JACKSON TOWNSHIP NEWS

Your Community News Source
Spring, 2007

JACKSON AWARDED $500,000 GRANT FROM STATE
Jackson Township has been awarded a grant for $500,000 through the efforts of Larry Custer and the Cambria County Redevelopment Authority. The official announcement came from Governor Ed Rendell’s office at the end of 2006. The Community Development Block Grant Funds were awarded on a competitive basis and are very difficult to get being that Jackson is competing against municipalities across the State of Pennsylvania. The funds will be used to construct a much needed water project covering the Wagner Road and Chickaree Hill Road area. The new lines will be part of the Jackson Township Water Authority System. Many residences in that area have had poor water quality and some have been hauling water for years. The new water lines will serve approx. 37 families plus provide infrastructure for possible future development. Another factor of the award is that the area is considered in the low to moderate income range. According to Mr. Custer, plans are to advertise and open bids in March with construction set to start no later than May. Jackson Township is an entitlement community under the Community Development Block Grant Program and the Supervisors have designated funds from the last four years totaling up to $493,392 towards this project which will cost approximately 1 million dollars. The Redevelopment Authority will be sending out letters to residents in that area concerning the project and addressing any questions or concerns they may have.

JACKSON WINS AWARDS FROM PSATS FOR COMMUNICATIONS
The Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors awarded Jackson Township two 2^nd place honors in their 39^th Annual Township Citizens Communication Contest which recognizes townships that have successfully communicated programs and activities to their citizens. Entries are judged by usefulness of information, overall attractiveness and readability. Jackson Township tied for second place with Greene Township, Erie County, in the "Class 3 - Best Newsletters" category (2,501 - 5,000 population) for its information newsletter for residents. Jackson also earned second place for its website in the "Internet Home Pages" category. There were 110 entries in the competition. Jackson Township was the only winner from our entire region. Most of the winners were from the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas. In the best newsletter categories, you are competing with townships of similar sized populations. The website category is different being that everyone competes in the same competition irregardless of size. To win this award was quite an honor as many larger townships use professional web designers and have unlimited financial resources to invest whereas Jackson’s is done at a minimal cost in-house by Township employees. The Tribune-Democrat also awarded Jackson Township with a "Laurel" on it’s editorial page for its Communications Contest Awards. This is the 2^nd Laurel this year from the Tribune with the one being received in January for it’s Recreation Events Program.

CENTRAL CAMBRIA COALITION ACHIEVES GRANT SUCCESS
The Central Cambria Coalition is already proving successful in many ways. In January, Jackson and Cambria Townships were notified that the DCED (Dept. of Community & Economic Development) were awarded a $25,000 grant towards the joint-purchase of a 2007 LeeBoy Asphalt Paver. The new paver will be used for Jackson & Cambria to do their own paving projects this year. With the rising price of oil, it’s now become more economical to do our own paving using Township employees rather than contracting out. The total cost of the Paver is $107,786 and after the $25,000 grant, each municipality will only be paying $41,393.instead of paying the entire amount and duplicating equipment in neighboring municipalities. This is similar to a previous effort between Cambria Township & Ebensburg Borough with the joint purchase of a street sweeper. In another effort of the Coalition, the three communities of Jackson Township, Cambria Township and Ebensburg Borough have applied for a joint planning grant to pursue the development of a Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan. Regional planning makes sense especially when there is great potential for growth on the Route 22 corridor. In a letter dated March 30th, the Coalition was sent notification that a grant in the amount of $42,500. has been awarded to the Coalition to move forward with the Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan. In another matter, a Sewage Feasibility Study was completed by Keller Engineers exploring all the possibilities of putting sewage along Route 22 from US Route 219 to the Ogden Road area of Jackson Township. Any further action for the sewer lines to become a reality would depend upon government funding and grants. The study showed various routes the sewage could take, potential growth areas and estimated cost and funding sources. Another joint effort by the Coalition will be a Recreation Map of the Central Cambria area showing all the recreational facilities in the area as well as featuring recreation contact information. The map is being produced by Municipal Publications of Home, PA and is paid for entirely by ads placed by 26 businesses. As soon as the map is proofed, it will be published and made available at various public buildings, businesses and facilities that make up the Coalition area. Other areas that have been discussed this year include windmills, methane and gas drilling, traffic studies and additional sharing of equipment and services where it economically makes sense to do so. Another area that was discussed was the establishment of a Regional Police Force but that concept has been tabled due to Cambria Township deciding not to participate at this time. The Central Cambria Coalition celebrated it’s one year anniversary in March and all three municipalities have shown nothing but the desire to work together in the spirit of cooperation to benefit everyone in the Coalition area.

