| |
| MAIN NEWS |
|
Business Directory Now Online!!!
Please visit our kind sponsors |
|
||||||
|
HEADLINES: The Blue Ridge School Board meeting on June 13 covered a fair amount of ground in an hour and a half - including a brief workshop. The soggy fog that has lain over the district this Spring seems to have brought a calm to the campus for the Summer in more ways than one. During the workshop following the business meeting, Harold Empett announced that his Facilities & Grounds Committee had decided to “drop” the windmill project and asked Johnson Controls to remove the wind-study equipment on the hillside. After a month collecting statistics at the site, the committee determined that the study doesn’t support the installation of a wind turbine to power the Blue Ridge campus. A 1-megawatt 200-foot-high windmill would have cost upwards of $7 million installed. The company believed that a year-long study would show that such a wind turbine could power the campus and provide extra electricity for sale. Since the figures didn’t bear out the original estimate, the now-concluded study will cost the district nothing. And the sometimes contentious negotiations with the Blue Ridge Education Association - the teachers’ union - finally yielded a 3-year contract that Board President Alan Hall said demonstrated the faculty’s commitment to the students and the community that through their sacrifices will enable the district to continue all of its many programs in the face of difficult economic choices. He said that the Board and the faculty had worked to “try and make this work for everybody.” The Board earlier authorized the administration to furlough (lay off) as many as 13 teachers in a bid to cut costs as enrollment continues to decline. In the end, only 4 “Temporary Professional Employee Contracts” will not be renewed. The individuals affected will be offered “recall rights” based on certification and seniority. As many as 7 or 8 additional staff were cut through retirement or voluntary termination. Board member Shane Rumage also thanked the teachers and the administration for their hard work and effort. Under the new contract, teachers will remain at their current salaries next year, with a 2% increase during the second year, and 3% in the third. Teachers will be required to have at least a master’s degree “to move on the salary schedule.” At the same time they will contribute 7% of their health insurance premiums during the first year of the contract, and 10% thereafter. (The teachers currently pay nothing for health coverage.) They will also be offered $50,000 of life insurance coverage. According to Mr. Hall, under state regulations teachers will be contributing more to their pensions as well, up to 8% by 2015 or so. In addition, a new “tier” will bring new teachers in at different benefit levels. They may elect to “buy into” the first tier at their own cost. The new contract is more restrictive in its provisions for reimbursing teachers for additional education credits. The district will pay for courses at the “Penn State rate” only for courses at the master’s level in the teacher’s certification area, and only at fully-accredited institutions of higher learning. They will be reimbursed 100% for an A grade and 75% for a B. Courses outside of an individual’s certification area will require explicit approval. According to Mr. Hall, these provisions are intended to ensure that a teacher’s continuing education “has to be a benefit to the district.” A provision included in an “early-bird” contract offer last winter would have precluded furloughs. The new contract does not. Moreover, the list of extra-curricular positions known as Schedule B is at the sole discretion of the school board, and the district has the option to hire coaches from outside the campus if applicants are found to be better qualified. Other staffing decisions were made at the meeting, and some yet remain. Jill Hoffman was formally appointed Athletic Director. And Mr. Hall said that Mark Fallon is no longer employed by the district, but that his replacement, Barbara McCain will remain as “acting” director until the board can decide on the role of that position. Lisa Carden and Laurie Klenchik were appointed learning support and life-skills/autism teachers for the summer sessions; Tonya Haley and Elizabeth Hubi were appointed paraeducators for the same period. According to Ms. McCain, the summer sessions will accommodate some 5 learning-support and 7 life-skills students. The Board also approved the annual request from Child Evangelism Fellowship of Susquehanna County for “religious instruction release time” next year. According to the request, 13 children attended these classes during the 2010-2011 school year. The Board approved a “letter of agreement” with NHS Human Services Northeastern Pennsylvania to provide “School Outreach Services” at $383 per day, “for approximately 30 days per school year” totaling about $11,500. According to the agreement, the NHS program “will include prevention and intervention for children and adolescents at risk as well as those already identified as having school related difficulties warranting additional support.” NHS provides a wide range of social services to its clients. In response to a question, Superintendent Robert McTiernan said that Blue Ridge would pay only for services that the district uses. The Board approved another agreement with PA Treatment & Healing (PATH) for the new school year. PATH has undergone a number of identity changes over the years. It is the organization that provides “alternative education” for disruptive students. Board member Laurie Brown-Bonner asked that the program be monitored to try to ensure that students in the program have access to as much of the Blue Ridge academic curriculum as possible so that when they return to Blue Ridge they are not too far behind their classmates. The PATH center is in South Montrose and charges $52.60 per day for students assigned to its care. The Board also approved a lengthy “memorandum of understanding” with the Pennsylvania State Police defining practices and procedures for handling cases involving crimes and serious offenses against school policy at the Blue Ridge campus. The Board renewed its agreement with Murphy, Dougherty and Company of Moscow, PA for auditing services. During the workshop, Mr. Hall responded to stories in the press about the controversy involving a car dealership and the use of the ballfields in Hallstead. He said that these are “school issues” that are causing problems for the dealership, and urged people attending events at the park to “act appropriately.” A parent attended the meeting to ask the Board and administration to review policies with regard to the athletic scholar award. The award goes to the student with the highest grade-point average (GPA) who has participated in at least 2 sports in Junior and Senior years. Because the current policy evaluates the GPA at the end of the Junior year, a student athlete who works hard to improve his rank during the senior year cannot qualify. Mr. Hall directed the administration to review the policy for recommendations. Mr. Hall renewed his accusations against legislators in Harrisburg that “they want public education [in Pennsylvania] to fail” to satisfy campaign contributors from private and charter school organizations. He regularly visits Harrisburg as a representative of the Pennsylvania State Association of School Boards, and lobbies vigorously against school voucher legislation that he claims would bring ruin to public schools in the state. Yet with supporters like the local Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO), how can Blue Ridge fail? Karen Gudykunst, PTO Treasurer, presented Business Manager Loren Small with a check for $9,000 to help pay for new playground equipment. Just one of many projects that Mr. Small will oversee this summer. The next public meeting of the Blue Ridge School Board is scheduled for Monday, June 27, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria in the Elementary School. Committees often meet up to an hour earlier. Check the district website for the latest information.
