Pocono News Section

Rush Township Supervisor Speaks Out About I-Team Story

Rush Township Supervisor Speaks Out About I-Team Story - Friday, May 14, 2010 at 04:08AM EST

Reported by: Mike Trim
Friday May 14 2010
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RUSH TOWNSHIP, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY- A fter months of no answers, the I-team interviews a supervisor about a questionable land purchase. We brought you the story from Rush Township, Schuylkill County Thursday.

Rush Township supervisor Shawn Gilbert says public funds used to buy this land next to the township building was likely taken from the wrong account.

Gilbert said, "It was taken out of a sewer investment authority account that was never replaced and now people are up in arms because the sewer rates have increased more than 30 to 40 percent."

Gilbert wasn't a supervisor when the land was bought back in 2006. Bank records obtained by the I-team show the paper trail for the 90 thousand dollar purchase. Rate payers money from the rush township hometown sewer account was used to buy the property.

This is a possible violation of township code. A group of concerned taxpayers wants something done.

Bill Boyer of Hometown said, "It's mind boggling that they took this money and then raised the rates on the people up here."

The property hasn't been used for anything. Just last week, this building was knocked down here.

Gilbert said, "A lot of people are frustrated and i think we should have took other avenues we actually tore down the property. because now the property worth anything."

Supervisor Gilbert says mapping a plan for the property gets shot down by the two other sitting supervisors. He says he's the odd man out of a three supervisor system.

"I just want to tell the citizens I'm there for you and there's only so much i can actually about it myself," said Gilbert.

The concerned citizens group the I-Team spoke with says they've contacted state police who are now looking into this case.