Sunday, January 24, 2010 THE DALLAS POST PAGE 3 LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICT Board votes against restricting tax increases By REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com The Lake-Lehman School Board voted down a resolution on Jan. 18 that would restrict tax increases to 3.7 percent or below. Pennsylvania Act I, known as the “Taxpayer Relief Act,” re- quires school districts to limit tax increases to the levels set by an inflation index unless they obtain an exception or it is approved by voter referendum. The state set the district’s in- dex rate at 3.7 percent for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. According to Thomas Melone of Albert Melone and Company, which serves as the district's business manager, the current millage rate is 7.8011 in Luzerne County and 55.6534 in Wyoming County. A mill is a $1 tax for every $1,000 in assessed property. But the resolution to adhere to the index rate failed with seven board members voting no, in- cluding Mark Kornoski. “It’s not saying were going over the index, but if we have to a little bit our hands won't be tied,” Kornoski said. Board president Moderno Ros- si and board member Peter Far- rell voted yes for the measure. “The reason I voted (yes) for “It's not saying we're going over the index, but if we have to a little bit our hands won't be tied.” Mark Kornoski L-L School Board member “The reason | voted (yes) for the resolution is we have to be fiscally responsible for the taxpayers.” Peter Farrell L-L School Board member the resolution is we have to be fis- cally responsible for the tax- payers,” Farrell said. Because the board did not ap- prove the resolution, it is re- quired by law to prepare a 2010- 2011 preliminary budget for pub- lic inspection by Jan. 28. Board members will then have to vote on the budget by Feb. 17. The board plans to apply for ex- ceptions by the Pennsylvania De- partment of Education up to an amount that has not yet been de- termined. If the board exceeds the tax rate by the unspecified amount, the matter will become a voter referendum question in the primary election in May. Ross Elementary expansion The board narrowly approved by 54 payment disbursements for the Ross Elementary School expansion project for Dec. 21, 2009 in the amount of $305,567.85. The project’s substantial com- pletion date for the project is now Feb. 5 which is about three weeks behind the last completion date the board was given for the pro- ject. The board also accepted a quote for a 6-foot chain link fence to be installed around the new playground at the school in the amount of $7,500 from Rutkoski Fencing of West Wyoming. Reading program The board approved the pur- chase of the Scott Forseman/ Pearson “Reading Street” kinder- garten reading program in the amount of $23,640.78 to be fund- ed through the Demonstration Grant. See TAX, Page 13 CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST Misericordia University students pack diaper bags as part of a campus ministry program. From left, are Tyann McDaniel, Nicolette Hensel, Ashleigh Ramsey and Rachel Ruane. MU students fill diaper bags as part of Misericordia University Cam- pus Ministry students and staff partnered with the Kids Care Club of Jewish Family Service of Greater Wilkes-Barre to fill and distribute 30 diaper bags to mothers in need as part of the Na- tional Day of Service to com- memorate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Misericordia campus col- lected items for the bags, includ- ing diapers, baby wipes, baby bath wash and shampoo, diaper cream, onesies, bibs, toys and pacifiers. The items were then placed in diaper bags purchased through a grant from the National Kids Care Club. The filled bags will be | dlational Service Day distributed through the Rose of Sharon program of Catholic So- cial Services to young mothers in need. Jewish Family Service is a non- profit social service agency that addresses a wide range of person- al and family problems. The Kids Care Club of JES encourages kin- dergarten and early grade levels to actively participate in service learning in hopes they will al- ways be civic minded. The Cor- poration for National and Com- munity Service asked Americans to make the King Holiday a na- tional day of service to encourage service as a way of life for all peo- ple. Brian Glowatski packs a diaper bag at Miser- icordia University as part of a campus ministry program. DALLAS BOROUGH By REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com Repeated false fire and secu- rity alarms may soon result in a fine in the borough. Council voted on Jan. 20 to authorize the borough manag- er and solicitor to draft an alarm systems ordinance re- quiring, but not limited to, the registration of an alarm sys- tem, payment of a license fee and a penalty for multiple false alarms within an established time period. Borough manager Tracey Carr said the suggestion for the ordinance came from Dal- las Fire and Ambulance Fire Chief Harry Vivian because false alarms bring on addition- al expenses to the fite ¢ompa- ny. Council-president-Lee Eck- ert said there have been a few cases of frequent offenders in the borough. Bid awarded A bid for a drainage im- provement project on Spring Street was awarded to the qualified low bidder, Popple Construction Inc. of Laflin, for a total contract amount of $96,562. Popple Construction sub- mitted a base bid of $120,621 and an alternate bid of $112,151 for the project. How- ever, the project is being fund- ed through a $100,000 Lu- zerne County Office of Com- munity Development Grant. Because the bid exceeded the grant amount, the bor- ough decided to remove the paving and milling work as well as an inlet and a cross pipe from the contract to re- duce the cost. The borough’s road department will do the paving and milling. Projects out for bid Council also authorized the solicitation of bids for two oth- er projects. The first project is a storm water infrastructure project False alarms may soon result in fine on Elizabeth Street between the intersections of Charles Street and Michael Drive. The second project calls for a roof replacement and repairs on the municipal building. Both projects are approved Federal Emergency Manage- ment Agency and Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agen- cy alternate projects. Emergency operations plan Council approved a resolution that adopts an updated borough emergency operations plan. According to Carr, the plan names an emergency coordina- tor as required and outlines emergency procedures. Vivian serves as the borough’s emergen- cy coordinator. Police officer resigns ‘Fhe resignation of Ronald Fie- bus, a part-time police officer, was authorized, effective Dec. 25, 2009. The borough manager was also authorized to seek appli- cations for the position. Recreation director Council authorized the bor- ough manager to seek applica- tions for a recreation director for the 2010 borough summer recre- ation program. Vacancy chair Patricia Peiffer, a former coun- cil member, was appointed as the borough’s vacancy chair. According to solicitor Jeffrey Malak, the vacancy chair is uti- lized as a tie breaker in the event of a council vacancy. Council members must vote to appoint someone to fill the vacancy and if there is a tie, the vacancy chair votes to break the tie. Truck purchase Approval was granted for the purchase of a 1997 Ford F-2504 X 4 pickup truck for the road de- partment from Mountaineer Mo- tors not to exceed $3,700 plus ti- tle and tag fees. Council also authorized a trade-in of a 1986 GMC support vehicle for no less than $200. DALLAS TOWNSHIP Supervisors accept application for medical clinic; hearing will be set By REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com A medical clinic became one step closer to becoming a reality ring the Jan. 19 board of super- isors meeting. The supervisors proceeded with accepting an application for a conditional use from the Dallas Geisinger Medical Clinic slated to be built on four acres of land at the former Sacred Heart Park on Dorchester Drive. The clinic received a special exception from the zoning hear- ing board on Dec. 7 for an unde- fined use not specified in the zon- ing district. Because the clinic will require so much land and is not a resi- dence, it is deemed a conditional use and must be approved by the supervisors. The supervisors accepted the application and will schedule a public hearing on the matter as required after 30 days. The hear- ing will be at the supervisors’ first meeting in March. Thomas Reilly, an engineer from Reilly Associates who is rep- resenting the clinic, said a traffic study of the area of the clinic was completed. Reilly said permits for a traffic signal at Route 309 and Dorchester Drive were sub- mitted to the Bevayivana De- a Thomas Reilly, an engineer from Reilly Associates who is repre- senting the clinic, said a traffic study of the area of the clinic was completed. Reilly said permits for a traffic signal at Route 309 and Dorchester Drive were submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Reilly added that the hope is to break ground on the clinic by the end of March. partment of Transportation. Reilly added that the hope is to break ground on the clinic by the end of March. Guide rail installation Guide rails will soon be in- stalled on one side of Yalick Road and Hill Street. The supervisors approved a bid for the guide rail installation in the amount of $8,530 from Wil- liam Orr & Sons Inc. of Jones- town. The township received quotes for the project by tele- phodis and was not required to put it up for public bid because it is under $10,000. Supervisor Glenn Howell said the guide rails will be installed on the side of the roads where the in- cline is steeper. Howell said the lack of guide rail on the roads was a safety issue. Partnership contribution The supervisors approved a flat municipal member contribu- tion of $300 toward the start-up funds of the Back Mountain Com- munity Partnership. The town- ship is a member of the partner- ship. Killed-in-service benefits The supervisors decided, un- der counsel from the township pension specialist Thomas J. An- derson & Associates, not to rush to amend any ordinances or reso- lutions previously passed relat- ing to payment for killed-in-ser- vice benefits if an officer is killed in the line of duty. The township’s Act 600 police pension plan will be affected as a result of Act 51 being signed into law last fall. Under Act 51, direct payment for a killed-in-service benefit will be made by the state, not municipalities. Rebecca Bria, a staff writer, may be reached 970-7436. SR SG A GC TS CE A
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