Harford Township is spending some of the more than $250,000 it has received from the Act 13 “impact fee” assessed against the natural gas drilling industry to beef up the roads. At the township Supervisors’ meeting on September 10th, the bill list showed expenditures totaling nearly $25,000 for additional road materials from the fund. The Supervisors are also looking to buy more calcium chloride for dust control out of the fund. Supervisor Garry Foltz said the township wants to “get [the money] on the roads.”

One of those roads, Tyler Lake, will soon get a special upgrade with the help of a grant from the Soil Conservation service. The project, the initiative of a resident at the lake, will help to control drainage from the road into the lake. The Supervisors accepted a bid of $33,910 from Barhite Excavating of Clifford to do the work. The Soil Conservation service recently approved a grant of $26,400 for the project. Harford Township will contribute $8,600 and some parts and labor. Nobody was sure where to get a 3-foot extension for the sewer basin on the road or how much it might cost. But everything else seems to be ready to proceed.

Not so yet with a deteriorating bridge on Podunk Road. The township hired an engineer to evaluate the situation. His report anticipates applying for grants to help pay for the project.

Mr. Foltz urged the road crew to shift focus to get some work done on several projects to repair flood damage funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA recently granted a deadline extension to March of next year. But with a winter coming on that will extend through March, the work needs to be completed as soon as possible so the township can be reimbursed.

There will be one more person to help out on those projects. The Supervisors hired Carlson Colwell as the township’s newest full-time employee. Mr. Colwell started work on August 26.

And, if they can ever get it titled and registered, the crew will have a Gradall to work with. The recent purchase apparently didn’t come with paperwork. The machine arrived in Harford via the state of Delaware. Supervisor and Township Secretary Sue Furney is trying to track down a purchase order, bill of sale or MSO (manufacturer’s statement of origin) that can be used to properly title the well-traveled equipment.

One road that got a superior upgrade with the help of a grant, has suffered a setback. Mr. Foltz reported that someone drove a log skidder – complete with cleated chains – over School Street in Harford village recently. The township is conferring with the contractor that laid the smooth asphalt, and will send a letter to the miscreant for damages.

During a discussion of what should have been a routine update of the agreement between the township and the Harford Volunteer Fire Company, Ms. Furney noted that the workmens’ compensation policy premium is slated to rise by $1,000 per month. Under Act 46, the so-called “Firefighter Cancer Presumption Law,” passed by the state legislature in the summer of 2011, firefighters with 4 or more years of service who develop cancer are presumed to have contracted the disease as a result of that service and are entitled to compensation by their company’s insurer, which in most cases is the workmens’ compensation insurer of the associated municipality. As a result of the law, according to Ms. Furney most insurance companies in the state no longer offer workmens’ compensation coverage for municipalities that have fire companies.

Ms. Furney herself benefits from her employment with the township, and that’s a problem for Mr. Foltz, who voted “No” on the bill list because it included a payment for Ms. Furney’s pension plan. Mr. Foltz said that the 2nd Class Township code under which Harford operates gives the township’s auditors the last word on pension benefits for Supervisors who are also employees. And, according to Mr. Foltz, Harford’s auditors have objected to the pension plan covering Ms. Furney; he says he is simply complying with their determination. Ms. Furney says she has a letter from the township’s solicitor supporting her pension plan under the code. Supervisor Doug Phelps voted in favor of the bill list anyway, as did Ms. Furney, of course.

Mr. Foltz announced that the township is embroiled in yet another legal tangle. As a result of the release of 3 bulls onto the grounds at the Harford Fair after the rodeo in 2011, one injured person has filed suit against the Fair, the rodeo, and Harford Township, clearly seeking the deepest pockets. As Mr. Foltz pointed out, the township has no connection with the Harford Agricultural Society which operates the Fair, other than the fact that the fairgrounds are located in the township. The township’s insurance company will handle the matter.

Mr. Foltz also reported that he thinks the township’s insurance company has made an offer to the plaintiff in a suit stemming from flooding of Tingley Lake over several years beginning with the major event in June 2006.

The Harford Township Supervisors meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at the Township office on Route 547, beginning at 7:00pm. Don’t miss it.

President Tom Lamont was absent from the beginning of the September 9th meeting of the Montrose borough council, so Todd Chamberlain presided in his stead.

During the street department report, Mr. DiPhillips noted remembrance of the fact that council had wanted him to begin leaves a little earlier. He asked council to be thinking about when they wanted him to start. Mr. Chamberlain suggested seeing how fast they turned. Mr. Granahan proposed just seeking which residents had a pile out as the street department traveled the street. Mr. Chamberlain asked when they usually started; it was normally in October, Mr. DiPhillips responded. Mr. Schuster suggested that when the leaves were down they be put out, Mr. Granahan concurred with this idea.

The surface treatment program looked good, Mr. DiPhillips announced. It was stated that those doing the work had taken their time and made it pleasing to the eye.

Mr. Granahan asked about the location of a water problem on Spruce Street. It was responded that it was near Aunt Julie’s B&B. Mr. DiPhillips had met with her and they had created a plan to address the problem. Ms. Skinner asked what the stone and oil project was. Mr. DiPhillips explained that if there was a compromised road the best thing to do was to put stone and oil over it, and they had done Griffis and Wilson street, (and they had caped Griffis). He said that it was a little messy and a little dirty, but was also really beneficial.

Someone asked what was up with the old barber shop house, stating that it looked unsafe. Mr. Granahan said that the owner had put some money into the foundation. It was stated that the building had been leaning for a while. There had been braces in place when it was being worked on, but they had since been removed. There was a cable system inside.

Ms. Skinner asked about truck traffic going fast through town, especially on South Main Street. She said that the speeding was terrible. A visitor said that they went onto the corner near her every day. A police officer said that they weren’t really speeding, that vehicles had been clocked. They were loud and annoying but they weren’t really going that fast.

