After supervisors heard another hourlong session of residents’ complaints about short-term rentals, supervisors agreed to hold a town hall meeting on the issue at Penn Forest Township Fire Co. No. 1 on Aug. 30, as long as that date is open for the hall.

Granicus, the township’s violations recording agency, will be invited to send a representative. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Additional details will follow.

Regarding short-term rentals, supervisors voted unanimously to advertise to hire a part-time code enforcement officer, with plans to have the new enforcement officer look into the many short-term rentals in the township.

A surprise item on the agenda, Supervisor Tom Cross submitted his resignation effective at the end of August. He is moving out of state. Cross, a resident in the Pleasant Valley West development, said he was leaving due to short-term rentals. He explained that there 12 short-term rentals in his community, including some under construction.

Cross first ran for office in 2011 and was nearly elected. He ran again in 2017 and was elected for a term that started in 2018 and continued through 2024.

Interested residents can apply for the vacancy with a letter of interest stating qualifications as well as reasons they wish to serve. The term would be from September’s meeting through to the end of December 2024. Interested residents must attend the Sept. 6 meeting, as whoever is chosen will be sworn in as a supervisor that night. Those letters can be emailed to secretary@pennforesttownship.org, or dropped off at the township office.

For the township park, supervisors approved having W-B Electric install a sub-panel in the concession stand to accommodate the new 50-amp service. Cost is $1,177. Ten inground mounted benches will be bought to install along the walk path of the park for $575 each plus the cost of concrete for the bases. The pump park proposed for the property will be put out to bid via PennBid. The food truck vendor who wanted to be at the township park will begin his three months at the park in August.

In other business

Supervisors approved:

• The revised (2022) emergency operations plan.

• Continuing the declaration of disaster emergency related to COVID.

• Advertising to fill the new position of working foreman on the township’s roads crew.

• A well isolation distance exemption for an Indian Mountain Lake couple.

• Approval for fire police from Penn Forest Volunteer Fire Companies No. 1 and No. 2 to provide traffic control at the Carbon County Fair.

Work is underway toward the first Fall Crafts and Township Festival, which will be held at the Penn Forest Township Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 24. There will be music and food, a kids’ area, plus crafts and other vendors. Contact the township to become a vendor.