Representatives from Wal-Mart and Tractor Supply both were present at Mondy evening's Mahoning Township supervisors' meeting with requests to move light poles and release a letter of credit respectively, both of which were granted by the board of supervisors unanimously.

"I'm here to request permission to alter our plan slightly to move two light poles due to the way PPL had to bring the electric line into the property," said CEI Engineer Skip Schneider who has represented the Wal-Mart Supercenter development since its origin several years ago. He explained to supervisors the light poles which were originally planned to be on the other side of the curb on the east and southeast side of the building near the garden center and garage respectively would not fit due to the PPL lines."I would like to move the garden center pole into the parking space next to the building and we would like to relocate the rear pole in the utility cages at the back of the building," he explained to supervisors. Schneider said the change would not alter the light footprint in that the lights would be in the same positions on the property but the poles would be shifted to available space.After the 5-0 vote to allow Schneider to make the alteration to the plan, Solicitor Tom Nanovic asked if he would be submitting a modified plan. Schneider said he plans to submit an as-built plan with the alterations on it once the project is completed.Supervisor George Stawnyczyj asked him to send the township a letter with the stated request and Schneider's understanding of what the supervisors agreed to alter on the plan. He told Stawnyczyj he would send the letter.When Schneider asked if there was any other concerns, Chairperson John Wieczorek asked if Wal-Mart was aware of the fire hydrant tax and were they going to assume responsibility for it. Schneider said the hydrants were installed at 500 foot intervals along the water main as required by the zoning ordinance. Wieczorek said he understood that but he told Schneider each of those hydrants is assessed about $37 a month according to township ordinances."These homeowners didn't ask for a hydrant to be placed on their properties and I don't think they should be liable for the bill since it was Walmart that was required to install them," Wieczorek said. Schneider said the most he could do was tell his client about the situation and see what they had to say about it. Supervisor Travis Steigerwalt mentioned a similar issue occurred when the sewer main was installed for the project. Due to the law, the same people had to pay several thousand dollars to hook up to the sewer line, but Steigerwalt said he did not get much support from the Planning Commission at the time to do something about it.In other business, Beth Livingston appeared before the board asking them to release the letter of credit that was being held for 18 months after the project was completed. Livingston said upon reviewing the development agreement and the law, Tractor Supply found the township's former engineer Carbon Engineering was in error when it recommended the letter be held for a year and a half."There is no reason at this point for the township to keep the letter of credit and we need it released since as you know the property was sold," she said.Solicitor Tom Nanovic said because there was nothing on the property dedicated to the township, there was no reason for the municipality to retain the funds anymore. Stawnyczyj said he believed it was due to concerns about the water tower. Wieczorek added Tractor Supply's engineer even conceded there were some concerns about the base when it was built, but now that it has been completed everything seemed to be okay.The board unanimously agreed to return the letter of credit to Tractor Supply with a 5-0 vote.