SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS — At West Mahanoy Township’s first Coffee with a Cop event Wednesday — National Coffee with a Cop Day — Larry S. Chesla, Shenandoah Heights, came out to discuss a few topics, including handicapped parking spaces.

“My neighbor has one. Is that just for his vehicle only or can anyone with a handicapped plate park there?” Chesla, 67, of 130 Swatara Road, asked at the event held at Shenandoah Heights Fire Company, 148 Swatara Road.

“That question was recently posed to Shenandoah Borough Council,” township Police Chief Marvin Livergood said.

On Sept. 18, Shenandoah Borough Council approved a resolution regarding the designation for parking spaces for the handicapped. It gives people with the spaces a permit number to further confirm their right to the spaces.

West Mahanoy Township may develop a similar ordinance, Livergood said.

But for now, the township has been putting up warning signs near those spaces, stating “violators subject to fine and towing, min. fine $50, max. fine $200,” according to the township’s other full-time police officer, John Kaczmarczyk III.

“We’re starting to get the signs up now. We need that sign there to be able to get people with the maximum fines and tow the vehicles. And, unfortunately, without that sign there, we can’t tow them,” Kaczmarczyk said.

According to Michael B. Michalik, township secretary/treasurer, there are 15 handicapped parking spaces in the township.

Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

“Coffee with a Cop is a movement designed to help break down barriers in communities between residents and officers that can make it hard to address crime and public safety,” Russell Washington, acting director of the DOJ Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, said in a press release. “It is a simple plan: Officers invite residents to join them for a cup of coffee and a conversation. It has been spreading like wildfire ever since the first cup was poured, and today more than 2,000 law enforcement agencies throughout the United States participate.”

Coffee with a Cop started in Hawthorne, California, according to the website for the U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services.

That was in 2011, according to the website for the Hawthorne police.

“We were looking for ways to interact more successfully with the citizens that we served each day. Community policing has long been considered a framework for establishing trust between the community and the police. Our Community Affairs Unit hit upon a simple plan to break through the barriers that have been built over the years — a cup of coffee,” according to Hawthorne police website.

“On Oct. 7, 2016, the first National Coffee with a Cop Day was held. Across the U.S. over 600 events celebrated community and created new and lasting relationships,” according to the DOJ website.

In July, Orwigsburg police held its first Coffee with a Cop at Market Square Coffee House, 118 W. Market St.

Orwigsburg police Officer Tanner Noecker suggested the borough try it. He said Lower Merion Township police in Montgomery County, where he had worked previously, held a similar event.

West Mahanoy Township police held its event Wednesday in an effort to improve its public relations. The township bought the coffee. And the township solicitor, James J. Amato, Shenandoah Heights, bought the doughnuts.

“We’re trying to hold events in all sections of the township,” Livergood said.

On June 10, the police held a Bike Rodeo at Altamont Fire Company.

The force is planning to hold a future event in William Penn.

“People can’t say we’re not trying,” Supervisor Paul “Pepper” Martin said.

Other township representatives present at the firehouse for the event Wednesday included one of the township’s part-time officers, William A. Moyer. Amato was there with his sons, Sonny, 7, and Anthony, 5.

Contact the writer: spytak@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6011

Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill S. Jackson Street

To Curtis and Jennifer Smolock Ziegmont, Pottsville, a daughter, Sept. 25.

Deeds

West Brunswick Township — Michael J. Sninsky to Diane S. and Christopher E. Jansson and Courtney B. Dallas; 202 Village Road, Pinebrook; $124,000.

Mortgage Equity Conversion Asset Trust 2011-1 to Daniel S. Watral; 22990 Market St.; $102,501.

West Mahanoy Township — Federal National Mortgage Association to Michael McClafferty; 91 Schuylkill Ave., Shenandoah Heights; $3,100.

Altamont

The Altamont Fire Company, 215 S. Green St., will have an all-you-can-eat breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. Oct. 22 at the firehouse, featuring a full breakfast menu plus an array of pancakes. For more information, email jabroniw@gmail.com.

Erdman

Zion Lutheran Church, Klinger’s Church Road, will have a “Bag Ladies” meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Participants will make mats for the homeless using plastic grocery bags. No experience is necessary and there will be something for everyone to do, organizers said in a release. Participants should bring their bag stashes and scissors. For more information, call 570-425-3277.

Gordon

Citizens Fire Company No. 1, Plane and Otto streets, will have its annual free fire prevention program beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday with the theme, “Every Second Counts, Plan Two Ways Out.” All are encouraged to attend. For more information, call 570-590-9004.

Pottsville

The Pottsville Free Public Library recently acknowledged the following memorial donations: For Christopher Barr from Diana and Tom Beausang; for Audrey M. Wise from Shirley Ann Malenka, Barbara Brown, Fay Steffie, Abner DeDiazzy, James and Pamela Strouse, James and Sharon Yeasted, David and Arnetta Weller.

Pottsville

The annual Halloween parade sponsored by the Pottsville Lions Club will be held Oct. 24 with staging from 6 to 6:30 p.m. at 12th and Market streets and the parade starting at 7 p.m. There will be free candy for children in costume at the Arch Street parking lot after the parade. Groups, organizations and floats are welcome. For more information, call Leo at 570-622-1917.

Pottsville

The Pottsville Salvation Army, 400 Sanderson St., will accept holiday applications from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 10, 11 and 12 for Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, call 570-622-5252.

Primrose

The St. Nicholas Women’s Sodality will have a meatloaf dinner from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday in St. Nicholas Hall, Route 901. The cost is $10 per platter and the sale is via advance tickets only. Patrons may eat at the hall or take platters out. Meals also include mashed potatoes, vegetables, coleslaw, roll and dessert. For more information, call 570-544-4581.

Ringtown

An open house will be held from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Ringtown Valley Fire and Rescue Company, 46 W. Main St. The event will include vendors, basket raffles, food and beverages. There will also be rescue, fire and EMS demonstrations and a smoke trailer. For more information, email chief_673@yahoo.com.

Ringtown

The Ringtown Area Library will offer free storytime for children ages 3 to 5 at 11:30 a.m. Mondays Oct. 16 through Nov. 13. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Sessions will include stories, interactive play and socialization with other children. For more information, go online to ringtownlibrary.org or call 570-889-5503.

Summit Hill

The family of Hunter Davidyock will sponsor a spaghetti dinner and basket raffle beginning at noon Sunday at Diligence Fire Company No. 1, 114 W. Ludlow St. The cost is $8 for adults and $5 for children. Proceeds will help defray Davidyock’s medical bills. The basket raffle drawing will begin at 5 p.m. and people need not be present to win. For more information, call 570-751-3307.

