Commissioners approve $21,500 change order after discovery of century‑old underground tank at annex lot

Franklin County commissioners on April 16 approved a change order authorizing remediation work after crews uncovered an underground storage tank while grading the lot adjacent to the county's Administrative Annex.

County project manager John Boozer told the board the tank is "about a 500 gallon" unit and "the best guess that we have is 75 to a hundred years old." He said excavation revealed three quarter‑inch lines indicating the tank was used for a heating application and therefore was not regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Boozer said crews recovered roughly 275 gallons of fuel from the tank and removed contaminated soil for lawful disposal at Clean Earth in Hagerstown. He told commissioners the crew removed contaminated material until soil measurements dropped to background levels.

Commissioners were told Triad Engineering prepared the remediation work and the change order before the board covers removal and associated soil remediation costs. The hearing record shows the dollar amount discussed publicly as $21,500 for the removal and related work. After discussion and questions about whether the tank could have been identified before construction, the board voted to approve change order 001 for the parking lot.

Why it matters: the work addressed an immediate environmental and construction safety hazard on county property, and the board publicly explained the decision after a local radio interviewer questioned whether taxpayers should pay the expense.

Discussion and process details: Commissioner Flannery framed the item and said he had received a call from a local radio interviewer asking why the county would pay the cost. Boozer and county staff described the tank as an unknown discovered during excavation, said older maps did not show the tank, and explained ground‑penetrating radar or extensive pre‑grid investigation would have been more costly and would still likely have required remediation. Boozer described steps taken when the tank leaked during disturbance: a vacuum truck removed liquid fuel, crews excavated contaminated soil and continued sampling until measurements met acceptable thresholds.

Formal action: The board moved, seconded and approved the change order by voice vote. The motion was recorded as "Motion to approve" and passed by a voice vote; no individual vote tallies or mover/second names were recorded in the meeting transcript.

Provenance: the board introduced the change order as agenda item 4.01; John Boozer and Commissioner Flannery discussed the discovery, remediation volumes and costs; the motion to approve and voice vote concluding the item appear later in the transcript.

Ending: The board moved on to subsequent agenda items after approving the change order.