a me dai —— RE Sunday, December 11, 2011 THE DALLAS POST PAGE 3 FA TAWMCUID f I UWNSHID Loning ordinance By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com Franklin Township Planning Commission members are work- ing out the final touches on a new zoning ordinance that will be ready for the supervisors’ vote early next year. The commission has been working on the zoning ordinance since July, after the township ap- proved its first-ever comprehen- sive plan. The code upgrades were made possible via a $100,000 grant the township re- ceived from the Luzerne County Office of Community Develop- ment in 2009. Planning Commission Chair- man Frank Hilstosky has been a part of the commission for more than 20 years and has worked on various ordinances throughout his time. The new, more compre- hensive zoning ordinance ad- dresses issues that may affect Franklin Township in the future, which, he said, is difficult to pre- dict. “You have to plan for growth,” jd Hilstosky. “Dallas and King- on Township have built up over the years — even Exeter Town- os being drafted Contact Franklin Township Secre- tary/Treasurer Rick Melvin at 333-5131 for more information about the drafted zoning ordi- nance. ship. They are now encroaching on Franklin Township.” The commission discussed an article relating to signage on Dec. 1, and many of the regula- tions for billboards, electronic signs and other advertising mea- sures don’t currently apply to what exists in the township — yet. “With zoning, if you have a lot of items left out, it’s worse than having a long document that ad- dresses everything,” said Carson Helfrich of Community Planning and Management Associates. The commission is also work- ing on updating the zoning map, though Hilstosky said there are no major changes to current dis- tricts. Much of the zoning ordinance pertains to business develop- ment, including what businesses See ZONING, Page 12 HRA we SH AR Lake-Lehman High School students preparing for “A Christmas Carol,” are, from left, first row, Jessica Salus, Julia Bucholtz, Megan Rusonis, Paige Robbins, Julia Pilch, Jenna Mortenson, Carly Trapani and Lauren Zeisloft. Second row, Marissa Moku, Corey Nevel, Emily Mieczkowski, Aleah Ashton, Shannon Allabaugh, Jasmine Moku, Sara Tronsue, Karlie Lobitz, Sierra Titius, Corrine Tronsue. Third row, Katie Kaminsky, Amanda May, Hannah Kasko, Hunter Lefkoski, Raine Scott, Rebecca Rosser, Justin Lansberry, Sequoia Saxe, Mikayla Orrson, Samantha O'Neill, Sierra Pall, Stephanie Chaga, Cassidy Borger. Fourth row, Bethany Taylor, Domi Glatz, Victoria DeCesaris, Madison Stambaugh, Paige Hettesheimer, Precious Mowery, Chris Covert and Jon King. A Christmas Carol comes to Lehman Lake-Lehman High School presents “A Christmas Carol,” a full stage holiday musical theatre featuring traditional carols and characters at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18 in the ju- nior/senior high school audi- torium. This family-friendly stage adaptation features a cast of over 50 elementary, middle school and high school stu- dents, including Hunter Lef- koski as Ebenezer Scrooge, Raine Scott as Beth Cratchit, Hannah Kasko as Tiny Tim, Mikayla Orrson as Marley, Sam O’Neill as Spirit of Christ- mas Past, Julia Whitesell as Spirit of Christmas Present and Jon King as Spirit of Christmas Future. Tickets, at $8 for adults and $6 for students, are available at the Volunteer Box Office, by calling 675-1761 or by e-mail at LehmanTheatre@aol.com. Board members sworn In By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com Three new Lake-Lehman School Board members were sworn into office Monday night, and two others continued their school board careers. Board members Richard Bom- bick, Karen Masters and James RICHARD BOMBICK Welby took an oath of office as presented by Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Tina Polachek Gartley. Bombick has served as the dis- trict’s business manager in the past, and Welby previously served on the board of school di- rectors. Masters is a newcomer to JAMES WELBY the school board. KAREN MASTERS Glogowski was elected to serve Board members Mark Kornos- ki and Walter Glogowski were al- so sworn into office for another term. Kornoski was selected as presi- as a member of the West Side Ca- reer and Technical Center Joint Operating Committee until 2013, and Masters was selected to serve until 2014. dent, Glogowski as first vice pres- ident and Welby as second vice president. Glogowski will serve as the board’s state School Board Asso- ciation representative. WALTER GLOGOWSKI The following committee posi- tions were also filled: Kevin Ca- rey will head curriculum and in- struction, David Paulauskas and Andrew Salko