At the July 23rd Elk Lake School Board meeting, Mrs. Teel welcomed, early in the meeting, Mr. Weisgold, the new elementary principal. Dr. Cuomo also welcomed him.

During the administrators’ reports portion of the meeting, Mrs. Staats related that the extended school year program was going very well. That Thursday she had met with a point of contact for the state, who was to come and talk about the new classroom the district was hoping to open. The state wanted to make sure that the room wouldn’t be smaller than normal. The new room was planned to be in the elementary school, perhaps next door to the nurse.

Various staff items were dealt with that evening. The man who was appointed to the half time, special education position at both Elk Lake and the SCCTC (half time at each meeting) had already accepted another position and would not be accepting the offer, it was related. It was motioned that Ms. Doreen Smeck be appointed to the open choral position. Kim Guiton was recommended for the position of transportation supervisor and energy manager. In the role, she would be doing what Dr. Cuomo had been doing in regards to transportation, and also oversee the energy program. This was a one year contract, so they could evaluate it over the course of the year.

The district was down about $14,000 from the previous year, related to the Title 1 program. As part of reducing the general budget, Dr. Cuomo noted, staff in that department had been reduced by two positions, in order to try and use less district funds for Title 1 classes.

The topic of natural gas was broached. The goal was to have it in and hooked up by January 1st, but until that time the district wanted to transition out all of the oil boilers, and was putting in new heating systems that could run on propane initially and then transition to natural gas. The district would be using, then, a propane tank until Leatherstocking could get them set up. The recommendation was made to go with Hilt and Mirabito, which would bring in an 18,000 tank and then be able to offer the district a better rate on the propane.

Mr. Emmerich said, when they were looking into their savings, it was contracted that the district would get the gas by no later than December. So they had known that they would have to do something for the months prior. He hoped that they had built this cost into the savings of the plan. Dr. Cuomo confirmed that they had. It had been factored in as part of the savings and, he said, by choosing the company they had the district might even see a greater savings than originally figured.

It was noted that they needed PSBA voting delegates, who would vote at the annual PSBA conference in Hershey. Generally one was appointed from the career center, and one from the school district. Mr. Sible volunteered to be the Elk Lake delegate.

When the SCCTC meeting opened, a visitor broached the subject of the LPN graduation. She had a friend who had just graduated from the program, and who had told her from the moment she started the course that she wanted her to be at the graduation ceremony. She said that it had been a very nice program, with a lot of tears and laughter. She had been disappointed, however, as she had expected to see more board members present. Mrs. Teel apologized, saying she was supposed to be there but could not attend. Another board member said that he had wanted to come, but had made other arrangements. He also pointed out that there had been three graduations within three weeks. The visitor maintained that nevertheless the board had voted for the program, and that evening was the first graduation.

Dr. Davis wasn’t present that evening, but Dr. Cuomo commended her regardless. He and she had been down in Nashville at a national conference, he said, at which she was was asked to present. She had done a fantastic job presenting on professional development activities, he opined, and he was very proud of her presentation and how she had presented Susquehanna County in such an amazing and positive light. Mrs. Staats spoke up about a positive policy of the school, saying that as she had spoken with other special education contractors, none of the others allowed the special education students in the classes the way the SCCTC did. That school had always embraced anyone’s ability to come into the programs, as long as they were motivated and tried to succeed. This had surprised some of the other special education staff0.

Dr. Cuomo recommended Tammi Mowry to a 12 month Financial Aid Director position. The board then asked for a PSBA voting delegate for the career center, and Mrs. Teel said she was willing to do it.

Mrs. McGee said that she wished to speak about the nurse graduation, which she called a well-done program and a spectacular night. She stated that it was heartwarming to hear the stories about the student’s experiences during the year of training.

A representative of ESE Equity was at the Montrose Borough Council’s second meeting of the month, after having been unable to have his request acted upon at the first due to a lack of quorum.

The representative, Joe Hunt, was seeking noncomforming/conditional use for the Montrose Publishing building. It was noted that Mr. Granahan would have to abstain from any vote, as he was on the board of the clinic that it was hoped would be one of the tenants of the building. It was thought at first that this would mean there was again no quorum for a vote, but it was then pointed out that even if he abstained Mr. Granahan was present- thus establishing the quorum. Council still couldn’t pass the request however, it was explained, as a hearing would be needed. The motion was made to advertise a hearing for the August 4th meeting.

