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During last month's Council meeting, Joe DeMuro of Wolfbain Productions presented a proposal to Council and Mayor Nancy Hurley to have Susquehanna Depot Borough be a backdrop for his newest movie production. Mr. DeMuro's proposed film is "The Devil's Punchbowl, Night of the Winged Beast" and he said Susquehanna would be a perfect backdrop for the film. Council said they would think about it and give him an answer at their next meeting scheduled for July 11th.

Mr. DeMuro attended Council's meeting on July 11th and reviewed with Council his proposal, stating his company would obtain the insurance and name Susquehanna as an additional insured. Chief John Creamer asked if he would notify him in advance where he would be filming and if a street needed to be shut down he would need to know which one and for how long. Mr. DeMuro said at this point in time he wasn't sure if any streets needed to be closed, since most of the filming would take place elsewhere. Councilman Rockwell said it would be awesome if some filming could be held at the real Devil's Punchbowl. Mr. DeMuro suggested Council create a committee that would meet with him to discuss elements of the filming, and suggested at least one Councilperson to be on the committee as a liaison between the Production Company and Council.

Council agreed having the movie filmed in Susquehanna would be a positive facet for the town and may bring more visitors to the area. Council President Roy Williams requested Mr. DeMuro put his proposal on paper so they could have their Solicitor, Michael Briechle review it. He has Council's blessing on the condition Attorney Briechle finds no issues with the proposal.

Mr. DeMuro said he is planning on filming around this time next year, since he needs to start raising funds for the production now that he has Council's blessing. He will be looking for extras in the movie once the timeframe and funds for the film are completed.

During the Public Comment section of the meeting, Norm Butts from Ararat Township stated he just stopped by to say what a great job Council was doing with the town and the new Ira Reynolds Riverfront Park. He stated he knew Ira back in the day and he was quite a character, and wished Council luck with the project.

President Williams stated Pocono Sign Company, located in Blakely came and fixed the Wi-Fi for the digital sign when Councilman Rockwell questioned payment during the bill list approval. Unfortunately they have had problems with the sign since Pocono Sign Company installed it and regrettably the staff was very difficult to deal with. President Williams stated they would not be recommending their services to anyone now or in the future.

It was reported by President Williams the Department of Public Works (DPW) would be finishing the Dura patch on Thursday, July 12th and the equipment will be returned on Monday, July 16th. Council discussed West Main Street and the atrocious condition of the road. Members of Council stated you can see PennDOT repairing roads in all the areas surrounding Susquehanna, but even with the Agility Program in effect, it seems only the Borough is doing their part. President Williams was given permission by Council to contact Harrisburg with concerns regarding PennDOT not taking part in their obligations on Susquehanna Borough roads for the past three years.

President Williams said DPW would concentrate their efforts getting the town ready for Hometown Days, scheduled for July 18th through the 21st. More information on Hometown Days can be found online under the Susquehanna Community Development Association.

Ten companies picked up and paid for the bid packet for the Ira Reynolds Riverfront Park Project, which included walkways, foundations, fence and lighting. President Williams stated only one company bid on the project, and they need to receive at least three bids per the requirements from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). He said when he phoned the companies who picked up the packet but didn't bid he found there wasn't a common cause for not bidding the project. He will keep Council updated on the next step of the process once he speaks with his contact person at DCNR.

Councilwoman Deborah Zayas informed Council she started researching products and pricing for park items such as benches, tables, bike racks, trash cans and other items they will require further down the road. She said some products would need to be ADA compliant and she also found an Internet site that would provide grants for various items in a park. Councilwoman Zayas said it would be nice to have some bluestone benches, and maybe some green products for the park. Council thanked her for the initiative of researching products and grant opportunities.

A meeting of River Bounty was very well attended, stated Councilman Rockwell. Oakland Borough, Lanesboro, Barnes Kasson representatives along with representatives from American Rivers and the Department of Environmental Resources to name a few attended. They reviewed both sides of the dam and the cost of removal is significantly less than first suspected. The timeframe to remove the dam would be a couple of years as a  best-case scenario, and four to five years worse case stated Councilman Rockwell. He said it would be a huge benefit dismantling the dam, since it's a safety issue and a detriment to the future of the park. Once the dam is removed they can use the site to launch boats and create more opportunities to access the river. This would be one of the largest dam removals in the state.

Chief Creamer provided the June Police Report to Council, citing forty-five incidents that the Police Officers responded to in the Borough. Incidents reported included domestic disputes, motor vehicle accident, suicide attempt, suspicious person, burglary, assault, suspicious vehicle, twenty traffic stops among other miscellaneous situations. Council and Chief Creamer discussed the homeless man that has traveled from Tunkhannock to Susquehanna to live. Residents in the area are somewhat afraid of the man, but Chief Creamer stated he has offered to take him to a shelter in Scranton but he doesn't want to go. The people of the church are feeding him, but its not immediately known where he is sleeping.

Unique among music programs at area schools, the Marywood String Project offers youth ages 5 to 18 instruction in violin, viola, cello and contrabass. Introductory classes have been underwritten for some 15 students at the Mountain View schools by district school board member and professional performer and music educator Dr. Christine Plonski-Sezer. She would now like to offer the beginners a path to continue with intermediate studies, and the Board went along so far, but may now reconsider.

A taxpayer from Lathrop Township – and former Board member and Treasurer – wondered why the Board would spend $5,000 next year to bring in a teacher from outside, when Mountain View already employs 3 qualified music teachers. Dr. Plonski-Sezer responded that to take the students to another level requires a teacher with specific experience in string performance. She said that, while she funds the beginner program – and insurance coverage for all students in the string program – she can't afford to subsidize the intermediate-level instructor that would be provided by Marywood. Students in the program must also pay for their own instruments.