will co-chair ath- letics and activities, Welby will head buildings and grounds, Bombick will lead transporta- tion, Masters will chair support services, Salko will lead finance and Kornoski will head school board matters. The Lake-Lehman School Board will hold a combined com- mittee-of-the-whole and regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 13 in the junior/senior high school library. CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/ FOR THE DALLAS POST Being sworn in as new Dallas School Board members are, from left, Fred Parry, Larry Schuler and Colleen Slocum. JL Vi Cc CPUARNR WF A SCHOOL DISTRICT ne Tout Mr Vv Rh Ww \] SF Ww i Board members take office By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com The Dallas School Board in- @: three new members and o re-elected members at its an- nual reorganization meeting Monday night. New board members Fred Par- ry, Larry Schuler and Colleen Slocum and current board mem- bers Bruce Goeringer and Cathe- rine Wega were sworn into office by Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Thomas Burke. Schuler is a former teacher within the district. Parry owns a use car dealership in Luzerne and is a lifelong Dallas resident. Slo- cum, a Dallas School District par- ent, has a background in sales. The three new board members replace Dennis Gochoel Jr., Rus- sell Bigus and Gary Mathers, who successfully ran for the posi- tion of Kingston Township super- visor. Wega was selected as president of the board, a position previous- ly held by Goeringer. Goeringer was elected as vice president. Wega, Parry and board mem- ber Karen Kyle will serve as rep- resentatives on the West Side Ca- reer and Technical Center Joint Operating Committee until 2014. Slocum was selected to serve as assistant secretary and as a member of the Parents Advisory Council, and Goeringer and to Wycallis Elementary. Schuler will share representation on the Back Mountain Memorial Library Board. At a meeting that immediately followed, Bob Nesbit of Crabtree Rohrbaugh & Associates gave the board an update on the high school construction project. Nesbit presented several change orders to the board total- ing $14,209. The change orders include work on sidewalks in the middle school parking lot, elec- trical revisions to the prototyp- ing lab and nurses’ station and other electrical issues. The board will vote on the change orders at its next meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 12 in the administration building next Residents urge supers fo oppose state legislation By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com Dallas Township officials were urged by residents to con- tinue expressing opposition against pending state legislation that would supersede local zon- ing laws. Resident Diane Dreier re- quested that the board of super- visors ask the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors to withdraw the group’s approval of House Bill 1950 and Senate Bill 1100, which address oil and natural gas de- velopment. “It's probably one of the worst pieces of legisla- tion that I've ever seen in terms of undermining control of local municipalities.” Jack Varaly Planning consultant Supervisors recently ap- proved an amendment to the township zoning ordinance that places extensive regulations on natural gas activity. Township officials have also reached an agreement with two natural gas companies who plan to con- struct gathering pipelines to connect to the Transco inter- state pipeline. The pending legislation, if passed, would overrule the township’s yearlong effort to control gas development. The two different pieces of legisla- tion have passed in their respec- tive legislature bodies, but both See OPPOSE, Page 12 Tax rates By Eileen Godin Dallas Post Correspondent Tax rates will hold steady for 2012, but residents will face a sewer rate increase, Jackson Township supervisors announced during Monday night’s meeting. The proposed 2012 budget is available for public review will remain stable in the municipal office. It will be voted on during a special meeting scheduled for 9 a.m. on December 22 in the munici- pal building. Currently, the mill rate is at 1.32. A mill is $1 per every $1,000 assessed tax value. “No increase, we tried to hold the line,” supervisor Al Fox said. “We have done our preliminary budget showing a surplus. It is all contingent on reimbursements from FEMA and they are coming in to take a look at our request.” He said the 2012 proposed budget hinges upon what is al- lowable by the Federal Emer- gency Management Agency for reimbursement of funds which were spent to clean up See STABLE, Page 12
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers