Avoiding the Public
On July 18, 2008 the Township received a letter from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (see page 2) stating that their proposed update to their "Sewage Facilities Plan" (Act 537) had been approved, with some conditions. This plan calls for installing public sewers into three areas of the Township not currently served with public sewers. In the letter it states that the public can appeal their decision, but it must be filed within 30 days from the date of the receipt of the notification letter.
What was the Township's reaction? To withhold the information about the receipt of the approval until after the potential appeal period expired. The next regularly scheduled supervisors meeting held during that comment period was on August 6, 2008. No mention of the receipt of the approval is found in those minutes. The comment period ended on August 17, 2008. The supervisors next meeting was held on August 20, 2008. It was at this meeting that it was announced that the approval had been received - after the public had lost their right to appeal. An effective strategy to keep the public out of the loop!
© Ken McCrea 2009