SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS - Six dilapidated buildings in West Mahanoy Township are on a tentative list to be torn down this year through a cooperative effort between Girard Estate and the township.
The properties that may be demolished were announced Tuesday by supervisors Chairman Christopher Malocu.
"The tentative list of houses that we are going to raze are in the Lost Creek/William Penn area," Malocu said.
The properties - two single houses and two double-block houses - are:
- 59 Mount Olive Blvd.
- 58 New Road
- 131-133 Mount Olive Blvd.
- 295-297 Mount Olive Blvd.
"A discussion with Roy Green of Girard Estate and (William Penn Fire Company Chief) Al Miscannon is where I got the list," Malocu said.
After the meeting, Malocu said, "It's a pretty good list, but there could be changes."
This is the third year that the township has been working with Girard Estate in demolishing dilapidated houses in the villages of Lost Creek and William Penn that are on Girard Estate land.
"Once these are down, it will be 18 houses in three years," Malocu said. "The criteria is that they (the houses) have to be abandoned for years, are not half of a double, and there are no taxes or lease being paid. They're abandoned and the people are long gone."
Malocu said the proposed plan is to have three houses demolished by the end of June, although the schedule is also tentative.
The supervisors also acted on the following agenda items:
- Adopted Resolution 2013-1 empowering and directing the proper officers of the governing board to execute an agreement with Berkheimer Associates being retained as the exclusive tax officer for the collection, administration, receipt and enforcement of the provisions of the respective tax enactment law.
- Adopted Resolution 2013-2 empowering the township to appoint Secretary/Treasurer Michael Michalik as liaison between the township and Berkheimer for official purposes.
- Adopted Resolution 2013-3 appointing Berkheimer as the township tax hearing officer.
- Set the mileage rate at 55 cents per mile as approved by the Board of Auditors.