TANNERSVILLE, MONROE COUNTY — A controversy over the sale of one of Monroe County’s oldest church properties has exposed a web of connections between local real estate, a powerful construction firm, and the former Pocono Township commissioner who ran it — while raising questions about a 60-year-old cemetery nonprofit that few residents knew existed.

The Grace United Church of Christ on Sullivan Trail is under contract to an undisclosed buyer. Listing agent Elizabeth “Betsy” Casciano, a 37-year veteran with Carr Realty of the Poconos, announced the sale would fund “perpetual care” of the adjoining cemetery through something she called the “Tannersville Union Cemetery Committee.”

What Casciano didn’t mention: her husband Anthony is listed as Safety Officer at Northeast Site Contractors, according to the company’s website. The East Stroudsburg excavation firm is run by Brian Winot, who served as a Pocono Township Commissioner until losing his re-election bid last month.

And while a Pocono Review investigation confirms that a cemetery entity does exist — Tannersville Union Cemetery, Inc., incorporated in 1965 according to Pennsylvania Department of State records — basic questions about its governance remain unanswered.

The Northeast Site Connection

The conflict-of-interest concerns center on a chain of relationships documented in public records.

Northeast Site Contractors’ website lists Anthony Casciano as the company’s Safety Officer, one of roughly 20 employees featured on the firm’s leadership page with photos.

Elizabeth Casciano’s LinkedIn profile describes spending time “together with her friends and husband Anthony.”

Brian Winot is listed as President of Northeast Site Contractors on the company’s website, its Better Business Bureau profile, and numerous other public sources. He co-founded the company in 2005, according to his campaign website.

Until November 2025, Winot also served as a Pocono Township commissioner — the same township where Tannersville is located and where any redevelopment of the church property would require zoning approval.

Official Pocono Township meeting minutes from August 18, 2025 show Winot abstaining from at least one vote “due to his affiliation with N.E. Site.” The Learn Road roundabout project, which Northeast Site was involved with, appears repeatedly in township meeting agendas throughout 2025.

Winot lost his commissioner seat in November 2025, falling to challengers Charles Keppler and Matt Long, according to local news coverage of the election results.

None of these documented relationships prove wrongdoing in the church sale. But in a county where development deals, construction contracts, and local government often overlap, residents say the connections warrant scrutiny.

Casciano and Northeast Site did not respond to requests for comment.

The Cemetery Corporation: Questions About Governance

Pennsylvania Department of State records confirm that Tannersville Union Cemetery, Inc. exists — Entity #352204, incorporated October 11, 1965, with “Active” status.

But that confirmation raises questions.

The entity’s filing history shows a “Decennial Report” from October 1981, along with notations for “Merger with New Pennsylvania Survivor” and “County Orphan History” — both dated October 8, 1981. These entries suggest the nonprofit may have undergone restructuring involving Monroe County’s Orphan’s Court, which handles matters involving deceased persons’ estates.

The state database shows an annual report due date of June 30, 2025. Whether that filing was submitted is unclear from publicly available records.

Casciano referred to the entity as the “Tannersville Union Cemetery Committee” in her public social media posts — different from the corporate name “Tannersville Union Cemetery, Inc.” on file with the state. Whether this reflects a separate informal structure or simply imprecise language is unknown.

Key questions remain unanswered:

• Who currently serves as officers or directors of the nonprofit?
• Is the corporation current on required state filings?
• What was the 1981 merger, and why was the orphan’s court involved?
• What is the relationship between the church and the cemetery corporation?

What the Law Requires — and Doesn’t

Pennsylvania’s Title 9 governs burial grounds and requires that perpetual care fund trustees be either qualified institutional trustees (like banks) or properly incorporated cemetery companies. Tannersville Union Cemetery, Inc. appears to meet the incorporation requirement.

However, church-owned cemeteries are largely exempt from the 15% perpetual care set-aside rules that apply to for-profit burial grounds. A Pittsburgh Post-Gazette investigation found the state has “no workers directly assigned to monitor the financial health of cemeteries.”

When Casciano promises that “every dime” of sale proceeds will fund cemetery care, there is no state agency positioned to verify that claim.

Other Development in the Area

Winot’s business activities extend beyond Northeast Site Contractors.

According to his campaign website at brianforpocono.com, Winot leads Trapasso & Winot Enterprises LLC, which “helped bring Monroe County’s first Sheetz” and is “now leading the development of 356 townhomes in Swiftwater to help address our area’s housing shortage.”

A WNEP news report from 2022 identified Dante Trapasso as one of the developers behind The Swiftwater, a luxury boutique hotel that opened near Mount Pocono.

The pattern of overlapping business and political interests has made some residents wary of development deals in the township.

Residents Raise Additional Concerns

Local resident Terri, who asked that her last name be withheld, has been among those scrutinizing the transaction. She told MonroeCountyPA.com that she and others are organizing to pursue preservation options.

Terri alleges that a property deed was signed by someone named Clair Learn who “shouldn’t have signed” based on their role in the church. The Pocono Review has not independently verified this claim or reviewed the deed in question. The Learn family name is historically significant in Tannersville — Learn Road intersects Sullivan Trail near the church.

Terri also alleges that another potential buyer was “discouraged from purchasing” after being told the church was “full of mold.” She says David Haseney, a local resident who inspected the property, “did not detect any smell of mold.” These claims have not been independently verified.

Casciano acknowledged in her social media post that “THE MAIN ISSUES ARE IN THE FOUNDATION” but declined to elaborate publicly.

“We want to take over care and maintenance of the graveyards out of respect for the people who built Tannersville,” Terri said. She identified Sara Katz, David Haseney, and Lynn Deiter as among those forming a preservation group.

Historic Stakes

Tannersville — originally Pocono Point — was settled around 1750, making it one of Monroe County’s oldest communities. Sullivan Trail takes its name from General John Sullivan, whose Continental Army troops camped nearby in June 1779 before cutting a road through the wilderness.

The church cemetery contains generations of families who built the community. For descendants, the stakes are personal.

What Would Resolve Concerns

Transparency would address most questions:

1. Identify who runs Tannersville Union Cemetery, Inc. Current officers and directors should be publicly disclosed.
2. Confirm state filing status. Is the nonprofit current on required reports?
3. Explain the 1981 history. What was merged, and why was the orphan’s court involved?
4. Disclose sale terms. The buyer’s identity and any deed restrictions protecting the cemetery should be made public.
5. Clarify “committee” vs. “Inc.” Are these the same entity or separate structures?

The Pocono Review has requested corporate officer information from the Pennsylvania Department of State and will update this report as records become available.

If you have documents or information about the Grace United Church property, Tannersville Union Cemetery, Inc., or related transactions, contact the Pocono Review newsroom.

Property: Grace United Church of Christ, Sullivan Trail, Tannersville, Pocono Township, Monroe County, PA

Listing Agent: Elizabeth Casciano, Carr Realty of the Poconos

Status: Under Contract (buyer undisclosed)