About 30 people turned out on the evening of January 18th for a “town hall” meeting at the Blue Ridge High School Auditorium to hear about a proposal to make some land available to something called the Susquehanna County Recreation Center (SCRC) project.  Most of the Blue Ridge School Board was in attendance, along with 4 members of the SCRC board.  Blue Ridge Superintendent Matthew Button last year relinquished his original seat on the SCRC board in order to avoid any conflicts.  In case you missed it, the town hall event will be repeated on Tuesday, January 24, with more to come as the project unfolds.

The Blue Ridge Board brought along an attorney, Shawn Lochinger of Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams LLP, the Blue Ridge solicitors.  Marissa McAndrew, a member of the SCRC board attended the meeting and is also an attorney.  Blue Ridge Board President Chris Lewis opened the evening by describing how this proposal came about, and his board’s meetings with SCRC, including attorneys on both sides, to develop the idea.

The town hall panel (l-r) are: Blue Ridge School Board President Chris Lewis (at lecturn); Blue Ridge solicitor Shawn Lochinger; Blue Ridge Superintendent Matthew Button; Blue Ridge Secretary Debbie Bennett; Blue Ridge School Board members Christina Whitney, Brooke Slocum, Patrick MacConnell and Christina Cosmello; SCRC Board members Ashley Onyon, Marissa McAndrew, Ashley Kilmer and Patty Pass

The SCRC is looking for a site to build a facility of some 50,000 square feet to serve the Susquehanna County community.  Similar talks with the Mountain View School District have stalled over how a property transfer might happen.  The Recreation Center board is also considering a location at the Susquehanna Community School District.  A representative of the Susquehanna Clean Air Network (SCAN) has also suggested a site in Gibson Township that has been the focus of a proposed industrial waste incinerator.

This event was intended to inform the Blue Ridge community of the proposal and solicit opinions and comments from its citizens and taxpayers.  A small survey card was distributed at the meeting requesting contact information as well as ideas for the project.  It also presented 3 acquisition options: donation of the property, sale of the property, and sale of the property at a discount.  “Property” here would be something like 11 acres of the upper hillside above the Elementary School.  To level the site for building would require a lot of digging; the location has never been used by Blue Ridge. 

Dollar amounts were not discussed.  In fact, a myriad of details would have to be worked into any contract between Blue Ridge and the SCRC.  The public meeting was simply to inform the public of the idea and to collect comments and ideas.  A lease option is not under consideration because the SCRC’s borrowing capacity would be enhanced if it owned its site.

So far the Susquehanna County Recreation Center project is still in the early planning stages.  Funds are being raised from private donors, events such as the masquerade ball last October, grants and any other available sources.  In-kind donations would also be accepted, such as help with equipment and labor to level and drain the site, pour concrete, etc.  They estimate the facility as envisioned will cost in the neighborhood of $5 million to build, and that the project will take 6 years or more to come to fruition.

The SCRC folks are currently in the process of studying all aspects of the proposed facility, with the help of a variety of specialists including a “sports facility advisor,” for feasibility as well as sustainability.  An operating recreation center could be expected to have at least 2 full-time staff: an executive director and a programming/marketing director.  Ongoing operational expenses are expected to be covered by memberships and fees.

Should Blue Ridge decide to make the property available to SCRC, the school district might expect to receive priority access for its sports programs.  Mr. Lewis said that the district would like to eliminate the need to travel to Hallstead or New Milford to use those fields for practice.  And some Spring and Fall sports programs need practice facilities – presumably indoors – during the winter months.  The conceptual designs of the SCRC facility contemplate a full-size multi-purpose athletic surface.

In fact, although plans for the facility are a long way from complete, promoters already have a very long list of possible uses:

• Sporting events
• Graduation ceremonies 
• Senior center
• Sportsmen’s club events
• College fairs
• Trade shows 
• Concert 
• Running/walking track
• Fitness cente 
• After-school programs 
• Daycare 
• Club meetings

They have also suggested that the building could offer retail space, perhaps a coffee shop, and other such amenities.  Some would be interested in an indoor swimming pool as well.  In other words, anything and everything.

SCRC Board President Ashley Kilmer gave most of the formal presentation, and responded to most questions and comments by leaving virtually everything on the table.  She said that her role at these town hall meetings was to survey the community, since the project is intended to be a community-centered effort and a benefit to the entire community of Susquehanna County, not just for Blue Ridge, and not just for athletics.  She said that while the SCRC at Blue Ridge would have a special relationship – a “partnership” – with the school district, it would operate as a separate entity and have no direct impact on the school district budget or taxpayer revenue.

Mr. Lewis said that among his colleagues on the Blue Ridge School Board, “we all believe in this project,” but so far everything remains at the discussion stage.  He said, “We wouldn’t feel right making any decision on the property without your input.”  He said that he could foresee many benefits to the school district as well as to the community at large:

• More, and closer, space for athletic practices
• Venue for tournaments that now require travel to either Binghamton or Scranton
• Band and chorus programs
• “Positive options for after-school activities”
• Bring visitors and money to our community. 

Mr. Lewis said that these town hall meetings were advertised in all local news media, as well as by a mailing to all residents of the Blue Ridge School District.  He said that the county had helped to create a list for the mailing, and paid for the labels and envelopes; Blue Ridge paid for the stamps.  He said he hoped for a larger turnout, and scheduled 2 such meetings on different weekday evenings to accommodate as many schedules as possible.  He implied that if the turnout seemed low, more such meetings could be scheduled in order to get the word out as broadly as possible, as well as to collect as much input as possible.

The SCRC website at http://www.suscorec.org/ is a little out of date.  A Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SusquehannaCountyRecreationCenter/ seems to be better maintained.  There is also a survey of community interest at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TW7HVJD.  The Susquehanna County Community Foundation has a related page at https://www.community-foundation.org/news/327-community-update-on-susquehanna-county-recreation-center.html.

Mr. Lewis thanked Blue Ridge music director Vincent LoRusso for audio and lighting support for these events.   A half dozen people took the opportunity to speak to the panel, and the meeting broke up after about 90 minutes.  There was no food on offer at the event.

Susquehanna Community School District's January work session and official meeting provided a forum for School Directors to look ahead to challenges facing the District, and showcase the Board's proposed solutions for them. Broadly speaking, School Directors and Administration were focused on short/long-term budgetary concerns, concussion protocols for sporting events, and capital improvements to keep the district's aging plants in tip-top condition.

Chairing the Board's Wednesday, January 18, 2017 meeting was School Director Lori Canfield. Mrs. Canfield was elected to serve as the meeting's President Pro Tempore in the absence of President Steven Stanford and VP Clay Weaver. School Directors present for the 7 to 7:40 p.m. meeting included Amanda Cook, Evelyn Cottrell, Ashley Depew, Carol Jackson, Jamie Koziol, and Martha Stanford.

First, a discussion of budgetary matters. Brian Kelly and Associates presented an overview of the 2015/16 school district financial audit report at the District's work session. (Members of the public may view the completed audit report at the District's administrative office located in the elementary school.) Auditors concluded that, "[o]verall, expenditures exceeded revenue by approximately $28,000 due to the retroactive pay provided to the union labor force once the contract was agreed upon." Auditors also announced that SCSD is in a rarefied, even elite, position as it is one of only eight school districts-out of Pennsylvania's 500 districts-to be completely debt free. The District's healthy reserve balance was able to absorb the forementioned $28,000 difference.

The "Economic Condition and Outlook" assessment of Brian Kelly & Associates, nevertheless, contained a stark warning. It read in part, "The District faces huge financial challenges in the near future. The employer portion of employee pension payments will increase by more than 300%. Without a massive overhaul of the pension system, the district will see its contributions increase dramatically. The district has committed funds to help pay future retirement increases. The outlook for the State's ability to invest in public education over the next few years is also a major concern. Our district receives 70% of its revenue from the State. The outlook is that the State will be struggling financially due to the huge pension obligation for both school and state employees along with their reluctance to raise the personal income tax to help fund education. It is estimated that 66 cents of every new tax dollar will need to be spent on future pension obligations at the State level. Without pension reform, the State will not have the tax revenue to fund public education. This will create revenue shortfalls for poorer districts that rely heavily on State funding. The State is also facing a structural deficit which will continue to grow and approach $3 billion dollars over the next 2-5 year period. This will continue to affect the State's ability to properly fund public education."

