At the June 3rd Montrose Borough meeting treatment of the first several items passed without incident.

During the street department report, Mr. DiPhillips reported that he had met with Leeward. The company planned to be passing through the downtown in August, apparently after the fourth. They were to keep Mr. DiPhillips apprised of the situation. The company was planning to bring three crews, at 167 and 706, and then to work both sides at once. (This was explained in response to a question by Mr. Granahan.) Mr. Reimel quipped that this sounded like a good time to take a vacation.

Mr. Reimel commended the staff, noting that they had gotten together, washed the building, and planted flowers in front of it. He felt it looked nice.

Wintertime was rough on Griffis Street, and the recommendation had been made to chip and oil it. Mr. DiPhillips stated that he was at the maximum of his surface treatment budget, however. He asked if he could dip into the curbing budget, stating that structurally the road was good, but he felt that it could use the work. He clarified that they would not treat the entire road, only certain sections of it. The steep part would be excluded, as it would be “a little sketchy” with loose stone. Mr. Lamont expressed his opinion that this work was a good idea.

Mr. Granahan stated that he had heard that the spigot was still being used. He asked Ms. O’Malley if that was relevant for the hearing that Wednesday. Ms. O’Malley responded that it could be noted, but she did not know how effective it would be for the motions filed for that hearing. They were however, she stated, nearing the end of Ms. Marta’s appeal period.

Ms. Skinner asked about this, thinking that Judge Seamans had given 45 days for this purpose. Mr. Granahan responded that the rule had been for 45 days in which to remove the spigot, not 45 days to continue using it. Ms. Marta was still incurring fines, Ms. O’Malley stated in response to a question, the amount could be increased or decreased in an appeal however.

When Chief Smith gave his report, it was noted that there had been an increase in citations. The weather was thrown out as a possible cause. Mr. Lamont wanted to make it part of the record that there were, at times, two police officers out in Forest Lake (for the purposes of back up, etc.). Chief Smith pointed out that there was usually one in Montrose as well, at those times.

He then spoke of the radio in the new car. The microphone was malfunctioning, he reported, and it was probably cheaper to replace it than to try and fix it. He was requesting permission, then, to do so. Mr. Schuster jokingly asked what was wrong with the old bullhorn. Council then motioned and approved to let the police purchase the new radio.

Mr. Schuster asked how the walkie-talkies were working. It was responding that they were working well and that communication in Forest Lake was pretty much covered smoothly.

The Community Center was then discussed. A proposal had been passed around by Mr. Lamont of what he thought needed to happen if they were to entertain the proposal of the adult school. He saw three things which needed to be done. One was to get the pool drained and ballasted. The second was to advertise for a general contractor to undertake a very limited construction project that would involve the area to the left of the counter and the kitchenette, and the combination of two small rooms into one. The third would involve the lower windows for circulation, and the fire escape on the Birchard side of the property would need to be replaced. He said that the second story and the pool could be closed off at that time, and only the first floor would be offered to the Adult School for its expo. Mr. Lamont showed those present a diagram of the building and some plans which would satisfy the needs. He pointed out that he was not trying to circumvent any kind of bidding requirements, he did want to advertise the work out for bid. If the advertisement was approved that night, he suggested, the bids could be opened on the 17th, and the contractor would have 3.5 to 4 weeks to complete the project.

Mr. Lamont said that the point of the action that evening was to allow the Adult School’s request in time for their expo, after which the council needed to sit down for a meeting regarding how to divide up the rest of the building. A representative of the adult school spoke up, saying that they were very excited about the prospect as it provided available meeting space which wasn’t available for both the Adult School and other groups. The school, she said, would plan to hold its expo anyway, and had thought to locate it in the new building, on the Blueberry Festival weekend, to increase exposure. However, they were feeling guilty that they were putting pressure on the council to leapfrog for the event. Mr. Lamont denied this, saying that he felt the borough needed to get the project up and going. If they could get it accomplished in time for the expo, it would be a good way to get other groups in the building who might have other ideas about its use.

The Adult School’s representative explained that the fall semester began the first of September. The catalog was about to go to the graphic arts department of the high school. They needed to get their catalog out, and in it were 35 courses in the Community Center. Mr. Lamont said that this scared him, however she clarified that the school was not thinking about needing 35 rooms available- only two or three at the same time. They also had backup spaces if necessary. Mr. Lamont spoke positively of the partnership, and reiterated that he would like to see the exposition in the building. Mr. Granahan reported that he had spoken to two of the potential bidders and mentioned Mr. Lamont’s plan. They hadn’t balked at the idea, seeming to think that it was very doable in the allotted time.

