Wayne to build new township headquarters

By JIM RUNKLE - jrunkle@lockhaven.com
POSTED: August 17, 2010

McELHATTAN - After years of of discussions, meetings, surveys and studies, the Wayne Township supervisors opted to buy a property that will serve as the future home for the township's municipal headquarters.

But it will be years more before that plan becomes a reality, officials say.

The board voted unanimously last night to buy the 20-acre Betroblen property behind the Truck-Lite Co. plant, and rejected a second option that would have resulted in the purchase of the nearby three-acre parcel containing a huge log structure at the former Hunters Archery property.

The move followed several earlier meetings in which township residents voiced varied opinions, with the archery property clearly favored by proponents of a historical and community center for township activities.

The supervisors said the size of the Betroblen property would allow the township to create new structures to fit its needs - and lend itself to a nature park that fits nicely into the township's plans for rural walkways and connections between parks and other recreational areas in the municipality.

According to Supervisor James Maguire, upgrading the present municipal property was also an idea, but it has too many problems to consider building or improvements on site.
Among these problems, he said, were a nearby creek that limits expansion and PPL lines that pose future restrictions if the supervisor decided to build anew on the property where the meeting room, offices and garages are already located.

"The study has been going on for five years," he said. "The Betroblen property has public utilities and it ties in with other opportunities.

Among these, he said, was the Betroblen property's ability to fit with a long-term focus on the city-owned Zindel Park, and steps to enhance the proposed rail-trail through the township, which officials hope will eventually connect the system ended near Jersey Shore to the refurbished train station and trail head in Castanea.

The board is continuing with the grading and debris removal on a nearby former PPL property the township purchased in connection with its walkway project to the park, which is another aspect of its recreational future.

The property behind Truck-Lite is expected to cost around $340,000, and the cost of future site development and building plans have yet to be determined.

The supervisors said there's no rush to achieve those goals, and the project itself has been characterized as a long-term plan that may take five to 10 years to finish.
A segment of the property is located in flood plain, but would be reserved for recreational use. According to Supervisor Thomas Chitwood, there will be no waste.
"We intend to use all of it," he said.

Maguire noted the other option, the Hunter's Archery building, was also appraised and came in at "less than it cost to build it," a disappointing factor for the building's former owner, Fred Beury, who had hoped to remove his personal debt against that parcel and provide the township with a facility representing a high valued bargain for the township.
All three supervisors - Maguire, Chitwood and Dave Calhoun - again emphasized the decision reflected the township's future needs and the need to plan for future growth.
Some residents were not pleased with the move, especially as the parcel is located near McElhattan proper, which has seen its own growth spurt in recent time.

"What happens 25 years from now when there's no more McElhattan land?" one of them asked.

The board, in other matters:

Heard a proposal from Robert Maguire for a high-density residential development on 10 acres along the Shoemaker Road. Supervisor James Maguire, in the spirit of transparency, noted he held partial ownership to the property and would not be voting on any plans that might officially be presented.

The plans were tentative, and mirrored another, much larger proposal examined last month for Lamar Township. Lake Randall of Mid-Penn Engineering Corp. of Lewisburg outlined the early-stage concept for the supervisors.

While the proposal was presented as a very early look and a way to touch bases with the supervisors and gauge public interest, the greeting was not entirely welcome. Some township residents who owned property nearby worried about the set-back requirements and degradation of the rural lifestyle, while another called the representatives "carpetbaggers" and predicted a negative outcome for the citizens of the municipality.

Clearly, although some residents opted for a wait-and-see attitude, it wasn't the welcome the developers had hoped for.

Held an extensive discussion about a proposal to install a culvert on Shoemaker Road after a nearby resident expressed opposition to the township expanding the project further onto his land.

The discussion sparked an extended executive session, after which the board offered the option of building a culvert the same size as the present system, but one which would allow for a larger flow. No decision was made.

A permit agent for CGG Veritas of Houston, Texas, a company undertaking a seismic survey of an extensive area of Clinton County, asked for and received permission for access to about 12.79 acres of township property. The agent said the company is continuing to negotiate with private property owners for access to their parcels.

The company is seeking to create a three-dimensional seismic survey, a method of making a model of what's beneath the surface of the earth by using sound waves to determine the type and shape of sub-surface formations.

A lengthy discussion focused on the recent purchase of a one-acre property and whether development would result in water run-off problems in the neighborhood. The board members told neighbors the property owner was obtaining the necessary permits and permissions, and will have to meet all regulations covering the development and construction of property on the parcel.