Meeting minutes changes questioned

By KRISTA GROMALSKI

SHOHOLA — Although Dan McKean’s property on Shohola Falls road was determined by the Zoning Hearing Board last month not to be a shooting range, questions around the controversy surfaced again at the June 14 meeting of the Shohola Township Board of Supervisors.

Joe Zenes, who resides down the road from McKean and requested the hearing on the shooting range issue, said in May he requested a copy of the minutes of the supervisors’ September 14, 2000 meeting. The minutes contained statements about the shooting range issue raised by Zenes during the meeting, according to township secretary Shirley Brunner.

While the minutes were finalized in October, Zenes said the minutes he received contained handwritten additions dated November 9, and initialed by Brunner. Zenes, who said he experienced a 10-day wait following his request of the copy, asked the board if this is “the way business is normally done?”

Chairman George Fluhr said the approved copy of the minutes was not recorded correctly because of a computer error. “In the minute book, the computer left out a few lines,” Fluhr said. “It’s been corrected.”

Zenes questioned the practice of approving the minutes and changing the content without coming before the board. “The minutes need only reflect actions taken by the board,” said Fluhr. “This change did not concern any action taken by the board.”

Zenes said he found the procedure “strange,” but township supervisor Edwin Abrahamsen disagreed. Brunner found an error and made a correction, he said. “[This] requires no approval by the supervisors. She’s in charge of the minute book.”

Township resident Dave Churchill said the handwritten change appeared unofficial. “I agree,” said Brunner, who offered to provide the minute book for inspection during the meeting.

After a heated discussion between Zenes and the board, Fluhr moved the meeting forward.

Referring to a 1,025-acre property on Route 434 owned by The Society of St. John, Churchill expressed concern about the group’s “heavy use” of the area and its impact on Shohola Creek.

The property is receiving “much greater use than a single family dwelling,” Churchill said.

The society has assured the township that it will be in compliance with township regulations, Fluhr said. “They are very environmentally conscious… They said they plan to spend a lot of money on a sewage system.”

Gabriel said he will investigate Churchill’s concern.

On June 19 spokesperson Mary Schwerdt said Gabriel had not yet been in contact with the society, but there has been a positive relationship developed between the two parties.

We realize that Shohola Creek is designated as a high quality stream,” Schwerdt said. “The DEP will check everything we do… We wouldn’t do anything illegal.”

In other township business the board approved a Driver’s License Inspection Policy, which requires any township employee “that drives a township vehicle or uses his or her own personal vehicle while in the course of doing township business” to “annually authorize” the police department “to verify the validity of the individual license.”

If a license has been suspended the individual is responsible for notifying the board.

Supervisor Stephen Dellert reported that a bid of $29,980 was accepted from Schmidt Construction of Greeley to begin work on the township’s park.