News

July 23

meeting roundup

City council applies for grant to fill Mill Street mines

PITTSTON – City council will apply to the state for a $1.45 million grant to fill shallow mines under Mill Street along the route of future sewer work, it was announced Wednesday.

The state Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation wants the city to apply so that it can carry out the grouting, or mine-filling, work before the city begins its sewer project, and requested that the application be filed, engineer Thomas Reilly of Reilly and Associates said.

The application is separate from the current $800,000 grant for other work, he said.

The work may end up costing more or less than the $1.45 million, but the bureau will meet whatever the costs turn out to be, he said.

The Department of Mines will have a full-time inspector on the site to monitor the grouting work, and the plan is to have it completed before the sewer work so that no settlement takes place to dislodge the completed pipe work, Reilly said.

In other business, also dealing with grant funding, council agreed to transfer $60,000 in casino grant revenue awarded originally for the Riverfront Project toward the purchase of two new police vehicles.

Northwest energy project will not hamper school opening

UNION TWP. -- The work on the energy savings project in the Northwest Area School District is going well and will not interfere with school opening as scheduled on Sept. 7, Superintendent Nancy Tkatch reported Wednesday night.

Tkatch dispelled rumors that the start of school will be delayed and said the project to update windows, lights, heat and other systems is going very well. She said all work in student-occupied areas will be completed in time for school to start.

She credited the project team from Linc Services with moving the work along smoothly.

“They say they are partners with the school district, and that is truly how they are acting,” Tkatch said.

She also noted that revised bus schedules are completed and will be mailed to parents early next week. Changes were necessary to accommodate the restructuring of the two remaining elementary schools after the district closed Garrison Elementary.

The board also voted to adjust the new names of the two schools, which were to be called the Northwest Area Primary Center and the Northwest Area Intermediate Center. In response to concerns from parents about the possible interpretation of the word “center” in the school’s names, the board voted to replace the word “center” with “school.”

Crestwood School Board hears overcrowding options

WRIGHT TWP. -- The Crestwood School Board was presented with several options to address the issue of overcrowding in all district schools Wednesday night at a special board meeting.

Bob Breslin and Michael Ackerman, of Breslin, Ridyard, Fadero Architects, presented eight options in a feasibility study to the board and public. The study included plans to increase parking at the high school, add classrooms to all schools and create a fitness center near the high school stadium.

The study contained enrollment projections for the 2013-14 and 2018-19 school years provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Health through the Pennsylvania Department of Education and was based upon birth rates in the area.

The elementary schools, Rice and Fairview, are estimated to accommodate a capacity of 1,675 students, and currently hold 1,507 students.

The middle school is currently overcrowded, as its capacity is 469 students, but it now holds 475.

The high school, also overcrowded, can hold up to 865 students, but now makes room for 1,047 students.

The first three options Breslin offered included solutions to parking congestion at the high school, the addition of adequate science lab space and a cafeteria expansion for the high school. Option I, which would add nine classrooms to the high school, would cost the district nearly $12 million.

In addition to those changes in Option I, Option II would create more classroom space in the middle school, as well as a computer lab for seventh-graders. It would cost nearly $14 million.

Option III builds upon Option II by creating a fitness center near the stadium behind the middle school and 14 new classrooms in both the middle and high schools. This would cost an estimated $15.5 million.

The fourth option includes creating a fitness center in the lower level of the high school, in addition to those changes proposed in Option III. This would cost the district an estimated $14.5 million.

Options V and VI propose adding class space to the elementary schools and would cost $2.5 million and $4.8 million, respectively.

Option VII features security upgrades to the schools, and Option VIII would include the renovation of the high school auditorium. These options would cost the district an estimated $650,000 and $370,000, respectively.

The complete study presented to the board will be available to the public via the district’s website, www.cdscomets.org, in the near future.

Study Commission gets inquiry on home rule

KINGSTON – Although several audience members Wednesday commended the county’s Government Study Commission for its work, one Kingston resident questioned what will be done to more highly publicize the home rule style of government.

Many are unaware of what home rule is, said George Kochis, who was one of two audience members who spoke at Wednesday’s meeting. Kochis questioned what will be done by the commission to advertise – and advocate – home rule before November’s election.

The study commission will vote next month to approve its draft charter.

If the group approves the document, county voters in November will decide whether to adopt the home rule charter or stay with the three-commissioner form of government.

Home rule shifts local government responsibility from the state legislature to the local community with a charter similar to a local constitution.

The draft charter calls for an appointed county manager and an elected 11-person county council.

“If we don’t get the people to vote (for) this in November, I don’t think we’ll ever have another chance,” Kochis said.

Study Commission Chairperson Jim Haggerty explained the commission must be cautious in how it presents the charter and that it cannot advocate for its passage.

“We can only educate; we cannot advocate for,” Haggerty said. “We cannot take our appropriated money and advocate.”

Individual groups may advertise in support of – or against – the charter, however.

The commission also agreed to again postpone the official commission vote of the home rule draft charter. The new vote date is Aug. 11.

Haggerty said the move is an administrative one to ensure all minor changes have been made and that the greatest number of study commissioners as possible can cast votes.

Two study commissioners have missed recent meetings due to illnesses.

“All the decisions are made,” he said. “The government structure is in (the charter).”

In other business:

•Study commissioners continued to review and approve editorial changes to the draft charter.

Since the group released its first draft earlier this year, it has gone through multiple versions. The commission is currently working with its fifth draft.

•Members were encouraged to start thinking of ways to educate the public on the charter.

Several study commissioners suggested hosting public forums similar to ones held earlier this year.

Ian Campbell Janine Ungvarsky Sarah Hite Kalen Churcher

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