There will be some news in 2010 that we can’t predict. That is the very nature of news. Still, across the county, and across the state, there are a few stories that we already know are going to be making big news in 2010.
As electric rate caps are coming down, power lines may be going up. Table games could be coming in, but Governor Ed Rendell will be on his way out.
We might get a new United States Senator, or we might get the same one back again. Similarly, we might have a new congressman representing us in Washington. Or not. Both of Pike’s state representatives are up for reelection.
What will happen with the library? Gas drilling? What about Shohola and Westfall’s continuing woes? And will the economy ever turn around?
Throughout this edition, the Pike County Press takes a look at these stories, some of the stories we will be bringing you throughout the New Year.
Gas Drilling Controversy Continues
The New Year will begin with two days of regulatory training for gas drillers in Pennsylvania as controversy continues over a promising source of home-grown energy.
New York City, fearing pollution, last week asked the state to ban gas drilling in the city’s watershed.
In Pennsylvania, January 6 is the deadline to register for a Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) program to be held January 10-11 at the Penn State Conference Center. The training will include information on waste management, blasting and stream/wetland protection.
Permits for four wells to tap into the valuable Marcellus Shale of Wayne County were filed in 2009. Pike County also holds potential for gas extraction although no wells have been drilled here yet.
Gov. Ed Rendell is expected to revisit a proposed tax on natural gas drilling in his February budget address. Plans to initiate the tax were dropped last year as gas drilling proponents said it would hurt the emerging industry.
Environmental worries over gas drilling center on “fracking” – short for hydraulic fracturing – the process for blasting through shale with water, sand and chemicals to extract trapped gas.
Opponents say fracking can pollute drinking water. Gas drillers say their extraction process is safe.
The debate continues as the federal government weighs a new law – the “Frack Act” – which would require companies to disclose the chemicals they use. New York City’s opposition to drilling may improve chances for passage of the Frack Act.
The Frack Act may become a key issue in one of the most anticipated political races of 2010. U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, who is opposing U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary, wants the state DEP to release data on fracking. Drinking water contamination in cases linked to gas drilling has affected residents in seven counties of Pennsylvania, says Sestak.
Gas extracted from the Marcellus Shale of Wayne, Pike and many other counties could promote U.S. energy independence by providing a relatively clean form of fuel for at least a decade, experts say.
Decision Due on Saw Creek Power Lines
BUSHKILL – Public Utility Commissions in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are expected to rule in January on a high-voltage power line project hotly protested by Pike County residents.
The proposed project will replace existing 80-foot towers with 190-foot structures that will carry 500 kilovolts of electricity through the back yards of some Saw Creek Estates homes, over the Delaware River and across the Appalachian Trail. Saw Creek residents have battled the plan for months, fearing jeopardy of their health, safety and property values. The residents even got U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter to visit their community and hear their plight last summer.
A state Public Utilities Commission judge ruled in favor of the route for the project but said that PPL cannot begin construction until it receives final approval from PUC commissioners. The line, which runs101 miles from Berwick, Pa., to Roseland, N.J., also needs approval from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
Meanwhile, 2010 will likely bring more news on an environmental assessment being conducted by the National Park Service. NPS in November made public an internal report which is the starting point for a full-scale statement on the project’s environmental impact. The report raises concerns ranging from road closings during construction to the expected “hum” of power lines that will likely be audible to hikers and canoeists.
The New Jersey Highlands Coalition has produced a short video making the case that the project is unnecessary. The video is accessible at www.njhighlandscoalition.org.
Hearings on the project were held in Newark, N.J. at the end of November. Interested parties filed exceptions to the judge’s ruling in December.
The fight to stop the project is hampered by the fact that power lines spanned the properties before any homes were built in Saw Creek Estates, Lehman Township.
Judge Susan Colwell said she sympathizes with Saw Creek residents but found that “the entire community was built around the existing high voltage transmission line, and every house was built after the line was already in place. Any expectation that the line would remain in its present form forever, without replacement or improvement, is unsupported by fact or law.” She added, “The new towers will be constructed in accordance with strict safety rules, and they are a type which has an excellent track record.”
