Winter-2010 Newsletter

JACKSON TOWNSHIP NEWS

Your Community News Source
Winter, 2010

2009 IN REVIEW PLUS A LOOK TO THE FUTURE
As we start out a new year with new opportunities and challenges, it is a good time to reflect over the progress, accomplishments and challenges of Jackson Township over the past year. It’s also a time when we must look at the coming year and develop a course that will lead Jackson Township into a bright future for generations to come.

Economic Development
Jackson Township continues to pursue the development of a business park that hopefully will lead to hundreds of new jobs and a more solid tax base for the community. Although it is still in the early stages there has been much accomplished this year. A land trade agreement with the DCNR has been signed by the State and a RCAP Economic Development Grant for $500,000. was received with the help of State Rep. Frank Burns. The Supervisors are committed to this project that could have a big impact on the entire region and are working closely with the Cambria County Industrial Development Authority, Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission and (JARI) Johnstown Area Regional Industries. In addition Jackson Township has been working through elected officials including Congressman John Murtha, PA Senator John Wozniak and PA Representative Frank Burns. Richard Sutter & Associates, planning consultant, has been instrumental in the initial planning stages of the project and Keller Engineers is in the process of performing preliminary engineering work and arranging for various studies and permits., Work continues with Babcox & Wilcox cleaning up a large "boney pile" located near Route 271 and Loraine Road. The boney is being transported to a co-gen plant in Ebensburg and used as fuel. The site will eventually be completely reclaimed. Also in the past year, First National Bank of PA decided to close the Vinco Office which is the only bank and ATM in the Township. All the publicity of the bank closing and efforts of the Township Supervisors to attract a new bank caught the interest of Somerset Trust who is planning to open in the same Vinco Plaza location during the first or second week of February. Jackson Township has also inquired with a potential developer of a senior housing complex. Many residents have expressed the need for senior housing in the Township over the years. Another project approved by the Central Cambria School Board is for renovations and improvements to the Jackson Elementary School in Mundys Corner, including a Multi-Purpose Building addition.

Planning For The Future
The Jackson Township Planning Commission continues to lay the ground work for development that is certain to come in the future being that Jackson Township has lots of undeveloped land and much of it is along or near the new Route 22 corridor. Some of the items currently being addressed are revisions to the Subdivision Ordinance, Nuisance Ordinance to address unmaintained properties, vehicles and abandoned buildings and other issues, amending the Zoning Ordinance and a new Zoning Map which is specific to individual parcels. The new parcel specific map is now possible being that Cambria County has property boundary lines for the entire County thru their G.I.S. Computerized Mapping System. In addition Jackson Township as part of the Central Cambria Coalition has been working with Cambria Township & Ebensburg Borough on a Phase II Planning Initiative with the help of a Shared Municipal Services Planning Grant from the DCED for $32,500. Phase II Planning involves bringing each community's Subdivision and Zoning Ordinances up-to-date with current laws, regulations and to the standards of the Municipal Planning Code. Although the three municipalities would retain their individual Ordinances, there would be coordination in zone classifications and along border areas where one municipality meets another. The Zoning Hearing Board continues to serve the Township by presiding over various hearings and matters throughout the year concerning land use issues. These matters cover everything from additional oil storage tanks to Marcellus Shale Gas Well Drilling. Harry Baker does a great job addressing Zoning Permits as applications are submitted throughout the year as well as addressing other problems and complaints as they came up. A great effort has been made by Harry and the Township to continue working with property owners to clean up their properties. Some progress has been made with property owners cleaning up abandoned structures, vehicles, tires and rubbish. While some property owners make an effort to clean up their properties, others do not and require additional letters or action with the help of the Township Solicitor. It is the hope of the Supervisors that property owners in Jackson Township will step up to the plate and take pride in beautifying their properties. Every improvement made in the removal of junk vehicles, rubbish or abandoned structures helps to beautify Jackson Township. In an effort to step-up clean-up efforts in Jackson Township, the Planning Commission is currently developing a Nuisance Ordinance that will eventually be recommended to the Supervisors for approval. The Nuisance Ordinance will address everything from junk vehicles, rubbish and garbage to unmaintained yards and properties. Jackson Township receives many complaints on these issues and Nuisance Ordinances are quite common throughout the area. An unmaintained property next door to yours can actually decrease your property value by a considerable amount. Beginning in 2010 the function of Building Codes Enforcement will be carried out by Middle Department Inspection Agency. This is a change from the previous Cambria County Building Codes Enforcement Agency. Three of the biggest changes residents will see is a 20% reduction in fees, being able to complete forms at the local municipal building and any project exempt from the State Building Code will not require any forms or paperwork to be completed and there will not be any fee for any project that is exempt. Previously residents were charged a $10 fee for an "Exemption Permit" under the Cambria County Building Codes Enforcement Agency. All three municipalities of the Central Cambria Coalition (Cambria Township, Jackson Township & Ebensburg Borough) will be using MDIA for the required inspections to meet the State Code. Also the Central Cambria Codes Enforcement Agency was formed which could eventually include Zoning enforcement as well as Building Code. In 2009, the old NAPA Auto Parts Building, next to the Municipal Building was torn down once the asbestos was removed. The demolition was carried out by workers from Judge Long’s Program that allows individuals to work off fines rather than face jail time. Most of the materials were taken down piece by piece and then recycled / used in the Liberty Museum Project in Nanty Glo. The Museum is being created as a permanent building to display history and artifacts by the Tri-Area Historic & Museum Society. Building Permits topped 1.4 million for 2009 and many people are inquiring about building and subdividing next year. With the Brazil-Cherrywood Sewer Project, Loraine Road Sewer Project and Chickaree Hill Water Project now complete, it opens up more possibilities for development and construction of new homes. In addition work on several projects should be underway next year including the long-awaited Swigle Mountain Road Water Project as well as a line extension to service additional homes with public sewage on Loraine Road. Engineering and permitting work continues on providing Fords Corner, Pike Road West and Whitetail Road with public sewage. In addition, the Cambria County Redevelopment Authority is doing a Feasibility Study on the construction of a sewage line along Chickaree Hill Road from Wagner Road to Vintondale Borough. This line could end up being a future Community Development Block Grant Project. With proper planning, zoning and land use, Jackson Township can have controlled growth while protecting the residents, businesses and industry that already call Jackson Township home as well as the environment.

Inter-Municipal Cooperation
The Central Cambria Coalition will celebrate its 4th anniversary in March of 2010. The Coalition was formed from the three municipalities who comprise Central Cambria School District including Cambria Township, Ebensburg Borough and Jackson Township. The group meets once a month rotating meeting locations among the three municipalities. During their four years in existence much has been accomplished. Topics that have been discussed include emergency services, equipment sharing, oil and gas drilling, inter-municipal planning, park maintenance, regional police services, recreation, sewage and water, windmills, wireless communications and zoning. Projects of the Coalition include the completion of a study for expanding sewage lines along the Route 22 Corridor completed by Keller Engineers. A study was also completed on the possibility of forming a multi-municipal police force but was determined not to be feasible at this time due to details that were not agreeable to all three municipalities. A Recreation Map & Guide was completed and distributed to residents of the municipalities as well as being available at various public buildings, hotels and businesses. The map was designed and printed by Municipal Publications and paid for entirely by ads placed from 26 local businesses and organizations. The map displays all of the recreational facilities available in the Central Cambria Coalition area. A Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan was completed with the help of Richard Sutter & Associates and a matching grant of $42,500 from the Dept. of Community & Economic Development. A steering committee was formed during the development of the Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan and they still continue to meet as the Coalition has moved on to a Phase II Planning Initiative. Phase II Planning involves bringing each municipalities Subdivision & Zoning Ordinances and Zoning Map up to date. This work is being carried out with a Shared Municipal Services Planning Grant of $32,500. from the DCED. Perhaps the biggest benefit of the Coalition is the cost savings achieved through the sharing of equipment. Ebensburg Borough & Cambria Township had secured a $25,000 grant for the joint purchase of a Street Sweeper. Jackson Township & Cambria Township obtained a $25,000 grant for the joint purchase of a Road Paving Machine. The three municipalities were awarded a grant for $22,100. for the purchase of a Crack Sealing Machine. All three grant efforts fall under the Shared Municipal Services Grant Program. In 2009 the three municipalities also jointly purchased an Asphalt Hauler. The most recent venture of the Coalition has been the forming of the Central Cambria Codes Enforcement Agency which will be responsible for enforcement of the State Building Code. This will take effect on January 1, 2010. With the new Agency, residents will now be able to complete forms for the Building Code Agency at the Township Municipal Building in Mundys Corner. A contract has been signed with MDIA (Middle Department Inspection Agency) for Building Code Enforcement and inspectors living in the area will provide 24 hour turn around time on any required inspections. Zoning enforcement will continue under Harry Baker of Vinco. The Coalition continues to explore other areas of joint cooperation where the three municipalities are able to save money by joining forces. Another example of inter-municipal cooperation is working with neighboring East Wheatfield Township who is trying to get high speed internet service in that area as well as for residents in the western most part of Jackson Township. For Trick or Treat Night, Jackson Township coordinated their event with that of neighboring East Taylor Township. Jackson also continues to work with an inter-municipal co-op called the Cambria County Sewage Enforcement Agency who is responsible for all on-lot sewage development, permits or complaints. In October all municipalities and school districts in Cambria County met to begin the process of consolidating the Earned Income Tax collection of each municipality and school district into one County-wide tax collector yet to be determined. Act 32 passed by the Pennsylvania House & Senate will consolidate Earned Income Tax Collection on a County-wide basis rather than each municipality collecting their own. At the first meeting, the Cambria County Tax Collection Committee was formed. Each County in the State of Pennsylvania will be going through the exact same process. The new system will be implemented over the next 4 years and in place by the year 2012. Currently each Municipality and each School District can designate who they wish to collect Earned Income Taxes. The new system will be much simpler for employers who currently have to collect and send EIT Taxes collected from employees to dozens of EIT Tax Collectors. For a large employer with hundreds or thousands of employees, the number of tax collectors could be 100 or more.