Joe Hunt spoke next, bringing information on Coleman Road. He had spoken with Mr. DiPHillips regarding the matter. They had run the numbers and come up with the idea of a 5 foot, or a 60” pipe, which was the largest they could get in the type of pipe they desired to use. He felt that the five foot pipe would be plenty of capacity. It had overflowed in 2006 partially due to a blockage.

His company had also completed a wetlands delineation. He outlined the project particulars some more. Mr. Schuster asked if the pipe was large enough to accommodate whatever might come down the road, pointing out that the weather appeared to be getting worse. Mr. Hunt replied that they used the most current rainfall data, and used PennDot’s requirements (which considered up to a 10 year storm). They used up to the 10 year storm. He suggested that perhaps development was more of a relevant concern than weather, as it changed peak flow. Mr. Lamont opined that the transition from a 2’ to a 5’ pipe gave them some room. Mr. Hunt needed a contact for the GP 11 form, the DEP permit. Mr. Schuster recommended Mr. Chamberlain (who was absent that evening) and Mr. Granahan agreed, however Mr. Lamont offered to take the papers instead.

The plans were to be made available for council review for a brief time, and then filed. The work consisted of a pipe and two end walls, and Mr. Hunt stated that it shouldn’t be too difficult to do a field change if necessary. There might be a permit by the following month, he continued, with August perhaps being a good time frame for the work.

Mr. Hunt had also come before council the previous month, speaking of the plan to move his company to Montrose from New Milford. They had filed a zoning application in regards to the existing nonconformities there, which they wished to continue. Their attorney had spoken with Ms. O’Malley. She stated that she hadn’t gotten to look at the request in depth yet, but when she did if there were any issues she would be able to contact their attorney. There was no off-street parking with the building, so the company could not abide by zoning without this continuance.

He had offered the month previous to do some sketch plans in regards to parking. He had done so, and passed them around. Not counting the spaces in the garage he wished to create in the building, there would be 75 spaces available. The company’s goal would be to keep their vehicles inside on nights and weekends. They would probably have 30 vehicles in the lot during the day, leaving the rest open. This plan was discussed, and was to be considered further.

Ms. Skinner broached the subject of record keeping and Right to Know issues. She referenced an article in the Scranton Times, and expressed concern about the borough’s records prior to the term of the current secretary (in 2010). (She said that she believed the records were in order since that time.) She asked about the accessibility of information. Mr. Lamont responded that the files were accessible in that they had the files. Mr. Granahan explained that there were two troups of boxes, as well as minutes in old metal safes. During the previous secretary’s tenure, there was little recordkeeping done. There was some information on a disk, but it was not up to the standards of appropriate documentation. Ms. Skinner asked how long this secretary’s term had been. It was responded that she had held the job for fifteen years. Ms. Skinner asked for confirmation, then, that the borough’s records were sketchy for a fifteen year period. This was confirmed. Former council member Jack Yeager’s daughter was in attendance. She spoke of her dad’s records which she had brought to council at his bequest prior to his death. She argued that he had sent these records in with the intention that they be accessible, not stuck in a closet somewhere, and expressed hurt that they were stuck in a closet. Mr. Lamont replied that the documents were not really public record unless the secretary took them into minutes, and that all of the records from those fifteen years were in a closet. It was not out of lack of respect, those records were in the same organizational situation as everything else. The daughter requested that they be returned to her, if council was not going to utilize them. Mr. Lamont rebutted that they were being utilized as well, and were as accessible as any record they had.

He continued to say that at that time the zoning hearing board records, etc. were in a box and were not Google-able. Normally when someone had a right to know request they had a general time span or a specific request which would make it easier to find the information. He asked Ms. Skinner if she was making a specific request. She responded that she was not, but that the borough could be on the hood regarding regulations. He asked then if it was worth budgeting for someone to archive the records. Mr. Granahan asked what the law said, as a requirement to keep the records was different than a requirement to index them. He argued that currently the records were being maintained.

There was further discussion of the topic. Ms. Skinner asked if a person would have to dig through boxes to find records. It was responded that they would, but asked what else they were to do. The borough secretary pointed out that she couldn’t take a lot of them out of the binders- they were too old. Mr. Lamont stated that it would take a professional archivist to go through the boxes. He also said that they did their best to satisfy any Right to Know request. Ms. Skinner stated that she wanted it on the record that she brought it to the borough. Mr. Lamont put it to her to try and come up with a solution. She asked if she had permission to research the matter, and received an affirmative response.

