VALLEY VIEW - The Hegins-Hubley sewer project seems to be slipping further away instead of coming closer.
Hegins Township supervisors announced Monday that both townships have agreed and they are going to take advice from the state Department of Environmental Protection and withdraw the sewer plan.
Supervisor Brad Carl said DEP contacted him and said during his review it was determined that more testing should be done before moving forward with the plan.
Both boards of township supervisors have agreed to withdraw the plan and hire Randy Young, sewage enforcement officer, to conduct testing that, according to Hegins Township Supervisor Chairman Chad Richards, should have been done when the process first began when Light Heigel was still the engineer.
The supervisors are also going to consider adding Lambertson, Fountain and more outlying areas of Hegins Township to the plan. Richards said Hubley will conduct testing and possibly also add Fearnot to the plan.
Rausch Creek Wind Farm
Meanwhile, Hegins Township supervisors announced they received notification from Martha Harring, PPL community relations director, that PPL will add more wires to connect the proposed Rausch Creek Windfarm to Frailey and Hegins townships.
The supervisors have received a letter from BP Wind Energy dated Feb. 22, that it will not appeal the Hegins Township Zoning Hearing Board's denial of the erection and maintenance of a meteorological test tower. BP stated in the letter that the information the tower would have provided would have been helpful but it believes it already has gathered enough data to know that a wind farm will be beneficial at the location.
The letter also said BP wants to work with the township and would like to meet with them to answer any questions the public may have. BP also invited the supervisors to visit their latest project, the Mehoopany Wind Farm in Wyoming County.
New solicitor and meeting date changes
Hegins Township has hired a new solicitor.
Gretchen Coles Sterns, a Pottsville-based attorney, will now serve as the township solicitor.
"While I was hospitalized, Supervisor Carl decided to poll the people to hear their thoughts and opinions concerning the solicitor," Richards said. "He received a lot of response. We felt since both Hegins and Hubley are working on a big project together, such as the sewer, that maybe it would be better for us to have a different law firm than Hubley."
Richards said the supervisors looked for someone who specializes primarily in municipal law. He said they were very impressed with the way Sterns could answer any question they asked.
Her hiring is effective April 1 for a $225 meeting retainer and then $110 an hour for her services.
Due to the hiring of Sterns, the supervisors had to change the dates of the township meetings. Sterns is already committed to another township on the first Monday of the month, so Hegins supervisors will now hold their meetings on the second Monday of the month. The meeting will still begin at 7 p.m. and will be held at the Hegins Area Ambulance building on Gap Street. The new meeting dates will be April 8, May 13, June 10, July 8, August 12, Sept. 9, Oct. 14, Nov. 11 and Dec. 9.
The supervisors have also changed the township secretary hours, as well. The new hours for the secretary will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Fridays. Evening hours can be made by appointment.