PENN Times
January 2017
PAGE 1
PENN TIMES
The Official Newsletter of Penn Township
VOL. 14 No. 1
www.penntwpcc.org
January 2017
GRAVES OF THREE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CIVIL WAR VETERANS MOVED
On November 16, 2016, Penn Township made national news. We instigated and participated in a
ceremony to move the graves of three AfricanAmerican Civil War Veterans, William Anderson,
John Nelson and Greenberry Stanton, from the backyard of a Penn Township residence to a place of
honor at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. Mr.
Anderson was a Corporal in the Massachusetts 54th,
the regiment the movie Glory was about, and Mr.
Nelson and Mr. Stanton enlisted in the Massachusetts 5th Calvary.
project and we were to the point where we needed
legal advice on how to proceed.
Township Solicitor Marcus McKnight contacted
Christopher Hoffman of Hoffman Funeral Home and
Crematory for assistance. Mr. Hoffman was very
excited about the project. Mr. Hoffman made the
arrangements with Indiantown Gap National Ceme(Continued on page 6)
The graves were located in a private cemetery behind
the old Williamson Store along Pine Road in Huntsdale. The headstones were missing and the graves
were overgrown.
As a child, Lowell Hassinger recalls placing flags in
the G.A.R. markers on Veterans Day. His family
purchased the property around 1940 and he and his
father helped to maintain the graves.
With time and weather, the graves eventually disappeared. They became overgrown with trees and
weeds. Mr. Hassinger contacted Supervisor Ken
Sheaffer about the condition of the graves, hoping
that the Township would have some interest in helping to maintain the graves. Supervisor Sheaffer was
also involved with Boy Scout Troop 185. He suggested that it be an Eagle Scout project. In 2009,
Beau Lloyd, with the assistance of his troop and their
families cleared the area of the trees and shrubs.
In November of 2015 Tim Knepp, the Township
Zoning/Codes Enforcement Officer, suggested to the
Supervisors that we check into what could be done to
relocate the graves to a National Cemetery. Mr.
Knepp did research on what was allowable and what
we could do. He was making progress slowly on the
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Township Personnel
2
Township Calendar
2
Board of Supervisors
3
Note from the Fire Marshal
3
Floodplain Map Changes
3
Community Bulletin Board
4
Cumberland County Mosquito-borne Disease Control
5
Cumberland County Comprehensive Plan Update
6
Penn Township Municipal Staff/Hours
8
PAGE 2
PENN Times
January 2017
Penn Township Personnel
2017 Township Calendar
Zoning Hearing Board
Todd Vogelsong - Chair
Linwood Clippinger - Vice-Chair
Rachael Hollenbaugh
Greg Mell—Voting Alternate
James Hollenbaugh-Voting Alternate
Richard Mislitsky - Solicitor
Planning Commission
Wayne Stevenson- Co- Chair
Gary Cribbs – Co-Chair
Marcia Leeds - Secretary
Victor Barrick
Sean Lacey
Dennis Shoff
Dan Ries
All meetings are held at the Township building , 1301
Centerville Road, Newville, PA at 7:00 pm unless otherwise stated.
