PALMYRA TOWNSHIP – WAYNE COUNTY September 2, 2025

 

Chairman Steffen called the board of supervisor’s meeting to order at 6:30 PM. Roll calls showed all Supervisors were present. Last month’s minutes were reviewed as written. Spelling Correction to last name “Fritz”, will make the minutes acceptable. Supervisor Kmetz made a motion to accept the previous month’s minutes with said correction, with a second by Supervisor Bartleson and all supervisors voting yes.

 

The Treasurer’s Report was given by Shayla Gouger and is on file as well as posted on the back wall. Chairman Steffen made a motion to accept the treasurers report with a second by Supervisor Bartleson and all supervisors voting yes.

 

Bill List number #9 was presented. Chairman Steffen made a motion to pay the bill list, with a second by Supervisor Kmetz and all supervisors voting yes.

 

Police Report was given and is on file.

 

Fire Report will be placed on file.

 

No one was present. PPH Ambulance Report has nothing to report.

 

Road Report was given by Roadmaster Kmetz and is on file. Supervisor Kmetz has also picked up the pipe for the road repair so they should be working on Sutter Court in the next week or so.

 

Correspondence The Township received its normal newsletters, pamphlets, brochures, and magazines. A check was received from Erie Insurance for the replacement of the Crosswalk Sign at IGA. QuickBooks will now be charging per employee to process payroll. This will be a $3.00 Fee per employee, per payroll, that will be charged to our account. Shayla is asked to recap a DEP meeting that was held in the Northeast Region DEP office in Wilkes-Barre. This meeting had been brought to Supervisors Kmetz’s attention through the Hawley Area Authority. On Tuesday we confirmed this meeting was to take place on Thursday. The township never received an email stating that there was to be a meeting. Paul and I asked others who were attending the meeting if something had changed since the township was included in the initial email that there was going to be a meeting but not on the invitation email to the meeting. After some investigation we spoke with Representative Olsommer who then extended the invitation for us to go. Paul, Joe, Steve and I all attended this meeting. Shayla explains how the DEP reprimanded both Palmyra and Hawley Boro for our lack in updating our Act 537 Plan. This map is a parcel map where every parcel in the Hawley Area Authority Service area should be marked by tax map number. DEP claims we have not updated our map since 1984. Shayla believes DEP is sour with the township because the state representatives got involved with people’s individual projects. DEP stated, “the township is in trouble.”, and “you need to talk with your permitting group and our solicitor immediately.”, during this meeting. DEP has stated that this Act 537 map will take up to 2 years to procure, and that no further sewer hookups will be permitted in the township until this is done. The Act 537 Plan map is a parcel-by-parcel depiction of what Hawley Area Authority Service Area covers. Showing the tax map number to each property.

Supervisors, Secretary, and Zoning Officer break for executive session. Meeting is called back to session. The executive session resulted in the decision that Solicitor Treat is going to arrange a meeting with DEP between Chairman Steffen, Supervisor Kmetz, and himself and DEP, all relative to Mr. Kuzmiac’s property, in hopes to see what it will take to get Mike’s property hooked up and running. Mike Kuzmiac states that they have reached out to Todd Stires (DEP Sewage Planning Specialist) and he will have the township looped in on the meeting. Justin Hoffman has provided maps and paperwork from the County that should help the supervisors speak with DEP concerning Kuzmiac’s sewer hookup.

 

Planning Commission has nothing to report.

 

Public Comment Joyce asks why John is out checking roads everyday if there is no inclement weather and why is John not using the big machinery to do weed whacking/trimming along roads instead of doing it by hand. Supervisor Kmetz states that this is done by hand because the intersections are dangerous. With the signs and traffic doing it by hand has always been safer. Normally Supervisor Kmetz is unable to get to these areas until October/November with the machine. The Landry’s asked if there was any update to the Nuisance Ordinance since the last meeting. Supervisor Steffen states it is still work in progress. A constituent asks if the Stop Work Order has been placed down at the Railroad as she notices they are still working. Chairman Steffen states this is our next order of business.

 

Zoning Report Paul gave his monthly report. Paul states that the update is that a Stop Work Order was placed on the Railroad. They were sent a certified letter, and a stop work order was placed on the building which was immediately torn down by the Railroad personnel. The Railroad then continued to work. This will eventually end up in the courts. This is not on the township; this is being handled by NEIC who also feel that they should have the necessary permits to operate. NEIC has been down to the Railroad every day taking pictures, to take to their council, to show the stop work order has not been followed and a time lapse of the work being done. A constituent asks if there was any research done on the Railroad being considered an Amusement which would make it a taxable entity here in the township. Chairman Steffen explains with the research that he has done he does not see anything concerning Railroads under the Department of Agriculture guidelines, which handles all amusement permits and inspections. Paul explains realistically the Railroad should have received Conditional Use to operate there and trying to enforce anything down on the Railroad seems to be impossible now as they feel they are exempt from anything. Jeff states that the Railroad claims they are exempt from all local regulations.

JHA is currently working on the boundary plans.

 

The report of Digitizing Records has nothing to report.

 

Emergency Management has nothing to report.

 

The Solicitor’s Report

 

Final Call for Public Comment Next scheduled meeting is Monday October 6, 2025, at 6:30 PM.

 

Motion to adjourn at 7:03 pm by Chairman Steffen with a second by Supervisor Kmetz and all supervisors voting yes.