TimesLeader.com

DALLAS TOWNSHIP

November 8

Concern expressed about full-time police officers

By REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com

Supervisor Frank Wagner expressed his concerns Monday evening about the township’s number of full-time police officers.

After the retirement of Officer Wayman Miers in late September, the police department is down to five officers and one sergeant who are full-time. There are also two part-time officers.

“Wayman’s done,” Wagner said. “I think we should put somebody in his place.”

Chief of Police Robert Jolley says officers are working overtime to make up for one less full-time officer. Jolley is also covering shifts himself.

In addition, Jolley says the department’s vice investigations are suffering because of the number of officers.

Jolley says ideally the department should have 10 full-time officers and believes the supervisors will change the status of one of the part-time officers to full-time.

Financial report request

John Newman, of Wedgewood Way, followed up on a request he made last month for the supervisors to release a financial report at each of their meetings. Newman said he wants to know how the township is performing compared toits budget.

Supervisor Glenn Howell told Newman he could view financial documents during business hours at the township building.

“No, I’m not going to come down here and look at it,” Newman said. “I want it at the meeting. I can’t understand why it’s a hard thing to do. Every organization does it.”

Zoning amendment nixed

Attorney Thomas Brennan, the township solicitor, decided not to not draft an amendment to the township’s zoning ordinance adopted in June 2008 to include the omitted “permitted uses in a light industrial district” as it had been listed in the amended zoning ordinance in 2005.

Brennan previously said the zoning ordinance issue was brought to his attention by Tom Reilly, an engineer from Reilly Associates, when he was doing research for the new Geisinger facility to be built on Dorchester Drive.

Instead of amending the ordinance, Brennan proposed that the medical center go to the zoning hearing board, if necessary.

Rice Drive project

The supervisors approved payment in the amount of $89,200.50 for the Rice Drive pipe replacement project. Tom Doughton, an employee from Douglas F. Trumbower and Associates, the township’s engineering firm, recommended not to release the check until the guide rail installation and line painting are completed.

Resident reminders

Bagged leaves will be collected from Nov. 16 through Nov. 20, weather permitting. Also, parking is prohibited on all township roads from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily from Nov. 1 through April 30.

White pine trees

Approval was granted for Eastern Landcare to remove four or five dead white pine trees at the new bridge site at the corner of Lower Demunds Road and Fairground Road. They will replace the trees with four or five 6-feet to 8-feet white pine trees along the bridge and roadway, install mulch cover and clean up as required at a cost of $245 per tree.

Eastern Landcare will provide the labor at no cost. The trees must be replaced prior to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s final audit of the project.