Roads and Related Improvements
Many local road projects were completed last year to continue a concentrated effort to maintain local streets and roads on a regular maintenance program to keep them safe and in top condition for residents to use and enjoy. Due to the high cost of paving, Jackson Township has chose to concentrate more on seal coating roads. This is sometimes referred to as "tar and chipping". Roads that were seal coated entirely or in part were Brazil Lane, Cherrywood Drive, Hunts Road, Kissell Lane, Lyle Street, Pinelock Street, Stagers Road, Wagner Road & Zurenda Lane. The road crew worked endlessly on patching, improving and maintaining drainage and line striping on various Township roads as well as overall maintenance. In addition, two students worked part-time last year on mowing and park maintenance. In another cost savings project, the Road Crew refurbished a used Athey Belt Loader as opposed to purchasing a new one. Jackson Township approved another year in their 5 year contract with PennDOT to be reimbursed for performing winter maintenance on Benshoff Hill Road. A request for PennDOT to do a Speed Limit Study on Benshoff Hill Road but denied being one was done two years ago. The request was made by members of the Mt. Olive United Methodist Church. Jackson Township also received a grant of $7,300. from the DCED (Dept. of Community & Economic Development) for the replacement of street signs throughout the Township. The new street signs with larger lettering will be required throughout Pennsylvania by the year 2012. The new lettering standard on the signs is six inches with suffixes at four inches (i.e. - street, road, etc.). The grant from the DCED was made possible with the help of Sen. John Wozniak’s office. In another joint partnership and cost savings effort, students under the direction of Pat Wallet at the Greater Johnstown Career & Technology Center changed out a clutch on a Township plow truck. The "hands on" work was a great learning experience for the students and the Township experienced a tremendous savings by letting them do the needed work.

Township Remains Financially Solid
Jackson Township remains in sound financial condition despite decreased revenues from the Laurel Highlands Landfill. Landfill Revenues were down in 2009 by about 2/3 being Waste Management is currently taking garbage by rail from the New York City metro area to Virginia as a cost cutting measure. The rail was determined to be less expensive when diesel gas prices were topping well over $4.00 per gallon. Currently the Landfill garbage intake has leveled off and is primarily from the region and not out of state. Despite decreased revenue, 2009 saw the Capital Reserve Fund finish a little over 1 million dollars. Funds were used in 2009 for many planned projects including the Fords Corner Sewage Project, Swigle Mountain Water Project, Mitchell Park Expansion and the development of a Business Park. With the Swigle Mountain Water Project financing in place, $128,000 in preliminary engineering, permit and other fees were reimbursed to the Township. Additional revenue averaging about $2000 per month continues to come in from the Landfill Gas Conversion Project. With the completion of the Brazil Lane - Cherrywood Sewer Project, Loraine Road Sewage Project and Wagner Road - Chickaree Water Project more homes and businesses can be built in Jackson adding to the Township’s tax base and insuring that our local taxes continue to be one of the lowest in the County. In 2010, the development of infrastructure will continue with the extension of the Loraine Road sewer line and a new water line on Swigle Mountain Road. Other proposed projects are in various stages of development. One such project involves constructing public sewer lines in the Fords Corner Road area, which also includes Finntown Road, Loraine Road, Pike Road West and Whitetail Road. A feasibility study is also being done on the construction of a sewer line on Chickaree Mountain Road. All Township audits that were conducted by Certified Public Accounts, Federal, State & Local Agencies had no findings for the year.

Emergency Services
The Jackson Township Police Department continues to provide 24 hour police protection. More emphasis has been put on patrolling neighborhoods to help make Township residents feel as safe as possible. Other services provided by the Police are making regular security checks to Township businesses as well providing traffic control during major events in the Community. The Jackson Police Department has a good team of officers. Chief Fatula directs the Department comprised of 1 full-time officer, and 6 part-time officers. A grant of $17,000 was received from Mountaintop Technologies with the help of Congressman John Murtha. The grant was used to purchase new lights for police vehicles, bullet proof vests, new laptop computers, cameras, uniforms, intoximeter and other upgraded equipment. Two Youth Drug & Alcohol Fairs were held during the summer. The program is sponsored by Judge Gerard Long and the Cambria County Courts. The Mitchell event had about 50 youth and 20 adults attending. Unfortunately the one scheduled for Veterans Park this year was rained out. The Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Department provided another outstanding year of service to the residents. There were many activities and events scheduled including a Safety Day at the Jackson Township Elementary School and a highly successful Open House where several hundred residents turned out. Many fundraising events were held as well which were well supported by the Community. Last year, Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Company was awarded Silver Status by the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy. This special status is given to those companies where 80% of the active Firemen are certified as Firefighter 1. Congratulations to the Fire Company on earning this achievement!

Recreation Plans for Growth
The Jackson Township Recreation Commission continues to be a vital part of the community by offering various events and helping with park planning and maintenance. The Jackson Township Veterans Monument continues to serve as a way to honor all veterans from the Township. When the idea of a monument / memorial was first conceived it was thought that accommodation for 500 names would be sufficient. After an expansion which added two additional granite stones, there are currently 1109 names listed. Plans are underway for the 2010 Heritage Festival. In its 6th year, the 2009 Festival attracted large crowds and a large number of vendors, groups and organizations and continues grow and is becoming known throughout the region for quality entertainment, family friendly atmosphere and affordability. 2010 promises to be an exciting year as Mitchell Park Phase I expansion will get underway with the help of a $123,600 Grant awarded to Jackson Township from the DCNR. Improvements to be made will include extending water, sewer and electric lines, new restrooms and the construction of 2 large pavilions which will each accommodate approximately 140 people for large family gatherings, weddings, reunions, etc. After Phase I, a Phase II is planned if a grant is successfully achieved. Phase II would include a 3^rd large pavilion, small pavilion, ball field lighting and other improvements. Also on the horizon is the lighting of Mitchell # 1 ball field. This project has been taken up by the ETJ Little League whos goal is have the lighting in place for the 2010 season. ETJ also made some additional improvements during 2009 including installing new lights on the Concession Stand and lights and electric in the existing pavilion. Also on the horizon is a possible expansion of Leidy Park and the addition of some much needed parking. In 2009 many groups used the Park for football, softball, soccer, scouts and even cheerleading. Veterans Park also had some improvements for 2009 including covers for the electrical panel boxes on the shuffleboard court. The covers which will protect the electrical outlets were made by local contractor, Jim Page. The Township also made progress in attracting more groups along with activities and events to the parks. Leidy Park was used by East Taylor-Jackson Little League as an additional location, Central Cambria Midget Football League, AYSO Soccer, Conemaugh Valley Youth League and Jackson Twp. Boy Scouts for camping out. Mitchell Park hosted the Easter Egg Hunt and is already the busiest park with a full schedule of East Taylor-Jackson Little League games and tournaments. Another key focus of the Recreation Commission has been providing events and activities that can involve the Community. In the spring, the 3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt was sponsored by the Jackson Township Lions Club and drew a huge crowd of excited children. The third annual Fishing Derby was held in cooperation with the Jackson Township Community Rod & Gun Club. Over 210 children turned out for the event held at Woodland Park just off of Rt. 22. A bus trip was offered to Washington DC in May with a nice turnout while two others with a higher price tag due to hotel accommodations and performance tickets had to be cancelled. 2010 will focus on one day trips with lower pricing that seemed to be more popular with residents. The Cambria County Bookmobile returned to Jackson Township for the summer months by making regularly scheduled stops at the Senior Center for the benefit of children and adults alike. The 6th Annual Heritage Festival took place in July and has continued to be the most popular and well attended event of the year. In October, Trick or Treat Night went off very successfully for the 2nd year after making a come back in Jackson Township after an absence of nearly 30 years. The event was a big hit and there were no incidents reported. . just a lot of children having fun! The 4th Annual Light Up Night had a huge crowd attend, thanks to the cooperation of the weather. Some of the highlights included voting for their favorite trees, a concert by the Jackson Elementary 4^th & 5^th Grade Chorus, special music from local church groups as well as the star attraction, Santa! Also in December was the 4th Annual Holiday Lighting & Decorating Contest. This year there were 21 entries received. For 2010, a host of regular events are planned including the Fishing Derby, Easter Egg Hunt, Heritage Festival, Trick or Treat Night, Light Up Night and Christmas Decorating Contest. Bus trips for 2010 will include a trip to Baltimore Inner-Harbor in June and a Christmas Trip to Pittsburgh in December.

Preserving Our Past
The Jackson Township Historical Committee, formed three years ago, continues to actively collect and preserve any old photos and artifacts contributed from residents. Many of the items collected have been donated to the group for display purposes while photos are often copied or scanned and then the originals returned to the owner. Progress has also been made on the Tri-Area Historical & Museum Society which is in the process of renovating the old Liberty Theatre in Nanty Glo for a permanent museum. The museum will house historical artifacts from Blacklick Township, Jackson Township, Nanty Glo Borough and Vintondale Borough. The museum is appropriately named "The Liberty Museum" and could be completed in 2010. The Jackson Township Historical Committee has made significant progress in making contacts with residents who have old photos, artifacts and memories to share. The Committee is compiling notebooks with each article, photo or item categorized for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations to come.

Sewer & Water Projects Will Help Spur Growth
Sewer & Water are seen as key components to the future growth and development of Jackson Township. The Brazil Lane and Cherrywood Estates sewer line is now complete and 200 homes have been added to the Jackson East-Taylor Sewer Authority system. The new line also provides opportunities for future growth as well as provide service to existing residents. The project was made possible from a 3.4 Pennvest Loan, a $632,000. Pennvest Grant as well a $250,000 Grant from Jackson Township. The Fords Corner area is also being pursued for sewage as well. This area would include Fords Corner Road, Finntown Road, Loraine Road, Pike Road West and Whitetail Road. As part of this effort, Rich Wray of Hegemann & Wray Engineers is working with the Township to move this project ahead. Sewage planning and testing has been completed and financing options are being explored. In addition the Supervisors have committed 2007, 2008 and 2009 CDBG (Community Block Grant Funds) towards the installation of a public sewer line on Loraine Road which serves approx. 20 homes. A Feasibility Study is currently being done by the Cambria County Redevelopment Authority for the possible construction of a sewer line along Chickaree Hill Road to service an area where many of the current septic systems are failing. The Jackson Township Water Authority has also completed the construction of an addition to the Wagner Road water line as well as a new water line along Chickaree Hill Road towards Vintondale. The Chickaree line is made possible with CDBG funds under the direction of Larry Custer of the Cambria County Redevelopment Authority and will provide public water service to about 24 homes. The long awaited Swigle Mountain Road Water Project has been finalized with financing in place. The Project is being put out for bid and construction will begin sometime next year. Residents in this area have been experiencing water problems for years and some even having to haul water. Others have had to construct new wells or can only use water on certain days.

