The Blue Ridge School Board disposed of its relatively brief agenda in under 40 minutes at its October meeting on the 3rd, along the way welcoming a new student representative, Dane Beers, and three new staff members.

But first, High School Principal Peter Supko introduced two of his outstanding seniors, Paige MacConnell and Jake Decker.  Proud Dad and Board member Dr. Patrick MacConnell, looked on as his daughter recited a long list of accomplishments, including president of the Blue Ridge Chapter of the National Honor Society.  Ms. MacConnell, a low-scoring golfer, wants to study political science and/or pre-law at the University of Pittsburgh, Villanova or Penn State.  Mr. Decker, also a National Honor Society member and avid baseball player, wants to study environmental engineering at a Pennsylvania college next year.

Outstanding Seniors Paige MacConnell and Jake Decker (with Principal Peter Supko).

Not to be outdone, Elementary School Principal Danelle Decker announced her outstanding 5th-graders, Madeline Naylor and Micah Edwards.  Only Mr. Edwards, whom Ms. Decker said was recognized for his leadership qualities, could attend.

Outstanding 5-grade student Micah Edwards with Elementary School Principal Danelle Decker

Among other routine personnel actions, the Board welcomed Rebekka DeJesse and Matt Markarian as new paraprofessionals.  The soft-spoken Ms. DeJesse, still in school herself, was enthusiastic about her new opportunity.  Mr. Markarian, a 2001 graduate of Blue Ridge, hopes to inspire life-long learning in his students.

The Board also welcomed Dawn McHale as a secondary school counselor.  Ms. McHale said that she had recently moved back to her home territory.

Among other measures, the Board

• Approved a contract with Goodwill Industries of Northeastern Pennsylvania for “transition services” helping special education students to move from school into the community.  According to the Goodwill website, “The goal of this program is to identify the interests and needs of the student for future employment, while concentrating on job performance skills that translate into the competitive job market.”
  
  
• Finally approved “final” contracts with bus operators for the school year already in progress.
  
  
• Approved for 30-day review a substantially revised policy on “hazing,” by expanding and detailing the definition, and describing “Consequences for Violations.”  There was also a minor change in the Board’s investment policy.

Both principals appreciated a new software system called ClassDojo for its ability to improve communication between parents and the schools.

Mr. Beers, the new student representative to the Board, said that he expected the experience to help him better “see how government works.”  In the meantime, he and fellow members of a STEM club (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, a concept embraced by a new initiative at Blue Ridge) are mulling over some possible projects for the year.  He said that the one that seems most promising so far might be a badge scanner that would allow parents to keep tabs on their children as they get on and off the buses.

The next public meeting of the Blue Ridge School Board is a workshop scheduled for Monday, October 24, 2016, beginning at 7:00 pm in the cafeteria in the Elementary School.  Committees sometimes meet before Board meetings, so check the calendar on the district’s website for the latest information.  Oh, and workshops often come complete with delicious soup, so don’t be late.

Mark Richards, a Police Officer with the Humane Society attended the New Milford Borough Council meeting on October 6th to offer his assistance with the feral cat problem the Borough has been expereinced.  Officer Richards stated his position is to specifically work investigating cruelty to animals in Susquehanna County. He said he attended the meeting to volunteer his services to the Borough. Officer Richards said he could also help Council write the Rental Ordinance differently, or help them obtain a Grant for financial aid.

Officer Richards stated there is only one solution, which is Trap, Neuter, and Return (TNR).  He said he had great success in Coaldale using this method. He explained if this procedure isn’t followed the alternative is getting another colony of cats settling in the area.  To stop feeding the cats would make them either start going into people’s garbage, or they may leave the area, but another colony would settle in their place.  He explained if they are trapped, neutered, and returned to the same area they will keep other cats from settling in.

What Officer Richards would require are volunteers to aid him in trapping the cats.  Council asked who would provide the traps, and Officer Richards replied he would provide them.  Once the cats were caught they would be taken to a facility that would neuter them, give them a rabies shot, and tip their ear.  The reason they tip the ear is the cat is identified as one that has already been neutered, and had a rabies shot.

Councilperson Kathy Wages stated she would assist Officer Richards in identifying areas where the cats are the most populated, and round up volunteers to assist with trapping the cats.  Council thanked Officer Richards for coming in to speak with them, and offering his expertise.

Mayor Scott Smith thanked Ronnie Kowalewski and Chuck Welsh for all the work they did in hanging up the new brackets and autumn banners.  He stated they looked really nice.

Council President Rick Ainey said he spoke to Leatherstocking personnel, and they will be meeting with the School Board in the near future regarding talks about bringing the gas service into the school.

