BOX 336 5 ad als HG ep meg : Ledsard il | break. VOL. 88 NO. 23 - by Shawn Murphy At some undetermined point in time, Lake-Lehman’s 1978-79 school budgel has changed from being a ‘Board’ budget to an ‘‘Administration’ budget. Just when that change occurred is difficult to say. Certainly it occurred before Tuesday night’s special school board meeting (the, fourth session of a meeting initially convened June 13; other sessions have been held on June 17 and 23). Saluting Our Nation on Independence Day Pp. 14-15 b/g Just as certainly, it occurred sometime after May 30. On that date, a ‘‘public information session’’ was held for taxpayers of the Lake-Lehman School District for the expressed purpose of discussing the tentative budget adopted by the beard on May 9. The public information session was moderated by Angelo DeCesaris, chairperson of the Budget and Finance Committee. At that time, DeCesaris utilized a carefully prepared series of diagrams and charts to clarify the finer points of the proposed $4,252,591 budget. He spoke with authority of state market valuations and county property assessments in an effort to outline the reason for the budget’s 12-mill tax hike. DeCesaris now insists, however, that ‘“‘Administration’”” budget all along. “This budget is certainly not a board budget,” DeCesaris claimed Tuesday night following the most recent in a series of meetings where no budget was adopted--or even voted on. “The administration prepared this budget,”’ he confided. ‘‘The ad- ministration wants to run the school district.” When asked whether or not the Budget and Finance Committee Maple Grove by Charlot Denmon g The new pastor of the Maple Grove and Loyalville United Methodist Churches finds the new parishioners very friendly, but says the area is’a change because this pastor has rural turns. The pastor will have to which he chairs might not have prepared an alternative budget had it been so displeased with the ad- ministration’s offering, DeCesaris replied only that his committee “feels it is the administration’s job to prepare a budget.” Like most school district budgets this year, Lake-Lehman’s has crested a stir because of its proposed mni:iage increase. District taxpayers have been much in evidence at the last several meetings, and several per- sons have been outspoken in their criticism of the tax hike required to meet the budget. DeCesaris now insists that the ad- ministrators are responsible for the tax hike, too. less than that,’ he said Tuesday night. When the now-disputed tentative budget was adopted on May 9, five directors voted to approve it: Voting “yes” were Peg Anderson, Paul Crockett, Arnold Garinger, Gilbert Tough and Angelo DeCesaris. Voting “no’’ were Alan Keiper, Ed Mark and Kenneth Williams. Donald Jones was not present. ) The school board will hold a fifth and possibly final special session Thur- sday at 8:30 to adopt a 1978-79 budget. The Harveys Lake General Municipal Authority will be filing suit against the Pennsylvania Fish Commission charging nonpayment of sewer fees within about a month, according to HLGMA solicitor At- torney Donald McFadden. The suit will probably be held in Commonwealth Court, Harrisburg, said Atty. McFadden, as he believes that to be the only court in which a branch of state government may be sued. The litigation stems from Harveys Lake’s attempts this year to compel the Fish Commission, owner 'of property at the lake, to pay sewer maintains several ‘‘job johnnies’’ on its property, and the authority contends that the commission is under arequirement to pay fees and hook up as any other property owner in the borough. The Fish Commission, however, has refused to pay the bill, contending that the property is not hooked up to the sewer system and that the levy is a “tax,” which the commission says that it is not obligated to pay. The problem arose in January, when the authority sent bills to property. owners, including the commission. The Fish Commission replied to the authority in February, notifying also the authority’s CPA firm of Joseph H. Williams and Co. of Kingston that no payment would be forthcoming. The property owned by the com- adjust to country living. The area residents will have to do some adjusting as well, especially members of the congregation for the Rev. Ruth M. Burgess is the first female pastor they have had. The adjustment will be relatively easy however since Rev. Burgess exudes by Joan Kingsbury Changes in the text of Articles 4 through 6 of the newly proposed the Jackson Township Planning Commission Monday with the ex- ception of section 6.04, which concerns The changes accepted were not major changes in the zoning or- dinance as accepted, but rather they a few cases changes were added to permit things previously omitted from the ordinance such as drive-in restaurants in the neighborhood business district. In several, the word One proposed change in the text residential zone was held over for discussion until next month’s meeting. Some board members felt that if agriculture is allowed un- Lg residential district it could possibly cause some undesirable effects in certain areas. Bernard Banks, American Asphalt Paving Company called exception to two changes in the proposed or- dinance. He requested the board to consider permitting him to fence the mining area with an animal barrier fence such as those used on interstate highways rather than the stringent fencing required in the ordinance. The board, however, maintained that the requirement of a 6-foot chain link fence is not only for safety of community residents but for longevity as well. The board did not move to amend this proposal. He also requested the board to reconsider the 100 foot buffer zone from any mining boundary. Ac- cording to Banks, it would be of great economic value to his company to allow him to mine more land and backfill on American Asphalt’s property. The board felt that since this had been discussed at length, the proposal should remain at 100 feet. bu charm, personality and sincerity. The slender, petite