Mr. Reimel spoke on the parking on Public Avenue, discussed the month prior. Several people had spoken with the borough regarding how inadequate the handicapped parking situation was. He had worked out a potential way to address it by swapping a handicapped space with a regular space. There wouldn’t be a space added, but by this move it would create one space with a serviceable side entry. Mr. Granahan asked if they had to clear it with PennDot; this was something which would have to be researched, they decided.

The “Three Little Bears” have filed a claim for loss occurring on May 22, 2013, so announced President Todd Glover at the Wednesday, June 12 meeting of Lanesboro borough council. Also present for the meeting were council members Dan Boughton, Regina Dilello, Dale Rockwell, and Colleen Y. Wilkes. Absent were council members Jason Fissel and David Glidden, as well as Mayor Chris Maby and Secretary/Treasurer Gail Hanrahan.

Announcement of the claim loss by “Three Little Bears” came about as President Glover opened the borough’s correspondence in the meeting’s early moments. His expression of surprise and incredulity were obvious as he read and re-read the letter from the borough’s insurance carrier. Council members, in turn, offered up various theories of who might be the “Three Little Bears,” and what might comprise the loss claimed. Each theory was discussed, but ultimately discarded as unsatisfactory to explain the Bears’ identity and loss.

During public input a borough resident shared a story of woe and indigence in response to the borough’s request for payment of mandatory sewer and refuse fees. To the alleged sorrowful situation President Glover responded that he would arrange a private meeting to include Treasurer Hanrahan, the resident, and himself so that appropriate payment arrangements can be made.

With the absence of Mayor Maby, President Glover read the Police Report for the month of May. It showed 185 total hours, including 13.75 hours in Thompson. For Lanesboro there were 41 traffic stops, with 23 citations and 18 warnings issued for the following causes: Speeding violations (33), Inspection violations (2), Careless driving (2), Registration violation (3), and Equipment violation (1).

Arrest incidents in Lanesboro included criminal trespassing (May 6), theft/disorderly conduct (May 13), arrest warrant served and criminal trespass/harassment (May 20). Other police actions included assists to Susquehanna P.D. for a disorderly conduct and for a traffic stop; a burning complaint; a medical assist; transport from jail to court for hearing; an evacuation drill at Susquehanna Community School District Campus; and finally, response to a juvenile walking out of school without authorization.

For their 13.75 hours service in Thompson, Lanesboro Police made 16 traffic stops - 11 citations and 5 warnings issued for the following causes: Speeding violations (12), Inspection violations (2), and Registration violations (2). Also, police served five water shut-off notices on May 8.

Under other police matters, President Glover noted that SCSD had signed a contract with the borough for the borough’s provision of police services for the district, and that Mayor Maby was in the process of setting up a schedule for the borough to hold up its end of the deal. Also cited by President Glover was a tentative plan to expand the hours of some of the officers the borough currently employs.

Brought up for discussion under the topics of both COG (Council of Governments) and New Business was the house standing on the north corner of North Main Street and Depot Street. Councilwoman Wilkes reported that the house had broken windows, unsecured doors, and food rotting on the table – detritus from the former inhabitants who have apparently abandoned and/or fled the scene for reasons unknown (or unspoken). President Glover replied that COG would be notified so that appropriate action may be taken.

Concerning the Community Center, President Glover said that work was nearing commencement. Building contents would be moved to a pod; the floors would be ground up and smoothed; and finally, plans for internal renovations would be executed. Councilwoman Dilello noted that she still receives many inquiries regarding the rental of the building, so completion of the work will be appreciated by many - and restore the center to a source of revenue for the borough.

In reviewing Old Business, President Glover expressed some frustration that residents far fewer than anticipated had signed up for emergency notification under the borough’s “one-call system set-up.” As the borough has been collecting residents’ phone numbers since last year and still the rate of sign-up has only hovered at about 50%, despite council’s extraordinary efforts, implementation of the program to benefit those residents who have provided their phone numbers will move forward forthwith.

Before the meeting’s close at 7:42 p.m. Councilwoman Wilkes announced, with the joy of any proud parent, that her son, George L. S. Wilkes, on active duty in the Navy, had just been promoted to Petty Officer Third Class (PO3) concurrent with his graduation and certification as an Aviation Search & Rescue Swimmer in Pensacola, Florida. PO3 Wilkes is in the process of transferring to NAS (Naval Air Station) Brunswick, Maine, where he will begin SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) special forces training.

