Miss-Delectable
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Deaf dog killed at construction site
Members of the Shamokin-Coal Township Joint Sewer Authority board were horrified to hear about the latest incident in the sewer separation project in the Springfield section of the township -- the loss of a family pet.
Edward and Tammy Purcell, residents of Tioga Street, came to Wednesday's meeting after one of their dogs, a beagle, was accidently killed Monday by a construction vehicle working on Tioga Street.
Edward Purcell, a Coal Township police officer, accused Doli Construction, the firm doing the work, of breaking a gentlemen's agreement that led to the dog's death.
"They have come up on my property and worked through my yard," Purcell told the board. "I had a permanent fence put up that needed to be taken down and I thought I had an agreement for a temporary fence to be put up so my dogs didn't have to be inside for 12 hours at a time. The (temporary) fence was put up with a two-foot gap in it."
The couple said that the dog left the basement and went through the fence, playing in the dirt, something it often did. Tammy Purcell said the dog was deaf, and when crews came back from lunch, the beagle was probably near one of the vehicle's tires when the accident occurred.
She was especially upset because an engineer who spoke with the family later that day did not tell them about the dog's death. They were told by a neighbor, who told them the police chief picked up the dog for the family.
In addition, a comment from a member of the construction crew rattled Tammy.
"One of the workers said that if the dog would have been in the house like the other three, it would have been alive," she said.
The couple asked the authority to direct the workers to find a way to keep animals out of harm's way if there is a concern.
"That is what I want to see, so that this doesn't happen to anyone else, or worse yet, if a child ever gets hurt during this," Tammy Purcell said.
Board chairman Phil Zalar apologized to the couple for the incident and promised to speak with the company. Solicitor James Zurick agreed and commended the Purcells for their calm demeanor in the face of the tragedy.
"It's bad enough that these people are dealing with their fence being down and the yard torn up, but now, with this loss, it's terrible," Zurick said. "They (Doli) need to address these concerns."
"We are not going to be in the business of defending Doli Construction," board member Michael Carpenter. "This is horrendous."
Matt Malusky, a representative of Doli Construction, was in attendance at the meeting and assured the board and the couple that the company will look into the matter further.
Later in the meeting, Zalar asked that a representative of the authority board and their engineering firm, Great Valley Consultants, join the Coal Township Commissioners in their walkthrough of the Springfield section and the construction project scheduled for Saturday.
The board met for an hour-long executive session during the meeting to discuss property acquisition and possible litigation.
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Members of the Shamokin-Coal Township Joint Sewer Authority board were horrified to hear about the latest incident in the sewer separation project in the Springfield section of the township -- the loss of a family pet.
Edward and Tammy Purcell, residents of Tioga Street, came to Wednesday's meeting after one of their dogs, a beagle, was accidently killed Monday by a construction vehicle working on Tioga Street.
Edward Purcell, a Coal Township police officer, accused Doli Construction, the firm doing the work, of breaking a gentlemen's agreement that led to the dog's death.
"They have come up on my property and worked through my yard," Purcell told the board. "I had a permanent fence put up that needed to be taken down and I thought I had an agreement for a temporary fence to be put up so my dogs didn't have to be inside for 12 hours at a time. The (temporary) fence was put up with a two-foot gap in it."
The couple said that the dog left the basement and went through the fence, playing in the dirt, something it often did. Tammy Purcell said the dog was deaf, and when crews came back from lunch, the beagle was probably near one of the vehicle's tires when the accident occurred.
She was especially upset because an engineer who spoke with the family later that day did not tell them about the dog's death. They were told by a neighbor, who told them the police chief picked up the dog for the family.
In addition, a comment from a member of the construction crew rattled Tammy.
"One of the workers said that if the dog would have been in the house like the other three, it would have been alive," she said.
The couple asked the authority to direct the workers to find a way to keep animals out of harm's way if there is a concern.
"That is what I want to see, so that this doesn't happen to anyone else, or worse yet, if a child ever gets hurt during this," Tammy Purcell said.
Board chairman Phil Zalar apologized to the couple for the incident and promised to speak with the company. Solicitor James Zurick agreed and commended the Purcells for their calm demeanor in the face of the tragedy.
"It's bad enough that these people are dealing with their fence being down and the yard torn up, but now, with this loss, it's terrible," Zurick said. "They (Doli) need to address these concerns."
"We are not going to be in the business of defending Doli Construction," board member Michael Carpenter. "This is horrendous."
Matt Malusky, a representative of Doli Construction, was in attendance at the meeting and assured the board and the couple that the company will look into the matter further.
Later in the meeting, Zalar asked that a representative of the authority board and their engineering firm, Great Valley Consultants, join the Coal Township Commissioners in their walkthrough of the Springfield section and the construction project scheduled for Saturday.
The board met for an hour-long executive session during the meeting to discuss property acquisition and possible litigation.
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