The Foster Township Supervisors once again fielded questions and
complaints about operations at Universal Well Services Inc. at the
regular meeting Monday night.
One township resident asked the supervisors “Why are they
working up there (on Olean Road)?”
She said the company showed “no signs of moving anytime soon.”
She complained about the level of noise during the late night and
early morning hours, saying “I’d kill for a good night’s
sleep.”
“I want to know what you’re going to do about it,” she
demanded.
She and other residents pointed out that if nothing else, the
Universal employees were violating noise ordinances in the
township.
The Foster Township Supervisors seemed to feel the only real
action they could take against Universal on the residents’ behalf
would be to enforce the township’s noise ordinance.
Another resident claimed that when he calls the Foster Township
Police to report a noise disturbance when the trucks and equipment
are running at all hours of the night, the officer does not respond
quickly enough or not at all.
Police chief Jeff Wolbert asked the resident how long it had
been since he called in a noise complaint over Universal, to which
the man replied “about three months.”
The resident who initiated the topic chimed in with “We’ve given
up calling … it doesn’t do any good.”
Wolbert reiterated that the police cannot cite the company or
employees unless they witness a crime in action after being called
to the scene by a township resident.
The supervisors responded by saying it was their understanding
that Universal was relocating. Some discussion among the audience
indicated the company was likely moving to Bradford Township, but
that its relocation was still several months off.
“So we just do nothing and have to put up with it for another
year?” a resident asked.
The first resident who spoke added she could not even move if
she wanted to because the property value of her home has dropped so
dramatically – to the tune of about 40 percent – since Universal
became her neighbor.
“We’ll get on it again and see what we can do for you,”
supervisors chairman Robert Slike said.
“I’ll go up there tonight and talk to them if you want me to,”
Wolbert added.
There were no representatives of Universal at the meeting Monday
night.
Residents also took turns complimenting township officials,
however; different residents mentioning improvement they’ve seen in
sewer work, ditch cleaning, road work and a crack down on speeding
motorists on Bolivar Drive.