Those conclusions SHOULD spur state lawmakers to action. SCSD Superintendent Stone briefly explained one plan being floated in Harrisburg. It would eliminate school property taxes by increasing state sales taxes. But there's a catch, and there are consequences, particularly for SCSD taxpayers. The catch is that even with elimination of school property taxes, school districts with debt would be permitted to continue levying school property taxes as long as it was used exclusively to fund previously-incurred debt. That means that as many as 492 school districts would continue to have school property taxes, some for as long as almost 30 years-the length of bonds not uncommonly floated. For SCSD, property taxes would be eliminated immediately. But, since about 50% of school property taxes are paid by non-resident property owners, non-residents might be considered to have reaped a tax windfall, since they are not present year-round to pay the state sales tax which would fund education expenditures. Superintendent Stone encouraged those present to research the issue themselves, and to make known their thoughts to state legislators.

School Directors granted to the Business Office (headed up by Business Manager Gary Kiernan) permission to seek a contract with local area health care providers or emergency response organizations at home athletic events for the 2017-2018 school year. The contract prospectively will cover all home athletic events, about 250 hours over the course of the school year. Before granting approval for this process to go forward, School Directors were briefed by Superintendent Stone about background events prompting this action. Two interconnected concussion problems exist. First, there needs to be the best possible side-line assessment of athletes injured in the course of play. The right call needs to be made before an athlete is returned to action. Having qualified medical personnel on-hand increases the probability of that right call.

Secondly, Mr. Stone noted that some parents are bypassing the schools concussion controls; they are NOT taking their child to medical providers after being notified of a suspected concussion. Under the approved "Return-to-Play" protocol, effective July 1, "if parents do not take their child to a medical provider within a specified time frame, the child will automatically not participate for five days after the child is cleared by a medical provider."

In the third major focus of the evening, School Directors granted the Business Office-Mr. Kiernan, again-permission to write and seek qualified bidders for two capital improvement projects: the replacement of Boiler No. 2 in the high school, and partial resurfacing of the high school roof. Both Facilities Manager Kevin Price and Superintendent Stone provided clarity on the nature of these problems. Boiler No. 2 is an ongoing problem that can be fixed over this summer when school is out. Likewise, the roof can be re-coated over summer. And for both projects sufficient funds are available in the capital improvement fund. As a side-note, Mr. Price noted that with completion of this roof project all roofs on district schools will be under warranty for as far as 20 years into the future.

In other matters, Superintendent Stone stood in for high school principal Carmella Bullick in introducing two students in the Senior Spotlight for the month of January. The two graduating seniors, Jessica Lamb and Evan Haley, addressed the School Board in turn. Each student spoke glowingly of their educational experience at SCHS, the causes to which they attributed success, and their prospective college plans after graduation.

In miscellaneous matters, School Directors gave approval for the Class of 2017 Elementary Formal Dance for students in grades 5 and 6, to be held in the Elementary School on February 25, 2017. Also approved were the resignations of the two junior high baseball coaches-prompting Superintendent Stone to put out a call for any qualified candidates who would like to apply for the now-vacant positions.

With meeting adjournment came celebration. Rob's Market had baked a marble cake for celebration of "School Director Recognition Month - January 2017." The proclamation had been read early in the meeting, but the mere presence of the luscious confection was all Mr. Kiernan needed to push him into serving up stupendous slices to all sweet-tooths.

