The Harford Township Supervisors marched through the printed agenda in orderly fashion at their August meeting on the 13th, finishing up in little more than a half hour with an executive session to discuss the township’s “labor force.” All of the “New Business” concerned natural gas activities, including a request for a 6-month noise ordinance waiver next year for a new well pad on the Reuss farm on Route 547 east of the Interstate.

The biggest activity, however, will be atop a hill to the west of Tingley Lake where the Williams company will build a compressor station adjacent to the DeLucia well pad. The project will take about a year beginning next month and encompass parts of the Miller, DeLucia and Diaz properties, 28.2 acres in all. The Supervisors were scheduled to meet with the company’s representatives on August 14. Supervisor Garry Foltz said that his main concern is the roads the company plans to use. According to the company’s planning documents, they will use a route from U.S. 11 up Stevens Road, Grinnell Road and Miller Road to the mile-long driveway that leads to the DeLucia pad. The township wants to ensure that the roads will be suitably maintained, considering the volume and weight of truck traffic that can be expected.

Jim Phelps, the Harford Township Roadmaster, reported that the crew has completed work in section 1 and is now operating in section 3. For roadwork operations, Harford Township is divided into 3 sections: section 1 is the area east of the Interstate; section 2 is mostly north of Route 547 west of the highway, including Kingsley; section 3 encompasses the remaining southern part of the township.

Mr. Foltz reported that the grant application for a project to improve drainage on Tyler Lake Road found approval through the first stage of consideration at the county. The second stage is not thought to present any problems to the award of about $26,400 of a total estimated project cost of about $35,000. Lisa Schmidt, who lives on Tyler Lake, provided the impetus and much of the footwork for the project which she expects will minimize sediment runoff into the lake.

Supervisor and Township Secretary Sue Furney reported on results of the township’s annual cleanup in early June. She said that crews picked up 42 loads, plus some tires. The township collected $2,384 in fees from participating residents, and paid some $3,658 for dumpsters. The township hopes to receive at least some of the shortfall from the sale of the collected metals. Mr. Foltz said that about 139 hours of labor went into the program this year. He said that it was run at a “considerable [financial] loss” to the township, but was “necessary … for the community.”

Mr. Foltz said that with a payment of more than $12,000, the sewer plant upgrade project is now considered complete. The last element was the installation of high-tech ultra-violet filtration equipment. The township took out a loan for $150,000 to pay for the project.

Altogether, the sewer system budget is in deficit, so the township, operating as the township sewer authority, is taking more aggressive steps to collect from delinquent rate-payers. Four more properties were recently added to the list of liens held by the township for back payments. On the other hand, Supervisor Doug Phelps said that one large account was recently settled in full.

The treasurer’s report for the month showed a transfer of $30,000 from the account designated for money accumulated from the “impact fees” collected from the gas companies. Ms. Furney explained that the funds were shifted to the “state” account in order to maximize income on a certificate of deposit, which allows only a limited number of withdrawals in a given period. The state account is allocated exclusively for road maintenance and is covered by “liquid fuels” revenue from the state based on the number of miles of road in the township (about 60), and some “turnback” funds from roads turned over to the township by the state.

Planning is progressing on repair or replacement of the bridge at the end of Lower Podunk Road, as the township collects engineering reports and decides on expenses. Other projects funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for damage caused by storms over the past few years are also progressing as time allows, and the township has been given another extension, to March of next year.

The Harford Supervisors will meet next on Tuesday, September 10, 2013. Mr. Foltz asked his colleagues to tentatively schedule a second meeting in September, on the 24th, to begin discussions about next year’s budget. All meetings are held in the township office on Route 547 west of the Interstate, and generally begin at 7:00pm.

After achieving quorum, President Michele Giangrieco called the meeting to order at 7:03pm. A resident was on hand to ask for assistance with the water on Main Street creating what has been termed “Wetlands” after the floods. It seems that drainage pipes in the area are either blocked or knocked out of alignment and leaking creating this situation. The resident noted his frustration and begged the Council for help. The Council noted that as it has to do with private property there is little that they can do, but they agreed to send a letter to the DEP to see about why the lands were designated as “Wetlands”.

Tony from the Progress Authority was present to see if anyone had any questions at this time regarding the Old Foundry Property or the Keystone Opportunity Zone. He briefly recapped the information as to what the Keystone Opportunity Zone is for. He noted that the Old Foundry site is currently under contract, and that having the site as a KOZ will bring in more jobs. Another resident inquired as to how many jobs this might bring into the area. Tony noted that he did not have that information right there, but that he would look in to the question and get an answer.

The final person in attendance came prepared with pictures of his neighbor’s yard and noted that the neighbor was not maintaining the lawn or the sidewalk at his home. The Council noted that they had previously sent a letter asking the resident in question to mow the lawn, and noted that unfortunately, their letter did not have any impact. The resident in attendance asked what else the council could do, and a council member suggested that the resident involve the Health Department due to standing water and mosquitoes. Additionally, the Council agreed to look into who pays the taxes on the property and will send them a letter.

After public comments were completed, the Council quickly approved the prior meeting minutes and accepted the Treasurer’s Report and approved the bills for payment. The Council noted the new windows installed in the room are very nice and should help immensely with the heating and cooling. It was posed to see if the Library needs new front windows, and this will be looked into. A letter from a resident was presented regarding a large pothole at Old Route 11 and Route 11. It was noted that this pothole had been repaired by another agency. A bid from Cook’s Tree Service was presented for tree removal at several locations around the Borough. After discussion, this was tabled pending information from Penelec. The minutes of the HGBJSA were reviewed, and the council expressed surprise at the costs involved with several areas, and noted that they still need to find someone to represent the Borough on this board. Having concluded the business of the Borough, the meeting was adjourned at 7:53pm.

The Elk Lake School Board meeting on August 15th ran over two hours, spurring one visitor to jokingly ask, when the board left for a brief in-meeting executive session, if they were going to be serving breakfast. Various matters were addressed throughout the evening, though perhaps the largest portion of the meeting was devoted to a continued discussion regarding energy improvements with Johnson Control’s representative Nick Sracic. Mr. Sracic came to the district that evening to answer questions and review the RFP and RFQ process.

He expressed a desire to address a letter he had given the board as a result of the presentation he gave in July. The question of a fuel surcharge had been raised that evening, and Mr. Sracic explained that one way the company could help the district was by estimating fuel usage. Leatherstocking had stated that there would be a $3 surcharge, but a knowledge of the surcharge did no good without a knowledge of how much gas would be used. Johnson Controls could then estimate the usage, to get closer to a number. Based on the preliminary numbers they had figured, this surcharge would represent an added expense of $388,000 for Leatherstocking to bring the pipeline to the district. This would be a net cost over a ten year period. Mr. Curley clarified that this was the way the pipeline company recouped their cost. Mr. Sracic also stated that if the district contracted with Johnson Controls, they might also be able to speak with Leatherstocking to see if they could connect from the tie in point for less than the $388,000 cost, or if it would be best to continue with that company’s surcharge.