The Time Warner Cable franchise agreement was approved. A hearing was held first, opening at 7:33 and ending at 7:34.

The zoning officer spoke about the Andre’s apartment project. All that had been changed from the original plans was the parking. All of the side street setbacks were set to 25 feet. The rear was set to thirty feet. There were two parking spots per dwelling. The project had taken overflow parking out of the back and changed it to grass, and had done the same with the other side of the street. It that stated that now they met all requirements, with the setbacks and the parking. Mr. Schuster said this had been done to make it more family friendly, so there was a place for the kids to play. Mr. Pickett asked about the curbing on Mill Street, for the individual driveways going in. He asked if they were going to be curbed or not. The zoning officer wasn’t sure. Mr. chamberlain thought perhaps there were going to be shrubs. Mr. Reimel said that his understanding was that they would take care of it with landscaping, that one of the project representatives had spoken about it on a previous occasion, stating that cars would not be able to get up into that area.

Mr. Grahanan addressed the subject of the protocol to gain access to the borough secretary, making a motion to accept a job description and policy. He stated that this protocol was to tighten up procedures for requests for work from the borough secretary. Her job description said that she reported to the fiscal committee, and there was a protocol in place for accessing her.

Ms. skinner said that she thought part of this stemmed from a request from a citizen who sat on borough council. She stated that this request was for financial statements, which any citizen was allowed to walk into any agency and request during working hours. An immediate reproduction was to be produced at no cost according to the Ethics Act, she continued.

Mr. Granahan said that this did not interfere with Right to Know or Ethics Commission legal requirements. Things became heated between Ms. Skinner and Mr. Granahan, as Mr. Granahan said that Ms. Skinner had reported the secretary to the Ethics Committee because council had reported her. He said, suggesting that they call a spade a spade, that the protocol was in place to keep Ms. Skinner from harassing and abusing the borough secretary. He said that this harassment and abuse needed to stop, and that it was going to stop because they were stopping it. She rebutted that they would stop, that what he did was illegal. The motion Mr. Granahan had made, to accept both the job description and policy, was passed in the end.

Representatives of Leatherstocking attended the meeting to discuss the process for natural gas coming to Bridgewater Township and Montrose Borough. Mr. Schuster said that he had a question right off the bat. He traveled one of the roads they were digging up, Waterford Road, and asked why they didn’t connect the houses right there. The representative responded that there were technical reasons why this couldn’t be done- for instance they didn’t have the DEP permits and would lose the ability to pressure test the line. There was also a cost factor. Mr. Chamberlain asked what kind of pressure the line carried. The answer was 124 psi.

The representative showed those present phase one and phase two. Phase one was currently under construction, and was 95% completed. There was a small gate station on Puzos Road at the base of the hill below the compressor station. This gate station would reduce the pressure from 1200 or 1,000 psi to 124 psi. There was also a meter, some filters, and an odorizer up there, as natural gas had to be odorized. The line came up Puzos Road, onto Turnpike Road, up Waterford Road, onto Old County Road, and up High School Road. The service was connected at the hospital and high school. There was some further work to be done at the high school, he explained. They were looking to connect the high school by the end of September.

The goal after getting the hospital and school on and running was to finish up a piece of pipe up 706 to the borough, and then to finish the piece up McCollum Road to the Trehab development. Then they could start hitting services along the way for customers who wanted gas on that main line. The gas main was being set up facing west by the lake, it was to be dead ended that year.

Mr. Granahan asked, as they were in the middle of a 706 project, if it might make more sense for the company to come up Lake Avenue rather than digging up 706 again. Lake Avenue needed to be paved anyway. The representative said that this might be an option. The representative said that what they needed to do the next year during phase two was to get into the area with a bigger line, to get gas to the businesses on 706 , to the elementary school, and then to the business area. Those were the big projects, and then any customer who wanted gas on that line could look into it. The second representative said that there were two options, one would be running the pipe along Lake Avenue and the other would be running it along the state route. The reality would probably be a combination of the two, as there were so many customers needing gas on 706. The company was looking at kind of encompassing the square from behind.

A visitor asked what kind of money they were talking about for a private residence to hook up to the gas. He said for the typical private residence living along the line there would be no cost to hook up, as the PUC allowed for 100 feet of main and 100 feet of service at no cost to the residence. There would be a cost incurred in the monthly meter charge and the gas cost. Otherwise there would be no cost other than the cost in the house to convert the furnace. From the main to the meter on the house was the gas company’s responsibility, from the meter to the house was the owner’s.

Once the large areas were hit, they could send gas to side streets where customers wanted service. In phase three the company would be canvassing the rest of the areas and talking to potential customers to see if they wanted gas. If there was enough interest, gas would be planned for that street.

Mr. Pickett confirmed that each phase was considered one calendar year.

Mr. Schuster asked if, when they went door to door, the company could provide homeowners with a ballpark cost of their current expenses versus natural gas heat. It was responded that in the packet they disseminated, there were ballpark estimates of cost compared to other major fuel sources.

The representative said that when the engineers came through they would also be looking at the front houses and taking photos. He wanted to state this in case residents questioned why people were taking photos of houses. Mr. Schuster requested advanced warning, and it was suggested that perhaps they would begin in the next few weeks. The workers would be wearing badges and would carry identification. This might be done by the end of September or early October.

Mr. Schuster asked if the cost of this gas was different than the cost of gas in other areas. It was responded that it would be less expensive since local residents were getting natural gas which was found and drilled for locally. It was not being transported, and the longer the transport the higher the cost.

Ms. Skinner asked how many emergency shut off valves there would be, and if there was a formula. It was responded that there would be an emergency shut off valve at the station of Puzo Road which could be shut down manually or remotely. The company planned to put another valve somewhere in the middle, and there were also to be valves on McCollum Road, Old County Road, and on the piece of pipeline going out towards the borough. As they got into the borough there would be more valves in various locations throughout.

