Ee === a SR ALK VOL. 87 NO. 30 THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1976 DALLAS, PA. Lieberman to erect a double dwelling on land at 64 Pinecrest Ave., Dallas, was revoked by the Dallas Borough Council members at their meeting Tuesday night. : Leroy Roberts, building inspector, stated that on July 26, he improperly issued a building permit for the double dwelling on what he later learned was an undersized lot. Roberts recommended that the permit be revoked as it was not in conformance with the building code. Charles Lemmond, borough solicitor, explained that in areas zoned R-1, lots must be at least 75 feet in width if there is sewage available and, if not, lots must be 100 feet wide. The lot on Pinecrest Avenue dated as The sale of the Shavertown . Elementary School for $102,100 to William J. Powell, Dallas, was approved by the Dallas School District board of directors at a special meeting, Monday, Aug. 16, at the senior high school. The board also stipulated that proceeds from the sale will be used for capital expenditures, a change from the time of the original plan when proceeds were needed to balance the budget. At the time of the adoption of the budget $100,000 from the sale of the building was included for operating. Since then, new revenues have been realized from other sources. Ernest Ashbridge, president, explained that the district has received an increase in funds from the one percent income tax and from -. increased real estate taxes since the 3 July 1 budget was accepted. aa He also explained that it has been (4 unnecessary to replace some teachers : who are on maternity leave, that liability insurance on buildings is $7,000 less than anticipated and that the sale of the Shavertown building will further reduce taxes and insurance. It’s what you might call a ‘low profile’’ organization seriously concerned about the local implications of what may be the nation’s number one social problem -- yet unwilling to permit its activities to become the basis for sensational headlines and news broadcasts. The group is the Back Mountain Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, an entirely volunteer group developed . The directors initially decided to sell the building when it was disapproved by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry because of being a frame structure and because of being an eyesore and unsafe for children. At one time. it was under consideration for use as administrative offices, but that idea cost of renovation. The directors said they have no idea what the buyer plans to use the property for and have no intention of trying to find out since use was not mentioned in the specifications. As published in this paper last week, Powell’s only: responsibility for using the building is to comply with township zoning regulations. Use of the money for capital expenditures by the school district could include needed improvements at Westmoreland School, purchase of the Dallas Intermediate School modular building by bid from the federal government or additional offices for school administration personnel. The board also approved the appointment of Mrs. Gloria Whitman Continued on Page Four) Abuse through the cooperation of local civic and service clubs. / The idea for the group began abot a year ago when Women of Kiwanis heard a guest speaker from a local police department describe local narcotics enforcement incidents. In communicating with other area residents about the problem, Kiwanis Women found several service clubs and individuals interested ir back to the time when land in the area was owned by Parrish and the lots were only 50 ‘feet in width. New ordinances restricted the use of these lots in that no lot of record may be used for the erection of a family dwelling. He recommended that council ratify Roberts’ recommendation, which they did. Edward Kearney, Pinecrest Avenue resident, spoke on behalf of the dozen or more residents who were at the meeting, and for the 43 persons, who had signed a petition objecting to the construction of the double dwelling home based on the fact that it was not in conformance with the zoning ordinances. He explained that the property in question was situated between his property and that, of Thomas Makravitz and that there was no right of way for use by persons who might have occupied the dwelling. He also assured Jerry Machell, president of the council, that the residents of Pinecrest would back council in their decision. ; Lemmond told council that there is no assessment for that particular lot in the court house. Kingston Township supervisors turned down the request of the Rose Village developer to take over three streets in the development. The supervisors recommended in writing that the developer correct certain water draining conditions existing on the roads. The supervisors also refused the from R-1 to R-3. ie . The request of John 'Mesaros, Manor Drive, to rezone seven acres from A-1 to R-1 was approved. Michael Stanley, township secretary, was authorized to advertise an ordinance covering damages by contractors to township curbing and roads whenever a new undertaking action = projects but hesitating to intrude into a potentially explosive and controversial social category like drugs and alcohol. The consideration came back to two basic questions: what is the true dimension of the drug and alcohol abuse problem in the Back Mountain municipalities? And what can be done locally to resolve the problem? And s0' the ronneil was formed Ph } structure is built and the contractor is to issue a check in the amount of $250 to the township to cover such damages. David Phillips, Pioneer Avenue, who wrote