Several representatives of the county chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees attended the June 15 meeting of the Susquehanna Community School Board to recognize two of the district’s employees. Elementary teacher Carolyn Homer and support professional Carla Perry were recognized for their outstanding service to the district and the community’s children and were presented with plaques. PASR also presents scholarships to the county’s school districts on a rotating basis, and next year one will be awarded to a SCSD student in the amount of $200. The budget was the subject of lengthy discussion. Even though school districts are required to pass theirs at this time of the year, the state has yet to finalize one, which leaves some uncertainty as to what subsidies the district will be receiving for the coming year. But, the latest version of the state budget is expected to be more education-friendly than previous versions. A motion carried to approve the district’s final budget in the amount of $12,940,648. The board also approved a memorandum of understanding with the district Education Association regarding a salary freeze for the 2011-12 school year and a one-year extension of the current collective bargaining agreement until June 30, 2015. Other items approved were a salary freeze for the 2011-12 school year for management team employees, non-instructional employees, the business manager and the special education coordinator, and a one year extension of the related contracts. Superintendent Bronson Stone noted that his contract has a five-year salary freeze and would not be given the one-year extension. The district recently held a campus-wide emergency evacuation drill, and all those who assisted were acknowledged for their participation. The summer will be spent with a focus on in-service training, as, over the next few years students will be required to read and write more complex material, mostly due to Keystone Exam requirements. For those students requiring summer school, a new online course has been made available at a considerable savings to the district over what it would have cost to hold classroom sessions. Brain Niblock, the district’s new girls’ varsity basketball coach, was present and was introduced. Other items approved by the board were as follows: Policies regarding graduation requirements, fiscal objectives and the district audit. The PA Treatment and Healing agreement for the 2011-12 school year. A Memorandum of Understanding with the PA State Police at Gibson and the Lanesboro Police Department for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years. An anti-bullying program to be implemented in the 2011-12 school year; its focus is to teach bystanders what to do when they witness bullying. A homebound request for a twelfth grade student. Donating $100 to the Susquehanna Fire Department Ambulance. Summer rates for three bus contractors. A resolution relating to the Homestead and Farmstead Exclusion; the numbers had to be changed slightly due to new tax information received; the change was a difference of forty cents. The resignations of Thomas Harvey, part-time security and Deborah Zayas, high school aide, both effective June 10. Substitute Dawn Allen, maintenance. Volunteers David Szili, and Nick Felter, weight room; Julie Hargett-Watkins, varsity and junior high cross country and all levels of girls’ basketball for the 2011-12 school year; Alice Rhone, cross country for the 2011-12 school year. The resignation of Jocelyn Grossman, high school health and physical education teacher, effective at the end of the 2010-11 school year. Joanna Soden as a cross country volunteer for the 2011-12 season. Donating $75 to the Barnes-Kasson Hospital Foundation for their annual golf tournament. Policy 815, which deals with computer and internet acceptable use. The customary list of activity requests. The board also approved hiring of the following: Thomas Adornato, summer Behind the Wheel teacher; Michael Chesnick, part-time security; Brittni Stall and Matthew DiLiberto, ESY teachers; Roze DeCicco, Debra White, Mary Baker and Carla Perry, ESY aides; John Adams, ESY speech teacher. And, for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years, hiring of the following was approved: Alice Rhone, junior varsity girls’ basketball coach; Tom Kubas, junior high girls’ basketball coach; Carol Bushong, SADD advisor; Teresa Marino, fall and spring drama director; Charlene Brieden and Pamela Weiss, senior class advisor; Carmen Maby and Pamela Weiss, junior class advisor; Teresa Marino, Junior/Senior chorus advisor; Teresa Marino, marching band advisor; Carly Batzel, student council advisor; Hannah Taylor, Scholastic Bowl; Bridget O’Neill, National Honor Society; Kristin Stanford and Roxann Lloyd, yearbook co-advisors; Michael Wowk, elementary choral advisor. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, August 3 at 7:00 p.m. in the administration offices in the elementary building.
