Spring has barely arrived, yet the Blue Ridge School Board is debating the start of school for next Fall. It started a month ago when Superintendent Robert McTiernan offered up a calendar for the next school year and some Board members questioned the late start, again.

So at the Board’s workshop on March 31st, President Laurie Brown-Bonner polled administrators and her colleagues for their opinions: should school start before or after Labor Day?

Tradition going back many, many years has school in the area starting the week after the Harford Fair, an important event for many in the rural communities that make up the Blue Ridge School District. But 3 years ago the schedule at Blue Ridge was changed to begin classes right after Labor Day, according to Mr. McTiernan, because of contract negotiations that year. The law says that students must be offered classes 180 days in a school year. It also says that in case of a “work stoppage” (aka strike), the 180 days must be completed by June 15; two stoppages would allow the year to stretch out to the end of June. The District and its teachers are to begin negotiations shortly for another new contract.

Board member Harold Empett seems strongly in favor of reverting to the traditional schedule. “It wasn’t broken years ago,” when he attended Blue Ridge said he. Others related whatever little response they’ve had from constituents on the issue. Middle/High School Principal Matthew Nebzydoski said he didn’t perceive a strong preference one way or the other among his staff or students. Some teachers have cited the few extra days available for instruction before Labor Day to prepare for the standardized testing that comes up shortly thereafter. Blue Ridge is thought to be the only district in the area to begin classes after Labor Day. A major concern of course – especially this year, at the end of a long, severe winter – is how snow days are distributed. Some days for snow closings are embedded in the schedule, but certainly no one knows if they will be enough or too many.

Since sentiment seems to be more or less evenly divided, the Board will have a week to meditate on it. The plan is to present one or other of the schedules for a vote at the next business meeting. If that one fails to pass, then the other will be available just in case.

A related item was introduced by the Superintendent that would shift accounting for instructional time to the number of total hours per year instead of the normal 180 days. The law requires a minimum of 450 hours for half-time pre-K and kindergarten; 900 hours for full-time pre-K, kindergarten and elementary schools; and 990 hours for secondary schools. A district that wants to go this route must apply to the state Department of Education by a vote of its Board under Act 80 of 1969 as amended.

Mr. McTiernan wants to apply for such an Act 80 waiver. It would allow a much more granular accounting for instructional time that can include half-days and other partial schedules. He said that the Blue Ridge calendar already provides for 1050 hours anyway. He said that for the schools and the Board there would be “outwardly … no change whatsoever.”

The current-year calendar is also an issue for some of the teachers. Under the contract, teachers are obligated for 186 days per year, including instructional time and “staff development” “in-service” time. Because of the weather this winter, the current school year is expected to go a bit longer than usual: barring any more snow days, the last day of classes will be June 13, with graduation on June 14; the teachers will be expected to attend in-service sessions the following Monday and Tuesday, 6/16 and 6/17. Some teachers, however, have other plans.

Because teachers are allotted a certain number of “personal” holidays each year, some will use accumulated days to skip these sessions. Others have already made travel plans and purchased airline tickets for those extra days. At least 3 of them have asked for “flexibility” to allow them to skip the in-service sessions even though they have insufficient personal days remaining on the books. What to do? There wasn’t much enthusiasm among Board members for granting such “flexibility,” but the Board will take a week more to consider.

Among other items that will come up again at the next business meeting a week hence (and before you read this), the Elementary School is planning a session for parents on the new “Common Core” math approach. Principal Matthew Button would like teachers from each grade level to attend, but there would be an extra cost of some $800 to pay them for their time. And the Superintendent will work with contractors to develop a plan for handling “extra trips” by buses for the next school year.

During a report by the Facilities & Grounds committee, which is moving ahead with the replacement of the steps to the track, Mr. McTiernan reported that the district is considering the purchase of a diesel fuel tank. He said that the district uses less than 500 gallons per year for its various vehicles, but that filling them from buckets has become untenable. Board member Fred Lewis recommended that he contact UltraCon in Montrose, in particular about regulations for double-walled tanks and their handling.

