10 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, November 30, 1994 Driver ‘(continued from page 1) sexual acts on them, the report said. The incidents occurred between ‘May and Labor Day of 1994, the report said. . Werts has been charged with ‘eight counts of involuntary devi- ate sexual intercourse, nine counts of indecent assault, five counts of endangering the welfare of children and five counts of corruption of minors under differ- ent sections of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, according to the A bueadams: report. His parents put their house up forbail November 21 so that Werts could be released from the Luzerne County Correctional Facility, according to the report. Werts hasn't been tested for HIV, the virus which causes AIDS, but could be if it's requested by the District Attorney, according to Kingston Township police chief James Balavage. He isn't allowed to have any contact with his victims and may E . Gummo vrais Atty. for Defender COURT OF COMMON PLEAS — CRIMINAL DIVISION COUNTY OF LUZERNE / THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA / ve, ase RLY OR a Une i i] < RAE ER 'S -d, he ; Y “i Whe tr 5 Examen Background check Records go back only 5 years; some offenses must be repeated to show By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff ‘ A special background check called an Act"34 clearance is re- quired by state law for all people working with children: teachers, school support staff, school sec- retaries — even foster parents. Obtained through the Pennsyl- vania State Police Central Reposi- tory in Harrisburg, an Act 34 clear- ance is basically a person's per- manent criminal record. All information on anyone who has ever been arrested and finger- printed in the state is kept on file at the Central Repository, with duplicate records on file at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). “Act 34 lists specific offenses, such as child abuse and misde- meanors and felonies under the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, which prospective employers must know about,” said Lt. Robert Hanula, a supervisor at the Central Reposi- tory. filled with loopholes “Although our records contain all of a person's convictions, for example violations of the fish and game laws, we're only allowed to give out those covered by Act 34 for these clearances. We don't give out summary offenses unless the person has a pattern of repeating the same offense several times.” For example, an arrest for DUI (driving while under the influence) wouldn't appear on a person’s Act 34 unless they had been arrested several times for it, Hanula said. “If an employer denies a person a job based on their Act 34 record, he must give the applicant this reason in writing,” he said. “The applicant's crimes must be less than five years old and must di- rectly apply to the job which the person has applied for.” School bus driver Dean Lee Werts had pleaded guilty to fur- nishing liquor to minors Septem- ber 2, 1986. His latest Act 34 clearance, obtained in August, 1993, was clean, according to bus owner Leon Emanuel, who described Werts as “a good employee.” Furnishing liquor to minors is a misdemeanor under the state's liquor code, Hanula said. Unless police had fingerprinted Werts when they arrested him, the lig- uor code violation wouldn't have shown up on his record. Need help with your electric bil this winter? may be eligible for Free Cash Grants! Offer ends January 20th, ELECTRIC SERVICE 1-800-UGIWARM not leave the state without notify- ing police or the District Attor- ney'’s office. Werts was fired from Emanuel Bus Lines some time between November 16 and 18, according to Dallas School District trans- portation director Susan Farr. But Emanuel never mentioned the firing in two separate interviews on November 21, even when asked specifically what action might be taken against Werts. Emanuel said November 29 he wasn't sure of the exact date he fired Werts, other than “on a mw Thursday.” “We let him go about 10 min- utes after we found out what they're alleging he did,” Emanuel ~ said. “He's not been proven guilty wor ina ae yet and that’s the way you should write it,” he said. Emanuel said Werts drove on + several different bus runs, includ- : ing the route beginning at Orange + Village and continues on Orange : Road to Upper Demunds Road. 3 - “He was a pinch hitter,” he said. “He also helped out in the garage.” Emanuel said he had never received any complaints about Werts from parents. But when Werts worked for Emanuel in 1988 he was trans- ferred to a run carrying older : students after parents complained about his behavior. In 1992, when working for Myers Bus Line in the Wyoming Valley West School District, Werts was removed from a driving position and transferred to garage work after students t complained he was overly affec- : tionate toward them. Myers Bus Lines owner Phil ~ Myers was unavailable for com- : ment on Werts's employment there. Parents and children should be alert for pedophiles (child molesters), who generally have a victim of choice, either young boys or young girls, Balavage said. Pedophiles also have a specific pattern of activity with children which can be documented, he added. “Parents should screen their children’s new friends, especially anyone six to eight years older than the child,” he said. “They should be alert for much older friends who come to the house at inappropriate times, bring the child gifts, invite them to unsu- pervised overnight activities and constantly offer to do favors for the child or family. Parents should tell their children what pedophiles do ane warn them against it. ane aa BE a a are JTI to host kids’ Xmas party Dec.11 The Johnson Technical Insti- tute Alumni Association will host its annual Children’s Christmas Party at 2 p.m. December 11, in the Moffat Building on campus. The event is open to the chil- dren and grandchildren of JTI graduates and children and sib- lings of current students. Participation is limited to chil- dren 10 years of age and under. Christmas Trees 4 Sutton's Tree Farm Outlet Road, Lehman, PA 675-2364 Spruce Fir Pine By Fed (1A OF 0 B11 6 00) 116 BAYES GEER =TAED Crysial Chandelier! ia he 4 5 0 ? The C.B. Scott Showroom proudly displays authentic Heirloom Crystal Chandeliers designed by Schonbek —trimmed with Brilliant Strass® Crystals, the finest obtainable. Lighting for the New Age of Elegance C.B. Scott Electric Supply 395 Coal Street, Wilkes-Barre Phone: 824-9812 400 S. Washington Ave., Scranton ¢ Phone: 342-8221 [an] Citizens (continued from page 1) representative to encounter the school board at their own monthly meetings. The CAC chairman, Pamela Langdon of Grandview Avenue, says, “We have been called an ‘adjunct’ to the board. That's not correct. ‘Adjunct’ in the diction- ary is ‘something less important or not necessary, but helpful.’ Well, we're helpful, I hope, but the rest doesn't apply at all. We be- lieve we are quite necessary and every bit as important.” Langdon, a mother of four, has two still in school. Her husband, Edward, has his own computer business, “Time-Wise.” She has been “involved” since 1986, at- tending board and committee meetings, and was voted in as CAC chairman last year. Sally Davenport of Shavertown is sec- retary and Carol Yezilski handles publicity. Other members include Samuel Barbose, Patricia Eckert, Dr. Wil- liam Grossman, Marilyn Klick, - John Litz, Susan Marcella, Linda Mellner, Lucy Messersmith, Dr. Byron Meyers, Dick Orlowski, Thomas Russ, Edward Steltz and Cathy Wega. The committee has quite a history. According to Ron Moran of New Goss Manor, who was chairman for 12 years, the group was founded earlier with the help of Wilkes University's Dr. Fahmy, then on the school board. Moran is Administrative Direc- tor of Special Education at Wyo- ming Valley West, and also coaches field hockey for Dallas. He recalls that the district long- range plans, which were state- initiated and approved, called for a “citizen input committee.” He says, “Such a group could pro- voke opposing opinions and re- search things the board couldn't. It was a great opportunity, and I thoroughly enjoyed my commit- tee years. It should go on forever. Personally you feel you've accom- plished something worthwhile.” Board president Ellen Nagy in commenting on possible conflicts reported in some quarters between committee and board, says, “I was on both sol can see both sides. Of course we don't always agree, but it's just another viewpoint. You expect thatina district this large.” Nagy adds, “We give them (the DICK ORLOWSKI committee) advance notice on large or ‘hot’ items. They have a slot on our agenda and we wel- come their opinions. They pro- vide a healthy diversity.” CAC membership is an inter- esting mix...there are housewives and businessmen, educators and teachers, parents and ex-parents. The latter may have grown chil- dren no longer at home, but have retained their interest in seeing, as one put it, “that my neighbor's children have the same quality of education and learning opportu- nities that mine had.” Dr. Byron Meyers, former Dean of Administrative Services at LCCC, said he joined the commit- tee when he heard about it, be- cause “It sounded interesting. I believe we have established a closer rapport with the school board. We are looking to be ‘pro- active’ rather than ‘reactive’ and with our agenda I feel we defi- nitely made a good contribution.” Dick Orlowski of Hillcrest Ave- nue, an InterMetro Industries executive, says the committee agenda “is a positive one. There is no nonsense or [ wouldn't bother to participate. If ideas don’t al- ways go our way, no problem. Sometimes it's the process that is important and not necessarily the outcome.” PAMELA LANGDON CAC shows every sign of serv- ing up enough variety to satisfy the most discriminating volun- teer tastes. Chairman Langdon points out that the “notorious” Middle States Evaluation was studied by the group and at a recent meeting Frank Galicki, high school principal and Dr. Gilbert Griffiths, Assistant Superinten- dent, attended and took active partin an in-depth question- and- answer session. Sue Marcella, committee member and parent of a 5 1/2 year old, described a program called Writing to Read, an IBM package for kindergarten and first- graders. The board agenda has been supplied for study and pos- sible research projects in the fu- ture. Plans are underway to draw up a committee charter, spelling out goals with a timetable. Langdon says, “Our next ‘get- together’ - I hesitate calling it a meeting because we're not that formal - will be on Thursday, December 8, at 7 p.m. in the administration building across from the Country Club Shopping Center.” “We are a long way from being filled up,” she adds, “All you would- be volunteers out there, come in and look us over!” Contract (continued from page 1) According to board president Ellen Nagy, the contract provi- sions include: * A three-year term beginning August 31, 1996. e Annual salary increases of 2.5 to 4.5 percent, based on the cost of living index each year, to be applied to the present 15-step salary scale. The steps are com- puted by each teacher's years of service and number of graduate school credits. e Co-curricular positions will also receive a cost of living in- crease. Several new positions have been added: high school forensics advisor and coaches for girls’ soccer, winter track, weightlifting, swimming and middle school soccer. e A 20-day timeline for each side to file grievances. The increase in the cost of liv- ing is approximately 2.8 percent this year, Wagner said. According to district director of finances Charlotte Williams, the average teacher's salary this year is $42,734, with a high of $49,825 and a low of $23,056. “We have a very experienced, well-educated faculty, with 94 people at the 15th h step,” i Wagner sai Nagy, Ernést Ashbridge, Mau: reen Banks and Joseph Kunec made up the school board's nego-- * tiating team, while Wagner, asso- ciation vice-president Mike Pawlik, Charles Preece and Peg Collett represented the teachers. The district's millage has been 158 for the past four years, with one mill equivalent to $46,503. According to the 1993-94 budget, the district expected to take in $16,701,590 and spend $15,693,095 this year. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers