The Clarion County Board of Commissioners were surprised to learn earlier this year the county has $868,000 in the account and were somewhat more surprised when the state Department of Environmental Protection and the legislature said the county can spend the money on environmental and other projects.

Farmington Township supervisors were surprised by the developments concerning the landfill closing funds, especially since there is a landfill in their township and it is scheduled to close this year.

Farmington Township supervisors Jan. 23 said they believe the landfill closing fund money should go to Farmington Township and later agreed to have the township’s attorney on environmental matters, Richard S. Ehmann of Pittsburgh , write a letter to the county commissioners concerning the issue.

Farmington Township supervisors Gene Frederick, Matt Ellenberger and David Crise April 2 agreed to ask township legal counsel to file an injunction against the board of commissioners to stop the distribution of money from the fund.

However, legal counsel Terry Heeter advised the board because the commissioners are following a mandate from the state, there is little the township can do to stop the process.

“There is nothing we can do to stop it,” township secretary Nancy Mellon told the Clarion News. “It appears we have no recourse.”

The commissioners have acknowledged Farmington Township ’s request for the funding, but it appears the funds will be used throughout the county.

“We are doing what we are supposed to be doing,” Clarion County Commissioner Donna Hartle said last month.

In other business, April 2, the board of supervisors:

Adopted plans for the township’s Phase IV for water and sewage service line expansions.

Phase IV is expected to include the area around St. Mary Church and further north along State Route 66 to include two seasonal camp developments.

The Phase IV water line extension is preliminarily estimated to cost $765,000 while the sewerage service lines are estimated to cost $635,000.

The Phase IV expansion is expected to add about 52 new customers to the system.

Tentatively approved a contract with Eagle Contracting for $36,812 in road maintenance materials.