8 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, July 19, 1995 Comm Center (continued from page 1) want that. All we want is what's best for the Back Mountain.” The Back Mountain Communi- cations Center is funded through contributions by its five member municipalities, which contribute between $12,150 and $32,798, based on population. Each of the nine member fire and ambulance companies contributes $750. The Nesbitt Hospital contributes $21,946. The communications center's operating commission is presently negotiating to sell the Back Moun- tain's equipment at fair market value to Luzerne County and to hire some Back Mountain dis- patchers once Luzerne County's 911 system goes on line. The Back Mountain employs a full-time chief dispatcher, who earns $8.66 per hour, two full- time dispatchers and six part- time dispatchers, all of whom earn $8.29 per hour, Sabol said. Assistant Luzerne County emergency services director David Macekura expects the new center to be on line by the end of March, 1996. It will relocate from the sub-basement of the courthouse to a new building in the Hanover Township Industrial Park, a loca- tion which wouldn't be affected by flooding of the Susquehanna River, Macekura said. Although transmitter sites haven't yet been selected, Macekura said they'll be located in areas which will make the best use of the area’s high mountains and compensate for several dead spots where radio waves don't penetrate efficiently. “We plan to use microwave technology and a signal system similar to a repeater to give a very strong radio signal,” he said. “Most fire and ambulance companies will be able to use their present radios and won't need to make massive equipment upgrades.” The county communications center will employ about 12 certi- fied call-takers and dispatchers per shift, depending on the need, he said. Macekura expects the center's annual budget to run between $3 million and $5 million. The county system will serve 74 municipali- ties, with the possible exception of Franklin Township, dispatched through Wyoming County, and Nescopeck, which is dispatched through Columbia County. “We still have to discuss our dispatching with the Franklin Township supervisors, to see what they want to do,” Macekura said. Under the present system, Franklin Township's residents in the 333 and 388 telephone ex- changes call Wyoming County's emergency dispatch center, while the residents in the 675 exchange call the Back Mountain dis- patcher. The township has its own vol- unteer fire company but shares its ambulance (Franklin- Northmoreland), housed at the Franklin Fire Hall, with Northmoreland Township in Wyoming County. The Back Mountain Communi- cations Center will use a $30,000 grant, originally obtained to help build new quarters, to purchase new radios for the member emer- gency services organizations. The center is housed in the Dallas Township municipal building and had considered relocating, either to the medical center building on Route 118 in Lehman or in the new Back Mountain Family Prac- tice building on Upper Demunds Road. Sabol was instrumental in forming the Back Mountain's central dispatching system in 1986, when he was Kingston Township's police chief, with Dallas Township police chief Carl Miers and supervisor Phil Walter, Kingston Township supervisor Ambrose Gavigan, Harveys Lake police chief Lionel Bulford and Dallas Borough police chief Ed Lyons. Sabol was the first chairman, while Walters was vice-chairman and Lyons was secretary- treas- urer. The Back Mountain became a basic 911 system, in which call- ers may dial the number free of charge to contact an emergency services dispatcher, in 1990. Town officials wonder about future costs By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff BACK MOUNTAIN - Although they admit that closing the Back Mountain Communications Cen- ter will save tax money, some elected municipal officials still wonder ifjoining Luzerne County’s new 911 emergency dispatch system is a good idea. “We hope it will turn out the way they have described it to us,” said Dallas Borough council presi- dent Don Cooper. “Supposedly there won't be any cost to us, but that's not setin concrete. We don't have any of the specifics in writ- ing.” Luzerne County emergency services personnel have said the center will be funded by a $1.25 surcharge — $15 peryear—onall telephone lines in the county, but Cooper is concerned that the county might assess municipali- ties sometime in the future. Jackson Township supervisor Walter Glogowski is also con- cerned. “What will it cost the munici- palities to get the system up and running?” he asked. “What will be required of us?” \ He doesn’t know whether or not all the police, fire and other emergency services’ radios will be compatible with the new system, or if the township will have to pay to get them refitted. Not having to fund the Back Mountain communications cen- ter will save Dallas Borough $27,464, or slightly more than one mill, while Jackson and Lehman Townships will save $12,150 each. “It will save us about a mill,” said Lehman Township supervi- sor Doug Ide. “We'll probably use the money to try and keep up with road maintenance.” Lehman Township joined the Back Mountain's system in 1990, while its three fire companies (Lehman, Lake Silkworth and Idetown) were members from the communication center's inception in 1986. “We were told a lot of things by the county,” Ide added. “Nobody knows for sure what will happen. If the new 911 system works the way they say it will, I have abso- lutely no question about it. The Back Mountain couldn't afford to provide this level of service on its own.” He commended the Back Moun- tain for forming the emergency Tell our advertisers you saw them in The Post. They'll appreciate it, and so will we. i PHARMACY 159 N. Memorial Hwy., Shavertown, PA 675-1191 dispatch system nine years ago, and for the quality service the center has provided. “The