Mr. Curley asked if that $388,000 included the regulators and sniffers that had to be put in. Mr. Emmerich asked if the gas could be brought in from closer proximity, would the $3 surcharge would still apply? As they understood it at that time, Mr. Sracic responded, it was a flat rate charge which would still apply. Mr. Curley was said that the $388,000 was probably not such a scary number given the amount of work necessary to get the conditioned gas to the school. Mr. Sracic agreed that it seemed reasonable.

Ms. Teel asked if that surcharge was factored into Johnson’s preliminary estimates; it was responded that it was.

Mr. Emmerich asked about the proposed renovations. Would the district have to take out existing pipe, he wondered? Mr. Sracic responded that this was not known at that stage, as only a one day walk through had been conducted. The next phase, the engineering phase, was where such questions would be answered.

It was clarified that Johnson Control’s role in the project would be to do the engineering analysis, to summarize it all for the district, and to get competitive bids. The district, however, would make the decisions.

Mr. Emmerich confirmed that the energy savings would pay for the remodeling and bring items up to date. He said the project had a big scope however, and that was what made them nervous. Mr. Sracic responded to this concern by noting that when the final proposal was presented renovations were listed as line items with the net cost and the net savings, rebates, and overall costs to the district. He went on to speak about the levels of proof used for the guaranteed portion of the agreement. Each measure would have an associated way to prove the savings, which could be independently audited if the district so desired. Each year the district would receive a report which they could have proofed by an outside entity if they so chose. The decision regarding how measures would be proofed would also be made in concert with the district.

Mrs. Teel asked what guarantee the company could give that the work would be done if there was a holdup with Leatherstocking, given the bulk of the gas being brought to the district. Mr. Sracic stated that they could follow the timeline, and if come March or April there was still a question mark over the gas they could move ahead with the non-gas related energy saving measures.

Mrs. Teel said that she would like to see more of a commitment from Leatherstocking before they did this. Mr. Sracic responded that his company could help them minimize the concern a bit, as the engineering fee would not be asked for until the project went ahead (so long as the school did not choose to terminate the relationship). The company would be willing to hold the project for up to a year, if it came to that. On the flip side however, if they did get gas in the summer of 2014 but didn’t have the engineering prepared they might need to wait until the summer of 2015 for the renovations. This could represent a loss of about $250,000 in savings. That was why he was advocated taking a parallel path, though they did not have to commit to the big project until they had more of an agreement.

It was confirmed that Leatherstocking was the only licensed provider in this area.

Mr. Place asked about the career and technology center, which was set up for propane at the time. They were looking to convert it to natural gas. Mr. Sracic responded that the cost of the switch out and the savings had already been factored in for that as well.

It was explained that only the secondary building boilers were being switched out, according to the initial recommendation. The rest would be converted.

Mr. Sracic also stated that when they talked about savings, his company was conservative on two fronts. The majority of clients saw about 10% higher than the company’s guarantees, as they did not like to write checks and made the guarantees at 85% to 95% of actual projections.

Dr. Bush then asked Mr. Sracic to review the comparison of the RFQ (Request for Qualifications) and RFP (Request for Proposals). Mr. Sracic reviewed both; the district would have to choose one process or the other to proceed.

It was confirmed that the company would procure the bids, and this procedure was discussed as well. It was noted that the district could make the decisions regarding contractors they wanted or did not want to consider bids from, and who was ultimately selected.

He asserted that the first report he had given out was for educational purposes. More work would be done if they moved ahead, and details determined. The project could be approved piecemeal; the district would make the decisions regarding what portions of the project they agreed to before it began.

The risk to the district would be the $65,000 engineering costs. This was why they had given out a preliminary report, because they didn’t want the district to take on the risk without having some idea of the savings. Mr. Curley expressed some concern regarding the fact that the engineering cost would be the same regardless of what portions of the project the school eventually approved. Regardless of whether the savings were decreased or increased the original engineering cost would be the same.

It was said that 80% of the project was hung up on the boiler project and dependent on Leatherstocking. Mr. Sracic reiterated. that Johnson would be willing to work with the district if spring came and Leatherstocking was still not ready. They were willing to wait for up to a year. At that point if the district did not want to continue with the other projects and there was still not commitment regarding the pipeline  the district could choose to walk away and they would only be responsible for the engineering costs.

He pointed out that they would have to do something with the boilers eventually. So even if they chose not to pursue the project, it would need to be addressed.

Initially it was suggested that no action be taken on it at that meeting. However, Mr. Sracic said that if they wanted to keep things moving the board could approve to issue an RFQ, which would be no risk or cost to the district. There would then be a vote to choose a company, also at no risk or cost. The commitment wouldn’t come until the next step, which would be to choose the engineer. It was decided that they could move forward on the first step. Mr. Emmerich pointed out that there was work which needed to be completed one way or the other.

Mr. Bender opined that he would prefer the RFQ process, as under that Johnson Controls did the greater share of the work. A motion was made and approved to issue the RFQ.

A visitor asked why they were taking the cooling out of the equation. Dr. Bush responded that the cost, when considered for the amount of time a cooling system would be used, was prohibitive. Mr. Sracic explained that this would represent a net expense, not a net savings. Over a thirty year term they would still be ahead, but for the first fifteen years the savings would be negative. In the immediate future it would be a budget hit. The visitor noted however that the temperatures were high on the second level.

Dr. Bush replied that the two months of use did not justify the cost in his mind. It was suggested that fans could be used, and Ms. Guiton said that the ventilation improvement could help matters quite a bit.

At this point the energy presentation ended and the rest of the meeting progressed more according to standard. Administrative reports were given. Dr. Cuomo said that maintenance had done a phenomenal job and that the elementary building was ready to go, overall. As of 2:00 that afternoon the there had been 683 elementary students registered. There were 107 kindergarteners. The attendance secretary stated that numbers were up. Dr. Bush confirmed this, noting that there were 1,267 students for the entire district. He said that the most accurate numbers, however, would be available after Labor Day. He reviewed the number of students per section at the elementary level and in the core subjects at the high school. Kindertarten currently had an average of 21 kids in a section, and fourth grade had an average of 26 students per section. He said that they would keep an eye on these numbers for future decisions regarding adding sections or staff.

Mr. Mallery also commended the maintenance department in his report. He thanked the board and Dr. Bush for allowing him to be the high school principal. He also thanked an eleventh grade student, Megan Stephens. She had contacted the school wishing to do something beneficial, and had planted flowers outside the elementary school. She and her dad were also going to paint the dugout. He said that she wasn’t looking for recognition, but he wanted to acknowledge her anyway.