Tamaqua

The annual Land of the Running Water marching band adjudication that was scheduled for Saturday has been canceled for this year, according to a release from Michael W. Hromyak Jr., Tamaqua Area School District athletic director and public relations coordinator. Several bands indicated they would be unable to participate, Hromyak said in the release.

POTTSVILLE — Schuylkill County is another step closer to an intermediate punishment center becoming a reality.

The commissioners approved a $38,400 contract Wednesday with Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates, Mechanicsburg, to update their needs assessment and feasibility study that was done when the county previously considered the option in 2008.

The study will determine the county’s needs of a prerelease center through the review of inmate statistics, updated population projects and building program requirements, according to the agreement.

“We want to make sure we are doing this the right way so we asked them to update that information for us and do projections,” commissioners Chairman George F. Halcovage Jr., who also serves as prison board chairman, said. “They are experts in this area, so when we make some decisions on what to do, it is based on some solid information.”

Halcovage said the study will take several months.

Research will include prison population projections for five, 10 and 20 years to determine the long-term correctional needs of the county. The company will also provide recommendations pertaining to the size and inmate capacity necessary for the next 20 years using American Correctional Associate Standards for the intermediate punishment center.

The board requested a proposal from the engineering firm in June. Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates performed a study in 2008 to address the growing prison population and outlined several options, which included the construction of an intermediate punishment facility they referred to as a “standalone sentenced inmate facility.”

Plans for such a facility were scrapped in 2011 when the bids averaged $4.2 million, about $1 million more than budgeted.

Meanwhile, the inmate population at the prison exceeded its approved capacity for most of August.

There was an average of 278 inmates at the prison that month while the approved capacity for the facility is 277. It was the first time the facility has exceeded the 277 average since the state Department of Corrections issued a three-month ban on the prison accepting newly sentenced inmates in 2016.

The population peaked at the prison at 302 in August and an average of 48 inmates were being housed at other facilities that month.

In other news, the commissioners approved contracts with Kass’s Contracting, Shenandoah, for the demolition of three buildings in the borough. The addresses and costs are: 520 W. Mount Vernon St., $13,950; 401-403 W. Oak St., $13,950; and West Coal and Race streets, $18,500.

Contact the writer: mgilgerjr@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6023

Police release

cause of fire

MAHANOY CITY — A fire that damaged three houses in Mahanoy Township on Tuesday morning leaving a family of three temporarily homeless has been ruled accidental.

David Truskowsky, public information officer for the Mahanoy City Fire Department, said a state police fire marshal determined that the 12:15 a.m. fire at 925 W. Centre St., Foundry Row, was caused by careless smoking.

The fire left three occupants of the home, April Kesen-Hajduk, who lives there with her boyfriend, Lucas Cheveres, 49, and his son, Lucas Xavier Cheveres, 1, without a place to stay.

Truskowsky said that Kesen-Hajduk was not at home when the fire broke out.

In addition to the home at 925 W. Centre St., homes at 923 and 927 W. Centre St. also suffered minimal damage, Truskowsky said.

Nine people were arrested on drug charges Wednesday morning as the result of an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking throughout Schuylkill County.

Schuylkill County District Attorney Christine A. Holman said members of the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force and Pennsylvania State Police executed arrest warrants with assistance of officers from municipal police departments.

The result was “numerous mid-level drug traffickers” charged with violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, Holman said.

Arraigned in the district court of Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, were Shannon Stahr, 33, of Pottsville; Scott Dietrich, 22, of Schuylkill Haven; Joshua Ney, 23, of Pottsville; Scott Schoffstal, 25, of Pottsville; Thomas Weikel, 40, of Pottsville; Joshua Siluk, 24, of Pottsville; and Disiree Weaver, 24, of Pottsville.

Arraigned in the district court of Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon, was Paula Mascotte, 47, of New Philadelphia.

Arraigned in the district court of Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale, Frackville, was Tim Weikel, 29, of Pottsville.

In addition to those taken into custody, authorities said felony arrest warrants are outstanding against 12 other people.

They are Jessica Siluk, 24, of Pottsville; Richard Bealer, 35, of New Ringgold; Karissa Shumgart, 28, of Pottsville; Edward Heiser, 21, of Pottsville; Jonathan Shellhammer, 35, of Pottsville; Kevin Hargraves, 29, of Pottsville; Timothy Ebert, 23, of Pottsville; Derek Witman, 22, of Saint Clair; Daniel Stoudt Jr., 41, of New Philadelphia; Melissa Knier, 35, of Frackville; Tamaqua native Edward Rivera Jr., 32, a current inmate in Carbon County Prison; and Jason Frew, 39, of Tremont.

Holman said that during the execution of the warrants, items of contraband were discovered in a home at 64 Main St., Mount Carbon.

Task force agents and state police troopers then executed a court-authorized search and seizure warrant that resulted in the confiscation of 466 glassine packets containing heroin with a suspected street value of about $4,000; 18 baggies containing methamphetamine with a street value of about $1,400; $1,414 in cash; and numerous items used in the packaging and distribution of narcotics.

Additional charges are pending from the seizure of these items, Holman said.

Taking part in the raids were municipal police department officers from Mahanoy Township, Saint Clair, Pottsville, Ashland, Rush Township, Frackville, Mahanoy City, Schuylkill Haven, Hegins Township and Tamaqua, along with the Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office.

Contact the writer: fandruscavage@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6013

MAR LIN — The Schuylkill County Area Vocational Technical School board on Monday hired a contractor to make improvements to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at the Schuylkill Technology Centers in Mar Lin and Frackville.

The total cost of the project will be $552,430, Gregory S. Koons, superintendent of STC, said Tuesday.

“It will create some efficiency and help us control our energy usage,” Brian A. Manning, business manager for STC and Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29, said Tuesday.

“The project will be funded as part of the 2017-2018 STC Capital Improvements as approved by each member district,” according to the line item approved at Monday’s meeting at Maple Avenue Campus in Mar Lin, the headquarters of Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29.

The projected cost was $539,563, so the contract is $12,867 above projected cost, according to the line item.

The STC board hired Conexus Inc., Middletown, Dauphin County, to do the job through the Pennsylvania State Contract/COSTARS program, Manning said.

Conexus will install web servers at STC-North, Frackville, and STC-South, Mar Lin.