Back Mountain has worked very well,” he said. “But now it's time to move on to the next step. If we had decided in 1986 to wait for the county sys- tem, we'd still be waiting for it.” Jeff Box, who wears two hats as the Back Mountain Communica- tions Center treasurer and King- ston Township manager, said he can't envision the Back Mountain system going out of business be- fore the end of 1996. “It took us eight years to set this system up,” he said. “You simply can’t shut it down in a heartbeat - there's lots of work to do before we close the doors.” The area's 10 fire and ambu- lance companies, supported mainly by fund drives, Bingo games and hoagie sales, will save $750 each. Untillastyear, each paid $1,500 a year to the Back Mountain center, but being part of it was worth whatever the cost, accord- ing to Kunkle fire chief Jack "Dodson and Shavertown fire chief Gary Beisel. “Before the communications center started, each fire company had its own emergency phone number,” Dodson said. “We had fire phone lines into 10 homes — but you couldn't be sure someone would always be there to answer them. And we had 10 phone bills, one for each line, which could run between $500 and $1,000a year.” The fire chiefs said they'll proba- bly put the savings towards equip- ment. Shavertown is presently raising money to buy an aerial ladder truck. Each Back Mountain fire com- Lehman adopted October 12, 1994. Member WHAT THE BACK MOUNTAIN PAYS FOR 911 SERVICE The Back Mountain Communications Center is funded by contributions from its member municipalities and fire compa- nies. These figures are based on the center's 1995 budget, Harveys Lake left the communications center in 1993. Fran- klin Township is dispatched through Wyoming County and uses the Pennsylvania State Police. Ross, Lake and Fair- mount townships aren't members. POST PHOTO/GRACE R. DOVE Kingston Township Dallas Township Dallas Borough Jackson Township Lehman Township Kingston Twp. ambulance Trucksville Fire Company Shavertown Fire Company Dallas Fire and Ambulance Kunkle Fire and Ambulance Lehman Twp. Fire Company Jackson Twp. Fire and Ambulance Idetown Fire Company Lake Silkworth Fire Company Nesbitt Memorial Hospital Total pany has submitted maps of its coverage area to the Luzerne County system to help dispatch- ers give directions to emergency services personnel, Dodson added. Back Mountain fire and ambu- lance companies will also proba- bly keep their present radio fre- quencies and fire ground chan- nels, Beisel said. “The county has said it will hire our full-time dispatchers,” Dod- son said. “I hope they'll be as- signed to our area, with which they're already familiar. It will be a bit confusing at first, but I'm sure it will work out.” (continued from page 1) undisturbed. Trees larger than six feet in diameter may not be disturbed. No development or use, includ- ing on-site septic systems, is al- lowed within 50 feet of the edge of any other body of water, includ- ing streams, ponds, lakes and wetlands. In other business, the supervi- sors directed solicitor Peter Sav- THE DOUGH COMPANY "Your Hometown Restaurant" All Week Special asagne $4.99 Our Homemade Lasagne served with your choice of Soup or Salad, Bread & Butter Every Day Spaghetti « Ziti « Tortellini « Lasagne * Fettucine Alfredo * Ravioli 675-7347 Near Rt. 309-415 Intersection: Open a 11:00 a.m. age to advertise for bids to pave Idetown, Park and Outlet roads. Sutton noted that only the town- ship-owned section of Outlet Road, a 140-foot stretch between Route 118 and Firehouse Road, will be paved. I “It's the second shortest town- ship-owned road,” road supervi- sor Doug Ide noted. For rent AY The Insalaco’s supermarket at Dallas Corners will close August SS | 12, according to company public relations spokesperson Melissa Margis. Employees will be offered jobs in other Insalaco’s stores, she added. The company plans to expand its Shavertown store, but no details are available, Margis said. ° Akita (continued from page 1) BH Contribution $32,798 female owned by Sylvia Lorber and to encourage the respon- 32,798 of West Brookville, NY, won the sible ownership of purebred 27 464 title of best puppy in the match. dogs, the Back Mountain Ken- 12 Pp 50 Best adult went to Stormy, a nel Club sponsors events for female Rottweiler owned by purebred dogs and holds a point 12,150 Lehman Township resident show every November at the 750 Sherry Radzinski. Bloomsburg fairgrounds. The 750 Golden retrievers, point show is sanctioned by the 750 Rottweilers and Schipperkes American Kennel Club. : & 750 were the most popular breeds Pp L 750 at the match, which also fea- It also hosts a “canine good tured such unusual breeds as citizenship match” every Octo- 750 the Rhodesian ridgeback, wire- ber, open to any dog which has 750 haired pointing griffon, a pale- had obedience training and has 750 eyed Australian sheepdog and ~~ &00d manners. 750 a sleek Pharoah hound. For more information on the 21,946 Founded in 1944 to promote Back Mountain Kennel Club's 147,056 the good relationship between activities and events, call 822- a dog and its owner or handler 5517. bv 4 rree OPEN HOUSE for Engineering and Engineering Technology Degree Programs Thursday, July 20 — 3 to 7 p.m. at Penn State Wilkes-Barre Campus in Lehman BA Bell Atlantic Center for Technology 3-5 p.m. -Learn about the following ASSOCIATE DEGREE programs: « Biomedical Engineering Technology + Electrical Engineering Technology » Mechanical Engineering Technology « Surveying Technology + Telecommunications Technology ; -See demonstrations in state-of-the-art engineering labs. : p -Talk with Penn State faculty and admissions counselors. = Refreshments and light supper will be provided. 6-7 p.m. -Learn about the following BACHELOR'S DEGREE programs: Surveying + Electrical Engineering Technology For more information, call (717) 675-9238 or 1-800-966-6613. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers