Politics & Government

March 16 Borough of Whitehall Meeting Notes

Resident Jim Kilbert says that Schneider's Dairy trucks are still tearing up his property. Also, council members debate replacing a pedestrian bridge between Weyman Road and Heinen Street/Shadowlawn Drive.

Jim Kilbert still isn't happy.

Kilbert, who lives at 762 Dunn Drive, addressed members of the Council of the at a regular meeting for the second straight week on Wednesday night, March 16.

His topic again: trucks are tearing up his property.

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On , Kilbert asked the council for advice on how to handle a problem with the dairy. As the dairy's business has grown, so have the sizes of its delivery trucks. The trucks are forced to drive into Kilbert's lawn in order to make a turn leaving the dairy's entrance across the street from his home.

(The dairy's address is 726 Frank St.)

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"I spent $6,000 last year to have my yard landscaped," Kilbert said on March 2. "I had a decorative curb put in with gravel, but they run through it and break it up."

He voiced additional concerns on March 2 that trucks are running over a gas line on his property.

Kilbert said on March 16 that has had no cooperation from the dairy yet.

"I thought somebody from the (Whitehall) council was to contact the dairy," he said, "which never happened."

He said that he had personally spoke to dairy officials since March 2, and those officials reported not having been contacted by any Whitehall officials.

"Somebody's not giving me any satisfaction here," Kilbert said. "The dairy's not. The council's not. The council didn't do what (it) said (it) was going to do."

Councilman Philip Lahr said that he did to talk to dairy officials on Sunday, March 13. Lahr said that dairy officials told him that the trucks in question are not Schneider's trucks. Instead, the trucks are operating for other companies that do business with the dairy.

Lahr agreed that, either way, Kilbert's yard is being affected by the dairy's operations.

"I drove by there (Kilbert's residence) and saw the mess," Lahr said.

Councilman Robert McKown said that the way that some trucks are getting to and from the dairy is not ideal.

"The way that (dairy) driveway is," McKown said, "that's a drop-off there. And I'm surprised that (drivers) haven't tipped over a tractor-trailer yet."

"Fifty-three-foot trucks probably shouldn't be coming into that neighborhood," Kilbert said. "I don't even know why the borough lets 53-foot-trucks come in."

Borough Manager James E. Leventry said that he referred the problem to the borough's planning and zoning committee in wake of Gilbert's previous appearance in front of the council.

On March 16, council members asked Leventry to contact the dairy directly.

Lahr reiterated to Kilbert that trucks not actually representing Schneider's might be the cause of the damage to Kilbert's yard. Lahr also said that Schneider's, though, should still try to "be good neighbors because we've had multiple problems."

Kilbert insisted that some of the trucks that he is complaining about have "Schneider's" logos on them.

Also at the March 16 meeting, Whitehall Borough Mayor James F. Nowalk talked about a presentation that he recently made to the Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall Chamber of Commerce about Marcellus Shale drilling's possible impact on the immediate area.

McKown, who is also a B-B-W Chamber of Commerce councilman, commended Nowalk on his presentation.

"I think you did a great job," McKown said. "You did open up a lot of people's eyes. You explained the situation and brought to light information and resources that people just don't know about or don't understand what's going on."

The council then conversed about Marcellus Shale drillers coming to Whitehall.

Nowalk said that strong local ordinances in Whitehall could deter natural-gas companies from drilling in the borough, such as one that prohibits construction work from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.

"These companies are used to drilling all night," Nowalk said, referring to the high cost of renting equipment on a daily basis.

"Obviously, they're going to be drilling as much as they can."

Nowalk continued by saying that lighting ordinances could also discourage potential drillers.

Councilman Glenn Nagy believes that communities like Whitehall may not see companies drilling for gas in their areas for a very long time due to some of the obstructions that Nowalk had referred to.

Nagy believes that some rural parts of the state are much more attractive to drillers since farmers and landowners may want them there. "(Those landowners) are getting rich overnight," Nagy said.

Engineer Ruthann L. Omer informed the council that bids for construction of are due by April 7 and that those bids will be presented to the council on April 20 for discussion.

Leventry said that he was happy with the number of bids that have come in, especially since that might help to push costs down.

McKown led a lengthy and often humorous discussion toward the end of the meeting. McKown said that, due to imminent Port Authority bus-service cuts on March 28, replacing a damaged pedestrian bridge in the borough – estimated to cost $40,000 – may not be necessary.

All of the council members agreed that the bridge, located between Weyman Road and Heinen Street/Shadowlawn Drive, is not used very much and will be used even less when a bus stop near that bridge is eliminated.

McKown suggested that not replacing the bridge would be a very effective way to save the borough money.

While no one disagreed with that, Nowalk said, "I hate to see people not encouraged to walk."

McKown pointed out that, while the ability to walk to certain areas would be more difficult without that bridge, those areas are not inaccessible, just that they would normally require a vehicle to reach them.

Councilwoman Kathleen N. DePuy said that the borough polled residents in that immediate area and that only one resident said that she uses the bridge in question – and that was to access the bus stop that is being eliminated.

Some council members joked about building a much cheaper bridge, perhaps out of wood and ropes.

Berkoben stole the show by saying that residents in that area should "stock up on food" if they end up without that bridge.

The council will discuss this issue further when it comes time to approve work to replace the bridge.

Before adjourning, the council promoted the Whitehall Borough Easter Egg Hunt, which will be held at on Saturday, April 16, at 10 a.m.


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