a previous letter to the supervisors complaining about the television cable serviee, wrote another lefter explaining that the cable<ompany had taken care of the problem And that his reception is now adequate. He stated that the company has promised to do everything possible to’ insure proper service and will initiate a system to record complaints and correct them even if a visit to a customer’s house is necessary. uniting representatives from womans clubs, © Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, Jaycees and their auxiliaries. Although law enforcement was not considered an objective of the group, police officers and school officials were invited to present their estimate of the problem to the council. A Kiwanian Bernard Banks, was selected by the council ‘as chairman. Paul Hession, also of Kiwanis, was named treasurer and Mary Parente, the Junior Woman's. Club, is secretary. ; The group began quietly studying the local problem, meeting monthly to continue its work. The objective: measure the facts of drug and alcohol abuse locally and coordinate action projects by participating civic and service organizations. The group obtained the counsel of two college professors--Keith M. Kilty, assistant professor of the graduate school of social work at Marywood College and Tom O'Neil, chairperson of the department of behavioral sciences and social work at College Misericordia. A steering committee = with representatives from each service and civic club was appointed to work with Kilty in the development of a survey to measure the Back Mountain situation. Misericordia classes in O’Neil’s department agreed to assist with the administration of the survey, which has been planned now for Oct. 5 and 6 in Dallas schools. Dallas school officials agreed to cooperate with the survey plan, asking only that parents be given the opportunity to decline participation by their children if they wished, a concession readily agreed to by the council. A note will be sent with Dallas school district students in the survey. The questionaire will be administered to students in grades five through 12. All survey participation is anonymous and only summary statistics will be utilized. Lake- the survey but not included when it ‘survey was previously administered there by Hershey Medical Center. Tentative plans call for the ‘administration of an adult survey following the completion of the school survey in the Dallas District. more football on page 13. expenses of the council has been provided by private fund-raising. Some of the clubs provided loans to the council which are to be repaid from proceeds from a gourmet club ticket sale. The gourmet club tickets provide = bargain rates for area restaurants. Dallas Kiwanis plans to operate a booth at the Luzerne County Fair 'of Dallas Area Fall Fair Inc. to sell the tickets. Motorist traveling the Luzerne- Dallas Highway will see new speed limit signs posted 45 miles per hour beginning from the intersection of Route 309 and 415 and placed approximately one-eighth mile apart to the Courtdale line. PennDOT crews installed the new speed limit signs Monday afternoon increasing the maximum speed limit to 45 miles per hour on the highway which has been the subject of much controversy since it was initially posted 40 miles per hour. Two persons challenged the wording of the State Motor Vehicle Code and when they appealed their Members of the Dallas Area Muni- cipal Authority (DAMA) instructed their engineer consultant Henry Haley to apply for the necessary funds from the Community Facilities State Grant to aid in supplying Stone- hedge with the much needed sewer ' system. At the regular DAMA meeting last Thursday night, chairman R. Spencer Martin noted that Dallas borough has agreed to accept responsibility for the restoration of the roads from their own funds. This will enable DAMA to Application for the grant has been received and must be filed between Nov. 1976 and Jan. 1, 1977. Haley will inform Dallas Borough of the appli- cation. The requested grant will be for $75,000. A’ serious problem has been plaguing Stonehedge residents The council has agreed to keep the public advised about the progress of the survey and the results, when available. For its part the public is® urged to cooperate in the survey plan, = consider backing the project with contributions to the council or through the gourmet club and participation in the council, which meets monthly at Irem Temple Country Club. NT SF arrest they were upheld by court ; decisions handed down by Judges Arthur D. Dallesandro and Bernard J. Podcasy. Jack Culkin, PennDOT assistant engineer, noted that the department does not agree with the decisions and also added that the increased speed: limit was approved by PennDOT’s legal department. & Despite the fact that the signs were posted and in’ clear view on Tuesday, motorists were traveling 50 and 55 miles per hour on the stretch of highway between Shavertown and Hillside. and they sought the assistance of Dallas Borough and DAMA to install the sewer system in their develop- ment. Since DAMA is financially un- able to assume complete respon- sibility for the entire project, aid was sought from the borough. Revenue from the proposed additions will also figure in the cost of the project. Haley reported that there is a new Public Works Bill which could be applicable to the areas needs. Sewer Extension 1 was prepared in 1972 and federal funds were sought for its completion. Every year DAMA’s be little chance of obtaining the project. The new Public Works Bill could possibly be the answer to sewers for (Continued on Page Four)
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