Finally, returning to the claim of the Three Little Bears, President Glover promised to contact the insurance adjuster who had written to the borough about the matter. Stay tuned to this column for updates, folks. Hopefully council will be able to provide the next chapter of the Three Little Bears Mystery in July.

For those wondering why the afore-described Lanesboro meeting was held on the second Wednesday of June instead of the first Tuesday, it seems several members of council had conflicting schedules on Tuesday, June 4, such that a quorum could not be assured. The change in meeting, I am told by a reliable source, was advertised in a paper north of the border, though not also in this paper. Perhaps the sudden date-change for June’s meeting accounts for why it was the most poorly attended in a year. The next meeting for Lanesboro Borough Council is scheduled, pending any last-minute changes, for 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday in July at the Community Center.

With the road maintenance season just beginning, Harford Township finds its crews short-handed, with only 2 full-time operators and 2 part-time. In fact, a resident attending the Supervisors’ meeting on June 11th complained that the “cleanup” just completed during the first week of the month siphoned workers away from taxpayer-funded road work.

Harford Roadmaster Jim Phelps, and Supervisor Garry Foltz, said that the plan for cleanup week was to split the crew so that work on the roads could continue, but that because of staffing schedules for part-time workers, that wasn’t possible for the 3 days of the cleanup campaign, an annual event in Harford that allows property owners to get rid of unwanted materials for a fee.

The Supervisors did hire one new crew member. Harry Buchanan became a part-time employee on May 22. He will begin full-time employment with the township on July 17 with a 90-day probation period. They also hired Carolyn Jennings, of Nicholson, as a part-time assistant to Supervisor and Township Secretary Sue Furney. Ms. Jennings already works for a neighboring municipality and so is familiar with the work. To begin, she will hold down the office Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:00am to 3:30pm, with a half hour for lunch.

Following the public meeting, Garry Foltz called for an executive session to discuss further personnel and staffing issues.

To help the crew repair drainage ditches, Mr. Foltz asked his colleagues to consider purchasing a Gradall excavator. He said that a new machine could cost as much as $300,000, so the township would be looking at a used item. He has located one in Watertown, NY and another at Wolmersdorf, PA (near Allentown). He said either 1990 model might be had for $12,000-$15,000, but a couple of people would have to travel to see them, preferably before a Watertown auction on Saturday. Depending on the condition of the machines, the price would be augmented by transportation to the township and repairs. Renting a similar piece of equipment would cost about $5,000 per month, and few are currently available to rent.

In the meantime, the Supervisors have been trying to unload some old equipment cluttering up the yard. Receiving some telephone bids, they decided to sell an old roller that doesn’t work for $250, and an old propane generator that probably doesn’t work for another $100. A bid of $100 for an old stone rake was rejected; Mr. Foltz thinks the parts might be worth more than that, and might be useful on the township’s newer rake.

The Supervisors examined a subdivision on Wilcox Road and passed it along with the comment that the property would be added to the sewer system, and requiring that some driveway drainage problems be corrected.

The Supervisors spent a fair amount of time agonizing over the collection of delinquent sewer accounts. Some of the accounts are on a payment schedule but are already behind again. All legal fees associated with a delinquency must be satisfied by the property owner, or through a sheriff’s sale, if that becomes necessary. The township has recently been billed over $3,000 in legal fees for handling these accounts. “… expenses for doing this are not cheap,” said Mr. Foltz.

A Tingley Lake resident contacted the township about a notification he had received that his property is in a flood plain. The flood plain maps throughout the area have been recently redrawn. The property owner was referred to the mortgage holder on the property. Flood plain maps can be viewed at http://maps.riskmap3.com/PA/Susquehanna/.

Asked for the status of the suit brought by another Tingley Lake resident for damage to his property during floods over the past several years, Mr. Foltz said that the problem with the sluice under Stearns Road should be corrected now. He said that he and Ms. Furney had been deposed in Scranton, and had provided photographs of the area.

The next public meeting of the Harford Township Supervisors is scheduled for Tuesday, July 9, beginning at 7:00pm. Mr. Foltz said that he would be reviewing the status of finances with respect to the budget half-way through the year at that time. All meetings are at the Township office on Route 547.

