By Jim Magdefrau

VINTON – It was routine business for the Benton County Board of Supervisors at their meeting, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, at the service center in Vinton.

A land use hearing was set for Tuesday, Oct. 22, 9:15 a.m. for Morgan and Matthew Ollinger, for land in Parcel A, Section 9, Big Grove Township.

A land use hearing was held for David Kearney of Mitch’s Auto Body for land in Section 17, Taylor Township. Land Use Administrator Matt Even explained 0.43 acres of land is to be used for used car sales. It is immediately north of Vinton on Highway 218. It is next to a parcel in the Vinton city limits. He pointed out the land is not in production, plus it is compatible with surrounding land uses. Kearney said the parcels will be for 10 to 15 cars, with only a few cars on the county parcel. He added he will keep the land cleaned up, neat and tidy. The land use change was approved.

A Class C Retail Alcohol License was approved for Tipsy Traveler’s LLC, for Oct. 4 and 8, pending dram shot review.

A resolution was approved for abatement of taxes on various parcels. 

The board approved a gift of $1,000 to the Luzerne Fire Department from the LOSST (Local Option Sales and Services Tax) Fund. 

The board approved an employment status change for Michelle Sutton of the rural access center. She is the center manager. She is going from full-time to part-time.

The board approved a resolution removing bridge embargo for bridge on 17th Ave. in Big Grove Township. This is northeast of Keystone.

A public hearing was held on a quit claim deed on Parcel #440-00150. There were no objections. The deed was approved.

The meeting closed with discussion on the courthouse clock, which now has no hands. Supervisor Chairman Richard Primmer said he heard someone will be there in mid-December to reinstall the clock. However, he did not know what needed to be done before the installation and did not know who is on the clock committee. Supervisor Tracy Seeman said he’d check into this. 

Lighting

The board discussed lighting again at intersections on Highway 30. Engineer Myron Parizek said the Department of Transportation treats intersections with county roads differently than roads in their own system. The DOT feels the paved intersections with county roads are not warranted for any increased light other than destination lighting. This is defined as one light at an intersection. The DOT might be receptive to two destination lights at the Van Horne/Blairstown corner. 

Supervisor Gary Bierschenk would like to see six lights at that intersection. Parizek said he is researching lighting for the intersection, as well as funding for this. Bierschenk pointed out there is a lot of traffic there and it is a school intersection. He added there is also a tremendous amount of accidents there, stressing something needs to be done.

Parizek added that there are intersections with more lights, but these are roads that the county inherited from the state when jurisdiction was transferred.