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North Lebanon Township supervisors on Monday unanimously appointed resident Richard Blouch to the Regional Police Commission, in addition to supervisors Gary Heisey and Ardy Snook.
Blouch was selected out of three applicants to be the at-large member of the committee from the township. He was appointed largely due to his attendance and participation at multiple steering committee meetings, Heisey said.
Blouch’s term will expire Jan. 5, 2026, at which point a resident will be appointed to the committee from North Cornwall Township.
Snook’s term will expire Jan. 5, 2026 and Heisey’s term will expire Jan. 4, 2027.
The townships hope to launch the Regional Police Department in January and have already begun work setting up pension funds and establishing a budget.
Read More: N. Lebanon, N. Cornwall move toward Lebanon County Regional Police Dept.
Lock your car doors, police chief urges
Police chief urges residents to lock car doors following surge of vehicle thefts
North Lebanon Police Chief Tim Knight reported an influx of car break-ins on Monday.
He says the crimes occur without shattered glass or breaking and entering. Perpetrators simply open unlocked car doors and make off with the contents.
“They typically don’t break into the cars, but they are entering unlocked vehicles,” explained Knight. “We had numerous vehicle thefts and it’s happened in North Lebanon, South Lebanon city, and North Cornwall.”
He reported 31 thefts and frauds in the township in July, including vehicle thefts and other thefts.
In some cases, he said, firearms have been stolen from unlocked vehicles. He urged residents to store firearms properly indoors to avoid risk of theft.
Thefts of vehicle contents have been increasing throughout Lebanon County, chairman Ed Brensinger noted. “We urge people to lock their car doors; don’t make it easy for them,” he said.
Knight asked victims of car theft to call immediately rather than sending an email.
“I encourage you to call the non-emergency number if you don’t feel comfortable calling 911 so we can respond over and handle your call,” he said.
The board also heard from several residents on the feral cat population, a debate that has been ongoing for several months.
Resident Ann Pinca has asked that supervisors carve out an exception to the township’s ban on feeding feral cats for residents undergoing trap and release (TNR) programs.
On Monday, supervisors expressed willingness to look into it, but Heisey said he did not know how such an exception would be worded to avoid loopholes. Pinca directed him to Cornwall Borough, which passed an amendment to its no-feeding ordinance in 2022 to allow TNR.
Read More: Cornwall Borough Council unanimously amends ban on feeding feral cats [2022]
Resident Bruce Sattazahn voiced his opposition to such an amendment, noting that a TNR program would not get rid of the existing feral cat problem, which he says he believes has been exacerbated by neighbors feeding cats.
“The best way to solve the problem is to just stop feeding feral animals, period,” Sattazahn said.
Pinca said that a TNR program is a long-term solution, which prevents feral cats from increasing their population over time and eventually decreases population when spayed and neutered cats naturally reach the end of their lifespan.
She also asked if she could use the township meeting room for an informational meeting for residents on TNR, which supervisors said they would be amenable to.
Supervisors also informed residents that, as a result of frequent requests from residents, the yard waste facility will be open on Sundays from noon to 8 p.m. until the end of the year on a trial basis. If there are no major issues as a result, the board will consider adopting Sunday hours long-term.
In other news, the board unanimously:
- Agreed to approve waivers and the final plan for the Sunny Lane Foods storage site at 2750 Hanford Drive (conditional on receipt of financial security). The plan involves roughly doubling the size of the existing building for manufacturing and office space, adding around 110,000 square feet.
- Agreed to advertise budget meetings at 2 p.m. Sept. 18, Sept. 25, Oct. 16, and Oct. 30, and 6 p.m. Oct. 2.
- Agreed to provide the newest draft of the subdivision and land development ordinances to the Lebanon County Planning Department and Planning Commission. It has not yet been advertised for a public hearing.
- Agreed to advertise an ordinance expanding a LERTA (Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act) zone in Hanford Drive Business Park to include areas missed in 2007. Notably, this does not require the township to give businesses tax-exempt status, but gives other governmental entities the option to do so.
- Agreed to submit an application for a recycling performance grant for the 2023 recycling year.
- Agreed to advertise an ordinance banning parking on around 200 feet of Long Lane to allow cars to enter a future access to a New Covenant Christian School parking lot.
- Agreed to approve an extension of an agreement with New Covenant allowing them to use temporary modular classrooms until 2028. Some of the classrooms have already been removed, but two remain until the expansion project is completed.
- Agreed to accept the dedication of Woodlea Avenue and part of Watson Street.
- Agreed to allow the placement of a shed at Township Community Park for the baseball association.
- Agreed to hire Bradyn Aurentz, who has been with the public works department part-time, as a full-time employee.
- Approved a stormwater credit application for a property at 1840 SR 72.
- Agreed to grant time extensions to the Weaver and Manor View subdivision plans.
- Agreed to release the full financial security of $22,410 for 2500 N. 21st St.
- Agreed to adopt Ordinance #4-2024 establishing requirements for the inspection, testing, and maintenance of privately owned fire hydrants following a public hearing.
- Approved minutes and payroll.
The North Lebanon Township Board of Supervisors meets the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. The meetings are open to the public and do not require prior registration.
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