( | ee ll Bt ee HL | 8 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, March 4, 1992 GETTING THE GOODS — Rachel Hale signs for a UPS shipment in the Dallas School District's central supply building. Hale helps keep track of all the supplies coming in and out. Green Thumb helps older workers lend a hand By ERIC FOSTER Post Staff When Marguerite Dubil retired as head cook at the Lake-Lehman High School in 1989, little did she know that she'd be back in schor! before too long. “I moved to the Meadows,” said Dubil. “I was there a year and I got bored so I looked up the Green Thumb and talked with Chuck Olsen.” The Green Thumb is a non- profit company funded by the U.S. Department of Labor which em- ploys workers age 55 or older in their community. Olsen, the area Green Thumb representative, interviewed Dubil and found a host agency for her to work at — the Dallas Elementary School. Dubil is one of four Back Moun- tain Green Thumb workers. All of them work in the Dallas School District. Mildred Rusmisel also works at the Dallas Elementary, Dorothy Adams works at the office of the Senior High School, and Rachel Hale works in the central supply building. “I never worked in the office,” said Dubil, who has been at the Dallas Elementary since May of 1991. “I've been here ever since and I love it.” Dubil answers the telephone, makes photocopies, sorts the mail, and uses the laminating and book- binding machines. She also sup- plies the students with a lunch ticket if they forget to bring theirs. For Rusmisel, a licensed practi- cal nurse who retired from private duty, working at the elementary school has been a welcome change. ‘I'm a teacher's aide,” said Rusmisel, of Lehman, who started atl the school in November. “I have aroom by myself. I correct papers, I do a lot of paperwdrk for the second grade teachers.” Before Dubil moved to the Meadows, she and Rusmisel lived next to each other. While Rusmisel primarily works with the teachers, she has worked with the kids a couple of times. “I gave a test. Alot of the them, as they get to know you they give you a smile,” said Rusmisel of the students. “They're really cute. The one place you don't want to be is in the hall when they're going tolunch or recess. They're usually pretty well behaved. Just don't get in the way.” Besides being over 55, Green Thumb workers have to meet fed- eral low-income guidelines. The workers are paid minimum wage by Green Thunb for a maximum of 20 hours a week. The program is sponsored by the National Farm- ers Union and was started in 1965 as the first federally funded jobs program for older workers. The program also encourages the work- ers to seek employment on their own, and sponsors two seminars a year on topics such as how to look for a job. March 8 to March 14 is National Employ the Older Worker Week and has been proclaimed by Governor Robert Casey as Employ the Older Worker Week in Penn- sylvania. “They like you to try and find a jobilyou're younger,” said Dorothy Adams, 74, of Kunkle, a veteran Green Thumb worker. Belore starting work in the of- fice of the Dallas High School in August of 1991, she worked at the Pro-Life Office, the Social Security Office, and the Senior Craft Store in Wilkes-Barre. “Ilike it very much,” said Adams. “There's a lot of different work. There's something different every- day to keep you going." “She saves a lot of time for us to be in the classroom with our stu- dents,” said teacher Lewis Isaac while on his way through the of- fice. “The teachers come in, they appreciate the work you do for them,” said Adams. The work includes stuffing envelopes, mak- ing photocopies, and when stu- dents fill out computer coded forms that have little circles that have to be filled in with pencil, Adams fills in the “For Office Use Only” sec- tion. Rachel Hale, of the Meadows Apartments, got involved with the Green Thumb because “I was doing volunteer work and it was getting the best of me. I was working hours and hours.” She saw Chuck Olsen on televi- sion about four years ago. Since then she's worked at the Senior Crall Store and the Wyo- ming Historical and Geological Society before coming to Dallas’ Ss central supply. : “It'll be a year in May or June,” said Hale. “Now we are just start- ing to get busy. We supply the four schools with paper towels, everything. We keep a record ‘of everything that goes out and eve- rything that comes in. We have to sort all the mail when it comes in.” The shelves of the supply build- ing behind the High School are stacked with paint, laundry deter- gent, crayons, paint stripper, staples, and light bulbs — boxes and boxes of light bulbs. Before retiring, Hale worked for American Asphalt, making sure that bids were proper and sent 9 t on time. “I've had to learn everything here because I never had to do anything like it,” said Hale. “I'm still learn- ing.” Anyone interested in the Green Thumb program can call Chuck Olsen at 675-8220. Teachers (continued from page 1) ued the group's push to have a merit pay system started at Dal- las. “lam a teacher. | was evaluated in Prince George's County in Mary- land on merit,” said Kunec, who retired [rom teaching in 1970. “There isn't a sum of money large enough to compensate an excellent teacher. When you ask for 8, 9, 10%, increase in wages, this is fine if you can afford it,” said Kunec. but “you can't expect somebody who is making $15,000 or $17,000 to compensate some- body for $50,000." . Representatives from taxpayer groups in Wyoming County and the Hazleton area also spoke about the hard economic times and the need to hold the line on teacher salaries. Dallas teacher Bill Helgemo had bad news for Kunec. “Merit pay is out down there,” said Helgemo, a former president of the district's teachers union. Helgemo said merit pay is too difficult and costly to administer. Helgemo also had some things to say aboul the