“This controller will integrate the building’s system, provide supervision, data logging, alarming, scheduling and network management functions with internet connectivity and web-serving capabilities,” according to the proposal Conexus submitted to STC on Sept. 20.

The work will also include the installation of “fully programmable controllers” on the remote terminal units in the buildings, according to the proposal.

“Right now at the STC North and South buildings, we’re on a system where it’s almost like a light switch. You turn the switch on and the system comes on. But soon we’ll have the ability to be off-site and be able to control the temperatures in the building,” Manning said.

Conexus will also replace failing mechanical equipment, including two packaged rooftop units on each of the buildings, according to the proposal.

In other matters, Koons said the STC board may select a construction management firm for its project to replace the roofs of the Schuylkill Technology Center buildings.

“It’s a firm to do the design and to do the construction management,” Manning said.

Koons said he’ll have an update at the next STC meeting, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 6.

The board also decided to operate the Northeast Pennsylvania Pre-Apprenticeship Program from Tuesday to Dec. 21 at a cost of $10,121.50.

The program gives young adults, ages 18 to 24, the opportunity to learn trades. It includes forklift training and certification. All costs will be paid by a grant through the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board.

“This was run last year as well. What’s special about it is it’s a continuation after graduation for students to get those experiences in the trades, some of those fundamental skills they would need for the world of work. We’re hoping to have between 12 to 20 students,” Koons said.

Interested students can call 570-544-4748 for more information.

Koons also announced that STC students will get some experience making improvements to the buildings and grounds of Hillside SPCA, Pottsville.

This is thanks to an $8,160 SkillsUSA Community Service Grant, sponsored by Lowe’s.

“This is an outreach effort. And our staff felt it was a nice idea to approach Hillside SPCA since they had some facilities that were in need of some repair,” Koons said.

“This will be a collaborative project with volunteer staff from Lowe’s and STC to provide masonry and beautification at the Hillside SPCA. Specific improvements will include window replacements, steel chain-link fence and gate replacement, as well as repairs to the outdoor yard area to alleviate water drainage issues,” Koons said.

The $8,160 will pay for the supplies to be used for the renovations, Manning said.

The time frame for the project is still being determined.

“We’re hoping it will be prior to the winter,” Koons said.

The board of directors of the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 also held its September meeting at the Maple Avenue Campus on Monday.

At that meeting, the board accepted Manning’s resignation.

Manning started working at Schuylkill IU 29 in 2011 as a senior staff accountant. He was promoted to assistant business manager in 2014. In May, the Schuylkill IU 29 board of directors approved the retirement of its business manager, Edwin Musser. In June, the board appointed Manning to the post.

On Sept. 13, the Pottsville Area school board hired Manning as its business manager.

On Monday, the board has accepted Manning’s date of resignation, Nov. 12.

“Right now I’m here four days a week through to November 12, and I’m one day a week at Pottsville Area. Starting on November 13, I’ll be four days a week at Pottsville and one day a week at the IU through January 11. And that’s for transition purposes on both sides,” Manning said.

Contact the writer: spytak@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6011

MAR LIN — Residents questioned if there should be more of a police presence and addressed the upkeep of some yards Monday at the Norwegian Township meeting.

The meeting drew about 25 people, including a man, who declined to provide his name, who talked about how he thinks there should be more police in the area.

B.J. Evans, township solicitor, said they can invite the state police to the meeting next month if that is what the residents want.

Other people complained about properties in the township and how they should be better maintained.

“Throughout the township there are slobs,” one person said.

Several people commented that the township is a nice place to live but when properties become run down, it does not do anyone any good.

“Rules apply to everybody the same way,” Gary Klinger, code officer for the township, said.

Evans said blight problems in the township are not unique.

“Minersville has problems with blight and Pottsville has problems with blight,” he said.

One woman said people should have pride where they live to want to keep it respectable looking. Evans said if people are concerned, they can bring photos to the meeting to show the supervisors or other township officials about situations.

David George, a township resident, once again questioned why Supervisor Leo Grace was getting paid when he has not been in the office recently. Grace has been having health issues. George said he does not have a vendetta against Grace, but had questions he believed need to be answered.

“Should I have him pay it back?” Supervisor Stanley Petchulis said.

Residents said that is not up to them because they are not in charge.

Evans said Grace on is a “medical leave of absence,” and will not be paid any longer. However, no vote was taken on the matter.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028

Have you ever been a pen pal? I had two international pen pals when I was in middle school in the early 1970s. One was a girl from Jamaica whom I corresponded with for a few years and another was a boy from Germany that lasted for one school year.

Decades have passed, and while I no longer remember what we discussed, I still remember the name of my female pen pal and that she lived in Kingston. It was a positive experience.

Fast forward to 2015 and I’m back to writing to students in another pen pal program, this time local.

For the past 20 years, RSVP of Schuylkill County has hosted an Intergenerational Pen Pal Program which links local students with adult pen pals age 55 and older throughout the school year. When the program started, 22 to 30 students participated. Over the years, additional schools and classrooms have been included. Today, participation has increased to three school districts and more than 100 adult writers, many of whom have multiple pen pals.

The program involves volunteers and students exchanging hand written or computer generated letters each month through the school year, from October through May. Identities are kept anonymous, using initials only, and the pen pals get to meet in person at the end of the program for a festive meet-and-greet.

The pen pals correspond about all kinds of things like how times have changed and how they’ve stayed the same over the decades. Students get a view into the past and the adults see the world through fresh eyes. They share meaningful conversations about their favorite likes and dislikes, past experiences and future dreams. And they find that they may have more in common than they would have thought. Students develop a relationship with someone based solely on interests and correspondence and discover that age is irrelevant.

The popular program continues to receive favorable comments from teachers and students alike. Not only does the correspondence strengthen writing and communication skills, it bridges the generation gap with meaningful interaction.

This year, the program includes fifth-grade students in schools in Mahanoy Area, West Penn (Tamaqua Area), and Saint Clair Area school districts.

RSVP is looking for some kind and spirited adults who would be interested in touching the lives of young students. They’ll match the volunteer and student based on common interests. Volunteers can choose which school district (or more than one), how many students, and the gender they’d prefer. Volunteers are required to make every effort to attend the end of year meet-and-greet to finally meet their student pen pal in person.

This is my third year as a pen pal for RSVP and I have no plans of stopping. So much do I enjoy the interactions that I write to two students each year. I’ve met some wonderful young men and women with whom I’ve shared common interests and laughter. We’ve exchanged favorite recipes, recommended vacation spots, shared joys and hopes. Each fall, I await my next new friends.

If you’re age 55 and older, and interested in becoming a pen pal, contact Darla Troutman at 570-622-3103 or dtroutman@co.schuylkill.pa.us.

Make A Difference Day registration forms are arriving each day. If you or your group emailed, faxed or mailed your form but you haven’t received a confirmation from this office, please contact me; sometimes they get lost in transit and we want to make sure that every project is included and documented in the Schuylkill effort.

Community Volunteers in Action is the volunteer center for Schuylkill County. Search volunteer listings on our website at www.schuylkill.us/cvia. Find us on Facebook. Call us at 570-628-1426 or email jjohnston@co.schuylkill.pa.us.

The battle Gillingham Charter School fought with Pottsville Area School District to get its second charter cost more than a half million in taxpayer dollars.

According to figures recently provided by officials from the schools, Gillingham and the Pottsville Area School District spent a combined total of $550,920. That included hiring lawyers and expert witnesses over the past two years. The charter school spent about twice as much as the district.

On Sept. 19, the Pennsylvania Charter School Appeal Board, Harrisburg, ruled that the charter school would stay open. The CAB still hasn’t released its written decision, so the terms of Gillingham’s second charter are still unknown.

Officials from both the school district and the charter school knew the legal battle would result in financial blows.

“Every decision we make involves some type of financial cost and every decision made has some type of impact on programming. As a district, we face many financial challenges such as rising charter school costs, rising healthcare costs, rising PSERS (Public School Employees’ Retirement System) costs,” Jeffrey S. Zwiebel, superintendent of Pottsville Area, said Sept. 28.

“Many of these are out of our control but we must manage these costs with the available resources that we have available to provide the most robust education to all the students of Pottsville Area School District,” Zwiebel said.

“Since we anticipated that Pottsville Area would not renew our charter, we did budget a good amount for legal fees, but that is money that we, of course, would prefer to spend in the classroom. Thankfully, we did not have to cut any programs or staff, and we were able to add the highly recognized YES (Your Employability Skills) program for our high school students this year. However, GCS did cut back on non-classroom expenses such as marketing and advertising. Any member of the teaching staff that did leave, a qualified replacement was hired, and we have no teaching vacancies at this moment,” Nicolle M. Hutchinson, Gillingham’s CEO and director of education, said Sept. 27.

If Pottsville Area decides to appeal the CAB decision, more public funds will undoubtedly be spent.

“If Pottsville chooses to appeal the CAB’s decision, we will need to engage our solicitors,” Hutchinson said.

“We will await CAB’s written ruling on this issue before we make any decisions on appealing,” Zwiebel said.

“Throughout this process, our challenge of Gillingham’s recharter was focused on the students. We have said, time and again, we are worried about the educational well-being of the students at Gillingham. Students who return to our district from Gillingham are behind where their classmates are at academically. All one needs to do is read the hearing officer’s report from the public hearings held in the spring of 2016,” Zwiebel said.

Pottsville Area

Total, Pottsville Area spent $180,684.13 in its effort to defeat Gillingham, according to figures provided by Zwiebel and Patricia Lombel, Pottsville Area’s assistant business administrator.

That included:

• To Marc S. Fisher, an attorney from Allentown, $22,827.85.

• To Ellen C. Schurdak, a representative of King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul Attorneys & Counselors, Bethlehem, $111,437.67.

• Pottsville Area hired Andrew M. Klein, an independent special education consultant from Lancaster, to conduct a special education audit at Gillingham. Klein was an expert witness at public hearings last year. Pottsville Area paid Klein $200 per hour. Last summer, the district reported Klein was compensated $32,120 for his work that dated back before the hearings. On Sept. 28, Zwiebel said the district did not provide an accurate figure for Klein’s compensation last year. The correct figure is $31,660.

• The district paid a stenographer $14,758.61 to work at last year’s hearings.

Gillingham

Gillingham spent $370,236 in fighting Pottsville Area for its second charter, according to figures provided by Hutchinson and Michael Snyder, a certified public accountant with Charter Choices, Glenside, Montgomery County.

That included the following:

• Gillingham employed attorneys from the firm Latsha Davis & McKenna, Mechanicsburg, to help with the rechartering process. Between July 31, 2015, and June 17, 2016, Gillingham paid the firm $228,912.79. From July 7, 2016 to Sept. 7, 2017, Gillingham paid the firm $99,546.30.

• One expert witness Gillingham hired was Alexander D. Schuh, the executive director of Frontier 21 Education Solutions, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County. From Nov. 11, 2015, to May 25, 2016, Gillingham hired Frontier 21 to compile contextual data analysis and participate in the charter renewal hearings at a cost of $27,259.44. On Nov. 9, 2016, Gillingham paid Frontier 21 $5,000. On Aug. 10, Gillingham paid Frontier 21 Education Solutions $1,200.00.

• Another expert witness Gillingham hired was Brenda T. Fishman, a special education consultant from Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. From May 6, 2016, to June 6, 2016, Gillingham paid Fishman $4,990.48.

• Gillingham also paid Charter Choices for charter renewal services. On May 4, 2016, Michael A. Whisman, a certified public accountant with Charter Choices took the stand at one of the public hearings. Gillingham paid Charter Choices $2,500.

• Miscellaneous charter hearing expenses, including advertising meeting notices, came to $127.54.

• Gillingham paid R&J Transportation, Pottsville, $100 on July 25 for bus service to the state Charter School Appeal Board hearing at the offices of the state Department of Education, Harrisburg.

• Gillingham paid $600 for T-shirts for supporters who attended the CAB hearing July 25.

Contact the writer: spytak@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6011

PINE GROVE — Has the time come to do something about silt infiltration at Sweet Arrow Lake?

One Pine Grove borough councilman thinks so, and several other lake advocates are split on their assessment of changes they’ve seen at the lake at the Schuylkill County-owned park in Pine Grove.

Some believe the water depth of the lake has decreased, more silt has been deposited and more wetland area created.

Others believe the lake hasn’t changed much in the last 60 years, and the wetland progression is natural.

Estimates for silt removal have been about $2.5 million, according to Schuylkill County Commissioner Gary J. Hess.

“We see it as a priority issue,” Hess said Wednesday. “We’re trying to find funding. We’re not keeping our eyes shut on it. It is a county entity and is a gem.”

Hess said the county has contacted U.S. Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Bob Casey, D-Pa.; U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-17, Moosic; and the state delegation, seeking help in applying for and securing matching grant funding.

