Acme, HE | BOX 336 BRIGHTON; Ia 111+ pages of food ads inside Daring’s, Shur Save, Weis eon goo HAHA 4A AAY \ VN do SSH 7 FNRI Er I TR ont ELEUAT ICON TOWNHOUSE FACADE—Above is an artist's rendering of the front of the proposed townhouses at Harveys Lake. New Harveys Lake townhouse plan will be submitted July 25 By SARA J. LUNDBERG Managing Editor ® The subject of continued debate at Harveys Lake, a proposed town- house development project on 3% acres of land near Barnum Street, - is back on the drawing board again. At The Harveys Lake Planning Commission meeting Monday night, July 18, Chairman George Gwilliam announced that the developer, Al- Sar Corporation, will submit revised plans which will be viewed at a special meeting fonday, July 25. A stipulation was “added to extend at that time the 90 day period for reaching final ippravid on the development. tno on 3% acres of land. The application was submitted by Al-Sar Corporation, which is headed by Al Morrow. The town- houses are slated to go up behind Morrow’s property on Lakeside Drive. The Planning Commission had given the developers its prelimi- nary approval on the project, but a challenge from a resident who lives across the street from the proposed @jevelopment may have slowed “The first proposal was for 29 ; down the filing of an application with the zoning board. “We are prepared to withdraw our appeal at this time if it is granted that no preliminary approval has been granted on the project, and if we receive notice of all future plans’’ said Attorney McNealis at the meeting last night. McNealis is representing Harveys Lake resident Bob Zimmerman, who challenged preliminary approval of the project on the basis that the plans did not comply with borough residential zoning ordi- nances. “I will have to wait and see what the new application looks. like before pursuing a challenge. My main concern is the high denisty of the - development, as well as the potential environmental impact’’said Zimmerman. Many citizens present at the last Planning Commission meeting expressed strong objections to the development for the same reasons. The majority present then felt uncontrolled development could have an adverse effect on the environment, increase traffic congestion on roads already in ill- repair, and place an undue strain on the water basin. Other residents interviewed pre- viously expressed support for the development, feeling that it would bring needed revenues and new business into the Lake. A newslet- ter was recently distributed around the lake presenting the pro-develop- ment side of the debate. A motion was made by a member of the Planning Commis- sion to submit a resolution to the soliciter that all future major sub- divisions have an environmental impact study done at the ‘expense of the developer. A representative of Al-Sar corpo- ration claimed that specific resi- dential zoning requirements were outlined on the initial plan. Ele- ments such as utilities, building size, easements, and lot restrictions were specified in writing on the alleged: initial ‘plan, but even ‘though the planning’ commission gave preliminary apwioval for the development an ‘application for approval by the zoning board was never filed. ‘“Al-Sar Corporation will resubmit their revised plans on July 25, and the whole process will start all over again’’said chairman Gwilliam. The sparsely attended Planning Commission meeting was a sharp contrast to last month’s, which was packed with concerned citizens. Very little comment was made either for or against the proposed townhouses. Bidder claims Jackson sewer delay is unnecessary - that his is lowest price By SARA J. LUNDBERG Managing Editor The Jackson Township Municipal Authority held its monthly meeting last Tuesday, July 12, and dis- ussed plans for implementation of “its $3 million dollar sewer project. Although the rewarding of $2.5 mil- lion in federal Environmental Pro- tection Agency (EPA) grants was supposedly tied to a June 26th deadline, the decision as to who the contracter will be still has not been reached. Remaining funds for the sewer project will be financed through a $985,505 PENNVEST loan. Discussion centered on who was legally the lowest bidder for the contract, and this is claimed to be the reason for the time delay in awarding the bid. “If there is a continued delay in settlement of this contract, the project could be pushed into next year. I think it could be possible for the Authority to enter into a tentative agreement, instead of choosing not to make a deci- sion’’said Scott Linde, Linde Enter- prises. og Dallas will have middle school for 1988-1989 year By CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff writer Dallas School Board approved plans at the July 12 meeting to wi implementation of a Dallas iddle School by the 1988-1989 “school year. Junior high school principal Gil Griffiths, who was hired by the board as a middle school principal recommended that the district apply as soon as possible to the ‘Commonwealth Department of Edu- cation for certification as a middle school. Griffiths explained that once cer- tified by the state as a middle school, elementary or junior high school teachers may be utilized as well as the juunor high school buuilding. He said