Senior Center
The Senior Center continues to grow with well over 450 members. The Senior Center held special ceremonies on Memorial Day and Veterans Day and the adjoining Veterans Park serves as a host for special events including the Heritage Festival and Light-Up Night. The Center played host to a wide variety of activities last year including seminars and classes covering a wide variety of issues that concern Senior Citizens and the Community in general. One major improvement this year was the installation of new flooring and carpeting throughout the building which also houses the District Magistrates office. This work couldn’t be done until the asbestos was removed and for that work, a grant of $23,876 was received from the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority. In June Betty Lybarger was honored at a dinner held at the Senior Center for receiving "The President's Volunteer Service Award". The award is given from the President's Council on Service & Civic Participation and recognizes an individual's dedication to volunteer service. Accompanying the award was a letter from the White House signed by President Barack Obama recognizing the importance of volunteer service to one's Community and Country.

Township Faces Challenging Role
Running a Township the size of Jackson is like running a large business. There are numerous challenges and administrative tasks which seem to grow more each year. The Board of Supervisors get involved in all aspects of the Township and work to insure that Federal and State laws and policies are being followed. Some of the continuing matters being addressed by the Board are sewage regulations, sewer & water line projects, stormwater management, emergency services, building code, developing ordinances and policies, planning and zoning, recreation, economic development, historic preservation and too many others to mention. Other responsibilities of the Supervisors include directing the police and road departments as well as the administrative staff, investigating citizen complaints and concerns, bidding out materials and services, addressing road bonds and inspections, negotiating contracts, making appointments to Boards, Commissions and Authorities as well as accepting resignations, overseeing and applying for grants and countless others. Last year the Supervisors approved several Job Descriptions for employees and approved paying for tax collection by the parcel instead of the previously percentage method. Ordinances passed in 2009 included the following: Violent Sex Offenders, Park & Senior Center Rules, Contractor Responsibility, Zoning Amendment concerning public water & sewage facilities, establishing the Central Cambria Codes Enforcement Agency & Board of Appeals, Swigle Mountain Water Financing and the Local Municipal Services Tax. An agreement was approved in March between Atlantic Broadband and Jackson Township to continue providing cable services to a large portion of Jackson Township. The Contract was negotiated by the Cambria-Somerset Council of Governments with nearly 20 municipalities represented. A contract was also approved between Laborers Intr. Union Local 910 and Jackson Township. Local 910 represents the Road Department workers in Jackson Township. Last year the Board of Supervisors authorized Solicitor Bill Barbin to file a Civil Complaint against Penelec at their July 30^th meeting. The complaint is to recover costs charged by Penelec to remove 2 poles off of Leidy Lane and 2 off of Adams Avenue onto a private easement. Penelec had charged the Township $7,304.10 for work at Leidy and $7,899.63 for the work at Adams. The bills had to be paid before they would do the work and the Supervisors had paid them under protest. The poles had to be removed due to being a safety hazard to the traveling public. In another matter, despite challenges, the PUC has upheld the complaints filed by Janet Fochtman and Betty Lou Shoup protesting Penelec’s plan to remove all private outdoor lighting across their service territory. The original plan would have affected about 30,000 lights including many at public buildings in Jackson Township such as Jackson Elementary, Water Authority and Senior Center. Despite Penelec's appeals, the complaints of Mrs. Fochtman & Mrs. Shoup have held fast. There is always a mix of pleasant and unpleasant items to deal with in the Township but the Supervisors always have the best interest of the residents at heart. The Township is always looking at improving the quality of life whether it be major park improvements or offering recreational activities, free house numbers, recycling bins or landfill passes. The Supervisors are always looking into what benefits can be offered to residents.

Residents Get Involved
Obviously, it takes a host of employees to keep everything running smoothly but we are also dependent upon residents and volunteers as well. There are countless residents that are involved in serving on various commissions, boards, authorities, the Fire Company, Senior Center, churches, schools and volunteer & civic organizations. The Township greatly appreciates all of those who serve in various capacities to help make Jackson Township a better place to live. If you are interested in volunteering on an Authority, Commission, Board or Committee, please send a note to the Jackson Township Supervisors at 513 Pike Road, Johnstown, PA 15909. Your name will be considered in the event an opening would occur. Many groups have contributed to the community. One example is Troop 204 Boy Scouts who have participated in Veterans Day & Memorial Day Ceremonies, the Heritage Festival, Light Up Night, litter clean ups and much more. Also individual scouts going for Eagle Projects have chosen to improve the community by adding park benches and landscaping, cleaning up the Bio-Diversity area of Leidy Park, painting fire hydrants and others. In April an Eagle Scout Banquet was held to honor 7 members of Troop 204 that achieved Eagle Scout Rank. Six of the seven completed their Eagle Scout Projects for Jackson Township while the other one carried his out for St. John Vianney Catholic Church. Other groups, churches, organizations and schools have done litter clean ups, recycling drives, dinners for Senior Citizens, contributed to the food pantry, started or contributed to scholarship funds or even sent care packages to soldiers overseas. All of these efforts help to make Jackson Township a great community to live in!

Township Alive with Activity
Jackson Township is alive with activity and considering our prime location along the new Route 22, low taxes, good school district and a family-friendly community, we are poised for growth now and into the future. A key component to keeping everyone informed on what is happening is communications. This includes holding public meetings, maintaining a website, emailing online newsletters and publishing newsletters which are mailed out quarterly to all residents. Jackson residents can be proud that the Township newsletter and website have won several awards over the year in the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors Annual Citizens Communications Contest. In December, Jackson Township won a 3rd Place Award for its entry in the Electronic Newsletter Category in the Statewide competition. Keeping up with the times, ways of communicating and types of communications are always changing. Last fall a group was formed on Facebook for those who live or have lived in Jackson Township. Anyone can join including those who once lived in the area but have moved away. In a short time there are nearly 300 members. There are lots of photos posted on the site and many people are writing nostalgic memories of their time living or growing up in Jackson Township. To find or join the group go to www.facebook.com and then search for the group name "Those Who Live or Have Lived in Jackson Township, Cambria County, PA". 2010 should be another busy year of growth and development in the Township. The Supervisors welcome you to be a contributing part of Jackson Township's future.

JACKSON ADOPTS 2010 BUDGET
Jackson Township began the new year with a surplus of over 1 million dollars. The Jackson Township Supervisors passed an approved a budget for 2010 of $2,051,213.95. The breakdown is as follows: General Fund-$938,860.00, State Fund-$152,510.95, Fire Hydrant Fund-$11,000.00, Rescue Fund-$35,700.00, Capital Reserve Fund-$850,000.00 and Senior Center Fund-$63,143.00. The Township Capital Reserve Fund is over 1 million but has decreased due to diminished Landfill revenues. With this in mind, the Supervisors have reduced or cut line items in the 2010 Budget which is the lowest since 2005. Jackson Township continues to strive to provide services for residents at the least possible cost. In addition, the Supervisors commitment to the development of infrastructure in the Township and the Business Park Project will hopefully increase the tax base for future generations to come.

TAX STRUCTURE SET FOR 2010
The Supervisors approved Resolution 09-09 setting the tax structure for 2010 as follows: Real Estate Tax-3 and 3/4 Mills, Fire Hydrant Tax-1/2 Mill, Rescue Service Tax-1 Mill, Earned Income Tax-1/2 %, Real Estate Transfer Tax-1/2 %, Per Capita Tax-$5.00 and Local Municipal Services Tax-$10.00.

MITCHELL PARK - PHASE I TO GET UNDERWAY IN SPRING
One of the largest park expansions in the history of Jackson Township will soon be underway this spring with the help of a $125,000 Grant from the DCNR (Dept. Of Community & Natural Resources). The project is known as "Mitchell Park - Phase I" and will make many improvements. Lehman Engineers has been working with the County and State Agencies to acquire all of the necessary approvals and permits for construction to begin. The Project was originally bid out as one lump sum but bids came in higher than expected and items such as excavation, clearing and stormwater were removed and that work was completed by the Township Road Crew. The Project was bid out a second time but in that round of bids, many of the bids had discrepancies and the Supervisors decided to have the Project bid a third time. Eight bids were submitted and the low bid from Berkebile Brothers of Johnstown was accepted at a cost of $207,116. The other 7 bids submitted ranged from $217,083. to as high as $334,564. Work already done to date includes the installation of sewer lines by JETSA and water lines by the Jackson Twp. Water Authority. In addition, the installation of a road behind the current basketball court plus ground clearing was completed where the new pavilions will be erected. The road along with the ground clearing was done by the Jackson Twp. Road Crew. Perhaps one of the most needed improvements when completed will be public restrooms. Currently two porta-johns are at the park where there are often hundreds attending ball games and tournaments on any given day during the summer. Another major addition will be the construction of two large pavilions that can accommodate large crowds of up to 140 people each for reunions, weddings or other group gatherings. In addition there will be BBQ pits, horseshoes and additional parking. All work in Phase I will be completed by May 31, 2010. Upon completion of Phase I, a plan for Phase II has already been developed and a grant application can be filed for additional funding. Phase II includes park lighting, landscaping, another large pavilion, additional small pavilion, new playground equipment, volleyball courts and a walking trail around the perimeter of Mitchell Park. Upon completion, Mitchell Park will be one of the premier parks in Cambria County if not the entire region.

