The Times Leader from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania • 16

16A The Times Leader. Witkes-Borrc', Thursday, June 3. 1984 LIU's investigative panel meets tonight Leader Action UADf AC! ON IS A CONSUME CCXUMN DfSlOKtC TO AID ADtRS IN KESOIVTNG ONUSUAl P06lMS. By BETTY ROCCOGRANOJ 3at rmt Tonight's meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m.. Is open to the public.

The meetini will be held on the I hATt two questions about KIXGSTOX A committees third Jloor of the LIU offices, lo- 11 estate law. Do the people lormed to investigate an alleged cated at 368 Tioga Aver living at aa estate property, payroll impropriety at the Luzerne Price has called the incident "a paring for its apkeep and taxes, have more legal rights Ahan ether family members? Do in-laws have any rights to the estate? J.M.. Lazerne ra. of Wyoming Area, will oversee the committee's work. Pugh said Sieminski has offered him total support.

-Pugh said he is confident the committee will uncover the truth in the apparent pay switch attempt. He said the committee will interview those previously interviewed plus other LIU employees. Pugh said if the committee does not get satisfactory answers, he will solicit outside help, possibly the state attorney general's office. However, Pugh said, as of now. he does not feel that will be nec-' essary.

"The board will find out what really happened." he said. establish a time frame for the investigation. The committee will not interview anyone tonight. Committee Chairman Tom Pugh. whore presents North est Area on the LIU board, said Interviews will be conducted in private so those interviewed will not feel restrained.

Other committee members include Paul Dietrich, of Wyoming Valley West; Ernest Ashbridge. of Dallas; Edward Yankowski. of Wilkes-Barre Area: James Lesho. of Hanover Area; Joseph Mikolinis. of Nanticoke Area and Les Howell, of Tunkhannock Area.

NBoard President Charles of- Crestwood. and board vice-president Michael Bute-. Intermediate Unit 18 (LIU) will meet tonight for the first time. The committee, which includes seven members of the LIU board, will try to find out why two board meeting agendas named LIU Program Director William E. Price's wife, Barbara, las the instructor of an in-service course actually taught by Price.

One motion recommended the board pay Mrs. Price SI. 632 fold teaching the in-service history mix-up" and has told the board be does not know how the two items naming his wife as the course instructor got on the agenda. LIU Executive Director Thomas O'Donnell. LIU Business Manager Carmen Mauriello.

and Loretta Farris, the director of the LIU's in-service program, have also told the board they do not know who is responsible for putting the items on the agenda, committee -wtti tit cide how it will gather data and Only a lawyer well-versed in the complicated field estate law arSt and related matters such as wills and probate could give youinformed answers. However. Leader Action asked Atty. John G. Swatkoski of Meyer and Swatkoski Cushy Associates in from Page 1A) Kingston for a general opinionl The distribution of possessions and I II But, Lesho said he doesn't think O'Connor's contract Is official yet and would ha've a real problem if O'Connor tries to enforce the con But LIU director Michael Butera, who represents Wyoming Area, disagrees.

"If a board member votes for something he doesn't know what tract. he's voting fort I can't see how thatiesho said theMarch vote to ap- is going to overturn a prove O'Connor's contract-marmot- Sieminski saidPthat when O'Don-nell's contract comes up for a vote, "We'll ask the questions we should have asked before. I'm going to read every dot arid letter in every sentence." Sieminski also' said" learning what's in O'Connor's contract, he wouldn't vote to extend some of those benefits to O'Donnell. One such benefit, Sieminski said, regards the right to teach. "I think the position calls for a full-time executive.director," he said.

He also said he doesn't feel-the board's previous motion to drftw up O'Don-nell's contract with the same language as O'Connor's is binding. "I certainly had a different perception of that contract." he said. Pugh said there are probably several local school "Superintendents looking at O'Connor's contract with envy. Bellas "School District represent" tative Ernest Ashbridge said knowing- what he knows now. he also wouldn't vote to give O'Donnell the same contract as O'Conior's.

Ashbridge said he asked O'Donnell last month for a copy of O'Connor's contract and was told by. O'Donnell it wasn't, available because it was still beingtyped. Ash-bridge said" he still hasn't received a copy, "Board president Charles property upon a person's death -depends on whether the deceased left a will, he said. We'll assume in this case there is no will. Swatkoski said the person or people living in or t- maintaining the deceased's property do not have any special legal rights or privileges.

