The Daily Intelligencer from Doylestown, Pennsylvania • Page 3

DAILY INTILLIG1NCEH TutldiY, Movtmbtr 23, Hearing starts on pay for furloughed teachers By CAROLYN MIESER Intelligencer Staff Writer A cloaed-door hearing began today to air grievances filed by the Centennial Education Association (CEA) laat June on behalf of about 63 teachers furloughed by the district The hearing is being arbitrated by Walter Gershenfeld, a Temple University professor, appointed by the American Arbitration Association. The CEA claims in the grievances that about 12 teachers hired on a temporary basis were entitled to severance pay when their contracts were not renewed last spring Leroy A Nelson, labor negotiator for the district, said the school board feels the contract grants severance pay only to permanent teachers, not to those hired for one year at a time. Temporary teachers fill in for teachers on maternity or sabbatical leave The CEA also wants the teachers who were furloughed last spring and then rehired by the district to keep their seniority In essence those teachers aid not leave the district's employment and should not lose seniority, the union contends A third issue for the arbitrator to decide involves seniority for teachers who took personal leave According to the district, seniority is lost when a teacher goes on a leave of absence The CEA contends that seniority should not be lost when personal leave is granted Personal leave of absence is taken by teachers for reasons other than those on the approved list One year's leave of absense is granted without loss of seniority for maternity and sabbatical leave and in the case of illness Personal leave might be requested by a teacher whose spouse has been temporarily assigned to an out of Courts budget hearing Reviewing a thousand-page budget proposal calling for a $669,000 increase in the courts system next year are (from left) H. Paul Kester, court administrator, Thomas Wiley, assistant court administrator, Judge John J. Bodley, and President Judge Lawrence A.

Monroe. (Staff photo by Eric Eberhardt) Bucks court budget up $699,000 By WILLIAM BOYLE Intelligencer Staff Writer In an air of conciliation Monday, Bucks County judges disclosed a 1977 County Court budget proposal calling for a system-wide increase expenditures of 15 per cent or $669,000 The initial budget hearing before the county commissioners was in marked contrast to last year's confrontation which led to a court suit by the judges centering on the constitutional authority of both branches of government Last year the judges sought $5 3 million but the commissioners granted only $3 7 million An out-of- court settlement increased tjie budget to $4 6 million while still leaving open the question of which branch takes precedence over the other In 1977, the judges have asked for From EPA, DER and will likely get their $5 3 million, adding more than a half-mill to a projected real estate tax increase which grows almost daily The court system makes up more than 14 per cent of the total county budget County Finance Director David Evans said a prolonged dispute over the budget with the judges is not anticipated this year He said his office and the court's fiscal officers have cooperated continuously on the proposal since October In addition, he said "by controlling expenses, passing by capital projects, delaying the filling of vacant positions they saved or returned $210,088," which can be used in next year's budget George Metzger, chairman of the commissioners, first remarked, "Is that all it is'," when he learned the projected increase Later, he said, "How are we a position to decide what is needed' Onl the people involved know what they need We have no idea Judge John Bodley said the proposal represented "Only what is realistic--what is needed to keep the quality the public demands and maintain the caseload Nothing was put in lightly but we are willing to respond to any specific item Monday's hearing focused only on the main courts budget which called for an increase of $206,316 to $1 59 million Evans little to dispute with the section, suggesting cuts only in the thousand dollar range in areas such as travel, office supplies, books and periodicals The proposal is a reduction of $90,000 since October The increase in mam courts includes $139,893 for new positions, vacant positions and salary in- creases and $32,750 for purchased services Still remaining for review are domestic relations which could increase from $176,000 to $306,000 adult probation, which could rise from $268,000 to $394,000, juvenile court from $317,000 to $388,000, and district justices, group homes, youth center law library, jundicial information management system (JIMS), constables, and adjudicated juvenile training All but $500,000 in state money of the total budget request would come from county taxpayers The 15 per cent increase would be completely county money In addition, the courts reap some $19 million in revenue Simply put, the increase can be attributed to a growing work load throughout the entire system Sewer committee still waiting for funds By THOMAS HAERTSCH Intelligencer Staff Writer A sewage treatment planning committee for eastern Montgomery County still is waiting for word on state and federal funds for a study of future sewage needs Members of the committee met last week with representatives of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state Department of Environmental Resources (DER) to explain the position of the study committee and the Hatboro- Upper Moreland Joint Sewer Authority In a letter to the Upper Moreland Commissioners, DER questioned the authority's ability to produce an unbiased study light of Upper Moreland's opposition to spray irrigation According to federal regulations, federal funding is withdrawn unless all sewage treatment alternatives, including spray