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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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SENIOR CENTER TO HOLD MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY
The Jackson Township Senior Center will host a special Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 28th at 11:00 a.m. The ceremony will honor the service men and women who were killed in all wars as well as all other Veterans. The event is open to the public and it is hoped that the turnout will be good as it is very important for everyone to show their support for our veterans as well as troops currently serving. Since Veterans Day, about 20 additional names have been submitted and completed the verification process so they can be added before Memorial Day bringing the total of names on the Veterans Monument to 1,050. Many additional names have been submitted but need to be verified for Veteran status and / or residency. Special guest speaker will be Capt. Blaze McCombie who is a teacher at Central Cambria High School and just returned from serving in Iraq. A student from Central Cambria will also provide special music. As in the past, the Johnstown VFW Post 155 will have their Honor Rifle Team in attendance as well as other participating groups. Light refreshments will be served and the public is invited to attend. Plan to attend and show your support in honoring all Veterans on this special day. If you are aware of additional names of Veterans who are not on the Memorial / Monument they can be submitted by obtaining a form at the Township Municipal Building, Senior Center, Water Authority or Sewer Authority. Forms can also be found on the Township website under the veterans link. The Township website is: www.jacksontwppa.com  If there are any questions on the Memorial Day Ceremony or the Memorial / Monument, please feel free to call Frank Singel at 322-3327 or Dave Hirko at 749-0725.

2007 HERITAGE FESTIVAL BIGGER & BETTER
The Jackson Township Heritage Festival has grown quite popular during the last three years and now has become recognized as a major event in the region. 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. Some of the changes you can expect to see this year will be the installation of new lighting and electrical facilities to enable the Festival to continue into the evening hours. In addition, there will be continuous entertainment alternating on two stages both Saturday & Sunday. Several new groups will be performing and past favorite ones returning. The Heritage Festival will be held this year on Saturday, July 21 & Sunday, July 22. Festival hours will be Noon-9 on Saturday and 12-6:30 on Sunday. Entertainment on Saturday will begin from noon to 2 with an 18 piece Jazz Orchestra called "Jazz In Your Face" featuring outstanding musicians from throughout the Johnstown area. Following that from 2 to 3:30 pm will be Tree, an Irish folk music and step dancing group. From 3:30 to 5:00 will be The Rhinelanders who will play traditional German and polka music. From 5 to 6:30 John Robertson will be returning to do a brand new magic & illusion show. The Fabulous Flashbacks will be returning from 7 to 11 pm to pack the house with their famous oldies show. The Flashbacks will be celebrating their 20^th anniversary together and have lots of special things planned for their performance. Back by popular demand, a spectacular fireworks display is planned at 9:30 pm. Sunday will begin with a Community Church Service from 10:30 to 11:30 featuring Evangelist & Gospel Recording Artist Tom Smith. The Masters who are based in Jackson Township will return from noon to 1:30 pm to perform their awesome style of gospel music. Also returning from 2 to 5 is Beavercreek, a real crowd pleaser who put on an excellent show with their own brand of Bluegrass Music. Clay Bowser will be back to entertain from 5 to 6:30. Clay plays a wide variety of music and even takes requests from the audience. Due to a conflict in dates, the Polka Family will not be able to perform but a great award winning band called Crusade will be on hand to top off the evening from 6:30 to 9:30. Crusade is from Toledo, Ohio and is known as the "Bad Boys of Polka". As in past festivals, there will be plenty of activities and games for the kids including many new events for children of all ages. Usual favorites for the kids will include clowns, face painting, hay rides, games and Big Bouncy jumping area. Also a Under 21 Dance / Concert will be held on Friday, July 20^th. Bands will be announced as they are confirmed. Wade James of Jackson Township has agreed to line up the bands and once again, act as concert promoter for the event. This year’s concert will feature the band Migrations and at least 4 other bands from the region. Last year’s event featured five bands including Clearview Kills, Kilowatt, Mean Streak, Migrations and Sincerely Yesterday. Admission for all entertainment is free to all those attending. The Jackson Heritage Festival will also have a wide variety of food, craft and vendor booths set up. The cost to have a booth is only $35 for the two day event. If you are interested in having 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 $17,000 for 2007. In order to put on a successful festival this year we are once again counting on local sponsor support. Sponsors helping to support the Festival so far include Amfire Mining, L. Robert Kimball, Highmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Dolan’s Welding & Steel, Ameriserv, Conemaugh Health Systems, Mercik’s Ideal Market, Naugle Insurance, Barnes Saly & Company, C & G Savings Bank, Committee to re-elect John Wozniak, Cooper signs, First Commonwealth Bank, Friends of P.J. Stevens & Milan Gjurich, Martin Oil Company, P. Joseph Lehman Engineers, Rose Excavating, Wix-Pix Productions, William G. Barbin, Damin Printing and Dr. Donald Leckey. 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 2007.