Tom Fickinger, Pine Grove, borough council vice president who also serves on the county’s Sweet Arrow Lake Advisory Board, said he’s been investigating the possibility of wet-dredging the lake and selling the top soil removed to pay for the dredging.

“Reports have cautioned that when silt deposits reach a given proximity to the water surface, the lake could be declared a wetland, thus preventing future dredging and water depth improvement,” Fickinger wrote in the borough’s August newsletter.

Fickinger and several members of the Upper Swatara Watershed Association met Sept. 27 at the lake clubhouse to discuss flood mitigation projects. Although the silt deposit status wasn’t on the agenda, some did offer opinions on what options may be considered and whether there’s an urgency to take action.

John M. Matz, Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency coordinator; William Reichert, flood recovery manager, Upper Swatara; Robert Evanchalk, retired park manager; Alexa Kramer, Schuylkill Conservation District staff; John H. Stahl, Pine Grove Joint Treatment Authority member; Heath Machamer, engineer with OTM Engineering; Fickinger; and Drew Kline, Sweet Arrow Lake County park manager, joined the meeting.

Some believe the answer is flood and water runoff control.

“It’s much better than it was 20 or 30 years ago,” Evanchalk said of the lake’s health. Although he said he realizes silt is a problem, Evanchalk said general farming practices have improved, which have reduced bank erosion, kept livestock out of streams and added buffers to reduce impact on the waterways.

“If you’re giving streams a chance to act naturally in the flood plain, that’s where you hope it deposits the silt. If it’s something upstream, you try to give it some place to fall out. It could be a win-win,” Reichert said.

He said flood mitigation efforts could help the silt levels at the lake.

It’s estimated there are at least 30,000 truckloads of silt in the lake, according to Fickinger.

Silt deposits are a natural occurrence at lakes and do create wetlands, the group acknowledged. Some members of the association believed the lake could be dredged out but didn’t believe the results would last very long. They explained it would be similar to having a bowl of Jello. You’d take one section out and it would settle back in again.

“There are wetlands at the lake, but it would never fill in fast enough to fill the lake,” Denise M. Donmoyer, president of the Sweet Arrow Lake Conservation Association and a lake homeowner, said in a phone interview. Donmoyer has attended several Pennsylvania Lake Society conferences, she said.

“Silt is an issue. It would be wonderful if some of the silt could be removed at the east end of the lake,” she said. “As far as the viability of the lake, I don’t think you’ll see the lake go away. I have lived there for 35 years, and I have not seen a tremendous difference.”

Stahl said he doesn’t believe the lake has changed much, either: “The lake today doesn’t look much different than it did in 1955.”

Fickinger disagreed.

“The lake has changed significantly,” he said.

According to Fickinger, areas that were once 4 feet near the east end of the lake are now only 2 and 1/2 feet; while spots in the middle of the lake formerly 30 feet deep are now only 15 feet deep.

For several years, the Army Corps of Engineers had conducted a lake study.

“The most recent Corps of Engineers study involving Sweet Arrow Lake would have been a Continuing Authorities Program Section 206 study (aquatic ecosystem restoration) initiated in 2003 and closed out in 2013 with no viable, cost-effective restoration plan with sufficient environmental benefits and no impacts to existing wetlands identified for recommendation,” Chris Gardner, Corporate Communication Office, Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, said in an email to The Republican-Herald. “The study was initiated in 2003, but due to funding shortfalls in the CAP program, work on the study was paused from early 2004 to 2009. I would like to clarify that the CAP 206 program (which is the authority under which this study done) is associated with aquatic ecosystem restoration. While the team likely looked at silt issues as part of the effort, their charge was to look at ways to potentially improve aquatic ecosystems, not improve recreation via the removal of silt in the lake.”

“As a point of reference, the study did note a cost estimate for dredging the lake to its historic level from when it was first made. This is a rough planning estimate, but the figure was $17.5 million. It’s also important to note that does not mean it would be feasible to dredge the lake to its original dimensions, as that would likely involve significant environmental impacts and the destruction of a great deal of habitat and wetlands, which could be prohibitive for such an effort,” Gardner said.

Several options were formulated for further consideration during the study process, according to Gardner. None were ultimately selected. They included variations of dredging, habitat creation, sediment trapping upstream and channel modification.

Gardner explained the two types of dredging sometimes used: “ ‘Wet dredging’ would be traditional dredging, where equipment is brought in and it pulls material up from below the water’s surface. ‘Dry dredging’ as it relates to this study would be referring to removal of material while the site of the work has been made temporarily dry. In this case, having drawn down water using the dam and/or employing something like a cofferdam to create a dry area to excavate material from.”

The choice of a type of dredging would depend on various factors and scenarios, he said.

“In this scenario, ‘dry dredging’ was being considered for areas where it would be more feasible to temporarily dewater, and ‘wet dredging’ for other areas where temporary dewatering would be less feasible or less cost-effective,” Gardner said.

Schuylkill County bought the park from Pine Grove borough in 2001.

Hess said although the park is owned by the county, it’s been through the hard work and advice of volunteer groups and the advisory board that the park has been able to thrive and is so greatly used throughout the year.

“We’ll continue to work to do what we can,” Hess said.

Renovations to the human services center complex and the growing prison population and the options for an intermediate punishment center are among other financial considerations for the county, he said.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

PINE GROVE — Pastor Jason Stump’s not afraid to admit that his church does things a bit differently.

“We’re still rooted in our history but not stuck in our history,” Stump, pastor of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, 277 S. Tulpehocken St., Pine Grove, said Tuesday.

While some places of worship are seeing waning congregations and empty parking lots, St. Peter’s UCC has expanded its lot and membership.

The church recently spent $55,000 to acquire a vacant home next door at 279 S. Tulpehocken St., razed it and put in a gravel parking lot to accommodate 15 new spaces. The work was conducted by Ron Aungst and completed about a week ago.

Eventually, the space could be paved or utilized in a variety of ways by the church, according to Stump. For now, it will remain a gravel lot as a welcome addition to the 10 spaces formerly available in the church’s old lot. Most people attending the church, though, will still have to find parking on borough streets.

Although having the extra space is a plus, Stump said he’s concerned with the spiritual growth more than the facility’s physical growth.

“We aren’t a perfect church, but, boy, I really love what we’re doing right now,” Stump said.

He believes his church has grown in membership because the church is relevant in the community it serves and is authentic, addressing social dilemmas with direct conversation.

He said that “church is a verb, not a noun.” It’s much more than worship, it’s advocacy for the oppressed, he said. Some of the problems St. Peter’s U.C.C. has addressed include addiction and childhood nutrition.

