The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, April 8, 1992 Queer BROKER - John Cleary in his office at the Back Mountain Professional Building where his business, Cleary Forest Products is headquartered. (Post Photo/Eric Foster) John Cleary moves mountains of lumber from his desk here By ERIC FOSTER Post Staff «In each of the last two years, 20 illion board feet of lumber have ® sold over John Cleary’s desk iiv the Back Mountain Professional Building off Route 309, Dallas. And Cleary says those sales have all been done on a person's word. “You have to be absolutely horiest. Most of the orders are shipped by the manufacturer and received by the customer before any paperwork is received,” said Cleary, who describes himselfas a lumber broker. “It's totally on a person's word.” +Sowhatisalumberbrokerdoing in the Back Mountain, hardly the logging capital of the world? And @ does someone get into this MEsiness anyway? For Cleary, it started after serv- ing in the Army during the Viet- im War and graduating with a iegree in economics, Cleary was looking for a job when he saw a recruiting brochure which prom- ised $35,000 a year — big money ztthe end of the 60s — and went to. work for Lawrence R. McCoy, a small speculating firm in Maine. Cleary, who grew up in Massa- chusets and went to high school in upstate New York, lived in 14 dif- ferent places before settling in the Back Mountain with his wife Mari- dnne in 1971. * In those days. Cleary remem- is the Back Mountain as being & populated. He recalled going into a diner twice and the waiter saying he must be new in the area. For the next 10 years he commuted to work, sometimes on the West Coast as a lumber broker for various firms, including Merrill Lynch and arother firm with its own mills, transportation, and warehouse facilities. "In 1981 he was offered the posi- tion of vice president with a differ- ent company, but the job required a move to Boston. The Cleary's were attached to the Back Mountain, and so Cleary Forest Products was born. Though he often puts in more than 40 hours a week, the busi- ness gives Cleary flexibility with his schedule to let him serve on the Dallas School Board and be active in community organizations, as well as to watch his daughter's field hockey games. Today, with a branch office in Carrollton, Georgia, Cleary Forest . Products works with about 150 different suppliers, and has about as many customers, selling to small chains, to some wholesalers, and to manufacturers. “What we really trade on is a willingness to find out information and serve our customer,” said Cleary. While Cleary, and his most senior trader Frank Peterson with 35 years experience, trade in con- struction lumber like many other companies, unusual jobs are their specialty. Finding a type of wood which can be used in making molds for aircraft windshields was one chal- lenge. The difficulty: the mold is destroyed as the windshield is made, but the wood has to have a very high burning point. Or finding the right kind of wood to use for accompany which sheaths above-ground swimming pools in wood to make them look like bar- rels. His customers also include Amish craftsmen who demand better quality wood. “That fellow relies on me for continuity of supply, continuity of quality and continuity of price,” said Cleary. While the Pacific Northwest is most the familiar lumber produc- ing area, Pennsylvania also has a lumber industry. “We do have magnificent hard- wood forests, oak and cherry being harvested which were planted between the turn of the century and World War II. This area has some of the finest hemlock I've seen,” said Cleary, who also sells _hemlock from Oregon, Maine and Canada. Though not as strong as Douglas Fir, Hemlock is much stronger than spruce and doesn’t shrink or twist. Many old barns are sheathed in Hemlock. Working in the lumber industry also gives Cleary an intimate view of current environmental contro- versies — like the spotted owl in the Pacific Northwest, or clear- cutting. For every pair of mating spotted owls, the government has set aside 200 hundred acres of forest that can’t be touched, said Cleary. With 40% of timber from the West Coast coming from federal lands the cost of some wood has recently in- creased about 150%: “7 Y Western logging towns are af- fected more directly. “You're talking about places where there's 30% to 40% unem- ployment. There's no work, there's no money. All of the requirements for mills to reduce emissions, I'm willing to pay for that,” said Cleary, who wonder's where to draw the line on environmental protection. “There's a big controversy about clear cutting,” said Cleary, but “Douglas Fir has to grow from a clear cut. Were there abuses? Certainly there were. All you have to do is look at those photographs at the turn of the century.” Today, Cleary says the stan- dard story is that lumber compa- nies plant two trees for every one cut. In reality they do more than that, often planting three or four, he said. “Would you expect a farmer who cut down his corn not to replant it?” Cleary asked. Lake-Lehman taxpayers to meet April 9 in the high school By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff *, The Lake-Lehman Taxpayers Association will meet Thursday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m. in room 86 of & high school. ¥ According toa spokesperson for the group, the planned agenda will ificlude election of officers and a discussion of the school board's special purposes meeting slated for Tuesday, April 7, which is expected to include general infor- ¢ mation on the district's proposed 1992-93 maintenance budget. A maintenance budget is a way of letting the taxpayers know how much it will cost the district to operate the schools while main- taining all present programs. The board will not answer questions from the public at this time. The taxpayers group plans to discuss any proposed millage in- creases and their effect on home- owners, particularly those living * TRS TTR aay RY LEE EE LEI FEES Evening by Clothing & Accessories + Appoiniment 651 Wyoming Ave. ‘ Kingston : 283-5116 ‘ Mon.