Sheetz has gained permission to transfer a liquor license to a location in Burrell Township and a Center Township supervisor is in agreement with the move.
The transferred license will allow the Sheetz on Route 22 to sell six-packs of beer at that location. Center Township is currently in a legal fight with Sheetz for a similar action for their Homer City location. Supervisor John Bertolino said that he felt that the decision of Burrell Township’s Supervisors to allow the license transfer was a good move. He was in attendance at the public meeting and Burrell Township Supervisor Anthony Distefano said that if they denied the liquor license transfer for Sheetz, they would have to deny one for other places looking to build along the Route 22 corridor.
Bertolino was the only supervisor to vote in favor of the license transfer when a vote was held on the issue in July of 2016, while Dave “Butch” Smyers and James Gatske voted against the transfer. Since then, Sheetz has appealed the decision, and Judge Thomas Bianco said that while the supervisors vote was done properly, a new hearing will be held so public comment on the transfer can be properly recorded. So far the fight against Sheetz has cost Center Township $5,200.
The hearing was originally scheduled for April 25th, but it was delayed to May 15th. Bertolino says that the hearing may be delayed further at the request of Mark Kozar, the attorney for Sheetz. Kozar would be on vacation and out of town for the hearing.
No word yet if that request for a delay was granted, or when the new meeting will take place.