Mrs. Staats said that they would also have to keep an eye on special education numbers, as more had come but to her knowledge only one had left.

Work on the doors was reviewed. Mr. Tewksbury asked who would have access to the doors. Dr. Bush explained that all staff would have a fob. They would have to use it twice to enter, once for each set of doors. Alternately they would have to get buzzed in.

The fuel adjustment subsidy which was put into place five years ago was up. Dr. Bush said that they hadn’t had a problem regarding this structure. He was recommending then that they leave the subsidy system the same, and change only the dates. There were also revisions to the transportation policy proposed. One of these revisions kept the school identification on busses somewhat uniform. The CDL Instructor rate was motioned to increase as well. The cost of the each CDL test would increase to eighty dollars.

The Section 200 policies which the district came into contact with were reviewed. These were policies which they dealt with quite frequently. Dr. Cuomo and Mr. Mallery briefly touched on a few of them. They dealt with such matters as delineating ages and outlining required immunizations. There was also a policy on how the district should operate in regards to food allergies.

Mr. Place expressed a desire to speak about allergies briefly. He noted that there were staff members, other than instructors, who came in touch with kids who had allergies, and asked if there was a legal way they could know which students were allergic to peanut butter or other serious allergies. Dr. Cuomo and Mr. Malllery explained that those in direct contact with the students could be alerted, though not by means of a written list. Parents had been asked for permission to release this information in the past. Mrs. Heed pointed out that on the emergency form which was put on file with the nurse every year, the question of staff notification was asked.

The board was scheduled to be training on board docs the next day, Ms. Teel announced.

It was stated that they had not seen reimbursements for the new project yet.

A visitor also asked how they were going to reinforce the policy about there being no smoking at the gas pumps. Adults apparently went out to that area as they did not think it was school property. One visitor related that she had seen four cars there at one time, and a contractor spoke of fueling her vehicle while someone was smoking (and not being comfortable with this). Dr. Bush responded that if they saw somebody they would address it. One of the visitors suggested that a sign might be put up, and perhaps this could be covered as part of adult orientation.

A moment of silence was held at the beginning of the August 12th Montrose School Board work session, in honor of long time employee Roger Clapper.

The meeting then progressed, with Mr. Ognosky explaining that he was going to bounce around the agenda a little bit, with the security assessment presentation moved to the beginning. The district had contracted in the spring with Elliot and Ross Investigations as security consultants. Those men were present that evening to present to the board. One of these representatives came forward to begin this, thanking the board for allowing them to come and do the investigations, which culminated in a series of reports with an executive summary. This summary had twelve points on it. He provided an overview of both of the investigators’ qualifications. The men had listened to the concerns of district employees and performed a walk-through of the school. He said that they wanted to get the district focused on their greatest assets, the instructors and staff. He stated that the district basically had to go back to what they did best, which was taking care of the children in the district. He advised them to let the external responders do what they were paid to do, while the district worried about what it was going to do district wise. Probably the easiest step would be requiring staff to wear identification badges while on district property.

It was explained that there was a policy in place which would require all staff to get an updated photo, and that key fobs were to go right on the ID, sort of like a credit card. This was felt to be a really positive move. A key control policy was also to be put in place. One of the most troublesome areas for security was not knowing who really had a key. Going to an electronic key system was a positive enhancement. The fob would have an ID number on it which would be linked to the database to a specific employee, allowing for an activity history on any door. This could also be tied into the camera system.

The representative noted that his company was impressed with the camera system, stating that they knew their school better than anybody. The system which was designed by the administration and the IT department really captured the vast majority of trouble areas. The administrative team knew of other areas of concern and were taking steps to address these. He said that the district should be commended for their work in this regard.

He continued on to state that the first point on the executive summary was an updated emergency response plan. He felt in the short term that was where a lot of efforts ought to be focused. Personnel would need to be provided with training in how to respond. That training would then filter down to the students and parents. Another item to work on would be a crisis communication plan. The emergency notification system already had the ability to be customized for this.

Another recommendation was to conduct a tabletop exercise. The company would have someone come in, give them a scenario, and talk it through.

It was stated that this was also already being put in place. The following Wednesday morning the company was to meet with the administrative team and have a controlled tabletop exercise. Part of that would be a recap with the administrative team. It would be an initial training, Mr. Ognosky said, and the plan would be to broaden that experience by then scheduling a controlled drill with staff, and later to have a full blown drill which would involve staff and first responders.

MOUs with first responders were also key, the representative stated, as well as factoring in the response time.

He said his company left pretty impressed at the state of readiness from a district wide perspective, and the degree of involvement from the board and staff.

The other representative then came up, noting that they had spoken with everybody about not only what they observed but also what was on their minds. Everybody had the same concerns. The company had made observations from each school visited. A lot of them were small things that could be fixed without any kind of financial impact on the part of the district.

He said that there were items which could be addressed by monitoring access to the districts, without putting additional measures in place. If somebody was determined to get into the school, they would find a way, he asserted. Even if a school put up bulletproof glass, a person could drive a car through the door. The development of threat assessment teams was important. This would be like a safety committee with a behavioral threat assessment team, with representatives from various staff departments that might hear things and become concerned.

Mr. Ognosky said that they would review the site assessment with the entire staff. He stated that the safety of the schools had been very important to them for a while, but that this process gave them a fresh set of eyes. Substitutes and support staff were to be involved, something else which the security company felt was commendable.

Under the Good Things Are Happening portion of the meeting, two more presentations were made. The first was from the adult school. Mary Lee Fitzgerald was present, relating that the adult school was starting its 7th year with 61 courses offered. Most adult schools were affiliated with a university or college, she said, but this was a free standing nonprofit, which partnered with the school district. She said that they had 600 or 700 registrations every term. It was run pretty much by three people, herself, J. Martin Comey, and Philippa Follert, who did nto take a salary. She stated that the school had really taken off, and it was soaring. She thanked Mr. Ognosky, stating that she had not wanted to initiate an adult school without speaking with the superintendent. He had told her when they first spoke that it was a great idea and they would support it.

Next Mr. Comey spoke, explaining that the net income from the previous year was $3,500, and there were 1,030 students who had attended between the spring and fall terms combined. They had taken 103 courses. The number of students was a misnomer however as some students took multiple classes. He said that over the life of the school they had 5,200 students in the classroom and 1,000 students had taken trips, such that the school had served a total of 6,200 people over its six years.

The next presentation was by Ken Gould, who was a member of the board for a number of years. After leaving the board he threw his energy into the Southern Tier Veterans of Foreign Wars. He thanked the board for the computers which they graciously allowed them to give their organization. He thought they had given over 150 computers. He didn’t keep track of the number exactly, but he did keep track of where they went. He related that 36 of them had returned to Susquehanna county and 14 had returned to Bradford county. A lot of them went to the vets center in Binghamton, which shared them with the vet clinic in Binghamton. They also went to the Sayre clinic. Some had gone up to the Bath hospital.

