SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS — The West Mahanoy Township supervisors approved a tax share agreement with Shenandoah on four parcels that are located in both municipalities.
The supervisors also amended an existing tax agreement that has been in place since the 1980s.
The new agreement includes properties owned by Janet Antz, Tri-Way Metal Workers Inc., and Girard Estate, according to the Schuylkill County Parcel Locator.
The agreement reads:
“Whereas, the borough will assess and collect annual municipal real estate taxes on the aforesaid parcels at the millage rate established annually by the borough.
“Whereas, the municipal real-estate taxes and fees assessed and collected by the borough for the aforesaid parcels will be shared between the borough and the township beginning in the 2016 tax year and will continue for all years thereafter.”
The borough will receive 60 percent of the total municipal tax revenues generated, and the township will receive 40 percent. The agreement requires that the borough pay to the township its share of the tax revenues within 30 days of their collection.
The borough and township will share equally in providing police and fire protection services to those parcels and will render assistance to the responding departments in case of need.
“If you look at the (county) parcel locator, the borough and township lines run right through the middle of the properties,” township solicitor James Amato said.
The amended agreement dated Dec. 16, 1981, involves similar tax sharing on property where the Shenandoah Senior Living Community is located. The minor amendment changes when the borough is required to pay the tax revenues collected to the township within 30 days of collections.
In other business, the township received a letter from Shenandoah council President Donald E. Segal about two dilapidated properties at 129 and 131 Girard Avenue, which are on the border of the borough and township. Township Chairman Paul “Pepper” Martin said the township fire chief and code enforcement officer will review the condition of the buildings and also to verify if they are in the township.
Martin added that if the vacant properties are on Girard Estate land, they could be considered for the demolition program with Girard Estate. Each year, the township works with the real estate firm to select six dilapidated, vacant homes that are on Girard Estate land to be demolished by the company at its expense.
“For the last few years, Girard Estate has ripping down buildings for us, and we have received complaints about them,” Martin said. “We first need to find out if they are definitely in the township and the land is owned by Girard Estate.”
The supervisors also approved advertising for a new police chief pending the resignation of current chief Shawn Tray.