Colwell said evidence and arguments show that PPL considered multiple routes for the project and that this choice will cause the least environmental impact since it follows an existing line.
Happy Blackjack New Year at Pa. Casinos
HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania House and Senate will convene on January 5 and a vote on table games could come soon after.
Revenue from table games has already been written into the state budget and, just before Christmas, Gov. Ed Rendell threatened that he would have to cut 1,000 state jobs without that new gaming revenue – an estimated $250 million.
Adding table games is expected to help Pennsylvania casinos compete with Atlantic City.
Locally, the move will mean hundreds of new jobs within commuting distance for Pike County residents – jobs at Mount Airy Casino Resort near Mount Pocono and at Mohegan Sun south of Scranton.
Meanwhile, Fernwood Resort in Bushkill still has an application pending for a slots license, which would bring gaming to the Monroe-Pike County border.
Pike County residents could even see road improvements as a result of gaming revenue, said state Rep. John Siptroth, D-189.
Siptroth supported House passage of S.B. 711, which he said will “create hundreds of new jobs at Mt. Airy, 500 construction jobs for the Monroe Campus of Northampton Community College and an additional 100 permanent, non-college jobs. If Fernwood’s application for a Category III license is successful there may be hundreds of new job opportunities at that location. Monroe County will realize tens of millions of dollars in economic activity through SB711 and local companies that provide goods and services to the casino and hospitality industry will reap substantial benefits. In the midst of this recession that is good news. If Fernwood is successful in securing a license, there is language in the bill to take care of the local distribution of funds.”
Siptroth added, “A portion of the Local Share Assessment will be dedicated to roads within 20 miles of Mount Airy Casino. Constituents within the 189th Legislative District will see improvements to local roads as a result.”
Lawmakers are continuing to work to reform gaming and create an equitable distribution of revenue.
Siptroth said S.B. 711 “adds a measure of fairness to residents of Monroe and Pike counties because Luzerne County is removed as a qualifying contiguous county from revenue generated by Mount Airy. Luzerne County should not receive money from Mount Airy because it has its own casino, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.”
State Sen. Lisa Baker, R-20 is not enthusiastic about table games.
“I do not believe the expansion of gambling is a responsible solution to our problems,” she said in a statement posted on her Web site.
No Challengers Yet For Siptroth, Peifer
HARRISBURG – Two men who represent Pike County residents in Harrisburg are up for re-election in 2010 but no candidates have emerged yet to challenge them.
Part of the reason could be 2009’s 100-day stalemate over the state budget – a financial crisis destined to continue this year much to the disgust of voters. Lawmakers face only tough choices on spending and taxation, no easy answers in the wake of the Great Recession.
These state seats will appear on the ballot as Pike County’s voter registration swings from a historically dominant Republican majority to an increasingly balanced mix of Republicans and Democrats.
The 189th district seat held by Democrat John Siptroth of Smithfield Township was designed to be a Republican stronghold in redistricting that followed the 2000 census. But Kelly Lewis, the man first elected to represent the district, resigned before completing his term. Siptroth, a Democrat, defeated Republican businesswoman Diane Hannan in a special election to succeed Lewis.
After his first term, Siptroth deflected a challenge from Republican John Sivick, a Lehman Township supervisor known for his aggressive advocacy of local road projects to PennDOT.
Peifer, a Greentown Republican, first won his seat representing the 139th district in 2006, taking over for the retiring Jerry Birmelin. Rumors that Peifer would run against Chris Carney for Carney’s U.S. Congress seat swirled around the end of 2009, but Peifer declined, noting that he and his family decided against the run.
Peifer has not yet faced a challenge from a Democrat, and thus far none have announced an intent to oppose him in 2010.
Specter, Carney Seek Reelection
A political highlight of 2009 was U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter’s switch from Republican to Democrat. Will U.S. Rep. Chris Carney make an opposite move as he faces re-election this year?
That’s one of the questions on the horizon as 2010 begins and Pike County voters start thinking about who they want to send to Washington, D.C.