HISTORY COMMITTEE TO WRITE BOOK ON JACKSON HISTORY
The Jackson Township Historical Committee held their first meeting in February and they got off to a running start. The conversation never ended as everyone shared what they knew about the history of Jackson Township. An idea that was well received was to write a book on the history of Jackson Township. There was so much information that the group decided to proceed by addressing one area of history at a time. Some of the chapters could include pre-history and history of the Township, early settlers and families, industries and businesses, transportation, schools, emergency services, government, cemeteries, veterans and recreation. The first area to be researched would be that of churches. Various members of the Committee volunteered to find out information on a particular church and then report back to the group at a later meeting. The group would be interested in any pictures, personal histories, membership directories or any historical documents on any of the following churches: Chickaree Union Church, Kingdom Hall, Laurel Mountain Bible Church, Mt. Olive United Methodist, Pike Grace Brethren Church, St. John Vianney Catholic Church, St. Pauls Lutheran, Singer Hill Grace Brethren Church, Vinco Brethren Church as well as any former churches such as the Horner Church and Albright Church. The Committee is also asking anyone who has documents, photos or information on any of the old Jackson Township Schools or former Jackson Township Businesses, please share them by calling 749-0725 or dropping them off at the Township Office. Any photos will be scanned and returned. Documents and other information will be copied and returned to you promptly. If you would like to contribute any information to help the Historical Committee in their endeavor, feel free to contact the Township office at 749-0725 or send an email to history@jacksontwppa.com.

TRI-AREA HISTORIC SOCIETY PUZZLE FUNDRAISER
The Nant-Y-Glo Tri- Area Museum & Historic Society are once again doing a puzzle fundraiser featuring an historic picture from days one by. This year’s limited edition puzzle features an old Esso gas station that had 8 sides to it. (picture below) The station was located where C & R Motors is located in Mundys Corner. At that time, Route 271 was Route 219 and Pike Road was Route 22 so this was considered a heavily traveled major intersection at that time. The building directly behind the gas station was "Luther’s Restaurant". Cost of the puzzle is $25. And may be purchased at the Nanty Glo Library or orders can be sent to NGTAMHS at 942 Roberts Street, Nanty Glo, PA 15943. Please add $5 for shipping and handling. Please allow 3 to 4 weeks for delivery. All money made from the sale of the puzzles will go towards establishing a permanent museum.

YOUTH FAIRS SCHEDULED FOR MITCHELL & LEIDY PARKS
The Cambria County Courts and Judge Gerald Long are holding two Youth Fairs in Jackson Township this year. The first one is at Leidy Park in Mundys Corner on Wednesday, June 20^th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. The second one will be held at Mitchell Park in Vinco on Tuesday, July 24^th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. The purpose of the Fairs is to make young people aware of the dangers and harmful effects of using drugs & alcohol. Students from Elementary through High School are invited to attend and it promises to be a fun time for all! Admission is FREE and there will be FREE refreshments, T-Shirts, Games and lots of other Prizes including FREE drawings for sweatshirts and bicycle helmets. The program has been a success for the past eleven years with the help of local police, fire and ambulance departments. Last years Youth Fair events were a huge success with over 45 attending at Leidy and over 70 at Mitchell. Be sure to get your children who are students to this event as well as their friends. For additional information, please feel free to contact Carol Lacey, Youth Fair Coordinator at 472-1494 or call the Jackson Twp. Municipal Bldg. at 749-0725.

JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE FORMED
Neighbors Who Care, a local community oriented group has taken the initiative to form a Jackson Township Scholarship Committee for the purpose of generating scholarship monies to be awarded to deserving senior students from Jackson Township. The awards will be announced and presented at the awards program at the Central Cambria High School each spring. The Committee is comprised of Kathy Bortz, Dave Cobaugh, Deana Deetscreek and John Letizia. The Committee will be soliciting donations from the business community, organizations and from successful graduates from Central Cambria who wish to give something back to the School District and Jackson Township students. It is hoped that citizens of Jackson Township will come forward to offer a scholarship in their name or as a legacy in their parents name. The donating party can choose the criteria for the scholarship awarded. Smaller donations will be pooled and the Jackson Township Scholarship Committee in cooperation with the Central Cambria Scholarship Committee will choose the criteria. Donations are tax deductible. To "kick off" the Scholarship Fund, Neighbors Who Care contributed an initial donation of $1,000. To be awarded to two deserving students from Jackson Township in the amount of $500. each. Ms. Susan Dixon, Chairperson of the CC Scholarship Committee and a guidance counselor at the High School encourages any interested Jackson Township students to apply for the scholarships by requesting a form from the guidance office. Any additional information needed can be obtained from the Scholarship Committee members by calling:  Kathy Bortz 322-3154, Dave Cobaugh 322-4512, Deana Deetscreek 322-3503 or John Letizia 535-2278.

RECREATION HAS MANY EVENTS PLANNED FOR RESIDENTS
In an effort to get Community residents involved in recreational activities and events, several events have been scheduled and there is literally something for everyone.

FIRST ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT DRAWS HUNDREDS
The Jackson Township Lions Club partnering with Jackson Township Recreation held it’s 1^st ever Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Mitchell Park on March 31^st. There were over 100 children attending and lots of adults to make the event a fun-filled time for all. A special thank you to the Cambria County WIC (Women, Infants, Children) & Heat Start Programs of the Community Action Partnership of Cambria County for arranging the special appearance of the Easter Bunny! In all there were over 2300 eggs hidden in three different areas. In the Toddler Play Area were ages 2 and under. Mitchell Field # 1 was for children, ages 3 to 6 and Mitchell Field # 2 was for ages 7 through 12. In each area were two special eggs each containing a note to see the Easter Bunny or one of the helpers to claim a $20 gift card from Toys R Us.

The winners of the cards were as follows:
Ages 2 and Under - Melanie Jones Baylee Pudliner
Ages 3 to 6 - Morgan Devlin Lars Williamson
Ages 7 to 12 - Aaron Rieg Ashley Shaheen

PROPERTY OWNERS ENCOURAGED TO CLEAN UP
Spring is upon us and we would like to encourage all property owners to take advantage of the nice weather and do a "Spring Clean Up". One of the most common complaints received is that of unsightly piles of junk or rubbish on properties in the Township. This also includes junked and abandoned vehicles. The Township has made an effort to work towards elimination of some of the blight on various properties and has had some success but there is much more to be done. Al Gillin has agreed to help out with vehicle removal and you can read more about this in the following article. The Laurel Highlands Landfill has a great program for tire recycling and the cost is only $1.00 per tire, far below what others charge. The current garbage contract allows for unlimited curbside pickup of large items unless they are hazardous. 1 Free Landfill Pass per quarter can be picked up at the Township Municipal Building. The free pass can be used for a "pick up" load of any non-hazardous junk or items you wish to remove from your property. Jackson also has recycling at the Municipal Building that includes clear glass, plastic, brown glass, newspapers, metal cans and magazines. Pennsylvania Cleanways also offers appliance and electronics recycling several times during a year. Take some time and take a look around your property and see if there’s any unsightly piles of junk or abandoned vehicles that you can remove to help beautify Jackson Township. If you have any questions on any of the above programs, please contact the Township Office at 749-0725.

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.

JACKSON ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY LITTER CLEAN-UP PROGRAM
Jackson Township groups over the years have participated in various litter clean-up programs sponsored by PennDOT and Pennsylvania Cleanways. While being a great program, PennDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway program is for State Roads only. Now Jackson Township has a similar program where Township roads can be adopted as well. Your group of neighbors, church, business or organization is welcome to participate by adopting a Township road or street. By adopting a highway you would be required to perform a minimum of 2 litter clean-ups per year. Some groups may want to do more than that depending on the need. If your group wishes to adopt a road, Jackson Township will provide gloves, safety vests and garbage bags for the clean-up effort. Your group will also have a name plate posted on the road that you have adopted. At the time of the clean-up, release forms must be signed by those participating. Jackson Township currently has 14 groups involved in cleaning up various sections of 15 roads within Jackson Township on one of the 3 available programs. According to Don Godish who is in charge of the Adopt-A-Highway program for Cambria County, Pennsylvania has more volunteers in this type of program than any other State in the US. These programs encourage community pride and will help make Jackson Township a cleaner place to live. If your group of friends, neighbors, organization or business would be interested in adopting a Township Road or a portion thereof, please feel free to contact the Township Office at 749-0725.