January
11 Zoning Hearing Board
12 Board of Supervisors
14 PTVFC Meat Raffle
16 Planning Commission Meeting
22 PTVFC Breakfast
Fire Company Executive Officers
John Wardle– President 776-7266
Gary Martin– Vice President
Wayne Hockensmith – Treasurer
Pat Sangialosi - Secretary
Mary McGarry -Assistant Secretary
Cindia Whistler– Financial Secretary
John Wardle Jr-Chaplain
Cindia Whistler—Facility Contact
Fire Company Line Officers
Chris Alleman. – Fire Chief
Doug Stum – Deputy Chief
Ryan Finky - Assistant Chief
Tim Knepp—EMS Chief
Tyler Wardle - Captain
Dan Define—Lieutenant
Fire Company Auxiliary
Fire/Police Members
Ron Tritt
Ira Wagner
John J Wardle Jr
Robert Alleman
Grace Hernandes
Pamela Sheaffer
Fire Company Trustees
Jim Sheaffer
Denny Shoff
Tim Knepp
4
8
9
11
20
26
PTVFC Spaghetti Supper
Zoning Hearing Board
Board of Supervisors Meeting
PTVFC Meat Raffle
Planning Commission Meeting
PTVFC Breakfast
March
Mary Wert – President
Evie Seiders – Vice President
Sandy Morrison – Secretary
Marcia Leeds – Treasurer
Kay Kann – Financial Secretary
Anna Group—Trustee
Judy Hockensmith – Trustee
Joyce Wardle—Trustee
Jim Sheaffer - Captain
Ricky Stitt - Lieutenant
Leon Kitner
Art Danner
Wayne Hockensmith
Steve Cohick
Richard Cook
February
Richard Cook
John J Wardle
Emergency Management Coordinator
4
5
9
11
20
26
PTVFC Soup Sale
Zoning Hearing Board
Board of Supervisors Meeting
PTVFC Meat Raffle
Planning Commission Meeting
PTVFC Breakfast
NOTE: Fire Company BINGO is held every Friday
night, 7:00 at the Fire Hall
PENN TOWNSHIP FIRE COMPANY AUXILIARY
SOUP SALE
MARCH 4, 2017
Ham Bean and Beef Vegetable Soup by the Quart
Robert Kough, Jr. – 226-6537 Ernie Beecher - Deputy
Codes Enforcement Officer
Tim Knepp, Sr.
$5.50 per Quart (containers will be provided)
Jim Sheaffer—Assistant
Vacancy Board
J. Michael Ickes - Chair
Loan Grant Coordinator
Buck Shuller
Fire Marshal
Bob Kough, Jr.
Tim Knepp, Sr.—Assistant
Soup Will be Available to be picked up between 12:00
PM (Noon) and 1:00 PM
ADVANCED ORDERS ARE STRONGLY SUGGESTED
ORDER BY CALLING 717-776-3089 OR 717-249-4667
Please Order by February 24, 2017
PENN Times
January 2017
PAGE 3
Board of Supervisors
The complete minutes of the Supervisors’ Meetings
are available, once they are approved, at the Township Building or on our website,
www.penntwpcc.org.
October
 Appointed Debra Dyarman as Interim Tax Collector
 Set date for Trick or Treat
 Approved application of Sean Lacey for the Planning Commission
 Approved Septic Module Waiver for lot #31-11-

0296-054
Appointed Trina Manetta Interim Auditor
November
 Approved inclusion of Kutz Farm, 871 Mt. Rock
Road to Penn Township Agricultural Security
Area
December
 Approved Holbert Myers Subdivisioin Plan
 Approved 2017 Budget
 Set meeting dates for 2017
 Approved increase of Tax Certification Fee.
Note From the Fire Marshal
Floodplain Map Changes
What if you had an emergency and no one could find
you? This can happen! In November 2016 there
was a fire at a hunting cabin in Penn Township. The
cabin did not have a street address so the fire company had a difficult time figuring out how to access
it. In this case no one was injured and it was a cabin
that was lost, but what if you have a medical emergency. How will help find you?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Region III is in the process of updating
the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and Flood Insurance
Rate Maps (FIRMs) for Cumberland
County, Pennsylvania as part of the Lower Susquehanna-Swatara Watershed Study. This study
will revise the floodplains within our community, using
better topographic data as well as
current methodologies and engineering practices.
We know this is not an unusual situation. There are
many hunting cabins that were built Joan Boyd before zoning or without permits. We are asking your
assistance in finding these cabins in order to assign
addresses to them.
If you have one of these cabins we ask that you
please contact the Township Secretary with your Tax
Map No. This can be found on your Tax Bills and
will begin with 31-. Please also provide her with directions on how the cabin can be accessed.