Recent reports indicate the GOP is courting Carney and that U.S. Sen. John McCain called the moderate Pennsylvania congressman to advocate a party switch. Thus far, Carney has said that he would not be switching parties.
So far, no primary challenger to Carney has emerged. The first GOP member to declare his candidacy is Malcolm Derk, a commissioner from Snyder County.
Carney’s district is traditionally Republican, and it is unlikely he will ever face an easy re-election bid, though many of his traits appeal to the Republican base: his opposition to abortion; his fondness for guns; and his occasional willingness to vote against his party on certain issues, such as the cap-and-trade bill he voted against in June.
Meanwhile, Specter faces a primary challenge by U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak and, if Sestak fails, a contentious race against Republican Pat Toomey, a conservative reminiscent of Pennsylvania’s former Senator Rick Santorum.
Pike County Library
Last summer, the Pike County Public Library’s Board of Directors decided to pursue a dedicated, countywide library tax. The plan was to use the money to fund system-wide improvements, including, most immediately, the construction of an $8.5 million branch headquarters in Milford, designed by New York City architect Frederic Schwartz.
In November, the tax issue came to a referendum, and was squarely defeated. The Schwartz design was pulled from the table, and the Pike County Commissioners viewed the election results as a mandate and called for reform on the library board, including representation of a broader slice of the county and a reworking of the existing bylaws.
Late in 2009, the two boards – the library and the commissioners – agreed to a tentative timetable; change would be in place by the end of January. At stake is the library’s funding from the county, and perhaps its existence.
In addition, with the Schwartz design scuttled, the library has begun to look at other options for a Milford Branch, most notably the Biondo Building, at 221 Broad Street in Milford.
Municipal Woes
MILFORD — Several municipalities in Pike have some daunting tasks before them in 2010.
Westfall Township continues its long slog out from under the burden of the Katz litigation. This year, residents will see a property tax increase of 7.35 mills as the township seeks to pay off the developer who had his development rights denied by previous boards of supervisors. As a result of the series of lawsuits, the township finds itself bankrupt.
Meanwhile, in Shohola, allegations of abuse of power have befallen the township’s zoning officer and one of the supervisors. An independent solicitor is currently looking into the charges in an effort to chart a preliminary course of action. The issue will play out over the course of the new year.
Get Ready For Higher Electric Bills
Some customers of Pike County Light and Power saw their electric bill double when the company’s rate caps expired at the end of 2005.
If you get your power from PPL or Met-Ed, now it’s your turn. Rate caps on those companies expire on December 31, 2009. PPL customers will pay an average of 30 percent more without the caps.
Depending on where you live, you may have the ability to choose the company that generates your electricity. This is called an “electric generation supplier” or EGS. Your current electric company (“electric distribution company” or EDC) will continue to provide the transmission and distribution parts of your electric service. Additionally, the Public Utility Commission (PUC) will continue to oversee electric service and competition in Pennsylvania. The quality, reliability and maintenance of your electric service will not change under Electric Choice.
Having choice means you can shop around for the price and type of service that best suits your needs. Some things to consider include:
- Whether the supplier offers different services and prices.
- Where the energy is produced.
- Whether the supplier uses renewable energy sources.
- Whether the supplier offers a budget-billing plan.
The Pa. Office of Consumer Advocate offers consumers a direct comparison of the utility prices versus the supplier price. You can view the “Price to Compare” at www.oca.state.pa.us. The office’s toll free number in Pennsylvania is 1-800-684-6560. OCA offers electric choice shopping guides and other consumer information
Remember, regardless of who generates your electricity, you will still continue to call your electric distribution company (EDC) for emergency services and questions regarding your residential service including outages. The quality, reliability, and maintenance of your electric service should not change as it is still monitored by the Commission. However, if you have a question about your generation charges you should first call your electric generation supplier.
The Pa. Public Utilities Commission recommends asking the following questions when shopping for electricity:
- Is the supplier licensed by the PUC?
- What are the length and other terms of the agreement?
