Sunday, January 17, 2010 THE DALLAS POST PAGE 3 DALLAS SCHOOL DISTRICT . Old Dallas Township High School is ‘sound’ By REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com Members of the Dallas School Board learned on Jan. 11 that the old Dallas Township High School is structurally sound. Allen Roth, vice president of Joseph B. Callaghan Inc. of Phi- ladelphia, began examining the school on Jan. 10. Roth told the board that, upon preliminary ex- amination, he has found the school building “in generally ve- ry good condition.” The board hired Joseph B. Callaghan Inc. to perform a structural evaluation of the school before deciding whether to keep or demolish the build- ing. Roth said the use of the build- ing would be restricted to a classroom or light office environ- ment and would not be able to be used as a storage or assembly ar- ea, a gymnasium or a cafeteria. He estimates the school can be renovated from a structural standpoint for between $100,000 and $150,000 but stressed he did not want to be held to those pre- liminary numbers. Board president Bruce Goer- inger asked if the building con- tains asbestos, but Roth said be- cause he is not an industrial hy- gienist, he could not answer the question. Roth noted the board should not delay its decision regarding the building for five or 10 years as it needs general maintenance if it is to be saved. Tax rate The board passed a resolution agreeing to set the tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year at or be- low the index rate of 3.4 percent, as required by Act 1. The index for the district is established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. According to the district’s 2009-2010 fiscal budget, the mil- Roth said the use of the building would be restricted to a class- room or light office environment and would not be able to be used as a storage or assembly area, a gymnasium or a cafeteria. He estimates the school can be renovated from a structural standpoint for between $100,000 and $150,000 but stressed he did not want to be held to those preliminary numbers. lage rate for the current tax rate is 10.6498 mills. A mill is a $1 tax on every $1,000 of assessed prop- erty value. Change orders approved The board approved five change orders related to the new high school construction project for a total of $55,781.11. The change orders include in- stallation of property line securi- ty fence, adding handrails at the maintenance loading dock, wall finishes at the maintenance building offices, wall finishes at the maintenance central storage and revision of ducts in the main- tenance building mezzanine. The total from change orders to date is $292,960.11. There was over $1.2 million in contingency on the project and $955,159.89 remains in contingency. Project status Bob Nesbit, of Crabtree Rohr- baugh & Associates, updated the board about the status of the high school project. Nesbit said the new mainte- nance building is six to seven weeks behind schedule due to ductwork placed in the mezza- nine. The ductwork will be relo- cated as part of a change order. sAccording to Nesbit, the high school is approximately three to four weeks behind due to the re- cent cold weather; however, even though the weather has im- pacted the project, the contrac- tor did not ask for any weather days in December or so far in Ja- nuary. PIAA appeal The board voted to appeal the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Associations ruling in December to suspend head foot- ball coach Ted Jackson for one year. Jackson is accused of alleg- edly telling his players to urinate on the tennis courts at Tunkhan- nock High School during a Sept. 18 football game last year. Personnel Kathleen Geraghty was hired as a part-time reading teacher, effective Jan. 12, 2010, through the end of the school year at a rate of $28.35 per hour. The following resignations were accepted: Deborah Decker, a housekeeper at the high school, effective Dec. 23, 2009; Maria Brody, part-time reading teacher, effective Jan. 11, 2010. An extended leave of absence was approved for Crystal Seidel, a fifth-grade teacher at Dallas Elementary School, through March 23, 2010. Seidel’s leave of absence was originally for Oct. 1, 2009 through Jan. 19, 2010. Lunch money Web site Approval was granted for the district to enter into an agree- ment with mylunchmoney.com to allow parents to set up an ac- count to monitor if they choose. The Web site allows parents to electronically deposit money in- to their child’s lunch account and to monitor their child’s meals. A fee of $1.95 will be charged for each electronic deposit into an account. KINGSTON TOWNSHIP dupervisors vote against tax ~ Yorgiveness on Spring St. home REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com Paul Sedesky learned on Jan. 13 that Kingston Township will not forgive back taxes on prop- erty he recently purchased. The board of supervisors vot- ed in October 2009 to forgive $150.50 in owed real estate tax- es on 51 Spring St. upon the sale and demolition of the prop- erty. vig Sedesky, who lives at 53 Spring St., bought, 51 Spring St. | in November 2009. He has since decided not to demolish the home and asked the supervisors to still forgive the taxes. The home at 51 Spring St. was condemned and was nick- named “the cat house” after 42 cats were pulled from it in 2006. Sedesky says he spent over $3,000 to haul 32 tons of trash from the home after he purchased it. Chairman of supervisors mes Reino told Sedesky the ard revisited the matter at its ork session on Jan. 11 and that no one made a motion to for- give the taxes now that the property will not be demol- ished. Supervisor John Solinsky added that, although the amount may not seem like a lot, forgiving it would set a prece- dent for doing so on other prop- erties. “If we forgive one of them, wed have to forgive all and I'm not prepared to do that,” Solin- sky said. BOND REFINANCING The supervisors approved a parameter ordinance for refi- nancing the 2003 bond issue. "If we forgive one of them, we'd have to forgive all and I'm not prepared to do that.” Township Supervisor John Solinsky On decision not to forgive property taxes The ordinance does not refi- nance the bond but allows the supervisors