Mr. Hunt asked to amend his application, then. He wished to use the space for business offices. He had filed a request in June, and was falling behind. It was the multi-use part of the plan which required a conditional use, and he asked if he could get a zoning permit to just put in the office space so he could put in for a building permit. Mr. Granahan said that he didn’t need council for that, only zoning. However, it was pointed out by Mr. Reimel that Mr. Hunt’s company was the zoning officer, and he couldn’t approve himself. Ms. O’Malley said that he didn’t need the zoning officer as it was a single use building, but it was explained that permission from the borough was needed in order to obtain the building permit per COG’s regulations. Mr. Hunt said that what he really needed was a letter from council that they were okay with it. In the end he was given a permit, and it was decided that the hearing would still be advertised for.

Mr. DiPhillips had suggested the purchase of curb forms at the previous meeting, and a price of $5,000 for these had been obtained. Mr. Reimel said that there were a few places the borough wanted to curb at that time, and he thought that they could save money for this and future projects over what it would cost to have a contractor do it. In fact, he suggested that the borough could come out money ahead in the first year they used them. They were steel forms. Mr. Lamont quipped that he was the curb king, and that he would curb the whole town if he could. It was easier to control water.

DB Tree Removal had offered to take care of some trees for $500, which would include two gingko trees. Mr. Reimel hoped that at some point something would be done about replacing the trees on the North side. The plan was to leave enough of the removed threes that a backhoe could get the rest out.

The borough had been asked to send a letter of opposition regarding Senate Bill 1023, which had to do with dual enforcement options for zoning. The bill mandated a second codes enforcement officer, and gave the option for three. It also changed the UCC some. There had been an article about it in a magazine for boroughs, which said that they were going to make some money available as the state had decided they couldn’t fund it so they were going to pass it along to the boroughs and mandate it. Mr. Reimel said that he had spoken with a COG representative and she had been very helpful. He thought they were right, that there was a lot more expense than the people in Harrisburg thought there was. He wanted the letter to get where it needed to be, but if it was a Senate bill he didn’t see a lot of use sending it to Representative Major (who the proposed opposition was addressed to) instead of Gene Yaw and Lisa Baker. The secretary noted that Rep. Major was who they had been asked to send it to. He responded that he understood this, but it was a senate bill so sending it to the representatives didn’t do much good. There was some discussion regarding the first sentence of the proposed letter and the fact that it didn’t make a whole lot of sense as it was written. Mr. Reimel suggested a simpler method, and a change was made. It was decided to send it to the senators, and cc. the representative.

Mr. Wooten, like Mr. Hunt, attended the meeting after first bringing his concern to the earlier July meeting. At that time he had spoken about curbing, initially requesting that the curb be close enough to the Community Foundation building so as to allow for parallel parking in that location. Ms. O’Malley, he said, had made a valid point that putting parallel parking in a residential area changed the character of the residential area. He had spoken to a few neighbors, and they had agreed. So he amended his request to ask that the curbing be put roughly where the road ended as was. The reason he was asking for curbing was that people were parking on his sidewalk. His sidewalk was wrecked, and and he didn’t want to fix it until the problematic parking was fixed. He said the biggest offenders were delivery trucks. There were a few neighbors who parked there for special occasions, and he planned to go to them and ask that when this occurred they use the parking lot behind the community foundation. His request included curbing from Lake Avenue to the Community Foundation. It was noted that a certain amount of swing for deliveries would be needed. Mr. Reimel thought they could do it if they stayed away from the state and didn’t put a sweep curb in on Lake Avenue. Mr. Wooten agreed about staying away from Lake Avenue. Mr. Reimel suggested that they could talk to the state and see what their requirements would be. It was asked if that would be on both sides of locust street. Mr. Reimel said that there was a ditch on the other side. So if there was a curb there it would be on the lawn side of the ditch, and he wasn’t sure what use that would be of to them. Mr. Lamont asked what side the gas was going to go in on. He thought it was a problem they could address, and said that he would agree to it, quipping again that they were looking at the curb king. Mr. Granahan felt that they needed to reimburse the people who had paid to put curbing in because of borough water, etc. before council decided to go around and put in curbing everywhere else. Mr. Reimel noted that at least one of these residents had come to council and asked first. Mr. Lamont said that he thought they agreed in principal with Mr. Wooten’s idea, and that they could discus the others at another time and place.