- Will the price offered by the supplier remain the same throughout that time?
- Is there a penalty for canceling an agreement before its term is up?
- What steps must I take to switch suppliers?
- Will I pay a fee or penalty to switch suppliers?
- Are there restrictions on how much electricity I use and when I use it?
- Are taxes included in the supplier’s price for generation supply?
- Do I need a special meter and is there an added charge for that meter?
- Is there a basic or limited service rate that is less expensive?
- Will I still get service from a supplier if I have an outstanding balance or bad payment history?
- Does the supplier offer a budget-billing plan?
- Will I receive one bill or two?
More information is available at www.puc.state.pa.us/utilitychoice/
Governor’s Race
Ed Rendell’s tenure as Pennsylvania Governor will end at about the same time that 2010 does, as he finishes his second term in office. Rendell, from Philadelphia, had served as that city’s district attorney and mayor before moving into the Governor’s Mansion in 2003. Though it is still too early to talk of Rendell’s legacy, he will likely be remembered for bringing gaming to Pennsylvania, as well as for increasingly contentious annual budgets.
So far, there are a host of candidates to replace him. On the GOP side, the frontrunner is Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett. Congressman Jim Gerlach has also announced his candidacy, as has State Representative Sam Rohrer.
Meanwhile, several Democrats are poised to make a run at the state’s top job, including Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner, Montgomery County Commissioner and former Congressman Joe Hoeffel, Scranton Mayor Christopher Doherty, and Philadelphia Businessman Tom Knox.
Recent polls point to Corbett as the frontrunner not only among Republicans, but also against any of the Democratic candidates, though pollsters are quick to point out that about 20 percent of respondents are undecided at this point.
Corbett is often viewed as something of a reformer, having gone after both Democratic and Republican lawmakers for misuse of state funds and corruption.
None of the Democratic candidates have yet managed to separate themselves from the pack.
2010 Economic Outlook Fuzzy
MILFORD – Good riddance to 2009 – a year of high unemployment and staggering foreclosure statistics in Pike County.
But 2010 is still an economic question mark.
Looming large is the impact of the sale of Altec Lansing, one of Pike’s major employers. The sale of the Milford-based plant to Prophet Equity, a private investment firm in Texas, for $18 million was finalized in December. There’s no word yet on whether the deal will mean job cuts or job creation.
The latest statistics show Pike’s unemployment rate was 8.2 for October 2009, up 2 percent from October 2008. Similarly, the rates were 7 percent for Wayne County (up 2 percent from 2008) and 9.3 percent for Monroe County (up 2.7 percent from 2008), according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Small businesses, the backbone of most communities, provide some bright spots on the local landscape. A bakery called Cakes & Scones successfully relocated from East Stroudsburg to Greentown. Businesses that had been closed – a kennel in Bushkill and restaurant in Shohola – opened under new ownership as Bushkill Boarding and The Windy Dog. A new pharmacy – the first in Delaware Township – opened in Dingmans Ferry. A Milford landmark, the Tom Quick Inn, reopened under new ownership and is working to reestablish a mix of local and tourist clientele despite a legal dispute among the partners who bought the business. In Palmyra Township, developers broke ground for Sunset Harbor, the first conservation subdivision on Lake Wallenpaupack.
A sad certainty is the continuing onslaught of home foreclosures. Pike logged about 900 foreclosures in 2009 up from 535 in 2008. Sheriff Phil Beuki’s staff is processing 80 to 100 foreclosures per month and already scheduling foreclosure proceedings into July 2010.
“That’s unprecedented,” Bueki said in a recent interview. “I’m afraid there’s no end yet in sight.”
Beuki said 2009 trends included foreclosures of high-end homes worth up to $400,000. Southern Pike was hit especially hard, he said.
So were Pike County builders, who saw fewer than 200 building permits issued in 2009, down from as many as 1,000 just three years ago. Townships that continue to exhibit some growth are Lehman, Delaware, Dingman and Greene.