Thank you for your assistance in this. The life you
save may be your own.
FEMA Region III and its mapping partner STARR-II
have developed draft floodplain boundaries
for Cumberland County, including new flood zone designations and base flood elevations.
The following link will take you to the current FEMA
Floodplain Map. All you need to do is type in your
address and it will zoom in to your property. To see
the background you may have to zoom out a little bit,
but it will show you a map with the floodplain: https://
msc.fema.gov/portal
Also, FEMA is currently in the process of changing the
floodplains in Cumberland County. These draft maps
are NOT FINAL, and may change. Here is a link to the
latest version of the PROPOSED floodplain:
www.arcgis.com/home, select Cumberland County
Draft Changes and type in your address.
PAGE 4
PENN Times
January 2017
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
COMPANY “50” MEAT RAFFLE
Dickinson Presbyterian Church
12 Church Rd. Carlisle, PA
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2017
Sunday School for all ages – 9:15 am
Worship – 10:30 am
DOORS OPEN AT 5:00 PM
DINNER SERVED AT 6:00 PM
RAFFLE BEGINS AT 7:00 PM
Small Games of Chance—Meat & Money
Prizes
Plus Door Prizes
EVERYONE WELCOME
Next Raffle March 11, 2017
For More Information Call (717) 486-5488
All are Welcome!
www.dickinsonchurch.org
March 1, 2017
Ash Wednesday Lenten Service
7:00 PM
Please join us as we begin the journey to the
Cross.
TREAT YOUR VALENTINE EARLY!
NEWLY RENOVATED BANQUET
HALL
All You Can Eat Spaghetti Supper
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Company “50” Auxiliary
Penn Township Fire Company
Huntsdale
SERVING FROM 4:30 PM UNTIL ?
NO TAKE OUTS—EAT IN ONLY
Scheduling for 2017 and beyond.
Full Salad Bar (25 items or more)
Desert & Drink Included
COST
ADULTS - $10.00
CHILDREN 6-12 - $4.50
UNDER 6 FREE
Rentals, Banquets, Parties, Weddings, Reunions, Meetings
With WiFi, Projector and Sound
Call Cindia at 713-3387
For More Information Call (717) 486.5488
1750 Pine Road (Huntsdale)
Newville, PA 17241
PENN Times
January 2017
PAGE 5
A Note from the Cumberland County Mosquito-borne Disease Control Program:
Zika is here to stay in the Americas, but it has not yet taken hold in Pennsylvania. Almost 100 Zika imported
travel cases were identified in PA last year. After returning home from vacation in Zika
infested areas, help prevent introduction of the virus into local mosquitoes by wearing bug
spray and avoiding bites. Working together to keep mosquito populations low will be essential in our efforts to thwart this disease. The Asian Tiger Mosquito likes to lay eggs in
old tires, tarps, or even a bottle cap full of water. If you can’t dump standing water, treat it
with a BTI bacteria based product, such as Mosquito Dunks, found at local hardware stores.
Please visit our website to learn more about mosquitoes, our program, and how to sign up
for “Notify Me” emails.
Cumberland County Seeks Public Input on Future of the County
Cumberland County, PA- The Cumberland
County Planning Commission (CCPC) released a
survey to gather resident input on the future of
Cumberland County. The survey asks residents
to provide their opinions on the importance of
conservation initiatives, preferred future growth
patterns and transportation needs facing the
County in the future. The survey and more information on the Comprehensive Plan can be found
online at www.centerforlanduse.org/survey. Paper copies can be obtained by contacting the
Cumberland County Planning Commission at 717
-240-5362. Residents can complete the survey
anytime through April 30, 2017.
A grant from the Greater Harrisburg Association
of Realtors (GHAR) enabled the County to conduct the survey effort. The County partnered
with the Shippensburg University Center for
Land Use and Sustainability to prepare, host and
analyze the online survey. Survey responses will
be used by the CCPC to update the Cumberland
County Comprehensive Plan which was last updated
in 2011.
