Landfill issue dominates Rush race

By Anne Danahy

A proposed landfill continues to spark debate in Rush Township, where an incumbent supervisor is facing a challenge in the Democratic primary and one candidate is on the Republican ballot.

Democrat Daniel Kolbe and Republican Rob Bailey said they did not like the way the previous board handled a company’s effort to build a municipal waste landfill and industrial park in the northern corner of the township.

“I think there should have been more public input. That’s a big decision,” said Kolbe, 23, who is challenging incumbent Democrat Pat Couturiaux. The winner will face the Republican nominee in the November general election.

In 2004, Couturiaux and then-supervisor Jack Shannon approved a host agreement with Lancaster County-based Resource Recovery to build a landfill. That project is on hold, having yet to receive the needed approvals. But the company is trying to push ahead with its plan for an industrial park on the Rush Township side of a 5,800-acre property that crosses into Snow Shoe Township.

Couturiaux, 76, said he wants to see Resource Recovery develop the property.

“Whatever it takes to develop that land, I’m for it. A private-funded interchange or R.J. Corman Railroad. Anything that will bring jobs to the area,” Couturiaux said, referring to a proposal to reactivate a rail line to serve the property.

Bailey, 61, who is running unopposed on the Republican ticket, said he was originally on the fence about the landfill. But he didn’t like how the company went about getting the township to back it.

“That was the breaking point for me. After 30 years in business you get a feel for how people handle themselves,” Bailey said.

Supervisors approved the contract on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend in 2004, upsetting some who said there hadn’t been enough time for public input.

State forests take up much of the township, which is on the western edge of Centre County. At 149 square miles, it is geographically the second largest municipality in the state.

Couturiaux said one of the most important issues in the township is bringing back 24-hour emergency medical care, following the 2006 closing of Philipsburg Area Hospital.

He said the second priority is bringing jobs and businesses to the area, and took aim at the other candidates for a lack of support for that. A Rush Township native, Couturiaux is a retired heavy equipment operator, trucker and military veteran. He is in his 24th year as supervisor and points to the township’s budget health: about $1 million in the bank, despite not having a property tax.

Kolbe, also a township native, is a 2004 Philipsburg-Osceola Area High School graduate and works for Professional Satellite Repair in Philipsburg. He said not many people his age stay in the area.

“I decided it was time for something new, some new energy, to work toward creating a positive place to live,” Kolbe said.

Kolbe said he wants to work to bring environmentally-friendly development and economic opportunities to the area. One of the biggest natural resources, he said, is Black Moshannon State Park. He also said having a critical care facility is a priority.

Bailey grew up in Philipsburg and moved to Rush Township in 1974. He runs R.H. Bailey LLC with his son and is getting ready to retire. He said he would bring his 40 years of experience with general contracting, water and sewer projects to the supervisor job.

All candidates support keeping the property tax at zero mills.

Anne Danahy can be reached at 231-4648.