During a meeting Wednesday, Schuylkill Township citizens complained about the purchase of a new police car, the cost of garbage bills and an anonymous letter criticizing Supervisor Chuck Fayash and resident Paul Benulis.

Those concerns took a back seat to a new issue that surfaced near the close of the meeting.Fayash had stated that an interior door for township secretary Mary Bubel had been rekeyed, so that his key didn't work, and he'd asked who had keys to the office. Chairman Charles Hosler said that Bubel had a key and also that he did.Supervisor Christine Verdier then made a motion that the office be rekeyed so that only the secretary has access to the office. Verdier and Hosler voted in favor of the motion, with Fayash voting against it.Outside, after the meeting, some residents expressed their disagreement with the move, questioning its legality. Fayash said he would make calls Thursday to see if as a supervisor, he has a right of access to the secretary's office.Bills questionedBefore contracting with Kreitzer Sanitation, Schuylkill Township was with Waste Management at a cost of $210 per year per residence. Each household could put out five bags per week.When that contract expired, the township supervisors specified a three-bag per week limit in the new bids, and got a contract of $185 per household.Citizen John Boubon said during the meeting that according to his calculations regarding the cost of the current contract, the residents should be paying $158 per year. He and Benulis are part of a Concerned Citizens Group. Benulis had filed a Right to Know request to review the garbage contract.Police carDuring the meeting, Benulis asked the supervisors to research purchasing a used police cruiser before buying a new one. Another citizen, Tracy Dannenfelser, said that if the township saved money by buying a used car, the savings could be used to fix streets.Hosler, who is roadmaster for the township, said that the vehicle can be purchased through the Costars Program with zero percent interest with the cost spread over three years. Verdier said that the supervisors had budgeted for the purchase, because "we knew it was coming." Fayash, who took office in January, said he hadn't seen a copy of the 2014 budget.During the last new business of the meeting, Verdier made a motion to purchase a new police car at a cost of $24,678 plus $7,055 for the lights and detailing. She and Hosler voted in favor of the purchase, with Fayash voting against it.Anonymous letterCopies of an "Open Letter to the Citizens of Schuylkill Township" appeared inside the township meeting room shortly before the meeting began. In the content of the letter, the writer criticized Benulis' behavior at the May meeting as "disgusting, nasty and accusatory." The writer also stated that Fayash is part of the Concerned Citizen's Group and said he should not be, because he is a member of the board of supervisors.When citizens complained about the letter, Verdier said that the supervisors had not printed or endorsed the letter, and had nothing to do with its distribution.In previous meetings, citizens had complained about coal truck traffic on local roads.According to a court order from the 1970s, the Tuscarora Coal Company, which operates on the Brockton Mountain, was to contribute $1,000 a year to both Schuylkill Township and the borough of Middleport, for upkeep of the roads. Also, coal trucks exiting the company were to alternate routes, going through Middleport and Schuylkill Township in turns.Township solicitor Michael Greek said that he had written a letter to the coal company and Middleport officials. He'd received a response that the coal company will follow the terms of the court order.Greek also said that since the weight of the coal company trucks has changed since the 1970s, the two entities, Middleport and Schuylkill Township, may want to revisit the issue. The supervisors directed Bubel to set up a meeting.Benulis asked the supervisors to consider getting a website for the township. After some discussion, Fayash agreed to look into the matter.The supervisors voted to give Brockton, MaryD and Tuscarora fire companies $1,500 each. They also voted to donate $1,000 to the Eastern Schuylkill Recreation.