By ERIC SLAGLE Daily News Staff Writer

eslagle@dailynewsemail.com

A Forward Township supervisor says the municipality will return money to a resident who alleges he was overcharged for public documents.

“You charged me $24 for five sheets of paper,” township resident Howard Flemming told board of supervisors chairman Tom DeRosa at a regular supervisors meeting Thursday.

Flemming, who brought copies of the documents in question -- monthly expense forms for the township dating back several months — also had a copy of a receipt for $24 signed by a township employee charging him for “copies of monthly bills.” Flemming said the employee said she was told by DeRosa to charge him that amount when he came in for the papers.

Flemming and DeRosa have had public disagreements at meetings before. On several occasions, Flemming has objected to the township’s unwillingness to release copies of monthly expenditures at public meetings. The township had previously released the bills with its agenda before public meetings but stopped that practice about a year ago.

Flemming said he contacted the state’s Office of Open Records about the charge and was told he should have been charged no more than 25 cents per copied sheet.

“I want my money back or I’ll take you to court,” he told DeRosa.

DeRosa

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denied knowledge of the transaction but quipped when Flemming first raised the issue of the cost, “That sounds fair.” Later in the meeting DeRosa told Flemming his money would be returned to him today.

“We’ll give him his money back,” DeRosa said.

Forward Township solicitor Bernie Schneider, when asked about the incident, responded that he doesn’t speak to reporters.

In other business, the township approved the resignation of part-time police officer Mike Stangroom, effective Oct. 22, and approved the hiring of a new part-time officer, Kyle Sneddon, as a replacement.

Township officials said Sneddon is involved with police education programs and comes from the Uniontown police department.

Also announced at the meeting is a scheduled tar and chipping project along Guffey and Williamsport roads next spring by Russell Industries.

DeRosa said Russell is doing the work for free because a similar road project undertaken by that company last fall had problems with the surfacing material.

At previous meetings residents have complained about the surface of those roads becoming tacky in hot weather.

DeRosa said Russell’s redoing the work will save the township about $70,000.

Finally, supervisor Dave Magiske announced there will be a free flu shot clinic at Forward Township Fire Department along Roberts Hollow Road Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. till noon. The clinic is free to township residents over 18 and the target group for the vaccines is age 55 or older. Both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 vaccines will be available.