Groups in Jackson Adopt-A-Highway Program:
Anderson Drive - Neighbors Who Care
Bald Eagle Street - Neighbors Who Care
Courter & Fairview Avenues - Neighbors Who Care
Griffith Avenue - Neighbors Who Care
Harmony Drive - Neighbors Who Care
Kissell Lane - Neighbors Who Care
Mile Hill Road - Mile Hill Neighbors
Pike Road West - Neighbors Who Care
Your Street Your Group or Business?
(Are you interested in this program? Call the Township Office at 749-0725)

Groups in PennDOT Adopt-A-Highway Program:
Benshoff Hill Road - Neighbors Who Care
Chickaree Hill Road - Waste Management - Laurel Highlands Landfill
Dishong Mt. Road - Committee to Preserve Rager Mountain
Route 271 - Nanty-Glo Moose
Route 271 - Pike Grace Brethren Church
Swigle Mt. Road - Swigle Mountain Neighbors
US Route 22 - Appalachian Chiropractic
US Route 22 - Cambria Co. Christian School
US Route 22 - Chickaree Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club
US Route 22 - St. Pauls Lutheran Church

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE
Jackson Township welcomes anyone interested in serving on a Authority, Board or Commission to submit a letter of interest in the event that any openings should occur. 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. Authorities include the Sewer Authority and Water Authority. Commissions include Planning & Recreation. There is also the Zoning Hearing Board. All letters should be mailed to Jackson Township Supervisors, 513 Pike Road, Johnstown, PA 15909. You may also send an email to office@jacksontwppa.com For additional information, you may call 749-0725.

POLICE REPORTS
DECEMBER, 2006
The December, 2006 Police Report submitted by Police Chief Bob Fatula was presented. The figures for December were as follows: 911 Calls dispatched to Police: 324. Reportable Incidents: 44 broken down as follows: Theft-11, Harassment-9, Criminal Mischief-7, Assault-3, DUI (Driving While Under the Influence)-3, Disorderly Conduct-2, Underage Drinking-2, Protection from Abuse Violations-1, Public Drunkenness-1, Receiving Stolen Property-1, Robbery-1, Stalking-1, Terroristic Threats-1 and Wire Tapping-1. Non-Traffic Citations Issued: 3, Traffic Citations Issued: 6, Accidents Handled: 16, Criminal Charges Filed: 19 broken down as follows: Harassment-4, DUI (Driving While Under the Influence)-3, Disorderly Conduct-2, Underage Drinking-2, Criminal Mischief-1, Protection from Abuse Violations-1, Public Drunkenness-1, Receiving Stolen Property-1, Robbery-1, Stalking-1, Terroristic Threats-1 and Theft-1.

FIRE COMPANY NEWS & EVENTS
Finally, Spring has arrived! The Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Company would like to remind residents about "Brush Fire Season". They know everyone is anxious to get their property in shape for summer, so please burn brush responsibly. Pick a day that is not windy or wait until after a rainfall and ALWAYS burn away from any structures. Upcoming events include a Gun Raffle scheduled for Saturday, May 12^th. A Weekend Festival is also scheduled featuring live bands and food along with the 3^rd Annual Aaron Rusin Battle of the Barrel. On Sunday, June 10^th, the Auxiliary will hold a Basket Party. Anyone wishing to donate filled baskets, please contact Eileen at 322-3000. As always, Bingo is sponsored by the Auxiliary and is held every Sunday evening. For information on any of these events, call the Fire Hall at 322-3155. Just a reminder that a Fund Drive will be held during the first full week of June. Firemen will be around knocking on doors and passing out envelopes for your convenience. As in the past, they express their thanks and gratitude for the strong support received from the Community. The Fire Company is in the process of raising money for a new Fire Truck to replace the 20 year old one that was involved in an accident two years ago. The estimated cost of the new truck is $425,000. There is approximately $245,000 in the Truck Fund to date. If you would like additional information, feel free to contact the Fire Company at 322-3155.

