The Harford Township Supervisors met on March 10th to consider what for them is a full agenda. With Supervisor and Township Secretary Sue Furney absent, Carolyn Jennings sat in as Recording Secretary.

Going over the minutes for February, Doug Phelps announced that a special meeting was held on February 19 to appoint a new tax collector, following the resignation of Tim Button. Four applicants were considered. Jessica Miller was chosen by Mr. Phelps and Ms. Furney. Conrad Owens preferred a different candidate. Ms. Miller’s appointment is only for the remainder of this year. If she chooses, she may run for election to a full term.

The Supervisors next entertained a landsman who supervised the signing of various papers that will put the sewer plant property in a unit for a new gas well to be drilled across the road from the Township Building. Papers for the Township Building itself were signed earlier.

Bonuses and royalties from that well will come in handy as the Township ramps up a project to upgrade the sewer plant on Burns Road. The Supervisors approved a measure to contract with the plant’s engineers, David Klepadlo and Asssociates, to develop an in-depth engineering study (at a cost of some $18,000) required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support application for a 3% 40-year loan to finance the project. The Township will borrow up to the amount still outstanding on the loan for the original system ($700,000), now 20 years old. The upgrades will be necessary to meet increasingly stringent outflow regulations. Mr. Owens said that he could foresee sewer system rates rising to as much as $200 per quarter eventually. A large part of the fees already cover payments on the original loan. The new loan balance will also cover the up-front cost of the engineering study, as well as the purchase of new pumps as they continue to age.

There was a fairly large crowd in attendance this month, many of them young members of the Harford-Lenox Baseball Association and their leaders. They came to thank the Supervisors for a grant of $15,000 to help build a new softball field on the property owned by the Township behind the Harford Village Apartments. They said the donation will help them reach their goal of $62,000-$65,000 to complete the project; Lenox Township has also made a contribution. The players and their leaders and coaches presented a plaque to the Supervisors, and stood with them for a picture.

Harford-Lenox Baseball Association thanks the Harford Township Supervisors for their support.

Next up, the Supervisors decided on road materials and fuels to be advertised for bids for the coming season. They will be looking for (more or less): 3,300 tons of half-inch stone; 9,000 tons of 2A stone; 1,500 tons of 2B stone; 1,000 tons of R3 stone; 1,000 tons of R4 stone; 2,600 tons of anti-skid and 1,400 yards of black cinders. They will also want 41,000 gallons of calcium chloride for dust control. Roadmaster Jim Phelps said that his equipment has been using about 350 gallons of fuel per week for the past month or so. So the Supervisors will also solicit bids for 2,600 gallons of gasoline and 9,000 gallons of diesel fuel. Consideration of heating oil, DSA (a newer road material) and sluice pipe will be taken up at a later time.

The Township will also be looking for bids for trucking services, in particular, tri-axle dump trucking with “tail-gating.” They also want to hear from contractors about ditching and general hauling services, and are asking for hourly rates. Mr. Phelps said that the FOB prices for materials are considerably lower than as-delivered prices, so that if quality hauling services can be purchased at reasonable rates, the cost of buying and spreading stone on the roads can be minimized.

The Supervisors are also soliciting bids for road work on Shoup and South Harmony Roads, to include pipes, ditching and building up the surface. They would also like to have Three Lakes and Plank Roads re-topped. The purpose of contracting out these projects is to relieve the Township’s own crews for regular seasonal maintenance this Summer.

Those crews will also get new radios, at a cost to the Township of some $7,200 for 9 units, a base station and speaker and microphone for the office, plus a monthly fee of $50 per unit for use of established radio repeater stations. The analog radios now in use do not cover some parts of the Township. The new digital system should provide better coverage and more reliable service. It will be installed and configured by Industrial Electronics of Scranton.

The Supervisors will develop specifications for bidders on a project to erect a 55-by-65-foot storage building for road materials.

And the office will get an upgrade to its Quickbooks accounting software to add some features to the payroll function. The upgrade will cost an additional $130 per month for a subscription service. The new software will prepare all tax-related forms in a more rigorous fashion, most likely also making the Township’s auditors happier.

The money for much of this new work is made available through the “impact” fees assessed on each gas well drilled in the state and allocated by the state to municipalities, plus the bonuses and royalties on wells on land owned by the Township. The month’s Treasurer’s Report shows a balance of over $183,000 in the account set aside for impact fee revenue. The Township has so far been receiving in the neighborhood of from $130,000 to $250,000 per year in impact fee revenue.

The Supervisors announced that electronics will probably not be accepted in this Summer’s “cleanup” program. In early June the Township will pick up discarded materials (except household garbage and trash) for a nominal fee. Details of this year’s program will be made available at a later date. The County recycling center is no longer accepting electronics; the Supervisors will try to find an alternative.

The Supervisors considered a letter from a committee organizing a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the construction of the Martin’s Creek Viaduct (the Kingsley Bridge) now scheduled for early September. There didn’t seem to be a request for funds, so the events planned so far were described from the letter, to include dances and perhaps a parade, although no one could figure where a parade might be held, except perhaps along the dirt road that passes under the bridge. The Kingsley Bridge is a slightly smaller sister to the Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct, also known as the Nicholson Bridge. Both are local landmarks built in 1915 when the Lackawanna Railroad rerouted the line from Scranton to Binghamton.

To wrap up the meeting, a resident on Plank Road stood to complain of conditions at the intersection of Plank and U.S. Route 11. Severe dust problems caused by stone trucks, mostly from Lopke Stone, and some water trucks related to the gas drilling in the area have caused his mother to have to be moved from her residence. It’s not as much of a problem during the current winter season, but he said it has been a concern for more than a year and he was interested in having the problem fixed before the upcoming Summer season.

The Supervisors said that the companies were committed to installing an asphalt or concrete apron at the intersection, but that such work requires the cooperation of the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT) as well as the gas and trucking companies. Mr. Owens said that he would contact the various parties involved and try to find a resolution.

The Harford Township Supervisors will next meet in public session on Tuesday, April 14, 2015 beginning at 7:00pm at the Township office on Route 547. They never serve soup, or even cookies.

Susquehanna Depot’s March meeting had something for everyone. With an hour and a half of public meeting, followed by overtime (executive session) business aplenty was discussed on a wide assortment of issues.

Presiding over the marathon meeting of Wednesday, March 11, was President Joe Varsik. Council members John Hendrickson, Barbara Larsen, Roy Williams, and Debbie Zayas were present, along with Mayor Nancy Hurley and Secretary/Treasurer Margaret Biegert. Councilwomen Sue Crawford and Kaylin Lindquist were absent.

The evening’s meeting looked back on winter’s brutality, the just-arrived spring warmth, and a preview of summer’s promise. Roads, codes, parks, parking, police, budgets, blight, safety, disaster, water, litter control, River Bounty, and environmental clean-up all came up for discussion and decisions. Susquehanna packed a chocked full agenda at its municipal meeting.

Mayor Hurley provided the Police Report for the month of February. The Police Report listed 27 responses. Eight involved traffic stops, moving violations, or accidents. Of the 19 remaining responses, harassment, burglary, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, and domestic dispute were the more serious cases. More mundane cases in the borough involved a noise complaint, 911 hang-up, a welfare check, and individuals with health problems or uncategorized miscellaneous issues.

Mayor Hurley pivoted to the issue of the police car repairs, and council invested some serious time discussing the issue of the Dodge Charger. The police cruiser needs $476 in immediate repairs, and it appears likely that the car’s “articulated front end” repair bills of $1,000 to $2,000 (per year) may be expected to keep the car on the road. A new vehicle (Ford Taurus) would put the borough in debt to the tune of $11,700 minimum. So, would Council find it advantageous to buy the Ford Taurus, or should the borough continue with the present Charger and foot repair bills as they come due? Council members and Mayor made good points on both sides of the issue, thereby moving President Varsik to push the issue into executive session where it could be mulled further for final action.

Councilman Hendrickson provided his monthly Emergency Management Report. In it he detailed the severe strain placed on the borough’s water pipes by the unusually cold winter. In various parts of the borough ground is frozen to a depth of five feet. He noted PAWC’s work to resolve water issues and DPW’s work to keep streets clear of snow. To that end, he urged residents to park off-street to the maximum extent possible.

Councilman Hendrickson also provided to council an extensive list of safety items required to transform the borough’s emergency preparedness from a slogan to a reality. Items to be procured include work zone signage, first aid kits, traffic barriers, and many other items, totaling out at $2,889.11 in proposed expenditures. Council, having asked Mr. Hendrickson to draw up this list some months ago, gave unanimous approval for purchase of the requested items. President Varsik extended his thanks to Mr. Hendrickson for his research and hard work in bringing this initiative to fruition.

