Uniontown Herald Standard: Perry Township Supervisors Urge Residents to Call Police With Info
Filed under: Earth 911 - February 6, 2008
By Rebekah Sungala
Supervisors announced Tuesday that state police are looking for thieves who stole sections of copper wire from telephone poles in late January.
The theft left almost 200 township residents without phone service for seven days.
Supervisor A.J. Boni urged anyone with information regarding the theft to call the state police barracks in Belle Vernon at 724-929-6262.
Officials said the theft occurred Jan. 25, leaving residents without service until Jan. 31. According to Boni, copper thieves stole two 700-foot sections of wire from telephone poles on Cemetery Road.
The thieves allegedly climbed the poles to remove the wires, knocking over three poles in the process.
Boni said he’s glad residents have phone service again, but said he’s upset it took seven days for Verizon to fix the problem.
“It definitely created a safety hazard,” he said. “We’re just happy the problem has been resolved.”
Boni thanked state Rep. Deberah Kula, D-North Union Twp., for her help in the matter.
Supervisor Janet Galla gave credit to the Verizon crews, who she said worked hard to restore phone service as soon as possible.
Crews were forced to splice 1,400 individual copper wires by hand to repair the stolen cable, a task which is tedious and time consuming, officials said.
Supervisors said Verizon is offering up to a $50,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the theft.
As for other matters, Boni announced the township’s new ambulance provider, EMS Southwest, is working out well. The for-profit ambulance provider was appointed in January and replaced Perryopolis Ambulance Service, which is no longer in business.
In unrelated business, supervisors voted to hire certified public accountant Jeffrey McCue to conduct an audit of a $307,000 Housing and Redevelopment Assistance Grant given to the township to help pay for a sewer system.
In other business, supervisors voted to apply for $15,000 in county aid to replace pipe in the area of Wilson Road.
Supervisors also announced that residents interested in recycling materials such as fluorescent bulbs can go to www.earth911.org to find local recycling centers.
The next township meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. March 4 in the municipal building.