pastor moved into the Maple Grove parsonage last Thursday and she and her husband have been busy ‘settling in.” A native of Southampton, N.Y. (Eastern Long Island), at the age of 14 she moved with her parents to Northport, N.Y., where she graduated from Northport High School. Following high school graduation she entered Lebanon Valley College, Annville Pa., where she planned to major in music and work in Christian education. In her senior year, Ruth decided on the ministry and after receiving her B.A. degree in religion she entered Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C., where she received her master’s degree in divinity. Ruth is the oldest of five children, of age. In 1971, while she was still in school, Ruth’s parents moved to Virginia and now live in Culpepper. Ruth met Mark Alan Burgess while in college where he also was studying music and later decided on the ministry. Mark came from a ministerial background, having a father, brother and aunt, who were ministers. In 1975, Ruth and Mark, who lived in Camp Springs, Md., were married. They lived at the seminary in Washington until Rev. Ruth Burgess’ assignment. Mark is presently finishing his requirements for an M. Div. at Wesley while serving part- time at Courtdale United Methodist Church. : The Burgesses also served at Messiah United Methodist Church, Springfield, Va., as associate ministers working with youth vacations and other miscellaneous duties. In her new assignment as pastor of Maple Grove and the Loyalville United Methodist Churches, Rev. Ruth Burgess serves a congregation of about 150 members at Maple Grove and about 50 members at Loyalville. She does all of her own visitations and puts in about a 50-60 hours week taking care of all church duties. The most difficult part, she finds, is where to go and how to get there. Rev. Burgess, enjoys reading and studying--enjoys good literature, especially fiction, biography and history. She has a particular interest in church history, particularly in relationship and liturgical traditions. She also'enjoys music and, when in horn. She now enjoys playing the baritone horn, some guitar and piano. Ruth also likes to sing and most recently sang with the Wesley Seminary Singers. Ruth likes to swim and she and her husband have done a lot of camping and backpacking. Both of them jog usually in the early morning or in the evening. Ruth will have an opportunity to use her love for music for other people because she will play the organ at the Loyalville Church as well as perform the Sunday service. There seems to be little doubt that Rev. Ruth Burgess will easily adjust to the quiet country living of the Sweet Valley area just as there seems to be little doubt that the members of her congregation will be happy to have her in their midst. . 3 ~ mission is located at 417-421 Lakeside Dr. in the borough. ‘ Atty. McFadden said that the authority made its decision to go into litigation in April. : The Fish Commission in Harrisburg declined to discuss the matter, saying’ that it could speak only through its assistant attorney general Peter J. Ressler, who was reportedly out of town on a long-term vacation and unavailable for comment. Ironically, the borough's sewer system is the result of action man- dated by another state department, the Department of Environmental Resources. All other property users in the borough have been obliged to connect to the system by the enabling ordinance, Cents Dallas School Board directors adopted an annual budget for the 1978- 79 year in the total amount of $5,953,512 with a new tax millage of 90 mills and a new occupational privilege tax of $10. Also financing the budget are an earned income tax of one percent, shared 50-50 with the municipal governments, a real estate transfer tax of one percent, also shared equally with the municipalities, and a per capita tax of $10, at the June 26 meeting in the Dallas Junior High School auditorium. The budget is $27,686 less than the prior proposed budget since the state subsidy was previously overstated by 780 students. : Directors Basil Russin and Patricia Gregory were the two ‘‘no’’ voters in the 6-2 vote. Director Ernest Ash- bridge was absent due to his at- tendance at West Side Vo-Tech’s board meeting. Russin qualified his ‘no’ vote stating that he did not appro of the priorities established in the budget. He said he is against the skimping on maintenance and school supplies and also opposes the high salaries paid to school tax collectors. He moved to set payment for tax collectors at two percent commission with an annual payment not to exceed $6,500, ef- fective no later than the next election. The motion failed for lack of a second. Atty. Ben Jones III, school solicitor, explained that tax collectors must be notified by the district of any wage change no later than 90 days prior to election. : Col. William Dierolf then moved to appoint a committee of five, three board members and two members of investigate the method and amount of payment to all tax collectors within Luzerne County. At Russin’s request, Dierolf amended his motion to have the evaluation reported to the board by Nov. 15 so the directors could act at the December meeting. Harry Swepston, president of the board, adjourned the meeting until 9 p.m.in order that more than 100 bids could be opened and tabulated. When the meeting resumed, total bids for electrical services in the existing Dallas kindergarten building and for general liability insurance were read and turned over to the property committee to review, tabulate and award. The others were partial bids committee to evaluate. All bids were available for interested persons to study following the meeting. : Col. Dierolf then addressed Dr. Raymond Russin, Pioneer Ave., Shavertown, relative to information Russin introduced at a prior meeting in which he announced the property assessments of seven of the board stated that he could find no assessment for Swepston or Richard Hislop. (Continued on P. 20)
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