The Board took the following personnel actions during their regular meeting on Wednesday, January 18, 2017:

• Approved hiring the following for the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years: Jeff Hall - Head Cross County Coach; Susan Day - Cross Country Coach; Jeff Baldwin - Head Girls Volleyball Coach; Michael Frye - Assistant Girls Volleyball Coach; Kyle Cook - Head Varsity Football Coach; Carl Zukus, David Beaudette, & Paul Rooney - Assistant Football Coaches; Aaron Callendar- Jr. High Head Football Coach; and Michael Lloyd - Jr. High Assistant Football Coach.
• Approved, pending all appropriate clearances, the following Chaperone: Dave Jenkins - Peru trip summer of 2018.
• Approved, pending all appropriate clearances, School Volunteer: Kristen Lawrence.
• Approved a leave of absence for Bridgette McKennas from approximately March 27, 2017 until the end of the 2016-2017 school year.
• Approved the following resignations: Ryan Dubas - Jr. High Baseball Coach, and Brandan Glover - Jr. High Baseball Coach.

Next month's meeting is scheduled for the third Wednesday of February.

NOTE TO READERS: The phrase "pending all appropriate clearances" is directly linked to state law, effective January 1, 2015, requiring a heightened level of investigative background checks for all volunteers, district employees, and contractors.

It’s been more than a month since the Blue Ridge School Board met in public session, so when members gathered on January 16th (all but Dr. MacConnell, Fred Lewis, Christina Whitney and Brooke Slocum, that is) there was a 24-point agenda waiting for them, plus a 2-item addendum, and a clutch of recognitions.

Board President Chris Lewis started off by recognizing some student standouts, including athletes Megan Houlihan, Heyleigh Fekette and Axell Mejia Nolasco, each for being selected for 1st Team All-State competitions.  Middle/High School Principal Peter Supko also introduced Brooke Marvin, Logan Burdick, Kandace Smith and Kyle Bayle as his picks for outstanding seniors for November and December 2016.  Elementary School Principal Danelle Decker selected Emma Manzo, Ethan Ashley, Molly Yannone and John Michael Phillips as her standouts for November and December; they weren’t able to attend to accept their awards in person.

Megan Houlihan, 1st Team, All-State Volleyball with Principal Peter Supko

Hayleigh Fekette, 1st Team, All-State Volleyball and Lackawanna League Player of the Year with Principal Peter Supko

Brooke Marvin, Outstanding Senior for November 2016 with Principal Peter Supko

Kandace Smith and Kyle Bayle, Outstanding Seniors for December 2016

Before opening the business meeting, Mr. Lewis announced that the Board had met in executive session to consider a legal matter related to special education, to consider candidates for some open positions, and to develop the annual retirement incentive program.  He also noted that the state government is considering eliminating the property tax – a large part of every district’s budget – and has increased the district’s required contribution to the teachers’ retirement system by about 8.5%.  He also reported that Alicia Ross has been selected as a reader for the SATs for the second year in a row.

Mr. Lewis also noted the recent passing of long-time athletic director Jill Hoffman and the events last weekend in her honor.

Most of the lengthy agenda was adopted in one swell foop.  Items of interest included:

• Resignation of Yana Hannah, Elementary School art teacher.  She will be replaced by Brackney Brotzman, who accepted the Board’s welcome in person.
   
• Resignation of Dawn Crook, IT Support Specialist.  She will be replaced by Frederick Fenton.  Mr. Fenton will be charged with resuming timely updates to the District’s website. 
  
  
• Appointment of April Ramos to a clerical/para-educator position. 
  
  
• Appointment of Theresa Kerr as a para-educator. 
  
  
• Appointment of Sarah Youst and Michelle Allen as 21st Century liasons.  21st Center Community Learning Centers is a federally-funded program to augment educational resources in rural and high-poverty communities.
   
• Continuing the employment of Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams LLP as the district’s solicitors.
   
• Accepting “any price negotiated by the Susquehanna Tax Claim Bureau” for a property in Great Bend Township delinquent on property taxes.
   
• Approval of a transportation plan and Memorandum of Understanding with Susquehanna County Services for Children & Youth for transportation of foster care youth.
   
• Approval of a request from the Class of 2017 for a senior-class trip to Ocean City, Maryland in June.
   
• Accepted the resignation of Tom Lewis as Track & Field Head Coach.

A proposal from Timothy Esposito and Joseph Pipitone to split the stipend for coaching Junior High Wrestling was denied by unanimous vote.