He said that it was more or less sectionalized that if they did have to shut the gas off they wouldn’t lose too many customers. There wouldn’t be so many however that it annoyed plows. It was also all to be made of polyethylene materials, which allowed for the ability to squeeze the line closed in case of an emergency. Thus it could be dug down and squeezed off anywhere if necessary. Ms. Skinner asked if there was control for any of the other valves at the gate, or if it was just the master. It was responded that it was the master.

The representative asked if there was someone the company could contact for the purposes of records research. He was directed to contact the borough secretary.

The representatives, Matt Cook and Brian Sorochty, left business cards in case residents had questions or something happened.

After a brief executive session Mr. Reimel read aloud a letter of resignation from Scott Singer of the Street Department. He thanked the borough in the letter, and Mr. Reimel made a motion to accept the letter with regret.

Mr. Reimel made a motion to advertise for full-time Street Department help.

Mr. Reimel asked what it would take to get a handicapped parking space in the west borough lot. The secretary replied that she would check into it. He also said that he would like to look into putting a handicapped spot in the Tannery Lot, which was being reworked.

The second meeting of the month was canceled, and the first adjourned.

The Salary Board met at 9:00am on September 11, 2013 with Commissioners Hall, Giangrieco and Warren, and Treasurer Benedict being present. It was explained that this meeting would occur first as they needed to create some positions before filling them during the Commissioners meeting. After approval of the prior meeting minutes the creation of six non-union Sergeant positions at the Susquehanna County Correctional Facility were approved. A range change for the 2nd Deputy Treasurer was approved as was the elimination of the union position of GIS Project Manager/IT Officer and the creation of a non-union position of GIS Specialist. Finally, the Director of Veterans’ Affairs hours were changed with a subsequent change in pay rate. With all business of the Salary Board being concluded the meeting was adjourned at 9:03am and the County Commissioners’ meeting was opened at 9:04am.

There were a few changes to the prior County Commissioners Meeting minutes. They involved updating the the prices for the marked and unmarked Ford Police Interceptors for inclusion of lettering and a typographical error in the pricing. Additionally, there was a change to a hiring with regard to what position the person was to fill.

With regard to the fiscal matters of the County, the following items were approved or ratified by the Commissioners: General Expenses in the amount of $171,859.45 on 9/5/13; 9/9/13 for Net Payroll Expenses of $164,003.77 and $14,898.74 for Employee Retirement Contributions. Payment of State Withholding taxes on 9/11/13 for the amount of $7,466.57 and 9/12/13 for the Federal Payroll taxes totaling $63,503.19 were also approved. On 8/28/13 $464,868.17 for General Expenses was approved, and CYS Expenses on 9/10/13 totaling $60,382.27 were approved. There were also several requests for upcoming seminars all of which were approved.

The next several items on the agenda were to hire 5 individuals for open positions within the County : EMA/Operations and Training Officer, GIS Specialist, Deputy Chief Clerk, Dispatcher Trainee, and Director of Veterans’ Affairs. The Tax Claim Bureau was exonerated from collecting delinquent taxes on three parcels within the county. The reasons were that the buildings were either unlivable, no longer there, and in one case, a deleted leasehold of mineral rights. The final item on the agenda for the Commissioners was the opening for review of sealed bids for four County vehicles and a utility trailer. These bids were opened and the high bids accepted.

Public Comment included a gentleman who was in attendance to discuss the off ramp at Exit 219 (Gibson). He noted that with the sharp turn there are trucks turning over and the barrier is frequently hit. He noted that he is aware that it is to be worked on in 2015, but that he has spoken to several people – including a gentleman at PennDOT and with the State Representative, and had been unable to get any response other than to speak to the County Commissioners. Commissioner Hall noted that engineers are currently working on a new design plan for the Gibson Exit, and that as it is an Interstate Highway, it is beyond the control of the Commissioners; however, Commissioner Hall stated that he would try to call PennDOT and the Representative to see if there is anything that can be done about adding further signage warning of the sharp curve.

With the business of the County Commissioners being concluded, the meeting was adjourned at 9:29am and the final meeting of the day, The Susquehanna County Board of Elections meeting was called to order at 9:30am.

A motion was made and approved to move the polling place for Hop Bottom Borough from the Grace Lutheran Church to the Hop Bottom Borough Building at 20 Forest Street in Hop Bottom, PA to comply with ADA regulations. This will commence with the November 5, 2013 election. The minutes were read back by the Chief Clerk, and the Commissioners approved them as read. The meeting was adjourned at 9:32am.

If you see a “new” Police Impala prowling the streets of Oakland in the near future, you can connect it to the vote Oakland borough council took on Thursday, September 12, to approve its purchase. While the new Impala is new only in the sense that it’s new to Oakland (It’s a 2009 model with 40K+ miles.), it was practically a steal at $9,995. At least that was the assessment of council members after much discussion of the matter. The reason for the “new” Impala was the atrophied state of the “old” Impala. Alas, the old 2003 Impala, with more than 140,000 miles under its hood, is just too rusted to pass its next state inspection.

Present to cast “ayes” for the new police Impala were Borough Council President Ron Beavan, Jack Agler, Eric Page, Dave Dibble, and Brian Rhone. Secretary/Treasurer Flo Brush was there to record the 5-0 vote for approval of the Impala purchase from a Lackawanna County dealer. Mayor Randy Glover and Officer Bob Sweet provided background information and technical specifications on the “clean-as-a-whistle” new Impala.

Beyond the buzz of the borough’s new wheels, council’s time was dominated by land: troubled properties, a troubled park, and the troubles with potential sites for a new borough building. The troubled properties consisted of some seven residences with various property code violations. One of those properties goes up for tax sale on October 22nd; a bank holds title to a second; two more are making reasonable progress to resolve discrepancies; and two others had their issues resolved. The seventh troubled property was actually discussed first - and at length.

