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By MITCH MORRISON; Times Leader Staff Writer
Thursday, February 02, 1995     Page: 3A

WILKES-BARRE — Republican Luzerne County Commissioner Jim Phillips is
giving new meaning to the adage “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try
again.”
   
The Democratic majority of the board of commissioners is sending him
another message: Drop the arena referendum idea.
    For the fifth time since last fall, Phillips made a motion Wednesday to
place a referendum on the May primary ballot asking voters whether they want
county taxpayer money to help finance the $39.2 million arena in Wilkes-Barre
Township.
   
And for the fifth time, Democratic Commissioners Frank Crossin and Rose
Tucker refused to second the motion.
   
“I’m trying to view the project as a social and economic issue,” Crossin
said. “He’s looking at it as a political issue.”
   
Arena backers say that a referendum — even if voters support the project
— would further delay the project and inflate costs by $5 million.
   
“A referendum would throw off our schedule,” said state Rep. Kevin Blaum,
D-Wilkes-Barre, vice chairman of the Luzerne County Convention Center
Authority.
   
Blaum explained that architectural and engineering drawings would be
delayed until after the referendum, thereby pushing back the project by at
least one-half of a construction season.
   
In other action, the commissioners made the following appointment and
reappointments (all positions are unpaid):
   
Zoning Hearing Board : reappointed Bill Isaacs, Kingston. Term expires Dec.
31, 1997.
   
Private Industry Council : reappointed Charles McCormick, Wilkes-Barre;
Robert Mericle, Wilkes-Barre; Sylvia Mizdail, Mocanaqua; and Michael Pasonick,
Wilkes-Barre. Pasonick’s term expires Jan. 3, 1997; the other three terms end
Jan. 3, 1999.
   
Also, the commissioners hired Maureen Browne, Wilkes-Barre, as a clerk in
the voters registration office for $12,000 a year. The commissioners also
praised Dorothy Korman, a laundry manager at Valley Crest Nursing Home, who
announced her retirement after 32 years of service.
   
Jim Phillips