The outcome of the reorganization meeting of the Schuyllkill Planning Commission resulted in a surprise with the election of a new chairman, which took place at the monthly meeting of the board held Wednesday evening at the courthouse in Pottsville.

Gary Bender, of Tower City, who had been the vice chairman, was elected president to succeed John Malinchok, Frackville, who had been the president for the past 12 years and was only last week re-appointed by the county commissioners to another four year term. Malinchok is the senior member of the board having first been appointed in 1986.Charles Ross, Orwigsburg, who retired as the executive director of the planning commission, and also who was appointed by the commissioners last week to serve on the board, was elected vice chairman. James Setlock, Pottsville, was re-elected secretary. Bender is a county employee, holding the position as grant writer and director of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.Projects reviewedThe board reviewed projects proposed in the county and had no comment.Reserves Homes, LLC, Tamaqua, is seeking a sewage planning module for a six lot, single family subdivision located east of SR309 on Owl Creek Road in Tamaqua.Michael and Denise Kroznuskie are seeking a permit from Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for a residential driveway crossing wetlands and Cold Run Stream in WalkerTownship.Eastern Schuylkill Recreation Commission has, on behalf of the Borough of Tamaqua, received a Community Conservation Partnership Grant from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). The grant is for the proposed Little Schuylkill River Walkway-Phase 1 project located in the west bank of the Little Schuylkill River beginning at Cedar Street and continuing 800 feet through Willing Park.The Bureau of Abandoning Mine Reclamation of the DEP plans to backfill hazardous strip pits in Delano Township.West Penn Township supervisors adopted a resolution to increase the West Penn Township Agricultural Security Area by 643.48 acres for a total of 13,992.912 acres.Rausch Creek Land, L.P. filed an application for withdrawal up to 100,000 gallons of water per day from a strip pit located in PorterTownship.Mountain Beauty Group, LCC, a developer, seeks an access permit that will connect to SR1008 in Mahanoy Township for the development of a 70 unit hotel and associated parking access.Angelo Corrado Homes Inc., in the Hunter View residential development, proposes a mixed residential use of 254 townhomes and 107 single family homes along with improvements of roads, stormsewer, stormwater retention facililties, public water and public sewer located in the northwest corner of intersection of Market Street (SR895) and Centre Turnpike (SR61) in West Brunswick Township.Red Barn Consulting Inc., Lancaster, is applying for a stormwater permit for construction of one poultry barn on a new operation on property of John Brommer, Rock Road; three poultry barns on a new operation on property of Matthew Leid, Wild Cherry Road; one poultry barn on the existing poultry operation of Mahlon Nolt, Sweet Arrow Lake Road; and two poultry barns on a new operation on property of Clair Ray Garman, Birds Hill Road, all in Washington Township.The commission gave final approval to three subdivision plans as follows:Reed S. and Lovell Kahley, Union Township, to subdivide 34.7658 acres for annexation only; John A. and Ruby A. Heim, Eldred Township, to subdivide 11.4 acres into one lot to create separate lots for existing single family homes and Richard A. Erdman, Upper Mahantongo Township, to subdivide 0.448 of an acre for annexation purposes.Conditional approval were given to two plans who have until the April meeting to complete.Ringtown Tower, located partly in Union Township and partly in Ringtown, seeks to lease 0.2296 of an acre from a tract of 64.79 acres for construction of a cell tower. Erection of the tower was approved by the Zoning Hearing Board with the stipulation it be located not less than 350 feet from the nearest property.Raymond N. Miller, Porter Township, seeks to subdivide 53.1 acres into on e lot for a single family home.