The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, July 25,1990 5 r= —_—_ 1 FN 7 k 4 bh) ARE YOU SURE? - This sign on Route 415 entering Harveys Lake Borough says it is the largest natural lake in the state. However, some western Pennsylvanians think that Harveys Lake comes in second in size behind Conneaut Lake in Crawford County. (Post Photo/Rich Johnson) Lake (continued from page 1) volume that counts. And so the gauntlet is thrown. Harveys Lake Council president William Wilson wasted no time in putting the issue to rest. With a smile on his face he proclaimed, “We are the largest!” Councilman Richard Boice said the public agrees. “You go down the street and ask 10 people and nine of them will tell you Harveys Lake is the biggest,” said Boice. The claim made by the Con- neaut Lake people is that they have “...the largest natural lake in the state.” That is it. No details, no fine print, nothing, just the largest lake. Some statistics tend to support that claim. According to the book Pennsylvania Facts, Flying the Colors, Conneaut Lake covers a whopping 925 acres. Harveys Lake comes in with only 659 acres. There are other reference guides that show Conneaut Lake to be the bigger of the two in area. The Department of Environmental Resources publishes a book called the Guide to Public Fish Water and Boating Access, and it says that Conneaut Lake is the larger. A spokesperson for the state Bureau of Topographic and Geo- logic Survey said she believed Conneaut Lake is larger. But she also said that there is no official Conneaut Lake is listed at 925 acres, Harveys Lake at 659. But which holds more water? method of measuring. “There is no real way to tell. The easiest way to measure the size is to go by the acreage,” she said. Then she added, “But the volume must be taken into consideration also.” It is on that argument that Harveys Lake supporters hang their claim. “It is volume,” said store owner Nick DeVeronica. “We are the largest by volume.” The sign outside the Harveys Lake Borough building says that the lake is “...the largest natural lake by volume in Pennsylvania.” No information has been found that compares the volume of the two lakes but the Harveys Lake crowd feels that depth should be the deciding factor. The depth of Harveys Lake has been measured a number of times. Estimates range from 85 feet to more than 100 feet. Dr. Charles Reif of Wilkes College says the lake is 90 feet deep. Reif has done in- tensive studies at the lake and says that others have calculated the depth using SONAR, which he says is not as accurate as his methods. Reif has also done studies at Conneaut Lake. He said when his studies were done that Conneaut Lake measured approximately 30 feet. This number however, does not sit well with the crowd at the western lake. According to Carl Burkett, who owns a shop at Conneaut Lake, the depth is equal to Harveys Lake. “The depth is approximately 90 feet at its greatest depth,” said Burkett. “The lake is also three miles long and about three-fourths of a mile wide at its widest point.” There are a number of other items that must be considered when calculating the volume of a lake, such as the depths at various locations, slopes within the lake and the configuration of the lake. ~ For now Conneaut Lake is stick- ing with its claim of being the largest natural lake in the state. But so are Harveys Lake's sup- porters, saying volume is the most important consideration. A friendly feud seems to be brewing as both sides want the bragging rights to the title. Complaints made against member of Harveys Lake planning commission By RICH JOHNSON Staff Writer Problems in the conduct of the Harveys Lake Planning Commis- sion have led one member to ask the borough to take action to re- store the group's credibility. At last week's meeting of the borough council, councilman Jo- seph Miscavage, who also serves on the planning commission, asked the board to look into the conduct of a member of the planning com- mission. Although Miscavage never named the board member, it is believed he was referring to Chair- man Joseph Schappert. Miscavage read a prepared state- ment to the council saying that things were not going smoothly on the planning commission. In the . statement he referred to actions made by Schappert at the plan- ning commission meeting the night before. One of the references made by Miscavage dealt with the reading of a letter from the Harveys Lake Municipal Authority dealing with the proposed Hanson's subdivi- sion. Schappert said that the letter was being read for informational purposes but added that he did not want it as part of the minutes. Miscavage said that anything read at the meeting became part of the minutes. ; Schappert had chaired the plan- ning commission meeting in a dis- orderly fashion, often deviating from the agenda. The board did not operate as a group at the meeting. Often there were times when Schappert would end a discussion ‘and begin a new one before a deci- sion could be made. In the statement Miscavage said, “One member is turning the com- mission into a circus.” He added that he has been accused of being a “spy” for the borough council and that the commission is beginning to look like a group of incapable individuals. Council president William Wilson acknowledged that there were some complaints about the planning commission's meeting and said that the borough was looking into the situation. Curfew set for youths at Harveys Lake Youths 15-years-old or younger who are out after 11:00 p.m. could be charged with violation of a new Harveys Lake ordinance. The Harveys Lake Borough Council passed two ordinances on second reading at its meeting last week. The first established a curfew in the borough. The ordinance states that anyone 15-years-old oryounger cannot be on the streets after 11:00 p.m. unless accompa- nied by a parent or guardian. Anyone in violation of the ordi- nance will be arrested by police and the parents will be called to pick up the child. Any parent re- fusing to get the child will be subject to a $25 fine. The second ordinance limits the hours during which loud noise can be made. Radios, phono- graphs, yelling, shouting, the