Christina Cosmello offered a brief report of her Athletics & Activities Committee. Board member Chris Lewis noted that he had heard some complaints about the performance of the Athletics Director, Ms. Jill Hoffman, who will be up for re-appointment. Other members, however, are quite satisfied with her work, noting her attendance at virtually every event over many years. Mr. Nebzydoski said that “she has my full support.” Board member Christina Whitney suggested that people who have concerns should put them in writing, or at least approach administrators directly.

          Hearing a report from Dr. MacConnell on his Wellness Committee, the Superintendent reported on the development of Emergency Response teams trained in CPR and use of AED (automated external defibrillator) devices. He said that some 12-14 people have expressed interest.

Business Manager Penny Greene reported that budget planning is proceeding apace, expecting preliminary approval at the business meeting on May 5, and final, formal approval at the June business meeting. A new facility in the district supporting fixed-income senior citizens is requesting a waiver of property taxes, offering instead an “in-lieu-of” payment that Mr. McTiernan said would cut about $20,000 from district revenue.

As reported last month, the district is considering refinancing some bonds again. Ms. Greene said that the cost of the process would be about $115,000, but that net savings overall would amount to about $50,000. The Board must approve the deal if it chooses to pay off some of the bonds to the tune of about $1.2 million, but Ms. Greene and Mr. McTiernan emphasized that timeliness is critical, since the “call” on the bonds is only open until the end of June.

Ms. Greene is also collaborating with her counterparts in other area school districts to determine variations in bank interest rates. It may be possible to negotiate better deals if multiple school districts can combine the weight of their $100 million in total budgets.

The new Intergovernmental & Community Relations Committee under Board member Chris Lewis was scheduled to meet an hour before the workshop, but the meeting was canceled at the last minute. Mr. Lewis said that they would try again before the business meeting a week hence.

The Blue Ridge School Board generally meets on the last and first Mondays of each month beginning at 7:00pm in the cafeteria in the Elementary School. This time the cookies were kind of cold.

Shortly after seven o’clock on April 2, 2014, Thompson Township held their monthly meeting, with nine members of the public in attendance and all of the members of the Council present. The minutes and treasury report were briefly reviewed before engaging in a lengthy meeting on the items on the agenda, which included employee drug testing, grant programs and new possibilities for the Township.

At last month’s meeting, the Council agreed to send a letter to their Attorney with questions regarding employee drug testing. A response was given stating that it would be in the Township’s best interest to conduct drug testing on their employees, full or part-time, CDL or non-CDL, as it is a safety concern. He also suggested they include details of the process inside their Employee Manual along with a required signature stating that employees read the manual.

Having held this discussion, a displeased member of the public and former employee of the Borough was in attendance with comments on the situation. He stated that the Township should purchase the book with rules and regulations regarding employees, so they can appropriately follow the rules. The Township stated that they did not currently have the book, but are looking to purchase it. He also made comments in regards to the legality of not allowing Township employees to carry weapons on Township property, even if they have the appropriate license. Council members had little comment on this as they did not have the appropriate documentation necessary to clarify laws regarding this matter.

Upon the recent resignation of Suzanne Jenkins from the Planning Commission, Mr. Ken Goldsmith had sent a card expressing his interest in the position. Seemingly a good fit for the Planning Commission, Council members made a motion to appoint Mr. Goldsmith to fulfill the rest of Ms. Jenkin’s four-year term.

A resident of Thompson Township, who resides near Wrighter Lake, also had some concerns. He stated that his property is listed as being in a flood plain, even though his property is well above the body of water and therefore, very unlikely to flood. His property being labeled as a flood plain is damaging monetarily as it adds unnecessary costs. The Township stated that perhaps he should contact a State Representative, as they have helped with similar matters in the past. The Township agreed that this area around Wrighter Lake is indeed being mislabeled as a flood plain.

Mr. Alex Komar gave a brief update on current projects within the Township. He noted that the loader is almost ready to be painted and that they have begun filling potholes around the area. Stone was also applied to Stacks Road to hopefully improve the condition of the road.

PennDot also sent a letter regarding a bridge replacement on State Route 1007 (Bear Swamp Road), which runs over Canawacta Creek. PennDot requested the Township give them a list of items or events that would be taking place so they can appropriately schedule the construction process to provide for minimal duration of time spent on the bridge. Having received this notice, the Township will work together to compile a list of special concerns.

