Preston (Continued from page 1) vening, Board President Edward F. Mark Sr. announced he was calling a 15-20 minute recess of the board to discuss personnel matters. Despite obje- cions to the recess by board members Allen Keiper and Joseph “Red” Jones, Mark pro- ceeded to adjourn the board meeting to the library where he met with the directors behind closed doors. Members of the audience, who attempted to attend the meeting were refused admittance because it involved personnel. Thirty-five minutes later, the board members returned to the public meeting. President Mark read a motion, prepared by District Solicitor Joseph Gale that, in order to comply with state law, Dr. Preston’s position should be declared open when his contract expires June 30, 1987. Mark explained that, by state law, the board had to notify Preston at least 150 days before his contract expired that it would seek other candidates. Voting in favor of Mark’s res- olution were board members Robert Emery, Charles Nafus, Martin Noon, Gilbert Tough and Bing Wolfe. Joseph ‘‘Red’”’ Jones voted against it and Allen Keiper abstained. Director Donald Jones was absent. Preston asked Mark several times if he (Preston) would have the privilege of applying for the position, but Mark refused to answer Preston, saying only that the ‘vote will speak for itself.” Since that meeting, Preston has made the following state- ment to the press: “I stand proudly on my record of educa- tional leadership at Lake- Lehman and our reputation for excellence in this area and throughout the state. That repu- tation has been earned by a competent faculty — teachers and administrators, working hard, working together and always striving for the best possible education for our pupils. “The board’s decision not to review my contract is obviously not an educational decision. It would appear that it was totally political. This is an unfortunate time for the Lake-Lehman School District.” In a telephone conversation with Preston, he explained to The Dallas Post that this was make at the present time since he wants to continue to act in the same gentlemanly manner he has always tried to do. Other administrators, faculty members, students, and taxpay- ers were more vocal than Pres- ton. Principals in the district prepared a public statement in support of the superintendent as did members of the faculty and students. Taxpayers also came to the support of Preston and commended him on the upgrad- ing of education in the Lake- Lehman School District. Director Joseph ‘‘Red’’ Jones said the move not to renew Preston’s contract is a political vendetta. “It was a political hack job at its best,” said Jones. “It was disgraceful the way they treated Preston.” Jones explained that in the session prior to the board meet- ing, after discussing other per- sonnel, Preston’s contract was brought up just minutes before the public meeting was to begin. He said the directors never really discussed the issue until the board recessed to the library. “Mark gave no explanation why the position was being opened to others,” said Jones. “The professional way to treat such a matter is for the board to meet in a session and discuss the superintendent’s contract, then hold a second meeting to discuss it with the superintend- ent. Following these meetings, the board holds a public meet- ing to vote on the contract of the superintendent. There’s no excuse for handling it the way it was done last week.” Former board president Allen Keiper said he supported Dr. Preston. “Preston is a well-educated, «very intelligent person. In the years I have been on the board, we’ve trained him our way aca- demically. Who, on our board, is capable of going out and hiring a new superintendent? It took this board three months to hire a new auditor. How long will it take to hire a new superintend- ent?” Keiper said he would like to know-how a director can go into a work session two minutes before a public meeting and put this on the agenda without any discussion or without a private meeting, the latter illegal under the law. Keiper would also like to know why the solicitor wrote the motion and at whose request since he (the solicitor) is not considered a member of the board. He also said that some of the majority directors are car- rying personal grudges against Dr. Preston and he questioned why. Cable (Continued from page 1) they called last night (Sunday) to see if the problem cleared up. Everything is okay now.” Gerald Korey, of Skyline Drive, Trucksville, says Potzer was very instrumental i in having his reception problem taken care of, too, although he did not say if he had any difficulty with the local company. “We were having quite a bit of interference for the past two months,” Korey said. ‘But the company did take care of it about a week and a half ago” One customer who is still having problems, however, is Kevin Ross, of 352 Harris Hill Road, Trucksville. Ross says he has been having problems with his reception on Prism, which he says has been on and off for the past two to three months, and has not yet been contacted by the company. “I’ve called sometimes three times in a week,” Ross said. ‘But no one has contacted me yet. “And then they have the nerve to raise the rates.” Effective January 1, 1987, Tele-Media announced the basic service monthly fee for the first outlet will increase from $7.50 to $9.50, and from $2.00 to $2.75 for each additional outlet. Potzer said he has asked to look into that matter to see if Tele-Media can legally raise the fees under the 1984 Cable Man- agement Act. Potzer also said there is a good possibility the township will want to see the company’s financial records at the end of the year to see if it has indeed made all the changes it has claimed. Statue (Continued from page 8) return of the spartan soldier to the intonation ‘with it or on it.” In the figure’s left hand is a crown of stars symbolizing the branches of the Armed Services taken from the brow - his head turned in grief. Behind the figure stands the symbol of Vietnam, which is pierced by pungee sticks, a barbaric guerilla warfare weapon utilized in Southeast Asia. There is one spear for each three years of our involve- ment in this war. These symbol- ize the enslavement of Vietnam in the Bamboo Curtain of Com- munism, the misery of this country at its loss of liberty, our sons and brothers whose blood was spilled on her soil, the Prisoners of War and the Miss- ing In Action, the imprisoned and those who have never returned. The limestone base is set at 17 degrees to the ground, the par- allel of the Ilatitutde of the partition between North and South Vietnam on our entrance to the war. Upon the base of this monumental sculpture will be the names of our native sons who gave their lives in the Action. (Continued from page 1) cited, said he could not hear if anyone knocked at the front or back door that night because of stereo music that was playing. He did, however, observe Pur- cell come through the cellar door. Purcell informed the indi- vidual that he had received complaints from neighbors and then told the student to leave the house. He said both he and his daugh- ter have been interviewed by 735-7908 HOLIDAY GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE 696-2818 TTR wr Service and Satisfaction © Mary Taylor's 1986 “En HE monda LOIS: saturday 1 uinozy 10-8 (717) 283-1630 members of the Dallas Borough Council, but did not know who else was being interviewed. Borough solicitor John Fine could not be reached for com- ment. Beautiful For Christmas. . . Sundays 12 ’til 5 10 ’til 8 Everyday ’til Xmas W. MARKET ST. WILKES-BARRE PRE-LAUNDERED Made in U.S.A. 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