The secretary had an initial guide to where they were going to be digging for the Leatherstocking gas project. A representative of the construction company had called and said that he could get the secretary information on a monthly basis. They had started on borough streets, there was some delay due to state road issues. The way things were going as of that time, they hoped to have the four inch mains in for the coming heating season. The plan was also for the borough to  receive a regular production schedule. They wouldn’t go anywhere near Grow Avenue and Church Street until the state finished their construction. One thing that had been mentioned, Mr. Lamont related, was that just because a gas line was in front of a resident’s house, that did not mean the gas would be run out to that house. Also, a family could not have a gas line put out to their house and then cap it off, expected to increase the value of the home. In order for the line to be put in, it had to be a connected line. They would be completing the main line and the pressure test before they put in residential lines.

Mr. Granahan commended one of the cops, saying that he did a lot of leg work for the ice cream and helmet initiative, and he wanted to acknowledge him for it. Mr. Lamont called it good community policing, and also thanked him. The cop then said that he had an idea. Every year the cops qualified down at a particular location, which didn’t ask the cops for any money for this use. He asked if council would consider becoming members of that location, which would give the cops a place to practice and increase membership for the location. It was decided that this could be looked into.

Three visitors who lived on Church Street were present, who had attended to find out more information on Leatherstocking. Some of the residents had felt as if there had been pressure to find a contractor. Mr. Reimel said that since they were on Church Street, there was no rush. Mr. Lamont said that anyone living on Church Street had the patience of Job. He continued this line of thought, opining that the whole town deserved some commendation for their patience with all of the construction going on.

After some discussion, the hearing regarding Mr. Hunt’s company was amended, so that the hearing would be held on the 18th of August at a mid-month meeting. Mr. Hunt said that the registration of the non conformity was a separate thing from the conditional use. This registration was a zoning matter which would normally be executed by the zoning officer, in which case he would need the borough to register the non conformity.

Thompson Borough Crime Watch has chosen new leaders for the coming year. Kathy Sinnott will be Captain and Teri Sheldon will be Co-Captain. Both have agreed to put forth ambitious programs to encourage borough residents participation and renew feelings of community spirit.

The committee meets at 7PM on the 3rd Thursday each month at Thompson Hose Company hall. We are looking for new members that are interested in bringing borough families together and also suggestions of what could be done toward this goal.

We also ask that all residents be aware of any problems that would effect the safety and welfare of their neighbors. This is the mission of any crime watch program.

Suspicious Person: On 06/02/14 at 3:25 p.m. Silver Lake Township Police received a report of a suspicious person that was located on McCormick Road. The caller stated that a person came walking out of the woods and was standing in the roadway in front of the caller’s house. Upon arrival by Silver Lake Township Police the person had left the area. Chief Timothy Burgh was the responding officer.

Suspicious Vehicle: On 06/04/14 at 10:45 a.m. Silver Lake Township were called to a residence located on Sugar Mountain Road. The resident stated that a vehicle was on the roadway in front of his house, and just sitting there. The home owner approached the vehicle and questioned the driver of the vehicle as to why he was there. The home owner stated to police that the driver appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol and acted very confused. The home owner stated that the vehicle left the area after being confronted by him. The area was checked for the vehicle and information was passed onto other agencies in the area. Chief Timothy Burgh was the responding officer. This case is still active.

Vehicle Fire: On 06/09/14 at 2:30 p.m. Silver Lake Township Police responded to a residence located on the Quaker Lake Road for a vehicle fire. Upon arrival of police the vehicle was fully involved and a total loss. No one was in the vehicle at the time of the fire. Silver Lake Township Fire Department responded and put out the fire. Chief Timothy Burgh was the responding officer.

Miscellaneous Investigation: On 06/12/14 at 7:10 p.m. Silver Lake Township Police were called for a report of disorderly conduct and harassment at a residence located on State Route 167. Upon arrival of police the home owner stated that every morning around 6:00 a.m. and every evening around 7:00 p.m. someone is blowing their car horn in front of their home. The home owner stated that this has been occurring for approximately 4 weeks. Silver Lake Township Police placed vehicles in the area at the times that these incidents were happening. The vehicle in question was stopped by police and the incident was taken care of. Officer Levi Tiffany was the responding officer. This case is still active.