Courthouse Report DEEDS Jeffrey S. and Diane Marie Carson to Jeffrey S. and Diane Marie Carson, in Lathrop Township for one dollar. David J. and Victoria A. Stelmach to Michael D. and Irish N. Brainard, in Gibson Township for $160,000.00. Robert C. McPherson to Catherine E. Gleason, in Apolacon Township and Little Meadows Borough for one dollar. Phillip L., Jr. and Kathryn M. Hari to Mary Hari Coffey, in New Milford Borough for one dollar. Beneficial Homes LLC to Gregersen LLC, in Lanesboro Borough for $6,750.00. Benjamin Siano (by atty) to Benjamin and George B. Siano, in Forest City for one dollar. TNT 1 Limited Partnership to Rock Lake, Inc., in New Milford Township for $755,000.00. Elk Manor Estates LLC and Douglas G. Kilmer to Elk Manor Estates LLC, in Clifford Township for $100.00. Douglas George Arbour and Lisa Scott to John C. Lackey, in Middletown Township for $90,000.00. William B. and Amy L. Bush to Timothy D. Blaisure, in Jessup Township for $60,000.00. Kenneth E., Jr. and Gail Smith (NBM) Gail Davis to Kenneth E., Jr. and Gail Smith (NBM) Gail Davis, in Great Bend Township for one dollar. Skip M. Tracy to David and Susan Canfield, in New Milford Township for $70,000.00. Marcia and Charles J. Aliano to Ashlie Yoder, in Susquehanna for $14,000.00. Hilda Lee (estate) to Linda Magill, in Hop Bottom Borough for $5,000.00. Ivan R. and Elaine Burman to Ivan R. and Elaine Burman, in Ararat Township for one dollar. Daniel V. and Sarah L. Snee (NBM) Sarah L. Conaty to Daniel V. and Sarah L. Snee, in Hallstead Borough for one dollar. Robert E., Jr. and Beverly B. Lee and Great Bend Associated LP to Robert E, Jr. and Beverly B. Lee and Great Bend Limited Partnership, in Great Bend Borough for one dollar. Alexander James, Jr. and Barbara Jean Novack to Alexander James, Jr. and Barbara Jean Novack, in Silver Lake Township for one dollar. Joan R. Poirier to Robert W. Barnett and Lynn A. Senick, in Montrose for $85,000.00. Thomas M. Horrex to Thomas M. Horrex and Ruth Milnes, in Springville Township for one dollar. BENCH WARRANTS The Susquehanna County Domestic Relations Section has bench warrants for the following individuals as of 10:07 a.m. on June 17, 2011. Edward R. Ashman, Tonya S. Birchard, Douglas Buckman, Howard A. Burns, III, James J. Corridoni, Randall L. Cox, John C. Creps, Heather R. DeBoer, Charles S. Dunn, John F. Feeley, David J. Fischer, Dustin Godfrey, David Haines, Jr., William Neil Hendrickson, Shannon J. Hollister, Steven L. Jones, Christopher J. Kingsbury, Eric C. Kohlhepp, Erik E. Krisovitch, Lee Labor, Charlie J. Legere, Carlos L. Leiser, Jason Lindquist, Michael Maryasz, Mark C. McCarey, Jennifer M. Miller, Matthew S. Miller, Donald Palmer, Jeremy Presson, Arthur D. Quick, Perry Rohan, David J. Shiner, Peter S. Showalter, Eric J. Snell, Justin Thompson, Robert J. Twilley, Steven G. Warner, Steven G. Wormuth. Please contact the Domestic Relations Section at 570-278-4600 ext. 170 with any information on the location of these individuals.
Lyncott Reviewed, Buildings Bid There was a handout on the Lyncott Landfill situation available for public perusal at the July 15 New Milford Township meeting. This topic was one of the few covered during the relatively (and characteristically) brief meeting. A letter had been received from Spectra environmental engineers regarding notification of a general operation permit for a portable non-metallic processing plan. This, Mr. Hunter said, was essentially a portable crusher, which would go into a quarry and crush up stone. It was to be placed on the Onyon property off 848, below the police barracks. Three bids had been received for the cinder shed and garage. These were opened at the meeting, but would not be accepted until the next day at 1 p.m. to allow the supervisors time to appropriately review them. The first was from Doubletree Contractors, for $75,750 for the shed and $108,705 for a maintenance garage with a concrete floor (around $184,455 total). Berys Construction bid $114,473 for the storage shed, and $136,488 for the maintenance garage ($250,962 total). The final bid was for Hohn Construction, at $136,400, and $123,700 respectively ($250,100 total). The bids did not include the demolition of the existing structures. The supervisors then once again spoke about the Lyncott situation, referencing once again the meeting where 19 people from various agencies and companies had met to discuss the matter. In the meantime the supervisors had sent letters to local Pennsylvania officials, twelve in total. The letters spoke of the sudden influx of natural gas production and the critical issues it brought with it which the supervisors had to deal with. It mentioned the IBM industrial waste which was on the property, and the post-closure plan which in 1994 had been drafted and approved. That plan had stipulated the evaluation of ground water, and annual reports stated that chemicals continued to be present when the wells were monitored. Since the time natural gas exploration began in the area, the real property comprising the landfill had been leased for the purpose of natural gas exploration to Southwest Energy. Since the lease was executed with the landfill owners Southwest had proposed building three wells on and around the landfill. DEP was asked for permits, and the supervisors had expressed their concern. They believed that a disturbance to the area would be an environmental gamble, especially with the number of private wells in close proximity to the area. Their concerns were made known to DEP, Waste Management, Southwest Energy, and legislators. Pad 30 had been approved by DEP, but that was on the other side of the hill from the landfill. The township supervisors wished the public to know that the township was way behind in its road maintenance due to mother nature. The supervisors do plan on continuing the work however. Someone asked what was going on with the bridge up near Tingley lake. Mr. Hunter advised that the person asking not hold his breath. The state detour for this is all the way back to Harford, but anyone who knows the roads might take another route.
