McAdoo Fire Chief Robert Leshko Jr. told the Banks Township supervisors at their meeting Monday that fire company officials are approaching the municipalities they serve — McAdoo Borough, and Kline and Banks townships — for an increase in funds for 2025 due to increased costs.

“We get part of the LST (Local Services Tax meant for emergency services), but what is collected depends on how many people are working,” Leshko said. “We want an increase to $10,000 from the $7,500 we get now.”

Leshko said the company holds fundraisers — like their popular food sales — but the company’s costs have gone up 50% over the years.

“Our ladder truck is more than 20 years old,” Leshko said, “A new ladder costs $1.7 million. So we are getting our ladder refurbished for $500,000.”

The supervisors, who said they will take Leshko’s request under advisement, asked what is kept in the fire garage in Tresckow.

“We keep Tresckow’s engine there,” Leshko said. “If it ever came down to selling it, we would still keep a truck in there. There is only one firefighter in Tresckow who can drive it. I have more equipment than I have people to man it.”

The supervisors also approved a fire alarm ordinance that establishes a penalty of a $500 fine and 90 days in jail for the owner of any automatic fire alarm that sounds two false alarms within a period of 90 days. Any more false alarms over two has a $150 fine attached to it, because each subsequent alarm constitutes a separate offense.

After two false alarms, the owner of the automatic fire alarm system will be required to submit an affidavit of repair to the fire chief. Failure to submit the affidavit will result in a $1,000 fine.

And any person found guilty of causing a malicious fire alarm will be fined $750 and sentenced to 90 days in jail.

The supervisors said the ordinance was enacted because of a problem in the McAdoo Industrial Park, which is located entirely in Banks Township.

Leshko said recently that the problem had “gotten better.”

Chickens, vehicles

There are chickens in Tresckow.

Supervisor Charles Schalles said there are chickens kept by property owners on West Market and Cherry streets.

Schalles said at the meeting that chickens were discovered in the Junedale section of the township.

The township’s zoning code allows them, but there is a limit, he said.

“You are allowed so many, but you cannot have a rooster,” Schalles said. “And no pigs are allowed at all.”

To properly process citizen complaints about such subjects, the supervisors have come up with a complaint form.

The form lists the date and type of complaint, and the name, address and other pertinent information about the person filing the complaint.

The nature and description of the complaint is also listed. The form states that the person making the complaint may be contacted to testify in court, if the complaint is a violation of the law.

“The complaint form is the way we will pursue the complaint,” said Supervisor William Nice Jr. “If the complaint is excessive, we will have a paper trail. If you are making the complaint, you must be willing to testify (in court), because, as the person complaining, you are the key witness.”

The supervisors said if it is a noise complaint, residents are allowed to make reasonable noise between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. But if the noise is excessive, residents can call state police.

The supervisors also said they are pursuing ridding the township of abandoned vehicles that are unregistered and no inspected.

Nice said the supervisors began using their agreement with the City of Hazleton to run license plate and Vehicle Identification Numbers to identify the owners of such vehicles, so owners can remove them, or the township will.

Residents also complained about people parking on streets, preventing them from parking near their homes. But the supervisors said parking on public streets is allowed.

“But it all comes down to common courtesy and kindness,” said Supervisor Rick Porrpiglia.

Other business

• A number of residents complained about potholes. Porpiglia said one township worker’s injury and a piece of equipment being disabled has delayed the work. Porpiglia said the township will do what it can before winter sets in, but larger situations will have to wait until March, when the supervisors evaluate township roads for paving in the new year.

• Halloween trick-or-treat night has been set for Thursday, Oct. 31 from 5-7 p.m.

• Dave Gentle asked if the flag near the veterans monument in Tresckow could be flown by Veterans Day, which is Nov. 11. Nice said that a tree causes a flag to be torn, and arrangements to cut the tree have been made. But first, the memorial must be protected in case the tree falls on it. Schalles said a remedy is in the works.