On June 11th, 2013 all were present at 7:00 p.m. when the Clifford Township board members began their monthly meeting. The first item on the agenda was the old business concerning the garage floor. At their meeting on May 14th, bids were discussed for the floor but the motion was held until putting the drain in was resolved. After one month, the drains had been installed and the oil tank in the ground was gone.

In other news, the Great American Clean-up was a big success for the township. An on-going community effort was made to remove garbage from lawn fronts and roads. The total amount of garbage removal was about $487.55 and the supervisors applauded the community on their on-going efforts.

Furthermore, office hours at the Township building have changed. Christy Bennett, the secretary, will be there three days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., respectively. So far, she is only receiving a few visits concerning permits and some phone calls. The board agreed to re-evaluate the hours if there aren’t enough people stopping in.

Some of the new business that Clifford has planned will include a visit from J. Hunt and Associates in order to talk about permits and sewage in the community. Also, a removal of trailers in Clifford has been arranged but the board is unsure of the time. After the meeting in May, the Fire Department in Clifford had sent out letters to other Fire Companies that depend on Clifford to help pay for some of the expenses. Unfortunately, they have not heard back from any companies from Hartford, Nicholson, or Hop Bottom. Also, the property next to the Township building has been put on the agenda to plan a renovation. The Township plans on sprucing up the ball field and a motion was made to have it surveyed (the last time it had been down was 2005). All were in favor of a clean-up and a walking trail to be added to the park.

As for the road report, the Township reported on being nearly finished with grading and oiling the dirt roads. There are several issues with dusting on these roads and they are looking into that along with roadside mowing as well as the return of the road signs. The board members advised that once the garage repair is completed there will be an inventory of the signs and begin the process. After the discussion of this business the meeting was adjourned at 7:41 p.m.

The principals’ reports and the cafeteria report were submitted electronically for the June MASD school board work session, so Mr. Ognosky related the information. One of the highlights of this recitation was the fact that the Scholastic Team ranked 9th in the nation.

Next came the reports from the administrators who were present. Mr. Owens recognized Mr. Clapper, calling him a pleasure to work with and a great colleague. He stated that he couldn’t think of another guy in his experience who had given more of himself to a school. He said that Mr. Clapper would bend over backwards for a person and the department, that he was very dedicated. (Mr. Clapper was also positively noted in one of the principals’ reports.)

Mr. Owens also spoke of losing David Kolosky, who had been a student worker for them for three or four years. He said that he was sad to see him go, and spoke highly of him. He also gave a public thank you to Mrs. Kolosky for giving the department a few more months with David, as he was to work their that summer.

As a district administrator, Mr. Owens continued, he felt that Chris Tripp was a phenomenal choice for the position of Director of Facilities. He said that Mr. Tripp would be sorely missed in their department, however. He called him a phenomenal person, and stated that he looked forward to their new dynamics.

Mr. Owens noted some security cameras to be added, and spoke of replacing some computers. The district was planning to extend the capacity of the security surveillance systems.

Ms. Riker’s report was next. The district had submitted the special education section of the comprehensive plan. The schedules were completed for the students with IEP’s, 504’s, and for the gifted students. She spoke of the pleasure involved in parents learning of student summer programs, and thanked the board for that.

Mr. Ognosky gave a report on the projected budget. The week prior the district had posted a full-time Elementary Support instructor and a half time Family and Consumer Sciences Program position internally. One person had applied to each of these positions. Those letters of transfer were factored in, which left the deficit at $263,724 total. This did not include anything that might happen at the state level or the numbers involved in the cyber legislation that was floating around Harrisburg. Mr. Ognosky said that he expected some help in both those areas, and expected that the number might end up being around $150,000 perhaps.

A letter was to go out to the members of the professional education staff. School claims service handled the building insurance and came in and did regular risk assessments of the building. They had found one issue they said was present in all three schools which they wanted addressed by June 17th, or else the district would be at risk for not having an incident covered. This was the matter of personal electrical appliances in school classrooms or other areas not intended for their use- to include toaster ovens, coffee pots, hot plates, personal heaters, refrigerators, etc. It was decided that they should be removed from classrooms as they could cause a risk of loss of life. Mr. Ognosky was going to send a letter stating that they had to be taken home at the end of the year, and not come back. Desktop fans in good working condition would be allowed, but only in the hottest time of the school year. Mr. Ognosky expected that this would meet with some resistance, and cause a stir. Mr. Caterson pointed out that this was also an issue when they did the energy audit in the past.