He spoke of one hospital which hosted a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder program. He had found out that their female program was the only one on the East Coast for victims of abuse while in the military. The females had no computers to correspond with families, and the males had two computers that took close to ten minutes to get on the internet. So he had taken ten computers up; six went to the women’s facility and four went to the males. Thirty-five percent of that hospital’s patients came from the counties his nonprofit supported.

When his nonprofit had been putting together its program they had needed a logo. He had spoken with Mr. Ognosky about using the graphics department. It had been made a project for a student or two. He handed out some items where that logo appeared to members of the board. The nonprofit had become an official, certified veteran not for profit organization the year prior. They had been able to help in excess of 320 veterans.

He hoped that the board allowed Mr. Owens to continue with what he called the computers for veterans program. As far as he knew they were the only veterans’ organization within many miles that had such a program, where old computers were fixed up and given to veterans who couldn’t afford them.

Mr. Ognosky said that until they heard differently they were going to keep that as their practice. He said that this was part of their recycling system.

Mr. Gould explained that they were the first nonprofit veterans’ organization in PA or New York to become a blueprint organization. They had been given an award by the government and become a model organization. He tried to keep the operating budget below 9% of the money that they got in.

He gave Mr. Owens what they called a challenge coin and thanked him from the bottom of his heart for his support of the program and of vets. Mr. Owens responded that it was an honor to do it, and that the people who worked with him were phenomenal people.

Mr. Gould gave out challenge coins to others he wished to thank especially. He also gave out dog tags, which had been tickets to a fund raiser. Those present thanked Mr. Gould for his work, and he in turn thanked the board for allowing the school to give them the computers. He also noted that Mr. Owens developed and maintained the nonprofit’s website for free.

When the meeting moved on from presentations, Mr. Caterson said that he didn’t think the schools should stand in the way of the Keystone Opportunity Zone. He hoped that they would all consider whether or not it made sense to stand on a plateau.

The administrative reports were reviewed.

Ms. Riker said that she was still getting feedback from the summer program. One parent had contacted her to speak highly of the effect on her child. She also noted that the district was moving forward on bringing back their emotional support students. She felt they had a pretty good program, and said that the parents were very excited that the students were going to be in the Montrose school district.

Ms. Lusk went next, speaking of completing the state audit. The district had received an excellent report with no findings. The local audit had begun that day. The auditors were expected to probably be on site for a few months.

Mr. Tripp said that the buildings and grounds area was doing well.

Ms. O’Malley reported that they were on schedule with contacting all of the families in the school district with the free and reduced lunch program application. The year prior Pennsylvania had decided to include students receiving medical assistance in the program, in addition to students receiving food stamps. This was to be year two of a two-year pilot program. Parents could refuse the assistance.

There was a brief discussion regarding where payment for a new steamer needed to come from. Mr. Caterson said that they had miss shot the fiscal records, and that Ms. O’Malley didn’t really have the money on hand to go out and get it herself. The 22 Fund was the only place where they had money for the equipment. Mr. Caterson said that he agreed with this, that they needed to get the equipment. He had spoken with Ms. O’Malley, he continued, and over the summer they expended money when they really weren’t getting much in. Mr. Caterson asked Ms. Lusk to tell the board where the food services department had been at this point the three years prior. He said that the amount of money had been declining, citing the numbers. He said that they needed to look into this, wondering where the loss was and if food services needed to be absorbed as a line item of the district’s budget. He opined that the new food regulations may have contributed to the difficulty in continuing to have a self-sustaining food services program. He said that this wasn’t something that only their food services department was dealing with. The new Child Nutrition Law and requirements were exacerbating the situation.

Mr. Owens welcomed Jason Whitney to their team as a new technician. They managed to get two new computer labs in, replacing the computer lab at both of the elementary schools. They were also replacing the graphics lab at the high school. Related to security, they were starting work on adding surveillance which had been spoken of in the past. Also, they had completed an upgrade to the video server at the high school to increase resolution, and added some camera coverage.

Ms. Follert said that it had been brought to her attention that WVIA was doing an “Our Town” documentary of Montrose. It had come back to her through some of those business owners that no one from the school had been at the first meeting of people interested. There was another meeting coming up that Wednesday at St. Paul’s church. They were looking for someone to come and meet them to be part of their planning group. Mr. Caterson felt that the district ought to be involved. A WVIA representative had felt that perhaps the district would like to discuss the scholastic team and archery program. Mr. Ognosky said that he would go to the meeting.

The regular meeting began very shortly after the work session ended.

Levi Tiffany resigned as Junior High Assistant Football Coach, and Caitlin Ely resigned as Assistant Varsity Girls’ Basketball Coach. Both were accepted with regret. Anthony McKennas was appointed as an assistant football coach.

A number of other resignations were accepted with regret as well, including: Romaine Vangorder and Heather Welch from part-time food service positions, and Janet Flaherty as a half-time gifted instructor. Jason Whitney was approved as a full-time computer technician. Nicole Russel was appointed to a kindergarten position at Choconut Valley Elementary School, Nicole Pfamatter at the fourth grade at Lathrop Street Elementary School, and Mariah Stahl as a half-time French instructor.

The resignation was accepted with regret for the purpose of retirement of Mr. Ognosky, from his superintendent position, effective November first. He had written a short letter which he read aloud, stating that he had enjoyed his term of 38 plus years, beginning as an educator. He had served as a principal for 26 years, and spent 12 as the superintendent of schools. He wished everybody well and thanked them, saying that he had enjoyed himself there. He said that he had a wonderful opportunity come up in what had been a secondary vocation, officiating college sports. He would not be able to do that and the job of superintendent the way it was supposed to be and needed to be done, saying that he thought it was best that he ride off into the sunset then and enjoy himself. He said that he was thrilled about the opportunity, stating that it had come at the right time for him. A board member quipped that it wasn’t the right time for her. He wished everybody the best of luck, saying that he would be at work every day he was supposed to be at work until his departure. He was thanked by various board members. All voted to accept his resignation with regret.

Preliminary scholastic report cards for Susquehanna Community Schools are out. While the state Department of Education continues to raise standards in accordance with No Child Left Behind (NCLB) goals, proficiency scores on PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) tests appear to be trending lower.

At SCSD’s August 6 deliberation and information session Superintendent Bronson Stone shared the results of the state’s initial PSSA/Keystone Scores. Mr. Stone stressed that these are rough scores (not verified). Still, to the extent one assumes these scores will help form the basis to measure AYP (Annual Yearly Progress), NCLB goal achievement appears more a mirage than something imminently obtainable.

The PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) “measures how well students have achieved in reading, mathematics, science and writing according to Pennsylvania's world-class academic standards,” according to the Commonwealth’s Department of Education (DoE) website. And according to the federal No Child Left Behind Act, students must be 100% proficient in reading and math by 2014. (Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states which has NOT requested a waiver of the NCLBA 2014 goal from the federal government. Why it has not conjures obvious suspicions by many in and out of the education establishment.)

Here are the proficiency percentages for grades three through eight in Reading: Third - 66%; Fourth - 65%; Fifth - 57%; Sixth - 68%; Seventh - 79%; and Eighth - 69%. Proficiency grades in Math: Third - 69%; Fourth - 83%; Fifth - 67%; Sixth -78%; Seventh - 59%; and Eighth - 77%.

Fourth-grade students were also tested in the Science subject area, and received a grade of 89%. Fifth-graders, additionally tested in Writing, achieved 60% proficiency. And eighth-graders tested in both Science and Writing received scores of 59% and 82%, respectively.

In comparing the new PSSA test scores to 2012’s, rising scores are distinctly rare relative to the downward trend. Ascendant were sixth and seventh-grade reading scores, as well as sixth-grade math scores.

Superintendent Stone noted that the district is using “more rigorous” standards since Pennsylvania approved “Common Core Standards.” and that the curricula is necessarily aligned to reflect student performance when tested to Common Core Standards. So what’s happening here? Mr. Stone’s explanation, reflective of Occam’s razor is that essentially the state has failed to live up to its end of the “bargain.” Susquehanna students, he said, are already being trained to write cogent essays and analyze texts for information in accordance with common core goals; however, state tests continue to reflect objective/multiple-choice tests looking for knowledge of facts, rather than critical thinking skills. Could this be the reason Susky PSSA scores are trending lower.

It is not without irony that common core standards have come under heavy criticism in some parts of the state, including the state House of Representatives, where on June 18th, representatives passed House Resolution 338 by a unanimous vote of 198-0. The resolution calls on the state’s education secretary and the state board of education to ensure that the academic standards of the Commonwealth are thoroughly rigorous, and the resolution further urges administrative amendment of regulations as necessary to address concerns about Pennsylvania Common Core state standards.

Our own representative, Sandra Major, R-111, released an email newsletter on Friday, August 9, which included an update on Common Core, “In response to public concerns about the implementation of Common Core academic standards in the Commonwealth’s schools, the House Education Committee held an informational briefing with the Pennsylvania Department of Education this week on several changes being made regarding the standards. Members of the House approved House Resolution 338 in June which encouraged the Department of Education to make several changes to state academic standards for K-12 education. As a result, the following changes are being implemented: . . . The name of the standards will be changed to ‘PA Core Standards,’. . . [and] There will be NO required reading lists, and the selection of curriculum will remain a local decision.”

Rep. Major’s affirmation that “selection of curriculum will remain a local decision” while technically true, seems to overlook the obvious logic that local school boards retaining curricula incompatible with PA Core Standards are necessarily dooming their students to failure under an over-arching Common Core superstructure of test-taking and measurement mandated by the state. SCSD, as has already been noted, shifted its curricula to accommodate Common Core Standards in accordance with the state’s adoption of Common Core.

Susquehanna Community School District, it seems, is caught in a catch-22 because the state did not update its PSSA testing to conform to Common Core for the FY 2013, and the Department of Education has additionally announced continued delays into 2014 and 2015. In response to this unsatisfactory situation Superintendent Stone has formulated a strategy, devoting some educational hours to teaching to the (non-common core) test. He stressed, “My stance on the Common Core is pretty simple. I fully support the more rigorous writing that the Common Core seeks to bring about, but I do not believe anything substantial is being done by our state to modify the standards or to put teeth into a full review of them.”

The state’s report card on SCSD’s Keystone Exams provides data which may be more instructive for academic measurement and comparison of peer performance. For background, the Keystone Exams are end-of-course assessments designed to evaluate performance in the subjects of Algebra I, Biology, and Literature, and are generally taken by students in grade 11. These exams are also one component of the state’s system of high school graduation requirements affecting students in the class of 2017 and beyond. Results for each exam were classified into four categories: (1) Advanced, (2) Proficient, (3) Basic, and (4) Below Basic. The first two categories indicate superior to satisfactory performance; the latter two marginal to inadequate.

In all three Keystone Exams, all Susky test-takers as a group out-performed their statewide peers: in Algebra I, 57.4% to 39.7%; Biology 42.6% to 39.7%; and Literature by a margin of 72.8% to 54.9%. The foregoing reflects combined advanced and proficient performance percentages.

Superintendent Stone, in parsing the Literature results for the Keystone Exam, noted that first-time test takers in the district out-paced their statewide contemporaries by a margin of 85.2% to 63.9%. For that phenomenal achievement he singled out Mrs. Hannah Taylor for high praise - because every district first-time test-taker had passed through her classroom during the 2012-2013 school year.

Early test results are in. How they are deciphered will be the keystone in many pupils’ near future.

Ever prompt, Commissioner Hall called the meeting to order at 9am. The prior meeting minutes were quickly approved and the Commissioners got right into the approval of the County’s fiscal matters by approving or ratifying the following: General Expenses on 7/25/13 for $145,673.37; Net Payroll Expenses of $177,392.16 on 7/31/13; Employee Retirement Contribution of $14,484.98 on 7/31/13; $7,849.87 for State Withholding taxes on 7/31/13; 8/1/13 Federal Payroll taxes of $67,636.77; 8/2/13 $418,046.60 for General Expenses; General Expenses on 8/8/13 in the amount of $153,368.78; $89,864.55 on 8/8/13 for CYS Expenses; Net Payroll on 8/14/13 of $157,170.21; also on 8/14/13 there were Employee Retirement Contributions of $14, 403.83 and State Withholding taxes for $7,138.82; and on 8/15/13 there were Federal Payroll taxes of $59,960.62.

A number of seminar requests were submitted and approved. Mr. Paskoff inquired as to if these seminars were required or voluntary. Commissioner Hall noted that many of them are required for the specific positions within the County. The bid for replacement windows and glass was awarded to Precision Glass Company of New Milford for a cost of $17,710.00. The Commissioners also approved the Tax Claim Bureau exonerating the delinquent taxes on one property in Bridgewater Township due to the home no longer being there. A trailer, Belmont Model SS1018-12 was approved for the maintenance department for the cost of $5,591.00 less the discount offered. The engineering proposal from Greenman-Pedersen, Inc., of Scranton was accepted. This proposal will be for the full design for generators for the County Office Building, the Warner Building and the Courthouse. The total cost for this will be $12,000.

On personnel matters, the Commissioners accepted several resignations, the transfer of one person to another department, and the hiring of a Custodian.

During Public Comment a resident inquired as to if the Act 13 funds had been received. Commissioner Hall confirmed they had and noted that the County had received approximately 4.1 Million dollars for the year 2012. He further noted that the monies were coming in a year back, so the funds for this calendar year will not be received until 2014. They are not late, it is just how the accounting works for the Act 13 funds.

