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VOLUME 29, NUMBER 7

Early September, 2024

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Fire equipment, fireworks ignite emotional response at Tobyhanna Twp. session by Ruth Isenberg A decision to sell the Tobyhanna Township aerial fire truck turned into an overall discussion of fire company issues toward the close of the August 19 Tobyhanna Township Supervisors’ meeting. Township Emergency Management Coordinator Peter Huf advised selling the vehicle, saying a legitimate offer had been received from another municipality of $1.4 million. He said that he and Tobyhanna Township Bureau of Fire Chief C.J. Dickinson reviewed the department’s equipment, and felt that a rear mount unit would be better for the township, saying that this piece was specifically designed to respond to fires at the Kalahari Resort, and was not needed because of a mutual aid agreement with Tobyhanna Army Depot, which has an aerial truck. Township supervisor Ed Tutrone objected to the sale, saying that it was also needed to respond to warehouse fires, and provided an alternate means of egress for firefighters to get out of burining buildings. Supervisor Joe Colyer

noted that the township could replace the equipment with another vehicle in the future. From the audience, Troy Counterman alleged that the equipment should not be sold as long as the ownership of the vehicle was still the subject of ongoing litigation, and predicted the township would need to reimburse the Tobyhanna Township Volunteer Fire Company the $1.4 million if they ultimately lost. On the vote to sell the aerial truck, Tutrone voted no, and Colyer, John Kerrick, Rachel Schickling, and Ted Wolski voted yes. That wasn’t the end of the fire company discussion, however. During the audience comment section, Jill Siegel asked, “How can we have a supervisor on the board who continues to defy judge’s orders?” She referenced equipment removed from vehicles by TTVFC and returned in poor condition after losing an appeal to Judge Higgins’ contempt order. Earlier in the meeting, Huf had noted during the Tobyhanna Township Bureau of Fire report that the equipment that had See TOBYHANNA, page 2

Construction crews are active as the support beams for the PNK warehouse on Route 940 in eastern Kidder Township start to be erected, while excavating activity continues. This is Kidder’s second warehouse. The article below is about the proposed third warehouse, to be built at Route 940 and Walter Dam Road.

JP: Ruth Isenberg

DEP hearing draws warehouse critics by Seth Isenberg The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) held a public hearing on August 29 regarding Blue Ridge Real Estate’s proposed second warehouse, proposed to be built on the corner of Route 940 and Walter Dam Road in Kidder Township. The DEP offered the hearing to get input from the public regarding the

Erosion and Sedimentation (NPDES) plan for the site. Over 60 people attended, including 23 who spoke. The meeting attracted press from around northeast PA. Among the speakers were some Plateau residents. James Miller of Coolbaugh Township spoke about the site being within 800 feet of the high quality Black Creek, offering concerns about runoff.

Brigette Meyer – attorney for Penn Futures, of Tunkhannock Township, is concerned that the plan offered only manages 75% of runoff from the site. Alex Jackson of Tunkhannock Twp. wondered how the proposed stormwater management systems will perform in the winter, and asked about water quality monitoring. See DEP HEARING, page 7