December 30, 2009 | Posted in
Pike County |
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Dozens of local families fill the Elks lodge on Route 6 prior to a gift distribution that provided nearly 200 children with new clothing, toys, and refreshments. (Photo by Sharon Siegel)
By Sharon E. Siegel
PORT JERVIS – The culmination of countless hours devoted by members of Port Jervis Lodge of Elks #645 to brightening the holidays for others, brought joy to nearly 200 local children and their families the day before Christmas. One-hundred-and-ninety-seven children were invited to attend a special holiday gift distribution held by the Elks at their lodge on Route 6, at which time Santa distributed hundreds of gifts as volunteers served hot chocolate and donuts purchased by the Elks.
Children’s Christmas Holiday Project Co-Chair and Past Exalted Ruler/District Deputy Dave Case, who along with fellow longtime Co-Chair Tom Hoppey helps annually to organize the event, said the Elks were very pleased with the events of this year’s holiday distribution day.
“It ran very smoothly, and all gifts were given out within an hour,” said Case. “There were many hugs and handshakes shared, and the thank you’s, in many cases, were quite emotional as the children and adults left that day.”
Case said each invited child was first presented with a wrapped package of clothing that had been selected by the child and paid for by the Elks during an earlier visit to the Milford/Westfall K-Mart. Children were then given two additional wrapped packages each, with each containing toys specifically chosen for the recipient. Following these individualized gift presentations, covers on tables lining the full length of two sides of the room were removed and children were allowed to select additional unwrapped toys to take home.
“Within a short time, there was nothing left on any of the tables,” said Case. “And out of the eight-dozen donuts on-hand, only eight donuts were left at the end. It was great!”
Case praised local donors, whom he said will soon receive special thank you cards from the organization. He also praised Hoppey for his diligence in visiting all local schools to gather children’s names, and then printing individualized labels for each of their gifts. He noted that the names of invited children are provided by local school personnel, including nurses, guidance counselors, teachers, principals, and other school staff from Delaware Valley, Port Jervis, and Eldred School Districts. Based on population numbers, a proportionate percentage of students from each school are then chosen.
“We’re limited to a total of 200,” said Case. “And we’re right around that amount each year. A couple of years ago we went up to 209. It depends on the weather and distance how many are able to actually attend in person each year.”
For those who were not able to attend, the Elks actually made a special effort this year to deliver some of their gifts in person following the event.
“Some families do not have a car, or there are other reasons that they were unable to attend. We want to make sure the children receive the clothing they selected, as well as their new toys,” said Case. “We want them to have a good holiday, so the last of these will have been delivered by Tuesday of this week.”
Besides the tangible donations which allow the Elks to offer this event each year, Case also praised members of the Port Jervis High School Honor Society for helping to wrap all of the specially presented gifts.
“There were two teams of ten kids each on a team wrapping the gifts. They wrapped all of the gifts in just 45 minutes,” said Case of the honor students. “They were a big help. It’s really a team effort, all around.”
L-R: Elks members Jill Jones, Dave Crawford, Barbara Todd, Mike Decker, and Tracy Todd serve donuts and hot chocolate to invited holiday guests. (Photo by Sharon Siegel)
A display featuring many of the Elks annual events was posted in the foyer where volunteer Billie Mae Case checked letters of invitation and offered a cheerful welcome to each invited guest as they arrived. (Photo by Sharon Siegel)
Port Jervis Lodge of Elks #645 members (L-R) Kevin Keane, Sean Cunningham, Ryan Cunningham, and Hank Dunn were among the many volunteers who helped to make the Elks’ holiday gift distribution a happy one for all invited guests. (Photo by Sharon Siegel)
L-R: Port Jervis Lodge of Elks #645 members Helen Garrity, Exalted Ruler Gary Jones, Past Grand Exalted Ruler/District Deputy and Holiday Party Co-Chair Dave Case, Beth Conklin, and Janet Tidd were among those who assisted with Santa’s distribution of gifts at the Elks lodge on Route 6 the day before Christmas. (Photo by Sharon Siegel)
The Elks Lodge on Route 6. (Photo by Sharon Siegel)
December 30, 2009 | Posted in
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