Native American artifact search delays park

DINGMAN — Township officials are not happy about delays in Dingman’s new park construction. Dingman Township was required to contract with a consultant, Greenhouse Consultants, Inc. of Atlanta, Ga., to do archaeological fieldwork research. The township needed to establish whether the proposed almost 100-acre park site off Log Tavern Road is an area which may have been inhabited by Native Americans. At a recent Township Supervisors meeting, Fire Chief Bill Mikulak asked Tom Mincer, supervisors chairman, if the archaeological dig would be over soon. “It’s absolutely ridiculous to hold up construction of the park for this dig,” Mincer responded. “There is no proof that native American Indians ever inhabited this area of Pennsylvania. They’re sifting through rocks to see if they can find an arrowhead. So far they’ve found nothing,” Mincer continued, visibly upset, as he thumped his pencil against the desk in front of him. In a following interview, Mincer said, “The state demands that we do this dig and we have to pay for it at a cost of over $40,000, and in three months, they have found nothing significant.” “The project started at the beginning of May ... All they have found is an old mill which we knew about and is not part of the park,” said Karen Kleist, supervisors secretary. “If anything of any significance was found, they would have to start phase two of the dig,” continued Kleist. She went on to say that the initial report will go to NPEDS (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System), then onto the Pike County Conservation District, which will then be forwarded to the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) who will issue the paperwork to begin park construction. Mincer told the Courier that this area is not an area that would have been used by Native Americans because there are no rivers or lakes close by. He said they would have needed a body of water if they were to inhabit the area for any length of time. “The park will be started as soon as possible and it will be completed,” added Mincer.