Suspicious Vehicle: On 06/13/14 at 12:00 p.m. Silver Lake Township Police Department took a report of a suspicious vehicle located on Russel Road. The area was checked for the vehicle and the vehicle was gone upon arrival by police. Chief Timothy Burgh was the responding officer. This case is still active.

Suspicious Vehicle: On 06/15/14 at 2:00 a.m. Silver Lake Township Police were given a report of a suspicious vehicle that was located on Lyons Road. The caller stated that a car full of young adults pulled into her driveway and tried to steal items in her yard. The people were confronted by the home owner’s son and fled the area. Chief Timothy Burgh took the report. This case is still active.

Miscellaneous Investigation: On 06/17/14 at 3:40 p.m. Silver Lake Township Police were called for a possible abduction that occurred on North Shore Drive. The caller stated that a silver or grey car pulled up to the intersection of North Shore Drive and the Quaker Lake Road. The caller stated that a female tried to get out of the passenger side of the vehicle and was yelling “help me help me, he’s got a gun” the driver then took off with the female still screaming. Silver Lake Township Police arrived on scene and a B.O.L.O. was immediately put out to other surrounding agencies. The area was checked and interviews were conducted. Chief Timothy Burgh was the responding officer. This case is still active.

Theft of Services: On 06/17/14 at 9:20 a.m. Silver Lake Township Police were contacted by Claverack Electric for a problem they were having with a customer located on the Silver Creek Road. Silver Lake Township Police went to the residence with Claverack Electric and the incident was taken care of. Chief Timothy Burgh was the responding officer.

Miscellaneous Investigation: On 06/17/14 at 3:40 p.m. Silver Lake Township Police took a report of ATV’s and Motorcycles harassing people on the roadway. The incident was reported to have taken place on Tripp Lake Road in Silver Lake Township. Upon investigation by Silver Lake Township Police it was determined that the incident actually took place on Cabin Hill Road in Liberty Township.  The caller was referred to The Gibson State Police. Chief Timothy Burgh took the report.

Theft: On 06/29/14 at 5:05 p.m. Silver Lake Township Police took a report of a wallet that was stolen from a vehicle located on John C. McNamara Drive. The wallet was later found thrown in a ditch about 1 mile up the road. Officer Levi Tiffany took the report. This case is still active.

Silver Lake Township Police responded to some medical calls in the township for the month of June.

Any information or questions for Silver Lake Township Police, please call 570-278-6818 or email us at silverlaketwppd@epix.net, all information will be held strictly confidential. You can look at the Silver Lake Township Website at www.silverlaketwp.org, to see all Silver Lake Townships' news, profiles, and resources, including the police reports.

Keith A Smith, 22, of Montrose, PA to 2 years to 5 years in a state correctional facility, pay a $300 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act Fee, not to have contact with the victim in this case, complete a sexual offenders assessment and follow through with treatment, not to reside within 500 feet of parks, school, daycare centers or other facilities that care for minors, not to have contact with anyone under the age of 18 without adult supervision for Corruption of Minors in Forest City Borough on January 19, 2014.

Darin J Ford, 25, of Great Bend, PA to 4 months to 18 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, followed by 2 ½ years probation, pay a $1,500 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, not to possess transport or consume alcoholic beverages or controlled substances without a valid prescription, pay $200 CAT Surcharge, pay $10 EMS, pay $300 Act 198 fee, subject to random drug and alcohol screenings, complete Alcohol Highway Safe Driving School Program, subject to PA Interlock Law for Driving Under the Influence in Hallstead Borough on January 26, 2013.  Mr. Ford also received 10 days to 1 year in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility to run concurrent with the above sentence, followed by 1 year probation, pay $500 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, not to possess transport or consume alcoholic beverages or controlled substances without a valid prescription, pay $200 CAT Surcharge, pay $10 EMS, pay $10 Act 198 fee, subject to random drug and alcohol screenings, complete Alcohol Highway Safe Driving School Program, subject to PA Ignition Interlock Law, receive drug and alcohol treatment, not to have contact with anyone on supervision, pay restitution to the victim in this case for Driving Under the Influence in Great Bend Township on September 19, 2013.

John Douglas Sutton, 8 months to 20 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, followed by 5 years probation, pay $350 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, not to possess transport or consume alcoholic beverages or controlled substances without a valid medical prescription, complete 50 hours community service, not to have contact with anyone on supervision, continue with drug and alcohol treatment, pay restitution to the victim in this case for Criminal Trespass on May 4, 2014 in Hallstead Borough.