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INFORMATION NEED UPDATED?
If you received this newsletter and your name or address information is incorrect, or if you know of any resident of Jackson Township who didn’t receive it, please call the Township Office at 749-0725.
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SWIGLE MOUNTAIN WATER PROJECT SET FOR CONSTRUCTION
The long awaited Swigle Mountain Water Project has been put out for bid with construction set to start sometime in 2010. D. T. Construction of Dunbar, PA was the low bidder on line construction with their bid being $1,224,943. For the water tank, Mid-Atlantic Storage Systems was the low bidder at $271,460. Many residents thought they would never see a public water line along this road where it is so badly needed, but it now will be a reality. The Project includes a 22,000 foot service line that will provide much needed water service to 42 homes. Currently, many households have to haul water or use water sparingly. The water line project also includes a pumping station and a new tank. To facilitate the new water tank, two settlement agreements had to be negotiated with property owners. Over the past several years, the Township has hired Rich Wray of Hegemann & Wray engineers to perform preliminary engineering work, file for permits and pursue funding for this project. Some of the challenges have been obtaining property for a water tank site and obtaining financing from multiple sources. The first piece of financial good news came when the Bureau of Abandoned Mines awarded a grant of $390,000. from the Pennsylvania Bureau of Abandoned Mines. The actual funding is coming from the Federal Office of Surface Mining. The remaining funding for the nearly 2 million dollar project has been acquired through a Pennvest Loan. Once the line is constructed and tested, residents will receive notices to tap-in and will be required to pay a mandatory tap-in fee to get connected to the line.

JACKSON CONTRACTS WITH MDIA FOR BUILDING CODE INSPECTIONS
Beginning in 2010 the function of Building Codes Enforcement will be carried out by Middle Department Inspection Agency. This is a change from the previous Cambria County Building Codes Enforcement Agency. Three of the biggest changes residents will see is a 20% reduction in fees, being able to complete forms at the local municipal building and any project exempt from the State Building Code will not require any forms or paperwork to be completed. In addition, there will be no fee for any project that is exempt. Previously the Cambria County Building Codes Enforcement Agency charged $10 for an Exemption Permit. All three municipalities of the Central Cambria Coalition (Cambria Township, Jackson Township & Ebensburg Borough) will be using MDIA for the required inspections to meet the State Code. The Central Cambria Codes Enforcement Agency was formed which could eventually include Zoning enforcement as well as Building Code. The forming of this Agency involved the Supervisors adopting two Ordinances and Inter-Municipal Agreements. A Central Cambria Codes Enforcement Agency Board of Appeals was established with two members serving from Cambria Township, two from Jackson Township and one from Ebensburg Borough. The Board of Appeals would only meet if someone were to challenge a decision of the Building Code Enforcement Officer (MDIA). The two members appointed for Jackson Township to serve on the newly created Board are Bob Ditchcreek and Jack Houston.

PLANNING UNDERWAY FOR HERITAGE FESTIVAL 2010
The Jackson Township Heritage Festival has grown quite popular during the last six years and planning is underway for the 7^th Annual Jackson Heritage Festival. Last year, from start to finish, the festival brought people together from Jackson Township and surrounding communities for a weekend of food, fun and entertainment. The business community supported the event and without their help it would not have been possible. The Heritage Festival will be held this year on Friday, July 16, Saturday, July 17 & Sunday, July 18. Although many details need to be worked out, some can be shared at this time. A Car Cruise-In will be held on Friday night beginning at 6:00 pm with the Johnstown Classic Rockers performing from 7 - 10. Festival hours will be Noon-9 on Saturday and 12-6:00 on Sunday. Entertainment on Saturday that can be confirmed is Tree, an Irish folk music group, John Robertson who will be performing a brand new magic and illusion show and the Fabulous Flashbacks will be returning to pack the house with their famous oldies show from 7 to 11 pm. New this year will be a group called the Bayou Bandits who perform Cajun / Zydeco music throughout the Eastern United States. They are scheduled from 2:30 to 5:00 pm on Saturday. Back by popular demand, a fireworks display is planned that evening as well. Sunday will begin with Singer Hill Grace Brethren Church holding their morning service at 10:30 am. Everyone is welcome! The Masters who are based in Jackson Township will return to perform their awesome style of gospel music. Also returning is Beavercreek, a real crowd pleaser who put on an excellent show with their own brand of Bluegrass Music from 2:30 to 5 pm and NoMAD who will perform in concert from 6:30 - 9:30 pm. Additional entertainment is in the works but not yet confirmed. As in the past, there will be continuous entertainment rotating on two separate stages. The Jackson Heritage Festival has been gaining a great reputation for having quality entertainment and many bands and groups have been in contact seeking to perform at the event. As usual, favorites returning for the kids will include clowns, face painting, hay rides, games, petting zoo, model train display and Big Bouncy jumping area. For those of you who would wish to have a booth at the Heritage Festival this year, contact Dave Hirko at 749-0725 or Betty Perry at 322-0938 to receive an application. There are many expenses to hosting the festival and the budget is approximately $24,120 for 2010. In order to put on a successful festival this year we are once again counting on local support. If you or your business would like to be a sponsor, please call Dave Hirko at 749-0725 to receive an application. By being a sponsor you will be recognized in advertisements in the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat & all five Mainline Newspapers as well as flyers and posters displayed throughout Cambria County. In addition a program distributed to everyone attending will also recognize those helping to sponsor this event. We hope you’ll consider being a part of the Jackson Township Heritage Festival in 2010.

LARGE CROWD TURN OUT FOR 4th ANNUAL LIGHT UP NIGHT
Jackson Township's 4th Annual Light Up Night attracted a record crowd with the help of excellent weather conditions. The event was held at Veterans Park in Vinco on Sunday, November 29th. This year additional lighting was added throughout the park featuring over 25,000 lights which were put up by Eric Reitler, Cory Ehrhart, Brett Hoffman, Denny Grove and the Jackson Township Road Department. In addition to the fantastic lighting display, 24 Christmas Trees were cut and then erected by Supervisor Bruce Baker and the Road Department then various businesses, organizations and churches sponsored a tree for $10 and then decorated it with lights and ornaments. Groups who sponsored trees were divided into two categories. The Business and Commercial Category had 9 entries including Cobie’s Corner Restaurant, Espe Chiropractic, Final Touch Salon, First National Bank of PA, Janna’s Cut Above the Rest, Kamzik’s Septic & Porta-Johns, Mercik’s Ideal Market, Nealen’s Personal Care and Somerset Trust. Over 310 ballots were cast with each ballot allowed to list a vote for their three favorite trees in each category potentially having over 1,860 total votes. The top five winners in the Business & Commercial Category earned a recognition plaque to display at their place of business. Winners were as follows:

First Place - Janna's Cut Above the Rest
Second Place -Kamzik's Septic & Porta-Johns
Third Place - Cobie’s Corner Restaurant
Fourth Place - Final Touch Salon
Fifth Place - Mercik's Ideal Market

The groups and organizations category had 15 entries including Jackson Township Boy Scout Troop # 204, Jackson Township Girl Scouts Daisy Troop # 40745, Jackson Township Cub Scouts Pack # 204, Jackson Elementary PTO, Jackson Township Community Rod & gun Club, Jackson township Girl Scouts Troop # 40737, Jackson Township Lions Club, Jackson Township Police Department, Jackson Township Recreation Commission, Jackson Township Senior Center, Northern Cambria Relay for Life, Singer Hill Grace Brethren Church, St. John Vianney Catholic Church, The Village Family Children (Devlins, Kuhars, Smiths) and Tri-Area Museum & Historical Society. The top five winners in this category earned a recognition plaque to display plus a cash prize. First place received $100, 2nd-$75, 3rd-$50, 4th-$25 and 5th-$10. Winners were as follows:

First Place - Jackson Twp. Cub Scouts Pack # 204
Second Place - Jackson Elementary P.T.O. (Tie)
Second Place - Jackson Twp. Police Department (Tie)
Third Place-Jackson Twp. Boy Scouts Troop # 204
Fourth Place- St. John Vianney Catholic Church
Fifth Place - Jackson Twp. Comm. Rod & Gun (Tie)
Fifth Place - Tri-Area Museum & Historical Society (Tie)

A variety of refreshments and a bake sale were available from Jackson Township Troop # 204 Boy Scouts. Carolers filled the evening with song from Pike Grace Brethren Church and Chickaree Union Church provided a band that kept the crowd entertained with their lively Christmas selections. Also Julie Lewis and Don Eppley of Vinco Brethren Church performed several musical selections enjoyed by all. In addition, the Jackson Elementary 4th & 5th Grade Chorus came out in full force to perform a beautiful Christmas Concert. An elaborate model train display was operating in high gear throughout the evening under the direction of Phil Boyer, Chief Engineer at the Senior Center. The guest of honor for the evening was definitely Santa Claus himself! Children didn't seem to mind waiting and were excited as they gave their Christmas wish list to Santa himself! Charlie Rametta, photographer took photos of the children with Santa and this year printed them out on the spot for proud parents. The children also enjoyed coloring Christmas pictures and getting in the Christmas spirit! It was a great evening and a good time was had by all. The Recreation Commission is already making plans for next year and to add additional lights as the light display grows larger each year.

WINTER WEATHER TIPS
~Be sure to check your mail box and post making sure it’s secure and can withstand the weight of the heavy snow being plowed off the roads.

~Plow or shovel the snow to the right of your driveway. This will avoid the snow from being re-deposited in your driveway when being plowed by Township Road Workers.

~Use caution and slow down when driving on snowy or icy roads and be sure to leave a little earlier to arrive at your destination safely and on time.