operation of power mowers, con- struction and demolition equip- ment are some of the items limited by the ordinance. Find a job...fill a position with Dallas Post Classifieds Call 675-5211 to get our low rates LOSE 20 - 40 - 100 LBS. SAFE - EASY - AFFORDABLE REAL FOOD AT EVERY MEAL PRIVATE ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT Flora Schwartz Counselor/Manager Dict @» 1 he weght-low professionals Center: CALL 287-4440 For Free Consultation Park Office Bldg. Kingston, Pa. p 5 Beach (continued from page 1) Burke said. According to some members, the association's board of directors would not allow them to vote because they were not members in good standing. Agati said that he feels there should be some difference between the certificate owners and the general members. “I would think the certificate owners are in a dif- ferent standing than the general owners,” he said. “The certificate says you get a ‘preference,’ but ‘there seems to be no preference.” Burke agreed saying there was no membership distinction in the association's by-laws. Another issue raised was the purpose of the certificate. A letter written to all association members in 1973 said that the certificate would increase the value of the person's real estate. The letter said that it was estimated property values would go up hundreds of thousands of dollars with the cer- tificate. Burke stressed to the crowd that a goal would have to be estab- lished to oppose the sale. “The first step is to reconcile the problem,” he said. “I don't want to draw a sword at anyone. We are talking about neighbors here and we don't want to cause a fight with anyone.” Some of the members supported Burke's statement. Store owner Nick Deveronica said, “I would like to see the board hold a meeting and say they have made a mistake and turn it back to the association who could then appoint a new board and try to fix it up and run it.” Most people agreed that their “The board of directors did a great job | in building up the beach and they should be commended for what they did, but they should be condemned for what they want to do” A Nick Deveronica | Beach association member a opposition was to the sale of the beach and not to Paglianite. De- veronica said that there are alter- natives other than selling the beach. “The board of directors did agreat job in building up the beach and they should be commended for what they did, but they should be condemned for what they want to do.” Burke again stressed that to oppose the sale a definite goal would have to be set. “If you want to stop the sale that is one point, but if you want to insure it will be used as a public beach forever, that is another,” he said. Those opposed to the sale said they wanted to keep the beach within the association so it could be used by the public. Agati said that the lawyers would look over the information and at- tempt to meet with the associa- tion's board of directors to discuss the issue. The attorneys said that they needed answers to many questions about the sale. According to Burke the associa- tion's by-laws say that the asso- ciation could not sell the beach if it ‘were damaging to the interest of the members. “If the property is sold for less than fair market value A then there may be a case to stop | it,” he said. He also said that the decision to sell must be made by a majority of the association's members. “Itisa possibility that the full member- ship didn't get a chance to vote,” said Burke. The attorneys said they would also look into the associa- tion's articles of incorporation. According to Burke there may be wording that says the association could acquire property but not 4 dispose of it. ; Another issue raises was the status of new members of the association. One unidentified woman said she knew of some young property ownerswhowanted to become members but could not. “They have property but no place to put their feet in the water,” she | said. “Let us have a chance torun the association. Just give us a chance,” she said. In the end the attorneys asked for a group of representatives tosit | down with them and the associa- tion's board of directors to discuss the issues. Agroup of seven volun- | teered and the attorneys said they | would try to set up the meeting. Borough going after residents not connected to sewer system By RICH JOHNSON Staff Writer Harveys Lake Borough is con- tinuing its efforts to make sure residents are connected to the sewer system, attempting to make sure there is no more contamina- tion in water systems at the lake. The latest step taken by the bor- ough is to take legal action against a homeowner who has not con- nected to the sewer system. The complaint against Durwood Miller, of the Alderson Section of the Lake, is currently being filed at District Magistrate Earl Gregory's office. : ~The complaint is being filed af- ter Miller failed to hook up to the sewer system, a violation of a bor- ough ordinance. “He (Miller) has been contacted about hooking up,” said Sewer Manager Richard Boice. “No work has done so far so we are doing whatever it takes to get everyone connected.” Boice said that Miller has just taken over the property but is still responsible for making the con- nection. Borough Solicitor Charles McCormick said that a hearing will be held on the matter. Depending 3 on the outcome of the hearing, | Miller can be ordered to make the connection or face being fined. Boice said the borough is con- | tinuing to look for residents who are not connected to the sewer line. SEWETS. M1 Stop in and say hello to Vito. You are loved at Mimmo's! Summer Special $5.75 a ——— a_i LARGE 18 INCH PIZZA Must present Coupon Not Good with any other offers Other Specials Throughout The Store Red, White, Sicilian and Broccoli Pizza Hoagies ¢ Calzones ¢ Stromboli Dallas Shopping Ctr. Dallas, PA 675-4343 675-6565 11-10 Mon.-Thurs. Fri.-Sat. 1-11 Sunday 12 - 10 Last summer residents of the | Warden Place section of Harveys Lake found their wells contami- nated by bacteria from in-ground septic systems at homes that should have been connected to the
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