By Justin Strawser
SHAMOKIN - The Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA) Authority is planning to submit an application to the Federal Surplus Personal Property Donation Program.
As discussed Tuesday night at the authority's workshop meeting, the program enables certain non-federal organizations, such as public agencies, to obtain personal property that the federal government no longer needs. Surplus personal property includes all types and categories of personal property except land or other real property, certain naval vessels or records of the federal government.
Authority member Barry Yorwarth said he was perusing the website and saw a military style dump truck worth more than $100,000 listed at a price of $4,200.
"They make this stuff available at a highly-reduced price," he said.
The authority, which had its first meeting Jan. 29, was formed to oversee the operation and maintenance of the AOAA, which is being developed on 6,500 acres on county-owned forest and coal lands in Coal, East Cameron, Mount Carmel, West Cameron and Zerbe townships.
Northumberland Commissioner Vinny Clausi, who owns V & G Construction, also offered the authority the temporary use of his construction equipment on the condition a professional would be operating it.
The authority is working toward improvements to the Carbon Run watershed, which could include the need to move large boulders with construction equipment in lieu of a fence.
The authority also charged their solicitor, Frank Garrigan, to determine what words or images would be legally necessary to place on "no trespassing" signs and how much liability the authority would have on non-county land donated for use by adjacent land owners.
Garrigan said a normal sign would cover the current trespassing signs, but he also suggested putting additional information in relation to the county regulations.
"We don't want to do this by trial and error. We want to only do it once," Yorworth said.
Garrigan said the task wouldn't be "rocket science," but he would prepare something for the regular meeting in March.
If adjacent land owners give their property, Garrigan said that landowner would not be liable, and he said if they lease the land, the authority would be responsible for any injuries or suits incurred on the land.
In other business, the authority members:
- Announced they took Department of Environmental Protection officials on a tour of the land recently, and they said it might be possible to have DEP assist with security and enforcement.
- Will vote March 19 on which non-authority private individuals will be appointed to the conservation and trail development committee; the operations, facility management and personnel committee; the marketing, events, grants and fundraising committee; and the safety, security rules and regulations committee. They entered into a 50-minute executive session to discuss who would be best for each committee, and the committee heads will nominate those individuals at the next meeting.
- Will vote March 19 to allow the North Jersey Jeep Club to have an event at the park on April 21.