4 Dallas Post
Dallas, PA May 9, 2001
EDITORIAL
School boards must keep fo-
cus on education
It's getting to budget time for school districts, whose fiscal
year runs from July 1 through June 30, and already there are
warnings that revenue growth may fall short of prior years. The
preliminary plan for Lake-Lehman shows an increase in tax
revenue that is less than what the district has come to expect,
and is below anticipated expenses. It's likely that Dallas will
feel a similar pinch. At the same time, both districts are im-
mersed in ambitious renovation programs, which seem to grow
in scope and expense with each passing month.
Athletics command a large portion of the construction plans
in both districts, and it may be time to ask if the funding and
attention devoted to sports is appropriate for the times, and for
the means of most taxpayers. Dallas recently completed a ma-
jor renovation of its football stadium and construction of a
fieldhouse. Now Lake-Lehman is considering similar plans, in-
cluding the installation of artificial turf on the main playing
field for football, soccer and field hockey. The projected cost of
a fieldhouse seems excessive in itself, and the basic concept of
a 3/4 million dollar expenditure raises the hackles of frugal
taxpayers, as well it should. As for the turf, it’s surely less ex-
pensive and probably safer for players to refurbish the grass
fields that have served so well.
The Back Mountain is not immune to the economic twists
and turns that are now evident across the nation. This would
be a good time for school board members and administrators
to adopt a wait-and-see approach to large expenditures, at un-
til the future seems clearer.
Voting: Our greatest right
Will you make it to the polls when the 2001 primary election
is held next Tuesday? If you don't, you will be neglecting the
basic right from which all others spring in our democratic sys-
tem.
While this is a primary, not a general election, in many in-
stances this vote will decide local political leadership. There are
two reasons this is so. First, because in many cases one party
dominates local politics, and then because of Pennsylvania's
odd "cross filing" system, under which candidates may be list-
ed on the ballot of an opposing party as long as they have col-
lected a minimum number of signatures from members of that
party. This scheme works to deprive the electorate of a choice
in November if the same person wins the primary on each par-
ty's ballot.
A lot can happen between May and November, and it is un-
fair to take from voters the opportunity to have an honest
choice in the general election.
Regardless of shortcomings like these, the American electoral
process still is the envy of most other nations, and its faults
are not an excuse for not participating. If you have a choice on
Tuesday, be sure to take the time to make your voice heard
through the ballot box.
Publisher’s Notebook
Recent developments in national defense policy have
changed the way I think about failure and success. That in
turn has led me in the direction of a new career as a profes-
sional golfer, which I expect will be subsidized by the federal
government. What, you might ask, do defense policy and
this idiot's non-existent chance of playing pro golf have in
common? Let me explain.
When President Ronald Reagan suggested the U.S. con-
struct a space-based missile defense system, it was jokingly
referred to as "Star Wars." No one laughed at the price tag,
though, which was projected at many billions of dollars.
Subsequent administrations continued work on a missile
defense, if at a reduced rate. They got so far as testing the
scheme against dummy targets. Some of the targets were re-
ally dummies, balloons made to look as far from an actual
missile as possible to give the defenders an easy shot. But
no matter how hard they tried, developers could not make
the defensive missiles hit a single target.
This, of course, has not deterred the new occupant of the
White House, who is determined that we spend many more
billions of dollars to build something to protect us from
rogue states like Zambia and Borneo, should they get
twitchy trigger fingers on some as yet unseen nuclear attack
vehicle.
Here's how this relates to my pro golf aspirations. Like the
missile defense scheme, I've never played well enough to
earn a spot on the tour - in fact I haven't even been close.
And you could easily find more people who would give me
no chance of success than would bet a nickel on my
chances. But since abject failure has done nothing to deter
the President from spending billions of unbudgeted bucks
on missiles, I figure 100 grand or so a year for me isn't too
much to ask. Just to sweeten the offer, I'll volunteer to keep
an eye out for shady looking characters around the 19th
hole once I'm on tour.
The Dallas Post
TIMESeLEADER unity Newspaper Group
P.O. BOX 366, DAL A 18612 * 570-675-5211
Julie D. Imel
EDITOR
Ken Brocious
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Production Manager
Spring has sprung. Photo by Jim Phillips
LETTERS
DAMA litigation grossly exaggerated
I and the rest of us directly
involved with the Harveys Lake
General Municipal Authority
have had to sit back, gagged
and with our hands tied behind
our backs, and endure cheap
shots, in regard to the litigation
with D.A.M.A.
