Local News

The fire started early Tuesday on Maple Lane in Barrett Township.

Author: WNEP Web Staff
Published: 8:57 AM EDT April 11, 2023
Updated: 8:57 AM EDT April 11, 2023
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MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — One man was flown to a hospital after an early morning fire in Monroe County.

Crews were called to a home on Maple Lane in Barrett Township around 5 a.m. Tuesday.

Workers at the small business in the Poconos are busy as bunnies this week keeping the shelves stocked for Easter.

Source: WNEP
Author: Amanda Eustice (WNEP)

Published: 4:24 PM EDT April 5, 2023

MOUNTAINHOME, Pa. — The steady ring of the register at Callie's Candy Kitchen in Mountainhome means only one thing: Plenty of people stopping in to pick up Easter candy.

"Some little Easter baskets for my adult children. Anything that comes out of Callie's they'll like," said Loretta Wassel of Barrett Township.

Weiler Abrasives, a provider of abrasives, power brushes and maintenance products for surface conditioning located in Cresco, Pa., has named Arjang “AJ” Roshan-Rouz as CEO. He succeeds Chris Weiler, who remains with the company and serves as executive chairman.

He started his career as a development engineer with Ford Motor Co. and later was a project manager at Bosch USA. He also has led Umicore’s Asia Pacific business and its global business in energy and surface technologies. His most recent position was CEO of 5N Plus. Roshan-Rouz studied electrical engineering at Michigan Technological University and business management at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan.

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Hi Everyone,

I've updated some of the information in our Downloads section related to the Barrett Township Volunteer Fire Department.

Clarifications regarding the asset inventory posted previously:

• The Barrett Township Volunteer Fire Department is a legally separate entity from Barrett Township itself. (It was originally formed in the 1940's as the Buck Hill Fire Department, which later moved to Barrett Township.)
• Barrett Township Supervisors pay the liability insurance bill for the Fire Department
• The 1932 Ford Firetruck, the Trailers, and the Fire Department building are owned by the Fire Department itself, NOT Barrett Township Supervisors

Respectfully submitted,
Nate Covington

Fellow Barrett Township Taxpayers -

I've compiled some additional information regarding properties owned by the Township.

All of the below information (deed and parcel info links, property names, etc) has been merged into the existing "tracker" article.  (full screen alternative link)

At the beginning of March, the Foundation for Jewish Camp released its 2022 Census/State of Jewish Camp Report. Using data from 246 day and overnight camps across North America, the nonprofit found that enrollment last summer “grew to 96% of pre-pandemic levels.” That was up 13% from 2021. And early reports show “strong demand for summer 2023.”

Local camps are not just seeing similar numbers. They are surpassing them.

Summer homes that serve Philadelphia-area families, like Canadensis in the Poconos, Nock-A-Mixon in Bucks County and the JCC Camps at Medford in South Jersey, have wait lists with hundreds of names. Directors say that parents want their kids to get out in nature with their peers and away from screens. That last part is especially important because kids spent so much time online during the pandemic.

Save the Dates!

Flames damage home in Monroe County

Flames broke out around 1 p.m. Monday along Route 390 near Cresco.

Author: WNEP Web Staff
Published: 4:03 PM EST February 20, 2023
Updated: 4:03 PM EST February 20, 2023

MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — Flames tore through a home in part of Monroe County Monday afternoon.

Fire broke out along Route 390 near Cresco just after 1 p.m.

Officials say no one was hurt.

There's no word on what might have sparked the fire in the Poconos.

(Source)

Due to the recent flurry of information regarding real estate & property transactions in Barrett Township, I've filed a Right to Know Request asking for all of the DEEDS of properties currently owned by the township, including the former Elementary School building and Golten / Gunderson properties.

Also, here is a link that you can bookmark & share:
https://www.barrettcommunity.com/deeds

On Nov. 22, a 746-pound bear was taken with a rifle in Barrett Township, Monroe County.

(article)

Other large bears taken in the 2022 are: a 746-pounder taken with a rifle on Nov. 22 in Barrett Township, Monroe County, by James Laquino of Canadensis;

(article)

Edit 2/17/23:

I learned the Gunderson / property was not purchased with Open Space funds, therefore doesn't get treated the same way as actual Open Space land. 

I've also filed a Right to Know Request for the deed, which is available here.  It appears Barrett Township paid $1 for the property, it wasn't gifted.  I am also able to confirm the deed contains the following language, bottom of page 2:

AND ALSO UNDER AND SUBJECT to the condition that the premises conveyed herein
are to be accessible to all Monroe County residents and the premises shall only be
utilized, in perpetuity, for recreation and open space.

However, this does not mean that the Township is obligated to keep ownership of the property forever.  It means that the next buyer also needs to keep it open to all Monroe County residents. 

Two names are attached to the property because Selma Gunderson conveyed the property to Norman Golten in 2003 before it was transferred to Barrett Township in 2013. 

Edit 2/13/23:

To those who are interested, here are a few documents that I found from 2018 when I filed a Right to Know request for financial expense and related information related to the Gunderson (Golten) property.

Since the township is only required to retain this type of information for 5 years I figured it would be prudent to share the information.

Edit 1/31/23 @ 4pm

For those who are interested, it looks like there is 2014 meeting minute documentation available through the site search related to Golten.

It looks like this is the same property that I had been referring to as "Gunderson" - I'm not sure how the same property got two names.

Original Post:

On January 18, 2023, the Barrett Township Supervisors voted to sell the Golten Property by a vote of 3-2.  John Seese, Pam Gardsy, and Kelly Slinger voted aye.  Patti O'Keefe and Darryl Speicher voted nay.

What is the Golten Property?

In 2013 Mr. Golten offered his property on Spruce Cabin Road of approximately 35 acres to the Township with the condition that the Supervisors would not sell the property and would maintain it for use by the community.  The deed of March 11, 2013 states:

"Under and subject to the condition that the premises conveyed herein are to be accessible to all Monroe County residents and the primses shall only be utilized, in perpetuity, for recreation and open space.

The property is located at 3423 Spruce Cabin Road.