i sa a || IY... "=
Sunday, January 29, 2012
THE DALLAS POST
PAGE 3
By SARAH HITE
shite@mydallaspost.com
Jeff Box was recently sworn in
for a third term as Kingston
Township supervisor, but the ap-
pointment was a bit unexpected.
Box didn’t run for re-election
in 2011 - not even in the primary.
But he won the seat left va-
cant by former supervisor John
Solinsky after residents wrote
his name on the ballot more
than anyone else’s moniker, and
the rest is history.
“Im flattered,” Box said of
winning the write-in vote.
Solinsky dropped out of the
race in August, which left one
seat vacant on the board. Super-
visor James Reino Jr. won anoth-
er term, and newcomer Gary
Mathers was elected for a four-
year term on the board in the
November general election.
Box, 51, wanted to step down
from his position due to “work
reasons,” but Kingston Town-
ship residents had other plans
for the longtime public servant.
“When I got the call from the
election bureau that I received
the most write-in votes, I just
couldn't walk away,” he said
about his decision to stay in the
position. “I'm glad folks in King-
ston Township still have confi-
dence in me.”
Box’s third term comes after a
long history in Kingston Town-
ship governmental affairs.
He started his foray in munici-
pal government in the early
1980s as a student intern in the
Kingston Township office.
“I developed a fondness for
municipal management,” said
Box. “Good management is an
absolute necessity.”
After he graduated from
Wilkes College in 1985 with a
degree in business administra-
tion and political science, it
“When | got the call from the election bureau that
| received the most write-in votes, | just couldn't
walk away.”
Jeff Box
Kingston Twp. supervisor
wasn’t long before he found him-
self back in the Kingston Town-
ship municipal office.
He became involved with the
township planning commission
when he moved to Shavertown
with his wife, Maire, in the late
1980s. Then Box nabbed a job as
the township manager in Sep-
tember 1988, which he held for
13 years.
“It was like a dream come
true,” he said.
During those years, he saw
the township grow and munici-
pal government change, but he
still feels citizens receive the
most for their money on the lo-
cal level.
“One of the things I've always
admired about Kingston Town-
ship is its tradition for solid pub-
lic service,” said Box. “Citizens
truly receive $1 of service for ev-
ery $1 in taxes, and I'm pleased
to have been a part of continuing
that tradition.”
Box resigned from his posi-
tion as manager in 2001, and af-
terwards, the township board of
supervisors went in disarray.
Within just a few weeks, one
supervisor resigned and two
“The people speak and Box returns to KT super post
BILL TARUTIS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST
passed away, leaving two mem- Jeff Box decided not to run for re-election as a Kingston Township
supervisor but returned to theposition as voters elected him in a
See BOX, Page 12
write-in campaign.
ST Y.E7, LE 2% RIE" A EAE SA RE
2 Rf § aE I} I RE | 1 EF BR
PAOVR ML JINR IX i iv § J
EHINITY PADPDTNEBCUHID
Vivi} % Ae EN oF ER EB
rh
Lake Township may
be newest member
By SARAH HITE
shite@mydallaspost.com
Lake Township is gearing up
to become a member of the Back
Mountain Community Partner-
; ship, as members discussed the
wnship’s inclusion at a meet-
g Jan. 19.
Amy Salansky, a Lake Town-
ship supervisor, attended the
partnership meeting to retrieve
more information about joining
the group. The partnership cur-
rently includes Dallas Borough
and Dallas, Franklin, Jackson,
Kingston and Lehman town-
ships.
“I would like to be able to take
back the information I obtain to-
day ... back to my other two su-
pervisors to kind of seal the deal
and join with you guys,” she said.
Lake Township officials sent
the partnership a letter last
@ about the process of en-
ering into the governmental
partnership.
Solicitor Jeff Malak said Lake
Township will need to pass an or-
dinance, affirming its inclusion
in the group. The partnership
will make a recommendation for
or against Lake Township’s par-
ticipation, and a unanimous vote
from each individual municipal-
ity will be needed before Lake
Township can join. Then the
partnership will need to vote to
amend the intergovernmental
cooperation agreement to in-
clude Lake Township.
Vice Chairman John Wilkes
Jr., of Jackson Township, said
Lake Township is already part of
the Back Mountain Regional
Emergency Management Agen-
cy.
Chairman James Reino Jr., of
Kingston Township, said super-
visors also sent a letter of sup-
port for the partnership’s latest
grant application.
In other news, Wilkes dis-
cussed’ the sharing of code en-
forcement and third-party in-
spection services among partner-
ship members.
He said many of the munici-
palities have similar comprehen-
sive plans drawn up by the same
organizations and similar zoning
ordinances.
Wilkes even pointed out that
three municipalities in the part-
nership - Dallas Borough, Dallas
Township and Jackson Township
- currently have an assistant zon-
ing officer in common.
He thought more research
may be able to provide citizens
with better services and a cost
savings for local governments.
“Sometimes these things save
money, and sometimes they
don’t,” said Wilkes. “It’s worth
looking into.”
Wilkes also said having a full-
time, regional zoning office
would provide better service to
residents. For example, the Jack-
son Township zoning office is on-
ly open until noon most days,
which could be a hindrance to
the permitting process for resi-
dents.
Reino said the partnership will
conduct research before next
year’s township reorganization
meetings to see if the idea is fea-
sible.
BMPA DONATES
TO ADOPT A COP PROGRAM
The Back Mountain Police Association recently donated an-
other$1200 to the “Adopt A Cop” program created by Fallen Offi-
cers Remembered to help purchase two new bulletproof vests
for local law enforcement officers. The BMPA has been a yearly
contributor to the program for several years and raises the
funds from proceeds of the annual Back Mountain Police Associ-
ation Golf Tournament. Kranson Uniform was also instrumental
ith the purchase and fitting of the vests. From left, are Gina
@ FOR co-founder; Ranger Darren Kramer, BMPA secretary
and golf tournament coordinator; vest recipient Officer William
Acuff, Dallas Borough; Officer Martin Maransky, BMPA presi-
dent; Jaclyn Pocceschi Mosley, FOR co-founder.
BILL TARUTIS PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST
Members of Cub Pack 155 watch one of the Pinewood Derby heats at the Trucksville United Methodist Church Hall.
START YOUR
ENGINES
Cub Scout Pack 155 holds
annual Pinewood Derby at
TUMC facility.
By EILEEN GODIN
Dallas Post Correspondent
“Gentlemen — Start your en-
gines” kicked off Cub Scout
Pack 155’s Pinewood Derby on
Jan. 20 in the Boy Scout room
of the William and Melba Dick-
son Educational Facility at the
Trucksville United Methodist
Church.
The derby race is an annual
event held by the Boy Scouts of
America.
Although Pack leader Russ
Banta does not know how long
the local Cub Scouts have been
participating, he said the derby
originated in 1953 in Califor-
nia.
There were no limits to the
local Cub Scouts’ imagination
as car designs stemmed from
the traditional sports carsand a
Herbie “The Love Bug,” to the
unique such as a pink Breast
Cancer Awareness ribbon.
All cars had to meet a weight
limit of five ounces and a
length of seven inches.
The Cub Scouts voted Sam-
my Santangelo’s car, Angry
Bird inspired from the video
game, Best in Show.
All Scouts received a blue
ribbon for building their race
cars and participating in the
Each race consisted of six cars
on a metal track complete
with a built-in digital timer.
The winners of those races
competed against each other
to determine the top three
winners, who were, Doug New-
bigging, first place; Jacob
Calkins, second place, and
David Kottler, third place.
event.
Families filled the Scout
room to standing room only ca-
pacity to cheer for their favor-
ite cars.
The excitement of the night
was contagious.
Cub Master Rick Ostroski
thanked sponsors of the event,
including the Trucksville Unit-
ed Methodist Church, Trucks-
ville; Pizza Perfect, Trucks-
ville; AA Auto Parts Store, Dal-
las; Domino’s Pizza, Dallas;
Metzgar Aluminum Inc., Sha-
vertown; and Impressions
Media, Wilkes-Barre.
as
Matt Cheskiewicz, of Dall
scale to check its weight.
as, places his pine-block racecar onto a
Locals named to deans list at The University of Scranton
Several Back Mountain resi-
dents have been named to the
dean’s list at The University of
Scranton for the fall 2011 semes-
ter.
They are Nicole E. Clemson,
Dallas; Christopher B. Dona-
hue, Dallas; Sara J. Krogulski,
Shavertown; Rosemary A. Shav-
er, Shavertown; Edward SS.
Stredny, Dallas.
Also, Rebekah Stuart, Dallas;
Cory C. Templeton, Trucksville;
Paul J. VanLoon, Dallas; and
Lauren Weaver, Shavertown.
To attain dean’s list, a student
must have a grade point average
of 3.5 or better with a minimum
number of credit hours.