negotiation process, and the comparison the Taxpayers Forum has made of teacher wages to a county average of $19,000. “In the negotiation process you start high and work to some ac- ceptable level,” said Helgemo. The $19,000 average salary that the Taxpayers Forum has used on flyers in comparison to the average Taxpayers (continued from page 1) The group initially had a how many. days after their taxes are due. The Tax resort.” much of it. “The issue here is not quality education, he said the issue is money, and the teachers are asking for too month rejected the school board's offer of a 4% raise. “We wouldn't like it, but we could live with it,” said Kunec of a 3% raise before the start of Monday evening's school board work session. Copies of the flyers were piled on a table outside the Middle School Auditorium where the meeting was held. sign and donation basket with about ‘$10 in it on the table, but were ordered by Middle School Princi- pal Anthony Martinelli to remove the items. Kunec, president of the group formed last fall to protest what its members saw as exorbitant salary requests from the teachers, said that about about 5,000 people support the Forum's cause. Kunec said there was “an abundance of taxpayers who are ‘ready willing and able” to withhold their taxes, but didn't know The information on the flyer, which has been checked with local tax offices, says that property owners will pay a 10% penalty 120 After that they are assessed a 3/4% penalty each month (or 9% a year), and a $15 service charge each year from the Luzerne County Tax Claim Office. Only alter the taxes are delinquent for two years will the property be sold at a tax sale. If the tax sale proceedings begin, and the property owner wants to pay the taxes to avoid a sale, currently they must also pay $185 in extra costs. axpayers Forum's {lyer recommends that people with- “holding their taxes put the money in the bank so the interest will recoup part of the penalty charge. “This is an extreme measure and we would implement it as a last " said Kunec. Instead, ! Ne oy uy these and other courses currently being offered. a= Luzerne County ro College 1333 South Prospect Street Nanticoke, PA 18634-3899 CoE — tas [F720 Ny 07 e=1 Attention All Handymen And Do-it-Yourself Experts LCCC's Got Courses For You! o\ Classes Now Forming In: Blueprint Reading Furniture Refinishing Furniture Upholstery Handyman Update ® Landscaping Plumbing Wiring ® Wallpapering Auto Maintenance & Repair Small Engine Repair ® Home Renovations 829-7477 Call now for more information or to receive a free brochure listing eer | | Dallas teachers salary of $38,600 is the average per capita salary of people in Luzerne County, said Helgemo. He said that means that the total income of people in the county is divided by the total popu- lation, which would have children earning $19,000 a year. Helgemo also pointed out that Act 195, which gives teachers the right to strike, also gives other public employees, such as police officers the right to strike. Teach- ers tenure was established by law in 1932. “The only thing the tenure law gives us is due process,” said Hel- gemo. “It gives us our day in court.” As for teachers’ 180 work-year, Helgemo said that’s something that is established by the state. Teacher Dave Jones challenged Kunec on whether he had signed some petitions. “A few,” Kunec answered. Jones said that one case a complete page of one of the T: payers Forum petitions was dupli- cated. Before the meeting union presi- dent William Wagner said they've had reports of people who signed a petition for something else, but their name has been found on the Taxpayers Forum petition calling for a two-year pay [reeze and merit pay. For their part, Kunec said that some people have contacted the Taxpayers Forum claiming that teachers have knocked on their doors or called them on the phone asking why they signed the peti- tion. The teachers and the school board are still negotiating. The school board negotiating commit- tee has made an offer to the teach- ers, but had not received an an- swer rejecting or accepting the offer. The negotiations were scheduled to continue Tuesday, March 3. SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health. © The American Tobacco Co. 1991. Superintendent Gerald Wycal- lis said the district does have a plan in the event of a strike. Be- cause the teachers are still work- ing under the old contract and there has been no talk of a strike, Wycallis said that it was prema- ture to discuss the details of the plan. A few parents at the meeting voiced their hope that the discus- sion would focus more on educa- tion. “I was hoping we would talk about education instead of con- tract negotiations,” said Bill Gross- man of Dallas. Grossman had several concerns. Among them, he wanted to know why students in athletics don't receive physical education credits for them, and why students can’t choose to skip lunch so they can have an extra class. Teacher Gary Mathers urged parents to examine the new course selection booklet which is designed fora seven, rather than eight class- period day. Teacher Priscilla Liput an- nounced that she was chairing new community liaison group ai asked parents interested in edu- cation to contact her. In other business: ¢ Board member Thomas Stitzer said that the district will receive a $10,000 grant from the Depart- ment of Education to restructure the science and math curriculum for grades 1 to 12. » The board discussed removing the underground fuel tank from the Dallas Township School in order to prevent a greater expense if the tank was to leak and con taminate the surrounding so Wycallis said the district wou.t eventually like to also remove a fuel tank at the Westmorelag 1 Elementary School. “tar”, 1.1 mg. nicotine av. per cigarette by FTC method. <<
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