@. 117 No. 24 THE BACK MOUNTAIN'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889 June 11 - June 17, 2006 OST SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS AND LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS DALLAS SCHOOL DISTRICT Tax increase do take $125 out of pocket By CAMILLE FIOTI Post Correspondent DALLAS TWP. — A 22-mill tax hike for the 2006-07 budget proposed by the Dallas School Board at Monday’s meeting, isn’t sit- ting well with a lot of taxpayers, according to board member Russ Bigus. He said he couldn’t attend Monday’s meeting because of family obligations. “I think it’s extremely high and I don’t think it’s needed,” he said adding that the in- crease, which amounts to approximately $125 per household. Nine of those mills will be used for the beginning phases of construc- tion and building improvements. A recent feasibility study done by the engi- neering firm Quad 3 Group outlined several options for the district, ranging from reno- vating the high school and Dallas Elemen- | gary School — at an estimated cost of approxi- htely $32 million — to a new, larger high school and new stadium which would ex- ceed $28 million. The top priority is address- ing the lack of space at the high school, Dal- las Elementary and Wycallis Elementary schools. Based on the number of building permits issued for new construction, there will be at least a 1,000 new homes in the district next summer and not enough classroom space, said Bigus. He added Quad 3 also has an ex- cellent ability to predict population growth using a computer-generated statistical growth forecasting program. Bigus agreed the high school is in dire need of renovations and short on space, add- ing that many high school students are tak- ing classes in the cafeteria. He said he @- see the need for a new football stadi- um or a totally new high school, however. “We're still paying for the Taj Mahal pro- jects of the past,” he said referring to the middle school’s 3-year-old, six-lane, 25-me- ter swimming pool and the unique log cabin- style construction of Wycallis Elementary School. “Fancy architecture costs a fortune.” Bigus said another option the board dis- cussed is to use a building on state Route 115, near the Dallas Township municipal build- ing, as an early childhood center and admin- istrative offices or a special education center. The approximately 11,000 to 14,000 square foot building, which sits on 11 acres, is own- ed by Wyoming Valley Health Care Systems, Inc. and is 99 percent unoccupied, he said. To remedy an immediate need for space, the district will lease a two-classroom mod- ular unit at $1,250 a month for 60 months, which will be ready for the fall. Business manager Grant Palfey said the beginning stages of construction, such as architectural design and bidding ,should be completed within a year and without interrupting the schools. Under Act 72, which will give school dis- picts a portion of state gaming revenue for @ tax reduction, Palfey said the state 1S granting an exception to the district to al- low it to raise taxes above the mandated 3.9 percent. The exception was granted because the district’s spending per student decreased last year from the previous year. “We are taking a risk by not doing it this year,” Palfey said. “This is a one and done deal.” The ongoing contract negotiations of the district’s support staff and teachers were a heavy consideration for the 2006-07 budget, Palfey added. “There are a lot of open issues right now.” Bigus said Act 72 forces school boards to be financially and fiscally responsible. “We want to make sure there’s fiscal ac- countability, to squeeze the budget as tight as you can while maintaining educational ex- cellence in the Dallas School District,” he said. The $26.5 million budget will be voted on at the June 26 meeting. RELAY FOR LIFE A pifeet Paperback Mig a wh i {o (art arvistn BAL A bet Blsthany, hi ; {A il i. : te SUBMITTED PHOTOS Members of the Offset Paperback team gather on the track of Mangelesdorf Field at College Misericordia. Telling cancer to take a walk By GENELLE HOBAN Post Correspondent ping winds and plunks of rain, the fourth annual Back Mountain Relay for Life was cut short thanks to Mother Nature. The event was held last weekend at Mangelesdorf Field on the campus of College Misericordia. Relay For Life is the signature event of the American Cancer So- ciety. At the event, individuals and teams walk around a track for a 24- hour period. The event is designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money to help the American Can- cer Society. The Back Mountain Relay For Life began at 5 p.m. Friday and was scheduled to conclude at 5 p.m. Saturday. But the weather didn’t cooperate. “It started raining around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday and the ground became saturated,” said Susan Hal- basch, publicity chairwoman. “The stakes holding up the tents starting lifting when the wind picked up and we couldn’t get them to stay in. We stopped the event as a safety precaution because we didn’t want anyone to get hurt.” This year’s theme was Carnivale and had plenty of music, food and games. Halbasch said it has rained at least one of the days every year since the inaugural event in 2003. The event is normally held for 24 hours because people who have cancer must battle it 24 hours a day. “The Relay for Life in Wilkes- Barre drew people from a lot of dif- D ALLAS TWP. — With whip- ferent communities and that’s how we came to form the Back Moun- tain Relay for Life,” said Michelle Cassetori, chairperson of the event. Twenty-five teams of 10, as well as several walk-on participants, strolled around