Liberty Township residents show contempt

Danielle Ryan

(3/24) Residents of Liberty Township are still showing contempt with their Township Supervisors.

The March 7 meeting began with a public comment session, during which Liberty Township resident, Donna Powers spoke up and addressed the Board about her concerns. "We’re here because we are angry and there are still things that are on the table and haven’t been resolved. We aren’t getting answers; instead we’re getting silence from the supervisors. I’m angry. I have tax dollars going into this township for road improvements and now the roads are screwed up, I have tax dollars going for the salt shed and now you have doubled the price on that salt shed … But our supervisors are blowing us off and I don’t think we should just move one, and let bygones be bygones, we have several issues that need to be addressed." Many other residents agreed with Powers’ comment.

However, not all members of the community are disappointed with the Township and are happy with the services that the Township has been providing. One resident spoke up by saying: "If you don’t like what you see in the Township and think you can do a better job, then run for supervisor and do something to help change it."

In other news, part-time road crew member Walter Barlow’s part-time road crew position has been terminated and he is now considered part time temporary road crew. Vice Chairman Robert Jackson mentioned that the Township is currently "$28,000 in the hole, and by the end of the year the Township will fall short the same amount of money." Considering that funds are going to be tight this year, Jackson proposed the Township cut back on road crew expenses because financially, they simply won’t be able to do that much road work this year. The proposal was to temporarily suspend part-time road crew activities, until further notice.

Residents voiced their concerns with this proposal noting that they would rather have road crew members who work in the Township also live in the Township especially in case of an emergency. Some spoke out saying that they would rather keep the part time worker on and do away with the full time road crew member.

Chairman John Bostek intervened and decided to shut down the public comment, which angered residents further. Jackson made the motion to move Mr. Barlow to the position of part time temporary within the road crew. Barlow abstained, adding that he felt as though this decision was not in the best interests of the Township, considering that the road crew is moving into a busy time of the year. Jackson and Bostek voted in favor of the motion, and it was passed.