a
PTA
AEE
a
IOWA 52540
VOL. 87 NO. 20
[
The; Dallas School -Board of
Directors approved a motion made by
Richard Hislop, chairman of the
property committee, to advertise for
bids for the sale of the Shavertown
Elementary building by a vote of 6 to
3. Directors Harry Lefko, Earl
Fritzges, and William Dierolf opposed
the motion.
The building will be sold by sealed
bids which are to be submitted to the
secretary of the board on or before
Tuesday, August 10, at 4 p.m. The
building and the 1.23 acres on which it
is situated will be sold as a whole and
in its present condition. A survey of
the premises by the successful bidder
®ust be at his expense. Further terms
and conditions shall be set forth in an
advertisement for bids by the district.
A motion was approved to hold
three meetings, one on June 15 for the
sole purpose of answering budgetary
questions of all interested residents; a
second meeting for the final adoption
of the budget, Friday, June 25, 8 p.m.,
at “the high school, and a third for
general purposes on June 30.
A motion by Richard Hislop was
approved to change the regular
meeting date of the board from the
second Tuesday of each month to the
second Monday of each month in
order that directors may attend the
activities of the school which fall on
Tuesday.
Dr. F. Budd Schooley, Back
Mountain Protective Association,
@ hed about the anticipated loss in
sate subsidy for 1976-77. Dr. Linford
Werkheiser, superintendent, stated
more than it did in 1975-76. Joseph
Kasmark, board secretary, clarified
further by explaining that the age
ratio has declined from 60.4 to 57.3
meaning that the district will get less
for student, a decline of $450.03 to
$437.53.
Mrs. Francis Ambrose, retired
teacher, asked who gave out figures to
a daily paper for an article published
June 2. She stated that in the article it
‘Derelict’
“Derelict’’ buildings and public
works projects got most of the
attention last Thursday night as
Harveys Lake borough council and
residents attending the meeting
zeroed in on eyesores and public
orks projects.
Kevin Nelson, Luzerne County
Federal funds coordinator, advised
the borough of their status regarding
a presently authorized rehabilitation
project for the removal of derelict
buildings in the borough. A
community development project
approved for the borough will seek to
eliminate nuisance or blight
structures as determined by earlier
surveys in Harveys Lake.
Nelson said he believed the federal
funding could handle removal of all
am
gave wealth, millage, number of
teachers and administrators, most of
which were not factual, and listed the
Dallas second only to Crestwood in
wealth. She repeated the 187 faculty
figure given by Werkheiser at the
budget meeting and said in the article,
a 153 figure with 11 administrators
was cited. She also quoted the
assessed value in the article as
incorrect.
Kasmark indicated that it was and
said that the correct assessed value in
the district was $27,130,550. (A check
with William Helgemo, president of
Dallas Education Association, by the
Post reporter, revealed that there are
173 faculty members, the additional 14
members being guidance counselors,
home school visitor and nurses.)
Mrs. Ambrose said she believes the
board needs the right kind of press
and the right information. She also
referred to a new bill coming out for a
‘reimbursement increase from $150
million to $160 million. Werkheiser
explained that the bill would allocate
$297,000 for health services,
instructional media services and
transportation.
He stated that he had talked with
Harrisburg the morning of the
The hearing to determine whether
or not eight" non-professional
employees of the Dallas School
District are eligible to take part in the
election to be scheduled by the
Pennsylvania State Education
Association for inclusion of ' non-
professional employees of the district
in the Pennsylvania School Personnel
Services Association, opened June 4 in
the Dallas Borough Building before
Charles Sokol, examiner for the
Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board.
Atty. Ben Jones III, solicitor for the
district, represented the district, and
Walter Glogoski, PSEA, represented
the school employees.
structures suggested by the borough
as long as due process of law was
carefully observed in preparation for
the removal. Nelson suggested the
borough expedite passage of a local
building code so that the buildings to
be removed could be legally
identified.