A collection of changes to the Board’s policy manual was formally adopted.  These changes were made available for public review in early November and cover mostly minor language clarifications in policies related to District governance, particularly the Board and its committees, including conflicts of interest and the accessibility of District policies and procedures on its website.

Another large collection of policy amendments are offered for public review covering a wide variety of topics mostly related to curriculum and academics, including instructional materials and supplies, lesson plans, “planned instruction,” and non-discrimination practices.  Much of this material is new and relates to a new section entitled “District Shared Values” that is appended to the District’s Mission Statement.  The new shared values expect students and parents to be “active and involved” in education in a “safe, nurturing and accepting culture.”  Many of these changes result from recent legislation or regulatory action and are recommended by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA).  Approved policies are available through the District’s website at http://www.brsd.org.

Business Manager Brian Dolan told the Board that he was beginning the development of a new budget for next year.  To help him along, the Board adopted a commitment to keep any property tax increase within the 3.5% index defined by the state.  The measure gives the Board more time to craft the budget.  Should they not have accepted the limit and tried to boost the tax rate above the index, the budget would have to be accepted by voters at the Spring elections in May.

Dane Beers, student representative to the Board, offered an enthusiastic report on the “STEM” project chosen by students that hopes to be able to track movement through the schools by monitoring sensors that can read student ID cards.  STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is an initiative that is gathering steam in educational circles; at Blue Ridge the first effort is enhancement of a computer science curriculum.  Mr. Beers said that he would give a presentation and demonstration of the project’s efforts to the Board at a later date.

The next public meeting of the Blue Ridge School Board is a workshop scheduled for Monday, January 30, 2017.  Most such regular meetings begin at 7:00pm in the cafeteria in the Elementary School.  Workshops often come complete with soup.

In fact, this session also featured a sugary cake in honor of School Director Recognition Month, sponsored by the PSBA, although it is unlikely that PSBA provided the cake.

The Board has also negotiated an arrangement with something called the Susquehanna County Recreation Center, which is looking for a place to plant the facility it hopes to create.  Blue Ridge is considering making available some of its property for the Center, and will make a presentation to the public at a “town hall” event on Tuesday, January 24, 7:00pm in the auditorium in the High School.

Lanesboro held its January monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 17, 2017. Before commencement of the regular meeting council held its reorganization meeting for the year. Mayor Chris Maby presided over the very short reorganization. This year's leadership team looks like last year's. Councilman Dan Boughton was unanimously reelected President. Councilman Dale Rockwell was likewise unanimously reelected Vice-President.

Present for the week-delayed-meeting were Councilmen David Glidden and Tom Nitterour, along with Secretary/Treasurer Gail Hanrahan, and the forementioned principals. Lanesboro normally meets on the second Tuesday of each month, but that meeting had been postponed to this night due to inclement weather on the 10th.

Council discussed two important pieces of correspondence. The first was notification from the county's Election Bureau that according to their records a number of Lanesboro's municipal offices are up for election this year. Among them are the mayor's, three council seats, and the entire board of election. The first day to circulate nomination petitions is February 14. The last day for circulation and filing is March 7. Candidates must additionally file a Statement of Financial Interest and ensure notarization of circulated petition(s) before filing.

The second letter was from PAWC. It requested the borough's proposed schedule of road construction and improvements for the coming warmer-weather months. The water company's motive is to coordinate their own infrastructure improvements in alignment with the borough's. The borough, while noting very limited plans for improvements this year, will notify PAWC of same.

Only one borough resident, this reporter, was present in the audience. President Boughton permitted her time on the agenda to present council with a bibliography of resource materials on the dangers of smart meters. Additionally, she presented council with a sample letter of non-consent for smart meter installation. Her point was that silence is implied consent; only homeowners who make objection will be afforded due process and stop routine installation of a smart meter on their property. Anyone with objections should act promptly since smart meter installation is proceeding throughout the area.

In the absence of Police Chief Smith, Mayor Maby presented the Police Report for the month of December 2016. It showed that Lanesboro PD made 23 traffic stops resulting in eight citations and 15 warnings. Reasons for traffic stops included the following: speeding (10), careless driving (2), suspended license (2), failure to signal (2), stop-sign violation (1), and equipment violations (6).