SUPERVISORS REORGANIZE FOR 2010
The Board of Supervisors met on January 4th to reorganize for the New Year. Bruce Baker was appointed to the position as Chairman and John Wallet as Vice-Chairman of the 2010 Board. Dave Hirko was re-appointed as Secretary-Treasurer, Bill Barbin as Solicitor and Calvin Webb as Zoning Hearing Board Solicitor. Lehman Engineers was retained as Township Engineer. Harry Baker was re-appointed as Zoning Officer and Middle Department Inspection Agency as Building Code Official. Barry Rouzer was re-appointed as Vacancy Board Chairman. There were several re-appointments to various Township boards and commissions. Ellen Pentrack-Ocilka was re-appointed to a three year term on the Zoning Hearing Board. Paul Wyrwas was re-appointed to a four year term on the Planning Commission while Denny Grove was re-appointed to a five year term on the Recreation Commission. Returning to the Water Authority with a five year term is Don Hrapchak. Bruce Baker, John Wallet and Mark Westrick were appointed as Roadmasters. Bruce Baker was re-appointed as Representative to the Cambria County Sewage Enforcement Agency while Mark Westrick was appointed as Alternate Member. Bruce Baker was also appointed as Regular Attending Member to the Cambria County Association of Township Officials while John Wallet was designated as the Alternate. Dave Hirko was re-appointed as Driveway Encroachment Officer. The Supervisors set meetings dates for the second Thursday of every month for 2009 at 8:00 am and the last Thursday of every month for 2009 at 7:00 pm except in November when it will be the next to the last Thursday. The Board also approved the 2010 list of Fire Company Activities and Somerset Trust Company was added as a new Township depository.

HOLIDAY DECORATING CONTEST CREATES FRIENDLY COMPETITION
The Jackson Twp. Recreation Commission held its fourth annual Holiday Lighting Contest ever with 21 homes registering. Of the 21 entries, 9 were entering the contest for the first time and no previous 1st place winners entered this year leaving the door open for a new first place winner. Three judges from outside of Jackson Township and Cambria County who were unfamiliar with the names and locations within the Township agreed to volunteer to judge the outdoor lighting and decoration displays. Prizes were awarded as follows: Alrene & Brad Gorsuch & Family took 1^st place honors winning a $100 cash prize. Earning the 2^nd place prize of $75 were Helen & Jim Carmel. A 3^rd place prize of $50 went to Patty & Paul Scanlan. 4^th place honors earning a $25 prize went to Nina & Bob Hildebrand. Three honorable mentions were made. They were Jenn & Marty Bezek, Tammy & Dave Krupa & Family and Luke Smith. In addition to the cash prizes, all winners and honorable mentions received a congratulatory plaque complete with a photo of their display. Congratulations to all the winners! The Recreation Commission hopes more people will join in the fun for the 2010 Contest! If you wish to participate, now is the time to start planning your strategy to take home 2010 honors for this friendly decorating competition.

1st Place - Alrene & Brad Gorsuch - William Penn Avenue
2nd Place - Helen & Jim Carmel - William Penn Avenue
3rd Place - Patty & Paul Scanlan - Benshoff Hill Road
4th Place - Nina & Bob Hildebrand - Brenton Drive
Honorable Mention - Luke Smith - William Penn Avenue
Honorable Mention - Tammy & Matt Krupa - Fords Corner Road
Honorable Mention - Jenn & Marty Bezek - William Penn Avenue

UPCOMING RECREATION EVENTS
Listed below are some of the upcoming events and activities scheduled in Jackson Township over the upcoming months:

~4th Annual Easter Egg Hunt
This highly popular event will be held on Saturday, March 28th from noon to 1:00 pm at Mitchell Park. There will be over 2000 eggs hidden filled with goodies as well as some coupons redeemable for special prizes! Making an appearance will be the Easter Bunny. The Easter Egg Hunt is sponsored by the Jackson Township Lions Club in cooperation with the Recreation Commission.

~5th Annual Fishing Derby
The Fishing Derby will be held on Saturday, May 8th at Woodland Park just off of Route 22 towards Ebensburg. Ages 12 and under are welcome and admission is FREE. Prizes will be awarded and refreshments will be available. Registration begins at 8 am with the Fishing Derby going from 9 am to 3 pm. The event will be held rain or shine. Come and bring your friends! If you have any questions or need additional information, call John Lythgoe at 749-8223 or Jackson Township at 749-0725. The Fishing Derby is sponsored by the Jackson Township Community Rod & Gun Club in cooperation with the Recreation Commission.

LEIDY PARK LAND ACQUISITION
The Supervisors approved the purchase of two parcels near Leidy Park with the help of a $67,000. Grant from the DCNR (Department of Conservation & Natural Resources) at their December 17^th Meeting. The Grant was made possible with the help of Larry Custer, Executive Director of the Cambria County Redevelopment Authority. The total appraised purchase price of the two parcels totaling approximately 2.2 acres was $156,010.42. The properties were purchased from two private individuals. One property was a vacant lot while the other was formerly used for a commercial business. The properties both have frontage along Leidy Lane and will offer additional opportunities for the currently land-locked Park. In the past several years, Leidy Park has grown increasingly busy with several leagues using the fields including the Central Cambria Midget Football League and AYSO Soccer. In addition ETJ Little League uses the field as a backup in case the fields at Mitchell are full and last year the Conemaugh Valley Youth League also used the field for Girls Softball. Other activities include scouting camp-outs as well as a Cheerleading Camp. Parking has been difficult with the amount of people using the fields and the new property acquisition will help to alleviate that demand and eliminate those who had to park along Leidy Lane. In addition to additional parking areas, a building that formerly housed a business could qualify for a future grant to become a multi-purpose building which could house public restrooms or a community meeting room that could be used by Scouts, civic clubs and organizations or other groups in Jackson Township.

GAS WELL BOOM HITS JACKSON
Jackson Township got its first gas well up and running when Petroleum Development Company established a well just off Kepple Road in the Benshoff Hill area. The well is the first of several they want to establish in Jackson Township as they drill for gas in the Marcellus Shale which has been much publicized over the past several years and has made national news headlines. In order for a gas well to be established, the company must submit a site plan to the Planning Commission and apply for a Use Variance from the Zoning Hearing Board. These steps are basically for the protection of the residents of Jackson Township. In addition, any public roads must be bonded and accommodations for water usage must be provided being that each well uses a tremendous amount of water. The PaDEP also does the permitting of all Marcellus Gas Wells. The first well by Petroleum Development only caused a few complaints and they were limited to having mud on the roads and noise. While drilling they actually run around the clock for a limited time period. Petroleum Development also wants to install a compressor on the site that will run forever. As far as noise, the compressor has 85-90 decibels and enclosed 38 decibels which is the more desirable option. Terry Englander, a geoscience professor at Penn State University and Gary Lash, a geology professor at the State University of New York at Fredonia, surprised everyone with estimates that the Marcellus potential might contain more than 500 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Using some of the same horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing methods that had previously been applied in the Barnett Shale of Texas, perhaps 10% of that gas or 50 trillion cubic feet, might be recoverable. That volume of natural gas would be enough to supply the entire United States for about two years and have a wellhead value of about one trillion dollars! The Marcellus Shale, also referred to as the Marcellus Formation, is a Middle Devonian-age black, low density, carbonaceous (organic rich) shale that occurs in the subsurface beneath much of Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York. Small areas of Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia are also underlain by the Marcellus Shale. Northeastern Pennsylvania is one of the richest areas for Marcellus Shale but West Central Pennsylvania also has rich reserves including most of Cambria County. Throughout most of its extent, the Marcellus is nearly a mile or more below the surface. The map at right shows the depth of the Marcellus Shale. These great depths make the Marcellus Formation a very expensive target. Successful wells must yield large volumes of gas to pay for the drilling costs that can easily exceed a million dollars for a traditional vertical well and much more for a horizontal well with hydraulic fracturing.

JUNK VEHICLE REMOVAL
If you have a junked vehicle that needs removed from your property and you’re not sure how to go about it, perhaps the following information will help. Al Gillin who operates a licensed junkyard along Adams Avenue has agreed to tow any junked vehicles that you would like to have removed from your property. According to Mr. Gillin, in most cases there will be no charge to any Township resident for this service unless there is great difficulty getting to the vehicle to pick it up. If you wish to have junked vehicles removed from your property, you may contact Mr. Gillin at 322-4366 to see if you qualify for this free service.

Residents Cashing In On Scrap Metal
Many residents are getting top dollar on scrap metal. This includes automobiles that may be sitting on your property. EMF Industries of Franklin Borough accepts old vehicles and pays for the scrap metal value which has been up dramatically this year. The phone number for EMF is 536-5047.

VEHICLE BATTERY DROP-OFF
Every wonder how to dispose of any old batteries from cars, trucks, lawn mowers, tractors, etc. that you may have laying around your property? They are considered hazardous so you cannot put them out with your garbage. You can however drop them off at Naugles Auto & Truck Sales free of charge where they will see that they are properly processed for disposal or recycling. Naugles Auto & Truck Sales is located at 3309 William Penn Avenue near Mundys Corner. If you have any questions concerning battery disposal, please contact Eric Naugle at 659-7429.

INTERESTED IN SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY?
Have you ever wondered how you can serve the community you live in? Jackson Township welcomes anyone interested in serving on a Authority, Board or Commission to submit a letter, note or email saying you are interested in serving on a Board or Authority in the event that there are openings. If you are interested, your letter would be kept on file at the Township office where you would be contacted if an opening would occur at which time you could accept or decline. Authorities include the Sewer Authority and Water Authority. Commissions include Planning & Recreation. There is also the Zoning Hearing Board. Another group where participation is encouraged is the Historical Preservation Committee. All letters and notes should be mailed to Jackson Township Supervisors, 513 Pike Road, Johnstown, PA 15909. You may also drop it off in person at the Municipal Building or you can send an email to office@jacksontwppa.com By volunteering you can make a difference in your community. Any and all inquiries would be greatly appreciated!

CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE
Jackson Historical Preservation Committee
If you are interested in helping the Historic Preservation Committee, feel free to attend any of their meetings. If you have any knowledge of the history of the Township, you are welcome to share. The Committee meets the 3rd Thursday of each month at the Township Municipal Building at 1:00 pm.

Jackson Heritage Festival
Help plan and organize the 7th Annual Jackson Heritage Festival. Planning is underway for next year's big event and monthly meetings will begin in January, 2010. If you are interested in helping out, please phone, write or email your name to the Jackson Township Office.