Mr. Caterson said that he had played golf at an event to raise money for the Women’s Resource Center in memory of Emily Reichlicz. Mr. Owens said that he had heard they hit the $20,000 mark.

When the regular business meeting began regular lunch prices for the next school year were increased from $1.85 to $2.00 per lunch for students, and from $3.50 to $4.00 for adults. Mr. Ognosky referred back to the minutes of a Finance Committee meeting, where Ms. O’Malley had spoken regarding cafeteria finances. The fund balance had been decreased, and the regulations had sky-rocketed the cost of food commodities due to the president’s healthy eating focus. He reminded those present that the district’s cafeteria was self-supporting. She had a budget with increasing expenditures, and she had asked the district to approve an increase of prices. For every 5 cents of increase she could generate about $5,000 for income.

Permission was given to various bus contractors to update their buses effective the following school year. Three bus route transfers were also motioned and approved. Mr. Ognosky thanked those present at the meeting for their service, stating that if the contractors were happy with the people they were selling the routes to, the district would be as well.

The transfer of a car route was also motioned and okayed. They had worked for 50 years, and Mr. Ognosky quipped that his comments to the bus contractors went double for them.

A motion was made and passed to approve continuation of the district’s modified school health program. Mr. Ognosky explained that there were physical tests the nurses were to perform on students at certain health levels. The modification was that the district provided those screenings even more often that the regulations required, in terms of vision screenings, scoliosis screenings, etc.

Barry Wheaton was appointed Assistant Golf Coach. The resignation of Jeremy Dibble was accepted as the Assistant Football Coach.

A number of first readings of policy revisions, 17 in total, were motioned. They all had in common the reality that when someone violated the policy the incident had to be reported to the state police, and when it had to be reported to the state police it had to be reported on a form to the Department of Education. Mrs. Staats said that they were existing policies, and were being tweaked. Mr. Ognosky said the biggest change in all of them was the mechanism by which the district had to report.

Mr. Wilcox opined that the district was fortunate now that they had PSBA working on those policies for them. Mr. Ognosky said that they paid less than $1,000 a year for the service.

The resignation for the purpose of retirement of James E. Smith was accepted. Mr. Caterson and Mr. Ognosky spoke highly of him. The resignation of Rose Rosenberry was also accepted with regret, from a part-time food service worker position.

A number of staff positions were approved, to include: Extended School Year aides, summer student workers, and Summer Day Camp counselors and instructors. Some of those programs used to be shipped out for the summer, and Mr. Caterson stated that this would help them.

A motion was made and approved for the operation of a 2013 Summer Day Camp to be held at Choconut Valley Elementary School for 20 days, 7 hours a day. Mr Caterson asked Mr. Ognosky to review the purpose of the camp again. Mr. Ognosky said that one of the concerns they had was that kids over the summer time would step back academically over the summer. Thus they had put together a camp, which was voluntary. Educators put together a list of students they felt could benefit from it, who were invited. Throughout the day the students went to various classes, had lunch and physical education. The kids could come from the entire district. Initially it was funded through a grant, but the district decided to continue it through their own funds. It ran sort of like a regular school day.

Christopher Tripp was officially appointed as Director of Facilities/Transportation effective July 1, with fringe benefits according to the current Act 93 Administrative Compensation Plan.

Various other positions were approved, including: Extended School year instructors, summer school program instructors (at all three schools). Also, summer work time for the guidance personnel was approved.

A special public meeting of the board of directors was scheduled for Thursday June 27th at 7 pm, at the junior/senior high school community learning center to vote on a final budget and conduct end of the fiscal year business. Mr. Caterson noted that this would give them time to react to whatever happened budget wise before then, while still meeting the deadlines.

A contractor and his wife thanked Mr. Ognosky and the board for letting them serve the district for the amount of time they had. He said that he enjoyed his job and the kids. Another contractor seconded this.

A visitor asked if the district had discovered the identity of the vandals who defaced signs. It was responded that they had not yet done so. There had apparently also been a food fight at lunch, as well as a fist fight (it was the last day of lunches). Mr. Ognosky said that both were addressed quickly.

Oakland’s borough council has been making improvements at the park, but person or persons unknown have engaged in malicious mischief. So was the report of Parks Committee Chairman Gary Boughton during Oakland Borough’s monthly meeting held on June 13 at the Community Center in Lanesboro.