Councilman Williams gave an overview of the borough’s participation in the Agility Program. The program essentially seeks to capture the comparative advantages offered by municipalities and PennDOT by swapping services where each authority can reap benefits of specialization and greater productivity. Mr. Williams explained recent requests by PennDOT for the responsibilities it would like to see Susquehanna borough take on; however, PennDOT was non-committal as to what responsibilities it would be willing to assume within borough boundaries. For that reason, Councilman Williams sought council’s support for a meeting between council and PennDOT’s representatives, lest any misunderstanding arise as to establishment of responsibilities regarding any quid pro quo. Council unreservedly supported Mr. Williams’ request for meeting.

Old business brought up quick mention of ordinance codification. The individual with whom the borough is working on this process has been taken ill. Being that a lengthy period of recuperation is expected, the entire project is currently on hold until at least mid-summer.

A second matter of old business discussed was ward elimination. Discussion was ponderous, and ultimately a temperate course was decided best. President Varsik read a letter from the borough’s solicitor, Michael Briechle, comparing two options—to combine OR eliminate wards—essentially a distinction without a difference in practical effect. (Since the borough has only two wards, combining Ward 1 with Ward 2 has the effect of eliminating the ward system.) Council members unanimously approved a motion to authorize Solicitor Briechle to draw up the appropriate ordinance, which will be advertised with a 30-day comment period for borough residents, after which council will make a final decision on whether or not to eliminate the ward system. Under this proposal, elimination of the ward system could occur only after the May 19 Primary Election, and the public would have liberal opportunity to voice support or opposition.

Several relevant facts came out during discussion of the ward system. Currently, there are approximately 710 registered voters in Susquehanna Depot. The two wards are grossly unbalanced with regard to population. If the ward system is not eliminated, ward lines will have to be redrawn to rebalance population as documented in the 2010 federal census. Ward elimination would also remove a number of other administrative and political headaches—and one Election Day polling place. In any case, change can be effected only after the May Primary, so voters will see no difference until the Municipal Election in November.

Finally, the last item under Old Business was mention of the Great American Cleanup. This project is coming to fruition at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 25. Councilwoman Lindquist is spear-heading this initiative; PennDOT is supplying items needed for the litter pickup project; borough volunteers are supplying the elbow grease to clean up. This project’s details will be advertised in “The Transcript” as the event draws closer.

Under New Business, five topics—River Bounty, winter parking, DEP cleanup, ordinances, and Easter eggs—consumed the last half hour of council’s meeting time. Council approved a motion to relinquish any claim or obligation to or from River Bounty by Susquehanna Borough. Under the scenario outlined by River Bounty’s Solicitor this motion by the borough will clear the way for Grandview Power Company to have opportunity to obtain the necessary permitting for hydroelectric power generation, and permit the distribution of Susquehanna Borough’s share of funds out of a $30,000 fund.

Winter parking brought lengthy and sometimes fiery discussion. Alternate side of street parking was proposed as well as several other ideas. Ultimately, personal responsibility must be restored if the borough is to have clear and passable streets in the winter. Before next meeting a draft winter-parking ordinance will be drawn up, distributed, and reviewed so that in-depth discussion can occur. One proposal on the drawing board is a doubling of fines during winter month snow advisories, and a dedicated implementation of towing vehicles illegally parked.

The area informally known as the Ira Reynolds Park and Walking Trails is located starting from The Fire Department land, (directly behind the FD) and extending toward the dam to the land owned by the Oakland Borough adjacent to the Dam. This area in particular, along with several other areas of the borough, is due for a DEP cleanup this summer. Some years ago DEP took 271 samples from 135 sites throughout the borough. For the park and walking trails, clean-up in late summer will entail removal of soil, brush, and even mature trees, and the laying down of about a foot of clean soil. Contaminants being removed include arsenic, lead, mercury, and copper. There will be a 90-day public comment period and meeting before any work begins. That meeting will be used to lay out the borough’s plan for proposed walking trails layout and what the borough’s expectations are upon accomplishment of the project. Readers should look forward to more information on this in “The Transcript” as it becomes available.

Next new item was a motion to send the borough’s proposed Blight & Vacant Building Ordinance to Solicitor Briechle for review prior to advertising and final passage. Councilman Williams noted that what the borough is enacting is already state law; the borough is merely codifying it at the local level so that it can be enforced at the local level. In a related matter, he noted that local commercial buildings, particularly those along Main Street will be inspected in the near future. Structural decay of many buildings is obvious to the most casual observer. How serious the underlying decay will be made an issue for discovery, remediation, and rectification.

The last new item was movement of the borough’s Easter egg hunt at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 28, from Reddon Park to the Municipal Building. Those in the know concluded that possibly snow, or that the effects of Old Man Winter’s prolonged stay, could make the park an untidy and unsafe location for the event.

At 8:30 p.m. Council concluded the public portion of their meeting and went into executive session. Executive session was for the purpose of discussing legal issues concerning 165 Depot Street, 351 Prospect Street, personnel-vacation schedule, and the issue of the police cruiser repair or purchase (from earlier discussion).

Secretary Biegert reported that council returned to regular session at 9:08 p.m. and motioned to approve repair of the police Dodge Charger at a cost of $476. No other official actions were taken prior to immediate adjournment thereafter.

Next borough council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 8, at 7 p.m. Another fully packed meeting appears on tap.

There was cause for celebration at the March 9th meeting of the Forest City School Board for a number of their students. Principal Peter Jordan started by recognizing three students who received the Outstanding Senior Award. Principal Jordan informed all in attendance this is an in-house award to recognize outstanding senior students. Walker Bintliff, Katelyn Kernoschak and Jamie Walsh were the recipients of this honor. Superintendent John Kopicki shared the achievements of Award winners for the students that attended the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science, which was held at Wilkes University on March 7, 2015. Julia Baileys received the 2nd Award in Physics, Cameron Brucher in Biology. The 1st Award went to Colin Enis in Physics, Lucas O’Neill in Biology, Sarah Hunt in Chemistry, Katie Nebzydoski in Ecology and Katie Nugyen in Physics. Katie Nugyen was also awarded the Junior High Physics Excellence Award, and Katie Nebzydoski received the Junior High Ecology Excellence Award. There were twenty-four total awards given for excellence and FCRS students received two of them. Superintendent Kopicki stated as these students excel, they would go above and beyond once they leave this school, and he would like to acknowledge their teachers and parents. The chorus students attended the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Regional IV Chorus competition, which was held in Hershey from February 26th through the 28th. Sonny Albright has been chosen to move forward and compete at the State level. Sonny’s brother, Neil Albright was chosen to be the alternate. This was quite a success for Sonny and Neil since their competition included talented students from fourteen counties and fifty schools.

The Directors of the School Board accepted, with regret the resignation of Tim Snyder, Health & Physical Education teacher and their Technology Advisor who will be retiring at the end of the school year. With regret they also accepted the resignation of Ed Osborn, their Mathematics teacher, who will also be retiring at the end of the school year. Principal Peter Jordan said he would like to thank both of them for their service to the school. Director Henry Nebzydoski said they are role models with a great work ethic. Director Lorne Powell said they don’t just teach their subjects, they teach life lessons, and they will both be missed.

Superintendent Kopicki stated they were challenged with the weather this year. So far they have had 12 snow days, 12 delays, and 2 early dismissals due to the weather. As of this date the last day of school will be June 11th and graduation will be held on June 12th. If there are 2 or more future snow days, graduation will be moved to June 19th. The definite dates for the last day of school, and graduation will be announced at the April School Board meeting.

The volunteer reading initiative has made gains in achievement based on data set for grades K, 1, and 2, Superintendent Kopicki reported. This program is in conjunction with Read Across America and has been very successful.

The Library will be open to the community every Wednesday from 6pm to 8pm, and Superintendent Kopicki is encouraging parents to bring their children.

The PSSA’s are coming up in April and will be held on April 13-17th for Language, April 20-24th for Mathematics, and April 27-29th for Science.

On March 16th Forest City Regional will hold their Parent Teacher Conference. If this date is not convenient, please call 570-785-2483 for an appointment and they will try to accommodate parents or guardians.

Registration will be held for Pre-K on April 23rd and April 24th. Please call 570-785-2483 to schedule an appointment.

There will be a Finance Committee Meeting on Wednesday, March 25th at 6:00pm, which is open to the general public.

