Looking back
A look at some of the headlines gracing the pages of the Observer-Reporter and Waynesburg Republican this week in Greene County history:
Pipeline forum draws 40
GRAYSVILLE – A public meeting on the proposed construction of a 20-inch natural gas pipeline from Ryerson Station in Greene County to Buffalo Township in Washington County drew about 40 people Wednesday to Graysville Elementary School.
The meeting was held by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to receive comments on possible environmental impacts from the project, proposed by the Natural Fuel Gas Supply Corp.
Only one property owner spoke during the meeting’s formal comment period, asking that the pipeline be moved from her land to an adjacent property.
Several other property owners, after the meeting, also said they would like to see the line moved from their lands, expressing concerns about safety and restrictions on property use along the line’s right of way.
One section of the proposed line will run about 21.5 miles from the Holbrook Transmission Station near Ryerson Station northeast to Interstate 70 in Buffalo Township.
About 17.5 miles of this section will be on a new right of way and about 4 miles will follow the right of way of the existing line. A metering station will be built near the line’s southern end at a location not yet determined.
Another section of line, two miles in length, will be constructed north of Interstate 70. A new 5,000-horsepower compressor station will be built on this section just north of Route 40 in Buffalo Township.
•
DA seeks to oust official
WAYNESBURG – The Greene County district attorney’s office has initiated action to remove Mark Cameron Good as a supervisor in Washington Township.
Good, 53, of Prosperity, was appointed in October to the board of supervisors, even though he was sentenced in March 2000 on several felony charges stemming from a car theft ring operating between November 1992 and October 1997 in Greene, Washington and Fayette counties.
The Pennsylvania Constitution states, “No person hereafter convicted of embezzlement of public moneys, bribery, perjury or other infamous crime, shall be eligible to the General Assembly, or capable of holding any office of trust or profit in this Commonwealth.”
In a complaint seeking injunctive relief filed late Wednesday, District Attorney Marjorie Fox requested the court direct Good to show why his appointment should not be declared null and void because he was appointed after having pleaded guilty to “infamous crimes.”
State appellate courts have held in several cases that a felony constitutes an “infamous crime.”
In August 1999, Good pleaded guilty to corrupt organizations, 10 counts of criminal conspiracy, nine counts of theft; three counts of arson and three counts of receiving stolen property.
In an Observer-Reporter story last month, Good was asked if he intended to resign. His response was, “I think it’s OK to be a supervisor. I was appointed, not elected.” He also said any decision he makes will be based on advice he receives from his attorney, whom he would not name.
Rough roads causing
problems in Springhill
DEEP VALLEY – A lot of people have problems getting around after a heavy snow, but for a few families living in the hollows of Springhill Township, the real problems start with the thaw.
About 10 homeowners who live on Laurel Run, Monkey Hollow and other dirt roads in the township pleaded with supervisors Wednesday to do something about the poor condition of the roads that lead to their houses.
The recent snow has filled some of the ruts in the roads, making them relatively passable. However, warmer temperatures make many of these unpaved roads a muddy mess. Without a four-wheel-drive vehicle, the roads can be almost impossible to navigate, according to the residents.
Supervisors agreed that the roads are in poor shape but without more money and more favorable weather, there is not much they can do.
Winter is not the ideal time to attempt road work. When the weather breaks, supervisors said they would attempt to tend to the rutted roads with new gravel. A heavy rain could easily erase those efforts, but the township doesn’t have enough money to take on a more permanent solution.
Springhill Township is one of Greene County’s poorest municipalities. Supervisors have been laid off and have been working on a voluntary basis since November. The township’s annual budget is less than $100,000, and about $78,000 of this money comes from liquid fuels. Liquid fuels, a subsidy generated through gasoline sales, is given to all municipalities based on how many miles of roads.
•
Franklin supervisors
give OK for restaurant
WAYNESBURG – Plans to build a Bob Evans restaurant off the Waynesburg exit of Interstate 79 received preliminary approval from Franklin Township supervisors Monday.
Supervisors ratified the decisions reached earlier by other municipal planning boards. A few weeks ago, the township planning commission granted conditional approval to the site plan. The zoning board approved two variances, one for the width of parking spaces and another for the height of the proposed sign.
The restaurant is supposed to be built on a 2.08-acre plot on Comfort Lane, adjacent to the Comfort Inn on Route 21. John McNay of Waynesburg currently owns the parcel, but Bob Evans has plans to purchase it.
Plans call for 87 parking spaces surrounding the single-story building, which should be big enough to seat 155 patrons.
Before construction can begin, Bob Evans will have to meet a few conditions set by the municipality. Developers must submit to reviews of its erosion and storm water management plans, and the building must comply with the requirements specified in the statewide Uniform Construction Code.
White elephant
WAYNESBURG – The Greene County commissioners are still unable to find a buyer for the former county office building, which was vacated last year.
Thursday was the last day on which bids for its purchase were to be opened at the weekly meeting of the board, but no bids were received.
The commissioners said they will make one more try by readvertising the building, and if that fails to produce a buyer, will consider whether to salvage what they can and raze the building.
The six-story structure at the corner of High and Church streets, was constructed in 1900 as bank and office building. It was purchased by the county in 1950 and was used for county and county-related offices until vacated last year because of the high cost of maintenance.
Jefferson firemen seek
money for ambulance
service
JEFFERSON – The Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company will meet in the fire hall to discuss means of raising funds to operate its new ambulance service.
The company assumed responsibility for the service, which has been provided for the past 41 years by the Lucas and Behm Funeral Home.
Areas to be serviced will include Jefferson and Mather and the surrounding areas.
Frank Behm, a partner in the Jefferson funeral home, turned their ambulance over to Fire Company president Allen Jenkins. “We feel this is one community service we can do from which the benefit will be realized immediately,” Behm said.