POLICE REPORTS
(Submitted by Chief Bob Fatula)

October, 2009
The figures for October were as follows: 911 Calls dispatched to Police: 295 Reportable Part I Crimes: 9 broken down as follows: Larceny-8 and Assaults-1. Reportable Part II Crimes: 27 broken down as follows: DUI (Driving While Under the Influence)-4, Receiving Stolen Property-3, Vandalism-3, Drugs-1, Embezzlement-1 and all others-15. Calls Resulting in Cases: 24, Total Arrestees: 16, Total Suspects: 3, Total Victims: 16, DUI Arrests: 3, Traffic Citations: 29, Non-Traffic Citations: 6, Total Warnings: 0.

November, 2009
The figures for November were as follows: 911 Calls dispatched to Police: 375 Reportable Part I Crimes: 14 broken down as follows: Larceny-13 and Arson-1. Reportable Part II Crimes: 64 broken down as follows: Fraud-33, Stolen Property-14, Disorderly Conduct-3, DUI (Driving While Under the Influence)-3, Vandalism-3, Forgery-1 and all others-7. Calls Resulting in Cases: 31, Total Arrestees: 25, Total Suspects: 1, Total Victims: 13, DUI Arrests: 0, Traffic Citations: 19, Non-Traffic Citations: 8, Total Warnings: 0.

2nd FIRE COMPANY OPEN HOUSE PROVES A SUCCESS!
The Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Company held a very successful Open House on October 7th from 6 to 9 pm in conjunction with National Fire Prevention Week. There were approximately 300 people turn out for the event including lots of children. The event featured many fun activities including free fire truck rides and smoke trailer tours. In addition, the Open House gave residents a chance to meet and talk with the firemen and learn about fire fighting in general. Tours were also given of the Fire Department and everyone attending got a chance to check out the fire trucks and rescue vehicles. Free house numbers were also made available to those interested and there was a variety of free refreshments. The Fire Company appreciated all those who attended. .

JACKSON TWP. VOL. FIRE COMPANY TO BUILD NEW STATION & HALL
The Fire Company has voted to build a new Fire Hall and Social Activities Hall on land recently purchased along Pike Road (old Family Drive-In site). They are planning on building as soon as they can and are counting on support from the community. Their plan is to build a state-of-the-art Fire Station and Hall that can accommodate Jackson Township and any growth that occurs for generations to come. Anyone that is interested in donating time, equipment or services should contact the Fire Company at 322-3155. They would greatly appreciate all donations and help. They are very excited about this project and more details will be announced as they become available.

FIRE COMPANY NEWS & EVENTS
The Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Company has several upcoming events they would like to announce for 2010. They are as follows:

Casino Night Saturday Feb. 6th
Spring Gun Raffle Saturday Apr. 10th
Jewelry Raffle Saturday May 15th
Summer Fest Fri.-Sun. June 18th-20th
Archery Raffle Saturday Sept. 18th

There will also be a Golf Raffle in March but the date has not yet been set for this event. If you are interested in the Golf Raffle, contact the Fire Company at 322-3155 for details. Also for their Summer Fest there will activities for the kiddies this year and planning is under way. Auxiliary sponsored "Fish Frys" will start on Friday, February 19th and continue every Friday with the last one being Good Friday. As always, Bingo is sponsored by the Auxiliary and is held every Sunday evening at 6:30 sharp. Turnout have been very good for Bingo and they are hoping that will continue. For tickets or additional information on all of these events, contact the Fire Company at 322-3155. New officers were elected for 2010 at their December meeting. They are: President-Tim Hofecker, Vice-President-Terry Crouse, Secretary-Angela Shoemaker, Assistant Secretary-Eric Reitler, Treasurer-Mark Sloan, Assistant Treasurer-Gary Gongloff, Financial Secretary-Dave Smith, Assistant Financial Secretary-Steve Kauffman, Trustee (5 year term)-Scott Emerson, Fire Chief-Tim Hofecker, Fire Police Captain-Mick Bezek and Ambulance Committee-Sally Price. With winter months here, please be very careful with burning candles, wood burners and kerosene heaters. Make sure your smoke detectors are working properly and flues are kept clean. The Fire Company and Auxiliary would like to thank everyone in the community for all of their continued support and wish everyone a happy, safe and blessed New Year as we start 2010.

SENIOR CENTER NEWS
The Center is buzzing with many upcoming events. Here is a sampling of upcoming events: Medicare & Health Insurance Counseling will be offered by Jim & Barb Crissey, Cambria County Apprise Insurance Coordinators. Appointments may be scheduled for 15 minute time periods beginning at 10:00 am on Tuesday, January 19^th. Ken Corson will be offering a oil painting class at the center on Friday, January 22nd at 1:00 p.m. The cost is $25.00 and includes all supplies and materials. It will take approximately 2 hours to paint your picture. Class is limited to 10 so be sure and sign up early. The class is also open to the general public. Tax Assistance will once again be offered. In February and March a trained Tax Assistance individual will again be at the Center to assist individuals in preparing their 2009 Federal, State and Local Tax Returns as well as property & rent rebate forms. Assistance will only be given to individuals with small businesses, rentals or simple tax returns. Appointments will be scheduled every Monday evening from 6:30 to 8:00 pm starting on February 1, 2010 and every Wednesday from 9:00 to 11:30 am beginning February 3, 2010. Appointments can be made in person or by contact the Center at 322-3327. The Jackson Senior Center & Conemaugh Health Priority Care will be co-sponsoring a Community Blood Screening on Saturday, March 6, 2010. Cost for a complete multiphasic blood screen with lipid profile is $25. To include a PSA, it's an additional $35. To schedule a Screening call the Center for an appointment starting in February from Tuesday through Thursday. The Center sponsors the screenings twice a year as a fundraiser. Another event will be the 55 Alive Drivers' Training. which will be a two day course held sometime in the spring with no definite date set as of yet. A refresher course will be held but it only lasts 4 hours. A class is required every 3 years to receive a discount on your Automobile Insurance. A representative of AARP will be the instructor. The cost is $12.00 for the class for AARP members and $14.00 for non-members. Jennifer Saylor, BS, CHES and a representative of Windber Research Institute and the Pennsylvania Cancer Education Network is tentatively scheduled to speak at the Center for 3 days on different types of cancer. The schedule is as follows: Tuesday, March 2nd - 11 am - Ovarian Cancer, Tuesday, April 20^th - 11 am - Prostrate Cancer and Tuesday, May 11^th - 11 am - Skin Cancer. She will review the symptoms and tests available to you for diagnosis and treatment options. Both men and women are encouraged to attend. The Center Knitting Club meets every Tuesday at 10:00 am to knit / crochet hats, mittens & scarves to be given to the needy children and adults. Items are then contributed to organizations such as Head Start, Family Services, Women’s Help Center, Victim Services and Cambria County Children’s Shelter Care. For more information on any of the above events, contact the Senior Center at 322-3327. Every Thursday at 1:00 pm, the Center is showing an afternoon movie donated by All the Right Movies. Members are welcome to take time to relax and enjoy a current movie in the Community Room on the Center's large screen TV. Just a reminder that Pennsylvania offers a Property Tax / Rent Rebate Program that benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older, windows and widowers age 50 and older and those with disabilities age 18 and older. The program income limit is $15,000 to $35,000 (which excludes half of Social Security income) for homeowners and raised the maximum rebate for both homeowners and renters from $500 to $650. The deadline to apply for a Rebate on property taxes or rent paid in 2009 is June 30, 2010. If you received or qualified for a Property Tax / Rent Rebate within the past year, you will automatically receive an application in the mail sometime after the first of the year. The Center requested forms but won’t have them available until sometime in February. If you are in need of work, age 55 or over and qualify within the set income levels, you may be eligible for the Senior Community Employment Program Service. For more information on the program, contact the local National Council on Aging Senior Employment Program in Johnstown at 536-0691. The Silver Sneakers Program is still going strong with over 50 individuals taking advantage of the program. Anyone who is a Medicare-eligible member of Highmark or Blue Cross-Blue Shield can participate. A new class will be held once a week called Yoga Stretch. For more information, contact the Senior Center at 322-3327. The Center has many special weekly events for the membership including lunch 3 times a week, parties, Bible study, bingo, knitting, line dancing, weekly Pinochle party, speakers and events on health issues concerning the aged population, monthly blood pressure screenings, weekly movies, ceramics, computer use with high-speed internet access, beginners computer classes and an exercise room with 13 machines available. In addition there are monthly CamTram bus trips to different shopping areas in Westmoreland, Indiana, Blair, Somerset and Cambria Counties. Anyone interested in visiting or taking a quick tour of the Center is invited to stop in. Membership offered to those age 50 and older is constantly growing and is only $10.00 a year. The Center opened on May 10, 1998 and have issued over 750 membership cards. The Center relies on volunteers to operate and stay open. It's a great place to meet and socialize. If you are interested in being a member or volunteering, please contact the Center at 322-3327.

SEWER AUTHORITY UPDATE
The Jackson-East Taylor Sewer Authority Pump Station Rehabilitation work is coming along very well. Five stations are completed except for restoration and additional fencing. The new Pump Station rehab work should cut down on the odor problem with the new volutes that are being installed at all of the Stations. Work should be completed by the end of January, 2010. Since the Cherrywood-Brazil Lane Sewage Project came in under bid, PENNVEST allowed the Authority to use the remaining money toward the Pump Station Rehab work since six of the stations are affected by the new project. Unfortunately, due to the new construction and the Pump Station rehab work, the Authority has to raise the monthly sewer user fee to $38.00 per month beginning with the billing period of January 1, 2010. This will be a $24.00 a year increase. The old Sewer System has been up and running for twelve years now along with almost fifty grinder pumps. As with any equipment, after a while, things start to break and go wrong. This two dollar increase will also help toward repair of the grinder pumps and stations. No Authority or business wants to raise their prices or rates; however, the new Cherrywood / Brazil Lane Project was much needed, especially with all of the malfunctioning septic tanks. When the streams can be cleaned of raw sewage, it makes for a better community for all. There is also room for growth in the Township since the new sewer system was installed. The Authority would like to take this time to wish all a Blessed, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

OTHER JACKSON TWP. NEWS
~Who’s New Around the Township
We would like to welcome those who have been recently elected, appointed or hired by Jackson Township. Mark Westrick is beginning his first term as Township Supervisor while Philip Vaught was hired as a Part-Time Police Officer. Bob Ditchcreek and Jack Houston were newly appointed to the Central Cambria Codes Enforcement Agency Board of Appeals. We extend our welcome to all of these individuals. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dave Bracken for serving 14 years as a Township Supervisor. He had put in a tremendous amount of time and effort and has seen a lot of changes over the years. Dave is also a lifetime member of the Jackson Twp. Vol. Fire Company.