Andrew Winfield Lesser, 30, of Susquehanna, PA to 3 months to 15 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, followed by 2 years probation, pay $250 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, not to use controlled substances without a valid prescription, not to have contact with anyone on supervision, participate in outpatient drug and alcohol counseling, pay restitution to the victim, not to have contact with the victim in this case, subject to random drug and alcohol screenings, not to have contact with codefendants, maintain employment, pay $250 DNA testing fee and submit sample for Theft by Unlawful Taking in Great Bend Borough on September 24, 2013.

Allen Michael Westbrook, 19, of Thompson, PA to 18 months probation, pay $300 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, not to possess firearms, receive a sexual offenders evaluation, not to have contact with the victim or the victim’s family, perform 25 hours of community service for Corruption of Minors in Thompson on June 21, 2013.  Mr. Westbrook also received 1 year probation to run concurrent to the above sentence, pay $150 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $100 Act 198 fee, receive drug and alcohol counseling, not to possess controlled substances without a valid prescription, subject to random drug and alcohol screenings for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia in New Milford Borough on April 13, 2014.

Kevin Lapage Weeks, 21, of Montrose, PA to 10 months to 23 ½ months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, pay $200 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, not to possess transport or consume alcoholic beverages or controlled substances without a valid medical prescription, complete a sexual offenders assessment and participate in treatment as may be deemed necessary, not to have contact with the victim in this case, undergo a 10 PM curfew, not to possess firearms, not to have contact with anyone under the age of 18 without adult supervision for Terroristic Threats on May 14, 2014 in Forest City Borough.

Linda L Denniston, 58 of Meshoppen, PA to 6 months to 18 months home confinement, pay $200 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, not to have contact with the victims in this case, not to have contact with anyone under the age of 18 without adult supervision, participate in a sexual offender assessment for Endangering the Welfare of Children in Auburn Township from 1998 to September 2013.

Raymond Matthew Toman, 54, of Hallstead, PA to 15 months probation, probation may be transferred to Broome County, NY, pay $250 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay $100 Act 198 fee, not to possess transport or consume alcoholic beverages or controlled substances without a valid prescription, complete 50 hours community service, subject to random drug and alcohol screenings, not to have contact with anyone on supervision, pay $250 DNA testing fee and submit sample for Possession with Intent to Deliver in Liberty Township on September 28, 2013.

James Theobald, 31, of Susquehanna, PA to 11 ½ months to 23 ½ months in a state correctional facility followed by 2 years probation, pay $500 fine, pay cost of prosecution, subject to random drug and alcohol screenings, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay $100 Act 198 fee, not to have contact with anyone on supervision for Possession with Intent to Deliver in Oakland Borough on March 6, 2012.  Mr. Theobald also received, 18 months to 36 months in a state correctional facility to run concurrent to the above sentence, pay $500 fine, pay cost of prosecution, subject to random drug and alcohol screenings, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, not to have contact with anyone on supervision for Contraband Possession of a Controlled Substance by Inmate on February 8, 2014 in Bridgewater Township.

The Susquehanna County DOMESTIC RELATIONS Section has outstanding BENCH WARRANT’S for the following individuals as of 8:30AM on JULY 25, 2014: Duane M. Aldrich, Brent V. Birtch, Allen S. Bowman, John R. Bush, Gerald E. Case, Anthony M. Choplosky, Tina M. Clark, Christopher J. Clark, Jonathan Fathi, David J. Fischer, Jeremy W. Hall, Shannon J. Hollister, Nathan Hollister, Todd J. Layton, Charlie J. Legere, Casey M. Lehman, Derrick Lezinsky, Robert J. McCrone, Ronald N. Mitchell, Jordan L. Payne, Wallace J. Penny Jr., Vincent S. Perico, Matthew J. Peters, Veronica D. Phelps, Eric A. Pike, Sherri M. Rosa, Todd J. Slater, Anthony L. Smith, Frederick Swingle, III, Tessa E. Thomas, Kurtis Tracy, Donna N. Tunstall, John H. Walter, Steven G. Warner. Please contact the Domestic Relations Section at 570-278-4600 ext. 170 with any information on the location of these individuals.