As far as in-laws are concerned, if the property is left to one blood relation who later dies, the interest in the property would go to the relation's surviving 'spouse (an in-law to the person who left the property). N6rmally71i6wever7 the rights" of blood" kin take precedence over those of an in-law unless special provisions have been made in a will, he said. be part of the' board's official minutes because the motion made no reference to the contract being on file. He said the motion should have included a phrase such as. "per exhibit" or "See secretary's file." "I don't think he technically has a final contract as it pertains to.

benefits We probably are still in the process of negotiating with Kevin O'Connor." said. Butera, who said he read O'Connor's contract before voting on it, said it was a fair contract. Hanover Area's Jim Lesho agrees. He said Weflnesday that O'Connor's contract is commensurate with the contracts of others holding similar jobs. He also said O'Donnell deserves equal treatment, if not better than those "underneath him," because he has more responsibility.

Gooch Friends of ex-GOP chairman will MlppCTAlegarhiir (Continued from Page 1 A) Do you have the address of the Literary Guild? V.B., Kingston Write to The Literary Guild. AA Customer Service Center. 501 VU Franklin Garden City, N.Y. 1 1 530. or call 5 1 6-294-4000.

minute annual stockholders -meeting held at the Sheraton Motor Inn in Williamsport. About 60 of the company's 7.200 stockholders attended. Before he made the announce- ment, Gooch delivered an upbeat message, reporting healthy common stock earnings and the total operating revenues for PEI in 1985. Revenues totaled $232 million in 1985, up from $230.6 million in 1984, he said. Earnings for each share of common stock were $4.98 HARRISBURG (AP) Friends of former state Republican Chairman Robert Asher are creating a legal fund to help Asher defend against charges he participated in a bribery scheme, but no public fund-raising eventr are planned.

Asher said Wednesday. A group called Friends of Bob Asher mailed a completed registration form and a $100 check May 30 to register as a charitable organic zation with the Pennsylvania De- Last July, I sent 1 1 for a Cw) year's membership in the X. Scanner Association of North America (SCAN) in Hillside, 111. I never received club materials or the-construction-of three filtration plants by 1988, increased reservoir patrols, annual flashing of water mains to remove sediment buildup, and expanded use of bimetalic phosphate to minimize the effects of iron and manganese. 'There are no miracles that can be performed," said Gooch.

He said it will take much time and patience to achieve the company's goals. Construction of a filtration plant in Moosic near the Spring Brook reservoir is expected to get under way early next month, said Walter K. Morris, president of. Gannett-Fleming Water Resources Inc. of Harrisburg.

Morris, who briefed the audience on the project, said about 41 percent of the company's Wilkes-Barre area customers will receive filtered water when the construction is completed in 1988. Those customers will be Jrorn Jthe Greater Pittston area, he said! Construction of filtration plants in the Scranton and Chinchilla area will begin at a later date. Also at Wednesday's meeting, stockholders, mostly through proxy votes, elected Berwick businessman Zane B. Confair, 63, to the board and re-elected seven others. Elected were: Nanticoke businessman Kenneth L.

Pollock, 65; Scranton businessman James A. Ross, 49; Gooch; Harrisburg attorney Charles E. Thomas, 72; Williamsport bank presidenLWilliam Da- vis, 54; Scranton buinsessman Robert J. Keating, 67; and Wilkes-Barre financial advisor Robert L. Jones, 54.

er requested the money go to the Republican State Committee. Dwy- er awarded the contract, but no money ever changed hands. Asher and Dwyer pleaded innocent May 28. 'The trial is not expected to start until September or October in Williamsport. Asher stepped down as state party chairman in February to open a lobbying business with McCartney, but Ashejremains active in politics and tejstill the Mont gomery County GQP chairman.

Asher said he knows of no specific fund-raising goal or what he expects his legal bill to be. But so far "there's been about 100 people that have expressed a desire to participate and I anticipate the figure will go much higher," Asher said. "The response, the word of mouth, has been phenomenal," Asher said. Liebler, the Department of State spokeswoman, said the-Friends of Bob Asher group mistakenly completed a long registratipn form requiring the kind of detailed disclosure not needed to register as a legal defense fund. A short form was mailed to the committee Wednesday to complete, she said.

Former Dauphin County Republican Chairman William Smith, who was convicted earlier, in the case, was the beneficiary of a state-registered defense fund" set up on his behalf to help pay a legal bill in excess of $200,000. answers to my fetters. Can you help? I.O., Mountaintop An association representative promised to start your fX membership and subscription immediately. She told us she would call you to apologize and explain the situation. SCAN merged with a similar group, Popular Communications, in February.

SCAN magazine, previously a bi-monthly, is now a monthly, she said. The company's new address is P.O. Box 414, Western Springs, 111. 60558. The telephone number is 312-246-4550.