To make any statements or
accusations could have jeopar-
dized the entire legal case.
This has been extremely diffi-
cult for all of us who knew the
facts, and had to sit by and
watch it played out in the press
and see things blown so out of
What's on
the Horizon?
| by Dorne White |
Note: This month’s column is
authored by Dorne White who is a
resident of Harveys Lake. When
he is not involved with his duties
as President of the Bowmans
Creek Watershed Association and
as a board member of the North
Branch Land Trust, he enjoys
spending time with his family and
also hunting and fishing.
The first step in a watershed
conservation effort is to identify
the major issues, concerns and
threats that exist with regard to
the watershed. A plan for the
Bowmans Creek Watershed will
be developed through the efforts
of the Northeast office of the PA
Environmental Council (PEC) and
Pa Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources (DCNR).
A Rivers Conservation Grant was
awarded by DCNR in the spring
of 2000. Public meetings are
currently being held with the
help of municipal officials and
the Bowmans Creek Watershed
Association (BCWA) members
with PEC leading the steering
committee.
The BCWA promotes responsi-
ble land use in the watershed.
This can include keeping trees
and shrubs intact along streams;
redeveloping land that has been
used previously; and preserving
open space and farmland. A
partnering group of the BCWA,
the North Branch Land Trust
provides the means for landown-
ers in Luzerne and Wyoming
ONLY
YESTERDAY
70 Years Ago - May 8, 1931
NEW ROLLER COASTER AT
HARVEY’S LAKE
Work is well under way on the
new roller coaster at Harvey's
proportion and taken to ex-
tremes. In this case, the word
exaggeration is a gross under-
statement.
Our board asked our resi-
dents to be patient and under-
standing, explaining they were
confident we would prevail in
the end, and assuring them it
was their money they were
fighting to protect. They en-
couraged our residents to at-
tend our public meetings and
view our Federal Audit and our
budget, assuring them all other
bills were paid and current,
welcoming them to come and
see for themselves.
I am not only proud to say
this, I am also grateful, that for
the most part, our residents
stood behind our board and
supported them through this
difficult time. This was impor-
tant, crucial and helpful. I can-
not thank the citizens enough
for their trust and faith in us at
this time.
To those few, who for political
reasons choose to point fingers
and make groundless accusa-
tions, shame on them!
This board has not only saved
the community over a half a
million dollars, but many mil-
lions more, as these gross over-
charges would have continued
forever and ever had they not
taken a legal stand.
Justice prevailed in the end,
which goes to show you that
working together and being pa-
tient has its rewards.
My thanks to the good people
of Harveys Lake!
Richard H. Boice
Bowmans Creek Watershed Association
Counties (also in Susquehanna
County, but that is outside of our
watershed) to preserve land in its
natural state. This is achieved
through a “conservation ease-
ment,” the tool of the land trust
trade, which protects lands in
perpetuity from undesirable land
use changes. In addition, the
BCWA puts great value on the
mountain headwaters of Bow-
man’s Creek. Made up of tracts
of preserved land, like state park
and state game lands, as well as
large and small tracts of private-
ly-owned land, these forested and
vital “wilderness areas” of the wa-
tershed must be protected by the
Association.
A significant issue in the water-
shed is the possibility of restoring
Mountain Springs Lake. A part-
nership among the PA Fish and
Boat Commission, BCWA mem-
bers, and civil engineers is work-
ing to estimate the cost of a full
restoration, including the lake's
recreational fishery and its dam.
Many citizens cite recreation and
historical value as reasons to re-
store the 40-acre lake. One ob-
stacle, in addition to the lake's
aging dam, is the harsh acid rain
conditions in its headwaters envi-
ronment.
Flood and Erosion Control
Bowmans Creek Watershed As-
sociation, the Wyoming County
Planning Commission and Bor-
ton Lawson Engineering are part-
nering to improve storm water
management and promote the
protection of the watersheds
valuable wetlands as part of this
work.
While some degree of erosion is
natural in a watershed, Bow-
mans Creek has many sites of
heavy stream bank erosion. At
the present time, the process of
identifying these areas (pictures,
mapping, etc.) and planning to-
Lake picnic grounds. Miller &
Bitler, of Homewood, Ill., have
the general contract for con-
struction of the big coaster.