~Neighbors Who Care Gearing Up For New Year
An active local Community group, Neighbors Who Care, will be conducting their Annual Membership Drive in January. Current members and former members will be receiving a mailing from the group. New members are always welcome. Annual projects or donations scheduled for the coming year will include the following: Jackson Township Scholarship Fund, sending care packages to Military troops abroad, sponsoring Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts with a special outing of their choice, Donation to Jackson Heritage Festival and Litter clean up along Township roads and streets. Other donations made in 2009 included: Township Supervisor Election, Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture, Salvation Army, Jackson Elementary Library and Knitting Club who were knitting hats for the Military. Neighbors Who Care donated over $3,500 in 2009 to worthy causes. Funding sources included membership dues, selling a raffle ticket and proceeds from a booth at the Jackson Heritage Festival. Rick Fetzer, Chairman said, "We would like to thank all of our members who volunteer their time and donations including. This past year several students from Central Cambria helped at the Heritage Festival booth and they had a great time!" If you know of a student who needs Community Service credit, please contact us and we can help. Neighbors Who Care continues to seek new members to help promote our Community. If you would like additional information, contact Rick Fetzer, Chairman at 446-6237 or Janet Hagerich, Secretary at 322-4518.

~Scholarship Winners Enjoy Volunteering Experience
Janet Hagerich of Neighbors Who Care which sponsors the Jackson Township Scholarship Fund received two emails from area youth expressing their thanks and their thoughts on helping out at the Heritage Festival and on the Community of Jackson Township. The emails are as follows:

Clinton Webb - Dear Mrs. Hagerich, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone for allowing me to volunteer at the "Neighbors Who Care" booth during the Jackson Heritage Festival this summer. I had a great experience and I am already looking forward to next year’s Festival. Everyone was extremely nice to me during this experience. I now know more about frying french fries and making pulled pork sandwiches than I ever thought possible. Besides the good time had by all, you get to eat your mistakes. Everyone really seems to enjoy volunteering and helping during the Jackson Heritage Festival. It is a great opportunity to give something back to our Community and also visit with friends over the summer break. I encourage all of my friends and schoolmates to consider helping during this worthy cause. Each year "Neighbors Who Care" donates a scholarship to a Jackson Township male and female student from the Central Cambria School District. This past year the male recipient was my friend and fellow swim-team member, Garret Santichen. Garret also volunteered at the "Neighbors Who Care" booth during the Festival. I liked the fact that the money raised by NWC during the Festival supports scholarships for area students, worthwhile community programs and donations to our military troops overseas. Thank you for permitting me to be of service to our Community.

Garret Santichen - When I was working at the Festival over the summer, I had a great time. It was actually a lot of fun. Everyone I worked with was very nice and I even got to see my friends. It was not at all what I was expecting. I was expecting it to be so-so considering it was work during the Festival. It ended up being a good time. The people made it a blast. Thanks for the experience!

~East Taylor Jackson Offers Girls Softball
The East Taylor Jackson Youth League would like to establish a Girls’ Softball League for the 2010 Season. Joining a team achieves responsibility, confidence and sportsmanship. These are traits that are valuable later in life as well. To start this League requires remarkable interest from girls of all ages. If this is something that you or your daughter(s) are interested in, please contact Heather Frye of ETJ at (814) 243-6371.

~Winter Swimming Available
Miss swimming in the winter? The Central Cambria High School swimming pool is open Monday through Friday in the evening up until May 1, 2010. Hours are as follows: Monday, Wednesday & Friday from 6:30 - 8:30 - Family Swim. Tuesday & Thursday from 6:30 - 9:00 there will be Lap Swimming. The pool will be closed any days where there is no school or early dismissals. All children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Admission per visit is $3.00 for adults and $2.00 for children 18 and under.

~Primary Election Results for Jackson
The 2009 General Election resulted in a new Supervisor for Jackson Township. Mark Westrick began a 6 year term in January, 2010 after winning over Dave Bracken. Paulette Baker ran unopposed as Tax Collector as did Barry Rouzer for Constable and Marcia Yesenosky-Shaheen for Central Cambria School Board. George Burkey won another 6 year term as Auditor as a write-in. Judge of Elections positions were won by Janet Reese (Precinct # 1), Sharon McClinsey (Precinct # 2) and Alice Tewart (Precinct # 3). Inspector of Elections were Alice Deetscreek (Precinct # 1), Judy Brett (Precinct # 2) and Connie Nealen (Precinct # 3). For Cambria County Judge, Patrick Kiniry won with 735 votes followed by Linda Rovder Fleming at 704. Gary Jubas came in third place with 624 votes. Vinco (Jackson Precinct # 2) had the largest turnout with a 46% turnout followed by (Jackson Precinct # 3) Mundys Corner at 38% and (Jackson Precinct # 1) Cambria County Christian School Hall at 37%.

~Jackson Township Honors Vets
A tradition continued with the Senior Center heading up another Veterans Day Ceremony at Veterans Park. Nearly 150 individuals showed up to honor our veterans, past and present. Major Blaze McCombie, who is also a teacher at Central Cambria School District was the speaker. Others participating were Menoher VFW Post 155 Honor Rifle Team, Jackson Township Troop 204 Boy Scouts & Cub Scouts and Pastor Drew Walther of Singer Hill Grace Brethren Church. Cory Shirk, a junior at Central Cambria High School sang several special music selections and Wix-Pix Productions provided a first-class sound system along with recorded music before and after the ceremony. Senior Center President, Frank Singel, acted as Master of Ceremonies. Light refreshments were served following the event. Special thanks go out to all those participating in the ceremony as well as those who took the time out of their day to remember and honor all veterans who have served or are currently serving in the military.

~Barnes, Saly & Company Appointed
The Board of Supervisors voted at their September 24th meeting to appoint Barnes, Saly & Company, Certified Public Accountants to perform the audit of 2009 Township records. This is the 8th consecutive year that Barnes, Saly has performed the annual audit.

~Lions Club Wraps Up Busy Year
The Jackson Township Lions Club would like to thank the Community for their support during the past year. Your generosity and outstanding support of their fundraisers has enabled them to provide monetary support to many Community Organizations including: Boy Scout Eagle Projects, Birthright, Cambria City Mission, 8 Local Churches, Miners Community Food Pantry, Dr. Warren Riegel Eye Glasses, Jackson Township Scholarships, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Mom’s House, New Day, Presents for Patients, Salvation Army, St. Jude Hospital, Jackson township Senior Center and Boxes for Soldiers. These organizations received a total of $2,300 before December. Most outstanding was the Love Tree Collection which took place from November 30^th through December 11^th and was sponsored by Ideal Market and the Jackson Township Lions Club. Our community lovingly gave $2,500 and 100% of the proceeds were donated to the Miners Community Food Pantry in Nanty Glo for Christmas. Congratulations and thank you on your support! Other activities throughout the year included sponsoring the annual Easter Egg Hunt and participating in the Jackson Heritage Festival and Light Up Night. Have you ever wanted to make a difference in your Community or even the world? The Jackson Township Lions Club is looking for a few good men and women to join them at 7 PM on the second Monday of the month at the Jackson Township Senior Center. Join the Jackson Lions at a meeting and find out what the Lions Club is all about. For more information, please call Dave Perry (President) or Betty Perry (Secretary) at 322-0938 or Betty Lou Shoup (Treasurer) at 322-1678.

~Board Approves Zoning Amendment
The Board approved Ordinance # 162 which amends the Zoning Ordinance # 118 and provides criteria for use in requests for a change of non-conforming uses, adding additional items to the list of activities permitted in the Industrial District and providing for public water or sewage facilities serving residents of the Township to be located as a permitted use in all Districts.

~Waste Management Spreads Good Will for Christmas - Waste Management who operates the Laurel Highlands Landfill once again distributed turkeys for Christmas to those families in need. Churches in Jackson Twp. submitted a number of turkeys needed for families they considered to be needy. Approx. 59 turkeys were distributed to representatives of the Jackson churches. Brad Minemyer of Waste Management said "We are happy with the relationship we have with Jackson and we were more than happy to contribute the turkeys during the holiday season".

~Supervisors Support Nanty Glo Library
The Supervisors unanimously approved at their September 24th meeting a contribution to the Nanty Glo Library for $500. to put towards their Annual Fund Drive. The Library estimates that approximately 700 people from Jackson Township use the Library.

~Jackson Approves Planning Consult. Contract
A new contract was approved for the year 2010 between Jackson Township & Richard Sutter & Associates, planning consultant from Hollidaysburg, not to exceed $25,725. This Contract will allow work to continue on the development of a business park in Jackson Township.

~US Census Hiring For Positions
The U.S. Census Bureau is now recruiting for a number of positions. If you are interested in Full Time or Part Time Work: Call 1-866-861-2010 to be scheduled for a basic skills test. The US Census Bureau is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

~Waste Management Holidays For 2010
The following holidays will delay garbage service by one day in 2010:
New Year’s Day - January 1st
Memorial Day - Monday - May 31st
Labor Day - September - Monday - Sept. 6th
Thanksgiving - Thursday - November 25th
NOTE: Independence Day / 4th of July is on a Sunday and Christmas and News Year Day, 2011 are on Saturdays so service will not be affected.

~Crime and Vandalism
Jackson Township is a relatively safe place to live but no community is immune to crime. This is a reminder to keep a watch over your neighborhood and your neighbors in general. If you see anything suspicious, be sure to contact the Jackson Township Police Department at 749-0051. If no officer is at the Police Station you will be referred to the Cambria County 911 Non Emergency Line and they can have the officer on duty contact you.

