December 14 to December 20, 2003 @° 114 No. 50 Last-minute gifts at the library. Page 4 SERVING THE COMM UNITIES OF THE DALLAS & LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS By RONALD BARTIZEK Post Staff Property tax passed | vears, includes a property tax. closing a deficit of more than $200,000. state and township rules. KINGSTON TWP. — The township has a 2004 budget that, for the first time in 10 @: the eighth meeting since October 27 at hich the budget was discussed, the supervi- sors voted 3-2 to add a 10-mill property tax to the township’s revenue stream, nearly The second and final reading of the budget is scheduled for December 30, just a day be- fore the final deadline for adoption set by A proposed “business privilege tax” that might have raised as much as $87,000 was rejected at a special hearing Tuesday night, after several small business owners pleaded BH Ban on open burning okayed at 11 p.m. Pg 2. ila BC ah ade ec year as she prepares for the birth ond child. See their case that the $600 annual levy would be unbearable and would result in either their closing or moving from the township. “I will have to close, so you won't get the money anyway,” said Diane Pocono, who op- erates Nails to Di For from her home on North Pioneer Avenue, about the business tax. Pocono said she took in less than $5,000 last year and expects to do less business this Like other businesspersons who spoke throughout the hearing, Pocono questioned of her sec- TAX, pg 2 POST PHOTO/RON BARTIZEK Kingston Township Solicitor Ben Jones III, left, conferred with Paul Sabol, chairman of the supervisors, during the meeting to adopt the 2004 budget. 20-year tradition carries on By M.B. GILLIGAN & Post Correspondent LEHMAN TWP. — “Twas the night before Christmas recently for Kinder- garten students at Lehman-Jackson El- ementary School, when first and third grade students were treated to a dress rehearsal of the annual show. “They’ve done the exact same show for over 20 years and the first time par- ents are always impressed,” said Robert Kunkle, principal. “I guarantee that the All Purpose Room will be full of parents and grandparents and they will all love the show.” Tommy Williams played the role of Papa for the show that recreates the fa- mous poem. He wore a blue bathrobe as he “flew to the window and threw @- the sash.” When asked what he ould like to receive for Christmas this year, he mentioned a remote con- trol car, specifically a silver Hummer. See TRADITION, pg 3 POST PHOTO/M.B. GILLIGAN “...Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” Pictured, from left, are the mice: Cheyenne Summer Dries, Katie Supe, Corey Weaver, and Joseph Sharon at a dress rehearsal for the Lehman-Jackson Elemen- tary School play. Roundabout is on PENNDOT’s radar screen By ERIN YOUNGMAN Post Staff DALLAS — PENNDOT is looking for a place to put a roundabout and thinks Dallas Borough may fit the bill. Few other possibilities exist to solve * traffic congestion in the troubled “five- “You could consider one-way streets. The only other possibility is widening the area.” Bob Doble PENNDOT acting district executive points” area. However, budget con- straints could prevent the project from being completed. “We're looking for a place to do one (a roundabout) and it does offer the potential in Dallas to solve some prob- lems,” said Bob Doble, PENNDOT acting district executive. “To be hon- @ there aren’t a lot of other alterna- pives (for the Dallas intersection).” fic pattern is one of only three options available to address the downtown’s problems. “You could consider one-way streets,” he suggested. “The only oth- er possibility is widening the area” — something he said would be “very problematic” and “not going to hap- pen” because buildings would have to be removed. Doble said last week the round traf- The only other option is the round- Township trail gets a sign, but ownership is a mystery By ERIN YOUNGMAN Post Staff DALLAS TWP. — The bottom of a re- cently clearcut area off of Sago Street is the site of a new walking trail. But nei- ther the township, nor the adjoining property owner knows who owns it. Bob Tupper, a 40-year Sago Street resi- dent, said he first noticed the “Dallas Township Park Walking Trail” sign two weeks ago. Tupper said the trail, located next to the Dallas Township park, has always been there, This is the first time, howev- er, the trail — which begins in a wooded area and proceeds along a Toby’s Creek ibutary — has been marked as a public ail. Shortly after discovering the sign, Tupper said he went to a Dallas Town- ship Board of Supervisors meeting to find out if tree debris left over from re- cent clearcutting would be removed by the township. He said he was told by Frank Wagner, president of the board of supervisors, the township didn’t own the property, the Anthracite Scenic Trails Association did. Since then, however, both Len Kozick, township zoning officer, and Wagner have said they are not sure who owns the property. Kozick said Judy Rimple, president the trails association, did inquire about using the property for the Back Moun- tain Trail. Shortly after that inquiry, Kozick went to the courthouse in Wilkes-Barre to find a map that would spell out the trails ownership. None were available. about, a modernized re-engineered traffic circle. The pattern is prelimi- narily projected to meet the area's challenges and only require the re- moval of the closed Sunoco gas sta- tion — something a developer has al- ready agreed help accomplish. PENNDOT and many people in the community are behind the project in- cluding College Misericordia and the Dallas community visioning program. TINIE lo 8 of Doble said too many projects and not enough money could prevent the roundabout from being funded. Dallas’ roundabout is one of about 30 projects in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties that are being evaluated for competi- tive state funding. Complicating things further, the Dallas area has asked for funding for a number of proj- ects. Doble named Dug Road, Church Hill Road, portions of Routes 118 and 309 as some of the additional “Dallas area” projects also in need of funding. Asked whether any of those projects could take precedence, Doble respond- ed, “There have been some fatals on 118, that’s important.” But the outlook is not entirely See ROUNDABOUT, pg 8 School officials not upset by faulty fire alarm By ERIN YOUNGMAN Post Staff DALLAS TWP. — The school board was told December 8 that the Dallas high school fire alarm system failed to function properly during an October fire. The district’s fire alarm company also explained the system continues to be unreliable. With the replacement project most likely going to bid, the high school could be without a guaranteed alarm system for more than six weeks. Solicitor Ben Jones III said if a fire erupts in the meantime, the school EM Ty fawn “It’s the could be held liable. oldest system superin- tendent you can have. Ct The whole Griffiths : said the fire thing has to occurred in be replaced.” a cafeteria dryer and was put out Mark Kraynack by the fire Building and grounds qepart- supervisor ment. He said it caused no substantial damage. Representatives from the Simplex fire alarm company explained at the school board meeting that repairs made to the 40-year-old system since the fire are only temporary. They said they couldn’t guarantee the system would work if another fire occurs. “We did some adjustments. It’s working right now. If there’s an alarm, it could lock up and cause a hazard,” said Scott Eyerman of Simplex. The representatives explained the system passed a recent test conduct- ed by their company. Eyerman, how- ever, still warned about its reliability. “There is a problem on the system See ALARM, pg 3 Without proof of ownership, a formal use agreement between the township See TRAIL, pg POST PHOTO/ERIN YOUNGMAN A sign has been posted to mark the Dallas Township Park Walking 8 Trail, although township officials aren't sure the trail is theirs. NAR AEE INSIDE THE Post Frosty and friends visit Trucksville Nursery School. Page 8 14 Pages, 2 Sections Calendar...........uuii 14 Church... Benin 11 Crossword...................; 10 Editorials...........cud0 i 6 ODIUANISS. ...ii iv vivsveransss 7 School... 12.13 SPOMS......co0ii heeiins sy 9-10 How To Reach Us News: 675-5211 thepost@leader.net 15 N. Main St. Wilkes-Barre PA 18711 Advertising: 970-7102 Subscriptions and Delivery: 829-5000
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