Latimore Township Adams County, Pennsylvania Newsletter XXI Autumn 2017 Inside this issue: Police Dept News 2 Township Park 3 Road Dept Report 4 Historical Article: Dinosaur Prints Contact Details 6 5 Daniel Worley Chairman Larry Dost Vice-Chairman Woody Myers Supervisor A Letter from your Supervisors: An Introduction to the Comprehensive Plan If you are ever looking for a document that contains a variety of facts and figures about Latimore Township, then the Comprehensive Plan is a good place to start. It offers a broad scope of the history, geology, transportation, occupations, and land use of Latimore Township and is quite an interesting read! For example, the Comprehensive Plan explains the historical basis for why people live where they do and identifies the four geologic groups found locally. The information gathered by the Comprehensive Plan highlights the science and reasoning behind other important documents, such as the Zoning, Subdivision and Land Development, and Stormwater Management Ordinances. So, why do we have a Comprehensive Plan? Basically, the Plan summarizes local information and guides the decision-making processes behind the development and conservation of land. The Plan indicates that one of the basic values of Latimore Township is the conservation of open space for amenity purposes and food production. Therefore, any decisions made about the community s land and structures must be consistent with those basic values. The Plan promotes the well-being of all Township residents and their land by providing a general course of action for the improvement of all necessary services and the protection against anything that would be harmful. The Plan s three-fold goal in managing development is to preserve rural charm, protect natural resources, and encourage agricultural activity. Those of you who know us will be aware that these goals are among our top priorities as Supervisors. On a personal level, we love the beauty of our Township and want to preserve it for our grandchildren to enjoy. But, as your elected leaders, we feel strongly about these matters because we know that they are important to you, too. The lines of communication between residents and local leaders must always be kept open so that our community s values are wellknown and so that those values shape every decision that is made. Your input is important to us, and we encourage you to contact us if you have any comments or questions about your local government. Sincerely, Daniel Worley, Chairman Larry Dost, Vice-Chairman Woody Myers, Supervisor
Newsletter XXI Latimore Township Page 2 Latimore Township Police Department Michael E. Weigand, Chief of Police You as a resident can greatly assist the Latimore Township Police Department or the PA State Police by calling 9-1-1 when you see suspicious activity or a crime occurring. If an incident can be handled while it is active, that will save the Latimore Township Police Department or the PA State Police a lot of investigation time. During our non-coverage times the PA State Police will respond to crashes and active calls that need immediate response. You can also call the Adams County Control non-emergency number at 717-334-8101 to report an incident or request an officer. In addition, this number can be used for calling in a controlled burn. Drug Take Back Program For the past 6 years the Latimore Township Police Department has participated in and hosted the National Drug Take Back Program in our area. We have partnered with The Federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Bermudian Springs School District, and the Adams County Collaborating for Youth. The past collection was very successful, and the department would like to urge you to participate in any future Drug Take Back events. Keep your valuables safe! Illegal drug use brings other unwanted crimes such as thefts to our area. Help us by keeping your valuables locked up so that you do not become a victim of a crime. We have had a rash of thefts and break-ins over the last year, and we are able to report that we have made multiple arrests and have been able to recover the majority of the stolen property. The community was very helpful in providing information leading to those arrests and recoveries. The importance of communicating with your officers and sharing vital information is what helps keeps us safe and reduces the crime in Latimore Township. Remember: It is a law in every state to have all the lighting on your vehicle turned on during inclement weather. Winter Driving Safety With winter weather arriving, please watch for wet leaves and ice conditions on the roadways. Remember: It is a law in every state to have all the lighting on your vehicle turned on during inclement weather. Not all vehicles that have automatic lighting will detect the reduced light during a daytime rain or snow. You will generally have to manually turn on your light switch. Please check this so other drivers can see you on the roads during inclement weather. We remind you also to prepare for the shorter time of daylight and use caution in watching for walkers, runners, and children waiting for the school bus on or near the roadway. Please share the road with PennDot and local snow removal and salt crews while they are working to clear the roadway.
Newsletter XXI Latimore Township Page 3 Newsletter XXI Latimore Township Page 3 Latimore Township Park 711 Pondtown Road Dillsburg, PA 17019 Latimore Township Park has been a hive of activity this summer! The walking trail and playground continue to be very popular, and the pavilion has been used extensively. The soccer playing fields are always in high demand, and we are very pleased with the level of participation in all the organized sporting events held at our local park. We continue to work hard to make sure the park facilities are in excellent condition. During the summer roadwork season, the entire parking lot was seal-coated. The grass is being mowed regularly, and a number of trees have been planted recently, as well. Please report any problems with the park facilities to Park Board Chairman Woody Myers at 717-514-3978. SUCCESS STORY We are delighted that Latimore Township Park was selected to be featured as a Success Story on the website of DCNR s Keystone Fund. If you are interested in renting the park pavilion for an event, please contact the Township office at 717-528-4614 or latimore@latimore.org. Sincerely, Woody Myers, Chairman of the Park Board Check out the story and pictures at http:// keystonefund.org/successstory/simple-but-effective/.
