CLARKS SUMMIT — At the Clarks Summit Council meeting Oct. 6, solicitor Kevin Hayes announced that Scranton will reach out to adjacent properties to see if they want a stormwater management authority. He said that all of the municipalities have a MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) requirements that are being opposed causing people to be given fines. He said that with a regional plan, the municipalities can pull money and resources and have an engineer study.
“That is being voted out right now to do that,” he said. “I know there’s been some other municipalities that are interested in it as well.”
Borough manager Virginia Kehoe encouraged council to call her for more information about this matter.
“Every municipality has an obligation to achieve a certain improvement in their stormwater quality each year and approve it to the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection),” she said. Kehoe explained that hypothetically five municipalities may hand in one report to DEP instead of many reports.
“As long as the accumulative of the five (municipalities) equals what the goal is, we’ll achieve it,” she said. “Meanwhile, the focus can go where it’s needed the most.”
Kehoe assured there won’t be an additional tax. She said that it will cost the borough less than if the flooding issue is being spent on another municipality because is more is being done for the money. She encouraged residents to call the borough, county, or township if they have any questions.
Council president Gerrie Carey asked if this will include Dalton, Glenburn or Factoryville. Hayes replied that the idea is to get as many counties involved as possible. Kehoe added that there will be representation proportionate to the municipality in the final vote. Also in his report, Hayes mentioned that the funds for the technology needed to offer remote meetings can be allocated by the American Rescue Plan so that council can be reimbursed. In other business, council:
• Voted to hire part-time police officer Thomas Kerrigan.
• Adopt the special events permit for all events to be held Nov. 1, 2021, or later.
• Adopt the block party request form for all events to be held Nov. 1, 2021, or later.