Improvements are contemplat-
ed by the congregation of St.
Therese’s Church, Shavertown,
to the church property. Land-
scaping has already started.
Two new altars have been placed
in the Shavertown church.
The Shavertown baseball team
managed by herbert Williams,
lost its opening game of the sea-
son to East Dallas nine by the
score of 10 to 4.
gether with our partners to put
plans in place to fix these prob-
lems. Grants will be sought by
the municipalities for repair of
these sites.
The Association also volun-
teered to plant a riparian
(streamside) vegetative buffer
along a tributary of Bowmans
Creek in cooperation with the
landowner, the Chesapeake Bay
Foundation, Ducks Unlimited
and the Wyoming County Con-
servation District.
The BCWA, in cooperation with
Eaton Township, Noxen Town-
ship and Monroe Township, is
planning a major stream clean-
up project, which will be funded
by a Growing Greener Grant from
the state. The Alliance Landfill is
picking up the tab for hauling
and disposal of the collected
trash. Clean-up will begin in
mid-September.
The watershed volunteers have
been performing chemical water
quality tests and aquatic insect
surveys. Some of the groups are:
Teachers and students from the
Tunkhannock Middle School,
King's College, Wilkes University,
RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer
Program), and watershed mem-
bers. We are participating in the
Citizens Volunteer Monitoring
Program sponsored by the PA De-
partment of Environmental Pro-
tection. Volunteer monitoring
helps watershed residents devel-
op an understanding of the re-
sources they wish to conserve.
Fish Habitat Improvement
There are on-going efforts to
improve fish and insect habitat.
Members working with schools
and Trout Unlimited are working
in the creek in key spots to build
small trout dams using the
creeks stones, rocks and debris
and to add overhead cover.
60 Years Ago - May 9, 1941
POST OFFICE MAY GET HIGHER RANK
Because of increased business
during the past year, Dallas post
office will probably be advanced
to second class rating. Change
in rating will mean an increase
for the postmaster, bringing his
salary to $2,400.
Miss Betty Naugle, clarinet
soloist of Lehman High School
Band, will be this section's only
representative in the All-State-
Band when 175 musicians from
eight district bands of the State
gather at Lock Haven High
While not a typical habitat im-
provement, the Association is
employing ‘a safe method for
fighting the effect of acid rain.
While routinely monitoring water
quality, pH alkalinity etc., lime-
stone, sand and rock are added
to the creek and affected tribu-
tary streams to help reduce the
effects of “Acid Events” on the
downstream waters. Some pro-
jects to date are a limestone pilot
study on Roaring Run, a limin
project on Baker Run by Dr. Mike
Case and students of Wilkes Uni-
versity, and a lime addition pro-
ject on the main stream of Bow-
mans Creek from Mountain
Springs Lake outfall and in other
headwater streams. These pro-
jects have been approved by the
DEP and other governmental
agencies.
It is hoped that Bowiiand®
Creek will once again support a
viable trout population after
these improvements are in place.
It may take many years of effort
on our part, but the satisfaction
of once again fishing in a good lo-
cal trout stream will make it all
seem worthwhile.
We would like to thank the
groups that have given us sup-
port. Besides those named in the
preceding article, these partners)
include the Noxen-Monroe Sport-
man’s Association, Wyoming
County Planning Commission,
College Misericordia, Nanticoke
Conservation Club, National Wild
Turkey Federation, South Moun-
tain Land Association, and the
Eastern Coalition for Abandoned
Mine Reclamation. If you would
like to help or want additional ind
formation please contact BCWA
officers: Dorne White, President,
639-2723; Josh Longmore, Sec-
retary, 298-0913; Mervin Shaw,
Vice President; or Bob Bartos,
Treasurer.
School for their annual concert.
Approximately one hundred
people attended the card party of
the Kingston Township Parents
and Teachers Association at thd)
High School. Proceeds are to be
used for the purchase of band
uniforms.
50 Years Ago - May 11, 1951
RAYMON HEDDEN WILL CONSTRUCT
LEHMAN ADDITION
Construction will start on the
proposed addition to Lehman-
Jackson high school building.
See ONLY YESTERDAY, page 5