2 The Dallas Post Friday, August 15, 2003 Burn ban (continued from page 1) elderly couldn’t afford to hire others to remove yard waste. “You can’t ask a teenager to haul branches for ten dollars,” she read. She also said she conducted some research and found that, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, 91 percent of air pollution is from cars. Since car exhaust is odorless, “people don’t think it’s bad,” she said. Shaver stated a need for the township to provide pickup services and suggested setting up specific dates for burning, such as Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from dawn to dusk as an alternative until curbside service is available. “We should have the right to burn,” she said. Nancy Williams said the board should allow burning of identity-sensitive items such as canceled checks and credit card applications and statements. Although she has a paper shredder, Williams said that some people don’t own one. Several residents expressed their dislike over the smoke created by fires left to smolder. Ronald Barnoski mentioned that two of his neighbors have trouble breathing when the air quality declines and he found that two-thirds of his neighbors are for the ban. “The laws should reflect the majority,” he said. But Tom Evans noted that more garbage would go to land- fills if residents can’t burn it. “There are lots of valid reasons to burn,” Evans said. “You shouldn’t ban it just because of a few inconsiderate people.” Concerns over agricultural areas, known A-1 zones, prompted Bob Martin, who runs a tree removal business, to create his own petition asking to protect the right to burn in such areas. He explained that he recycles as much as possible but some can’t be recycled. Exeter Township Supervisor Robert Soska said the burning ban could affect those with large properties, adding the economic burden of removing large amounts ‘of yard waste. He said that a footage provi- sion, such as requiring burning areas to be at least 300 feet from buildings, would disallow burning in more populated ar- eas without affecting agricul tural properties. John Salinsky, who has a con- tained burning area on his 26- acre property, agreed about tak- ing the proximity between houses into consideration. But he pointed out that people may find ways to circumvent any burning bans. “You're going to have people building campfires every night,” Salinsky said. But not having the ban could create unnecessary costs to tax- payers, said Jim Reino. As well as expenses stemming from the police and fire departments re- sponding to problems with burning, “taxpayers could foot the bill from health cases,” he said. He also mentioned that national studies exist showing the dangers from smoke and from contaminants that don’t completely burn away. He said that perhaps as a compromise, the township could allow burn- ing to occur one day per quar- ter or set up curbside collection of yard waste. Resident Mary Lofing asked if the issue could be put on the ballot in November. Township Manager Eddie O'Neill said that if residents don’t like the supervisors’ final decision, they could call a recall and then have a vote, but Supervisor Neil Allen said a referendum would be the same as passing the buck. Another usually benign ele- ment was also on the minds of many township residents. Stormwater runoff has been flooding homes and yards at Meadowcrest Drive and High- land and Terrace avenues in Trucksville. Jack Haines said that the wa- ter problem has “increased 10- fold in volume and magnitude” in the 20 years he has lived in the area. He presented digital photos to the supervisors, showing the muddy deluge flowing down his driveway. He said that during the past the winter, he could not use his driveway because water from runoffs froze. Highland Avenue resident Bill Steraitiff also has water flowing down his driveway — after it floods his garage. “I could have taken a rowboat through there,” he said, noting that water has been “spurting out” of the ground as well. Township engineer Christo- pher Borton explained that the existing drainage ditches are not graded properly and sug- gested either lowering the ditches or installing pipes to channel the water. Doris Jeffrey said that she had 100 feet of 18-inch pipe in- stalled on her Terrace Avenue property but garbage = from Highland Avenue keeps clog- ging the pipe. During Monday’s heavy rainstorm, a tire blocked the pipe, causing excessive wa- ter flow to wash away the top- soil in her yard, she said. A resident of Meadowcrest Drive claimed that when she called the township to com- plain about an overflowing drainage ditch near her proper- ty, she was told that it was a state problem. But when she tried to contact the state, she was met with busy signals. O’Neill said the township can contact PennDOT on residents’ behalf but pointed out that un- known to some homeowners, swales are sometimes written into deeds. At Sabol’s sugges- tion, the board and the resi- dents agreed to meet at 9 a.m. on Sunday, August 17, to view problem areas. 696-0380 Dallas, PA 18612 “HOME. AUTO. LIFE. TALK TO A REAL, LIVE PERSON WHO'S IN THE SAME PHONE BOOK AS YOU. Edward Donahue, Jr. 405 N. Memorial Highway Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Indemnity Company and Allstate Life Insurance Company, Home Office; Northbrook, Hiinais. © 2002 Allstate Insurance Company 20 Allstate. You're in good hands. POST PHOTO/RON BARTIZEK A parent has question the safety of having schoolchildren walk up Ondish Road to a bus stop at the intersection with Roosevelt Street. Bus stop (continued from page 1) families and 18 children live in the new development, and 10 more families moved in over the summer, the trans- portation department told him that buses will not enter the area. Solicitor Ben Jones asked . Kornak if the roads in the de- velopment had yet been taken over by the township. Kornak said they hadn’t. “It’s not a matter of being precluded (from being able to run buses on the road). We can certainly run on open undedi- cated roads, but the issue is one of road maintenance.” Jones said if there were in- clement weather, for instance, and the road had not been cleared, then it would be un- certain what the bus driver should do. Jones suggested that Kornak go to the next Dallas Township Board of Supervisors meeting and “nudge along the process” of having the roads turned over to the township, possibly before the start of school. Kornak requested that an- other safer bus stop be added. “We’ll have our contractor take a look at it and then get back to you,” said board mem- ber Tom Russ. In other news, the board vot- ed unanimously that a resolu- tion be adopted for a settle- ment agreement between The Dallas School District and an unspecified special needs stu- dent and family. The board appointed three temporary professional em- ployee, long-term substitutes. Rachel Havrilla as 4th grade teacher in Dallas Elementary School, Crystal King as 4th grade teacher at Wycallis Ele- mentary and James Casey for learning support at Wycallis Elementary. Correction Credits that appeared in last week’s issue on two photos entered in the Back Mountain Memorial Library Photo Contest were incorrect. The correct information, with the photos, appears here. The Post regrets the error. = Honorable mention, by Gary Crompton Honorable mention, by Doreen Rhoads Finances —— (continued from page 1) : we can make decisions,” DeCesaris suggested, “because I don’t like not knowing what's going on.” Nearly shouting, board mem- ber Moderno Rossi said, “She has to put everything else aside and get this done by next week.” 8 With tensions high, Solicitor Charles Coslett requested Board President Michelle Coombs call an executive ses- sion, saying he needed to say his piece. The board returned with one more budget question, con- cerning History Day, which most board members have con- sidered among Lake-Lehman’s most valuable programs. Williams told the board that she was asked to pull discre- tionary funds, so she did. tory Day happened to fall i the field trip category, whic was pulled. Because the board didn’t specifically ask about’; History Day, she never told" them. In other business, the district is following up on questions of a bus route in Jackson Town- ship. J. Wilkes, Jackson Town- ship Supervisor, told the dis- trict the township did not have plans to work on that road, and it was not fit for a bus to drive. This leaves two young girls to walk, less then a half mile, to the end of the road to catch the bus, which board member Joseph Kapitula feels is unac- ceptable. : School psychologist Sharon John requested permission to attend a “Childhood Develop- mental Disorders” conference. She had requested earlier in the year that the district pay for that, however with funds being cut for educational ad- vancement this year, her quest was denied. Now John submitted, saying she’ll pay for it herself, but requesting the day off. Doug Trumbower, district ar- chitect gave his report, which could lead to yet another finan- cial burden for the district. The parking lot at the senior high school could need “up to $40,000 in additional work to make it safer for the student drivers, buses and teachers. The board was presented with several proposals and will fur- ther discuss and vote at the next meeting. The next regular meeting general purpose will be held Tuesday, August 19, at 7 p.m. in the Music Room of Lehman- Jackson Elementary School. Back Mountain Food Pantry needs donations to restock shelves pork and beans. Other items needed are: canned hams, corned beef, Spam, peanut butter, jelly, dry potato mixes and breakfast ce- Many months have gone by since the Boy Scouts and postal workers had food drives to collect non-perishable food items to re- stock the shelves at the Back Mountain Food Pantry. A recent inventory revealed that the following items are in short supply: canned peaches, pears, pineapple, applesauce, carrots, beets, lima beans, spinach, kidney beans, tomatoes, stews, and August 15 ¢ 16 o 17 Save §0% - 75% Shoemakers Ww Hallmark Task Midway Shopping Center * Wyoming, PA 18644 Open Daily 9 a.m.to 9 p.m.* Sun. I | am.- 5 p.m. 693-5930 - 693-3960 - Fax: 693-4514 reals. Individuals, churches and organizations are encouraged to call the Trucksville United Methodist Church at 696-3897 to arrange to deliver any donations they are able to collect. 19° 15 Minute Smart Spare 44° Castrol Super Clean Heavy-Duty Cleaner 39°° NAPA Power™ 65 Month Battery #6024, 24F, 26R, 56, 58, 70, 35/75 DALLAS AUTO PARTS 668 Memorial Hwy., Dallas * 675-2143 TIMESeLEADER ( by to order. THE DALLAS POST P.O. 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