He said that liens would then be
processed against property owners of
such structures so that there would be
“no reward” for ‘bad citizenship”
and structure owners would
ultimately be forced to pay the costs
of the razing. As many as 65
“derelict” structures were mentioned
in the discussion of the razing and
Nelson said ‘We'll take care of what
you have.”
‘Anytime you're ready, we're
meeting and learned that the bill had
been returned to the committee for
further study. If it is not passed, new
ideas will be forthcoming/and instead
of a 10.6 percent increase for
instructional subsidy it will be 7.8
percent, or about $146,000 to the
Dallas School District.
Dr. R.S. Russin reported that he had
studied what other districts in the
area are doing about paying tax
collectors, whether by salary or
commission. He said that he found
most of them were paying salaries at
a savings of about $20,000 annually.
He reminded the board that this would
go along way toward paying two
teachers’ salaries.
He repeated his statement made at
a previous meeting that the tax.
collectors are up for reelection in 1977
and that the board must make a
decision soon. He indicated that they
had approximately 60 days to study
the situation.
He stated that a tax collector’s job
today is much easier than in the past
since most of the taxes are paid by
banks through escrow accounts and at
the end of six months all delinquent
accounts are turned over to the county
for collection.
In a petition filed April 28, the
petitioners presented evidence of 30
per cent or more of their group asking
the board for a hearing on the matter
of the election. The board questioned
the status of certain employees on
their eligibility to vote or become part
of a separate unit covering custodial,
supply, maintenance, housekeepers,
cafeteria workers, and secretary-
clerks.
Sokol * explained the board is
required to designate a collective
bargaining unit and asked Jones why
district was challenging.
Jones explained that district did not
believe part time workers should be
ready,’’ he told the council members,
noting that the procedure for due
process of law would be time
consuming. He said his goal was to
complete the project by the end of the
summer, 1977. 3
Although reluctant to confirm a
budget figure for the project, he
acknowledged that funds in the
amount of about $20,000 were
budgeted by his office.
Nelson also advised the borough
that a $30,000 public works
appropriation would be available for
their usage during 1977. He said the
amount was the borough’s portion of
community development funds
appropriated by the federal
La
J
included and that there were eight
non-professional employees the
district did not believe eligible either
because of confidential or supervisory
positions.
Both representatives agreed to the
testimony of only one person if similar
functions were challenged.
Jones first called John Gabriel,
superintendent of maintenance,
custodial, and supply workers, who
testified that Thomas Dickinson, an
employee challenged, was assistant
superintendent of buildings and
grounds. He stated that Dickinson’s
duties were to supervise other
workers, assign duties and see that
the borough to apply as needed, for a
project of their choosing within
guidelines established by the federal
government. Nelson said a number of
communities receiving the grant were
applying the funds to local recreation
projects. He said 18 of 20 Luzerne
County projects to -date were for
parks.
He said the amount could also be
used as a ‘‘local share” to qualify for
other 50-50 funding sometimes
available.
Referring back to the derelict
building project, council® members
were advised that it is likely that some
of the structures, once razed could not
be rebuilt . under present borough
codes. A council spokeman issued the
statement to remind property owners
that now is the time to repair and
improve their properties.
During the meeting, residents
followed up on a petition to ban loud
motor boat-operations on the lake and
received a report of warnings issued
to one operator on the order of Mayor
William Connolly.
Council also
surfacing projects
road
for
discussed
planned
Three hundred eighty three seniors
graduated from the two Back
Mountain high schools last weekend.
Two hundred forty one seniors, 118
boys and 123 girls, were awarded
diplomas at Dallas Commencement
on Friday, June 4. Robert L. Dolbear,
high school principal presented the
class to Ernest Ashbridge Jr.,
president of the board. Ashbridge
presented the diplomas to the
graduates with the exception of David
Dierolf, Diane Fritzges and James
Swepston, who received their
diplomas from their fathers, Col.
William Dierolf, Earl Fritzges and
Harry Swepston, all members of the
board.
Dr. Linford A. Werkheiser,
superintendent of schools, welcomed!
the graduates, their parents and
friends and introduced George A.