SENIOR CENTER NEWS
The Senior Center has several upcoming events they would like to announce. The last Wednesday of each month, Penn Tronzo RNC BSN Program Manager for the UMWA Health & Retirement Fund will make monthly visits to the Center at 10:00 am for a reunion of the prior Sick & Tired of being Sick & Tired classes. A Spring Dinner will be held on April 20, 2007 for members. The meal will be a catered Stuffed Pork Chop Dinner and tickets are $7.00. The Penn State Cooperative Extension from Ebensburg will hold a Program entitled "On The Road To Living Well With Diabetes" for Individuals with Diabetes as well as their family members or caretakers. The sessions will be divided into 4 classes held on Thursdays, once a week for about 2 ½ hours each. The dates are May 24^th, 31^st and June 7^th and 14^th. You must sign up to participate in the classes before May 7^th. On June 20^th, Mr. Louis Bennie, Senior Master Hearing Aid Specialist for Trinity Hearing will give free hearing screenings at the Center. The screenings are open to the public. Ken Corson recently held an oil painting class at the Center. If you would be interested in being a part of a future class, please contact the Center to express your interest. A Calendar Party is being planned for September (date to be announced). If you wish to sponsor a table or donate any gifts for their prize table, contact the Center. For more information or to schedule an appointment for 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. 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 60 individuals taking advantage of the program. Anyone who is a Medicare-eligible member of Highmark or Blue Cross-Blue Shield can participate. 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, 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 a exercise room with 11 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 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.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PUTS EMPHASIS ON 911 ADDRESSES
With Cambria County having a 911 system in place, the importance of having an address number on your home can not be emphasized enough. Consider this real-life incident that recently happened in Jackson Township. A call was placed to 911 reporting that a man was undergoing cardiac-arrest. Jackson EMS was dispatched to the address. They were desperately searching for an address number on homes along the street and stopped at three homes that had no number. Fortunately the residents were home and they eventually got directed them to the correct address. "In life-threatening situations, every minute is critical" according to Tim Hofecker, President of the Jackson Twp. Vol. Fire Company. In an effort to serve you better, the Police Department is requesting that residents cooperate in posting their street numbers on their homes. Chief Robert Fatula advises, "When we are called to a home for an emergency, time is always critical. That means finding that residence as quickly as possible. Walk out to the street in front of your home and see if your house numbers can be easily seen. If they can be, then we have a greater chance of possibly saving a life."

SEWER AUTHORITY UPDATE
The Jackson / East-Taylor Sewer Authority has been very busy with all the details involved in getting the Brazil Lane - Cherrywood Expansion Project off and running. The Authority is attempting to minimize the costs and expenses in connection with this project due to the fact that the greater the costs associated with the expansion project, the more expensive it will become for each user of the JETSA Sewer System. In order to move the Project forward, JETSA held two meetings on March 27th and 28th at the Authority Office to execute Easement Agreements. The Easement Agreements will allow JETSA, its contractors or agents to enter on privately held real estate during the construction of the expansion project. Keller Engineers were present to assist property owners in understanding how the expansion project affects their real estate. According to the plans prepared by the Engineer for the expansion project, either a portion of the sewer line or some construction will be located on their property. The Sewer Authority's Solicitor prepared the Easement Agreements for the property owner's review and signature. The Authority had a positive over-whelming response at the meetings and over 115 property owners signed their Easement Agreement. The JETSA Board would like to take this opportunity to "Thank" all the property owners who attended the meetings and signed their easement. This expansion project is a new undertaking for the betterment of our Community. JETSA will make application to Pennvest in July, 2007 for the construction loan.

