= 1 8 The Dallas Post rs, . Dallas, PA Wednesday, September 11, 1996 Library (continued from page 1) the wall between the circulation area and the children’s wing, re- designing the main circulation “area, enclosing arr office for the librarian, installing a glass wall between the reading room and the circulation area, adding air con- ditioning to the circulation area - and children’s room and install- ing computer stations for access ' to a resource file. He's even rede- ' signed the restrooms and added a * diaper changing station for par- » ents with babies. , “Color, furnishings and light ' froma skylight will help define the +areas in the children’s wing,” . Rodda said. “There will also be a ‘ place for special displays and to + hang flags or banners.” . The new wing's lower level will ‘eventually house a permanent « used book store and restrooms to , replace the Job Johnnies rented each year for the auction. Rodda ‘has designed the new wing so it . can support a second floor in the future, if necessary. ' Groundbreaking is tentatively ‘scheduled for 1997. « 'Tofund the new children's wing, .the library board has planned a ‘capital funds campaign Kick-OIfl Gala Sept. 20 at 5 p.m., when board president Ruth Tetschner will present a brief program to the public. Special guests will include stu- dents of the Major Performing Arts Center in Trucksville, who will perform a unique program, “Watch Ideas Soar!” A butterfly release will complement the theme. Chaired by Dr. Wallace Stettler, the capital funds campaign com- mittee has set a minimum goal of $500,000 in donations. The -li- brary will also apply for a state matching grant, but must have its share committed before it can submit the grant application. Assisted by Debbie Kirkwood, who is compiling the database, the capital funds campaign com- mittee will contact as many mem- bers of the community as possible to solicit donations. With more than 12,000 patrons, the Back Mountain Memorial Li- brary has been serving the com- munity for the past 50 years and is the county's fourth largest li- brary. It circulates more than 90,000 items - books, periodi- cals, audio tapes, videotapes, com- pact digital discs and large print materials — each year. Its latest POST PHOTO/GRACE R. DOVE Holly Neiman, 11, of Franklin Township, looked up information on Jack London and The Call of the Wild on the computer at the Back Mountain Memorial Library. improvements include computer- ized CD-ROM resources, access to resources in any library in Luzerne County and a new com- munity room available for meet- ings of nonprofit organizations. Its special programs for kids include the popular Story Hour, programs for Children’s Book Week in November, a preschool program, a summer reading pro- gram for elementary school stu- dents, materials for literacy pro- grams, nature videos and school class visits. For more information on the capital funds campaign call 674- 6003. Eyesores : (continued from page 1) 4 x 4's holding up one end. The - front lawn is a tangle of high weeds . with a pile of cinder blocks in one ‘corner. “An electrical service wire has been disconnected from the trailer ~and is wrapped around a utility “pole in the front yard. Two win- dows, one boarded up, are broken and the roof on one end is puck- ered where it joins the walls. In the back yard, a tangle of ~ very high weeds surrounds an old chimney. Ablue-gray Dodge pickup truck - with expired tags and an inspec- ~ tion sticker dated 1995 sits on the ‘road in front of the two struc- tures. “You walk up there and see it's “not well-kept at all,” said Jann » Kriner. “It detracts from the . street.” She's concerned the trailer " might harbor wild animals be- * cause her cat once brought home a rat, which she suspects had set up housekeeping in the trailer. “When we moved here 43 years ago people kept their homes painted and their grass cut,” said Bernie Jones, who described how a dog tied to a front porch pillar at 81 Rice Ave. pulled it loose and dragged it down the road one day. “In 1989 I circulated a petition asking the supervisors to make them clean the places up and 95 percent of the people on the street signed it.” Other neighbors who declined to identify themselves described the properties as “disgusting” and “a shame.” They're afraid the two lot owners might try to retaliate “against them or their children if they say too much. “They scare me,” one woman said. Since September, 1988, the township has filed several legal actions against William and/or Collette Heck - the true owner's identity is unclear - to get the Hecks to either remove the mobile home or bring it up to township standards. “We have been back and forth with them in court for years,” said zoning officer Ben Gorey. “Origi- nally the property contained a small house, which William Heck told us he planned to renovate. We approved his request to bring in a trailer only for the duration of the work on the house.” Instead Heck demolished the home and informed the township he planned to live in the trailer, Gorey added. At the time, the township had a zoning ordinance restricting mobile homes to mo- bile home parks. After a state court decision about five years ago declaring such restrictions illegal, the township amended its mobile home ordi- nance to allow house trailers in all residential areas as long as they are set up on masonry footers or a masonry basement. The township ordered the Heck family to remove the trailer in April, 1989 and filed a complaint with