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Administrator reports, committee reports, even the business agenda seemed like afterthoughts at the Blue Ridge School Board meeting on April 8th. It was Athletic Director Nick Swaha more or less front and center, recognizing the accomplishments of Blue Ridge winter sports programs.

Before he could get into his own presentation, Elementary School Principal Danelle Decker and High School Principal Casey Webster had their own standouts to present. Ms. Decker introduced Raelyn Thomas, a math and sports enthusiast and future FBI agent, and Brady Thatcher, whose interests lie in science and soccer with a possible future in construction, as her 5th-grade Students of the Month for March.

Ms. Webster selected weight-lifter and future dog groomer Katie Gordon as Senior of the Month for March. She also chose Nicholas Laude, to become a commercial electrician, as Senior Athlete of the Month for March.

Ms. Webster gave special attention to Isaiah Torres's Scholastic Art Award for 2024 sponsored by the Everhart Museum in Scranton. The awards, established in 1923, recognize exceptional talent in young artists and writers in Northeast Pennsylvania. Mr. Torres's special interest is in fashion design, recently on display at Slanted Art in Montrose, as well as at school dances. His work will be entered in national competition.

Athletic Director Nick Swaha then launched into a comprehensive recap of the achievements in sports at Blue Ridge over the winter. Connor Cranage, basketball star with well over 1,000 points during his high school career, and teammate Dylan Bradley, represented a team that took the LIAA Division IV Championship.

Mr. Swaha and the Board also recognized the contributions of three students from the Susquehanna Community School District to the Blue Ridge wrestling program, Brice Woodruff, Torin Fissel and Zach Krupovich.

Mr. Swaha gave special recognition to the Junior High Girls' Basketball team that compiled a winning 13-3 record this year. He also noted that the new Cheer Team participated in 4 competitions this year. Other standouts were Abigail Gelinger, First Team Lackawanna League Basketball All-Star; Carson Gallagher, First Team Lackawanna League Basketball All-Star; and Jackson Maby and Luke Shea, both wrestling First-Team Lackawanna League All-Stars.

Once they got around to the business agenda, Board members approved 28 items on a single roll-call vote. Among the more notable items:

• Non-instructional Staff Compensation and Non-instructional Base Rate Model for the next school year; these items are not presented to the public in detail, but may be requested from the district.
  
  
• Maura Gillespie was transferred to Administrative Assistant to the Middle/High School Principal beginning in July.
  
  
• Jessica Graves was transferred to Administrative Assistant to the Maintenance Director effective immediately.
  
  
• High School teacher Julie Moak resigned as of the end of the school year.
  
  
• Approved an agreement with Speech-Language Pathologist Lindsey Whalen for this summer's extended school year (ESY) program at a rate of $75 per hour.
  
  
• Approved a request from student Olivia Folk for financial assistance attending a youth leadership program at Millersville University. The amount available will be based on all of the applications received, but will not exceed $250.
  
  
• Accepted the resignation of registered nurse Shirley Kocik as of August 1, 2024, while still remaining available as a substitute.
  
  
• Hired Ashley Onyon as Administrative Assistance to the Business Manager effective immediately.
  

The Board usually gives easy approval to the monthly list of bills. The list this month totaled over $213,000. The only stand-out in the list was over $46,000 for substitutes for the month of February.

The Board also approved amendments to several of its policies. All of these changes relate to special regard for the families of military service members.

If you want a taste of Linda's winter-time soups, there won't be many left. This time the Board was fortified with a hearty vegetable soup, full of goodness. The next scheduled public meeting of the Blue Ridge School Board will be focused on finance (the new budget), on Monday, April 22, 2024 beginning at 7:00pm in the cafeteria in the Elementary School.

A long time ago, May 22nd was designated "Nine Partners Day" in honor of the 9 men who stopped walking on their trek from Massachusetts, decided to stay, and, according to Susquehanna County historian Emily Blackman, on that day in 1790 signed documents establishing what became the place called Harford. This year, for the first time that anyone can remember, "Nine Partners Day" will be officially commemorated.

In cooperation with the Harford Township Municipal Authority, the Harford Township Supervisors will sponsor a groundbreaking for the major renovations in prospect for the township's biggest park at the ballfield behind the Harford Village Apartments. Money provided by the Township, local donations, and major grants will allow the first phase of the project to go forward this year, including grading, drainage, fencing and landscaping.

The park project was only one topic at the Supervisors' meeting on April 9th. It opened with consideration of bids for fuels. There was only one for heating oil, from Lindsey Oil of New Milford, at a price of $2.97 per gallon, subject to market fluctuation. For propane, the low bid from Lenox Propane at $1.81 per gallon was accepted.

The 2024 budget allocates $400,000 to paving – not of roads exactly, but of aprons at intersections subject to heavy use and deterioration. Roads Supervisor Kyle Payne identified 25 such locations in the township, and selected 10 to be dealt with first; until bids are received they won't know just how far that amount will go. In addition, 2 of the chosen roads cross township boundaries, so they'll want to know if the neighboring affected township would be willing to contribute. Special attention will be given to water problems at the junction of Tyler Lake Road, School Street and Tingley Lake Road.

Peg Smith, representing the Township's auditing committee (chaired by Connie Breese), summarized their findings covering 2023. She said they found the books to be in good order, and that Secretary Carolyn Jennings was "to be commended" for the quality of her work and her cooperation. They made only two minor recommendations, in particular, that payments split among the Township's major accounts be more clearly identified; some payments may be distributed among, for example, the Township's own accounts and the sewer and water system accounts.

The Supervisors, at the request of the local fire company, appointed 4 individuals as fire police. They asked that the four be present at the next meeting to take the oath of office. Fire police have no arrest power, nor do they carry weapons. They direct traffic at sites of fire company activity, and have somewhat more authority than a fireman to keep onlookers at bay.

And finally, the Supervisors designated the week of May 20 for the Township's annual "cleanup," when residents may sign up to have accumulations of materials collected for disposal. The fee this year will not increase: $70 per truckload. Interested residents should call the Township office to make arrangements and get particulars.

Next year Dustin Walker hopes to celebrate Nine Partners Day with a larger festival. The park project appears to be of special interest to Mr. Walker, chair of the Harford Township Supervisors, who lives in Harford village himself. He said he would invite any and all who have participated in this project, including county Commissioners, state and federal representatives, as well as the general public, to attend the event and begin the new tradition of "Nine Partners Day."

In the meantime, the Supervisors are scheduled to meet in May on the 19th, beginning at 7:00pm at the Township building on Route 547.