MAR LIN - The Norwegian Township supervisors Monday evening accepted the resignation of code enforcement officer Brad Petchulis.
Supervisor Robert Kirwan said a letter of resignation from Petchulis, who was not at the meeting, stated he has another job as director of capital projects for Providence Place.
"Brad has done a great job for us these last few years," Kirwan said.
The resignation was effective immediately.
Petchulis had been the code enforcement officer for two years. Prior to that, he had been the zoning officer for three years.
The supervisors appointed Jeff Bowers, 38, a township resident and patrolman with the Minersville Police Department, to the part-time code officer position effective immediately.
He is hourly rate is $15.
Bowers said he has lived in the township for 12 years.
Kirwan said the township was not required to advertise for the position.
Concerning another matter, the supervisors said they will attend a blight summit scheduled for 6 p.m. April 30 at the Schuylkill County Courthouse in Courtroom No. 1.
State Sen. David Argall, R-29, will host the summit that will cover real estate tax law and what the process is once a property is deemed delinquent in taxes.
Glenn Roth, the solicitor for the Schuylkill County Tax Claim Bureau will give a presentation and a group discussion will follow, according to an April 1 letter from Argall.
"We don't have a lot of problems with blight in the township," Kirwan told those on hand for the meeting; however, sometimes owners do not realize the way they keep their property could have an affect on their neighbors.
"The owners don't realize they have a problem," Kirwan said.
He said the summit will better inform the supervisors so they can confront the issues that arise in the township.
The spring cleanup for the township is set for Wednesday and Thursday. Residents should put their items out for pickup. However, appliances and tires are not permitted.
People with questions should call the township office at 570-622-8638.
Kirwan said as hot patch becomes available to fix potholes the work will be done.
Harlan West, vice chairman of the planning and zoning commission, said the comprehensive plan is nearly complete.
"We're coming down the stretch" on it, he said.
The plan is a road map for the future growth of the township. It was last updated in 1994.
The supervisors must hold a public hearing prior to adopting the plan.
"A copy will be made available in the township (office) prior to the hearing. We will also have it online," West said.
Keith Tokonitz, planning and zoning chairman, said previously there are no plans to rezone anything as part of the update to the plan.
A woman from Seltzer told the supervisors about skunks in her yard, saying there is a "large amount of skunks" in Seltzer.
The supervisors suggested that perhaps traps, borrowed from a local gun club, could be set to catch the skunks.
Resident Ron Dunn told the supervisors that state police did not show up at his house last July when the alarm went off.
He said it was "just a little concerning," although he admitted no criminal action took place.
A friend tripped the alarm when he was getting something at the house. The issue was later resolved by Dunn, who spoke with the alarm company.
Kirwan said the state police do a good job and the township does not dislike their service.
"We don't have a problem with anything with the (state) police," Kirwan said.
Township solicitor B.J. Evans said a call could be made to see why police did not respond for Dunn's alarm.