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BEAR CREEK TWP. — Township residents who need to repair homes or tear down outbuildings as a result of last month’s severe storm will not have to pay any permit fees related to the work, supervisors have decided.
They voted this week to waive all such fees for the next three months. To qualify for the waiver, residents will need to show a copy of their insurance claim related to the repairs.
Supervisors estimated about a dozen property owners saw damage to roofs, siding or garages after the severe weather Feb. 25 in the Bald Mountain area, but they noted there may be other residents as well.
In a related matter, board Chairman Gary Zingaretti thanked the fire department and others who responded during the storm to help remove downed trees and make it possible to restore electricity. Power was out for about 30 hours, Zingaretti said.
Bridges, trooper plan
Supervisors also addressed concerns from some residents about planned closures of three bridges in the township.
Zingaretti said the plans originally called for the installation of temporary roadways, but they now include complete closings and detours as long as 20 miles.
In addition to the inconvenience to residents, the detours will create long delays for first responders and emergency workers, supervisors say. They plan to have PennDOT representatives at the April meeting to talk about the issue.
The three bridges include one that crosses Route 115 at Shades Creek, one by Mountain Lake and one near Bald Mountain.
In other business, supervisors:
• Discussed a proposal to charge municipalities a per-capita fee for relying on coverage from state police.
Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed budget includes a $25-per-person fee for townships such as Bear Creek; it would cost the township about $70,000 annually. Supervisors noted the fee would be imposed without adding any services, and due to distance, there is often a very long wait for a trooper to arrive.
• Approved opting into the Luzerne County hazard mitigation plan. All municipalities are required to have a plan, but opting into the county plan saves the township the expense of creating and updating its own plan.
• Acknowledged the receipt of $100,496 in liquid fuel funds.
• Heard an update on repairs to a monument on the Sullivan Trail. The new granite tablets are engraved, the text of the program for the dedication is under review, plans are under way to acquire and install a flagpole, and the project is still under budget.
• Thanked Bear Creek Community Charter School officials for sending their information technology expert to the township to assist when a computer broke.