With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:07am.

The Salary Board Meeting was called to order at 9:07am. Commissioners Hall, Giangrieco and Warren were present as was Treasurer Benedict. The prior meeting minutes were approved. The elimination of two 3rd Deputy Positions in the Register & Recorder’s office and the creation of two 2nd Deputy Positions was approved. Two departments had work hours increased from 7.5 hours per day to a full 8 hours. To bring the District Magistrate Offices in Clifford and Montrose in line with others, the Clerk/typist positions were changed to Assistant Office Manager positions effective 8/15/13.

The elimination of the current non-union Assistant Director of Public Safety-Emergency Management/Emergency Management Operations and Training Manager position was approved. In its place will be an Assistant Director of Public Safety/Emergency Management Coordinator and an Emergency management Operation and Training Officer position. Additionally, the Geographical Information Systems Project Manager/Information Technology officer position was approved. It was noted that the GIS Project is to bring the 911 and Tax information into the current technology. The data that is currently stored will be able to be accessed digitally once the process has been completed, and will become a source of revenue for various agencies who may be interested in paying for downloads of information instead of traveling to the Courthouse to search the documents by hand.

With the business being concluded, the meeting was adjourned at 9:16am.

DEEDS

Mark L. & Diane D. Francis to Mark L. & Diane D. Francis, in Liberty Twp., for $1.00.

Mark L. & Diane D. Francis to Mark L. Francis, in Liberty Twp., for $1.00.

Ralph V. Lewis (estate), Diane M. Youmans (aka) Diane M. Lewis & Dennis P. Lewis to Diane M. Youmans & Dennis P. Lewis, in Bridgewater Twp., for $1.00.

Ralph V. Lewis (estate), Diane M. Youmans (aka) Diane M. Lewis & Dennis P. Lewis to Diane M. Youmans, in Bridgewater Twp., for $1.00.

Karen M. Faillace to Karen M. & Michael Faillace, in Dimock Twp., for $1.00.

Karen M. Dragon (nka) Karen M. Faillace to Karen M. & Michael Faillace, in Dimock Twp., for $1.00.

Kathleen G. Upright (by sheriff) to Federal National Mortgage Association, in Jackson Twp., for $1,018.69.

Donald E., Neal E., Linda L., Ronald A. & Patricia A. White to Donald E., Neal E., Linda L., Ronald A. & Patricia A. White, in Springville Twp., for $1.00.

Donald E., Neal E., Linda L., Ronald A. & Patricia A. White to Williams Field Service Company LLC, in Springville Twp., for $1.00.

Cynthia K. Brown (estae aka) Cynthia K. Brown Schermerhorn (estate), Michelle A. Pederson (nka) Michelle A. Kemmerer, Michelle A. Kemmerer, Joseph Kemmerer, Chad Pederson & Michelle Pederson to Gary P. Schermerhorn, in Silver Lake Twp., for $1.00.

Donna M. Fekette & Thomas J. Lopatofsky Jr. (aka) to John T. Tompkins, John L. Tompkins & Cheryl P. Tompkins, in Gibson Twp., for $64,000.00.

John R. & Katherine Bolles to John A. & Vivian W. Bolles, in Dimock Twp., for $1.00.

Barbara L. & William N. DeWolfe to Barbara L. DeWolfe, in Gibson Twp., for $1.00.

Marjorie A. Cunningham to John E. Prior, Paula Roe Prior (aka) Paula Roe-Prior, in Gibson Twp., for $249,000.00.

Roman Catholic Churches of Forest City (by trustee nka) Ascension Parish (by trustee), Guy E. Gerstal, Gale G. Casini to Thomas R. Ferrer, Gail Ferrer, Guy E. Gerstel, Gale G. Casini, in Forest City, $100.00.

Pauline M. Weakland (nka) Pauline M. OReilly to Pauline M. OReilly, in New Milford Twp., for $1.00.

Cheryl Joyce Kraft (aka) Cheryl J. Kraft to Edmund Kraft & Cheryl Joyce Kraft (aka) Cheryl J. Kraft, in Liberty Twp., for $1.00.

Edmund Kraft & Cheryl J. Franolich (nka) Cheryl J. Kraft (aka) Cheryl Joyce Kraft to Edmund Kraft & Cheryl J. Kraft (aka) Cheryl J. Kraft, in Liberty Twp., for $1.00.

Cheryl J. Kraft to Edmund Kraft & Cheryl J. Kraft (aka) Cheryl Joyce Kraft, in Liberty Twp., for $1.00.

James W. Jones to Karen F. Higgins, in New Milford Twp., for $25,000.00.

Griffiths Family Financial LTD to Jeffrey & Joan Mikloichie, in Clifford Twp., for $25,000.00.

Citifinancial Services Inc. (by poa) to Patricia Odell, in Forest City, for $19,900.00.

Gary Svecz to Mark Svecz & John Svecz Jr., in Forest City, for $1.00.

Gino & Patricia Carbone to Michael S. Stranburg, in Bridgewater Twp., for $192,500.00.

St. Pauls Episcopal Church to Barbara J. Hollister, in Montrose, for $185,000.00.

Louis Marsico & Stacey J. Marsico (aka) Stacy J. Marsico to Frank N. & Linda A. Cullari, in Harford Twp., for $1.00.

Louis Marsico & Stacey J. Marsico (aka) Stacy J. Marsico to Frank N. & Linda A. Cullari, in Harford Twp., for $1.00.

Edwin S. Bunnell (estate aka) Edwin Samuel Bunnell (estate), Lucille A. Bunnell & Robin A. Rosin to Paul Andrews, in Dimock Twp., & Bridgewater Twp., for $70,000.00.

Leon E. Pointek Sr., Michelle R. Hitchock (nbm) Michelle R. Pointek, to Michelle R. Pointek, in Auburn Twp., for $1.00.

Frank N. & Linda A. Cullari to Louis Stacy J. Marsico, in Harford Twp., for $1.00.

Mary E. Wagner (estate aka) Mary Wagner (estate) to Jenny L. Payne, in Harford Twp., for $62,000.00.

William P. & Mary E. Hayes to Mark R. & Joan B. Reading, in Herrick Twp., for $1.00.

Mark R. & Joan B. Reading to William P. & Mary Hayes Jr., in Herrick Twp., for $1.00.

Walter Halupke to Walter Halupke, in Clifford Twp., for $1.00.

John A. & Vivian W. Bolles to John R. & Katherine Bolles, in Dimock Twp., for $1.00.

Robert A. & Jennifer H. Housel to Robert A. & Jennifer H. Housel, in Lenox Twp., for $1.00.

Judith A. Casselbury to Alvin C. Casselbury, in Liberty Twp., for $1.00.

Orrin L. & Judith A. Hewes to Jacob P. & Meghan E. Hughes, in Silver Lake Twp., for $165,000.00.