-Sat. 10 - 5 on fixed incomes, within the dis- trict. Speed lowered on Weavertown Rd. Jackson Township soil cleanup completed , By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff The Jackson Township supervi- sors unanimously passed an ordi- nance lowering the speed limit on Weavertown Road to 25 mph and the gross vehicle weight to 10 tons between Mountain Road and the Plymouth Township line at their regular meeting Monday, April 6. Supervisor Waller Glogowski explained that the ordinance was enacted because of numerous complaints of speeding and road deterioration from property own- ers along the winding road. Supervisor Joe Stager reported that he expects all contaminated soil to be removed from the new municipal building site by Wednes- day, April 8. Secretary Zbiek was authorized to pay the contractor when the work is completed and the township receives itemized bills for it. The supervisors instructed so- licitor Blythe Evans to contact DER to find out if a fuel tank on an adjoining property contributed to the contamination by leaking onto township property, so that the owner can be contacted and asked to remove it. Approximately 12-18 feet of the DAMA lawsuit nears first hurtle By ERIC FOSTER Post Staff The lawsuit filed against the Dallas Area Municipal Authority (DAMA) and three municipalities for entering into an exclusive gar- bage hauling pact will face its first hurdle April 30. The suit was filed in September of 1991 by Searles Sanitation and C&K Sanitation and Dave's Sani- tation, names Dallas Borough, Dallas Township, and Kingston Township as defendants. Dave's Sanitation withdrew in December of 1991. Judge Gifford Cappellini is scheduled to hear oral arguments from Attorney Benjamin Jones III, representing DAMA, and Attorney PhilMedico, representing the haul- ers. The oral arguments will be based on a preliminary objection that Jones filed in response to the suit, and Medico’s response’ to''those Lake study held up by lack of signatures; The long-planned study of Har- veys Lake coordinated by the bor- ough's Environmental Advisory Council is expected to start in the next several months. Among the issues that prompted the Environmental Advisory Coun- cil to seek a study of the lake, are the blooms of blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, that have grown on the surface of the lake in some summers. The cyanobacteria prevents people [rom using the lake for swimming and other rec- reational activities. Councilman David Abod, chair- man of the environmental council, said that the study was delayed about eight weeks because the state’s Department of Environ- mental Resources originally wanted only the environmental council's signatures on the con- tracts for the study, but later changed its position and wanted borough council to sign the con- tracts. The contract with DER now has You’re Invited! tank lie across the property line, on township property. Stager said that the neighbor- ing properly may be owned by LaSalle Oil Company of Dunmore. Evans will also find out if the tank's owner might be liable for part of the cleanup cost. In other business, township secretary Henry Zbiek was author- ized to obtain price quotations for workmen's compensation insur- ance from insurance carriers. The township's present contract with Erie Insurance for workmen's compensation expires May 9 and the township's independent insur- ance agent does not wish to renew it because he does not deal with Erie any longer. H. R. Thompson Insurance had offered to provide this insurance to the township through State Work- men's Insurance Fund for $15,683, which the supervisors [ell is too expensive. The supervisors also reported on the status of the construction of the pumphouse and ten-inch water line to Chase Prison. Work has stopped on the pumphouse be- cause the zoning officer found that itdid not have the required 32-foot setback from the road. objections. At the hearing, Judge Cappellini may decide that the lawsuit does not merit further consideration, and drop it. If Cappellini decides that the suit should continue, it will go before a jury to decide. Even though Judge Cappellini’s son, Attorney Gifford Cappellini Jr. was involved in protesting DAMA’s garbage hauling plan during the summer of 1991, to the point of discussing filing a class action lawsuit against DAMA, Jones feels that Judge Cappellini will give a fair hearing. “I don't feel there is a conflict of interest,” said Jones. “Although in the minds of some people there is an appearance of impropriety, I think he’s too big a man to be influenced by what his son did over the summer.” The haulers allege that the contract the three municipalities and DAMA made with one hauler, been signed and sent back to the agency. The borough now wails for DER’s response, said Abod. “I don't think they're [amiliar with environmental councils,” said Abod. “I think we're fairly unique.” Abod said the study may now start in July or August. Harveys Lake will receive a $49,000 grant from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct a study of the lake. The total cost ofthe 18-month study will be $70,000. The federal funding is part of a 70/30 match- ing grant from the EPA. The bor- Attorney Evans added that state can continue construc on the pumphouse if it obtain exemption [rom local zoning or nances [rom the Public Util Commission (IPUC). If an applic: tion for this exemption is m the public will be able to off comments to the PUC before it acted on. At the recommendation of Ch of Police Don Jones, Patrol Kasper was placed on salary $5,750 per year for an unspecifi number of on-call hours. The following dates and even were announced: * Monday, April 27: The supe visors will hold a work session 7:30 p.m. at the fire hall. * Monday, May 4, at 7:30 p Supervisors will meet in the fi hall. e Saturday, May, 9, at 11 a.m The prison will test its sirens. * Monday, June 1 at 7 p.m Hearings soliciting comments fro commillees and the public ab renewing the agricultural securi area program [or another seven years will be held before the supe visors’ regular meeting. To date landowners are interested in r newing it. Danella Environmental Technol gies, is unconstitutional becau itinterferes with their right tom and keep contracts, effectis taking property from them, in form of business, without the due process of law. Jones argues that the sta Legislature has given munici ties the power to make exclu contracts. 5 The lawsuit has five counts, e asking for compensatory damag in excess of $20,000. Suits whick ask for less than $20,000 are n eligible to go to trial, but go throu arbitration instead. If the suit makes it to a jury, the jury wil decide any actual damages. i The hearing is scheduled for .2 p.m. on April 30 in Courtroom 4. Both Jones and Judge Cappellini secretary said the court would open to the public during the arguments. Woe bas Joi ough will meet its contributi towards the grant with donated labor from volunteers of the bor- ough’s Environmental Advisory Council valued at $8,000, andl Wilkes University will donate labo- ratory work valued at $5,000. The final portion of the costs will provided by an $8,000 grant fro the state's Department of Enviro mental Resources. Among the things that it w examine are the amount of nut ents, sediment, and polluti which are finding their way in the lake. i Free Interest Checking With Low Balance Free Personalized Checks Ni chocolate rabbit! 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