It appears Mountain Top on The Move (MTOTM) will sponsor the 2023 Mountain Top July 4 parade.
Wright Township supervisors at their Sept. 12 meeting voted 3-2 to give their support to MTOTM to sponsor next year’s parade. The motion to approve MTOTM as parade sponsor was made by supervisor Candace Smith and seconded by Louis Welebob Jr. Smith and Welebob voted in favor of the motion along with Donald Zampetti. Supervisors Matthew Howton and Colleen Macko opposed the motion.
The action was a reversal of a vote taken at the board’s August motion. At that meeting, a motion by Smith and seconded by Welebob to approve MTOTM failed on a 3-2 vote. At that meeting, Welebob voted no.
Representatives of Mountain Top Area Community Association (MACA) submitted a letter asking the board at the August meeting to designate their organization as the 2023 parade host. The board took no action on that application because it was not on the agenda.
Last Monday’s meeting agenda listed both groups’ applications.
Dianne Hopersberger, president of MTOTM, and several officers of MACA were present at Monday’s meeting but did not speak on the issue.
When the parade issue came up during the August meeting, business meeting, MACA president Gene Haverlak told Zampetti the organization believed it had an agreement with the township, referring to a May 10, 2021 board motion. Haverlak said his group felt that motion decided the parade would alternate between the two groups from year to year. The July 2022 parade was sponsored by MTOTM.
At that session, Zampetti read the minutes from the May 10 2021 meeting which only addresses the 2021 and 2022 parades.
The approval of the township is needed because PennDOT requires a letter of support from the municipality in order to have a parade on a state highway. The parade traditionally starts on Route 309 near Kirby Avenue and proceeds south onto South Main Road, another state road.
Fairview Township supervisors noted at their September meeting they received a latter from MACA asking for township support but took no action. Hopersberger said MTOTM was waiting for a decision from Wright Township before submitting an application to Fairview Township.