~Free 911 House Numbers Available
The Jackson Township Supervisors in a cooperative effort of the Police Department & Fire Company want every home and business in the Township to have their 911 address number prominently displayed. In times of emergency, every minute is critical and it is important that emergency personnel be able to find you. If your house is not numbered, please stop at the Township Building at 513 Pike Road and we have free numbers we can give you. The Township also has mounting plates available if you need one. Numbers are available in black or white. If you are not able to stop by the Township Building between 8 AM & 4 PM, leave a phone message at 749-0725 with your name, address and telephone number where you can be reached in order that we can get the numbers to you.

~Want to Schedule An Event At A Jackson Park?
If you are interested in reserving a pavilion for a family get-together, party or event, please contact the Jackson Township Municipal Building at 749-0725 to make a reservation. A pavilion is available at Mitchell, Leidy & Veterans Park. Other recreation facilities that can be reserved depending upon availability include baseball fields at Mitchell & Leidy and Volleyball Courts at Leidy.

~Tire Recycling Available
The Laurel Highlands Landfill offers recycling. Tires can also be put in a recycling bin for a minimal cost of $1.00 per normal-sized vehicle tire. This does not apply to any commercial establishments

~Need to Sign Up For New Garbage Service? - Jackson Township’s garbage contract provides for unlimited curbside garbage pick-up as well as any large items you have to dispose of with a few exceptions (i.e. - hazardous items, Freon, tires, etc.) If you are interested in signing up for garbage service you need to call 1-800-677-4884. The cost for 2010 is $39.74 per quarter.

www.jacksontwppa.com
Jackson Township has a valuable source of information to help keep you informed. If you haven’t checked out the Township Website, please feel free to visit www.jacksontwppa.com The website is constantly updated with new information. As always, you can read the monthly approved minutes of the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, Recreation Commission, Sewer Authority and Water Authority. There has also been over 100 new links added to the links page with nearly 800 links of interest to residents. The kids have their own links page with over 400 links ranging from homework help to video games. There is literally something for all ages from toddlers on up to teens. To see some of the pages that have been updated recently , click on "Whats New" on the home page. If you have any suggestions of what you would like to see on the Jackson Twp. Website, please call Dave Hirko at 749-0725 or email to office@jacksontwppa.com

PLANNING A BUILDING PROJECT
If you are planning on a building project be sure to visit or call either the Jackson Township Office at 749-0725 or Harry Baker, Zoning Officer at 322-1425. Your project could involve zoning, stormwater or planning. Also with the Pennsylvania State Building Code, inspections may be required as well. Be sure to allow plenty of time to get any necessary permits prior to building. By doing this, your project can be addressed in plenty of time before you actually begin construction. Also if you are planning to pave or alter your driveway, a driveway permit is required. Roadmasters Bruce Baker, John Wallet & Mark Westrick said that driveway permits are not to inconvenience residents but are necessary to make sure there is a swale or pipe to direct stormwater. They also make sure that driveways are not higher than the road so snow plows don’t catch the edge of the driveway. When a driveway enters onto a Township road, a safe sight distance is also very important. PennDOT requires permits for driveways entering onto State roads within the Township.

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JOIN JACKSON ONLINE NEWS
Township residents who have access to the internet can now join our new email group to receive up-to-date Township news by email. To subscribe just go to the Jackson Township website at www.jacksontwppa.com and subscribe to the Jackson Township Online News by entering your email address in the space provided. You will then be sent a confirmation verifying that you wish to subscribe to the online news. You must return the confirmation via email to be added to the newsletter list. We also encourage you to invite others to join. If you encounter any problem signing up, just email us at office@jacksontwppa.com or call us at the Township office at 749-0725 and you can be added manually.
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NEW YEAR GREETINGS
On behalf of the Township Supervisors, staff and volunteers serving on various Boards & Authorities of Jackson Township, we extend our warmest wishes for every family to have a healthy and happy New Year!

~ Thanks! ~
We would also like to take this opportunity to recognize those who willingly served Jackson Township in 2009 and especially those who volunteer their time and talents to help make Jackson Township a great place to live.

Frank "Buck" Alexander - Road Crew
Patty Allbaugh - Central Cambria School Board
Jeremy Amigh - Fire Company Trustee
John Bahorik - Economic Development Committee
Bruce Baker - Board of Supervisors Chairman, Roadmaster, Planning Commission Chairman, Cambria County Assoc. Of Township Officials President, Cambria County Sewage Enforcement Agency, Cambria County Building Codes Enforcement Agency, Cambria County Solid Waste Authority, Historic Preservation Committee, Economic Development Committee
Harry Baker - Zoning Officer
Paulette Baker - Tax Collector
Tammy Baker - - Historical Preservation Committee
Alex Ballow - Tax Assessor
William Barbin - Solicitor
Regina Barr - Recreation Commission Secretary
Mick Bezek - Fire Police Captain
Bob Bombach - Fire Police
David Bracken - Board of Supervisors Vice-Chairman, Roadmaster
Delores Bracken - Historical Preservation Committee
Darrin Brown - Zoning Hearing Board Secretary
Debra Buksa - Water Authority Secretary
George Burkey - Auditor, Sewer Authority Chairman, Fire Police
Tim Burkey - Sewer Authority Foreman
George Cooper - Water Authority
Mark Croft - Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator, Fire Company Trustee
Terry Crouse - Fire Company Vice-President
Donna Davis - Historical Preservation Committee
Tim Davis - Recreation Commission Vice-Chairman
Brian Daughenbaugh - Sewer Authority
Dan Ditchcreek - Road Crew Foreman
Walt Ditchcreek - Water Authority Board Chairman
Ray Dodson - Water Authority Board Treasurer
Tom Dolan Sr. - Economic Development Committee
Zelda Dugan - Historical Preservation Committee
Cory Ehrhart - Recreation Commission
Guy Ellenberger - Economic Development Committee
Bob Fatula - Chief of Police
Chris Fedora - Emergency Management Coordinator, Fire Company Trustee
Stella Fedora - Fire Company Assistant Secretary
Connie Fetzer - Administrative Assistant
Rick Fetzer - Zoning Hearing Board Chairman
Tim Ford - Road Crew
Georgia Frombach - Water Authority Secretary
Al Gailey - Planning Commission Vice-Chairman
Alice Gary - Senior Center
Alfred George - Recreation Commission
Craig Gibson - Zoning Hearing Board Alternate Member
Wendell Gillen - Sewer Authority Board Secretary
Gary Gongloff - Fire Company Assistant Treasurer
Mary Govekar - Senior Center Secretary
Shaun Gregory - Police Officer
Ben Grove - Park Maintenance
Denny Grove - Recreation Commission Treasurer
Bill Headrick - Auditors Chairman
Dave Hirko - Manager, Secretary, Treasurer, Sewage Enforcement Agency, Building Code Agency, Road Encroachment Officer, Economic Development Committee, Open Records Officer
Tim Hofecker - Fire Company President, Fire Chief
Don Hrapchak - Water Authority Board Asst. Secretary-Treasurer
Jackson Township Adopt-A-Highway Volunteers
Jackson Township Election Poll Workers
Jackson Township Heritage Festival Committee & Volunteers
Jackson Township Senior & Handicapped Center Volunteers & Helpers
Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Company Members
Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Company Auxiliary Members
Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Police
Don Knopsnyder - Planning Commission Secretary
Jim Lauffer - Historical Preservation Committee
Linda Lesko - Historical Preservation Committee
John Letizia Jr. - Economic Development Committee, Zoning Hearing Board Alternate Member
Betty Lybarger - Senior Center Vice-President & Aide
John Lythgoe - Recreation Commission
Ralph Mayer - Road Crew / Asst. Shop Foreman
Dick McDowell - Historical Preservation Committee
Brad Minemyer - Economic Development Committee
Charles Nagle Jr. - Police Officer
Don Ochenrider - Fire Company Trustee
Nancy Oleksa - Sewer Authority Administrative Assistant
Al Pagano - Recreation Commission
A. J. Pagano - Park Maintenance
Ellen Pentrack-Ocilka - Zoning Hearing Board Vice-Chairman
Rob Piper Jr. - Water Authority Board Vice-Chairman
Ed Porada - Auditors Secretary
Laird Rager - Planning Commission
Eric Reitler - Recreation Commission Chairman, Fire Police
Melanie Rininger - Police Officer
Tom Romeo - Economic Development Committee
Barry Rouzer - Vacancy Board Chairman, Constable
Dan Schrader - Police Officer
Jeremy Scislowicz - Police Officer
Marcia Shaheen - Central Cambria School Board
Angela Shoemaker - Fire Company Secretary
Betty Lou Shoup - Historical Preservation Committee
Frank Singel - Senior Center President, Central Cambria School Board
Barbara Siple - Senior Center Work Program
John Sirko Jr. - Road Crew / Asst. Shop Foreman
Mark Sloan - Fire Company Treasurer
David Smith - Water Authority & Fire Company Financial Secretary
Karl Smith - Water Authority Foreman, Recreation Commission
Ken Smith Jr. - Police Officer
George Straub - Fire Company Assistant Financial Secretary
Alex Svirsko - Sewer Authority Solicitor
Barb Teeter - Historical Preservation Committee
Robert Templeton - Sewer Authority Board Vice-Chairman
Jeff Thomas - Police Officer
Philip Vaught - Police Officer
John Wallet - Water Authority Board Secretary, Board of Supervisors
Calvin Webb - Zoning Hearing Board Solicitor, Water Authority Solicitor
Bob Wenklar - Senior Center Treasurer
Amy Willett - Economic Development Committee
Tom Wray - Economic Development Committee
Paul Wyrwas - Planning Commission
Steve Yarina - Fire Company Trustee
Mary Ann Zanghi - District Justice

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There are hundreds of volunteers in Jackson Township too numerous to mention who serve in some capacity for many great organizations such as the Fire Company, Senior Center, Historical Society, Schools, Churches, Food Pantry, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H, Little League, Recreation & Sports, Nanty Glo Library, Civic Organizations, Election Boards, etc. Thanks for all the work you do and know that it is very much appreciated!
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