Franklin Township plans to create a list of potential sale items that includes things from the former candle shop it plans to convert to house its police department and administration office.

Supervisors unanimously agreed on Tuesday to look into the sale of identified unused items, equipment and land parcels after Supervisor Fred Kemmerer Jr. explained why the matter was listed on the meeting agenda.

“As everybody knows, we’re purchasing a building, and there’s a lot of stuff in there we want to get rid of the proper way,” Kemmerer Jr. said. “So the unused items would be things that are in the building that we’ll never use.”

Kemmerer Jr. said that includes things such as equipment.

“We did a great job over the last few years with speeding up what we don’t use up, but there’s still some stuff,” he said. “We’re getting new radios, (so) old radios aren’t going to be usable, so we can either hand it down or get rid of them.”

Land up for grabs

Kemmerer Jr. then said land parcels might also be sold.

“So those parcels once we explore it and then have that potential to get rid of tiny spots,” he said. So, we’re talking about little tiny spots, nothing major, and then stuff like main roads or something like that.”

Resident Jill Renfrew pointed out that, “Open space, even if it’s small, is sometimes really valuable to a neighborhood or to the township as a whole.”

“This looks like a motion to approve sale, so I’m wondering if there’d be any way that land could come back to the public to have a second input of information on before you guys actually made a decision to sell,” Renfrew said. “Because in your minds, it may not be worth anything but in someone else with a different viewpoint might say you know what, the township should hang onto this and make it a community garden or do whatever.”

Board Chairman Jason Frey said some of them are really small.

Kemmerer Jr. said he wouldn’t be opposed to that, and that the township could come up with a list and that he would be all right with that type of conversation perhaps at a special meeting.

Kemmerer Jr. said the township could eventually post the items and people could bid on them.

Building purchase

The township has applied for an LSA grant in the amount of $550,000 for the purchase of the former Blue Mountain Candle Co. Inc., 570 Interchange Road. The sale price would be $550,000 for the roughly 9,000-square-foot property and building.

Kemmerer Jr. said the building will take a lot of renovation work, and noted that the township has $1.5 million in its building fund budget to be used for the purchase and renovation.

The township wants to have enough room to accommodate eight police officers, administration, zoning hearing board and supervisors.

Kemmerer Jr. said the current township building on Fairyland Road will potentially be sold in the future.

The township was originally planning to build a 7,500-square-foot building in between the former Hobby Shop and current administration office.

The board also approved a request from Phifer Rentals for a 60-day extension from Dec. 5, 2025, through Feb. 2, 2026. The property is located next to the current township building.

In September, supervisors granted a 60-unit apartment complex project additional time. At that time, the board granted Phifer Rentals LLC land development plan multifamily apartments’ request to provide a 60-day extension of all applicable deadlines imposed by the township’s planning commission.

In August, resident Robin Cressley asked supervisors how much land was needed to build a new municipal building.

Cressley asked the board about the recreation and land for the creation of recreational space and/or the construction of a township municipal building. Supervisors declined comment on Cressley’s inquiry.

In July, supervisors on a 2-1 vote adopted a resolution authorizing the acquisition by eminent domain of certain real property necessary for the creation of recreational space and for the construction of a township municipal building.

Kemmerer Jr. was opposed. Also at that time, a motion that the board of supervisors approve the proposal submitted for preliminary architectural and site engineering services for the initial phase of the “Municipal Complex Development Project” failed for lack of a second.

Supervisors appointed Scott R. Lipson to serve as special counsel for the township in connection with a potential condemnation action and any related legal matters that may arise. The scope of services includes legal representation for the township in matters relating to eminent domain and other relevant issues as needed. Legal fees were to be filled at the rate of $210 per hour.

In May, the township’s zoning hearing board granted a special exception to Phifer Rentals to construct a 60-unit apartment complex on a 5.39-acre property along Fairyland Road.

Jay Cooperman and Derrick Drey are the developers representing Phifer Rentals who recently purchased the property.

Cooperman said in June the next step in the process was for them to go to the township’s planning commission, and noted their engineer was finishing up land development plans.

Cooperman estimated that once the 60-unit apartment complex is built, it could generate between $125,000 and $150,000 in tax revenues.

Cooperman said the plans originally received zoning approval for 48 units in November.

Supervisors on a 2-0 vote in May tabled adoption of a resolution authorizing the acquisition by eminent domain of property for the creation of recreational space and/or the construction of a township municipal building.

In April, supervisors on a 2-0 vote hired attorney Chuck Smith for property acquisitions within the township.