irrigation, are considered in the study which the committee may undertake Carroll a i business manager, this morning said the joint sewer authority is separate from the township commissioners and is not bound by the commissioners' actions But state and federal officials again stressed the study, known as a "201 study," would require consideration of all types of sewage disposal Kuhn has maintained if state or federal funding is not available for the study, it will not be undertaken, which means the burden of the costs would not fall on the taxpayers The study is one of the beginning steps to a i the i authority's treatment system to meet future growth lequirements and sewer and water regulations on the state and fedsral level The authority's study area includes Hatboro, Upper Moreland, Horsham, Upper Southampton and parts of Lower Moreland and Bryn Athyn The study committee consists of three members of the joint sewer authority, two from the Horsham Authority, one from the Southampton Sewer Authority and one citizen representative Kuhn said the joint authority would further discuss the possibility of funding at an authority meeting tonight at 7 30 in the 2500 building on Maryland Road, Willow Grove Warwick told to include spray By HARRY STOFFER Intelligencer Staff Writer State and county health and environmental officials went before Warwick Township supervisors Monday evening to tell them a proposed spray irrigation sewage disposal system must be part of a comprehensive plan of water quality management Before they left, they had been chastised by township solicitor Peter A Glascott for aiding the "spoilers of the land" and for undermining the township's defense against zoning challenges But they also received an offer to provide a study of area sewer needs from businessman Albert Sussman, who has proposed the spray irrigation system as part of a commercial and multifamily development he wants to build The development would be built on Old York Road across from the Bucks County Country Club, which Sussman owns Treated effluent from the development would be sprayed over open land adjacent to the club's golf course Sussman's representatives have been working with the township in trying to get the spray irrigation system approved The township received a letter in October from the state Department of Environmental Resources (DER) which supervisors said was unclear but which they interpreted as a rejection of the spray system Sussman has since appealed that rejection to the state Environmental Hearing Board Edward Prout, regional sewage facilities consultant for DER, said Monday the letter was in fact a rejection because the township had failed to tie into Sussman's proposal any provision for existing problems and pending needs Albert Wills, chief of the sanitary engineering division of the Bucks County Health Department, said existing needs include homes in the Jamison Park neighborhood and in other homes along Almshouse and Old York Road town position Such leave also may be requested for a year's study by a teacher who has not earned sabbatical leave In continuing legal battles, the district and the CEA will go to court Wednesday for a hearing on the temporary injunction issued two weeks ago in Bucks County Court The injunction forced striking teachers back to work Judge William Rufe HI will decide whether or not to continue the injunction after hearing arguments on both sides of the issue a i a a Relations Board has set Jan 6 for a hearing on charges by the CEA of unfair labor practices The CEA has charged that the school board tried to get around the negotiating teams for the CEA by sending letters directly to the membership Warminster not building curbs on Street Road by SUSAN SPRAUGE Intelligencer Writer No curbs will be built on Street Road in Warminster Township, at least for a while Citing high county and school taxes, two of the three supervisors present at Monday night's meeting voted against a move to build the curbs and assess the business and homeowners $1650 per front foot The area under consideration for the curbing and sidewalks was between Norwood Street and Evergreen Avenue on the south side of Street Road "I think at this time, placing the extra financial burden on the taxpayers would be unwarranted," said Supervisor Andrew Warren Supervisor Charles Ford echoed Warren's feelings "There have been some people who have and asked to have this deferred because they already have the extra county and school taxes," he said While Ford called the project a "good thing" because it would be putting in sidewalks and curbs in a dangerous area, he added his vote to Warren's to defeat the ordinance Five businesses and one residence would be affected by the curbing or- Bucks-Mont News di nance The area is heavily traveled by parochial school children who cut through to cross Street Road to the Nativity of Our Lord Elementary School In other business, the supervisors announced they are still undecided on whether to seek an appeal of a Commonwealth Court decision which granted ownership of fire equipment to the suspended Lacey Park Fire Co Township attorney Elliot Drexler is still considering the situation i i township will ask a higher court to reverse the decision in the 16-month dispute on the ownership of the equipment In the decision, the judge agreed the township had the right to suspend the fire company, but had no right to the equipment, titled in the nonprofit corporation's name The supervisors also voted to charge the school board 6 5 per cent for each occupationsl tax it collects The occupational tax was approved in the township in Feb 1975 Half of the $10 tax goes to the township, and half to the school district The township will be charging for the service of collecting the tax UM elementary school burglarized Woodlawn Elementary School was burglarized