North Buffalo citizens voice disagreement with township ordinance
NORTH BUFFALO TWP, Armstrong County — The township ended a public hearing on whether to return road maintenance to township residents without a decision on Wednesday, May 13.
The hearing was held with the intent to adopt ordinance 26-1, to vacate public Township Road 308, or Creek Road. This would return the maintenance to the residents of the road, a decision property owners said would not only be potentially detrimental to them, but to the community as a whole.
“This road is a lifeline and its upkeep is a basic right we should be able to depend on for safety and security now and in the future,” Kenneth McGuire said as he read from the preamble to a petition to save Creek Road as a public road.
Residents also raised concerns about accessibility to delivery or emergency services. As the majority are elderly residents, the families on the road need immediate, unimpeded attention in a medical emergency. Without township upkeep, and the inability to self-service the road, they may be unreachable in a crisis.
“Closing the road threatens to isolate and endanger those of us most vulnerable in the area,” McGuire said as he read from the petition, organized by himself and Michael Valencic.
The petition, which had 174 signatures at the time of the meeting, also considered recreational availability in the event of the ordinance passing. The petition says hiking, hunting, fishing and biking are all common activities along the road that may be cut off if it is vacated.
Current vice chairman and roadmaster Jennifer Matarrese said PennDOT is removing the road from the township’s liquid fuels allocation due to a lack of turnaround space on the dead-end road.
“That’s where we get our money is liquid fuels and without the proper turnaround, we don’t want to damage equipment. As well as, this is something that PennDOT is taking off our roles via an email,” Matarrese said.
Michael Valencic, a property owner at the hearing, challenged this statement. He said he’s seen multiple construction vehicles and plows turn around at the end of the road.
“Vogel trash comes back over there with their big trash truck and they turn around as well, so the issue of turning around is moot,” Valencic said.
The hearing ended with a need to reschedule after it was noted one of the families involved, the Delings, didn’t receive any notice from the township about the ordinance, a requirement for the hearing to take place.
While secretary-treasurer Pamela Bowser said the board sent notices to the residents via mail, the Delings were not on the list of families they mailed to.
Chelsie Friend, solicitor for the board, said a notice will be published for the rescheduled hearing after the Delings are notified via mail.