The lengthy discussion revolved around a borough resident who seemingly relishes the attention the borough lavishes upon him. President Beavan noted that CEO (Code Enforcement Officer) Shane Lewis has to monitor the condition of the property at least twice weekly to keep the situation in hand. This “exceptional” resident apparently enjoys the nature of the cat-n-mouse repartee, but always manages to stay one step ahead of the CEO - with a temporary clean-up just in time to avoid justice that might involve consequential penalties. President Beavan acknowledged in a tone conveying a tinge of regret that this one resident took up 85% of council’s time as far as troubled properties are concerned. As they moved on to the next topic, council metaphysically heaved a collective sigh, as if resigned to its pre-destined role in the aforementioned toxic game of “catch-me-if -you-can.”

The troubled park came up at the start of the Mayor’s Report. Mayor Glover reported that vandalism was ongoing at the park. Two instances of recent misbehavior involve the breaking down of a dugout door and ransacking of the park’s first-aid box. Police are on the case. Beyond that the Mayor declined comment.

The borough’s police report for the month of August included a spectrum ranging from the mundane to the dramatic. Eight of the 18 incidents in the report involved motor vehicles: four traffic stops, two accidents, one erratic driver, and one suspicious vehicle. Other routine cases included three listed as miscellaneous; one assist to the Code Enforcement Officer, one domestic dispute, and one disorderly conduct. Beyond those were two cases of harassment, one of larceny/theft, and one of mental problems (individual reporting someone attempting to kill her).

Moving back to the land issues, council conducted a lengthy discussion of five different locations within the borough where they had thought a new borough building might be feasible. The advantages and drawbacks of each were discussed in turn, with a few being ruled out as totally unsuited to the borough’s purpose. The remaining locations, council decided, deserved more study. Council members promised to do their homework and continue discussion next month. Still, much progress was made because of the properties now ruled out from further consideration.

A matter brought to council’s attention is the belief by at least one borough resident that a particular individual is conducting illegal burning operations within borough limits. Anyone suspecting illegal burning in the borough should call Mayor Glover at the time of observation so that Officer Sweet might be dispatched to investigate the incident. The mayor reiterated that the only objects which might be legally burned in the borough were twigs, branches, leaves, paper, cardboard, and untreated (unvarnished/unpainted) wood; anything else is verboten. Council noted that common sense and neighborliness dictate one should not burn in the evening since many people have their windows open at that time. President Beavan further indicated it is likely the state will, at some point, institute a total burn ban except for grills for cook-outs.

Finally, President Beavan shared the news that Lynn Kay Brown of the Church of Latter-Day Saints had contacted the borough to request the borough‘s agreement for church members to perform community service as part of their humanitarian outreach. Borough Council is favorably disposed to the proposal and will be in touch with Ms. Brown as to appropriate services, which might be most beneficial to the community.

Oakland borough council, like Lanesboro borough council, determined in August that a police presence would be prudent at each council meeting. The paradigm shift, in reaction to the Ross Township Municipal murders, was cemented this evening with the presence of Officer Bob Sweet for the meeting’s duration. While there may have been no discernable difference in small-town ambiance on this warm, late-summer night; still a perceptible consciousness lingered that something - something important - had changed. Could it be the end of an era - a realization that even here in small-town America, vulnerability, or at least some level of unease, is the backdrop hanging over municipal meetings across the Commonwealth? Ross Township, it seems, ended casual attitudes toward security at municipal government meetings much as Sandy Hook exploded any remaining vestige of the myth that our children can always be assumed safe at school.

At 7:56 p.m., the meeting adjourned. Oakland Borough Council will meet next at the Lanesboro Community Center on the second Thursday of October.

The International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) is “going nowhere - for now.” Those were the words of Vice-President Dan Boughton in reply to a public inquiry by Lanesboro resident, Bob Mireider, Sr., at the Tuesday, September 10 Lanesboro Borough Council meeting. Mr. Mireider voiced his strong disapproval of the IPMC and presented his conclusions as to the logical outcome should the IPMC ever be implemented. Council members Jason Fissel and Regina Dilello expressed the opinion that everyone was in agreement that “something needs to be done.”

In reply to that sentiment, I, as a private citizen and resident of Lanesboro, expressed my opinion that the IPMC was not the thing to be done because it is a system of commercial (administrative) law contrary to the historic Common Law rights of property owners as enshrined in the Magna Carta and Declaration of Independence. The IPMC is a fundamentally anti-democratic regulatory form of law centralizing legislative, executive, and judicial functions in one authority. As constructed, it violates the separation of powers philosophy so central to our Constitution, thereby making a nullity of those rights of Common Law - and even Common Law’s forerunner and foundation, Natural Law.

To say that Lanesboroites have strong and divided opinions as to the efficacy of the IPMC - how it would be applied, whom it would affect, and why it is advanced as a solution - would be an understatement. The common ground that everyone could agree on was that there are, as a matter of fact, troubled properties within the borough, and that the condition of the general stock of housing is seriously deteriorated from 20, even 10 years ago. But IPMC implementation was not on the agenda for this meeting, and Vice-President Boughton had to hammer that point home several times to move everyone off the topic.

That brought one final rejoinder from Mr. Mireider. He reminded council that they had in the spring promised to bring up the IPMC at a specially-called summer meeting at which every resident could have his say. Since that had not happened, Mr. Mireider asked just when the matter would be decided. VP Boughton said that a future special meeting on the subject would be held SOMETIME, but there were no current plans for the foreseeable future.

While IMPC fireworks dominated the early minutes of the 7 to 7:51 p.m. meeting, September’s gathering was memorable on other accounts. Present for the meeting were the aforementioned council members VP Dan Boughton, Jason Fissel, and Regina Dilello, as well as David Glidden and Colleen Wilkes. Dale Rockwell was absent, while Council President Todd Glover made a late appearance some 40-plus minutes into the meeting. Mayor Chris Maby and Secretary/Treasurer Gail Hanrahan were present also.

After roll call, the official presence of Lanesboro Police Chief Jim Smith was announced. Chief Smith explained that there would be a Lanesboro PD officer on duty every Tuesday night when Lanesboro borough council meets. This action, requested and approved by resolution at its August meeting, is an added security measure in response to the murders at the Ross Township municipal meeting. Chief Smith also noted that police were on duty at SCSD every school-day since school opening in August. Things are going fine at the schools, he reported.

Mayor Maby transitioned into the borough’s police report for the month of August. It showed 191.5 patrol hours, including 16 hours in Thompson. For Lanesboro there were 38 traffic stops, with 23 citations and 15 warnings issued for the following causes: Speeding violations (28), Inspection violations (2), Careless driving (1), Following too closely (1), Equipment violations (3), Window-tint violation (1), Loud exhaust (1), and Careless driving violations. Arrests were made in various incidents involving the following: disorderly conduct (3); careless driving; theft; burglary & theft; underage drinking (3); and trespassing. Other police actions included responses to the following: disabled vehicle, suspicious vehicle, smoke complaint, and assists to both Susquehanna PD and PSP.

For their 16 total hours in Thompson, Lanesboro police made 18 traffic stops, with 14 citations issued and four warnings given. Reasons for the stops included: Speeding violations (13), Inspection violations (2), Registration violations (2), and “No insurance violation” (1). Two additional incidents appeared in the crime report: one case of under-age drinking, and one of harassment.

Miscellaneous news of note was aplenty. By way of correspondence the borough was notified that B & S Quarries will be putting new crushers into operation. The crushers are proposed to be operating some 3120 hours per year, or 12 hours per day according to Mayor Maby’s calculations. That’s a good thing - and a sign of increasing prosperity - borough council members and mayor agreed. However, they noted that it will mean significantly more truck traffic on Jefferson Street.

Latter-Day Saints will be performing a day of service in Lanesboro on October 26th. Their service offer, first noted at last-month’s meeting, along with council’s suggestion of work to be performed along Viaduct Street, has been approved by PennDot. Looks as if there is clear sailing for this welcomed and appreciated service to the community by the Church.

In the Streets Report, it was reported that the pot-hole at the base of Grand Street has not yet been filled. Another problem, reported by Mayor Maby, was the drain on the west side of Turnpike Street at the corner of Turnpike and Main Streets. The mayor noted that the grate edges had been paved over, so he could not lift it up himself and clean up the conduit below, which is totally clogged at this point. Council discussed how a solution to the problem might be implemented, then approved by roll-call vote use of a jetting unit on the east-side drain to blow out the plugged outlet of the aforementioned drain. Finally, President Glover reported that the process is in motion to acquire a new plow-truck (Ford F-350) and spreader through the Co-Star program. More progress on that front will be reported next month.

In the way of Sewer & Refuse, Mrs. Hanrahan reported delinquent accounts and verified with council that she could initiate termination of service if the responsible parties fail to make payment after final notification and a short final grace period. The borough’s garbage truck requires two new rear tires, after which it will finally earn a current state-inspection sticker.

Concerning the Community Center, Councilman Fissel reported Labor & Industry would be conducting an inspection on either Monday or Tuesday. The changes they had previously demanded have been completed. Also, the previous month’s minutes, reviewed and voted upon at meeting’s beginning, were approved with one “correction.” Council members were so exuberantly enthusiastic about the floor’s current condition - in a regal gray - they decided to amend the previous month’s minutes in which they had originally designated the floor’s color to be brown.

Finally, Mayor Maby wrapped up the meeting with some good news/bad news. The good news is that Lanesboro’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) was approved, but the bad news is that it wasn’t for the full amount requested/needed to fix all the streets needing TLC. Some $50,000 of the $89,000 requested will be coming Lanesboro’s way. But, it won’t arrive until too late to put street projects out to bid - due to Old Man Winter’s imminent approach. Still, it IS good news for next spring. And Mayor Maby expressed hopeful optimism that the price of paving materials would fall, thereby improving the borough’s purchasing power with the grant monies.

For those who think governmental meetings are all-serious all the time, Mother Nature provided entertainment for the entire length of the September 10th meeting. All present were treated to the one-note serenade of a cricket apparently very appreciative of the recent remodeling job. With the resident cricket homesteading in such cozy digs, an ongoing stage for encore performances appear possible in his, and our, future. When Vice-President Boughton entertained a motion for meeting adjournment at 7:51, Lanesboro’s talented cricket took no notice and carried on, singing merrily into the night, either oblivious of his audience‘s departure, or just perhaps bidding them adieu.

Council reconvenes for more fireworks, orthopterous entertainment, and studious resolution of weighty issues on the second Tuesday of October.

Robbery:  PSP is investigating a robbery which occurred at the Sunoco Service Center in Gibson on September 8th, at around 1:58 am.  In the commission of the crime an unknown robber entered the Sunoco service station, proceeded to the cash register area and removed the cash drawer from the register.  He then exited the store with an undetermined amount  of cash.  The perpetrator was described as a white male, 20-29 years old, 5'8”, and approximately 165 lbs., wearing a blue/green hooded sweatshirt with the word “sinister” printed in white letters on the back, dark jeans, work boots, and a red nylon mask.  Anyone with any information regarding the incident is requested to please contact PSP Gibson. 

Harassment:  On September 10th Dennis Robinson of Hallstead is accused of entering into a verbal argument with a victim and becoming enraged and slapping the victim in the head, knocking the victim to the ground.  Charges were filed at District Court 34-3-02.  

Aggravated Assault:  On September 10th, a Nicholson man reported that he was assaulted at 8 pm in Lathrop Township.  The investigation was continuing as of the time of report, and further information was not available. 

Terroristic Threats:  PSP Gibson is investigating an incident in which Timothy Forkal of Springville threatened a female during an altercation on August 31st.  He was charged with Terroristic Threats, Simple Assault, and Harassment.  He was committed to the Susquehanna County Jail under $25,000 bail. 

Crash:  On September 2nd at approximately 7 pm a 21 year old Susquehanna County man was traveling southbound along Sr 92 in Lenox Township when, for unknown reasons, his truck exited the roadway for unknown reasons before crossing into the northbound lane, where it struck two other vehicles.  Both the driver and a passenger sustained injury and were transported to Wilson Hospital.  The second vehicle contained a woman and an infant;  the woman was transported to CMC hospital and the infant to Janet Weis Children's Hospital in Danville.  The infant later died from her injuries.  The driver of the third vehicle was not injured.  The crash remained under investigation as of the time of report. 

Hit and Run:  On September 7th at 3:30 pm Christopher Arnold of Dimock was traveling north on Wooden Road when, while negotiating a curve in the roadway, his vehicle lost control on a dirt road surface.  The Dodge Ram then slid counter clockwise.  It struck a fence on the north shoulder of the roadway, then continued to slide until it struck a ditch and rolled onto the driver's side where it reached a final rest.  Both Arnold and a passenger, Robyn Wellman Merritt of Montrose, exited the truck and fled the scene.  It was unknown if the driver sustained injury; the passenger's injury was listed as minor. 

Harassment:  On August 29th at 6:20 pm Dustin Conroe of Kingsley is accused of entering into a verbal argument with a woman and throwing her to the floor.  His girlfriend, Lisa Miszler-Ruppert of Kingsley, is accused of then threatening to physically harm the woman if she contacted the police.  The woman fled the residence and went to the police to report the crime.  Charges were filed on the accused at District Court 34-3-02.  Anyone with information is asked to please contact the police. 

Crash:  On September 8th at 4 pm a 19 year old New Milford man was traveling south on Sr 2073 in Gibson township when his vehicle failed to negotiate a left curve in the roadway,  at which time it lost control.  The vehicle traveled off the right shoulder of the highway, then over-corrected, traveling across the travel lanes in an eastern direction and striking a tree on the east shoulder of the highway.  The driver was utilizing a seat belt;  he sustained minor injury. 

Aggravated Assault:  On September 8th at approximately 12:18 am a Susquehanna man  pointed a shotgun at two officers with the Susquehanna County Task Force who arrived at the scene due to a report that he was threatening suicide and that he was going to kill his children.  One of the officers fired one round at the man which missed, and he subsequently surrendered without further incident.  The man was arraigned before District Judge Jeff Hollister, Montrose, on two counts of Aggravated Assault, and was remanded to the Susquehanna County Prison in lieu of bail. 

Retail Theft:  On September 8th between 1 and 2:30 am three white males ordered food for dine-in and take out from Denny's at the Flying J Truck Stop in New Milford township and then fled without paying.  Anyone with information is asked to call the police. 

Theft:  On September 7th at 10:30 pm a metal toddler shopping cart was taken from Rob's Market in Great Bend township. 

Criminal Mischief:  Between the 6th and 7th of September a criminal mischief incident occurred in Gibson Township in which the registration plate was bent down on the vehicle of a Thompson woman.  Anyone with information is asked to contact the police. 

Crash:  On September 4th at 10 pm an unnamed man related that he swerved to miss a deer, but then struck a second deer.  At that point he lost control, exited the road, and struck a metal wrought iron fence.  No one was injured and the vehicle was drivable.  He left a note in the church, which was discovered later the following day.  The incident occurred on Sr 2043 in Lenox township. 

Hit and Run:  On September 4th at 5:44 an unnamed driver and Brandon Shultz of Brackney were both traveling north on Sr 29 in Bridgewater township.  The unknown driver was following Shultz very closely.  A passenger in Shultz's vehicle made their displeasure known to the other driver with a hand salute.  The other driver then attempted to pass, and struck Shultz's vehicle in the rear bumper.  As both units continued north, Shultz attempted to pull off the road, but was afraid of being struck again by the other vehicle.  He drove off onto Wilmore Road, with the other vehicle following.  The other vehicle then turned around and was last seen traveling north on Sr. 19. Anyone who may know the identity of the other driver may call the police. 

Theft:  On August 29th between 9 and 9:30 am an unknown perpetrator took 5 rings from a jewelry box from within the bedroom of a Hallstead woman, on Liberty Park Road in Liberty township, and left the scene in an unknown direction.  Anyone with information is asked to please contact the police. 

Missing Person:  On August 25th a mother reported that her son was missing since the previous evening from the Harford Fair Grounds in Harford Township.  She reported that her son was working at the fair all night and was supposed to return home in the morning.  She stated that her son had not returned home and was not answering his phone.  She described her son as being a white male, 5'11”, 184 pounds, with blue eyes, a full beard, multi-colored hair, black sneakers, blue jeans, and an orange shirt with a pumpkin on it.  The boy was located that same day at 1 pm. 

Theft by Unlawful Taking:  On August 18th one or more unknown perpetrator(s) removed cash from the register of the Montrose Car Wash in Bridgewater Township, while the business was open.  Anyone with information is asked to please contact the police. 

Theft:  A New Milford man reported that a three point log splitter and a 5 foot backblade were stolen from his property on Snyder Road in New Milford township between August 10th through 22nd. 

Crash:  On August 30th at 3:30 am Charles Oettinger of Susquehanna was westbound on Sr 1012 East Lake Road when he failed to negotiate a left hand curve, exited the roadway, and struck a guide rail.  The vehicle rode up over the guide rail and became stuck in that position.  It had to be recovered/towed from the scene by French's Towing in Susquehanna.  The driver was using a seat belt;  he was not injured. 

Retail Theft:  On September 3rd at 3:15 am a white male entered the Exxon in New Milford and stole three cartons of Newport and one carton of Marlboro Menthol cigarettes.  The perpetrator then fled in a vehicle that was parked on Oliver Road near the entrance to the Holiday Inn Express.  The vehicle was driven by an unknown accomplice and fled north from the store toward state route 848.  Anyone with information is asked to call PSP Gibson. 

Stolen Vehicle:  State Police in Gibson is investigating the theft of a 2000 Gold Ford Ranger pickup bearing PA Reg:  YPN6791 from the victim's driveway (a Silver Lake Township residence). A witness observed a skinny, shirtless white male in his mid-40's with black/gray hair wearing blue jeans and a red baseball cap standing in the victim's driveway during the suspected time of the theft.  The aforementioned male was also seen walking along Sr 167 between 1000 and 1100 hrs. in Silver Lake Twp. (Brackney area) walking with a black trash can containing aluminum cans. Anyone with information relating the suspicious male or information pertaining to the theft is pleased asked to contact PSP Gibson-  570-465-3154. 

Burglary:  In the commission of this crime, actor(s) entered the residence (located on Sr 167 South near Tall Pines) through a window.  Actor(s) took two rings and a cell phone, and then fled the scene in an unknown direction at an unknown time.  Anyone with information, please contact PSP Gibson at 570-465-3154. 

Burglary:  On September 2nd between noon and 4:30 pm actor(s) entered the residence of a Nicholson woman through a door.  It was unknown as of the time of report if anything was taken.  The investigation was continuing as of time of report. 

Criminal Mischief:  Between September 1st and 2nd one or more unknown actor(s) smashed the mailbox belonging to a Jackson township man. 

Crash:  On August 31st at 12:01 am a Ford Explorer hit a tree in an unknown area in Apolacon Township (Lake of Meadows Street), traveling in an unknown direction.  The operator was not found at the scene and appeared to have fled. 

Missing Persons:  PSP Gibson is investigating an incident in which Kevin Naylor of Pittston was reported missing from a friend's residence in Middleton Township on August 29th at 5:32 pm.  A search of the residence and wooded area was conducted without contact, on the evening of August 29th.  The search resumed on August 30th.  Dozens of Volunteer Fire and EMS personnel from Leraysville-Pike, Rush Township, Warren Center, and Little Meadows, along with troopers of PSP Gibson, searched the woods in the area of the residence.  Fire and EMS personnel located Naylor alive lying in a dry creek bed.  Fire and EMS personnel removed him from the woods, hundreds of yards off Shadduck Road, and transported him to the hospital. 

Burglary:  On August 29th at 4:01 am Ian Ball of the New Milford area entered into an occupied residence without the authorization of the victim.  Once inside the residence he was confronted by the victim.  He fled the scene and was later picked up and remanded to Susquehanna County Jail by Susquehanna County Probation.  Charges were pending for violations of PACC as of the time of report. 

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

The Susquehanna County DOMESTIC RELATIONS Section has outstanding BENCH WARRANT’S for the following individuals as of 10:45 a.m. on September 13, 2013: Thomas D. Earley, David J. Fischer, John S. Frisbie, Jr., Jon W. Hanson, Douglas R. Heath, Joe R. Kimmell, Kay L. Knolles, Whade A. Koch, Todd J. Layton, Charlie J. Legere, Lawrence M. McGuire, Ronald N. Mitchell, Frank T. Perera II, Jeffrey A. Ransom, Anthony Reed, Scott A. Russell, Bruce A. Schurr, Desiree L. Shifler, David J. Shiner, Brian R. Shio, Eric J. Snell, Nathan C. Strohl, Frederick Swingle III, Robert J. Twilley, Steven G. Warner, Todd M. West, Kevin E. Yanney. Please contact the Domestic Relations Section at 570-278-4600 ext. 170 with any information on the location of these individuals. 

With less than a month before mandatory ObamaCare implementation set to commence, opposition to the “Affordable Care Act” (ACA) of 2010 is building. Various groups and a broad cross-section of Americans of all political philosophies are waging a campaign to defund implementation of the massive system of government-regulated healthcare soon to be administered by central-planners and enforced through IRS agents.

On Saturday, September 7th, Heritage Action for America, at the invitation of NEPA Spirit of 1776 Tea Party, held a first-ever T.E.A. Party Town Hall in Jackson, PA. Representatives Marino and Barletta, and U.S. Senators Toomey and Casey, all currently either uncertain of or opposed to efforts to defund ObamaCare in the upcoming Continuing Resolution (CR), were not present at the event. [Note: Congress has not passed a budget since 2009, and has been funding government operations on a “crisis-basis” through the mechanism of the abusive practice known as Continuing Resolution.]

Headline Speaker for the event was Mike Henry, (Northeastern United States) Regional Coordinator for Heritage Action for America. Before delving into his presentation Mr. Henry explained that Heritage Action for America is the “little sister” of the better-known Heritage Foundation. In differentiating the two, he noted that Heritage Foundation is a Washington think-tank which explores issues and writes research papers on their findings. Heritage Action for America focuses on educating the public on the issues and providing direction for those interested in acting individually or in concert to affect the public debate and decision-making process.

What can citizens do to stop ObamaCare (ACA) implementation? Mr. Henry urged those present to call or write their elected officials; email them (elected officials) and request a written response to their concerns about the monumental changes taking place; talk to their friends and relatives about the ACA; go door-to-door to their neighbors; write letters to the editor of their local/regional newspaper.

What policy positions underlie Heritage Action for America’s opposition to ObamaCare? Affordability, accessibility, and high-quality care for all Americans were the key components promised when Congress passed the 2,400 page ObamaCare bill on March 22, 2010. In the three and a half years since its passage, preliminary stages have been implemented through over 20,000 pages of regulations. Some parts of the law have so utterly failed it is impossible to implement them as originally written; other parts, such as the business-mandate, have been suspended by the President himself (an act of questionable constitutionality itself). In other cases, unions, businesses politically connected, and even the Congress and its staffers have been granted exemptions (waivers) from the full force of the law’s most burdensome provisions. Woe unto those not politically favored or connected.