Pennsylvania state law requires the County to prepare a Comprehensive Plan that serves as a longrange policy guide for the orderly development of
the County. Comprehensive plans typically consider a wide variety of topics including land use,
housing, economic development, public facilities,
transportation and natural resource protection. A
Comprehensive Plan is not a zoning ordinance that
has legal authority. Rather, the Comprehensive Plan
is a guidance document that establishes goals and
objectives for a community to achieve. Other planning tools that have the force and effect of law, such
as a zoning ordinance, are used to implement the
goals and objectives found in the comprehensive
plan. The County works in cooperation with its
constituent 33 municipal governments to achieve the
goals and objectives found in the County’s plan.
PAGE 6
(Continued from page 1)
tery and donated the coffins and the mortician services required.
The Township set a date of November 16, 2016 to
hold the ceremony and move the remains. Mr.
Knepp began contacting various groups to see if
there was any interest in their attending or participating in the ceremony. In addition, Mr. Hoffman sent
out press releases to the local media who all responded favorably.
What we thought would be a small ceremony of
about a dozen people swelled to over 100. We had a
contingent from the Mother Chapter of the Buffalo
Soldier Cavalry Scouts, a color guard from the Pennsylvania Bucktails reenactors, and members of the
Massachusetts 54th National Guard Regiment. The
list grew to the point where we had to make James
Fourlas arrangements to park attendees at the fire
station and bus them to the grave site.
The surprise guest was Dr. Beverly Stanton, the
many times great granddaughter of Greenberry
Stanton. Dr. Stanton and her family had been
searching for the location of Greenberry’s grave for a
number of years and she saw the coverage on one of
the local TV stations. She gave a very emotional and
heartfelt thank you to the Township for our efforts to
remember these three forgotten heroes.
The procession from Penn Township to the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery on Interstate 81 was
impressive. We were given a State Police escort and
the contingent of about 30 Buffalo Soldier Cavalry
Scout riders on their motorcycles led the way.
PENN Times
January 2017
veterans to be buried at the Cemetery.
At the December 8, 2016 Board of Supervisors
Meeting a Special Presentation was made to Dr.
Stanton, Supervisor Sheaffer presented her with copies of all the research on the graves that had been
done by Beau Lloyd as part of his Eagle Scout project and Supervisor Martin presented her with a replica of the GAR marker that was found at the gravesite.
Mr. Hassinger had been unable to attend the December meeting. He was invited to attend the January 3
Reorganization Meeting. At that time Supervisor
Sheaffer presented Mr. Hassinger with a copy of the
research materials and Supervisor Martin presented
him with a replica of the GAR marker. In addition,
Mr. Hassinger was presented with one of the flags
the Township received at the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery service.
The Penn Township Board of Supervisors would like
to thank everyone who participated in this long delayed honor. We would like to most especially
thank:
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Indiantown Gap National Cemetery then took over.
Along with most of the attendees from the Township
ceremony we were joined by several “civilian” Civil
War reenactors and the Patriot Guard lined the entrance to the Pennsylvania Veteran’s Memorial
where the service was held.
The Cemetery held a very solemn and emotional
ceremony awarding the remains full military honors.
Flags were presented to Dr. Stanton and representatives of the Township. William Anderson, Greenberry Stanton and John Nelson are the first Civil War
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Lowell Hassinger, for bringing the graves to
the attention of the Township;
Chris Hoffman, Hoffman Funeral Home and
Crematory, without his help we could never
have accomplished this;
Tim Knepp, who had the idea and worked
hard to accomplish the goal;
Beau Lloyd and Boy Scout Troop 185;
Eric Davidson and the Mother Chapter of the
Buffalo Soldier Cavalry Scouts;
Paul Herring, Chaplain of the Pennsylvania
Bucktails and the Pennsylvania Bucktails
Color Guard
Tim Hodge, United States Colored Troop;
Col. John Driscoll, 54th Regimental Commander, Massachusetts National Guard;
Joe Zellinger, Company A Reenactor of the
54th Massachusetts;
Marcus McKnight, Penn Township Solicitor;
Michael Nericcio, Deitch Buses;
The Pennsylvania State Police; and
The Penn Township Special Fire Police and
the Penn Township Fire Department.
