SUNBURY — The Northumberland County commissioners attempted to hold an emergency meeting Monday to discuss concerns about a booby trap found in the Anthracite Adventure Outdoor Area, but the session was canceled at the last minute after Commissioner Rick Shoch said the scheduling of the meeting violated open-meetings laws.
Shoch said he objected because he had not been informed in writing about the session, even though the meeting had been advertised in the three daily newspapers published in the county.
Commissioners Steve Bridy and Vinny Clausi said Shoch’s boycott of the meeting put county residents at risk because one of the items on the agenda involved approving new signs to warn people that the county-owned tract of 600 acres is off-limits.
The county was getting ready to vote on spending money to replace stolen or lost “no-trespassing signs” throughout the property.
A piece of wood with several nails and metal sticking out of it was found in the park and turned over to the Coal Township Police Department for investigation in late August, Bridy said.
He said the reason county officials took nearly a month to announce the discovery was that they didn’t want to interfere with the investigation.
“Today was the day we chose to have this meeting,” Bridy said. “As far as I know, nothing else has been discovered on the land.”
Shoch said he was not made aware of the meeting and he had no idea why the three commissioners were even meeting in the first place.
“I have received no notice, either written or oral, as to the nature of business to be conducted at this meeting,” he wrote. “Neither have I waived my right to such notice. As such, it is my position that the meeting does not constitute a lawfully convened meeting of the board of directors under the county code and any votes taken at such meeting will be of no effect and will not be binding on either the county or any other party affected by them”
Clausi said in his five years as a commissioner, former Commissioner Frank Sawicki called several special meetings and Clausi was never made aware of them in writing.
“It happens, and things come up, but he (Shoch) knew there was a meeting,” Clausi said. “There were many special meetings held, and I wasn’t given an agenda until just prior to the meeting. However, I showed up for these meetings because I wanted to know what was going on and cast my vote.”
The county had decreed the property off-limits to anyone without special permission from the planning office. Trespassers can be cited and fined, but over the years, all of the signs warning trespassers have disappeared. The county commissioners were planning to vote to post new signs.
“He knew the meeting was taking place, and we decided to cancel to be cautious of Shoch’s motives,” Clausi said. “He found a loophole, and all he is is a troublemaker, and this has now put county residents in danger because we can’t stop people from going on the land until next Tuesday.”
Shoch, who is an attorney, entered the commissioners’ meeting room at 20 minutes before the meeting was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and handed a written letter to members of the media before leaving the administration building.
At approximately 11:20, Chief Clerk Gary Steffen entered holding the piece of wood pierced by metal spikes and informed the few dozen people in attendance the meeting had been canceled.
News
Meeting on booby trap in outdoor area canceled
- News
-
-
Scammer: This is not a scam
Residents from Danville to Beavertown are reporting they’ve been receiving “exciting news!” via postcards in their mailboxes.
“We are holding $100 in gift cards for YOU — good at Walmart and Target — your choice!” Just call a toll-free phone number and claim your reward.
-
BBs damage car on Route 15
An incident that began along Route 15 near Allenwood ended Wednesday at the Watsontown borough building, with police arresting one man for numerous charges, after they say he shot a BB gun at another man while threatening him.
-
Penn State report reviews women's status at university
STATE COLLEGE — Women at Penn State either haven't made progress or have lost ground when it comes to being represented in several key areas, including leadership positions and enrollment, according to report from a university commission.
-
State unemployment rate drops slightly in April
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate declined slightly last month, but remains above the national rate.
-
State attorney general says she opposes decriminalization of marijuana
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane says she opposes legislation to decriminalize marijuana.
-
Texas residents missing after tornadoes are found safe
GRANBURY, Texas — People who were missing in the wake of the destructive tornadoes in North Texas have been found safe, officials said Friday, but they didn’t indicate when residents of one hard-hit neighborhood will be allowed to return to survey damage to their homes.
-
Today's Top Videos
-
Police Log
A daily roundup of police news from around the region.
-
Hartleton police chief faces felony theft and conspiracy counts
HARTLETON — Donald “Larry” Zerbe, Hartleton police chief for more than 30 years, was charged Thursday in Union County with theft and conspiracy for allegedly funneling traffic citation fines to a community playground fund.
-
Trial to be scheduled for Mifflinburg businessman
MIFFLINBURG — A Union County businessman waived his right to a preliminary hearing Thursday on charges that he spent $241,000 for personal debt and expenses instead of investing it in a storage facility partnership in West Buffalo Township as he told 10 clients he would.
-
Restaurant owner: 0.05 percent DUI level is too low
SELINSGROVE — The National Transportation Safety Board announced Tueday that states should shrink the standard from the current 0.08 percent blood alcohol content to 0.05 percent - and that doesn’t sit well to many Valley business owners.
-
Danville's Mill Street to be featured in new TV series
DANVILLE - For the premier episode of the Pennsylvania Cable Network’s “Discover Main Street PA” program, viewers will see the sights and sounds of Danville’s Mill Street.
-
OJ back in court for Day 4 in bid for new Vegas trial
LAS VEGAS — The lead defense attorney in O.J. Simpson’s armed robbery trial had a conflict of interest because he could have been a witness in the case, a lawyer who worked on Simpson’s unsuccessful appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court testified Thursday.
-
Sen. Bob Casey defends Pennsylvania military bases from cuts
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is asking a Senate committee to forgo the process of looking at potential closures of military installations.
-
New study: Fracking hasn’t polluted Arkansas water
PITTSBURGH — A new study has found that natural gas drilling, or fracking, hasn’t contaminated drinking water wells in Arkansas. But researchers say the geology there is more of a natural barrier to pollution than in other areas of shale gas drilling, such as Pennsylvania.
-
Obama: No special prosecutor to investigate IRS
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama today dismissed the idea of a special prosecutor to investigate the Internal Revenue Service, saying probes by Congress and the Justice Department should be able to figure out who was responsible for improperly targeting tea party groups when they applied for tax-exempt status.
-
No Powerball winner; jackpot soars to $475 million
So you didn’t win Wednesday’s $360 million Powerball jackpot? Make that you and everyone else.
-
At least 6 confirmed dead in Texas tornadoes
A rash of tornados slammed into several small communities in North Texas overnight, leaving at least six people dead, dozens more injured and hundreds homeless. The violent spring storm scattered bodies, flattened homes, threw trailers onto cars.
- More News Headlines
-
Scammer: This is not a scam