the track to raise more than $120,000 for the disease, which was donated to the Wyom- ing Valley Unit of the American Cancer Society. The money raised will help with cutting edge research, education, advocacy and patient services. “Our programs like Road to Re- covery and Look Good, Feel Better are financed through donations,” said Christine DeMelfi, the com- munity income development spe- cialist for the American Cancer So- ciety. “The Relay for Life doesn’t focus on only one type of cancer,” Hal- basch said. “It goes for everybody and that’s what is great about it.” The annual survivors’ luncheon was postponed because of the in climate weather. But Halbasch says a survivor and caregiver luncheon will be held in the near future. The time, date and place will be printed in an upcom- ing edition of The Post. This year’s honorary chairperson for the event was Beth Carey, a sophomore at Lake-Lehman High School. “I was diagnosed with non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma about a year ago so this was my first time partic- ipating as a survivor,” the 16-year- old said. “I got to light the first candle dur- ing the luminary service and walk nterMETRO a LT ¥ 5 t 3 k i 4 § bs | | 4% L) i ¥ off 1 gE § 2X3 ] 4 L° S Ww L¥ 3 4 5 de Susan Halbasch, left, and Jerry Phares get ready for the Relay For Life event. “The Relay for Life doesn’t focus on only one type of cancer. It goes for everybody and that’s what is great about it.” Susan Halbasch Publicity chairwoman the first lap around the track. It was an honor.” Cassetori, who lost her sister-in- law to breast cancer, said through her involvement with the Relay for Life she has met many wonderful people. “It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “I do it in her honor. It makes me feel like we are making a difference because each year more survivors show up.” Oliver hopes to continue NBLI success By DAVE KONOPKI Post Editor TRUCKSVILLE — Frank Oliver is passion- ate about his position as the executive direc- tor of the North Branch Land Trust, which helps preserve open land being lost to devel- opment. And he hopes members of the com- munity are just as passionate. “Tell me, who's against clean water and flood control or destroying family farms?,” asked Oliver, who recently took over the ex- ecutive director post from Linda Thoma. “We love land and we want to preserve it. In this state, we're losing roughly a land mass the size of Pittsburgh every six months to de- velopment. That would be okay if our pop- ulation was increasing, but it’s not.” And land is being lost right here in our own back yard. The office of the NBLT is lo- cated in Trucksville. “In the Back Mountain, it’s not hard to see a great deal of development,” said Oliver, who lives in Tunkhannock. “We’re not anti- development. We just want to see conserva- tive development. We want people to think before putting a bulldozer on the property.” The NBLT made great strides in the 10 years under Thoma. The nonprofit organiza- tion grew from approximately 45 members to more than 450. And it has been able to protect more than 3,000 acres of land. “I think there’s a much deeper under- standing in the community abroad of what a land trust does,” said Tho- ma, a Dallas resident who now serves as the organiza- tion’s director of oper- ations. “We still have a long way to go, but conservancy and land trust is now being utilized at township level. The preservation of open space in now in their vocab- Frank Oliver ulary.” Oliver hopes to build on Thoma'’s success. He says the addition of conservation special- ist Rick Koval was a huge shot in the arm. “Rick has built credibility for the organiza- tion,” said Oliver, who has experience rais- ing money for College Misericordia, King’s College, the Tunkhannock Memorial Li- brary, the Dietrich Theater, and Wayne County Memorial Hospital. “The demand for our services is increasing. As people learn about us, friends and neighbors call us.” Among the items listed in the NBLT’s mis- sion statement on the organization’s Web site are: ¢ The North Branch Land Trust works in partnership with landowners and their com- munities to preserve the beauty and open landscapes that sustain us. ¢ Provides for the long-term stewardship of natural resources by the conserving and preserving forests and woodlands, water- sheds and waterways, wildlife habitat, agri- cultural lands and open space in both rural and urban areas e Protects and enhances scenic natural beauty and cultural landmarks. e Provides this resource protection through acquiring and managing real prop- erty and interests in real property, public education, and non-partisan governmental involvement. Oliver said he was encouraged by the overwhelming voter support for Growing Greener II during the last election. The vot- er-approved plan will invest $625 million to clean up rivers and streams; protect natural areas, open spaces and working farms; and shore up key programs to improve quality of life and revitalize communities across the state. “I believe from 73 to 75 percent of the peo- ple voted for Growing Greener II,” he said. “It shows we’re on the right side, politically, of the issue.” Oliver is also hoping more Back Mountain residents become active in the North Branch Land Trust. “Our greatest enemy is indifference,” he said. ¥ How To Reach Us -< News: 829-7248 thepost@leader.net 15 N. Main St. Wilkes-Barre PA 1871 Ws Subscriptions and Delivery: 829-5000 In a class b himself: Dallas three- sport athlete Mike Race has earned Tl varsity letters. ( 3 Church services, news and notes 2,6 School news from around the Back Mountain v
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