Category: East Franklin Township

Concrete to be Poured Soon at East Franklin Salt Storage Facility

East Franklin Township Supervisors Dan Goldinger and Barry Peters asked questions at their monthly meeting last night about upcoming construction work on the new township salt storage building and about biweekly recycling efforts that will start in May.

by Jonathan Weaver

Building construction will soon be underway in East Franklin Township, as concrete and asphalt work will commence on a new salt storage facility.

Designed to be built beside a new township/municipal building, with the latter replacing the existing township building – the former-Furnace Run School – supervisors agreed to accept the bid proposal for asphalt paving inside and in-front of the 50-foot by 60-foot shed last night.

Township Engineer Ken Howard of Bankson Engineers said supervisors sought a bidder outside the initial construction bid.

“Originally, we did not include the asphalt to try and keep your cost down – and we got a great bid on that project,” Howard said. “It is our recommendation that you move forward with that paving at this time so the paving is completed when we initially start to use that facility.”

The paving will cost $18,873.

Supervisors also approved making a nearly-$74,000 payment to Holbein, Inc. of Sarver after contractors mobilized, created a storm water management pond and graded near the salt storage facility.

Concrete wall construction will precede pouring of the seven-and-a-half inch-asphalt floors. All drawings have been approved by Bankson Engineering, of Indianola, Pa.

The payment will be officially written at $73,800.

No bid date for the maintenance/municipal building has been set.

Supervisors also unanimously agreed to continue recycling efforts with David Bracken, of David’s Recycling of Vandergrift biweekly. The township worked with Bracken during their trash collection this past week.

Bracken reported the township made $400 based off collected hard-to-recycle items, including nearly 6,500 pounds of metal.

“Everybody that’s come the past two days has been receptive and they would like to do recycling. In the two days that we recycled here, you made a total of $800, which half goes to the township,” Bracken reported.

Four dumpsters are projected to be used by when trash week concludes tomorrow afternoon.

Bracken will start recycling every-other-week May 10.

Supervisors also agreed to pay their yearly ‘local match’ with Town and Country Transit of nearly $4,000. The amount rose five percent from last year’s agreement.

categories East Franklin Township | April 27, 2012 | comments Comments (0)

Deceased Tax Collector’s Husband Appointed for Township Seat

East Franklin Township Supervisor Chair Barry Peters administers the oath of office to Roger Reitler, who was elected to succeed his wife, Peggy, as Real Estate Tax Collector. Peggy died February 12 at Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

by Jonathan Weaver

An East Franklin Township tax collector position will be held by a new face for the next year, but by a person with the same last name.

In a special meeting of the township supervisors Tuesday morning, Roger Reitler was unanimously appointed as real estate tax collector to succeed his wife, Peggy.

Peggy L. Reitler, 46 of Kittanning died Sunday, February 12, 2012 at Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital in Thousand Oaks, Calif. She won the real estate tax collector seat in the November 2009 General Election and has held the position since.

Roger owns Reitler’s Auto Body in Kittanning, and said he requested supervisors grant him the seat until her term expires at the end of 2013.

Township Supervisor David Stewart said that Peggy was still relatively-new to the position, but would be missed.

“She will be sadly missed in the community and here,” Stewart said.

Secretary/Treasurer Debra Cornman agreed.

“She was a good friend and a very good worker,” Cornman said.

Former Real Estate Tax Collector Laura Kay Hawk became a friend of the Reitler Family during Peggy’s election campaign. Hawk held the position for nearly 20 years before Peggy came to her for advice, and kept coming back.

“After she was elected, she came over several times to learn what she was doing. She was a very well-qualified person,” Hawk said.”When people came in to pay their taxes, she always had time to sit and talk with them. She was a very giving person.”

Hawk said she has spoken to Roger and his family approximately a dozen times in the past two weeks.

Randy Cloak, a Republican who ran against Reitler in 2009 for the position, was at the special meeting yesterday. During the election, Cloak endorsed eliminating the township-based position and making only one tax office in the County.

He did not have any comment on the supervisors’ decision.

Roger will be required to take another oath of office within the County Elections Bureau before receiving the township books.

Peggy worked for Beneficial-HSBC Bank for 25 years as assistant vice president and branch sales manager before winning the township tax collector seat.

categories East Franklin Township | February 23, 2012 | comments Comments (5)