“I invite them. I make it known. The people who are addicted and are in recovery are welcome here,” he said.

Concerned about children receiving a different school lunch if their cafeteria account was in arrears, Stump had sent letters to 20 local churches and posted concerns on social media. Nearly $2,000 was generated to help feed those children a regular school lunch, he said.

“I hope it spurs other churches. Good news is good,” Stump said.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

Craigslist theft

leads to probe

LYKENS — State police at Lykens are investigating a theft that happened to a woman in this Dauphin County community on Sept. 6.

Police said Kelli Marie Harman of South Second Street reported she sold an Xbox One gaming system on Craigslist to a man who called himself Toyin Adams from Nigeria.

Harman shipped the item and has not received payment for the game system or shipping charges that totaled $370, police said.

Police seek

license plate thief

POTTSVILLE — State police at Schuylkill Haven are investigating a theft that occurred between noon Sept. 25 and 7:15 p.m. Monday at Fairlane Village mall parking lot in Norwegian Township.

Police said someone removed a Pennsylvania registration plate from a vehicle and fled the area.

Anyone with information is asked to call troopers at 570-754-4600.

Police: Man, boy, 14,

possessed heroin

McADOO — A man and a teenager were arrested by McAdoo police on drug charges as the result of an investigation into illegal drug activities on July 12.

Police said McAdoo officers, along with Schuylkill County Drug Task Force members and police from Kline and Rush townships, were involved in the investigation during which Joseph Bodnar, 35, of Hazleton, and a 14-year-old Wilkes-Barre boy delivered 100 packages of heroin for $240 to an individual in the unit block of West Blaine Street.

The vehicle the two were in was subsequently stopped and additional amounts of heroin were recovered, police said.

As a result, police said, the juvenile was charged with felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, felony criminal use of a communications facility and misdemeanor possession of heroin.

Bodnar, police said, was charged with identical offenses as well as driving with a suspended license for DUI.

A little limerick, along with a taste of autumnal art and mouthfuls of pumpkin pie, will be part of a celebration of fall this weekend in Frackville.

The Frackville Business Association is sponsoring the ninth annual Frackville Pumpkin Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday on Frack Street between Lehigh Avenue and Balliet Street. The event will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday in the event of inclement weather on Saturday.

The event, featuring sundried squash-based art and contests, face painting, a limerick contest, a penny art contest and food from various sponsors, will be preambled by a “Pumpkins on Parade” march at 9:45 a.m. from the Frackville Area Free Public Library, 56 N. Lehigh Ave., heading south to the destination a block away.

The pumpkin festival will officially begin at 10 a.m. with a ticket auction and display of Art of the Pumpkin works — decoration of blank wooden pumpkins bought from the library. All money made from pumpkin blanks and bids will benefit the library’s general fund. Music, provided by Bill Bitting of JB Sound, will serenade eventgoers. Limerick lines will also be read aloud throughout the event.

Pony rides, for only $2, will be available for those who seek their inner equestrian.

“The pony rides are so reasonably priced because the horses are sponsored by donations from John Crane Insurance, Domalakes Insurance, Michael J. O’Connor & Associates, Malinchok Insurance and Sosar Physical Therapy. By these businesses sponsoring the ponies, we are able to offer affordable pony rides for the children,” Peg Gerrity, a member of the FBPA committee, said.

After a pony ride, children are encouraged to take part in penny art, using a sack of cents to create a depiction on the sidewalk with a chance to win a grand prize. The pennies and prizes for the contest are sponsored by Miners/Mid Penn Bank.

And at noon, the pumpkin pie-eating contest begins. Eaters will be categorized into three different groups by age.

The event is set to conclude with the announcement of winners in the Art of the Pumpkin and limerick contests. All contestants will be broken up into groups corresponding with age; all winners in all contests will receive prizes.

“Prizes awarded for the various contests are gifts or gift certificates donated by local businesses,” Gerrity said.

Food for sale will include funnel cakes and chicken pot pie from Friendship Fire Company; pierogies and halushki with the ladies of St. Joseph Parish; pizza and “spooky drinks” with the Frackville Recreation Board; walking tacos with Junior Girl Scouts; and bean soup from Altamont Fire Company.

For more information about the Frackville Pumpkin Festival, visit www.facebook.com/FrackvilleBPA. For more information about contest prizes, call the Frackville Area Public Library at 570-874-3382.

Contact the writer: dprosick@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6002

Address incorrect

Tyler Swantek, 443 N. Third St., Frackville, an inmate at Schuylkill County Prison, appeared for preliminary hearing on attempted homicide and other charges Monday at Schuylkill County Courthouse.

His address was incorrect in Tuesday’s edition.

POTTSVILLE — Zachary M. Freeze, who last week became the second person expelled from the Schuylkill County Drug Treatment Court program, learned Thursday that his failure will cost him his freedom.

Freeze, 31, of Port Carbon, must spend 1 1/2 to three years in a state correctional institution, pay costs and $100 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund, and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities, Judge James P. Goodman ordered.

“State prison is appropriate,” Goodman said to Freeze, who said nothing during the hearing. “You didn’t give us any choice.”

Freeze tendered his guilty plea on Feb. 16 to possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. That plea was held until Sept. 28; if he had successfully completed the program, it never would have been entered.

Orwigsburg police charged Freeze with possessing a salable amount of heroin, plus cocaine and paraphernalia, on April 11, 2016, in the borough.

Goodman expelled Freeze from the anti-drug program after the defendant violated its rules by, among other things, cutting off the ankle bracelet that authorities used to monitor his conduct.

“He fell off hard,” Assistant District Attorney Anthony Odorizzi said.

Chief Public Defender Michael J. Stine, Freeze’s lawyer, said his client had done very well in the program at first.

“He gave it a good effort,” Stine said.

Goodman used Freeze’s fate to remind those still in the program that they should not tempt fate like he did in failing to change in response to lesser sanctions.

“It comes to a point where we run out of options,” he said. “You may be in the same position as Mr. Freeze.”

Schuylkill County officials started the drug treatment court program this year to try to combat the widespread drug addiction problem, using a carrot-and-stick approach to the process. Other counties in Pennsylvania also have instituted drug treatment courts.

People in that 14-month program must undergo substance abuse treatment, make regular court appearances, submit to random drug testing and home visits, meet with probation officers, and comply with directives from the court and those officers. Participants must complete all five phases in order to graduate from the program; graduation is the carrot, resulting in dismissal of the charges against them.