Roads Or Junk In Harford? The Harford Township Supervisors covered a broad agenda at their meeting on June 14, to which Supervisor Garry Foltz added, as is his wont, a list of follow-up items. The focus, however, as always, had to be on the roads. With the wet weather so far this year, dust hasn’t yet been a major complaint. The emphasis was shifted to how to get more time and labor on the roads during the critical summer season. Harford scheduled its “cleanup” for the third week of June this year, when residents can sign up to have surplus metals and other detritus collected for a fee. Earlier, Mr. Foltz had wanted to skip the cleanup this year, to allow the crews to concentrate on working the roads. He was overruled by the votes of his colleagues. At the meeting he reviewed some statistics from prior years and asked that the cleanup crew be scheduled in such a way that the cleanup would take the minimum time away from roadwork. Typically, the crews pick up the junk around the township and deposit it at the township yard. Supervisor and Secretary Sue Furney said that the cleanup generally goes into a second week as the collected materials are sorted and disposed of. Supervisor and Roadmaster Terry VanGorden said that beginning next year the township would no longer pick up televisions or computers. He said that too much hazardous material from this type of castoff electronic equipment has been overloading landfills. He said that Montrose has a separate program that attempts to recycle electronics by special order. Mr. Foltz repeated his proposal from last month to establish a recycling program in Harford. The project to replace a sluice under Richardson Road has been delayed again due to the weather and an excess flow of water at that location. The project has been given an extension until the end of November by the granting agency. Mr. VanGorden reported that the county Housing and Development office received no bids on the project to repave School Street in Harford village, and will continue to solicit bids. The work is supported by a grant because the street is the location of the low-income Harford Village Apartments complex. Mr. Foltz asked Ms. Furney to contact the township’s solicitor about the status of the legal action at Tingley Lake. The township is awaiting a response to the latest response of the plaintiffs, and nothing has appeared in 2 months. Ms. Furney reported that the township’s insurer has suggested that the Supervisors consider a new ordinance that would authorize workmens’ compensation coverage for members of the fire company when they are engaged in “non-firefighting activities” such as fund-raisers, catering events and the like. Members of the fire department present at the meeting said that volunteers who participate in these types of activities for the fire company but who are not officially members, are already covered under the fire department’s own insurance. Individuals who help out with the fire company frequently are encouraged to become “social members,” not including some groups such as scouts. The proposed ordinance draft will be sent to the township’s solicitor for review. Mr. VanGorden reported that an evaluation of the township’s radio equipment determined that most of the problems could be fixed by tuning antennas and repairing coaxial cable. He said that the professional survey was a lot cheaper than the $10,000 to $13,000 that an all-new system would cost. It appears that the heater in the sewer plant building needs replacing. Mr. Foltz reviewed the situation and said that he would encourage the plant’s operator to improve maintenance and operating procedures so that, for example, the breaker could have been turned off when the heater died. He said that none of the breakers in the electrical panel were labeled. He also noted that louvers associated with two fans were blocked by accumulated tools, and that some of them had been damaged. Discussing the township’s new web site, some in attendance wanted to know how much the township would be paying for setup and maintenance. Mr. Foltz was reluctant to give any figures, but Ms. Furney said that the fire company’s site cost about $3,000 originally, and is maintained for about $500 per year. In the end Mr. Foltz said he didn’t think the township site would cost half that. The site’s webmaster, David Oakley, has mentioned a figure of $100 per page, but adding all of the township’s ordinances and permits make calculating a final cost difficult. Mr. Foltz repeated his insistence that the township follow up on all of its auditors’ recommendations, including the installation of a time clock for the workers. Ms. Furney said that she would be working with the computer consultant to make it possible for the township to print payroll checks from the computer. But neither she nor Mr. VanGorden would support the use of a time clock for the workforce. Both said that they had canvassed other nearby municipalities, none of which are known to use timeclocks for their workers. Mr. Foltz, vowing to press the issue, said that he would make his own research survey. Mr. Foltz asked his colleagues to consider trying to replace two of the township’s trucks. He said that one of them would not pass another inspection. Both are over 8 years old, and he thinks that, by using some of the gas lease bonus and financing over 3-4 years, both could be replaced with new equipment. He also said that he would support taking on additional labor for the summer, to get the road work done, and because of the damage to the roads caused by a watery Spring and the depredations of heavy truck traffic. He said that, while the gas companies often claim that they will improve the roads before subjecting them to heavy loads, sometimes that doesn’t happen. Whether the township or the gas companies do the work, roads will always be a focal point in Harford, all 62 miles of them. Hear all about it at the next meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, July 12, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
FCR To Modify Honors Program Entitled simply “Plastics are Bad,” a presentation on the use of plastic utensils in the school cafeteria opened the June meeting of the Forest City Regional School Board. Presenters Caelin Logar and Nick Rutledge, who researched their topic as a service learning project for gifted class, discussed the environmental problems with plastics and the economic value of avoiding plastic utensils. The students’ data showed that the school uses about 160,000 plastic utensils each year, at an annual cost of $4,600, but would only require 1,600 metal utensils, which could be purchased for $500. In following years, the boys added, only a fraction of metal ware would require replacing. Currently, Forest City does not have racks for washing utensils, but Logar and Rutledge emphasized that switching to metal ware would still be “cheaper and better for the environment.” Next was a presentation by curriculum council members Carrie Kemmerer, Daniel Nebzydoski, Christopher Wade and Cynthia Washine, proposing modifications to the school’s honors program. The curriculum council explained that although Forest City already has an “academic track” and offers some accelerated and honors courses, the group hopes to offer honors courses in math, social studies, science and English as a comprehensive “honors package,” requiring that an honors student participate in all four honors courses. The plan will first impact the class of 2014. A second aspect of the honors program would involve a faculty council, which would review and monitor academic performance. Wade described the honors program as “a step higher than the academic track” and as an “internal motivation program” in which students face a greater work load and more challenging classes in order to prepare for college. However, one board member questioned the stipulation that an honors student enroll in all four honors courses. “I have a hard time with that,” she said, asking what is done for the student who excels in just one area. Presenters explained that school data shows “most kids… do well across the board,” and due to scheduling complications, it is necessary to have honors courses taken as a package. Wade admitted that certain students may perform better in one subject than another, but he asserted, “That’s not necessarily a bad thing to ask them to work a little harder… This is about high expectations.” Following was a discussion of the tentative general fund budget. Kathleen Kazka explained that after a review by the State Senate Appropriations Committee, the district is reverting to its traditional taxing method, although, Kazka clarified, “The numbers turn out to be essentially the same in terms of revenue.” Kazka also provided details on a plan to save approximately $63,000 through program limitations. This includes a $25,000 technology reduction, which will be achieved by moving from a 4-year to a 5-year rotation for purchasing new computers. When a question arose about the elimination of the driver training car, Christine Acevedo, high school principal, explained that students will still take the theory class. “We’re trying not to eliminate programs entirely; we’re trying not to eliminate teacher positions,” she said. John J. Kopicki, currently the principal at JFK Elementary School in Scranton, will replace Dr. Robert Vadella as Forest City Regional Superintendent. The board received thirteen initial candidates for the position and conducted six interviews. Kopicki thanked the board and wished Vadella well. “I look forward to working with everyone,” he stated, “I’m enthused about getting started.” Kopicki assumes the role of superintendent effective July 1, 2011. On June 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the high school library, the board will hold a special meeting, open to the public, to pass the final budget. A detailed report of the PSSA scores will also be provided. Vadella announced, “The numbers are looking pretty good… in elementary and secondary.”
