Repave of vital link from Girard Manor area ‘sickened’ township roadmaster
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - A repaved section of Girard Manor Road is seen on Dec. 8, 2023.
SHEPPTON – In a night of political mudslinging, East Union Township’s roadmaster said it “sickened” him that a prior administration spent $200k to repave one of the only two ways out of a remote portion of the township.
Daniel Danchision directly called out Supervisor Jill Careyva, the previous chairperson, at Monday night’s regular township meeting, calling out an unspecified dirt road project and the paving of Girard Manor Road in 2023.
“Knowing what I know now as the roadmaster and driving the township every single day, knowing what I know now, it sickens me that we spent — the prior administration that was run by Jill Careyva — spent $500k to put dirt on top of the dirt and now those dirt roads are completely wiped out, gone,” Danchision said, “and then $200k to do Girard Manor Road that most people in this room can’t even find.”
The repaved section is a vital link for the Girard Manor portion of the township and residents along a four mile stretch of Pole Road and Girard Manor Road. A closure on Pole Road from Pumping Station Road east leaves Girard Manor Road as the only way out. It is also a Hazleton Area School District bus route.
Danchision said the money could have been used for road projects “that would serve so many people instead of serving a few people.”
He also lamented the delay in repaving East Elm Street, the access road to the East Union Township Municipal Complex, the only facility on East Elm Street.
“It’s been driving me out of my mind why were those roads chosen over the road coming into the township building, the road in front of the post office, all of the roads that are wiped out that the school bus travels, why were those dirt roads for $500k and another piece out in Girard Manor Road that no one even knows where it’s at, why were they chosen,” Danchision said, accusing the road choices as only serving Careyva’s farms.
The repaved Girard Manor Road stretch was in derelict condition prior to the 2023 repave.
Careyva countered, asking Danchision if most residents at the meeting knew where Old Mill Road was.
“Don’t give me that s— that Girard Manor Road isn’t travelled. There are more cars on that road than you can imagine,” Careyva said.
“On Girard Manor Road,” Supervisors Vice-Chair Wendy Danchision, Daniel’s wife, asked. When Careyva answered in the affirmative, Wendy Danchision laughed.
In other business, Daniel Danchision offered kudos to Ralph Bley for his work keeping Phinneyville Road maintained in the wintertime.
“I agree, Ralph does a great job,” Supervisors Chairman Kyle Mummey said.
East Union Township also has a lofty road program planned later this year.
The township could spend $1.2 Million in road paving this year with a combination of grant funding, a cell tower lease, and a PA Infrastructure Bank loan.
A meeting will be scheduled soon to determine the exact roads that will be done.
Daniel Danchision said he hopes to get the project out for bid this month and have a wider range of contractors.
He also asked the township engineer, Dominic Yanuzzi, about the possibility of installing sidewalks throughout downtown Sheppton.
Daniel Danchision cited pedestrian traffic from throughout the village to the Sheppton Mini-Mart, the playground, and the pizza shop.
“They need to have a safe place to walk,” Daniel Danchision said.
“We’re going to have to phase that because you know that’ll be an extravagant amount of money,” Yanuzzi said. The idea is to install sidewalks from around Little Village Pizza south to Mountain Drive.
Yanuzzi said the project would cost millions.
Both Yanuzzi and Solicitor Donald Karpowich cited the installation of sidewalks in downtown Conyngham, which is on Phase 7, Yanuzzi said.
In other business, township supervisors approved:
- a LERTA tax break for 620 Oak Ridge Road in the Humboldt Industrial Park;
- the resignation of the township’s previous secretary and the hiring of Jessica Didow at $21/hr;
- a service contract with Superior Surveillance and Communications for computer maintenance and phone support;
- two grant-related resolutions;
- paying off $91,934 in various debt.
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