On a closing note Superintendent Kopicki stated Governor Wolf presented his budget, and the amount Forest City will receive is $253,530.63. This is an increase and will help the school with many of their programs. Forest City, over the past few years has increased their programs even though they have not had a monetary increase from the state since 2008.

Lanesboro’s monthly meeting was highlighted by several visitors, two of which had already requested time on the meeting’s agenda. The Tuesday March 10 meeting kicked off at 7:02 and was wrapped up by 7:37 p.m. Presiding over the meeting was Council Vice-President Dale Rockwell, with Council members Ed Arzouian, Regina Dilello, Dave Glidden, and Tom Nitterour, as well as Secretary/Treasurer Gail Hanrahan, present. Council President Dan Boughton and Mayor Chris Maby also reported in after the meeting was already in progress. Councilman Jason Fissel was absent.

Some three minutes into the meeting, with rituals and routine business already a wrap, VP Rockwell recognized Lanesboro resident and former councilwoman, Colleen Y. Wilkes, to speak. She had two items to bring to Council’s attention. The first was in the form of a question, “Does the borough have a defibrillator at the Community Center?” The short answer was, “No.” Councilman Glidden took the time to explain a number of key considerations, including training, funding, and the requirement of having someone present qualified to operate the equipment. Councilman Arzouian volunteered to conduct further investigation on defibrillator feasibility and funding, even as Mrs. Wilkes volunteered that her family would make a significant donation towards its possible procurement.

Mrs. Wilkes second item was the introduction of luminary, Robert Klein, current Republican candidate for Susquehanna County District Attorney in the May Municipal Primary. Mr. Klein informed that he was a twenty-year resident of Susquehanna County living in New Milford, and that he had just this day resigned his position as Assistant District Attorney for Lackawanna County. In his four-year stint as Lackawanna County ADA he had prosecuted literally thousands of criminals and played a key role in leading the battle against drug dealers and drunk drivers. Council members thanked Mr. Klein for taking the time to introduce himself to the borough, and for familiarizing them with his qualifications, experience, views on law enforcement issues.

Next up, in the public input period, an area resident--for the second month in a row--raised the issue of an unresolved crime which occurred at Turnpike Terrace in November 2014. Police Chief Jim Smith had not been present at February’s meeting, but being present at this meeting, provided a general summary of the case and why it remained unresolved. While the questioner remained dissatisfied, Mayor Maby and Chief Smith promised to meet with her in private after the public meeting to discuss the case in depth.

The “case” provided a natural transition for Chief Smith’s delivery of the Police Report for the month of February. It showed Lanesboro PD spent a total of 126.5 hours on duty for Lanesboro; 11 hours billed to Thompson Boro; and 112 hours on patrol for Susquehanna Community School District Campus. LPD made 13 traffic stops in February, with four citations and nine warnings issued. Causes for traffic stops were as follows: speeding violations (6), inspection violations (2), equipment violation (1), and careless driving violation (1).

Chief Smith also detailed a surge of police actions, all of which occurred in the two-week period of February 10th through 23rd: Cases involved the following: assist to State Police, parking complaint, harassment, motor vehicle accident, drug overdose/disorderly conduct, and two separate cases of terroristic threats.

Not a terroristic threat, but certainly a threat to one’s life and limb, was the one matter raised in the Streets Report. President Boughton noted that just hours ago two sink holes (each two and half feet deep) spanning the width of the roadway had opened up on Side Avenue. Mr. Boughton had received a call from a Side Avenue resident and he high-tailed it to the scene. Upon investigation he notified Pennsylvania American Water Company of the extent of the problem. Construction cones are be placed to mark off the danger zone until emergency repairs can be made.

In Parks and Recreation, the only news to report was a request for the annual Easter Egg Hunt at Luciana Park. Council agreed that there was no objection to the Easter Egg Hunt on March 28; however, with an early Easter and a hard winter colliding; a couple of feet of snow may make the search for eggs a bit more challenging this year.

For the Sewer Report Secretary Hanrahan noted that there were some eight to ten cases of sewer bills in arrears. Water is not shut off in winter due to its impact on home heating systems; however, with the advent of spring sewer-account deadbeats return to the borough’s focus of attention. Council agreed to a two-step process to return non-payers to virtue: water shut-off by PAWC, followed by borough legal action at the Magisterial District Justice level. The threat of water shut-off should inspire most to pay; legal action provides further incentive to compliance. Chief Smith will be serving notices in person when necessary.