However, since the defendants enter guilty pleas to the charges against them, failure to complete the program is the stick, resulting in them being sentenced, possibly to time in a state correctional institution.

Dylan J. Clark, 20, of Mahanoy City, is the only other person to be expelled from the program, having been removed by Goodman on June 29 for failing drug tests and getting into a chase with police. On July 6, Goodman sentenced him to serve 12 to 30 months in a state correctional institution.

As Freeze left, Goodman admitted Kody A. Kirkland, 25, of Ashland, into it after revoking his probation in four cases.

Kirkland became the 35th person in the program. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 30, 2016, to possession of a controlled substance and retail theft in one case, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia in a second, three counts of access device fraud and one each of conspiracy and theft in a third, and improper furnishing of drug-free urine in a fourth.

Pottsville police filed all four cases against him.

Contact the writer: pbortner@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6014

Defendant: Zachary M. Freeze

Age: 31

Residence: Port Carbon

Crimes committed: Possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts of possession of a controlled substance

Prison sentence: 1 1/2 to three years in a state correctional institution

“Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves. We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!”

— Humbert Wolfe.

I love that one! It’s invigorating. And a little spooky. Perfect. October is a beautiful month in Pennsylvania and Schuylkill County is particularly lovely with its mountains, valleys and pastoral scenes. Autumn’s finery is all around us as Mother Nature dons her most vibrant gown, so plan plenty of outdoor time this month.

The first thing I recommend is taking a walk. I love taking a simple walk around my neighborhood, but there are many walking and hiking options throughout Schuylkill County you may want to consider.

There’s a vigorous seven-mile Wolfe Creek Falls Hike at 10:30 a.m. Saturday with Robin Tracy. You have to register with Robin at 570-467-2506, so be sure to give her a call today. If you’re looking for something a little more moderate, join Robin on Oct. 11 for the Swatara State Park Hike.

There’s a Wee Ones’ Autumn Adventure Walk with Porcupine Pine at Sweet Arrow Lake County Park, Pine Grove, on Oct. 18 and Girard Manor Jaunt with Tom Pesock rounds out the month’s guided hikes on Oct. 29.

Of course, there are plenty more opportunities you can enjoy on your own. The historic Tow-Path trail in Port Clinton, Schuylkill Valley Trail, The Irish Flats Trail in Schuylkill Haven, Tri-Valley’s Environmental Education Center, Landingville Marsh, the Sen. James J. Rhoades Nature Trail and the Lehigh and New England Trail in Tamaqua all provide excellent views, dramatic fall colors and some invigorating exercise this month.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Drehersville, is the perfect place to get outdoors and enjoy the changing colors of autumn and they’re packed with activities this month.

The M&T Raptors Up Close program runs every weekend throughout the month. There’s Arctic Raptors: Adaptations to an Extreme Environment on Oct. 14, Vera Cruise River of Raptor on Oct. 21 and Migrating Birds Know No Boundaries: The Middle East Test Case on Oct. 28. The views at Hawk Mountain are unsurpassed and I promise you will thoroughly enjoy time you spend there.

While you’re in the southern Schuylkill region, make time to visit Pioneer Evergreen Farm’s Fall Festival running through the end of the month in Orwigsburg. Pioneer offers affordable autumn family fun at its finest.

Not only do they have one of the best scenic mountain hayrides to be found anywhere, they’ve also got a 200-foot mountain slide, obstacle bounce house, pumpkin patch, tube slide, water balloon launcher, pedal go-karts, a bucking bronco, train rides, pony rides, a smart farm game, a petting zoo and a three-acre tree maze. You can top off your visit at the hot dog and S’mores roast!

Nearby in Schuylkill Haven, it’s First Saturday, where there will be various specials at businesses all around town, including 4Play Moonshine’s Goblets, Steins and Moonshine painting workshop, Walk In Art Center’s Open House plus a whole lot more throughout the town. Walk In Art Center also has a Safe Trick or Treat event planned for Oct. 11 and a Murder Mystery Dinner on Oct. 21.

There are a variety of harvest happenings in many of our towns throughout Schuylkill County. In Pottsville, Avenues’ Fall Festival is on Saturday and the Majestic Children’s Theater presents “Shakespeare’s Henry V” on Oct. 14 and 15. In Tamaqua, the Heritage Festival is on Sunday and the Tamaqua Community Arts Center brings us a Barbershop Chorus Concert on Oct. 14.

Ashland is home to its annual Applefest on Oct. 14 and Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine & Steam Train’s fall festival on Oct. 21. In Pine Grove, you can enjoy the annual Autumn Stroll and Halloween parade on Oct. 21.

Spooky, scary, creepy, crawly, ghoulishly good times are an October hallmark and I would be remiss if I didn’t round out this article with some frightening fiendish fun.

Eckley Miners Village hosts a hauntingly good time the last two weekends in October with haunted lantern tours. No. 9 Mine will scare you right out of your pants Oct. 27 to 29 in the haunted mine. SCCA simply oozes dread on Oct. 27 and 28 with the works of Edgar Allen Poe and again on Oct. 30 and 31 at the Haunted Mansion tours.

Orwigsburg’s A Night of Chili and Chills will have your spine tingling on Oct. 28! Finally, you can take a Haunted Walking Tour of Pottsville every Saturday evening in October thanks to our friends at the Schuylkill County Historical Society.

I hope you’ll enjoy everything our fine community has to offer this month. For more information on these and other October events, visit our calendar of events at www.schuylkill.org and our partners at www.skoocal.com for a complete listing of spook-tacular fall fun!

(Gargano is executive director of Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau)

PINE GROVE — A $3.38 million project at Pine Grove Area Middle School uses the latest technology to boost energy efficiency while keeping the building more comfortable for staff and students.

Henry Snyder, director of buildings and maintenance, recently reviewed the heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades that were completed this summer.

McClure Co., Harrisburg, and NRG Controls North Inc., Selinsgrove, were contracted to do the work. The final commissioning, or tweaking of the system, is currently underway, Snyder said.

Snyder can check real-time data on his laptop, showing the exact temperature of each room and how well the rooftop units and boilers are operating.

The scope of the project included installing two condensing, propane-fired boilers — which are more efficient — to replace the former electric resistant heaters. Crews removed the old rooftop HVAC units and the old pneumatic controls and replaced them with 18 new rooftop units and digital controls.

The new units have variable speed fans and variable capacity compressors. The digital controls can also measure carbon dioxide levels in the classrooms and will direct the system to bring in more outside air, if needed, Snyder said.