the late District Justice Earl Gregory the following July, ac- cording to letters which township manager Jeff Box sent to Jones in reply to his questions. The Hecks filed a variance for the trailer, which was denied, in October, 1989, then appealed it to Luzerne County court. In 1993 the township filed a civil suit against Florida resident Collette Heck, who claims to be an attorney representing herself in the matter, for violating its zoning and building codes. “The owner has utilized every legal mechanism at her disposal to stall and delay all actions against her,” Box wrote to Jones in March, 1993. In November, 1994, Luzerne County judge Hugh Mundy signed a court order directing Heck to bring the property into full com- pliance with township codes within six months. If Heck didn’t obey the court order she could be found in contempt of court and the township could correct her property's deficiencies itself, Box wrote toJones in November, 1994. But Heck threw the township another curve by attempting to transfer ownership of the prop- erty to her father, William Heck, the day before the hearing in Luzerne County court. William Heck recently died and Ms. Heck has not yet created an estate for him, according to township solici- tor Ben Jones. The supervisors have now in- structed Jones to file contempt of court proceedings against the Heck family by the end of the month for failing to live up to the - October 12th! “on Pella® Windows! The Pella - Window | [AM la) Store & YY dows, Dos * Now, buy a Pella® Designer Series™ SmartSash® window with your choice of factory-installed Slimshade® blinds, pleated shades, or grilles. Buy a second SmartSash® window and get the blinds, ~ shade or grille of equal or lesser value...free! 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Never before such outstanding savings ~~ Buy One Between-Glass Located one block past Mundy Street on Route 309 239 Spring Street WILKES - BARRE on 823-7825 3 Option, Get the Second original court order issued by Mundy. “The township believes Ms. Heck is the real party in interest here, notwithstanding her attempt to convey the premises to another owner during court proceedings," Jones said. “The property has a compli- cated legal history,” said Box, who added that municipal officials regularly inspect the property ev- ery few months. “It's definitely a nuisance structure which we're trying to eradicate.” He added that municipal offi- cials also plan to inspect the Cool home for health and safety viola- tions by the end of the month. School board (continued from page 1) Donald McFadden of the Stevens and Lee law firm and representa- tives of PNC Bank before making a decision. Board members also voted to enter into a supply purchasing consortium coordinated with West Side Tech and five schools on the West Side. For an initial $3,500 the district can purchase general, maintenance, data processingand electrical supplies at a savings of 10 to 15 percent. Bids through the consortium will go out in February for the 1997-98 school year, with sup- plies delivered directly to each district, according to business manager Charlotte Williams. During the regular meeting the board unanimously approved a list of substitute teachers, volun- teers at the Westmoreland El- ementary School, student teach- ers from Wilkes and College Misericordia, SAT exam coaches, volunteer football coaches and special needs aides. Board members noted that Rep. Phyllis Mundy, chairman of the ‘House Education Committee, will visit the Dallas Elementary School and the high school Sept. 23. Franklin Twp. (continued from page 1) permits at Crown Hill, there will be lots of people bitching about it at the courthouse,” added super- visor Robert Redmond. Solicitor Susan Mazza noted that people who buy lots do so at their own risk. “If the land passes the percolation test (for septic units) you can't legally withhold a building permit,” she said. In other business the supervi- sors unanimously voted to join the Pennsylvania State Associa- tion of Township Supervisors’ drug and alcohol awareness program, required by state law for all super- visory personnel. The township can join the pro- gram for $125, which Miller said is cheaper than sending each su- pervisor individually for the course. : Firefighters collect aluminum drink cans The Shavertown Volunteer Fire Company would like to thank everyone in the community who has been donating their aluminum beverage cans during our Aluminum Drive. The fire company is still far from the goal and in need of the community's help. Please, remember to drop off aluminum cans in the drop off box. It's a great way to help without affecting the family budget. If you missed The Post - you missed the news! te ®e or personal credit line right now, and you'll get a great rate and some money back. Because for a limited time, we're offering a rebate of up to 30 days’ interest on home equity loans. To apply, visit our offices or Insalaco’s supermarket locations. Or call the J\SIQ0biten I if Center at 1 800 MELLON-24. Get Cash Back With Our Home Equity Loan. Get a 30-day interest rebate when you get a home equity loan. Get a Mellon home equity installment loan @) Mellon Bank © 1996 Mellon Bank Corporation: This is a limited time offer of Up 10:30 days paid interest on new Home Equity and Homeowner's Instaliment Loans and paid interest an the fist full billing cycle on new Home Equity and Homeowner's Personal Credit Lines. 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