Councilman Ken Carey said he phoned a few contractors in the area and they were either non-receptive, or didn’t return his call.  JM Bennett Contracting was the only company who responded to the Borough’s request to quote a price to repair the current bathhouse. They quoted eleven thousand five hundred dollars to do the needed repairs and Council voted unanimously to move forward with the construction this fall.

Custom Pools and Spas by DeRichie out of Carbondale provided a quote to open and close the pool in the amount of two thousand six hundred and forty-five dollars.  Labor and chemicals were included in the price and Council voted unanimously to have them do the work.

Complaints are still coming in about ATV’s coming off the bank and riding up and down Church Street.  The Police will continue to monitor the area.

On November 26th, the Borough will celebrate Santa in the Park, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., at the Midtown Park.

The Parade of Lights is slated for October 29th at 6:30 p.m.

New Great Bend Police Car purchased in end of September. Starts its first patrol this weekend!

Great Bend Borough held its monthly meeting on October 6th. Council members Rick Franks, Ben Franks, Jerry MacConnell, Dawn Crook, Mike Crook, Bret Jennings, Mike VanGorden and Mayor Jim Riecke were all in attendance to discuss the latest business of the Borough.

Great Bend Police Chief Jon Record was in attendance to give an update from the Police Department and the Borough’s new police car. He extended a thank you to the council for providing the department with proper equipment, they then thanked him and the Police Department for their work as well. The new patrol car is all ready to go for its first patrol on the 7th of October. The Police Department will continue use of their other patrol car as well.

The Borough received a letter from SCAN (Susquehanna Clean Air Network) urging the Borough to join with them in opposing the proposed incinerator in New Milford. They also enclosed an Ordinance for review that SCAN would like the Borough to consider. Solicitor Francis O’Connor reviewed the ordinance and stated that it was a “nice, feel good resolution,” but expressed concern over some of the language included in the document. No further action was taken at the October 6th meeting on the topic.

The Borough also received a letter from the Blue Ridge Band requesting a donation to be used for equipment for the drum line. Another letter was received from Great Bend Hose Co. requesting a donation to help with their Fire Prevention Presentation at Blue Ridge School. The Borough made a donation to each cause of $100 each.

Also discussed at length was the Hallstead Great Bend Joint Sewer Authority and issues involving amounts paid in the different areas it supplies.

Council member Jerry MacConnell also stressed the importance of residents updating their house number in accordance with new addresses. Out of date numbers on homes can cause confusion, particularly in times of an emergency when finding the correct household quickly is vital. He suggested numbers be at least three inches tall and easily visible.

Great Bend Borough holds its monthly meetings on the first Thursday of the month, 7pm at 81 Elizabeth Street in Great Bend for anyone who would like to attend.

Supervisors Rick Wadman, Alex Komar, and Susan Jenkins were in attendance during the monthly Thompson Township meeting held on October 5th, at 7:00 p.m. 

The Supervisors said they conducted more research on obtaining private Police protection for the Township, and the cost would be very high.  Preliminary research indicates the first year of implementation could cost as high as ninety thousand dollars. This would be for part-time Officers, and most hours of the night wouldn’t be covered.

Supervisor Komar said there are twenty-three miles of dirt road, numerous miles of state road and hundreds of acres of land in the Township.  To contract with another municipality for protection similar to Thompson Borough wouldn’t work since the Township is too widespread of an area for a four-hour patrol to cover it effectively.

Instituting a Crime Watch would be a better idea, stated Ron Parsons.  He said an organized Crime Watch program where people are trained to be on the lookout, take notes and identify strange cars in the area would be more effective.  Mr. Parsons said the State Police would also be more receptive to a call coming from an area that has a professional organization reporting strange occurrences.

The Supervisors said they couldn’t make a decision to initiate police protection on their own.  They would have to put the option of police protection on the ballot, and it’s much too late to do that for the upcoming election.  A member of the audience stated the residents of the township should be notified of the cost associated with police protection before they voted on it.

Mr. Parsons said he would rather look into organizing a Crime Watch, which he feels would be more effective.  They would work in conjunction with the State Police who are already responsible for the area.  He said he would research it further and gather information to bring back to the supervisors.

Supervisor Komar reported the Road Department would be finishing the grading of the roads by the next day.  Marilyn Czachor asked Supervisor Komar to fix the ditch bordering her property; he replied he would be there the following week.

A letter was received stating the Township would receive approximately fifty-nine thousand, nine hundred dollars in funding for road maintenance from the County Liquid Fuels Program.

Linda Lee wanted to thank the supervisors for the beautiful job the Township Road Department did on the contracted job for the Thompson Borough roads.

The next Township meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 2nd at 7:00 p.m.