Eldred and Ross townships are officially sharing a tax collector, at least until the next election.

During a special meeting on Thursday, the Eldred Township supervisors ratified their agreement with Ross Township to allow their tax collector Laura Hoffman to also work as a tax collector for Ross Township.

Ann Velopolcek, the secretary for the township, said the tax collector for Ross Township passed away unexpectedly during her term. Hoffman had been assisting her. When the tax collector died, Hoffman stepped in to help Ross Township since she was already familiar with the office.

If Hoffman wants to continue as the tax collector for Ross Township after this term ends, she will have to run for election for the position.

In other business, Gary Hoffman, the chairman of the supervisors, said that the state Department of Environmental Protection sent a letter to the township about some dumping that occurred behind the township building. The DEP wanted to know if there was any hazardous waste in the material, and asked that the material to be cleaned up.

“It was cleaned up immediately upon notification,” Hoffman said.

Now, the township has to respond to the letter and let them know it was cleaned up. DEP will then come out to inspect, Hoffman said.

Township solicitor Michael Gaul clarified for the public that the material was not hazardous waste.

Hoffman said the township is going to draft a dumping policy that will state “what, if anything, can be brought to the township building to be dumped over the bank. Initially, it was for waste material meaning clean dirt, clean fill, trees, brush. I don’t know that we want to continue to do down that road.”

Hoffman said no decisions have been made on a policy, because they need more information from DEP.

“It’s going to impact the township, too, because where are we going to take our material,” he said.

Silfies asked if the township has a chipper, because brush and tree limbs can be made into mulch. The roadmaster said that the township shares one with another municipality.

The historical society reported some good news.

Jalene Keiser, a representative for the Eldred Township Historical Society, said the historical society received $5,000 in a grant from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The historical society is restoring the old historic post office in the township.

“We’re excited,” she said. “We’re just waiting now for the concrete to be poured and the door to be done, then that’s done.”

Keiser said they are hoping the concrete can be poured soon. It has to be done by June. They also have applied for a grant for work on the roof.

The next Eldred Township supervisors meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Feb. 16 in the municipal building.