Gibson Barracks Report CRIMINAL MISCHIEF Sometime overnight on June 14 a picnic table at the New Milford Borough public pool was flipped over. Damage was done. HARASSMENT On June 14 at 11:30 p.m. Dustin Godfrey of Springville went to the residence of Bobbie Jo Walker of Dimock to talk to his employee. When he arrived a verbal dispute occurred between the two over the telephone, and Walker bit Godfrey, causing minor bruising to his finger. Charges were filed at District Court 34-3-01. CRASH On June 10 at 11:29 p.m. Steves Arvisais of Blainville, QC was traveling south on Interstate 81 in Great Bend Township when he looked down to take a drink of his coffee and then looked to the passenger seat to talk to his passenger. While distracted, he drove his vehicle off the west berm and struck the guard rail, losing control and proceeding to drive across 81 and off the east berm. The engine compartment of the Mazda 3 then caught fire but was extinguished by emergency responders. Both the driver and a passenger were utilizing seat belts; they sustained minor injury. CRASH On June 10 at 1:22 a.m. Jennifer Degroff of Nicholson was traveling east on SR 374 in Lenox Township when she fell asleep and drove off the north berm of the road, hitting an embankment. The vehicle traveled an additional 68 feet, hitting the embankment and flipping onto its right side, before coming to a final rest approximately 10 feet off the north berm. A seat belt was in use; minor injury was sustained. POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER On June 13 at 10:30 a.m. a trooper initiated a traffic stop on a black Jeep Grand Cherokee with a MN registration (on 81 in New Milford Township) for a motor vehicle violation. Contact was made with the operator of the vehicle, Charles Hughes III of Magnolia, DE, and a strong odor of marijuana was emitting from inside the vehicle. Consent to search was obtained after Hughes was observed throwing a clear plastic bag of marijuana outside the front passenger window. The written consent search yielded 1.5 pounds of high grade marijuana, which was located in the rear cargo area of the vehicle. Hughes was later arraigned at district court 34-3-02. Bail was set at $75,000, which the accused was unable to post, leading to detention at the county jail. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for June 20 as of the time of report. RETAIL THEFT On June 12 at 1:45 p.m. Matthew Drogan of Meshoppen pumped $30 of gasoline from the Pump and Pantry in Montrose, and requested two packs of cigarettes. He then left the store without paying. He was charged with retail theft, which may carry a $300 fine and/or up to 90 days in jail. In addition, a driver's license suspension may apply. BURGLARY On June 11 between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. the residence belonging to Marianne Geyer of Harford was entered, and an antique typewriter sitting on the floor near the door removed. The typewriter was then deposited at the end of her driveway. Two other burglaries were investigated in the same area by Cpl. Burman and Tpr. Lindsey; anyone with information is asked to please contact PSP Gibson. BURGLARY The residence of John Rehm of Washington DC, in Gibson Township, was broken into. Approximately 200' of 3/4” copper pipes were cut out of the basement. BURGLARY Between the 1st and 11th of June entry to the home of Robert Berish of Hop Bottom was obtained through a forced basement door. A gun cabinet was pried open, and a rifle stolen. Anyone with information is asked to please contact the police. BURGLARY On June 8, between 9:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., a subject forcibly made entry into a Silver Lake Township home. The name of the homeowner was withheld due to an ongoing investigation. Entrance was made via the northeastern bedroom window. Once inside, the burglar removed money and prescription drugs from within without authorization or consent. Anyone with information is asked to please contact PSP Gibson. The investigation was ongoing as of the time of report. CRASH On May 30 at 1:30 p.m. Christopher Sobonski of Montrose was traveling south on SR 858 in Middletown Township when, for unknown reasons, he lost control of his vehicle, traveling off the west berm. It struck a guiderail, continued south, and traveled into a creek bottom, coming to a rest there. A lap and shoulder belt was in use; moderate injury was sustained. CRASH On June 6 at 5:20 a.m. Christopher Warner of Springville failed to negotiate a right curve on State Highway 29 in Dimock Township, traveling across the northbound lane and off the east berm. The vehicle traveled approximately 15' off the east berm and struck two wooden fence posts, continuing approximately another 65' in a southeasterly direction, impacting a tree, traveling around another 15' and striking another tree. The use of safety equipment was listed as unknown; injury was obtained of unknown severity. Police were assisted at the scene by members of the Springville fire department. RETAIL THEFT On May 31 at 10:03 Dawn Schwarztrauber of Springville is accused of taking two zippo lighters valued at $50.01 without paying for them in full from the Pump and Pantry in Montrose, where she was employed at the time. The accused told a fellow employee to ring the sale under general merchandise for $5.00 and then took possession of the lighters. Charges were filed at District Court 34-3-01. ASSAULT-HARASSMENT On June 11 at 1:40 a.m. Wayne Sands, Jr. of the Meshoppen area reported, Richard Steel Jr. (of Stevensville) and/or Nicole Warner (of Montrose) struck him about the head and neck during a dispute that escalated to the point of physical contact. Charges were pending for violations of PACC. CRASH - LEFT THE SCENE On June 11 at 5:08 a.m. Colleen Ivey of Montrose was traveling south on SR 29 in Franklin Township when her vehicle traveled across the northbound lane and exited the roadway, coming to a rest in a ditch east of SR 29. The vehicle suffered front end, driver's side, and undercarriage damage, requiring towing from the scene. Ivey left the scene prior to police response. Minor injury was sustained; a seat belt was in use. TRAFFIC CRASH On June 3 at 4:48 a.m. Miranda Kraycer of Clarks Summit was traveling west along SR 374 in Lenox Township when she lost control of her vehicle while negotiating a curve in the road. The vehicle left the roadway to the south, traveled through some brush, and then collided with a tree. Kraycer and a front seat passenger, John Brogan of Clarks Summit, were transported from the scene to CMC for treatment. Three rear seat passengers, Kerry Joyce, Kelly Nichols, and Evan D'Oro of Clark Summit, were not present upon PSP arrival. The news release was delayed until the identity of the rear seat passengers was determined. The investigation was still ongoing as of the time of report. CRASH - LEFT THE SCENE On June 10 at 1:42 a.m. Maureen Kollar of Binghamton was traveling eastbound on SR 4006 in Silver Lake Township when she lost control of her vehicle as it negotiated a left curve in