No Tax Increase in Castanea Township, Water Woes Continue with City
By Christopher Miller
CASTANEA TOWNSHIP – Castanea Township adopted their 2025 budget Monday evening with no tax increase and no sewer increase at this time.
The supervisors provided their individual updates to those in attendance.
Chairman Brandon Coleman told the group that the township had been hard at work collecting leaves, cleaning ditches, and fixing signs along with attending to repairing the broken Christmas lights and bulb replacements due to corrosion issues. He also mentioned that the spreaders and plows have been attached to the township trucks and are ready for winter, as evident with the past two snowstorms earlier this month.
Supervisor Charles Clukey, Jr. responded to an issue of goats running around the meat packing plant. The plant owner says that they are his pets. The owner of the plant can only process pig fat and goat intestines one day a week. He is allowed to process goats for personal use, but cannot sell, according to Dr. Teresa Martinez with USDA. “If goats are a out, that is a township problem and an SPCA problem.
Supervisor John Gradel updated the crowd to say that it has been a very busy month and he sincerely thanked Recreation Committee Chairperson Rick Schulze for deep cleaning the township meeting room, scrubbing, and deep cleaning, saying that he donated his own time and supplies to make the township interior shine. Gradel also praised newly-hired township secretary/treasurer Shelly Davis saying that she has done a “great job” to get the township on the straight and narrow. He also said that the Christmas Tree Lighting appeared to be a great success.
Township supervisors also received correspondence from the City of Lock Haven Water Department on November 19 regarding the replacement of a fire hydrant in the township.
“We sent them a letter asking to address the fire hydrant by the trailer park saying that it is inadequate by today’s standards,” Coleman said. “Greg Wilson, City Manager, wrote back saying that they would be happy to get a quote which came in at between $4,000-$5,000. The city code that was cited in the letter also stated that hydrants are the responsibility of the city to maintain. Wilson’s letter went on to say that there was essentially no funding at the time to replace and make improvements to fire hydrants in the township, further saying that there are about $45 million in improvements to be made in the next 15 years.”
“We tried to do it, but the city is refusing to do it at this time,” Coleman said. “We’ve chased it down as much as we can, and we are not done chasing it, but we are doing the best to take care of the issues in the township,” Coleman said. “We are hopeful in 2025 to have more positive outlook working with the city. Sending letters through our attorney could help, and may be an option moving forward.”
In other business, Castanea Township supervisors made a $100 donation for their subscription to Lock Haven EMS to cover their employees and any mishaps that could occur on the job.
Supervisors also spoke about the donation to the Keystone Central Summer Parks Program, doing so after January 1 so it is in the 2025 budget.
An alternate representative to represent Castanea Township on the Clinton County Sewer Authority was discussed. “It is a monthly meeting and we can have an alternate go in the future if supervisor Charley Clukey cannot make it,” Chairman Brandon Coleman said. “I volunteer to go as an alternate,” supervisor John Gradel offered.
The Reorganizational Meeting will be January 6, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. with the regular monthly meeting to follow.