In the Community Center Report Miss Amanda Cook reported there is one rental this month, two for April, and one in June. Council also discussed procurement of more tables and chairs. By vote it was agreed to authorize purchase of more tables and chairs (as needed), though no specific number was mentioned.

In Old Business, Council members briefly discussed the Second Amendment Ordinance proposed by resident Mark Gingerella in reaction to the State’s Act 192 which went into effect in January. While neither council nor mayor had formal feedback at their fingertips from Solicitor Myron DeWitt, the general consensus was that there was no obvious need to pass any such ordinance. The borough has no ordinance regarding firearms and simply recognizes that state law is sovereign and enforceable in the borough.

Before closing, the subject of the borough’s sewer sale was touched upon. As has been the case for over six months, the issue is on the desk of a lawyer outside this county, and the borough has no power to dislodge it from inertia and legal limbo not of the borough’s making. When or if action is imminent or actually occurs, reporting thereof will be made.

After 35 minutes of meeting Lanesboro adjourned for the month of March. April’s meeting is planned for the second Tuesday of the month at the Community Center.

The sprucing up of Oakland Boro never appeared as a topic on the agenda, but the actions of Councilmen at their March 12, 2015 meeting all tended to push forward that underlying theme. Presiding over the 55-minute meeting was President Brian Rhone. Present for the meeting were Councilmen Eric Page, Jack Agler, Gary Boughton, and Doug Arthur, along with Mayor Ron Beavan and Secretary/Treasurer Flo Brush.

Besides the sprucing up considerations, Council moved to catch up. The Minutes of January’s meeting were reviewed and approved. The Treasurer’s Report was also approved--with Mayor Beavan making incisive suggestions for increasing transparency and accountability for funding. Rounding out the catch-up Mayor Beavan presented January’s Police Report.

The Police Report for January listed 10 incidents, five of which were motor vehicle related: three accident investigations, one assist to a disabled vehicle, and one traffic stop. The remaining five cases were categorized as follows: vandalism, theft, criminal mischief, domestic violence, and miscellaneous. February’s and March’s Police Reports will hopefully be available at April’s Monthly Meeting.

“Sprucing-up” subtly made its first appearance in the Codes Report. Two troubled properties were the subject of discussion. One property on Westfall Avenue is under continued observation and consultations are ongoing with contractors working on the property. The second troubled property is a house on River Street, which property the borough is contemplating for condemnation proceedings.

Next up was Eric Page’s Building Committee Report. Councilman Page noted that his committee had not met last month or this month, but an April meeting was definitely in the cards. Technical experts and “numbers guys” will elucidate further on the possibilities for bringing the borough’s dream of a municipal building to fruition.

The Parks Committee Report was all about sprucing up, but it consisted of two sections. The first part consisted of grounds maintenance at the borough’s park. Shane Lewis proposed an offer for 2015 grounds maintenance at the same cost as he charged in 2014. Council voted unanimously to accept his offer.

The second section consisted of Spring Cleaning. Councilmen discussed several options but made no final decision. One of the options considered was assistance from the Church of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) to put the park back in operational mode. Borough government will liaise with the Church. Another option considered might be utilization of an individual or individuals sentenced to perform community service. Should neither of these options pan out, contracting for professionals to spring clean is also an option. More should be known at next month’s meeting.

Old Business was dominated by discussion of a Sidewalk Ordinance. The borough has one, but its very obsolescence makes it unenforceable. Councilmen openly agree that the state of many sidewalks in the borough is nothing less than deplorable and if sidewalks are to improve a new ordinance is a necessity. Upgrade, as well as the regular care and maintenance of sidewalks, would vastly improve both appearance and habitability of the borough.

Secretary Brush had obtained a sidewalk ordinance from another borough in the county, but she noted that it wasn’t of much use because it was out-of-date. Other communities she had contacted had refused to provide a copy of their sidewalk ordinances. Council agreed to pursue the issue of a new sidewalk ordinance, and to that end directed Secretary Brush to obtain a model sidewalk ordinance from PSBA (Pennsylvania State Borough Association) to see if it was possible to tailor it to Oakland borough’s needs. Council stressed that a new sidewalk ordinance must be both enforceable and equitably applied throughout the borough.

