Correspondent
CANTON — Feb. 23 marked another special meeting of the Canton Township.
First on the agenda was securing a line of credit with a local bank to facilitate purchasing new equipment to replace those pieces lost in the December fire.
While the township was expecting three proposals, only two banks sent representatives, First Citizens Community Bank of Canton and Citizens and Northern Bank of Troy.
The competing credit proposals held similar terms, that of being 24 months long and requiring only monthly interest payments on loans taken during that time. Neither bank required physical collateral like equipment titles. The Township ultimately decided to accept the proposal from FCCB at a 1.99% interest rate.
Road foreman Bob Petrowski reported the new loader was expected as early as Monday March 1st.
Rich Bardo of Bardo Cox & Miller then discussed the plans for the new equipment building. Bardo had inputted the Township’s desired dimensions of the new building into a computer-aided design program and had brought several printouts showing a layout of the proposed building. The building would be 60 feet wide and 140 feet long. It will include five 16-foot wide overhead doors, one 14-foot wide door, as well as a 16-foot wide section on the end dedicated to the new office space. The proposed building would also have a heated concrete floor and would be fully insulated from the elements. It would also necessarily need a fire suppression system, either sprinklers or fire walls.
Bardo introduced an architect he regularly works with, Larry Foor of Foor & Associates to discuss further. Foor and Bardo both remarked the main concern would be properly catching the rainwater that would come off the roof.
The proposed site is near a wetland. Township Chairman Gary Ferguson and Mark McMurray had visited another Bardo project, the Point Springs & Driveshaft building in Troy. They noted that the building had an expensive water catchment behind it for its rainwater. Foor remarked it would be prudent to bring a civil engineer into the project who could draw up plans for water placement and work with the Bradford County Planning Commission, who would have final say on whether the building could be constructed.
Foor was provided with a survey of the property and said he would also require a topographical map of the area.
Attorney Harold Caldwell then brought forward an official lease agreement between the Township and road foreman Bob Petrowski. The 24-month agreement would allow the township to use Petrowski’s shed on Minnequa Main Street to house equipment. In lieu of rent, Petrowski asked that the Township pay to insulate the building, which it has, and pay the utilities during the lease. Chairman Gary Ferguson and Petrowski signed the document.
The meeting was punctuated by Petrowski stating he wished to thank all those that have reached out to help the township in the wake of the fire. In particular, he thanked the “countless” townships and municipalities that reached our in support. Also receiving thanks was the community that had rallied around the township especially Jeff Sechrist, Chris Moore, Frank Watson, and Frank Jennings for making their equipment available when needed.
The next township meeting is Monday, March 1, and the township plans to hold weekly meetings every Monday at 8 p.m. for the foreseeable future to address changing conditions with the rebuilding process.