~
Bicentennial
weekend.
they were carried out.
In cross-examination by Glogoski, it
was brought out that Dickinson had no
power to hire or fire, layoff or
suspend, using his independent
judgment; that he never resolved
grievances and could ‘not without
consulting upper echelon.
It was also clarified that any
assignment of duties made by
Dickinson were from a master
schedule already prepared by Gabriel
but that if Dickinson goes out with a
crew of men, he may make a decision
if something unexpected arises.
Employees are assigned by Gabriel,
not by Dickinson, who merely carries
Hickory, Spruce, Dudley Plot, School,
Rood, Maplebrook, Maplewood, Baird
St., Sanderson, Hull, Hillside and
Cook Streets, totaling two miles or
less. The council also approved the
hiring of four parttime patrolmen for
the borough.
The council also heard a complaint
from a resident about a property on
the Route 415 entry to the Lake which
the complainant labelled a
‘‘junkyard.’”’ Borough officials
advised that court action has already
transpired against the property and
that Judge Richard Bigelow had ruled
that the property: was not a
“junkyard” and therefore not subject
to junkyard regulations.
Councilmembers promised to look
into the matter further and see what
could be done about the complaint.
Council president Bob Winterstein
also urged residents to help the
borough crack down on littering and
other abuses of property by phoning
the borough police with license
numbers of offenders.
Council adjourned to meet again on
June 17 to consider bids for borough
garbage contract renewal.
McCutcheon, guest . speaker, whose
topic was ‘Look In The Mirror,” in
which he complimented the graduates
on their achievements throughout
their high school years and expressed
his confidence in their continued hard
work and application in their future
whether in higher education or the
business world.
Invocation and benediction were
delivered by the Rev, E. Le€ Brehm,
Trucksville United Methodist Church.
Selections were offered by the Dallas
High School Mixed Chorus; under the
direction of Florence H. Sherwood,
chorus director.
Seventy eight girls and 64 boys for a
total of 142 graduates were awarded
diplomas at Lake-Lehman on Sunday
afternoon.
R. Arnold Garinger, president of the
board, presented the diplomas to the
TWENTY_CENTS
at College Misericordia
out Gabriel's order.
Gabriel stated that Dickinson may
discuss changes with him after
Gabriel has made up the schedule.
Gabriel stated that Dickinson worked
along with the other men. When
questioned by Jones, he said that he
(Gabriel) worked on occasion.
The second employee challenged
was Peggy Boyes, secretary to Joseph
Kasmark, buiness manager and
secretary to the board.
Kasmark explained that his duties
included working with preparation of
to the board; that he is responsible for
working through figures coming up
with calculated costs pertaining to
contracts. He explained that Mrs.
Boyes types the figures and also has
access to the files in his office.
When asked for an example, he
cited information collected from a
statewide study which is confidential,
although it is understood information
from the Pennsylvania School Board
Association is distributed generally
throughout Pennsylvania and many of
their information made available to
media.
Glogowski asked how many
employees were in the administrative
office and if all were confidential.
Kasmark indicated that they were
not. Under further questioning he
explained that he had only been in the
position for less than two years and
had never had an opportunity to use
her in this position.
Glogoski called Mrs. Boyes for
questioning and asked her if she was
privileged to work in determining
contract proposals. Mrs. Boyes
stated that she did not assist Kasmark
in determining public policy. She did
confidential matter but that if she did,
she did not know it.
She explained that she does not type
teachers negotiations, service
(Continued on page 4)
seniors, who were presented by
Robert Z. Belles, superintendent of
schools. James Nicholas, high school
principal, addressed the graduates
and their guests. John M. Zaleskas,
assistant principal, called the roll of
seniors and John J. Oliver, assistant
principal, presented awards. 2
Gwen Salansky and Christine Zbick,
honor students, were
commencement speakers. Greg
James, president of the class,
welcomed the audience and Diane
Godleski, president of the student
council, made few remarks. 2
The Rev. Leo J. Kozlowski, Our
Silkworth; offered the Invocation and
a
SITE
a
!
x