WATER AUTHORITY NEWS
The Jackson Township Water Authority is in the process of publishing their 2006 Annual Report. Some of the highlights are listed in this article. Capital improvements include installation of 15 new service connections, a bypass meter at the Fords Corner Tank, 143 new touch read water meters, one 4" gate valve on Kissel Lane, 2 6" gate valves on Snyder Road and a 2" blowoff at the end of Pike & Ogden Roads. Other capital additions include the joint purchase of an air compressor with JETSA & Jackson Township and a new networked computer along with new heating system for the Water Authority office.  Many repairs were also made last year including 37 meters with broken wires, 9 - 3/4" service lines, 1 -1" service line, 1 - 6" main, 1 - 2" gate valve as well as 1 fire hydrant. In addition the Authority workers painted fence at Fords Corner along with gates at the Fords Corner, Mile Hill and Vinco tanks. New roofing was installed on the furnace room and aluminum flashing around the garage doors on the back garage. Another big focus of the Authority has been to eliminate water leakage in the system. The current water system has 1,384 customers. The Water Authority purchased 83,073,000 gallons and sold 57,637,600 gallons for 2006. The Authority was established in 1956 and has grown considerably over the years. One new project on the horizon for this year will be the Wagner Road - Chickaree Hill Road area. This project will be built entirely from Community Development Block Grant Funds and the line will be turned over to the Jackson Township Water Authority for day-to-day operation.

OTHER JACKSON TWP. NEWS
~Who’s New Around the Township
We would like to welcome those who have been recently appointed or hired by Jackson Township. The Board accepted the resignation of Jeff Croft, Emergency Management Coordinator and appointed Chris Fedora who also currently serves with the Jackson Twp. Vol. Fire Company / Ambulance. Tom Wray was recently appointed to the Economic Development Committee. A resignation was accepted from Brian Emerson of the Jackson-East Taylor Sewer Authority and an appointment made for Wendell Gillen to fulfill the remainder of his term. Several resignations were received from part-time police officers including William Hines, Jason M. Ponczek, Daniel Gonos and Richard F. Nugent Jr. We welcome several new officers Devon Tarner and Jeremy Scislowicz.

~Supervisors Approve Contribution to ETJ
The Board of Supervisors at their March 29th meeting approved a contribution for $1500. to the East Taylor-Jackson Little League after receiving a letter requesting help from the Board. ETJ has a large number of youth who use Mitchell Park on a regular basis. This year they also plan to use Leidy Park as well to have more fields available for practice and games if necessary.

~Route 22 Project Nearing Completion
After several years of construction and detours, the $32.5 million Route 22 Project is nearing completion. Tom Helsel, Project Manager, said the completion date remains set for August 9^th. Some of the work that still needs to be completed includes adding 2 inches of blacktop on all four lanes as well as interchange lighting at Route 271 and the two "jug handles" or turn-around areas.. The interchange at Dishong Mountain Road has already been lit up since winter. In addition erosion and sedimentation controls set by the PaDEP will be addressed including putting in additional basins towards the end of the job time period. Another sign of progress is REA’s (Rural Electric) installation of seven street lights in and around the intersections of Chickaree Hill Road, Mile Hill & Whitetail Roads, Fords Corner & Turkey Path Roads and Pike & Whitetail Roads.

~BioDiversity Project Considered for Leidy
The Board of Supervisors approved a project to be done by BioDiversity of Johnstown, PA. According to Kristin Sewak, Director, The project will improve both the aesthetics of the existing property and increase both the biodiversity and wildlife habitat of the area. A small portion of land in the park will be converted into a wildlife area consisting of a mix of plant species native to Pennsylvania. Other possibilities include a butterfly garden, a small water feature, constructed wildlife boxes, trees for shade, general cover food and host plants for pollinators, birds and other wildlife as well as benches. Visitors to the park will be able to enjoy this showcase of a healthy natural environment. Another benefit will be that the area(s) will serve as an outdoor classroom for residents and students. The project is set to begin in May and upon completion, any ongoing maintenance will be done by Jackson Township. Approximately $4000.to -5000. dollars will be dedicated to plants and other materials to be placed on site. Total cost of the project is estimated to be between $10,000. -12,000.dollars. The Township is required to have a 25% match which can include recruitment of volunteers, donation of equipment such as a backhoe, printing costs or participation in project planning.

~Need a Recycling Container?
Jackson Township has been contacted by Central Cambria School District about free recycling containers. A student was notified by the PaDEP that they will be given 200 recycling containers for free as part of her community service project. If you are interested in a free recycling container, please call the Township Office at 749-0725 and we will add your name to the list of those interested in receiving one.

~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 2007 is $37.82 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 and Planning Commission Meetings. Check out the Calendar of Events to find out what’s going on in Jackson Township. Check out the updated pages including the Links page where there are hundreds of resources for you to use. The kids have their own links section. . just click on the Jackson Township Kids Page and check out Kidslinks. 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 & Dave Bracken 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.

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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