Sgt. Parkinson receives commendation, Ofc. Miller selected Officer of the Year
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
Officer Nate Miller receives Officer of the Year honors as his family looks on.
CALN – Caln Township honored police officers Sgt. Steve Parkinson and officer Nate Miller at the Board of Commissioners’ meeting Tuesday night.
Officer Nate Miller receiver the township’s first annual Officer of the Year Award as elected by Police Chief Joseph Elias, who said Miller was given the award for both his heroic action and his carrying out day-to-day duties as an officer.
“He makes Caln a better place to live, work, and visit,” said the nomination letter.
Miller was quick to give credit to his fellow officers.
“I thank my brothers and sisters in blue,” Miller said while accepting the award. “Thank you for the standards you set. It pushes me forward.”
Sgt. Steve Parkinson stands in front of the Board of Commissioners meeting to receive the Chief’s Letter of Commendation.
Sgt. Parkinson received a Chief’s Letter of Commendation for his actions in stopping a man from committing suicide.
Driving home one night, he saw a man standing on Kurt Strauss Memorial Bridge. The man was planning to jump off the bridge onto the tracks of the train below. Parkinson talked the man to safety, within minutes of the next train coming by.
Parkinson said it was his familiarity with the area that allowed him to notice something was wrong. He, too, gave credit to his fellow officers.
“Everybody here does amazing things on a daily basis,” he said.
In his last meeting as a commissioner, Board Vice President and Police Liaison Charles Kramer also took time to honor the police force. An Air Force Reservist, Kramer gave each police officer a First Sergeant Coin, an honor he normally gives to his airmen in the reserves.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for anyone in law enforcement,” he said. “I sleep very well at night knowing you guys are out there.
Kramer said that the police department acted professionally when his son called 9-1-1, wanting to talk to his mother and that he felt particularly safe when the wind blew his garage door open, prompting the house’s alarm and a thorough sweep of the house.
In other township news, the Board passed regulations regarding stormwater disposal.
Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection — in part prompted by a regional approach mandated by the federal Environmental Protection Agency — began requiring municipalities to develop stormwater disposal regulations for property owners looking to make additions to their property. Caln’s regulations will require anyone making an addition of over 2000 square feet to make sure they have a disposal plan.
Commissioner Jim Kruse and Vice President Kramer opposed the motion, with Kruse even calling it “worse than the NSA.”
“This thing is a Constitutional nightmare,” he said.
The mandate passed down by the state would allow government officials to inspect residents’ land for stormwater disposal discrepancies at any time. However, the township added stipulations stating that three weeks’ notice would be given to any resident whose property is to be inspected.
Kramer was still opposed, saying that the hoops that homeowners now have to jump through could prevent residents from making renovations to their property or even cause them to make renovations without bothering to acquire permits.
“What I’m trying to protect here is the single family home,” he said.
The remaining board members did not like the regulations but voted in favor of passing them for fear of repercussions from the county or state.
“I don’t disagree with anything you’re saying, but I’m not willing to gamble with other people’s money,” Commissioner Josh Young told the other commissioners.
Commissioner Lorrain Tindaro agreed.
“I don’t like it. I’m holding my nose and voting yes,” she said.
The Board also passed a motion giving permission for a senior living facility to be built on Bondsville Road. Developers still have to get a number of permits and approvals before construction will begin.
Residents have shown opposition to the facility in the past, many of them concerned with where stormwater will go once construction is underway. The current plan calls for water to run off onto township property, though some people are concerned that water will go into a nearby stream, which could adversely affect surrounding residents.
The township commissioners also passed the 2014 budget at the meeting. Commissioners were unanimous in their decision, though one resident did raise concern over some expenses. Among her arguments, she said that one police officer has been receiving pension money from the township, though the injury that forced his retirement occurred while assisting another police department.
Another point of contention for the Board came while discussing the potential purchase of trash carts. The motion, which would have seen the township spend $250,000 to purchase the trash carts, ended up failing.
Young said that the trash carts could make the area look nice, providing uniform receptacles for residents. The carts could also make people more conscious of what to throw away and what to recycle, thereby saving the township money.
However, commissioners thought the money could be better spent elsewhere.
“This is a complete and utter waste of tax dollars,” said Kramer.
I noticed that a lot of Caln Township is underwater when there is a heavy rainstorm. Pennsylvania Stormwater Regulations are inadequate but at least there is an attempt to prevent flooding. Maybe some of the Caln Township commissioners think it’s fine and dandy for property owners (usually a developer) to build a house sized building without a floodwater plan and put the neighboring property underwater.
Jim,
Most of the concern was over existing residential houses and how you must sign an agreement that grants the municipality the right to access your property to view storm water improvements at any time. The contention is not against the concept the homeowners 4th amendment rights.