Present for the meeting were borough council President Ron Beavan, Secretary/Treasurer Flo Brush, and Councilmen Jack Agler, Eric Page, Brian Rhone, Dave Dibble, as well as the aforementioned Gary Boughton. Missing were Councilman Dave Trevarthan, Mayor Randy Glover, and the entire populace represented by those present. The meeting, lasting all of 31 minutes - 7:02 to 7:33 p.m. - was the least lengthy of the year.

Approval of last month’s meeting minutes and the treasurer’s report, normally perfunctory, took an extra minute or so. Secretary Flo Brush noted two grammatical errors that required correction; minutes were approved as amended. And before the treasurer’s report was agreed to, Councilman Dibble inquired as to the transfer of $50,000 from the borough’s checking account to its savings account. President Beavan explained that it was just a matter of security to transfer excess funds to savings until they were needed for imminent disbursement.

Moving on to the Parks Report, Councilman Boughton provided the good news first: the new pressure reducer valve has been installed; the park has water; and the garbage can reported as missing last month has a new replacement. “The bad news is that the park has been vandalized,” he said. The jungle gym and the picnic tables have graffiti spray-painted on them. Various solutions for removal of the unsightly spray paint were discussed and it was ultimately decided to try a chemical product locally procurable. Councilman Boughton also reported that there are rocks on the roof of the pavilion and he would need assistance to remove them. Other councilmen stepped forward and offered their assistance.

President Beavan delivered the Codes Report. In so doing he discussed the status of five properties in the borough that are under the continuing purview of council. Three of those properties have made significant to very good progress since last report. A fourth property requires Codes Enforcement Officer Shane Lewis’ inspection and watchful eye, and he will be notified of the owner’s continued untidy proclivities and habits. The fifth property discussed is a vacant property going up for tax sale in October. Because of that status, and consensus that the house does not present a clear and present danger, further action on codes enforcement was deferred.

On account of the mayor’s absence Secretary Brush distributed copies of the Police Report to council members. The Police Report showed 19 incidents, 13 of which were traffic stops. Of the remaining six, there was one report of criminal mischief, one for criminal trespass, two domestic disputes, and two incidents of harassment. The two cases of harassment involved cases of - what shall we say – less-than-neighborly neighbors. In one, a resident reportedly was “trying to mow his lawn and neighbor is harassing him spraying the hose.” In the second, “Caller stated neighbor has been threatening and harassing them (sic) throwing things out the window.”

Secretary Brush added that the keys found in the park (and mentioned in last month’s Oakland Borough story) remain unclaimed to date. The owner of the keys may call Oakland borough office at 570-853-3214 to identify and claim said keys.

Two matters under old business were briefly discussed. In the first, President Beavan informed council that the resident who had appeared at last month’s council meeting to inquire as to whether or not he had a green light to proceed with putting in a sluice pipe on his property, had been, in the interim, notified that he had council’s approval from a previous meeting. President Beavan’s recounting of his research and the specifics of the case jogged the memories of individual councilmen.

The second matter under old business concerned River Bounty. Nothing is set in concrete, but it appears there may be a party interested in acquisition. Preliminary investigation has only just begun. When and if the prospective buyer actually follows through, the news will be reported in this column.

The only other matter brought up for discussion was a bill from Attorney Myron DeWitt for $458.75’s worth of legal work. After some parsing of the bill by council members, agreement to authorize payment was reached.

Oakland Borough Council next meets on the second Thursday in July at the Community Center in Lanesboro. Residents who have any information on incidents of vandalism at the park are urged to share it with local authorities.

The June 12, 2013 Susquehanna County Commissioners meeting began precisely at 9:00 AM with Commissioners Hall and Warren approving the prior meeting minutes with one correction. Just before moving onto the recognition of Mr. Totten for his 5 years of service, Commissioner Giangrieco arrived.

Now having all the Commissioners present the financial needs of the County were dispatched with alacrity in approving or ratifying the following: General Expenses on 5/22/13 for $92,368.58; Election Expenses of 5/24/2013 totaling $27,715.00; 5/30/2013 General expenses amounting to $157,238.09; 6/4/2013 CYS Expenses amounting to $66,109.69; Net Payroll Expenses of 6/5/2013 for $169,847.98; Employee Retirement Contributions on 6/5/2013 totaling $15,331.02; $7,690.45 for State Withholding taxes on 6/5/2013; $64,957.59 in Federal Payroll taxes on 6/6/2013; and on 6/7/2013 $212,835.52 for General Expenses. There were numerous requests for seminars and all were approved as most were either no cost or greatly reduced cost to the County.