the roadway. The vehicle exited onto the right shoulder, traveled over a ditch, impacted an embankment, and began a clockwise rotation, before continuing along the embankment, impacting a tree, and beginning a rolling maneuver. The vehicle came to a final rest on its driver's side. Kollar was utilizing a seatbelt; she sustained minor injury and left the scene prior to police response. THEFT FROM A MOTOR VEHICLE The police are investigating the theft of a validation sticker stolen from Linda Rafferty's vehicle. The vehicle was located in the Kime Apartment's parking lot in Great Bend Borough at the time of the theft. CRASH On May 30 at 12:40 a.m. Andrew Whittock of Binghamton was traveling north on State Highway 167 in Silver Lake Township when, while attempting to negotiate a curve, he lost control of his vehicle while driving across debris. The motorcycle overturned. Police were assisted by Silver Lake Fire Company. A motorcycle helmet was in use; moderate injury was sustained. BURGLARY Between May 22 and 28 a red toro LX468 lawn tractor and gas can were stolen from a storage shed belonging to the Denton Crick Sportsman's Club in Great Bend Township. The club was offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible, as of the time of report. BURGLARY A Clifford Township residence, belonging to Kirk Smith (location unlisted) was entered by means of a smashed rear basement window. Approximately 138 DVD's of various titles were stolen. BURGLARY A Great Bend Township residence belonging to an unnamed man was entered on May 25 between 3 a.m. and 5 p.m. Cash and personal items were removed from within. Anyone having information is asked to please contact PSP Gibson at the usual number. THEFT PSP is investigating the theft of a blue 2002 Yamaha ttr125, belonging to Edward Turner of New Milford, from a New Milford Township location. BURGLARY Between May 29 and 31, the residence of Gregory Feduchak in Lenox Township was entered. An unknown instrument was used to defeat the locking mechanism of the rear door. After entrance was obtained, a Nikon coolpix digital camera, a Nikon battery charger, a jar of change containing approximately $800, and a Remington model 700 300 win mag were removed. BURGLARY On June 3, between 5:45 and 6 p.m., the door to a shed on the property of the Hallstead fire department was kicked open, resulting in the bending and breaking of the locking clasp. Nothing was taken. SIMPLE ASSAULT Mark Williams of Hop Bottom was taken into custody on June 4 at 3:16 a.m. following a domestic violence situation which erupted at that time. Williams was to be further charged with related violations for his behavior following the alleged assault. Proceedings were to be forthcoming as of the time of report. DUI SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS AND ROVING PATROLS In Pennsylvania, drinking and driving remains a top safety issue. From recent PennDOT statistics, over 14,500 dui crashes occur annually on Pennsylvania roadways and highways killing over 500 people and injuring over 13,000 others. Of all crashes occurring annually a DUI crash is five times more likely to result in death than those not related to alcohol. Police of the Troop R, Gibson Station conducted DUI Sobriety Checkpoints and DUI Roving patrols last weekend. To prevent and deter drinking and driving on that weekend, the Pennsylvania State Police Sobriety Checkpoints and Roving Patrols were to be conducted with a zero tolerance enforcement policy. Before drinking and driving motorist should consider that Pennsylvania's DUI laws prescribe a legal limit of .08% blood alcohol concentration (BAC). DUI is a misdemeanor offense and penalties can range from a $300 fine with six months probation all the way up to fines of $5,000 with prison sentences of up to 5 years. Sentences can include driver's license suspensions of up to 18 months, attendance at Alcohol Highway Safety Schools, and mandatory Ignition Interlock Systems. Please don't drink and drive. If you have information regarding any of these incidents please contact the police at (570) 465-3154.
Oakland Twp. Questions Reports Oakland Township and Oakland Boro have been in negotiations to form a regional police department, and the boro has been providing police coverage to the township since November. At the June 14 township supervisors’ meeting, the future of that endeavor was discussed in detail. Supervisor Cy Cowperthwait was of the opinion that the negotiations are not coming together. There were some problems, he said, such as the monthly reports that the boro was submitting to the township. Those that were submitted were lacking in details, and some reports were missing. He feels that the reports should include which officers worked which shifts, and what activities were conducted, including tickets and citations issued and to whom. There was a discussion as to whether or not the names of citizens should be included on the reports; Mr. Cowperthwait said that he had checked into the legality of including names and had found that it is legal to do so. He felt that they should be included in case there was a reason to follow up, such as if a citizen were to make a complaint. He said that the boro had been requested to provide more details on the reports but had declined to do so. He suggested discontinuing the service (police coverage) until an agreement is reached with the boro. At the next committee meeting, the supervisors will again request detailed reports, and if details are omitted, the supervisors want to know by what specific law they are being omitted. In other business, there was continued discussion about the beaver dam on Bedbug Hollow; if it were to break it would be a hazard to the lower road as it would cause flooding. But, there are limits as to what the township can do about them. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has purchased the Boughton property on Route 92, and plans to put up a church. The township was represented at a meeting with the county Planning Commission to discuss those plans. A review of current codes violations included a complaint about an outdoor wood furnace at a property on Riverside Drive, and a situation where the property owner is working with the township’s Sewage Enforcement Officer. Under new business, a motion carried to appoint Barbara Whitehead as the township’s secretary treasurer, at a salary of $600 per month effective July 5. A motion carried to purchase a new printer and computer for the secretary’s use. Building security was discussed; the proposed regional police department had been in the process of setting up an office on the second floor of the township building, but have not been using it in favor of using Susquehanna Boro’s facilities. As there is uncertainty about how many building keys are in circulation and who has them, a motion carried to change the building’s locks. A log will be kept of who new keys are given to. The meeting adjourned after a detailed discussion of the year-to-date budget. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, July 12 at 7:00 p.m.
