Jul 8, 2015 3 min read

CECIL – Residents of Cecil Township have not always seen eye-to-eye with the five-member board of supervisors. Monthly meetings are customarily well-attended with residents commenting on a number of issues, from blighted property to natural gas drilling. But Monday night, citizens applauded their elected officials as they worked together to solve an ongoing issue.

By unanimous vote, supervisors passed a motion to begin dialogue with the owners of two Muse properties that could be the site of a new public works building and also provide access to the proposed Muse Elementary School.

“Obviously, we’re aware of the concerns residents of Muse have,” said Tom Casciola, board chairman. “The most we can do is suggest or come up with ideas.”

Residents of the small village have taken issue with Canon-McMillan School District’s plan for a new elementary school, including the taking of the post office by eminent domain and increased traffic on local roads.

In order to provide better access along School Street, the district plans to tear down the U.S. Postal Service building. The district offered the continued use of the building for as long as a year.

Tad Kelley, corporate communications spokesman for the postal service, stated that the company has a leasehold interest in the current building through 2020 and plans to continue postal operations there.

Township manager Don Gennuso said that the property supervisors are interested in would be a good fit for a much-needed public works building and could provide an alternate school access route to the one chosen by the district.

About 80 acres adjacent to the school are owned by ABB Group, a multinational corporation that operates in robotics, power and automation technology. Formerly the site of a landfill, the property currently has no activity on it.

Between the ABB land and the school site sits a 75-acre property owned by John and Madeline Kosky. Both properties are zoned industrial.

The current plan calls for school traffic to go through residential neighborhoods. If the township were to purchase the property, the school could be accessed by Route 980 through the Kosky property by right-of-way.

“I think we could work together,” said John Kosky, son of the property owners. “I think it would be a real asset and a win-win situation for everyone involved.”

ABB did not respond to a request for comment.

“I’m very excited about it,” said Supervisor Elizabeth Cowden. “Muse was not made for the traffic that’s going to come to and from the school.”

The board discussed the likelihood of the school district changing its plans.

“It’s never too late,” Casciola said. “Anything can be undone.”

Canon-McMillan officials released the following statement:

“The school district was just made aware of the action taken and comments made at Monday night’s township meeting. We are working to set up a meeting with the township to gather more information on the matter.”

The township planning commission approved the elementary school plan at its June 18 meeting, subject to the district settling several issues pointed out by the township’s engineer, including storm water management, landscaping and temporary construction access.

The district requested a special meeting for supervisors to vote on the plan, scheduled for 7 p.m. July 23 in the Cecil municipal building.

In other business, supervisors are compiling a list of neglected and vacant homes in the township and asked residents to report addresses at 724-745-2227.