For help with your problem, call 829-7234 or write to Ivy Grispino, Leader Action, 1 5 N. Main Wilkes-Barre 18711. Leader Action accepts phone calls and legible, signed letters only. We regret we cannot acknowledge or answer every partment of State, said department spokeswoman Kathy Leibler. The defense fund, headed by former state Republican Vice Chairman Frank McCartney, will conduct "word-of-mouth" fund-raising but will stage no public activities because such events could cause political fallout, Asher said.

Friends and political acquaintances talked with him about "doing an event" but, "I felt Bob Asher felt that it was not in the best interest of the Republican Party to have an event," the former state Republican chairman said. A federal grand jury indicted Asher and state Treasurer R. Budd Dwyer on May 13, accusing them of agreeing to help a data processing firm. Computer Technology Associates, wm a-no-bid state contract in return campaign contribution. The grand jury said CTA offered Dwyer the $300,000 contribution in March 1984 and that Asher lat- in 1985, compared to $4.88 in 19847 Gooch said the reason forr the gains were twofold: a 4.7-percent gas rate increase took effect in April 1984, and no credits had to be issued in 1985 to customers who had t6 boil their water during the outbreak of the flu-like disease giardiasis.

Gooch said the company faces many future challenges in both its water and gas divisions, including how to deal with the expected competition from the oil industry which has seen oil prices drop dramatically worldwide. Gooch also talked briefly about the PUC's refusal in April to grant any of its requested rate hike. Rather than take up a lengthy legal fight through appeals he said, company officials decided it could better serve the public by concentrating on improving water quality. He outlined 17 measures that the company is undertaking to improve water quality. Among them: request.

i i 1 1 1 i -i Weather Elsewhere Tmpraturi indicat high and low for day to p.i WEATHER SUMMARY 60 70 80 90 7 nigh Temperatures 7 Today's forecast: MOSTLY CLOUDY Yesterday .............80 Lowest 1 50 Average ....65 Precipitation 0 Temp. Humidity Pa. Summary Moisture is moving in from the south and a new push ofool air from central Canada witr bring a cold front through the state to- day. Showers and thunderstorms will spread to eastern sections to- day with the approach of the cold front. The front will stall over T4 51 6 a.m .....:.....51 Noon 70...., 6 p.m.

78 HI. Lo Pre. 011k Juneau 60 41 clr Albany, NV. 50 rn Kansas City 83 67 CSV Albuquerque 79 51 03 clr Las Vegas 103 76 ctr Amarillo B2 58 ,07 cdv Utile Rock 76 68 .56 rn Anchorage 54 47 C1r os Angeles CCv Asheville 63 58 rn Louisville 81 65 rn Atlanta 76 64 cdv Lubbock 81 65 clr Atlantic City 63 57 rn Memphis 88 '73 pi. Austin 87 72 .03 cdv Miami 84 79 rn Baltimore 71 50 rn Midland" 17 62 clr Billings 81 -53 .24 rn Milwaukee 67 51 cdv Birmingham 90 69 cdv Mols 86 64 cdv Bismrck cdv Nashville 84 64 06 rn Boise 89- 65 rn NwOrlns 90 73 1.09 cdv Boston 68 J5A.

rn NYC 69 56 cdv Brownsville 91 77 cdv Nortolk.Va. 69 58 cdv ButWo, J0 a rn 'North Platte 81 64 cdv rBrkjw.Vf,-. 65 52 cdv OklhmCty 81 68 56 rrt Casoer 90 55 .36 clr Omaha 84 68 cdv Chltn.SC 76 68 cdv Orlando 94 73 .51 rn Chltn.WVa. 79 59 rn Philadelphia 72 53 rn Chllt.N.C. 77 66 cdv Phoenix 104 83 clr Chevenne 83 56 cdv Pittsburgh 72 53 rn Chicago 75 54 rn Prtld, Maine 64 42 rn Cincinnati 78 60 rn Prtld.Ore 73 60 cdv 72 52 rn Providence 65 -47 rn.

Clmb.SC. 79 70 cdv Raleigh 7 5 60 cdv Ctb5.0h1o 78 57 rn- RaoidCitv 89 52 .09 Cdv Cncd.N.H. 66 37. rn Reno 90 47 clr Dallas 84 72 .10 cdv Richmond 74 54 cdv Davton 78 58 rn Sacramento 84 55 clr Denver 84 57 cdv St Louis 82 70 rn Des Moines 83 66 cdv Sit Lk Ctv 87 60 cdv Detroit 71 46 cdv San Antonio 87 67 4.86 cdv Duluth BO 56 .61 cdv San Diego 71 62 cdv El Paso 87 61 .03 clr Sn Frnsc 66 57 cdv Evansville 82 67 rn San Juan 90 7 5 rn Fairbanks 67 44 cdv st Ste Marie 67 57 clr Fargo 92 58 cdv Seattle 74 56 cdv Flagstaff 74 48 .06 clr Shreveoorl 84 71 .60 cdv Grd Rods 73 47 cdv Sioux Fal 84 66 cdv Great Falls 75 50 rn Spokane 86 62 clr Grnsbr.N.C. 74 65 cdv Syracuse 69-51 rn Harltord 69 49 rn Tampa 94 75 rn Helena 71 45 07 rn Topeka 85 66 .01 Cdv Honolulu 86 73 clr Tucson 99 71 ctr Houston 87 75 cdv Tulsa 82 68 99 rn Indianapolis 78 60 rn vVshgtn 73 56 1 Jckn.Miss, 90 73 cdv Wichita 82 68 cdv -Jacksonville 89 71 cdv 70 51 rn ilostly cloudy with an 80 per southern Pennsylvania late today and should retreat northward as a warm front Friday.

