Vol. 120 No. 43 THE BACK MOUNTAIN'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889 October 25 - 31, 2009 The Serving the communities of the Dallas and Lake-Lehman School Districts | By REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com Results from a recent survey show the majority of Dallas Township residents feel emer- gency services and response times in the township are good. The survey was the first step supervisors will take to form a comprehensive plan, which rep- resents a continuation of plan- ning initiatives by the township. Six hundred of the surveys were mailed to township households in June of this year and 376 were returned. Dallas Township supervisors released results from a township community survey before their regular bi-monthly meeting on & 20. Jack Varaly, a planning con- sultant from Pasonick Engineer- ing, the townships engineer, came up with the idea of a com- munity survey to see what is- sues are important to people liv- ing in the township. Township officials say they were expecting Varaly to present the findings at the special public meeting, but he did not show up. In the survey, residents had the chance to voice their opin- ions on township matters includ- ing new growth, the most posi- tive and most negative aspect of living in the township, the most important change that should occur and other matters. They were also able to rank the impor- tance of aspects of living in the township, maintenance of roads “My impression is that it's kind of reflective of what we hear at these meetings.” Attorney Thomas Brennan Dallas Township solicitor and highways, the adequacy of emergency services, general ser- vices and facilities and recre- ational opportunities and facili- ties. The majority of survey respon- dents were age 50 and above with the 50 to 59 age group rep- resenting 28 percent of those who completed it. Twenty-six percent were ages 60 to 69 and 22 percent were age 70 and above. Over 50 percent of the survey takers have lived at their resi- dence for more than 20 years, with 41 percent having lived in the Back Mountain prior to relo- cating to their current home. The questions that received the most positive responses per- tained to the quality and re- sponse of police, fire and ambu- lance services in the township. Seventy-nine percent of respon- dents ranked police protection as good, 16 percent felt it was fair and 5 percent said it was poor. Eighty percent thought the response times are good, 15 per- cent said they are fair and five felt they are poor. The fire department and am- bulance received even better rat- ings. Ninety-one percent of sur- vey takers felt the fire depart- ments are good, 8 percent said they are fair and one percent said they are poor. Ninety-two percent of those who completed the survey said the ambulance service is good, eight percent said fair and none said poor. Both the fire and ambulance services received a 90 percent good rating for response time. Ten percent said it was fair while none said it was poor. | Survey says: Emergency response times are good Many of the people who com- pleted the survey felt restrictive about new growth and develop- ment in the township. Only nine percent favor new development while 45 percent are okay with moderate residential develop- ment. Forty-six percent opposed development all together. The availability of outdoor recreation facilities also received a somewhat unfavorable re- sponse. Thirty-four percent of those who responded said they are good, 42 percent said fair and 24 percent said poor. “My impression is that it’s kind of reflective of what we hear at these meetings,” said At- torney Thomas Brennan, the See SURVEY, Page 14 Priest's C enefit ki By REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com The Rev. James Paisley’s par- ishioners have always suggested he record his Christmas homi- lies. After singing his Christmas ho- milies for more than two dec- ades, the Rev. Paisley, pastor of St. Therese’s Roman Catholic Church in Shavertown, released his CD titled “My Grown Up Christmas Wish” on Oct. 19. The CD is his first solo album and is comprised of songs and reflec- tions for Christmas. “I sing my Christmas homily,” the Rev. Paisley said. “I've been doing that for 24 years ever since I was ordained. After I would sing my homily, many people would say, ‘Boy, Father, I really enjoyed that. You should record that.” The CD contains 10 songs in- cluding “Believe,” by Josh Gro- ban, from the movie “Polar Ex- press”; “Breath of Heaven” and “My Grown Up Christmas List,” both by Amy Grant; “A Baby Changes Everything,” by Faith Hill; “A Soldier’s King,” artist un- known; “Joseph’s Lullaby;” “One Bright Star”; “Family,” artist un- known; “Holy is His Name,” by D will S agency CD INFORMATION “My Grown Up Christmas Wish” may be purchased for $12 now through the holiday season at the following locations: Wyoming Valley Children’s Association, Forty Fort (call ahead to 714-1246); Joe Nardone's Gallery of Sound stores, various locations; The Guild Store, Scranton; Sunshine Market, Plains Township; St. Therese's Church and rectory, Shavertown; Francine Paisley Beauty Shop, Hazleton; Thomas’ Foodtown, Shavertown; and Tho- mas’ SuperFoodtown, Dallas; and Barnes & Noble, Wilkes-Barre (Nov. 8 only). John Michael Talbot; and “Thankful,” by Josh Groban. Spoken words of reflection by the Rev. Paisley are featured over piano music as lead-ins to five of the 10 songs. Kathy Elgaway is the pianist on the CD. “The purpose of the CD is to get people in a reflective Christ- mas mood,” the Rev. Paisley said. All proceeds from the CD will benefit the Wyoming Valley Chil- dren’s Association in Forty Fort. The local non-profit agency’s pri- See CD, Page 14 CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/ FOR THE DALLAS POST The Rev. James Paisley has recently produced a CD of his songs at the urging of parishioners at St. Terese’s Church, Shavertown. Sales of the CD will benefit the Wyoming Valley Children’s Association. Former Dallas Township police officer Wayman Miers was honored recently at the township supervisors meeting. Miers retired from the township's police department Sept. 23. He served as a full- time officer for the department since 1987. From left are super- visors Glenn Howell and Phillip Walter, Miers and supervisor Frank Wagner. Miers honored on retirement as police officer By REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com Police work was something Wayman Miers never thought he would do. Miers’ brother, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Johnson Miers, now retired, urged his brother to also become a state trooper back in the early 1970s. But Wayman didn’t listen. “I'’kept saying to him, ‘What do I want to do that for?” Miers said. “Then when I finally got into it, I knew that’s what I'm supposed to do. That was my calling.” Miers became a police officer in 1981 at the age of 34 when he was laid off from Luzerne Products in Plains Township after working for 17 years as a foreman. Miers, 58, of Dallas, retired from the Dallas Township Police De- partment on Sept. 23 after having served as a full-time officer for the department since January 1987. When Miers first joined the po- lice department, his boss was his older brother, Carl, Dallas Town- ship Chief of Police at the time. “He taught me a lot of stuff,” Wayman said of Carl. “Not what you learn in the book, but what you learn on the road in real life. Book work and being out on the road are two completely different things....” Many other members of the Miers family have also served in law enforcement. Their grandfa- ther, Walter Besecker, was a game warden, they have cousins who serve as police offices in Dupont Borough and a nephew is a ser- geant in the Virginia State Police. Miers and his wife, Jane, have two grown daughters, Jennifer, who works as a dispatcher for Lu- zerne County 911, and Julie, a reg- istered nurse. Miers has many memories from his career, but especially remem- bers saving someone’s life. Miers responded to the home of Martin Barry who was choking on a pork chop bone, performed first aid and was able to dislodge the bone. “Anytime that I could help any- body, no matter what the situation was, I felt good about,” Miers said. Another instance that Miers See MIERS, Page 14 Peking Chet et Peking Chet be your host. Birthday, Anniversary or Holiday Celebrations, make the occasion extra-special. £) « RIK 5 AR For our catering services call Lisa or Eric at 675-0555. Dallas Shopping Center = BDAatpAS POST. www.mydallaspost.com
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