Silver Lake Twp. Police Report DOMESTIC DISPUTE On May 6 SLTPD responded to a domestic dispute in Forest Lake Township on the Forest Lake Road. Interviews at the scene showed that the dispute had become physical and charges are pending further investigation. SELF INFLICTED STAB WOUNDS On May 21 at approximately 2315hrs, a Montrose resident was found lying on SR267, Forest Lake Township, after intentionally inflicting several stab wounds to the abdomen. The individual was evaluated and treated by SLTPD and the Forest Lake First Response Team and rushed to Wilson Hospital by the Montrose Minute Men. ABANDONED VEHICLE On May 19, a vehicle was left at a private property on SR167 with no plate or registration information. The vehicle had several valuable items in the vehicle. This incident is still under investigation. MISC. INVESTIGATION On May 17, it was reported that Griffis Road in Forest Lake Township had been badly damaged by truck traffic. Investigation showed that heavy trucks had caused deep heavy ruts and damage. This incident is still under investigation. DOMESTIC DISPUTE/CIVIL MATTERS On May 10, a family dispute at Cranberry Lake resulted in disagreements over lake and property rights within the family involved. At this time the situation should be resolved civilly. The parties were advised to settle the situation civilly or be subject to criminal charges. IMPERSONATING AN OFFICER On May 9, individuals were pulled over by another individual in an unmarked vehicle with some flashing lights. The individual flashed a badge, asked for license I.D. and used profanity before jumping back into the vehicle and speeding off. The only description of the vehicle was that it was a low profile sports car. WIRES DOWN (ASSIST) On May 20, SLTPD assisted the Silver Lake Fire Company with trees down on top of wires on Donavan Road. VEHICLE CODE VIOLATION On May 21, a Laurel Lake resident reported a suspicious looking grey p/u truck with a very loud muffler running back and forth around the lake. No further information was available. SLTPD searched for the vehicle. MISC. INVESTIGATION On May 28, one of the local Churches in Silver Lake Township was found to be unsecured and all lights were left on. After a search and investigation, the key holder and proper people were contacted and the church was secured. It had apparently been inadvertently left unattended. ALARM/ SECURITY On May 26, a Max Security Alarm was reported on Gus Park Lane in Silver Lake Township. After an investigation it was determined that the residence was secured and normal. Any information or questions for Silver Lake Township Police, please call 570-278-6818 or e-mail silverlaketwppd@epix.net. All information will be held strictly confidential. Visit silverlaketwp.org to see all of Silver Lake Townships’ news, profiles and resources, including the police reports.
Scholars At MASD At the June 13 meeting of the Montrose school board, members of the scholastic team were honored. That team had, since the 2004-2005 school year, Mr. Ognosky said, finished first or second in the intermediate unit competition every year but one. Mr. Koloski, the adviser, stood up and thanked the board, administration, and anyone involved with the academic trophy case. The team, he said, had filled the top two shelves during the last two years. Included was a second place national trophy from the year before. The students present at the meeting, he said, were just excellent, and ran their own team essentially. There was no in-fighting, and they elected their own captains. The program had been recently expanded to include juniors and sophomores, spreading the experience. The students honored included: Thomas Jordan, Christopher Jordan, Katelyn Spellman, David Koloski, Nicholas Best, Emily Hardy-Shephard, Carolyn Myer, Mead Hansen, and Andrew Wood and Jason Savage. The captain, Thomas Jordan, was singled out first, who was also the valedictorian and had served on the all-star team for two years in a row. Then they proceeded to say something about each student. Christopher had won at tennis as well, Katelyn was a newspaper editor, Emily was an outstanding member of the student liaison committee, David was to be attending a summer camp, and Andrew was interested in both math and literature. Mr. Koloski said that if someone was looking for a reason why the team hadn't achieved a first place, the teams that defeated them were academically excellent, but that was their only activity. The Montrose students had no shame in losing then, he continued, as they did so much else as well. The seniors were asked about future plans, which ranged from secondary education to science. Mr. Koloski received his own certificate. Mr. Ognoski then addressed the students, speaking on graduation. The day was a tribute to the class, he said congratulating them. The district has been involved with a group called Energy Education, and had been working with their guidance on an energy savings program. This was the company's second visit to the district to bestow upon them an award. This one was called the Energy Pacesetter Award. Mr. Kelly, the company's representative, then spoke, calling Montrose's program outstanding not only from the perspective of Pennsylvania, but also from the perspective of the country. The school was doing something exceptional he said, and he wanted to draw attention to this fact not only to the district but also to the community. Before energy conservation was the cool thing to do, he said, the district embarked upon the process with an ambition of reducing consumption by 20 percent. In less than three years, the district was approaching 30% in reduced utility consumption without the benefit of new equipment and technology. This was attributed to the effect of rallying people to the cause, participation, and leadership. This compared to the top districts around the country, he continued, and was a tribute to the leadership and tenacity of the energy manager, to school leadership, and to all involved in the district. It represented a cumulative savings of over $419,000, in less than three years. The expectation was that they would be visiting again. A plaque and oversized check were presented; the savings were likened to planting over 53,000 trees and taking 347 cars off the road. There have been two big changes in the last three or four months, Mr. Ognosky explained. The first was the change in the immunization requirements. A letter on the website explained this alteration. There could be a problem locally, he stated, as there had not been enough of the vaccines stored. The same hospital served the entire county, and the rules were the same for all of the districts. Secondly, the PIAA had established an entire new level of physicals for sports, to ensure the heart health of a child. This had lengthened the time for a physical from about five minutes to 25 minutes, and has also lengthened accountability. This was put in place due to the deaths around the country, where cardiac issues were the cause. The national federation had recommended that the states enforce tighter physical regulations. The district then would no longer be offering physicals, and students would be required to get these performed off-site. The district would still provide forms. When asked, it was responded that an ekg was not one of the requirements. The district belonged to a service through the Pennsylvania School Board Association which monitored actions of the state board of education, the