 Photo by Amy Cherry State Representative Matt Gabler (R/Elk-Clearfield) attended Wednesday evening’s Fox Township Supervisors meeting.
By Amy Cherry
Staff Writer
State Representative Matt Gabler (R/Elk-Clearfield) visited with Fox Township Supervisors prior to their regular Wednesday evening meeting. Gabler then attended the meeting, adding comments or answering questions on a few items.
Over the past several months Township Chairman Mike Keller has mentioned House Bill 2431, which he described as “significantly changing government in Pennsylvania as we now know it.” HB 2431 aims to reorganize local government with a county basis. Municipalities would exist under the jurisdiction of the county which would then determine what type of duties municipal officials would perform. Counties would be tasked with all control of personnel, law enforcement, land use and zoning, sanitation, health and safety. The resolution was referred to the House of Representatives and the Senate on April 20 by Rep. Thomas Caltagirone (D) of Berks County. Keller noted the only area which would not be impacted by the changes are Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. “I don’t see it (the bill) moving. It’s very unlikely for it to get anywhere through the legislative process,” Gabler said. “Local control is important to people. Communities are some of the strongest things we have.” Keller added that by going that route it would also raise costs. “As a local government official I think we ought to oppose it and act on a resolution in the same form,” Keller said. “I’m not sure what their motivations are, but anytime you make government bigger it costs more.” The board proceeded to approve the adoption of a resolution, sponsored by the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS), in “Opposition to Forced Local Government Mergers and Consolidation.” Gabler noted that concern has been raised by local municipalities as well as the City of St. Marys regarding the newly enforced mandate, Act 167, a stormwater management plan enforced by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). He explained the plan requires every land owner, once at 1,000 feet of impervious ground, to have an engineering study done before building anything, such as a tool shed, driveway, etc. “This gives DEP the power to act against townships and can possibly penalize them by taking away their liquid fuels money,” Gabler said. Act 167 was passed in 1978 and requires counties to prepare and adopt watershed based stormwater management plans. It requires municipalities to adopt and implement ordinances to regulate development consistent with these plans. “I will be sponsoring a bill to remove the penalty portion of the bill,” Gabler said.
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