There were 53 new variable air volume boxes, known as VAVs, installed throughout the middle school. VAVs are used to condition individual spaces, similar to a thermostat in a zoned area.

With the digital controls, NRG can remotely see what’s going on in the middle school building, Snyder said. That technology can help troubleshoot and solve any maintenance problems promptly.

Snyder said the new control system has an algorithm to start the heating and cooling system, based on whether the building is occupied or vacant. The district can set the temperature to a specific degree, depending on when the building or rooms are being used, improving efficiency.

The new rooftop units use hot water coils and a hot water loop of steel and copper pipe to support the system. Right now, Phase I is just the middle school, but there is looping and infrastructure in place so that the district can also upgrade the HVAC system currently in the elementary building. The Phase I project focused on the middle school improvements, even though the elementary and middle schools are under one roof.

The projected energy savings over 20 years is estimated at $1.95 million for Phase I, Snyder said, noting the district has a guaranteed energy savings agreement with McClure.

The old equipment was about 25 years old, Snyder said. Money for the Phase I improvements came out of the capital projects fund.

“We treat the fund balance as a bank and loan the money from ourselves,” David Frew, chairman of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, said. “We establish an amortization schedule, interest rate and payments, and then build that into each year’s budget. This way we are able to perform the work, pay for it in each year’s budget and, at the same time, avoid the fees of a bond issue, all while returning the money to the fund balance so that in the future when an improvement is needed, we have the funds,” Frew said.

“The existing equipment was at the end of its life cycle, so the repairs and maintenance were exceeding residual value. And we were 100 percent electric heat, so we moved to gas simultaneously,” Frew said.

Superintendent Heath W. Renninger said the district has plans and specifications for four phases of capital improvements within the district’s facilities. Those ideas are taken to the Buildings and Grounds Committee, then to the school board for discussion and possible approval. Each budget year, the board has to determine how much money, if any, to allot to capital improvements.

Renninger said with the bulk of Phase I complete, the committee may introduce Phase II details for discussion later this school year. The district hasn’t yet committed to doing Phase II.

The Phase I project started in May and was completed in August. McClure staff worked with Snyder and the building principals, and were extremely thoughtful of the school process, Renninger said.

“It’s been a very positive experience working with the McClure group,” Renninger said.

In a related matter, in 2016, the district replaced its two electric horizontal hot water heaters, which were 48 years old, Snyder said, and installed a new, more efficient propane-fired water heater. The water heater serves both the middle and elementary schools.

Renninger said the district is fortunate to have Snyder and his staff.

“Our district philosophy has been that we have the staff capable of handling the equipment,” Renninger said.

Snyder said they have in-house training for the district’s three maintenance technicians, two of whom are HVAC certified.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6007

ORWIGSBURG — The borough council voted 6-1 to hire another police officer at its monthly work session Wednesday.

A tax hike would be needed to pay for the officer, the council said.

Borough Manager Robert Williams said he will prepare a preliminary budget with a 2 1/2 to 3 mill tax hike. The additional revenue would go toward the police department, which has been underfunded for years, leaders said. A finalized preliminary budget will be reviewed at its November meeting. The borough must pass a budget by December.

The current tax rate is 6 mills. One mill generates about $62,500 in revenue for the borough. For a property assessed at $53,274, the average Blue Mountain School District assessed property value, a 2 1/2 mill hike could be about $132.30 more per year for a homeowner; a 3 mill hike would be $158.76.

The addition of the officer brings the borough closer to 24/7 police coverage. State police at Schuylkill Haven patrol the area when the borough police are not on duty. The police department has three full-time officers and the police chief for a total of four full-time and six part-time officers. The cost for a full-time officer would be about $99,000, including salary and benefits.

Police Chief John Koury said previously an officer could start in October. Williams said a candidate could be selected at the 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11 borough council meeting.

Council member Susan Murphy voted against hiring the officer because the discussion on covering the cost was not completed.

Before the vote to hire one officer, council member Michele Rudloff made a motion to hire two officers. Her original motion was to hire one, but she withdrew that motion and opted for the two. When that failed, she again made the motion to hire one.

“I just don’t understand how we continue to not act when (crime) happens. We have to act tonight. We absolutely have to,” Rudloff said.

“I think we need an officer now. I think we need two officers. We want an A-plus community on a C-plus budget. I think we’ve got to start with the police,” council member Brian Baldwin said.

Some council members inquired about the Community Oriented Policing Services Grant the borough applied for. Any funds awarded could not be used until 2018. If awarded, that funding would cover 75 percent of the cost of an officer for the first year, 50 percent in the second year and 25 in the third year.

Borough residents talked about their desire for more coverage in the borough — even if it hurts their pocketbooks.

“You’re putting a price on these guy’s lives,” borough resident Kerry Mariano told the council about the police.

“Look at the news. Look at the active shooters. Do you want to go home to your family?” Mariano asked.

“Why is this such a great place to raise a family? It’s because you feel safe,” Jeff Spotts, an Orwigsburg resident for 24 years, said.

Borough resident Athena Kukta said she was willing to pay increased taxes for the peace of mind she gets from having a larger police department.

“I will pay that for my safety and the safety of my neighbors,” she said.

“We all want 24/7. We all need 24/7. The question is, are we willing to pay for 24/7?” council President Buddy Touchinsky said.

Josh Shamonsky, owner of Shakey’s Gun Shop in the borough, talked about two recent incidents at his business.

“Basically, right now, it’s like a fortress, and I can’t do anything more to stop them from getting in,” Shamonsky said.

On July 12, four people tried to forcibly gain entrance to the building at 202 E. Market St. No. 1. An alarm scared off those attempting the burglary.

Koury also played video taken from several different angles of a break-in at 2:20 a.m. Sept. 21 at Shakey’s. Borough police were not on duty at the time. The perpetrator did not get any guns, fleeing after the alarms went off. He grabbed three riffles, but they were cabled together and he put them back, Koury said.

The would-be thief left empty-handed but not without doing $9,000 in damage, according to Shamonsky. He said it took 30 minutes for the state police at Schuylkill Haven to arrive.

“Our response time anywhere in the borough is 2 minutes,” Koury said.

Koury said blood evidence was collected at the scene, but it could take six months to a year to discover if there is a match in a database. He said they received tips, but the person responsible has yet to be caught.

One resident asked how many people have called in about the need for more police presence after the Shakey’s incidents.

Williams said eight to 12 phone calls were received at the borough office.

Contact the writer: ; 570-628-6028