Landfill association recognizes board members, employees as wind-up impasse continues
SUBMITTED PHOTO - Front From Left - Jim Stevens, secretary, Mahanoy Township; Patricia Purcell Brown, recording secretary; Mike Gaizick, CPA; Robert Kalkiewicz, landfill manager; Dave Briggs, president, Union Township; John Nonnemacher, CPA; Robert Leibensperger, vice president, Rush Township.
MAHANOY CITY – The impasse holding up the distribution of $3.5 Million to member municipalities in the North Schuylkill Landfill Association is continuing. Meanwhile, the association recognized officers and longtime employees recently.
The association’s officers met Thursday at the Mahanoy City American Legion.
Following the meeting, the officers provided an update on the latest hurdle in closing the association.
The association maintained a landfill at Turkey Run until state regulations forced the landfill’s closure. They then opened a transfer station nearby, which was sold in 2010. Since then, the association has monitored the landfill site per Department of Environmental Protection regulations.
Over the past five years, the association has worked to formally close the landfill and release monies set aside for its maintenance.
There are 17 member municipalities: 13 charter and four non-charter. Charter members of the association are Delano Township, East Union Township, Frackville, Gilberton, Girardville, Mahanoy City, Mahanoy Township, Ringtown, Rush Township, Ryan Township, Shenandoah, Union Township, and West Mahanoy Township.
Non-Charter members are McAdoo, Ashland, Gordon, and Butler Township.
In the statement provided to the Sentinel, delegates had previously voted to distribute the remaining money to all member municipalities, regardless of charter status.
Each municipality would receive $205,000. For some members, like Union Township and Gilberton Borough, $200,000 is a massive amount compared to their budget, Ringtown and Union Township solicitor Robert Matta said at a previous meeting.
“Presently, some municipalities feel they are entitled to more money,” the statement says. The four non-charter municipalities would be excluded if so.
“The NSLA agrees to not distribute any money at this time until all municipalities agree to equal shares,” the statement reads. It is unclear if a full association vote was taken. “The money sat in the bank for 34 years, so it can sit in the bank for another 34 years.”
Four municipalities regularly attended meetings previously, the statement said.
Regarding the hold-up, in November, multiple Ringtown Valley municipalities said Frackville was putting up a roadblock to the wind-up of the association.
East Union Township officials at February’s meeting said a second municipality had joined Frackville, though that municipality was not known.
In January, when some members were voting on a release agreement, Shenandoah borough said they had only received a letter from Ron Jordan, Frackville Borough Council President, noting that there are issues that need to be addressed.
The association took time Thursday to recognize longtime board members and employees.
Those included Robert Kalkiewicz, manager; Patricia Purcell Brown, recording secretary; Jim Stevens, secretary; Dave Briggs, president; Jeff Markosky, solicitor; Dave Morgans, treasurer; John Nonnemacher, CPA; and Mike Gaizick, CPA.
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