if the process were started this September, the middle school can be ready for the 1989-1990 school term. Director: John George asked other board members if they thought the middle school was a good idea. Director Clarence Michael answered that the teachers who visited various middle- schools spoke favorably about them. Despite Griffiths saying the teachers would like a time line, George said he was hesitant about going into the process too quickly, to which Griffiths replied that was the reason he (Griffiths) was hired. Griffiths is presently serving as junior high school principal in the district since the resignation of Thomas Cyphers, former secondary - principal. It was noted that since three of the directors, Dr. William Camp, Ernest Ashbridge, Jr., and Albert Pisaneschi were absent, it might be wise to wait until August to recom- mend application for certification. Griffiths disagreed, saying he didn’t believe that would be suffi- cient time to be accredited by September. Director Ellen Nagy said she was in favor of applying for certifica- tion but believed some of the con- cerns of the teachers should be heeded. District suuperintendent Gerald Wycallis said getting ninth grade moved up to the senior high would make the middle school con- cept ideal, directors were in agreement with See School, Pg 2 ie although not all the Linde claimed tha. thousands of dollars could be saved if Linde Enterprises was the contracter because their method of building the project would be more EPA reimburseable. The contract is broken up into fity units some of which are reinburseable at a higher percentage by the federal government. Lirde claimed when the project costis broken down by actual units it showns Linde Enter- prises to be the lowest bidder. UMAX, of Rngoes, NJ, the origi- nal lowest bdder, increased its first bid of $2572,586 by $411,666 in early 1988 dw to the time delay in awarding a rontract. Linde Enter- prizes, of Hmesdale, then told the township they would stand by their original bic of $2,677,742. U-MAX later rescinded its bid increase. The Auhority at that time agreed to tontact EPA and DER to see what their legal rights are in awarding the sewer project to the contracte of their choice. “The ‘urrent contract dispute is being firoughly reviewed by our solicite’’said Richard Kindler, chairman of the Muncipal Author- ity. He aid that correspondence has been sent to PENNVEST with updatd information regarding the projet contract, and that the origi- nal kd price has been extended to Augst 1. The PENNVEST money necessary to complete funding of the project will not be available unfi September of October of this yer, and the Authority was sent a leter from the state advising them ne to enter into any contracts until tk dispute is throughly reviewed. It is unclear what difference pos- sble federal EPA grant variances rould make to Jackson Township axpapers who are responsible for repayment of the state PENNVEST loan. The loan has a 20 year term and a 1 percent interest rate. Chairman Kindler said he didn’t ‘wish to comment when asked if the awarding of the sewer project to Linde Enterprises could save Jack- son Township taxpaper’s money. Rtas Playground gets plenty of use See photos on page 8 By SARA J. LUNDBERG Managing Editor In the past few years it has seemed that water quality has steadily decreased in the Back Mountain while real estate develop- ment and business expansion have grown dramatically. Development brings increased demands for water and may aggravate water pressure and shortage problems, but cannot be blamed exclusively for the water quality erosion. There are other important elements that play a role in the current water Water quality testing varies with size of company problem. Three elements are involved: state monitoring of water which does not yet include full testing of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) for water companies serving less than 10,000 people; the existance of more than 20 water companies operating as separates entities, and the fact that private residential wells are not regulated by DER. “Water companies are subject to strict Department of Environmen- tal Resources regulations, and are subject to closure if proven to threaten public safety,” said Brian Redmond of the Kingston Township PLENTY OF CLEAN WATER—That's what all Back Mountain communities want in the future. (Post: photo by Charlotte Bartizek) Back Mountain water woes date to 1930's. By Charlot M. Denmon Staff Writer Problems with water quality and quantity in the Back Mountain go back at least 50 years. The history of water complaints by area resi- dents date as far back as the early 1930’s when Dallas residents filed a 60-name petition with the Public Utilities Commission complaining about the lack of adequate water pressure in the Heights section of Dallas. The company at that time added two sections to the tank servicing the Heights area in an effort to correct the problem. The situation eased to a degree but the increase in population in the Back Mountain brought with it additional problems in water service. Most of the complaints were reported in Dallas Borough and in the Shavertown and Trucksville areas since residents in outlying areas had private wells for their water. As population within Dallas Bor- ough increased, the Dallas Water Company tried to keep up with it by building new wells and installing new tanks. Despite these attempts, maps of the system were unavaila- ble and the greatly outdated lines, were for the most part only two- inch pipe and thus not large enough to service adequately the increased number of residents. In the 1950’s, residents of Kings- ton Township were often without water, or if they had water, they were without adequate pressure or water of pure quality. Residents of Trucksville, particu- larly homes and business located on each side of Route 309, suffered through periods when they had no Quin AR IR IN RT a A water or pressure so low they considered themselves fortunate if they were able to obtain enough drinking water from basement or outside faucets. A series of meetings were held in Dallas and Kingston Township com- munities to discuss the complaints of the consumers and to hear the explanations of the owners. In 1973, the Dallas-Shavertown Water Company was purchased by Robert Hassold, Fred Hassold and Jean Eason, and Wes Venable, a stockholder was named manager. Prior to that time, the same per- sons held an interest in the Eastern Gas and Water Company. Among the managers in the past were Les Warhola, Lettie Culver, one whose surname was Prisk, one whose surname was Packard and then Venable. In February, 1981, Joseph Salla took over management of the com- pany, a position in which he contin- ues to serve. In 1978, a state water plan pre- pared by the Office of Resources Management done under Governor Milton Shapp’s term of office, was to provide a general understanding of the water resources of the Upper Central Susquehanna River Basin and sufficient insight into the rela- tionships between man, economy and environment to rationally examine the problems. associated with water resources and deter- mine viable solutions which could support man’s continued well-being while living in harmony with his surroundings. Both population and economy were forecast based on existing needs. Throughout the study, the emphasis was placed on the proper management of water resources, Water Commission. A wide range of chemicals are tested by the water companies and i submitted to DER to pass state safety standards. All water compa- nies are required to treat their | in the '> majority of case through cholorina- | water in some manner, tion, to purify it for consumption. Water companies are required by | DER to submit a yearly sample of surface water, and a sample of | ground water every three years. A DER approved lab must do the i I testing, and the results are submit- | ted both to DER and the water company itself. This includes a range of organic (chlo- rohydrocarbons, pesticides, etc.) and inorganic chemicals (arsenic, barium, lead, etc.) hs It is the range of chemicals called VOC’s (volatie organic chemicals) which are not yet tested by all water companies on a regu- lar basis. According to Ron Ptashn- gy DER, VOC’s are chemicals | such as benzene and trichloroethi- | iski, lene that find their way into the system through man made acci- dents. This could be leaking gas tanks, oil spills, solvents, etc. The danger of contamination depends on the quantity of the carcinogens found in the water supply.VOC’s are tested for water companies serving over 10,000 consumers as of March 1988, and their full testing will be phased in over the next n couple of years. “Our company . was vested Jf VOA’s and VOC’s recently and | came out with'"a ‘clean : “health” said Drew Fitch of Ov brook Water Company which serves 76 households in Dallas. Township. : # VOC’s have been tested by com- ; panies serving over 10,000 since March of 1988, this includes the PG&W water companies Trucks- ville, Homesite, Hillcrest and Shav- 3 ertown and the Dallas Water Com- pany. VOC monitoring : companies serving 10,000 to 3300 will be in effect March 1989, and by March 1991 all water companies will be subject to VOC testing. The amount of monitoring and purification done by a water com- pany depends upon its own judge- | ment and safety standards beyond | what is required by DER. Over- | brook Water Company monitors their water on a daily level for chlorine content, while Midway Manor Development water com- pany takes two bacteria samples a month from its two wells and fol- | See Testing, pg 2 treatment, and long term well- ; planned development. He One goal was to provide water: supplies of adequate quantity and quality to meet both short and long, i term needs. At the time of the published report, there were 26 public water | suppliers throughout the Back Mountain Area ranging from one well to six and seven wells each. Since that time some of these wells have been shut down or purchased by other companies. Those suppliers listed were Homesite, purchased by PG&W, and now closed because of contami- | nation; Hillcrest, owned by PG&W; Shavertown-Kingston Twp. Water AiR Company, now a part of the PG&W system; Overbrook, owned by three individuals and managed by Drew Fitch; Midway Manor, now owned by National Utilities Inc., Scranton; Dallas-Shavertown Water Compa- See Water, pg 2 testing io for |
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