The Township also received a letter from the County Conservation District regarding the Dirt & Gravel Road Program, which is receiving a significant amount of money for the coming years to aid in repairs to lightly traveled dirt and gravel roads, which are in environmentally sensitive areas. The increase in budget will allow for bigger, more complex projects as well as opening the program up to a wider range of eligible areas. Noting this increase in availability, the Township will apply for the program.

Thompson Township also approved a motion made by Suzanne Jenkins to donate to the Thompson Town Fair.

Upon discussion regarding the Thompson Town Fair, it was noted that Thompson Township should consider trying to raise money themselves as ideas surfaced regarding a park. Mr. Wademan stated that the idea of adding a park to Thompson Township property has been floating around for the past five years at the monthly meetings and that, perhaps it is time to act on the idea. The Council then tossed around ideas for a park and agreed to look into it further and to also look into possible grants that could aid in the placement of a park in Thompson Township.

Next month’s meeting will take place on May 7th, 2014 at seven o’clock in the evening.

Great Bend Borough held their monthly meeting on Thursday, the 2nd of April 2014. All members of the Council were present with the exception of one. The Agenda, Minutes, and Treasurer’s Report were all reviewed and approved. The Council then moved on to the current agenda, which included road updates and upcoming projects.

Playground equipment was a subject of discussion at the meeting, citing the irreparable condition of the merry-go-round at the local park. The merry-go-round, having suffered many years of weather and heavy use will be removed as a safety precaution. Mr. MacConnell noted that it is probably the most frequently used of the playground equipment and therefore should be replaced as quickly as possible. Having scanned through a couple of playground equipment books with extremely high prices for a merry-go-round, the Borough will continue to search for a merry-go-round in various other places to obtain a better price. The purchase of a new merry-go-round was tabled until next meeting when more prices and estimates could be gathered.

An update was given regarding the current condition of Carroll Street. Council members stated that the drainage pipe is caving in; they proposed digging the pipe out and replacing it with a catch basin. It was then suggested that a map be drawn up of what lies beneath the roads in Great Bend, so a better idea could be had of how to make improvements. Unfortunately, documentation of the system beneath the streets has not been kept throughout the long history of the Borough and such mapping would be extremely pricey. The Borough stated that this is why such mapping must be done on a street-by-street basis as problems arise. A motion was made to replace the pipe on Carroll Street with a catch basin.

Elaborating on road conditions and updates, it was noted that the water issue from Route 81 is an absolute mess at the moment and hopefully can be dealt with upon the arrival of warmer weather. Also, a motion was made to advertise for bids regarding drainage and paving work that needs to be done on Mountain Vista Lane. The water lines on Washington Street that are being re-done by PAWC are still a concern of the Borough as it is in poor condition. However, this is yet another project that must be resumed upon the arrival of warm weather.

Police Chief Jon Record was in attendance to give the latest monthly police report. He stated that there were five incidents unrelated to traffic, sixteen traffic citations, and fifteen traffic warnings. There was also one arrest made following the discovery of drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop.

Mr. Record gave his recommendations as to who should be hired for the Police Department. Following interviews, Mr. Record had chosen two ideal candidates to serve on the police force. A motion was made to hire both men and they shall be sworn in next month.

Saturday, April 26th, Great Bend Police Department will participate in a Drug TakeBack from 10 AM until 2 PM at the Great Bend Police Station. This is to retrieve and properly dispose of expired or unused drugs. They ask that no needles be dropped off for disposal.

Following the Police Report, Mr. Mike Crook suggested a willing volunteer to serve as Code Enforcement Officer, Mr. Joshua Neery. Upon this recommendation, the Council suggested an in-depth discussion be held with Mr. Neery regarding the duties of the position and what the position entails. This item on the Agenda is to be tabled until next month following the discussion.

The Borough also received a letter from Blue Ridge Recreation, Inc., seeking donations for their Summer Adventure program. A motion was made to donate to the said program.

Following a letter sent to the Borough’s Attorney, a response was given regarding Kingfisher Exploration Services, Inc. The Attorney sent out a list of requirements that are to be met by the company if a deal is to be met, which included a deadline and insurance requirements, among others.

