The Public Opinion Soapbox

springhill · Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 177

I do not know that the norland ave development has boosted much...in my opinion it just shuffles the same dollars around.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2267 Location: Chambersburg

springhill · Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 177

I will humbly take a wait and see attitude.

However, i predict the same mess as we have on lincoln way will be
repeated on norland in the next ten years. (sans the anchors)

Not sure about you, but i lived in chambersburg when it was a nothing place with just us 30 and us 11 .

All the things you cite were cited when they ran RT 81 through here. It made a few families wealthy, and the taxpayers wind up paving lincoln way constantly, taxpayer dollars for impact studies, street lights, increased crime costs, increased fire protection costs, and so on.

It was a beautiful community to be raised in.

What is it now?

Some call it progress , I call it another greedy family's windfall.

Also, as far as I am concerned "Tax Dollars" do nothing more than keep the neocons in tight control of the area.

But i really don't know... the future will tell.

I also live in the north end.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2267 Location: Chambersburg

I didn't grow up here, but if all the anchor stores leave and Chambersburg becomes a waste town, I'm outta here. Smile

(I'm probably outta here at some point regardless, but that's beside the point)

springhill · Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 177

Dig it, coppy. I plan on moving to martinsburg in the fall.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2267 Location: Chambersburg

Honestly though, now that Chambersburg is experiencing unprecedented growth, I highly doubt that the stores on Norland will ever leave, especially coupled with the increased revenue brought in by motorists thanks to the Walker Rd exit. For me, living on the north end of town, this is a good thing.

springhill · Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 177

Well lets wait and see.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2267 Location: Chambersburg

me · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 119

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2267 Location: Chambersburg

me · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 119

Sooooo, someone asked to be filled in on what this is all about.

Well it's related to the misinformed LTE from 01-04-08 in which Greene Twp was wrongly attacked for NOT supporting the FVFD and presenting an image that it might somehow negatively impact the level of service.

Soooooo, let's see, where to start, hmmmmmmm, OK.

First, I don’t know for certain, but I don’t think the person that signed the LTE that was posted on 01-04-08 is a member of the FVFD. So I’d like to know where or who he got his information from because they evidently didn’t give him all of it !!!!

Let's go back to I think March-April 2007 when the FVFD went to Greene Township because of "financial issues" and asked for help.

Sooooo, what did the Twp Supervisors do? They did EXACTLY as they have always done, HELPED!! They gave them about $20K or so check, agreed to provide FREE fuel on a temporary basis until such time as the FVFD was back on their feet and agreed to pay the FVFD $45 PER emergency AMBULANCE call that the FVFD was dispatched on in Greene Twp. This all in addition to everything else they have done during 2007.

Now you should be aware of some history. The FVFD has for sometime been allowed to purchase their fuel off the FVFD fuel contract, which is a substantial costs savings. Next, you should be aware that Greene Twp has paid all EMS agencies that respond first due in Greene Twp, the $45 per call fee, except FVFD. The reason for that is that it was a mutual agreement many years ago that since FVFD received generous contributions from Greene, they would not get the $45 EMS payment.

Now let’s also look at a couple other tid bits of info. Per the Greene Twp Supervisors, they gave the FVFD in monetary support in 2007 to the tune of about $250,000 in general funds and the FVFD State Relief for 2007 amounted to $99,000 and some change. Now it also seems that the FVFD came re-couped some back EMS billings to the tune of well, well, well into the 6 figures.

And this does not include the numerous times Greene Twp has loaned the use of backhoes, laoders, dump trucks, the bucket truck, paving, crushed stone, employees and other township resources to the FVFD for various projects and guess what? It was all FREE OF CHARGE !!!

And I am going to take a stab and say that about 50 to 60% of the incidents the FVFD are OUTSIDE of their first due in areas of Greene Twp, such as Guilford, Chambersburg, Hamilton, Quincy, South Hampton, Adams County, etc.

So now do ya see what the beef is?
_________________
Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter.

me · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 119

Coppy,

First slow down man, you're in Hyper Drive there Bro. I didn't mean it as a personal attack of ANY means of censorship. If you've read any of my posts, you'd agree I am totally against ANY form of censorship.

Now let's look at your last post section by section;

"First of all, I've explained extensively why Greene is repressive. What could otherwise be a profitable, convenient destination for Franklin County residents, Chambersburg Mall is instead a pathetic example of repressive, backward thinking when it comes to development. And I blame all of Greene Township; the officials, the residents... everyone. There's nothing I'd like more than to see that mall turn into a rotting wasteland because that's exactly what Greene wants. I'll repeat myself; with a modest investment in the improvement of the infrastructure around the Scotland exit, in addition to loosening some of the development restrictions around the mall, plus dropping the moratorium on alcohol AND actually encouraging new business instead of suppressing it, that small, insignificant, and otherwise wasted piece of land around the mall could be a modest, but significant economic center for Franklin County providing jobs, tax revenue and YES, can you believe it, preserving farmland at the same time."

While Greene could have fought harder for the bridge improvements at Exit 20 and I do believe the delay was payback for Greene fighting Exit 7 (now 17), the vast, vast majority of that project was TOTALLY out of their control.

Now you mention infra-structure improvements around the mall. Most of the roads around the mall are state roads and again, out of the control Greene Township.

To the contrary, Greene spends countless dollars on new road construction, maintenance and snow/ ice removal and FAR, FAR more than many other surrounding municipalities!!!

Now you mention the fact that Greene Township is dry. Well yes it is and ya know what, I don't like the fact one bit that I have to drive in town to enjoy a cold bubbly with friends, except Thursday nte wing nite at the Cottage. That is something once again that is totally out of the control of the Township and must be placed in the ballot for the residents to decide on and guess what, it has been and for whatever reason, it gets shot down each time !!!
_________________
Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter.

me · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 119

"tax revenue

Now this one always gets me when it comes to Greene Twp!!!

Can you tell me what the tax millage in Greene Twp is for real estate, property and emergency services is?
_________________
Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter.

me · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 119

"However, I am more than happy to take this discussion into a new thread that simply addresses Greene Township's incompetent development plans. Yes, I am part of a younger and different line of thinking than the traditional "change is bad" Franklin County mentality, but I'm not the enemy. I just think there should be discussion and more than a "one-way" train of thought when it comes to our local economy."

I have lived the majority of my life here, but I have travelled extensively and I too dispise the "change is bad" mentality. That is exactly why our school district and county govt are in the condition they're in today.

This is not the 70's and we need to get our heads of ouf the sand or other place, get with the times and look to the future.

I would also challenge your comment about Greene's incompentent development plans. I have been involved or witnessed their planning, zoning and while it's not perfect, it is forward thinking and has the community in it's best interest.
_________________
Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter.