L Vol. 115 No. 51 J High IW, basketball action. KNIGHT Page 7 Log The Back Mountain's Newspaper Since 1889 December 19 to December 25, 2004 SERVING TH E COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS & LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS Trucksville water tank may go in the woods The plan to build a 150-foot tower along Manor Drive was not well-received by neighbors. By RONALD BARTIZEK Post Staff KINGSTON TWP. — Responding 0 complaints that a water tower placed along Manor Drive would be ugly, Aqua Pennsylvania has found a new, more remote site. The company has an option to buy a small piece of a lot off Hilltop Drive, in the new Friedman subdivi- sion. Pennsylvania general hopes the approximately 100 foot square space will be acceptable to neighbors and the supervisors. “It looks favorable to me,” Subasic said. “It’s higher, so the tower can be lower.” In September, Subasic and other Rich Aqua manager, Subasic, company officials proposed building a tower up to 150 feet tall alongside the company’s well station at Manor Drive and Howell Road. Examples had a “bulb” at the top of a pedestal. Subasic said the bulb would be about 35 feet in diameter and 30 feet high, and the stem would be about 12 feet in diameter. The tank needs to be 1260 to 1280 feet above sea level, and the Manor Drive site met that require- ment. But, confronted with opposi- tion, Subasic said it was not the only option. Subsequent searches turned up the new location. The tank now being planned would be a “standpipe” design, uni- formly 30 feet in diameter and about 80 feet high. Since it will be surrounded by trees, it will be less visible, particularly in spring and See WATER, pg 3 A miracle in Bethlehem The cast of “Miracle on B ethlehem Street,” FOR THE POST/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK presented last week at the Shavertown United Methodist Church, included Frank Ziegler Jr., Michael Nixon, (Joseph), Amanda Martin (Mary), Ally Rome, Becky Andrew, Greta Ketchner, three kings, Gene Ziemba, Chris Cave, Frank Ziegler Ill. More photos on page 3. Sign dispute reinforces need to look anew at zoning codes The owner of side-by-side properties wanted a combined sign. The borough said no. By RONALD BARTIZEK Post Staff DALLAS — The new Domino’s Pizza store on Memorial Highway will have a sign, but only one, at least for now. A variance request to the borough's sign ordinance, asking for more than one sign, was turned down. The code allows a single sign, not more than 60 1are feet in size for an individual @ Joe Moskovitz, borough man- ager, said the new sign falls below that limit. Joe Nardone Jr., who manages the property, formerly site of a Pump ‘n’ Pantry convenience store, is not happy that the variance was rejected, but felt it was more important to help his new tenant get open than to fight over sig- nage. “We'll reapply, we’ll do what we need to do,” Nardone said last week. He is annoyed that his request was denied, when signs that don’t fit the ordinance are all around. “There’s 50 signs in violation up and down the Dallas highway,” he said, and not all of them were erected before the current zoning ordinance was enacted in 1991. Nardone said he was hoping to also gain permission for a combination sign that would serve both the building where Domino’s is located and the Dallas Corners office building next door. ~ He owns the office building and his father owns the former convenience store. Moskovitz suggested that if Nardone had given the zoning board a concrete plan for a combined sign, the idea might have been more warmly received. The ordinance allows a sign up to 200 square feet for a shopping center, which is defined as two or more buildings, plus individual signs of 35 square feet or less on each store. The disagreement has spurred the borough council to step up a review of the zoning ordinance. Moskovitz would like to see regulations that would result in smaller, less garish signs; “to help us create a pleasant environment in town. This wall-to-wall sign stuff on the high- way has to end.” He expects new sign ordinances to stress style and lighting more than size, since too-restrictive rules have béen struck down by courts in other areas of the state. The council has begun to seek an out- side consultant to help draft new ordi- nances, a process that will probably take most of next year, Moskovitz said. He agrees with some businesses’ feel- ing that the borough has been inconsis- tent in enforcing the sign ordinance. “It’s incumbent on us to make sure its enforced correctly,” he said. Seth Gollhardt, Lehman, manager of the new Domino's in Dallas, stood outside the store. The sign meets borough rules, but the property owner's request for an additional sign was turned down. The store opened last week. FOR THE POST/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK DALLAS SCHOOL BOARD Griffiths” bonus battle may not be over yet Staff report DALLAS TWP. — Former Superintendent of Schools Gilbert Griffiths has been advised by his lawyer to say little about a dispute over pay- ment of an early-retirement bonus. “'m disappointed but not surprised,” Griffiths said last Wednesday, two days after the school board agreed to pay unused sick and vacation time, but not the $67,000 early-retire- ment bonus. With Bruce Goeringer absent and James Richardson abstaining, the board voted 5-2 to approve a resolution giving Griffiths $12,301.44 for 32 unused vacation days, and $3,450 for 150 unused sick days. The vacation pay was calculated at a per-diem rate of $384.42 based on Griffiths’ salary, but the sick-day pay was $23 a day based on the “contracted rate.” Maureen Matiska and Dennis Gochoel voted against the resolution. The majority claims Griffiths was required by contract to notify the board of his retirement by April 1 and did not. He retired Dec. 1. Implying that he will pursue the matter, Griffiths said, “It is going to be an issue.” The board also approved the refinancing of a $7.2 million bond issued in 2001. PNC Bank consultant William A. Runner Jr. said that, thanks to lower interest rates, the district will save $195,599 over 23 years. Gochoel suggested the savings be earmarked for building improvements, and the board agreed. See DALLAS, pg 2 LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL BOARD Presidents father hired as a coach By JANINE UNGVARSKY For The Post LEHMAN TWP. — The new varsity assistant girls basketball coach at Lake-Lehman comes with 4 1/2 decades of coaching experience and credentials that include a son on the school board. By a 7-1 vote, the board approved Plymouth resident James Mahon III for the position. After the meeting, board president Jim Mahon acknowledged that the new coach is his father. “He has 45 years coaching experience, with three Wyoming Conference championships and three district titles. He’s coached four Division I players,” Mahon said of his father. Mahon abstained from voting on the posi- tion, which will pay $4,021 for the 2004-05 year, prorated because the season has already begun. " The lone vote of opposition came from Charles Balavage, who said he opposed an assistant var- sity coach for a 16-member team that already has a coach and an assistant. Mahon noted that the position is a vacancy that must be filled because of Title IX, which requires equal opportunities in sports and: coaching for both boys and girls. “The boys have five coaches, the girls have four,” Mahon said. Balavage still questioned the need for a sec- ond varsity assistant. “I could easily support See LAKE-LEHMAN, pg 2 Holiday trash collection schedule Because Christmas day and New Year’s Day both fall on Saturdays, collection of trash and recyclables by the Dallas Area Municipal Authority will be as usual, on the regularly scheduled day. There will be a no bag limit on trash begin- ning Monday, Dec. 27 and ending Friday, Dec. 31. The regular two bag limit will resume on Monday, January 3. 2005. ¥ Inside The Post 12 Pages, 1 Section Calendar Business group mixes business and holiday pleasure Page 2 acs OAHD. A! Onto Blackout Fudge at oo. Four Wares, Shang Sovarso Emabiies AL TR Ouhee iis as : = Hy een FE Hanolulu Star Bulletin 24EXTRA DEATHS OVER 400 ON REPORT + Moves But to Sun Legion commemorates the attack on Pearl Harbor. Page 6 V¥ How To Reach Us News: 675-5211 thepost@leader.net 15 N. Main St. Wilkes-Barre PA 18711 Advertising: 829-7101 Subscriptions and Delivery: 829-5000
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