Before the meeting was adjourned, a Resolution was proposed that would allow Great Bend Hose Company #1 to participate in county-wide mutual aid, conventions, parades, meetings, training schools, and various functions that are customarily attended and participated in by volunteer fire companies. This Resolution, #04-03-14, was granted and approved.

Next month’s Great Bend Borough meeting will take place on Thursday, the 8th of May at seven o’clock in the evening at the Great Bend Borough Building.

At the April 3 meeting of the New Milford borough council, only two council members were present (in addition to the mayor and borough secretary). Mr. Carey spoke up, near the time the meeting would have normally begun, and announced that there was therefore no quorum, and the meeting was canceled. He did announce that an executive session had been held prior to the meeting regarding litigation pending against the borough. He also, after a few moments, announced that they did wish to take public input, though they would not be able to vote on or approve anything. The assembled public did have a few things they wished to say regardless.

A visitor asked about sidewalks. Mr. Carey responded that there was a meeting secheduled with the township on April 14th, to start with the Comprehensive Plan and the Strategic Plan, which would be the first step forward in that process. He noted that the government was requiring them to have those plans in place.

A representative of Southwestern stated that he was there as the company might want to ask permission to vibe a certain road with a vibe truck. They would insure them and give them proof of insurance to work on Church Street; the state would give them permission for Main Street. He also asked if, in the places they desired to set little sensor stations, they could put them in the borough's right of way between the road and the sidewalk, rather than bothering land owners. The mayor reminded that they couldn't say yes or no to anything that evening, to which the representative replied that this was just food for thought. The company would let the borough know before they did it. Mr. Carey suggested that they speak to the Municipal Authority, as they would have concerns regarding water piping. Ms. Gulick asked which side of the road they would go down, as one side had sewer lines and the other water. The representative replied that they could do whichever was better for them. He also said that they could downgrade the vibe or turn it off in sensitive areas. Those present asked if he was availabe Monday to attend the municipal authority. He said that he could be. He also said that going on Church Street wasn't mandatory for them; it wouldn't kill them not to vibe there as they expected to get permission for the state road anyway. What they'd really like, he continued, was to put the sensors in the borough's right of way. Ms. Gulick responded that the borough didn't have any right of way. It was confirmed that the company then would need to get permission from individual land owners.

A reporter asked if the borough had met their gas interest quota. It was responded that they didn't know yet as Mr. Ainey was out of town.

The mayor said that he had heard wonderful things about the job the plowman had done with the roads that winter. Someone had asked if they had to use so many red cinders, however. It was quipped that the roads were clear, weren't they? Ms. Gulick stated that there had been a lot of compliments on the road.

The mayor asked how the state was planning to do the Main Street bridge, if they were going to close one lane at a time. Ms. Gulick replied that they were going to have to. At one point they had requested to close the street, but council had declined as they didn't believe the Church Street bridge could handle the traffic. They had also declined the request to close Johnson Street.

It was stated that the Fancher property and creek had been walked, and it was planned that the problem with the catch basins was to be fixed that week. The problem actually wasn't with the basin itself; it was with the dirt settling.

The Susquehanna County Commissioners announce the Courthouse will be closed on Friday, April 18, 2014 in observance of Good Friday. All court related offices will be available.

The Susquehanna County DOMESTIC RELATIONS Section has outstanding BENCH WARRANT’S for the following individuals as of 9:15 a.m. on April 4, 2014: Duane M. Aldrich, Benjamin D. Fassett, David J. Fischer, James Gerard, Justin T. Giberson, Francis M. Hagemeyer, Jr, Jon W. Hanson, Timothy M. Holmes, Todd J. Layton, Charlie J. Legere, Casey M. Lehman, Derrick Lezinsky, Robert J. McCrone, Lawrence M. McGuire, Ronald N. Mitchell, Andrew J. Muscarelle, Mary Perschau, Matthew J. Peters, Jeffrey A. Ransom, Jeffrey A. Rodriguez, Scott A. Russell, Bruce A. Schurr, Andrew Sepanek, Michael A. Sipple, Todd J. Slater, Eric J. Snell, Nathan C. Strohl, Joseph W. Sutton, Frederick Swingle, III, Justin S. Thompson, Robert C. Walter II, Steven G. Warner, Richard C. Whitney.

Please contact the Domestic Relations Section at 570-278-4600 ext. 170 with any information on the location of these individuals.