New Business brought up another item for borough revitalization. The borough had received a request from the Tax Claim Bureau for 347 State Street. The red house at that address is observably collapsing and in a state of dilapidation. It has been through two tax sales with no bids received at either. The Tax Bureau would like the borough to relinquish any claim to back-taxes so that the property can be sold at any price negotiated. Council could have acted immediately upon the request, but detailed discussion brought out concerns that any purchaser (particularly an out-of-stater) could buy the property for as little as $1 and sit on the property without making any attempt to bring the property up to code. To alleviate that concern, Council referred the matter to the borough’s Solicitor, Myron DeWitt. Stipulations, Council and Mayor stressed, must be attached to any sale of the property. How those stipulations are worded is of concern to borough government before blessing the Tax Claim Bureau’s request. The ultimate aim is to return the property to borough and county tax rolls, but not at the expense of retaining a blight on the borough’s landscape. In any case, no taxes can or will be recovered from past years no matter what action is taken.

Correspondence to the borough included a Recycling Center Notice from the county that electronics will not be accepted this year. The borough will take that notice into consideration when scheduling any appliance or large-item recycling pick-up this year.

In an item brought up by Councilman Arthur, the uncovered grate on East Boyden Street came in for discussion. With weather now improving Councilmen agreed that it was wise to take action as soon possible to correct the situation lest it present a hazard to children and unobservant pedestrians.

Finally, Mayor Beavan brought up two final topics: the borough’s website and EMA training. The Mayor suggested a counter be added to the borough’s website to gauge the number of visits to the site. Is the website much used? Is it useful to residents? If the website has fallen into disuse, should it be discontinued as a savings to the borough? All were good questions, but no one had answers. President Rhone agreed to look into adding a counter for the number of hits the website receives, and Council will look at sprucing up the site--if the borough ultimately decides to keep the website going. The borough’s website can always be found by putting, “Oakland Borough PA” in one’s search engine. The borough’s website is www.oaklandboro.com.

Before adjournment at 7:58 p.m. Mayor Beavan suggested that Emergency Management training might be in order for members of borough government. While no known threat is known to be imminent, disaster can strike at any time. The borough’s Emergency Management Agency Coordinator is Paul Dudley. Nothing is posted on the EMA page of the borough’s website except Mr. Dudley’s name. Beefing up training and familiarity with the program now, Mayor Beavan suggested, may pay big dividends later when an emergency does arise.

Oakland Borough’s next scheduled meeting is on Thursday, April 9th at the Lanesboro Community Center.

EDITORS NOTE: These reports are taken directly from the Gibson State Police Barracks Blotter. Anyone having an issue with how they are worded is advised to visit the Barracks and inspect same before complaining about contents.

Missing Person: On May 12th a New Milford man was reported missing by his wife after he failed to return to drive her home from a hair appointment. She was worried that the man's medical condition might be a factor. State Police began a search of the area. He was found in his disabled vehicle on Rt. 6/Casey Highway by a passing motorist from Harvey's Lake. The motorist drove him home, and the State Police closed their investigation.

Drug Possession: On March 11th at 6:08 pm police stopped Cillian O'Dalaigh of Limerick, Ireland on I81 in Lenox Township. A search of the vehicle was conducted and two small bags of marijuana were found. The accused admitted to the marijuana being his and was arrested for the same.

Crash: On March 11th at 8:53 am Sherry Manning was traveling north on Sr 2041 in Lenox Township when she failed to maintain control of the vehicle on an icy roadway. The vehicle traveled off the left side of the roadway, where it rolled down an embankment and came to a rest in a creek on its roof. No injuries were reported; a seat belt was in use. The vehicle was removed from the scene by Kozlowski Towing.

DUI: On March 8th at 9:55 pm a Kingsley man was traveling north on Sr 2009 in Lathrop Township when he was unable to maintain control of his vehicle, causing it to travel off the left side of the roadway. The Subaru Legacy then impacted a fence and mailbox, causing the mailbox and post to impact and shatter the rear window of a truck parked in a driveway. The Legacy then continued to travel off the left side of the roadway, where it impacted a stone wall and utility pole with its front end and coming to a rest. The driver was transported to EMHS for treatment of injuries sustained. A seat belt was in use. The vehicle was towed form the scene by Phil's Towing. Police were assisted at the scene by Nicholson Fire Department, Hop Bottom Fire Department, Nicholson EMS, and Factoryville EMS.