legislature, and the courts, examined policies, and suggested revisions. All of the revisions were focused in a few main areas, which were briefly reviewed. Several of them were due to a change in off-campus activities, and the ability to discipline them for these. The largest gave the district permission to punish a student for anything which occurred during the transit to and from school sponsored activities, whether or not they were in school sponsored transportation. If the district chose it could enforce limits, rules, and regulations on students during those situations. For instance a school could take away a student's right to park a vehicle on school grounds if he passed a school bus. Another change was the obligation of the district to be active in reporting incidents to the office of safe schools, in an official report. This would include a fight, treated as an assault. The state then would compile all of these reports to designate whether it was a safe school. Also, there was a law in effect which allowed a district to provide a diploma to a veteran of world war two who had left school in order to serve in the war. The regulation had been opened up to cover veterans of the Korean war, and the Vietnam war. Additionally, the section of searches was now much more specific with many more guidelines. The administrators appreciated this. All new employees had been required to receive a physical examination by a licensed physician. This was changed to allow it to be performed by a licensed practical nurse or physician's assistant. The district was required now to have a memorandum of understanding with the applicable police forces. It was very clear about what the administration had to report to the police when it occurred. The alterations were all to be posted on the website. The off-premises enforcement business was a concern of Mr. Caterson he said, due to there being some nebulousness regarding what was and was not the school's business. He said that the board's business was to create the policy and the superintendent's to enforce the policy. While he trusted Mr. Ognosky to discern this, he wasn't certain he would be able to trust his successor. It was clarified then that this gave the district permission to create such rules, but currently they did not exist. There was also some ability for this to regulate internet activities, and fighting off school grounds. It was asked if this would cover students who left during the middle of the day. This was already punishable if there was no permission, it was responded. The resignation of Patricia Petula was accepted with regret from an English education position. The hiring of Joan Roche was approved as the full-time crisis counselor at the junior-senior high school contingent upon completion of employment requirements. The dean of students position was filled by Michael Boccella, for the coming year. A memorandum of understanding was accepted with the Montrose Education Association which precluded new professional employees from selecting traditional insurance and forbade current members from switching from ppo to traditional insurance. The same memorandum was made with the support staff. These changes were all agreed upon. Other memorandums of understanding were made with support staff, which mandated direct deposit. This was in part an effect of the reduction by one of business office staff. Finally, July was turned into a four day a week work week schedule. That was part of preserving and saving on utilization of energy. Regular hours would be worked, but the businesses would be shut down on Thursday night as a pilot to assess savings. A special meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, June 29 to finalize the budget and act on business matters. It was explained that generally a meeting was scheduled as close as possible to the end of the fiscal year. There was to be no millage increase, however. A clarification was also provided on the numbers requested the month prior. Total revenue and expenditures were $87,000 over revenue, less than half of a mill. The revenues this year were decreased by 1.4 million dollars over the previous year, mainly in loss from state funds. At the same time, expenditures were 1.3 million dollars less as well, due to actions on the part of the boards. Most of it was from not replacing professional staff. The hope was that in the next few weeks the revenue side would be increased from state funds. During her administrators report, the business manager thanked the staff. Also, there had been two successful days of training in payroll. The state auditors were present, and things were going well as of the meeting. A local business wanted to put a scoreboard on the field hockey and baseball field. It was hoped that a preliminary idea of this process could be presented at the meeting later that month. A letter was to be sent to Chris Snee in appreciation. The assistant principal's secretary position was one which was desired to be kept. The July board meeting was moved to the third Monday of the month.
Hallstead Council Hears Concerns Several residents were present at the June 16 Hallstead Boro Council meeting to discuss topics of concern. The first was a Fourth Street resident who has been at several recent meetings to discuss a continuing water problem. As she has initiated legal action against the boro, the boro’s solicitor has advised council not to make any further public comment on the matter. Any communications must be between the two attorneys. The cause of the problem is a broken sluice pipe that runs through her property, which has been causing her basement to flood and several sink holes. No one is sure who put the pipe in; one thought is that it might have been put in by a developer thirty years ago. However, since it is on private property, the solicitor has advised that no one from the boro should go onto that property. Another resident said that there is other flooding in the area, both near her home and at the intersection of Fourth and Bennett Streets where standing water accumulates every time there is significant rain. The boro has tried to alleviate this problem, but a property owner has refused to allow access to his property to put in a drainage ditch. And, the first resident said that a storm basin that the boro installed near her home is too high and does not work properly. Council said they would check into it, and fix it if it is too high. Another complaint was about burning. Two residents said that their neighbor is constantly burning household trash, wood, leaves and tires. The smoke was said to be quite noxious, so bad that they can’t keep any of their windows open. After discussion, council agreed that letters should be sent to this individual and several others they have received complaints about. If the burning does not stop, the matter will be turned over to the magistrate as it is a violation of the boro’s nuisance ordinance. A survey has been ordered for the ballpark on Route 11, as had been discussed at the last meeting, and should be completed within six to eight weeks. Bid specifications for paving and repair work on Railroad Street and a section of Pine Hill have been drawn up by PennDOT and will be duly advertised for bids. The next meeting will be on Thursday, July 21 at 7:00 p.m.
News
|
Living
|
Sports
|
Schools
|
Churches
|
Ads
|
Events
Military | Columns | Ed/Op | Obits | Archive | Subscribe © 2006 Susquehanna County Transcript. All Rights Reserved |