to refinance more quickly if the bond interest rates fall. — TOWNSHIP SECRETARY, . A previous motion to appoint Shirley Moyer as township sec- retary was rescinded and Frank Natitus was appointed as town- ship secretary. Reino said Moyer did not want the posi- tion. TRUCK REPAIR Approval was granted for the township manager to disburse up to $8,500 to replace the truck box on the township's 1994 GMC truck. AMBULANCE The supervisors voted for the township solicitor and manager to put together a resolution to name Kingston Township Vol- unteer Ambulance Association as the township’s basic life sup- port ambulance provider. The resolution would also properly identify the organization which recently merged with Trucks- ville Volunteer Fire Co. HOLIDAY HOUSE WINNERS The winners of the township’s 2009 Holiday House Contest were announced. The contest was to determine the four town- ship homes that were decorated the best for the holidays. The first-place winner was Joseph Kaleta, 195 Bunker Hill Rd., $60; second-place winner was Richard Con- nors, 205 Bunker. Hill. Rd., $55; third-place winner was Richard Holthaus; Jr., 20 Di- vision St., $45; and fourth- place winner was Evelyn Horntz, 306 Echo Valley Es- tates, $40. Each winner will receive a Lowe’s gift card in the re- spective prize amount they were awarded. DAMA REPRESENTATIVE The supervisors amended a motion made at their reor- ganization meeting, appoint- ing Joseph Youngblood from a two-year term to a five year-term as the township's representative to the Dallas Area Municipal Authority. CO-STARS A motion was approved to purchase road materials through the Co-Stars pro- gram in 2010. Reino said Co-Stars allows the township to get the state bid price on materials which can save money. The town- ship used Co-Stars last year and it worked out well, he said. Rebecca Bria is a staff writer for The Dallas Post. She can be reached at 970-7436. Fei) Ce Rl A a Gently Used or $Yed i iw A i « rLOYES tui win mt id p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 23 and 24, at Misericordia University. Organizing the event are, from left, Michagl fndiacDowell president, Misericordia University; Sister Jean Messaros, vice nta president, stu airs: Ross Piazza, y Waterways conservation officer of the-Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission; and KingstoniTownship Police Officer Martin C. Maranskys «uss Back Mountain Police Association will distribute warm coats to kids First event set for next Saturday and Sunday at Misericordia University. New and gently-used winter jackets, hats, gloves and scarves will be available for free to chil- dren in need from the greater community during the Back Mountain Police Association’s first “Warm Coats for Kids” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 23 and 24, at Miser- icordia University. Members of the Back Moun- tain Police Association placed collection boxes at participating businesses in Back Mountain and West Side communities to collect donated items and also held three collection drives at Tho- mas’ Family Markets in Shaver- town. Family members can select a coat and matching gloves and hats for their children from among more than 100 winter jackets and accessories at Miser- icordia University’s Black Top Lounge, located behind Alumnae and McGowan halls on campus. Visitors should enter campus through the main archway gate on Lake Street. Misericordia University stu- dents and members of the Back Mountain Police Association will sort through and organize the winter garments to make it easier for families and children to find their proper sizes. Representa- tives from regional social service agencies who know of children in need of winter jackets are also in- vited to select items at the annual event. The Back Mountain Police As- sociation includes officers from the Back Mountain and West Side municipal police depart- ments, including the state Fish and Boat Commission, state Game Commission and state De- partment of Conservation and Natural Resources. Kingston Township Police Officer Martin C. Maransky is president and Piazza is vice president of the Back Mountain Police Associ- ation. The Back Mountain Police As- sociation has been serving and supporting law enforcement de- partments in the Back Mountain and West Side communities for more than 50 years. For more information about the Back Mountain Police Associ- ation’s “Warm Coats for Kids” at Misericordia University, contact Ross Piazza, deputy waterways conservation officer of the state Fish and Boat Commission, at 760-9342. ‘American Stars of Tomorrow’ comes to Music Box Playhouse next weekend Original music revue features area's most talented children. The Music Box Repertory mpany will present “American tars of Tomorrow,” an original musical revue featuring 20 of the area’s most talented children and young adults. They will perform music from Broadway shows, the world of pop music, popular patriotic songs and even a little bit of coun- try. Performance dates are 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 22 and 23, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 24. The musical revue is directed by Debbie Zehner and co-direct- ed by Dana Feigenblatt and Cate McDonald. Musical director is by Nancy Evans. Back Mountain members of the cast include Amanda Foote, age 15, a Dallas High School stu- dent; Angelena Allen, age 9, and Michael Quinnan, age 8, Dallas Elementary School students; Winter Wenner, age 16 and Ron- nie Ziomek, age 13, Lake-Lehman Junior/Senior High School stuents. Tickets, which will be available at the door, are $12 for adults and $10 for children, students and se- nior citizens. For reservations, call the box office at 283-2195. Back Mountain members of the cast include Amanda Foote, Angelena Allen, Michael Quin- nan, Winter Wenner and Ronnie Ziomek. The "Stars" are, from left, first row, Kayla Raniero, Angelena Allen, Michael Quinnan, Natlie Zarad, Amelia Sack and Micha- la Dennis. Second row, Amanda Foote, Maggie Dishong, Maia Bagusky, Saraea Kaplan, Anna Markoch, Amanda Shaffern and Ronnie Ziomek. Third row, Vale- rie Norton, Skyler Makuch, Winter Wenner, Anna Smith and D.J. Markoch.
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