Hempfield supervisors, school board to hold joint meeting

Hempfield Township supervisors and the Hempfield Area School Board will converge next week for their first joint meeting in years.

On Jan. 29, members of the two boards will have an “open dialogue” about things happening in Hempfield, township Manager Jason Winters said. Tony Bompiani, school board president, added that joint meetings took place 20 years ago but ended because of political disagreements.

“There wasn’t a good working relationship,” Bompiani said. “Now, we want one, they want one and we’re going to have one. Only the citizens can benefit from that. And, basically what George (Reese, township supervisor) said, the children are going to benefit from that. I’m excited about that.”

An agenda has not been released, but Winters said township supervisors hope to discuss two new parks they are considering — one off the Walden Court cul-de-sac not far from West Hempfield Elementary and a 17-acre parcel off Route 136 adjacent to Hempfield Area High School.

Winters said the school board is a stakeholder in the project that could bring new playgrounds, nature trails and sports courts to the area.

Bompiani, who encouraged board members to submit discussion items prior to the meeting, added that in the past the meetings have produced items such as Headlining Hempfield, a publication that is printed three times a year.

“It was a very productive meeting we had. I think the public is going to be very excited about it, and I would encourage everybody from the public to be there,” Bompiani said.

The 7 p.m. meeting will be in the township municipal building, 1132 Woodward Drive.