Charles C. & Eleanor K. Higgins to Bremer Hof Owners Inc., in Herrick Twp., for $100.00.

Carol Nunes (nbm) Carol N. Stepnosky & Thomas J. Stepnosky to Thomas A. Nunes Jr., in Lenox Twp., for $1.00.

Mari L. Catania to Mari L. Catania, in Brooklyn Twp., for $1.00.

Jason Skarbez to Jason Skarbez & Mary Hubal, in Thompson Borough, for $1.00.

Federal National Mortgage Association (by atty) & Fannie Mae (by atty) to Yan Zhang, in Lenox Twp., for $30,000.00.

Ardith & Spencer Callender to Ardith Callender & Kathy Wagner, in Jackson Twp., for $1.00.

Debra Stevenback & Curtis & Darlene Hinkle to Curtis I. & Darlene G. Hinkle, in Franklin Twp., for $1.00.

Michael J. & Della A. Novis to Howard N. & Lynn Witrock, in Auburn Twp., for $10.00.

Kimberly Joy Jennings to Emery B. & Julie A. Benscoter, in Springville Twp, for $205,000.00.

Gary A. & Susan Buse to Susan Buse, in Bridgewater Twp., for $1.00.

Ronald J. & Susan M. Jacoby to Ronald J. Jacoby, in Jessup Twp., for $1.00.

Daniel Richard Millard to Victoria R. Breeze (fka) Victoria Ruth Millard, in Bridgewater Twp., for $1.00.

Joseph M. Burchell & Jessica Elaine Burchell to Michael Brody Webster & Casey L. Webster, in Harford Twp., for $240,000.00.

James R. Morris (estate) to Keith R. & Sandra L. Lord, in Hallstead Borough, for $69,000.00.

Karne C. Ogrady (nbm) Karen C. Smith to Edward J., Carolyn A. & David M. Smith, in Bridgewater Twp., for $1.00.

Elizabeth Dipasquale to Randy J. & Diane L. Worobey, in Thompson Twp., for $175,000.00.

Dalton Conley to Dalton & Stephen Conley, in Herrick Twp,. for $1.00.

David D. Rodriguez to Naomi Grover, in Great Bend Twp., for $59,900.00.

BENCH WARRANTS

The Susquehanna County DOMESTIC RELATIONS Section has outstanding BENCH WARRANT’S for the following individuals as of 9:20 am on August 16, 2013: Craig J. Anderson, BillieJean Beemer, William J. Casey, Thomas D. Earley, David J. Fischer, Jon W. Hanson, Douglas R. Heath, Anthony D Hibbard, Sr, James Karhnak, Kay L. Knolles, Whade A. Koch, Jean M. Larson, Todd J. Layton, Charlie J. Legere, Lawrence M. McGuire, Ronald N. Mithcell, Andrew J. Muscarelle, Frank T. Perera II, Mary Perschau, Jonathan Pudish, Anthony Reed, Bruce A. Schurr, Desiree L. Shifler, David J. Shiner, Eric J. Snell, Nathan C. Strohl, Frederick Swingle III, Tessa E. Thomas, Robert J. Twilley, Steven G. Warner, Kevin E. Yanney. Please contact the Domestic Relations Section at 570-278-4600 ext. 170 with any information on the location of these individuals.

Khalifa Ayatullah Rahim, 30, of Montrose, PA to 3 years to 10 years in a state correctional facility, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay $750 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $100 Act 198 fee, pay $250 DNA testing fee and submit sample, receive drug and alcohol treatment for Criminal Conspiracy/Manufacture, Delivery or Possession with Intent to Deliver in Lenox Township on October 17, 2012.

Peter Chavez, 29, of Johnson City, NY to 2 ½ months to 12 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, pay $150 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $100 Act 198 fee, receive drug and alcohol counseling for Possession of a Controlled Substance in Lenox township on January 15, 2013. Mr. Chavez also received 2 months to 12 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, to run concurrent to the above sentence, pay $100 Act 198 fee, pay $150 fine, pay cost of prosecution, supervision may be transferred to Broome County, NY for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia in Lenox Township on January 15, 2013.

Michael Todd Donovan, 39, of Montrose, PA to 20 months probation, not to possess weapons or firearms, no to have contact with the victim/victim’s family except for custody matters, pay $250 DNA testing fee and submit sample, pay $200 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee for Stalking in Bridgewater Township on March 25, 2013.

Tristen Anthony Vaow, 18, of Montrose, PA to 4 ½ months to 15 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, pay $250 DNA testing fee and submit sample, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay $250 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay restitution to the victim in this case, not to possess weapons, not to have contact with anyone on supervision, obtain GED, complete an anger management program for Theft by Unlawful Taking in Springville on April 11, 2013.

Larissa Ann Hadsall, 18, of Sugar Run, PA to 18 months probation, supervision may be transferred to Bradford County, PA, perform 125 hours of community service, submit an apology letter to the victim, pay $250 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, no to have contact with persons under the age of 18 without adult supervision, continue with counseling for Corruption of Minors in Auburn Township on November 21, 2012.

Shawn Fortune, 20, of Montrose, PA to 3 months to 15 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, pay $250 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay restitution to the victims, not to possess firearms or other weapons, not to have contact with the victims in this case, abide by a 10 PM curfew for Theft by Unlawful Taking in Bridgewater Township on November 27, 2012.

David Sansky, Jr, 26, of Throop, PA to 15 months probation, submit a letter of apology to the victim, not to have contact with the victim, receive drug and alcohol counseling, pay $250 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, obtain GED for Theft by Unlawful Taking in Jackson Township on January 30, 2013.

Crash: On August 15th at 8:25 pm Patrick Treacy of Thompson, PA was traveling north on T-510 in Dimock Township when his Ford F-450 failed to negotiate a left curve in the roadway. The vehicle lost control and rolled onto its roof. Both Treacy and a passenger were utilizing seat belts; both sustained minor injury.

Access Device Fraud: On July 29th perpetrators made fraudulent purchases over the internet utilizing the credit card information of a Montrose man.

Burglary: One or more perpetrators burglarized the Montrose Little League concession stand/shed between the 10th and 15th of August. The burglar(s) stole a gas grill and consumable goods (a large amount of candy). The estimated value of the stolen goods was $1,000. Anyone with information is asked to please contact PA State Police Gibson.

Crash: On July 31st at 7:30 am two juveniles were traveling east on Elk Lake Road in Auburn Township, which is a one-lane dirt Township Road. One, a sixteen year old girl, was operating a bicycle on the right side of the road way when she was struck from the rear by a 17 year old boy operating a vehicle. The girl was thrown from the bicycle after impact and reached a rest lying in the grass on the shoulder of the roadway approximately 15 feet from initial impact. The boy was utilizing a seat belt; he was not injured. The girl sustained major injury.