Showers and thunderstorms are possible in all 7. sections into Friday. Jersey Shore Today will be partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of afternoon showers. A thunderstorm is ble toward evening. Highs will be.

in the lower 70s. Winds will be' southerly at 10 to 15 mph. To-' night and Friday will be mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance -of showers. cent chance of showers. Highs in the lower to mid 70s.

Tonight there will be a 60 percent chance of showers. Lows in the mid to upper 50s. Extended Forecast FRIDAY There will be a 60 percent chance of showers with highs 70 to 75. SATURDAY through MONDAY Chance showers Saturday. Lows in the 50s.

Highs in the 70s. Chance of showers and thunderstorms Sunday and Monday. Lows in the upper 50s to low 60s. Highs Jn the upper 70s to low 80s. Estimated River Level (7:00 o.m.

today) Wilkes-Barr: ....2.9 ft. Towanda ....2.3 ft. Ram Showers Snow Flurries Occluded' Stationary" Worldwide Weather Degree days tor heating Degrees days for cooling Almanac Sunrise 5:31 Sunset Record high, set in 1925. 97 Record low, set in 1964 40 National Summary The weather forecast for today called for showers and thun-dershowers from the southern Plains across the Mississippi and Tennessee valleys to the Ohio Valley; scattered showers and thunderstorms in the northern and central Plains, the south Atlantic Coast states and the central Gulf Coast; widely scattered showers and thunderstorms in the Rockies; and showers in the northern 'Pacific Coast and northern New England. Barometer 6 a.m 30.19 Noon 30.15 6 3O.02 Snowfall Day .0 Month 8.8 Season ..49.3 Day 0 Month 9 Season 87 Normal to date ...,...........37 Day 7.

Month 23 Season 5962 Normal to date ......6307 Tm.rotur and weather conditions from midnight to midnight on proviout day. HI Lo Wthr London 59 46 cdv Amsterdam 54 45 rn Madrid 81 55 clr Athens 8B 64 clr Manila 91 75 clr Bangkok 91 79 clr Mexico Cltv 77 55 cdv Barbados 87 77 clr Montreal 63 34 clr Beirut MM Moscow 82 61 cdv Belgrade 70 55 cdv Nassau 87 73 cdv Berlin 63 45 rn New Delhi 102 81 clr Bermuda 75 71 rn Nicosia 86 68 clr Bogota 66 41 cdv Oslo 62 52 cdv Brussels 61 43 cdv Paris MM B'Aires 64 50 clr Peking 90 68 dr Cairo 97 61 clr Rio 73 57 cdv Calgarv 68 48 err Rome 75 46 clr Caracas 81 64 cdv San Juan 89 7 5 cdv Cooennagen 57 52 rn Santiago Dublin 57 46 cdv 1 Sao Paulo 64 50 cdv Frankfurt 68 52 cdv Seoul 75 63 cdv Geneva 66 54 rn Singapore B6 79 cdv Havana 87 74 cdv Stockholm 63 55 cdv Helsinki 64 55 cdv Svdnev 66 48 clr Hong Kong 86 77 rn Taipei 90 7 5 clr Istanbul 79 64 cdv Tel Aviv 84 66 cdv Jerusalem 88 61 cdv Tokvo 75 64rdv Jo'burg 70 48 rn Toronto 64 36 clr Kiev 72 50 clr Vancouver 72 5J clr Lima 71 61 cdv Vienna 65 -50 clr Lisbon 79 61 clr Warsaw' 63 46 cdv Moy '7 Full, May 23 A degrefr-ddy for healing and. cooling is an index of energy consumption. It indicates the number of degrees the mean temperature goes above or below 65 degrees. cao Precipitation Day .0 15 Year to date 14.79 Normal to date .13.58 Departure from normal .....1.23 The National Weather Service broadcasts weathei' information continuously for the Wyoming Valley at 162.550 MHz for VHF FM equipped radios.

Lot Mpy 3U New, June 7.