In all but a handful of states healthcare premiums are rising at double-to-triple-digit percentages, making healthcare LESS affordable. (In arguing for passage of ObamaCare, proponents had insisted that most families would see average rate decreases of $2,500 per year.) Additionally, the imposition of the 21 new taxes/tax increases in the ACA will additionally require “someone” to pay them (and the IRS to collect at least some of them) to fund ObamaCare. Might healthcare will be less affordable for those subject to one or more of those 21 new taxes?

Concerning accessibility, the President had promised, “If you like your healthcare insurance, you can keep your healthcare insurance; if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor.” While each person can assess the truthfulness of that statement in her own individual case, it appears unlikely that for many, healthcare will not be more assessable with an increase of 30 million more insured, but no corresponding increase in the number of healthcare providers. One speaker analogized that it was as if the government gave a bus ticket to every person who wanted one, but there were no buses available; a person may gain “healthcare” but no doctor may be available to provide care.

Quality of care under ObamaCare will be closely monitored. Well, at least the information in your electronic health record will be. Necessarily, IRS agents will have to have access to your records, as will a plethora of other government agencies so that your care can be coordinated as cost-effective and according to “best practices.” Your healthcare provider will additionally be “monitored” to assess that her diagnoses are within guidelines and that her productivity is maintained according to standards. Because ObamaCare necessarily reduces the healthcare industry to a utility of government, the traditional doctor-patient relationship will be transformed from a system in which the patient’s best interest is the doctor’s only interest, to one requiring a cost-benefit analysis for the rationing of medical resources bound to become scarcer with each passing day.

Central to the Town Hall meeting was a 26-minute video of Rafael Cruz, father of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-TX. The video of Mr. Cruz speaking before the Health Care Town Hall in Wilmington, Delaware on August 26th was remarkable for the speaker’s eloquence in describing the world-class medical care Cuba once enjoyed - before 1959. The socialist paradise promised by Castro has in matter of fact degenerated into a system incapable of even providing aspirin or band-aids, let alone world-class medical care. Mr. Cruz went on to explain how government control of medical care is control over life and death, with one’s continued existence at the pleasure of the government, conditioned on the patient’s “good behavior” (conformity to government subjugation).

Returning to the theme of the meeting, one must answer “Why is it essential that ObamaCare be stopped now? And why is defunding ObamaCare seen as the only effective tool to stop it?” Answering the second question first, the House of Representatives has voted 39 separate times in the last 32 months to repeal ObamaCare. The Senate, under Senator Harry Reid’s leadership, has steadfastly refused to vote on any of the 39 bills of repeal passed by the House. With the initial step for final implementation of ObamaCare scheduled for October 1, the last - and only - constitutional remedy available to the House of Representatives to stop ObamaCare is to exercise its power of the purse, i.e., the power to fund governmental functions. For critics who say this is not an effective tool, Mr. Henry explained the technicalities of the procedure and past congressional usage of the defunding mechanism.

Mr. Henry was very careful to explain that proponents of defunding ObamaCare are NOT advocating, or in any sense trying to bring about, the shut-down of the federal government. House members pushing to defund ObamaCare are in favor of funding all other federal government functions. However, by not including funding for ObamaCare implementation, the “disaster” seen in ObamaCare could be averted until complete repeal can be accomplished - perhaps in a future Congress.

With the labor participation rate at its lowest rate since 1978 (63.2%); 50 million Americans on food stamps; and 77% of all newly-created jobs through the first eight months of 2013 being only part-time (and generally low-wage); it is clear that prosperity in no sense has returned to our land. The Greater Depression, now in its sixth year, is only deepening. Town Hall speakers citing these and other statistics could envision no scenario in which ObamaCare improves the economic lot of the American people, lessens their dependency upon government, or restores their individual autonomy of action and dignity. The idea that Americans could or should be required to purchase any product is so antithetical to our understanding of liberty - no matter what any Supreme Court Chief Justice may rule - that ObamaCare implementation is deserving of defunding to preclude its enforcement, if only for that reason.

Other speakers taking the microphone through the afternoon included Charlie Spano of Lackawanna County, Pastor Gary Haskell of Jackson Baptist Church, and Dan Gray of Heritage Action Sentinel Program. Each of them articulated how ObamaCare was an affront to freedom, and why doing nothing is not an option.

Elected officials in the audience of 80-plus included our own Senator Elizabeth (Lisa) Baker, Representative Sandy Major, and Chairman of the Susquehanna County Commissioners Alan Hall. Several speakers took note of their presence and commended them for their interest in this urgent issue affecting all their constituents. Would that federal elected officials shared the same level of concern!

With the Town Hall meeting wrapping up at about 4 p.m., many attendees stayed for refreshments and to talk personally with the movers and shakers who made this event happen and to commit to the next step - positive action to continue sending the “defund ObamaCare message” to Washington.

Online readers can go to www.HeritageAction.com to find out more. Those with strong opinions, pro or con, on the “defund ObamaCare issue” should contact their elected officials to make their opinions known. Your input IS a matter of urgency! The Heritage Action for America’s bottom line message is that your freedom is on the line. Implementation of ObamaCare will fundamentally transform America into a different country; a country with less freedom; less choice; less opportunity; a doctor-patient relationship model detrimental to both doctor and patient; and a place where dependency on government is the norm, not the exception. You have the power within you to change the course of history. Will you rise to the occasion?

On an unrelated note, plenty of Town Hall folks shared opinions in private conversations about the President’s plan to attack Syria. I didn’t hear anyone in favor of his idea, but I certainly heard people aplenty who were dead-set against sending American boys to go fight somebody else’s battles. What I am hearing is this: Americans have had a bellyful of killing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Syria has not attacked us and we have no strategic national interest there. Getting involved in a civil war where there are no good guys - or good options - sounds absolutely no good.