Newsletter XXI Latimore Township Page 4 Newsletter XXI Latimore Township Page 4 Latimore Township Road Department REPORT - Roadwork Season - The Road Department has been working hard this spring and summer to ensure that numerous projects are completed so that the roads are in good shape before the winter weather arrives. In early summer, the following Township roads were successfully sealcoated: Leathery Road, Mud Run Road, Ridge Road, Myers Road, Town Hill Road, Hill Top Road, Fickel Hill Road, Seneca Drive, Sequoia Court, Ju-Dan Court, Van Scoyoc Road, and Roelker Road. Potholes have been patched on many other roads. Thank you for your patience during the roadwork season. - Tree Trimming - We also continue to have extensive tree and brush trimming along all the Township roads. This will allow for better visibility and safety for all drivers and pedestrians and will keep our roadways looking nice. - Debris Clean-up - After the series of summer storms we ve had, there has been a considerable amount of debris clean-up, and we have been working in several areas to reduce the water flow on the roads following heavy rain. As usual, please call the Road Department number at 717-528-7013 to report any concerns you have about the roads. If leaving a message, please remember to state clearly your name, phone number, and the location of the incident you are reporting so that we can address it efficiently. Sincerely, Dan, Larry, and Woody
Newsletter XXI Latimore Township Page 5 Newsletter XXI Latimore Township Page 5 Historical Notes Dinosaur Prints in Latimore Township When people think about history in Adams County, Pennsylvania, the Battle of G e ttysb u rg in 1863 i s undoubtedly the most prominent event that comes to mind. Indeed, the battlefield and surrounding area will forever bear the marks and scars and memories and memorials to the great turmoil and sacrifice of those three days. But spare a thought for some even older history much closer to home. Comparatively, our local history makes the Battle of Gettysburg seem like it was just yesterday. Yes, we re talking about dinosaurs! And the evidence is etched in stone right here in Latimore Township. During the 1930s, strange prints found in stone in Trostle s Quarry, near the Bermudian Creek, were discovered to be from dinosaurs who walked the earth many millions of years ago. Trostle s Quarry was being used to source stone for construction in the Gettysburg battlefield when workmen removed stone with the impressions of an unknown animal footprint. Howard Myers Gardner, a former schoolteacher and postmaster in York Springs, arranged for casts to be made of the footprints, and the casts were sent to the American Museum of Natural History. The reply from the museum stated that the tracks are undoubtedly those of dinosaurs, a claim that was confirmed by state paleontologist Dr. Arthur B. Cleaves in 1937. Dr. Cleaves report found that the footprints were made by three different species of Triassic dinosaurs. Although the exact appearance of these dinosaurs is not known, it is thought that they resembled a kangaroo in their strong hind feet and smaller front feet. They were probably not as big as many of the dinosaur skeletons we see in museums today, but they moved very quickly. In neighboring York County, smaller dinosaur footprints had also been discovered during the 1930s. Unfortunately, all of those fossils disappeared around the same time, either from being shattered during construction or from being stolen by souvenir hunters. This led Dr. Cleaves to describe the larger, well-preserved fossils of Latimore Township as the finest collection ever found in Pennsylvania. Today, the slabs of stone with prehistoric dinosaur prints can still be seen in the gardens of local residents and descendants of Howard Myers Gardner. Our children and grandchildren are sure to be enthused by this exciting and mysterious part of our history, as we tell them they are walking where the dinosaurs once roamed. Sources: Article from The Patriot, Harrisburg, PA (October 22, 1979) Article & photo from The Evening News, Harrisburg, PA (August 14, 1937) Article from The Patriot, Harrisburg, PA (July 16, 2017)
www.latimore.org Latimore Township NEWSLETTER XXI - AUTUMN 2017 Latimore Township Board of Supervisors 559 Old US Route 15 York Springs, PA 17372 Phone: 528-4614 Fax: 528-8281 Email: latimore@latimore.org Meeting Dates All meetings are held at the Latimore Township Municipal Building unless otherwise specified. Board of Supervisors Second Monday of each month (except January), starting at 6:00 PM Planning Commission Meetings held as needed on the fourth Tuesday of each month, starting at 8:00 PM Park Board Meetings held as needed. Some meetings may take place at the park pavilion. Community Crime Watch Meetings held as needed. Zoning Hearing Board Meetings held as needed. Contact Information Dan Worley, Chairman Phone: 528-4767 Email: dan@dworley.com Larry Dost, Vice-Chairman Phone: 528-4092 Woody Myers, Supervisor Phone: 514-3978 Jennie Gordon, Secretary & Records Officer Phone: 528-4614 Fax: 528-8281 Email: Latimore@latimore.org Latimore Township Police Department Phone: 528-4121 John Shambaugh, Engineer, Sewage Enforcement Officer, Zoning Officer 559 Old US Route 15 York Springs, PA 17372 Cell: 512-8434 Wilbur Slothour, Building Code Inspector Land and Sea Services, LLC 1837 Heidlersburg Road Aspers, PA 17304 Phone: 677-7356 Cell: 253-5426 Guy P. Beneventano, Solicitor 4349 Linglestown Road, Suite B Harrisburg, PA 17112 Phone: 652-4600 Fax: 652-4611 Susan M. Gragg, Tax Collector Phone: 528-8390