Boro council bolts meeting
BY STACI WILSON
After an audience member made it known that she planned to videotape the Monday night Montrose borough meeting, council members walked out.
Prior to the start of the meeting, Vera Scroggins told Council President Tom Lamont that she intended to videotape. Lamont said he needed to check with legal counsel to see if that was allowed.
Borough resident Lynn Senick provided Lamont with a copy of the Pennsylvania Sunshine Law.
Section 711 of the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act states: “a person attending a meeting of an agency shall have the right to use recording devices to record all the proceedings.”
After the meeting was called to order and a committee work session regarding a DCED grant application set, Lamont announced the meeting would be recorded “audibly and videotaped” and said, “If anyone has objections on religious, ethical or moral grounds, now would be the time to leave.”
With that borough council members began walking out of the meeting. Council members present at that time, in addition to Lamont, included Todd Chamberlain, Sean Granahan, Craig Reimel, Tony Pickett, Randy Schuster and Julanne Skinner.
Following the exodus of council, Mayor John Wilson declared the meeting adjourned for lack of a quorum.
On the meeting agenda, item number three listed under “Discussion Items” was “Jessup Street, water hydrant.”
About one dozen people were in the audience and many came to hear council’s discussion on the hydrant.
A hydrant has been placed by Pennsylvania American Water Company and is being used as a tap to fill a small water truck. Craig Stevens, ofSilverLakeTwp., said he purchased a truck and a driver was hired to deliver water to Dimock residents who allege their water wells were contaminated by nearby natural gas drilling but are not receiving water deliveries from the EPA.
Council members exited the meeting before any bills were paid or reports given.
Other items on the agenda listed under the header “Action Items” not addressed by council at the meeting included the appointment of Zoning Hearing Board members; adoption of a resolution for United Fire Co. Special Fire Police; moving funds to the Police Pension Account; and the PA One-Call System.
The next regularly scheduled borough meeting is Monday, Feb. 20 at7:30 p.m.
Sounds like Council does not want what they say coming back to bite them in the A** . Or what are they trying to hide ? Its time for change its the say stuffy people running this town for years.
My question is: when this hydrant was placed by the Pennsylvania Amercan Water Company did they put a water meter on it so Craig Stevens is being charged for the water that he filling his water truck with??? being people in Montrose have to pay for the water they use I sure hope is being charged also
Yes Debbie I do have an account and a bill and pay for the water that is provided to Our neighbors whose water is not fit to drink. I am surprised that this issue did not come up when Guy Parrish was charging Cabot Oil & Gas $1100 per day to deliver water to Dimock for 2 years. That,s right $33,000 per month and He was nice enough to continue delivery for $100 a day or $3,000 per month per household. Needless to say We are doing it and charging the victims Nothing by getting donations from caring people from All over the World, You know ” Neighbors Helping Their Neighbors ” as it should be if I remember my bible verses correctly to ” Love Thy Neighbor as You Would Yourself, sounds good to Me, How about You.
You are a very kind man Craig. It is so sad that many people in Dimock have forgotten how to be good neighbors. I grew up in Dimock and am proud to say that.. Both sides of my family have lived in that area for generations. I have gone tricker treating at every house.. It is disguesting to see neighbor pitted against neighbor..when they should be joining forces against the real cuplrit…Greed. The Natural Gas and Oil Industry is obviously very corrupt–which I am sure as is any other big buisiness… The big whigs at these companies do not care about any of the residents or the land or the water..their one and primary goal is money.. for their own pockets.. I, for one, am SO sick of their obvous propaganda–all their “charitable” contributions have to be televised, publicized, and advertized….They are going to schmooze you one minute and the next steal the carpet right under your feet–or taint your drinking water…