Friday between 7 and 8 15 according to Upper Moreland police A tape recorder, a world globe and speaker for the intercom system were taken Police said a window was broken and flower pots were knocked over by the thieves Several items were removed from a classroom and taken to the gymnasium and smashed on the floor Pizza shop Is robbed Harvey's Pizza Den, Street Road near Park Avenue, Warminster, was burgalnzed between 1 and 4 a Tuesday according to police An unknown amount of cash was taken and vending machines were roobed, police said The shop is located in the Centennial Shopping Plaza Two can collide Two cars collided on Easton Road near Lincoln Avenue about 6 a a i Moreland police The cars were driven by Neil Rosenthal, 23, Trenton, and Harry Ketterer, 53, of 707 Lincoln Ave, Willow Grove Edith Ketterer, a passenger in her husband's car, complained of pain, but did not go to the hospital Rosenthal was cited for going through a red light Cited for shoplifting One person was issued a nontraf- fic citation connection with a shoplifting incident 10 45 a Monday in a department store near Welsh and North Wales roads, Montgomery Township The man was i i i as William Lewis, 20, Sycamore Drive, Lansdale Four cited for underage drinking Four persons were issued nontraf- i i a i i Police for underage drinking in connection with an incident at Route 309 and Evans Road at 11 55 Monday Cited by police were Joseph Firth, 20 Belair Road, Warminster, Nina a 1 9 a i Churchville, Scott Renmnger, 19, Woodland Drive, Warminster and Shirley Humphrey, 18 Georges Lane, Warminster Crash occurs at Intersection A car operated by Nancy Witt, 23, Mill Road, Perkasie, and a truck operated by Herbert Landis, 48, Montgomeryville, collied at 11 05 a on Monday at the intersection of 152 and i Road, Hilltown Township police report Firemen overcome by iumei SKIPPACK, Pa (AP) Eighteen firemen were overcome by fumes Monday while fighting a fire that destroyed a warehouse containing chemical products, fire officials said One fireman was hospitalized and 17 others were treated for smoke inhalation after fighting the blaze at the Palmer Products Co Heat from buring resin products caused the roof of the building to collapse making it more difficult for some 200 firemen from Skippack and surrounding communities to extinguish the blaze, officials reported Horsham considers bond refinancing Continued from page 1 ty absolutely nothing Though a "fee" would be paid to retire the old debt, the new bonds would yield an Warminster allows permits Continued from page 1 problems with their homes, valued at $50,000 and up They cited frozen toilets, no heat, sagging porches, and continued problems with the two- year-old homes. The supervisors' first vote on the motion was defeated when only two of the three supervisors present voted in favor A minimum of three votes from the usually five-man board is necessary to pass any motion Supervisor Charles Ford later reversed his decision, and put the motion on the floor again after it was agreed Drexler will meet with township building inspector Joseph Knox and attempt to find a solution to the residents' problem investment interest rate high enough to cover the fee and still save the authority money Loeb Rhoades would derive a gross i of $351,000 difference between the amount of the special obligation bonds plus the new bond issue and the amount necessary to retire the old issues plus pay off the special obligation bonds), out of which Loeb Rhoades would pay all costs for the refinancing Though Trowe stated that the banking firm would be able to tell whether or not the refinancing would work within 30 days of starting the process, he added that "there is no reason for it not to work" In any case, he said, the authority would pay nothing, Loeb Rhoades absorbing the cost of an unsuccessful attempt. Following the oral presentation, authority solicitor Scott Maxwell asked Annlcelli and Trowe to present a written proposal to the authority. The final decision on the plan will be made upon receipt and review of the written proposal.

15 Hatboro residents say only 1 light needed DANIEL C. MARSCHALL cut down on vandalism By THOMAS HAERTSCH Intelligencer Staff Writer One out of four is all they need That is what about 15 residents of Pine Tree Lane told the Hatboro Highway Committee Monday evening as they discussed the number of streetlights needed on the road The borough had proposed four for the road, scheduled to be dedicated as a borough road at council's Dec 13 meeting The recommendation came from Philadelphia Electric Company, who conducted a street lighting survey of the street and suggested four mercury lamps One lamp would be placed at the entrance to Pine Tree Lane at Montgomery Avenue The other three would be placed at various locations along the road The residents told the committee they have lamp posts at their curbs and some have spotlights on their properties They said they felt the three additional lights on the road were unnecessary Borough officials said the ad- ditional lights could be an added safety feature to the road rather than a nuisance Committee Chairman Daniel Marschall said he felt the extra lighting would cut down on possible vandalism in the neighborhood But the committee agreed to recommend to the public safety committee the elimination of the three lights at the request of the residents Borough officials maintain the elimination of the extra lighting would be a saving to the borough of about $200 annually Cost of operation of the light at Monument Avenue and Pine Tree Lane would cost the borough under $100 annually, according to officials The public safety committee will review the proposal at its Dec 7 meeting Borough council delayed the adoption of a resolution for a deed of dedication at us November meeting because a title search had not been completed.