Oct 8, 2013 3 min read

CARMICHAELS – After receiving a petition signed by 112 residents, the Cumberland Township supervisors agreed Monday to investigate the adoption of a noise ordinance.

The petition was presented by Judy Rizno who earlier spoke to the supervisors about noise in her community from people frequently shooting guns on neighboring properties.

Rizno said she is not against guns but the noise from what must be high-powered rifles occurs frequently and sometime until as late as 10 p.m. Rizno noted she was able to obtain the signatures on the petitions in just four and half days.

She also said she had checked with state police and the game commission and was told no law existed that allowed shooting until 10 p.m.

Supervisor Bill Nicholson said at last month’s meeting that a state police trooper had come to his property when he was shooting and told him not to shoot after 10 p.m. He said Monday that he hadn’t assumed that was a rule or law.

Rizno also said she learned the matter also could probably be addressed through laws involving disturbing the peace.

Supervisor Bill Groves said the supervisors will investigate the matter and provide the residents with a response.

In other business, the supervisors announced the township will hold a fall cleanup to assist residents who want to dispose of unwanted household goods.

Residents can bring their unwanted items to the municipal building from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 26 and 27. No tires, refrigerants, oil, liquids or electronics will be accepted.

The township held two cleanup events in the spring. It scheduled the second after receiving an overwhelming response to the first cleanup.

The supervisors also announced the township will hold trick-or-treat from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 27.

The supervisors approved minutes of Sept. 19 meeting at which they approved the plans for the use of the township’s 2013 Community Development Block Grant money.

The supervisors announced earlier that the township will use the $100,589 in funds to rehabilitate five houses in Nemacolin.

The money must be used on houses that are owner-occupied and whose occupants have a household income at or below Section 8 housing guidelines.

The basic grant that will be provided for each house is $16,000, though supplemental money is available for homes that have problems with lead, have historic house requirements or that need additional work to bring them up to code.

Applications will be accepted for the program; however, the township now has a waiting list of homes from its previous housing rehabilitation program, some of which may be for homes in Nemacolin that also must be considered for the grants. The grants will be awarded in the order in which the homeowner has applied.

At a hearing on the use of the 2013 CDBG money in July, a resident had asked whether the money could be used to address the problem of blight in Nemacolin, noting that during the years many houses in the community have fallen into disrepair.

The supervisors agreed to purchase a Viking trailer through the state bidding program for $13.920 to haul the township’s backhoe and paver.