The Commissioners approved a motion to sign a Professional Service Agreement between Susquehanna County and MCM Consulting Group, Inc., McMurray PA. This agreement is for MCM to provide complete restructuring, oversight and implementation of a County-wide Geographic Information Services (GIS) mapping system. This system will provide locations in latitude and longitude to several County services including 911. The total project cost of $170,700.00 will be reduced by the amount of the current Project Management contract already in place, bringing the final cost to $127,580.00. This is all inclusive and the project qualifies for wireless funding and Act 13 funds.

Also authorized was a Service Agreement between Susquehanna County Services for Children and Youth and Children’s Service Center of Wyoming Valley, Wilkes-Barre for two programs in the amount of $65.52 each. A proposal with Grey Wall Software, LLC, New Haven, CT wherein Susquehanna County will utilize Grey Wall’s Virtual Emergency Operations Center Software Program (VEOCI) for critical incident management, team communication, and collaboration was approved. This particular contract is for software maintenance, training and support and costs $12,000 – however, this is an Act 13 qualified expense.

A quote from Stoney Mountain Tractor Parts, Inc., of Montrose was presented. The contact included service for mowing of the County dams – Springville Dam - $1,095.00; Brooklyn Dam - $1,435.00; and Kingsley Dam - $2,025.00. Removal and chipping trees from designated areas will be charged at $45.00 per hour for labor and $125.00 per hour for the tractor and chipper. The contract is for three mowings per year and the cost reflects a per mowing price. The bid was approved as noted.

An annual contract with eco International of Vestal, NY was approved that involved recycling the County’s electronics in a manner consistent with the Covered Devise Recycling Act. A contract with KlinkCheck of Pittsburgh was approved for employment background checks that cover all states, not just Pennsylvania. Pricing for this is based on the specific services requested but will average between $32.50 and $41.50 per item. A new 23 foot Ford Transit Bus for Susquehanna County Transportation was approved for a total amount of $54,580.00. The County anticipates reimbursement for this vehicle from PennDOT.

The remainder of the agenda passed rapidly with one exoneration of delinquent taxes, several hirings, a resignation and the reappointment of the Susquehanna County Tourism Committee for the following year.

During Public Comment the Affordable Care Act was brought up and how it is anticipated to impact the local budget. It was noted that many of the people who work for the county are part of unions and that “Obamacare” is expected to impact things a great deal with Commissioner Hall going so far as to note his hope that it collapses before it goes into effect. In the same vein, the Drug and Alcohol Program was brought up and how that will also be impacted by this. Commissioner Hall noted that he is not in favor of raising the tax burden on area residents in order to make up a potential shortfall. Commissioner Warren noted that for the $13,000 paid into the Drug & Alcohol Program last year by the County services valued at $375,000 were received, making the program a very valuable one to maintain.

A concerned member of the public inquired if the Resolution approved at the prior County Commissioners Meeting had generated any feedback. The answer was that there had been nothing heard at this time. This sparked a discussion between Commissioners Hall and Giangrieco and several County residents about the Rule of Capture and how it applies to the gas rights of homeowners. As it currently stands there can be gas under the properties of multiple individuals in a type of underground “lake”, one owner can agree to sell the rights, while the others do not. With the Rule of Capture the gas under all the properties associated with that ‘lake’ belongs to the person who sold his rights – and not anyone else. Since fracking is a horizontal drilling, there is thought that there is trespassing going on to extract pockets of natural gas from under properties that are not part of sold mineral rights. Due to all of these issues, it is anticipated that any further contracts will be changed.

The Compressor issue at the Brooklyn station was brought up, and spawned a question about how residents may be notified in case of an emergency at one of the stations. It was noted that the situation in question was not an emergency situation, but that if the need arises the township the incident occurs in will enact their Emergency Action Plan.

A Master Gardner was present to speak to everyone about how wonderful a year they are having, and how many gardens they have assisted with around the community.

Finally, the Common Core curriculum was brought up by a concerned citizen. It was inquired if Pennsylvania was going to opt out of this. There are several states that are opting out of it as the Administrators and Parents are finding they have less control over the material being taught to the students, and that the testing is not particularly effective. Additionally, there is some great concern over the tracking being done to the students with regards to their potential futures and being pushed into possible career choices they don’t especially care for. The Commissioners are not sure what the end result will be with regard to Common Core instruction.

With public comment concluded, the meeting was adjourned at 9:34 AM.