Mar 25, 2016 3 min read

The venue of South Strabane’s June 4 Community Day was changed to Billy Bell Park by township supervisors Tuesday.

Supervisor Thomas Moore, who was on the parks and recreation council before taking his seat on the board in January, said the festival would not be held at Community Park and questioned if and when supervisors approved that location.

Supervisor Laynee Zipko said that historically, the recommending council did not need to ask for approval on those types of decisions.

Township manager John Stickle told supervisors signs and advertising materials indicating the Community Park location were already made, as well as plans with vendors and car cruise participants.

Peggy Steggles, parks and recreation council chairwoman, said she had several talks with Moore about changing the venue. She said members intend to cut back the scale of the festival, both in hours and events. Historically, the community festival was an all-day affair, but Steggles said this year it would be held for only four hours.

“We do not have the help we did 10 years ago,” Steggles said.

In addition to Community Day, the department holds several events throughout the year, including an Easter egg hunt, bingo and bus trips.

Becky McClelland, co-chair of parks and recreation, said one reason to hold Community Day at Community Park would be to showcase its amenities to residents, a lot of whom don’t even know where it is located. And, she said, Billy Bell already has been rented by a private party for that date. It wasn’t clear how supervisors intend to handle that conflict.

Moore said Community Park is not ready for such an event, because it doesn’t have running water or sewerage. He said signs and advertisements with the old venue could easily be fixed, and that it’s “not a big deal to change it back.”

Zipko and Edward Mazur were the only supervisors to vote in favor of keeping festivities at Community Park.

Steggles said she didn’t want to comment on the change until after next Tuesday’s parks and recreation meeting.

“I have to take (it) back to my council,” she said.

In other business, supervisors amended a previous conditional-use approval permitting Washington Ford to use its auto service center at 5 Smith Drive to unload vehicles on a permanent basis. The business had two previous temporary approvals. After lengthy discussion about the proximity to Trinity East Elementary School and possible traffic interruptions, supervisors Zipko, Mazur and Moore voted in favor and the motion passed.

The board also approved final land-development approval for an addition to Abundant Life Church, 269 Cameron Road, and final subdivision approval for four lots in Strabane Manor on Flint Drive.

Supervisors entered into a contract with the state municipal retirement system for an upgraded firefighter pension plan, increasing the township’s contribution from $33,000 to $127,000. Mazur voted against the contract.

The next supervisors meeting will be held at 7 p.m. April 12.