Theft by unlawful taking: On August 14th 10 Suboxone pills were stolen from the vehicle of a Great Bend woman while located in Hallstead Borough. Anyone with information is asked to please contact the police.

Access Device Fraud: On August 12th one or more person(s) obtained the debit card information of a Binghamton man, and made two purchases in Sacramento, CA before the credit card company could cancel the card. Peoples Neighborhood Bank was notified of this incident and is investigating.

Burglary: On July 24th one or more unknown burglar(s) entered the residence of a Middletown woman and took a 19” Sony television and a laptop computer. The perpetrator(s) then went into the victim’s bedroom and took an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency, a gold diamond ring, and black pearl earrings. Anyone with information is asked to please contact the police.

Criminal Mischief: Between the 28th of July and the 1st of August one or more perpetrator(s) smashed out an overhead garage door window and struck the same with a blunt object, at a house belonging to an elderly Jessup Township man.

Criminal Mischief: On August 12th at 12:33 pm Shane Caster of Nicholson is accused of throwing a brick through the window of a Clifford ip man. Caster fled the scene. Charges were filed at district court 34-3-03.

Burglary: on August 11th at approximately 2:38 am a burglary occurred at Lapera’s gas station in Clifford Township in which the perpetrator(s) entered the business of a Forest City man by forcible means of breaking the glass on the front door. Once inside they stole money that was kept inside the business. Anyone with information is asked to contact the State Police at Gibson.

Harassment: On August 10th at 7:20 pm Brian J. MCalla of Clifford Township threatened to use a nail gun and a hammer on a Greenfield Township woman. Charges were filed at District Court 34-3-03.

Crash with Injuries: On August 12th at 4:43 am a crash occurred on Interstate 81 in New Milford Township in which a Single Unit Box Truck was traveling southbound on I81 when it exited the west side of the roadway and struck the rock ledge off the west side of the roadway. It then rode along the shoulder of the roadway and struck the rock ledge a second time and overturned onto its driver side across the two lanes of the roadway. A White Dodge Caravan was then traveling southbound in the right lane and struck the truck with its front end. The two vehicles came to rest in the roadway facing in a westerly direction. There were 3 occupants in the truck; all were transported to different hospitals with injuries of unknown severity. There were 5 occupants in the van; all were transported to different hospitals with injuries of unknown severity. The investigation was continuing as of the time of report.

Burglary: Between the 9th and 10th of August a burglary occurred at Flynn’s Castle in Lawton, Rush Township, in which one or more burglar(s) entered the business of a Montrose man through a window that was smashed out to obtain entry. Once inside, the perpetrator(s) stole money from within the business. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to please contact the police.

Crash: On August 9th at 3:25 pm Kenneth Sechrist of Nicholson, PA was traveling eastbound on Sr 2012 in Lenox Township when his vehicle failed to properly negotiate a left hand curve in the roadway and went off of the right edge. The vehicle struck a tree along the right shoulder of the roadway. The driver was utilizing a seat belt; he was not injured.

Burglary: On July 24th at 2:30 pone or more unknown burglar(s) broke a bedroom window located tat the rear of an Auburn Township residence. The perpetrator(s) then gained entry through the window and entered the living room where they took a Wal-Mart speaker located next to the television and two DVDs located underneath the television. The perpetrator(s) then exited the residence and opened the unlocked shed located along the South side of the residence. Once inside the shed the perpetrator(s) took a Red Honda TRX350 ATV, a Husquevarna chain saw, a Dewalt Skill saw, a right angle grinder, and a NAPA battery charger. The perpetrator(s) then backed a cherry red pick-up truck into the driveway and loaded the ATV onto the back. Anyone with information is asked to please contact PSP Gibson.

Burglary: On August 10th one or more perpetrator(s) kicked in the glass from the front door of Maxsons Family Market in Clifford and entered the store, taking approximately $200 in cash before fleeing the scene.

Harassment: On August 9th at 9:20 pm a Montrose woman got into an argument with a North Bend man. The confrontation became physical when the woman bit the man on his right forearm, then fled the scene. Charges were filed in District Court 34-3-01.

Crash: On August 9th at 4:43 am a 19 year old male of New Milford, PA was traveling westbound on Franklin Hill Road when he attempted to make a right turn onto Steam Hollow Road. His Dodge Ram then lost control, exited off the east side of the roadway and came back across the roadway, striking a fence, and then a tree, on the west side of the roadway. The fence was struck with the driver’s side front of the vehicle, and the tree was struck with the passenger’s side front. The truck came to a final rest against the tree. The vehicle sustained disabling damage and was towed from the scene. The operator left the scene prior to the officer’s arrival. Seat belt use was listed as unknown; there were no injuries sustained.

Harassment: On August 8th at 10:30 am a harassment incident occurred at Weida’s Trailer Park in Lenox Township in which a man and woman engaged in a physical altercation and shoved each other. Both individuals were charged with section 2709 (Harassment) of the PA Crime Code.

Burglary/Theft: On August 4th one or more perpetrator(s) gained entry to a Forest Lake Township residence by unknown means and went in to the top lid area of a large jewelry armoire.

Burglary/Criminal Mischief: Between July 28th and August 4th one or more perpetrator(s) arrived at a Brooklyn Township property, and forced entry into a padlocked barn by cutting the padlock. The perpetrator(s) forced entry into the residence by prying open a basement entry door that was nailed shut. The perpetrator(s) also then entered an unsecured detached garage. The burglar(s) left the scene with unknown items.

Criminal Mischief: Between the 4th and 5th of August one or more perpetrator(s) appeared at Auto Plus in Great Bend Borough and super glued the door handle shut.

Simple Assault: On August 4th at 6:30 am a simple assault occurred at a location in Susquehanna Borough in which the accused and the victim got into a verbal argument over residency issues. The altercation then turned physical when the accused, Matthew Pierce from Oakland, PA, assaulted the victim, a woman, by punching her in the right side of her head with a closed right fist several times causing moderate injuries to the right side of her face and head. The accused was charged with sections 2701 (Simple Assault) and 2709 (Harassment) of the PA Crimes Code and was remanded to Susquehanna County jail on $7,500 bail.

Burglary: Between May 20th and August 1st one or more perpetrator(s) gained entry into residence through unsecured opening in a basement wall. The perpetrator(s) removed a copper pipe and wiring from the basement ceiling. Aluminum siding was removed from rafters in the basement and taken out the overhead garage door entry to the basement. The actor(s) then entered an unsecured detached garage and removed a push lawnmower from the garage.

Burglary: Between August 2nd and 3rd one or more burglar(s) gained forcible entry into Maxon’s Family Market in Clifford Township, rummaged through the office area of the market and stole approximately $1500 in cash.

If you have information regarding any of these incidents please contact PSP Gibson at (570) 465-3154.