Crash: On March 7th at 8:26 pm Donald Brown of Montrose was traveling south on Sr 848 in Rush Township when his truck lost its RF wheel, causing the driver to lose control and strike a guide rail off the west side of the south bound lane. The vehicle then went across Sr 706 and struck another guide rail. The driver moved it off the roadway approximately ½ mile. No fire or EMS responded. The driver was not injured; a seat belt was in use.

Burglary: Between January 24th and March 8th a crime occurred on Fiddle Lake Road. In the commission of the crime, one or more unknown perpetrator(s) unlawfully entered a residence and removed the following items from within: a 2003 Mountain View High School Class Ring, a savage .22 caliber black rifle with open sights, a wooden ammunition box with rope handles, a Marine Corps touch lamp, a Colman cooler/refrigerator, four rings, ten necklaces, earrings, and a gold and silver dolphin watch. Anyone with information is asked to please contact the police.

Crash: On March 5th at 10:35 am David Lobuono of Tunkhannock was traveling north on Sr0029 when he carelessly passed another vehicle and lost control. His vehicle traveled off the roadway and struck a high tensile electric fence. The driver was not injured; a lap belt was in use.

Theft by Unlawful Taking: Between February 25th and March 4th one or more perpetrator(s) gained forcible entry into a park model home trailer parked in the parking lot of the Pen Can Truck Stop in Harford Township. Once inside, the perpetrator(s) rummaged through the trailer and stole its furnishings. The furnishings consisted of the following: sectional couch, electric refrigerator, kitchen table and chairs, two 40” LCD televisions with wall mounts, a mattress and box spring, and a wall mount air conditioner unit. The estimated value of the stolen property was $5,000. Anyone with information is asked to please contact the police.

Burglary: In the commission of this crime David Walker is accused of using a credit card to break into a Bridgewater Township residence. Once inside, Walker stole several items listed on the property record.

Retail Theft: On March 2nd at 3:10 pm an unknown perpetrator entered the Dollar General and took a package of meat from the rear cooler, and exited the store without paying for the item.

Crash: On March 1st at 12:50 pm Joseph Serio of Isli Terrace, Ny was traveling north on Sr 0081 when his vehicle failed to negotiate a left curve int eh roadway. It traveled off of the roadway and rolled, coming to a rest on its wheels facing west. Serio was not injured; a seat belt was in use.

Found Dog: On March 1st at 11:55 pm a small dog was found wandering on the roadway. The dog did have a collar, but did not have any tags. Anyone with information is asked to please contact the police.

Burglary: Between February 28th and March 1st unknown perpetrators forcibly entered the residence of a 97 year old Susquehanna man and stole prescription medication from within. Anyone with information may also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-4-PATIPS. Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward if their information leads to an arrest. Anyone with information is asked to please call state police.

Drug Overdose: This incident occurred on March 2nd at 1:51 pm as a Montrose man did one bag of heroin at an unknown location in Susquehanna County. The victim was found walking on Sr 706 and brought to EMHS. The victim was expected to make a full recovery. Anyone with information is asked to please contact the police at 570-465-3154.

Anyone having information regarding any of these incidents is asked to please contact the police at (570) 465-3154.

BENCH WARRANTS

The Susquehanna County DOMESTIC RELATIONS Section has outstanding BENCH WARRANT’S for the following individuals as of 9:45 a.m. on March 13, 2015: Jeremy E. Anderson, Sr., Shawn J. Bedford, Allen S. Bowman, Michael J. Burger, Brian N. Carter, Anthony M. Choplosky, Tina M. Clark, Ronald S. Cook, Cody A. Cook, Brian M. Decker, Benjamin D. Fassett, Jonathan Fathi, David J. Fischer, Justin T. Giberson, Charles R. Groover, Timothy M. Holmes, Lyle J. Hugaboom, Leo A. Lasuer, Todd J. Layton, Joshua S. Lee, Charlie J. Legere, Derrick Lezinsky, Daniel M. Mangin, Matthew J. Peters, Vincent J. Petriello, Veronica D. Phelps, Desiree L. Shifler, Tessa E. Thomas, Kurtis Tracy, Steven G. Warner, Kyle D. Wilbur, Jamie L. Williams, Sr. Please contact the Domestic Relations Section at 570-278-4600 ext. 4050 with any information on the location of these individuals.