The handful of Bradford Township residents waiting for a
decision regarding the legality of operations and related permit
validity at the controversial Circle K Whitetail hunting club on
Fuller Road will have to wait a little longer.

Bradford Township Supervisors chairman Cary Frigo this week
confirmed the issue was at a standstill until the township Zoning
Hearing Board sets another hearing on the matter.

The board held a hearing in April, but tabled action on the
matter at that time. In September, the case went before McKean
County President Judge John Cleland, who then sent the case back to
the zoning hearing board, telling them they would have to rule on
the matter, according to Thomas G. Wagner of St. Marys – the
attorney representing Bradford Township residents Dave Moonan and
Terry Reilly in the suit against the owner of Circle K, Robert
Kightlinger of Bradford Township.

“Right now we’re waiting for the rescheduling of the hearing,”
Wagner said.

Wagner said Cleland remanded the matter to the Zoning Hearing
Board and wants them to determine “whether the special exception
granted to Kightlinger (in 2003) should be revoked.”

He said the board has already found that Kightlinger was not
operating a hunting club under the provisions of a township
ordinance.

“In the meantime, the club is in violation of the ordinance,”
Wagner said.

Frigo referred further questions to Zoning Hearing Board
chairman Bruce George. George, however, did not immediately return
messages left by The Era this week seeking comment on the
matter.

The controversy over Kightlinger’s Circle K hunting club started
in 2002. In January of 2003, the Zoning Hearing Board moved to
allow Kightlinger to operate the club under the “uses by special
exception” category despite protests from several other township
residents.

The fence issue came about in March of that year, when residents
raised concerns over the fact that Kightlinger’s club, including a
10-foot fence, had been approved after Kightlinger applied for a
variance for the same fence (fences are not to be higher than six
feet in the township without special permission from the Zoning
Hearing Board) and was denied.

Wagner said this week a state court had already dismissed
Kightlinger’s appeal regarding a variance request for a 10-foot
high fence.

Residents have expressed concern over every issue related to the
club from the safety of families with homes adjacent to the club to
alleged illegal hunting activities at the club itself.