Robinson receives $100K from pipeline company
National Fuel and its subcontractor, Associated Pipeline, agreed to pay Robinson Township $100,000 after a dispute over damages to local roads as the companies built pipeline infrastructure in the municipality.
The board of supervisors voted 2-0 at Monday’s meeting to approve the settlement agreement, but repairs to Sunny Hill, Washington, Valley View and Campbell roads won’t start until spring because of asphalt supply waning in the fall, according to manager Erin Sakalik.
“We noticed the serious damage in July, and the companies were telling us to take money out (of an escrow account) to do repairs with our own public works crews … but there was severe damage like uprooted signage and guide rails that made it clear to us we needed more money than what was made available to repair these roads,” Sakalik said.
In the other business, Sakalik made the board aware the township has either not been collecting or accounting for a 1962 mechanical device tax ordinance since the 1990s.
“Our database goes back to the 1990s, but nothing is in there showing we ever collected on it since then. The previous manager and treasurer had sometimes lumped items in, but we can’t tell if the tax was collected or not,” she said.
She advised the supervisors should update the ordinance, nullify it, or make arrangements for her to continue invoicing businesses that own and operate coin machines, like video games, cigarette dispensers and pool tables.
“There are only a handful of businesses that would be affected – less than five – and the usual annual fee for establishments had been around $75 with those that have more than a few machines,” Sakalik said. Supervisors Stephen Duran and Rodger Kendall tabled any decision to the Nov. 9 meeting.
Also tabled was the decision to appoint an interim supervisor to fill the vacancy left by Mark Brositz. The supervisors accepted his resignation at the meeting, giving the board 30 days before it goes to the vacancy board and ultimately to Washington County Court. The board received résumés from George Protch of Midway and Sean Kramer of Bulger.