® Ey YY &Y BOX 336, EXCH VOL. 88 NO. 31 Back Mit. Back Mountain communities are among the strongest backers of the ' proposed new Luzerne County Police Information Records and Retrieval System, according to John Swim, captain of special services in the Wilkes-Barre Police Department and secretary of the system’s committee. Sixteen county municipalities have joined the system thus far. When it becomes operational it will provide a centralized record-keeping system for county police departments. Participating in the planning for the center are Dallas Borough, Dallas Township, Kingston Township, and Lehman Township. Swim called Back Mountain chiefs and police officials “really instrumental” in helping to get the center organized. Swim said that the system will aid in the exchange of information among the police departments of member communities through such means as a central warrant file and will provide feedback for statistical information, helping to pinpoint real community problems. The system is being established by means of a $70,000 grant pending from the Governor’s Justice Commission, an additional $3,500 state grant, and a member communities. The center will be housed in the former First Eastern Bank building in Plains Township. Swim said that it should be operating by Nov. 1. Although operations will be manual at first, Swim expressed hope that they will be computerized within a few years. He said that he believes the center will through its efficiency justify the cost of computerizing. The center will be open and func- tioning 24 hours a day. All police departments of participating’ com- munities will be able to submit their records for filing. James Minella, director of the Northeast Regional Planning Council of the Governor’s Justice Com- mission, said that Luzerne County Human Resources may be able to provide clerks. The $70,000 grant, Minella said, has Dallas Borough Police and the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Pennsylvania State Police, Wyoming Barracks, are investigating the weekend breakin and burglary of the office of District Magistrate Leonard Harvey, Main St., Dallas. Taken was a sum of money reported at several hundred dollars. Some of it was fine money collected late Friday afternoon and the rest belonged to Harvey. Harvey said that he customarily deposits fine money in the bank each day but that on that particular day a fine had been paid late. The burglary took place sometime overnight between Friday and Saturday. Entry was reportedly made by forcing open a locked and shuttered window leading directly to Harvey’s own office, where the magistrate’s desk was rifled and a drawer in a filing cabinet battered and forced open. ; The entrant took money from that ‘office and proceeded to the outer office, where additional money was taken including ‘‘coffee change.” State Police personnel dusted furniture and other items for fingerprints and according to report have some possible leads. Also reported missing was a quantity of cancelled checks. First evidence of the burglary was discovered by a neighbor who noticed Saturday morning that the office window and shutters were open. Harvey said that he believes he has a good idea who is responsible for the action but that the suspect has been reported to have left the area over the weekend. In a brief special meeting Thursday the Harveys Lake Borough Council liberalized vacation benefits for municipal employees and announced that cable TV service would be maintained during the changeover period. Council amended an existing or- dinance to permit municipal em- ployees to take time off for vacations during the summer months when good reasons are given. Council also announced that Back Mountain Telecable, serving out its last months of non-franchise operation before Gamma Cable TV takes over on a franchise basis, will continue to maintain its system as Swimming has been forbidden at Lake Silkworth pending results later this week of state tests of water that may be polluted by sewage. Larry Pawlush of the Department of Environmental Resources Bureau of Water Quality Management said Tuesday that his office took about 15 ‘samples from the lake the previous day and forwarded them to Harrisburg for analysis. well as transmit pictures. According ‘to borough solicitor Joseph Kasper, failure to maintain the system would provide grounds for the newer firm to take over im- mediately as a case of ‘aban- donment.” Several weeks ago Back Mountain had been reported as having adopted a policy of refusing to maintain its system when problems of reception developed. Said to be at the basis of Back Mountain’s decision to continue maintenance was the legality of contractual agreements with in- dividual residents paying for cable service. DER’s action was prompted by the complaint of a Nanticoke physician, Dr. Marie Grabowski, last week that the lake waters were receiving sewage and that a health hazard existed. : Pawlush, however, said that he had observed no visual evidence of pollution by sewage and has con- sidered the possibility of some sort of testing malfunction. notl yet been approved but is still going through a “90-day’’ procedure of study and analysis that will likely lead to approval. Funding for continued operation of the center will reportedly be arranged by means of having member com- munities pay assessments based upon their population. Such centralized record-keeping, said Minella, is “the way to go,” although he added that as yet there are very few, ‘perhaps no more than three,”’ centers in the state. data on a standard form. Minella had special praise for Dallas Township Chief of Police Carl Miers, whom he called “very active” in county police activities. Chiefs of other participating Back Mountain communities are Edward Lyons of Dallas Borough, Paul Sabol of Kingston Township, and William Goodwin of Lehman Township. Meetings of the committee working on the center are held the second Tuesday of each month at the No. 2 Firehouse, Fox Hill Road, Plains Township. The Lake-Lehman School District’s buses should be rolling on schedule when school opens in. September. Following discussions of what the district was to pay for the bus service, chief bus contractor for the district Francis Stolarick said late Tuesday that the problem was ‘‘solved.” Discussions had been going on for several days, with contractors reportedly asking more than the district was willing to pay in terms of the state subsidy for bus tran- sportation that it expected to receive. The district is compensated by the state for bus expenditures according to a formula based on age and capacity of the bus, number of students, and road miles. Earlier in the day, assistant to the superintendent Anthony Marchakitus had ‘said that he was “optimistic” about the progress of the talks and fully expected a workable settlement. \ He defined the problem by saying, “We want savings and they want a profit.’ He said that the expected purchase of new buses by Stolarick would result in greater state reim- bursement anyway and added that the district and the contractors ‘have always had a good working relationship.” Stolarick, operator of some 20 buses, is principal bus contractor for the district. Four other contractors provide a total of eight more buses, while several more provide automobiles. The contractor said that he an- ticipated that ‘no = further discussions” would be necessary. a TWENTY CENTS Dallas Township supervisors have been advised that in order to qualify for an additional $11,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Dept. of Commerce for the Dallas Township recreation sites, another land appraisal will be needed. The first appraisal cost the township $1,700. The supervisors received a letter requesting that a second appraisal be made and listed individuals capable of making the appraisal. The letter also stated that Ted McGuire, the ori- ginal appraiser, send a revised estimate of the property. The supervisors turned the letter over to their Solicitor Frank Townend who will write the necessary reply. Suprvisor Frank Wagner stated that the township is doing some work on the Dallas-centered park. When and if the facility will be available for use, is anyone’s guess. Solicitor Townend wrote a letter to the Dallas Postmaster concerning mail undelivered because of improper mailing addresses. There has been some confusion due to the changes made in 1976, when additional RD numbers were initiated. Postmaster Bernard Gawlas replied that customers must advise their corres- pondents of the address change. The confusion is mostly located in pending tests He continued that a check of several suspected points around the lake produced immediately nothing to suggest sewage contamination. He said that such a complaint might have resulted from ducks defecating in the water, from sewage being dumped from a camper, or from any one of several other factors. the Pioneer Avenue and RD 3 and 6 areas. The postmaster stated that any mail with a house number or box number will be delivered even if the rural route number is eliminated. Addresses with street names will also be delivered. The supervisors noted that Gypsy Lane had been inspected by them and in no way will they accept it as a town- ship road. The road must be prepared according to township regulations. The supervisors also instructed Zon- prove any permits for housing developments in the area until the road is prepared correctly. Supervisor Phillip Walter suggested that all building contractors should post a bond and if there is any damage to the curbing or road during con- struction, the cost of repairs be dedu- cted from the bond before the money is returned to the builder. If there is no damage the full amount would be returned. The supervisors will discuss this matter more fully. Following the bi-monthly super- visor’s session, the zoning-hearing board met and received applications for four variances. James Fry was granted permission to build a garage on his property. Clarence Yeagley re- ceived permission to build a 30-foot dwelling on Pioneer Avenue but was denied a side yard variance for con- struction on Route 309. Casimo Alampi was denied permission to build a kennel in an agricultural area. The supervisors will hold their regular monthly meeting on Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the township building. Residents of Mt. Airy section of the Dallas School District expressed their concern over their children being transferred from Westmoreland Elementary to Dallas Borough Tuesday night. A spokesman for the residents stated that the parents could un- derstand the administration’s desire to maintain small classes but they think other consideration should be given to the matter. Parents of the second and third grade students who are to be tran- sferred believe that stability and the children’s feeling of belonging are more important than moving them around like dominos in order to maintain small class numbers. - Dr. Richard A. Shipe, superin- tendent of Dallas Schools, told the parents that the administration was doing all that it could to keep children together but he could promise nothing until all students are registered and final numbers are determined. Russell K. Owens, 222 Duffy Lane, Plymouth, was appointed industrial arts teacher assigned to Dallas Senior High School, under contract at the fifth step on the M-plus-24 credits salary scale. Mrs. Lucille Callahan, Dallas, was assigned as kindergarten teacher at the Dallas Township Elementary School, Mrs. Diane Brennan, Kingston, was assigned to teach fourth grade at Westmoreland Elementary School and Mrs. Suzanne assigned to teach third grade at Westmoreland. Anthony Chiarucci was named building coordinator for Dallas Elementary and Anthony Martinelli was named building: coordinator at Dallas Township Elementary. Robert Barbash, media director for the district, submitted his resignation effective Aug. 23 to assume a similar position at Penn State. Mrs. Lois district, resigned effective Aug. 10. Joseph O’Donnell, senior guidance counselor, was appointed as director for the federally-funded ESEA Title IV approved ¢“DIGS’ project. Mrs. Ruth Plata was appointed head cook at the Dallas Junior High School cafeteria. : The board approved an agreement between the Dallas School District and the Van Horn Estate to erect and maintain the Dallas School District “Booster Club Sign” for the con- sideration of $1 per year. : Harry Lefko, athletic committee chairman, announced that the football season will open Sept. 2 at home with Bishop O'Reilly. He also reported that there would be no traditional Thanksgiving Day game between Dallas and Lake-Lehman because of the new Eastern Conference. Dallas Mountaineers and the Lake-Lehman Knights will play at the Knights field on Sept. 16. The opening day of school will be Aug. 29, with In-service for the faculty members on Aug. 28.
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