PENN Times
January 2017
Email Address Collection The township is collecting email addresses to be able
to efficiently deliver the newsletter and emergency
information to our residents.
If you are interested in receiving information by
email, please sign-up at
www.penntwpcc.org


Community Information
Newsletter
(sign up or cancellation of subscription)
Like us on Facebook for emergency alerts
and information on road closures.
PAGE 7
Newsletter Advertising
The PENN TIMES is published quarterly (January,
April, July, and October), and offers area businesses
the opportunity to advertise their businesses to all of
the residents of the township. Advertisements may be
changed to fit the seasons. Seasonal businesses may
choose to advertise in the issue that is closest to their
peak season.
The following are the prices for advertising in the
2017 PENN TIMES:
Size
Cost/Issue
Cost/Year
1/8 Page (Business Card) $50
$175
¼ Page
$100
$350
½ Page
$200
$700
Full Page
$400
$1400
Contact the township office at 486-3104 to reserve
your space and for newsletter deadline.
PENN TOWNSHIP SERVICES
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Photo copies
$ .25 each
Faxing $1.00 first page— $. 50 each additional page
Laminating
$1.00 per item
Notary work $5.00 a seal (No DMV forms or
titles)
The township will accept residential waste oil
from vehicles
All services offered during normal business hours
Find Your Name
The names of two Township residents, selected randomly from township records,
are “hidden” out of context somewhere in
this newsletter. Find your name and we will
treat you to a $20 gift certificate to Saylor’s
Market in Newville. If you find your name,
claim the reward by stopping by Saylor’s
Market before March 18. Our thanks to
Curt Saylor for his donation to the newsletter.
CAN YOUR HOME BE EASILY
IDENTIFIED BY
EMERGENCY VEHICLES??
There is a Township Ordinance that requires all
homes to have the street number three inches
high so that emergency vehicles can easily find
your home. These street numbers are available
for only $10 from Pam Sheaffer, 776-7557. This
is not-for-profit, and is done as a favor to the fire
department.
WE NEED YOUR HELP
Penn Township Board of Supervisors is looking for
residents to serve as Auditor. This is an elected position.
According to the second class township code, the
Board of Auditors meets annually to determine the
current year compensation for supervisors who are
employed by the township.
If you are interested in this position, please contact
the Cumberland County Bureau of Elections at (717)
240-6385.
PAGE 8
PENN Times
January 2017
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT
Penn Township
1301 Centerville Road
Newville, PA 17241
If you know of a Township resident who did not receive this newsletter, extra copies
are available at the Township office.
Penn Township
Address:
1301 Centerville Road
Newville, PA 17241
Phone: (717) 486-3104
Fax: (717) 486-3522
Office Hours:
January 3—March 31, 2017
October 28—December 31, 2017
Monday—Friday
7:00 AM — 2:00 PM
April 3—October 27, 2017
Monday—Thursday
7:00 AM — 4:00 PM
Township Staff
Board of Supervisors
Gary Martin, Chairman
Ken Sheaffer, Vice-Chairman
Amos Seiders, Supervisor
Township Engineer
Sewage Enforcement Officer
Vincent Elbel
Township Secretary
Vicki Knepp
Township Tax Collector
Debra Dyarman
Zoning Officer
Tim Knepp, Sr.
Jim Sheaffer, Assistant
Township Treasurer
Martha Sheaffer
Road Master
Jeff Gillaugh
Township Solicitor
Marcus McKnight, III
Employee
Ernie Beecher
Alan Hostetter
Township Auditors
Charles Leeds, Chairman
James Proctor, Secretary
Max Klein