Politics & Government
Library Renovation, Marcellus Shale Ordinance Dominate Board of Supervisors Workshop Meeting
Moon library's leaking roof and ordinance on drilling give supervisors plenty to consider.
Treasurer John Shaver pleaded with the township Wednesday night to move forward with the repair of the library's roof.
Shaver told supervisors the roof has been leaking for more than three years and that the library has problems with its heating and cooling systems.
"It is a real shame that you are letting the township's assets deteriorate," Shaver told the board, which met for a budget workshop as well as a regular workshop meeting.
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"It's embarrassing that the library has gotten to this point," he said, adding that library staff now must use buckets to collect rainwater that enters through the leaking roof.
In addition, Shaver told the board that the library would eventually need new carpet and windows. He also proposed an 8,000-square-foot addition to the building.
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The board then spent more than an hour discussing how to move forward with this project and the circumstances that would prompt it to relocate the library altogether. Supervisors told library representatives they would talk with a local consultant about roof and HVAC repair options.
The supervisors also discussed the township's pending Marcellus Shale ordinance, which on Tuesday night had been a topic at a meeting of the township planning commission.
Planning Commissioner Nancy Mills said the commission discussed terms for the proposed ordinance in detail at Tuesday's meeting but did not reach a decision on its language or provisions.
"As much as some of us would like to ban drilling altogether, we need to create an ordinance that is reasonable," Mills said.
Township Manager Jeanne Creese said the ordinance cannot be overly restrictive or it will invite legal challenges.
"At the next planning commission meeting, we need to take a zoning map in and determine which areas can be drilled in," Creese said.
Solicitor Gavin Robb will begin drafting the ordinance while the supervisors and planning commission determine the areas where drilling will be allowed.