Lanesboro PD put in a total of 218 hours for December, with 126 hours on SCSD campus patrol. Three incidents resulted in arrests of drivers at the wheel for: passing a school bus with lights activated (charges filed); road rage (case closed); and erratic driving (case closed).

Mayor Maby announced that the borough would be receiving $578,000 for sidewalk improvements in the borough. The monies, from a federal grant, if received in 2017 would be spent in 2018. Specific plans for sidewalk construction are already on the borough's shelves from 10 years ago and only need to be dusted off, figuratively speaking. SCHRA (Susquehanna County Housing & Redevelopment Authority) will notify the borough when all bureaucratic paperwork is completed and the funds are made available.

Old Business of note included discussion of a police car enclosure. Over the course of discussion, the idea of an enlarged garage with attached heated room was developed. How the structure might be paid for was also discussed. Council members agreed that further research is needed, but viable sources of funding are a distinct possibility.

In New Business President Boughton brought up the issue of garbage contract renewal in the borough. The borough's current contract with Freddy's Refuse Removal expires at the end of March 2017. Council members agreed that they had found Freddy's service satisfactory over the last three years. While the current contract requires another look, and Freddy's must be contacted to verify the price-structure, Council, nevertheless, approved a motion to put the contract out to bid—unless made unnecessary by garbage contract renewal with Freddy's through administrative means.

By 7:46 Lanesboro's council had wrapped up all business and adjourned. Next month's meeting is currently scheduled for February 14, 2017.

Susquehanna County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (SCHRA) hosted an annual dinner on Friday, January 13, 2017 at Oliveri’s Crystal Lake Hotel.  A meeting of the Board of Directors who held an election of officers for 2017 preceded the dinner.  Officers are Joseph Matis, Chairman; Paul Lukus, Vice-Chairman; Jerry Cronk, Secretary/Treasurer; Elaine Andusko and Tom Chamberlain Board Members.  Also in attendance was Executive Director Karen Allen.

Pictured (l-r) are: front row- Karen Allen, Joe Matis, Paul Lukus, Elaine Andusko; back row- Bobbi Jo Turner, Christi Albert, Pam Rockwell, Kelly Gumaer, Charlene Moser, Kris Lunger, Lisa Higgins, Tom Chamberlain, Jerry Cronk.

Business consisted of unanimously accepting RHL Companies bid as the lowest for demolition of a property on Delaware Street in Forest City, in the amount of eight thousand seventy-five dollars.

Bobbi Jo Turner, Grants Administrator, provided updates for the Redevelopment Authority, which has several projects outstanding.  Projects include New Milford Peck Hill drainage, Lanesboro sidewalks, Roberts Park Improvements, Tri-Boro Sewer Flood Wall, and Montrose South Main sidewalks, among others.

Managers and coordinators of the Housing Authority provided updates to the Board for Turnpike Terrace Apartments, William Penn Apartments, Prospect Park Apartments, Howard J. Emerson Apartments, Emerson Southgate Apartments, Harford Village Apartments, and New Milford Creekside Apartments.

Chairman Joseph Matis stated many good things happened in 2016, and it was another successful year.  He said they depend so much on their staff, with thanks to Ms. Allen, Project Managers, Coordinators, Grant Administrator Turner, and the Maintenance Crew. 

Executive Director Karen Allen welcomed everyone to the SCHRA annual dinner, and recognized Commissioner Allen Hall and Commissioner Betsy Arnold who were in attendance. 

Commissioner Hall said he is very proud of the facility and the work they do, with thanks to all.

Ms. Allen also welcomed Christi Albert, the newest member of the team who started on October 3, 2016, the same day she started thirty-one years previously.  Ms. Allen stated she, Kris Lunger, and Charlene Moser, recently attained Blended Occupancy Certification, and she along with Charlene Moser attained Tax Credit Specialist Certification.  She thanked Frank Hobbs for the ninety-seven percent score they received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Certification, and went on to thank Joe Gluck, Maintenance Supervisor and the entire maintenance staff.

The SCHRA has multiple projects in the works for 2017, and will continue to provide assistance to those in need.