitor recommended that the township review the County’s plan before voting on their own.

Citizens are urged to attend their monthly Supervisor meetings to stay informed on this important issue.

For the Supervisor’s Report, some solar energy options are being discussed, with literature to be received soon at the township building. Joe Biery and Jim Slozat will be talking to some people within that industry.

Under the Code Report, sizes of residences once again became the topic.

The Supervisors again stated that residences must be in accordance with the SST Ordinance, there are no variances to be issued and no downsizing of residences permitted.

This to prevent people from making travel trailers a full time dwelling place.

Someone then wanted to know if you can stick a porch on a travel trailer out in the woods, without a permit.

The answer is no, and the Supers wanted to know the location of such.

Bob Hutton spoke up, saying he want to send the Flood Plain and Storm Water Ordinances to the SST Planning Commission for review.

For the Secretary’s Report, Kathryn Amon has attended the State Convention. She mentioned that Ashley Porter was there, also, from Porter Consulting Firm, and that it was a good convention.

Correspondence was discussed and the motion to pay all the bills carried unanimously.

The motion to adjourn for the afternoon carried unanimously.

The SST Supervisors meet every second Tuesday of the month at 2:30 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend.