MAHANOY PLANE - Gilberton Mayor Mary Lou Hannon is warning borough residents to watch out for subsidences.
"A hole opened up in the Maizeville section last Thursday but it's filled in now," Hannon said at Thursday's council meeting. "I got the call. Eric (Boxer, council vice president) was up to see it. There is an old camper up there."
Hannon told the council she called the state Department of Environmental Protection on May 18 about the situation. She was told that it could take a few weeks from DEP to get a team to fill in the subsidence, so Hannon spoke to Gilberton Coal Company, which filled in the hole.
"A supervisor from DEP came down (Wednesday) and took some pictures of it and wanted to see what else was there," Hannon said. "According to the maps, there was mining on both sides of the subsidence, so it may have been some type of air shaft at one time.
"That's kind of a dangerous spot. He said about 200 feet from there in either direction were active areas. That could mean we might have an opening in the future."
She added, "It's taken care of. We got it filled in and DEP was very pleased because they didn't have to do it. And if anyone notices an air pocket in their yard, they should call right away and have it checked out."
Council President Daniel Malloy said an opening in the ground could also appear where an outhouse had been.
After the meeting, Hannon said the subsidence was near the top of the Old Shenandoah Road. It was 4-by-8 feet and several hundred feet deep. She spoke to officials at the DEP Deep Surface Mining in Wilkes-Barre.
"I initially spoke to Mike Kohr, and Mike Welsh was the one who came down on Monday," Hannon said. "He also stopped here on Wednesday to do the follow-up. He said everything was OK."
Hannon explained how Gilberton Coal got involved.
"When I was told by DEP that it could take a couple of weeks to fill in the subsidence, my concern was for the safety of children and the elderly who walk in that area. I contacted Gilberton Coal Company and asked for their help. Dave Morgans, who is the superintendent at Gilberton Coal, met me Friday afternoon, and on Monday, the company filled it in. It all worked out."
The meeting opened with a vote to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of councilwoman Anna Bashinsky, who resigned in April. Bashinsky, who also was vice president, submitted her resignation by letter. Three residents expressed their interest to serve on the council. In a split vote, the council appointed Michael VanAllen, who was sworn in by Hannon.