Dr. Plonski-Sezer, retired from teaching herself, founded the Endless Mountains Children's Choir, plays the organ at South Gibson United Methodist Church, and also serves as chair of the Mountain View Board's Policy Committee. She described the Marywood program as an outreach effort, and said that Mountain View's participation was instigated by a group of interested parents. It is run by Marywood, and is not a union-related matter at Mountain View. "Music is my life," she said, in a passionate plea to give the children a path to pursue their own musical interests.

In the end, Board President Michael Barhite directed that the measure to allocate the money be tabled to "look further into it."

High School Principal Robert Presley broached another issue that provoked some discussion: suspension from athletics for academic eligibility. A student falling behind in his/her studies can be barred from competition for a week at a time by rules of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), but how about practices? Mr. Presley asked the Board to reconsider the Mountain View policy that blocks athletes in academic suspension from participating in practice. The rules would be a little complicated – Tuesday vs. Thursday practices, early vs. late practices, etc. – but Mr. Presley argued that taking a full week off practice could cause problems once a student regains eligibility. When Board member David Schulte remarked that students who wanted to compete should be motivated to maintain their eligibility, his colleague, Jason Richmond, replied that not all students are motivated by academics. Mr. Presley will be presenting his school's handbooks at the next Board meeting, including changes to this policy.

Dr. Christopher Lake reported that changes are in store at his Elementary School, primarily to enhance safety and security. For example, teacher assignments will no longer be publicly listed, and more care will be taken with children not riding a bus. He also said that he is presently focused on keeping class sizes for the younger pupils under 20.

In his role as interim Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Dr. Lake reported that the state Department of Education has singled out Mountain View's job-shadowing program, supported by a state grant, and will be sending representatives to the District to model it for other districts across the state.

The Board approved an agreement with an outfit called Edmentum for an on-line program known as Ed Options to supplement instruction in the summer school. Mr. Presley said that the small number of students enrolled in summer school didn't warrant extra staff, and that the on-line program offers instruction customized to a student's needs. Todd Calabro will oversee the Ed Options program which costs the District about $100 per student.

Dr. Plonski-Sezer gave a first reading to 2 new policies covering "Weapons/Acts of Violence" and "Terroristic Threats/Terroristic Acts." A response to the recent national concern with safety and security in the schools, the policies would effectively prohibit the possession of anything that might be described as a weapon at any location related to the schools or school activities, and proscribe virtually any activity that might be described – at the discretion of school administrators – as "terroristic." A provision in the latter policy covering "social media" was questioned by Mr. Richmond and others; Dr. Plonski-Sezer said that her committee would be discussing social media in depth at its next meeting.

The evening session actually began with a detailed presentation by new special education director Stephanie Anuszewski on her vision for "transition" at Mountain View. Transition is the process of preparing a student with special needs for what comes next – life after school. She said that her team's efforts "must focus on post-secondary outcomes" and "career readiness." She said that, while regulators focus on success in the core areas of reading, writing and mathematics, "the child has to be vested in the process." Students with life-skills issues must first be prepared to be able to deal with things like reprimands at work, and even the trauma of being fired.

In other business, the Board approved a contract with Head Start for the use of District facilities at no charge. Members also approved a dual-enrollment agreement with the University of Scranton. And they approved a measure to continue paying fees for something called Alternate Education, Disruptive Youth (AEDY) that is required by the state.

Maintenance director Robert Taylor reported that "things are moving right along…fast" on the project to renovate the Elementary School. He said that the work may actually be ahead of schedule, and remarked that the "hump" in the lobby that everyone had become so fond of is no more.

Mr. Barhite announced a series of executive sessions, all cagily described as for personnel reasons, at least in part to discuss Act 93 issues – administrator contracts.

You can hear more at the Board's next public session, scheduled for Monday, July 23, 2018, beginning at 7:00pm, probably in the library in the High School.

A representative from Starrucca Borough attended the Thompson Township meeting on July 11th to obtain more information regarding a previous request for road maintenance assistance. He said they are looking for the Thompson Township Road Crew to grade one-quarter mile of Bucks Road, one and one half mile of Jacobs Ladder, and six tenths of a mile on Coxton Lake Road.

Supervisor Komar stated the prices for the equipment needed per hour is ninety dollars for the grader, sixty-five dollars for the roller and forty-five dollars for the tractor/rake. He estimates the job will take approximately twenty hours, but based upon the condition of the road it may take less time. Supervisor Komar said if they wanted to put down the calcium, the water truck is seventy dollars per hour plus the cost of the calcium. The representative asked how much road coverage do they accomplish in one day, Supervisor Komar replied (usually) one mile. The Starrucca representative said he would take the estimated pricing to the Starrucca Borough Council and let them know what their decision is.

The roadwork on the east side of the township has been graded and calcium put down, stated Supervisor Komar. He said they are currently in the middle of the work and are striving to have all the roads completed by the end of July.

Supervisor Susan Jenkins stated Bob Thatcher is no longer working for the county as the Emergency Management Director; Bruce Butler is currently filling the position.

There have been two permits issued by JHA, stated Supervisor Wademan; one is for a house remodel and the other a deck. As per Resolution 1805 as of July 1, 2018 JHA will handle excluding driveways all permits. The Road Master will continue issuing driveway permits.

Secretary Kim Wallace obtained pricing from Inland Marine to change the current five hundred dollar deductible on equipment to two hundred fifty. The additional annual cost would be four hundred sixty-five dollars. Supervisors discussed the pros and cons of the insurance pricing and unanimously approved lowering the cost of the deductible.

The next scheduled Township Supervisors meeting will be held on August 1, 2018.