York Daily Record from York, Pennsylvania • Page 3

York Daily Record, Friday, April 23, 1976 3 Well, I I By DON STKRNBKKGH PUC Hears Arguments Steam Meat Question Some school districts are removing vending machines that sell foods in the schools. Shouid York area schools do the same? Mrs. Ruth Reinecker, Mt. Wolf, unemployed. Yes, I think they should be removed.

The children's health is more important. Still Boilin ir KlJPv hi. TiuinS i mmMy 1 "-mif iiwiiiiMi-niiiflmwmviiYmfiii i imi-rammm 1 1 I I Stanley Butcher, Glen Rock RD 1, self-employed tree surgeon. it me macnmes mane money tor a good cause, they should keep them Ms. Robbie Nyhart, Cedar Village, home economist and former teacher.

I really don't think it would make that much difference in the students' diets. They are going to eat junk foods anyhow. by abandoning the system than by keeping it in operation. Closing the plant, Cohen stressed, would have great impact upon the city which, for the most part since the early 1900's, was built with a reliance upon steam heat for heating the downtown structures, many of which have no chimneys needed in other heating methods. Cohen argued Met-Ed could save $200,000 annually by releasing employes of the steam heat operation but, instead, has elected not to avoid that cost.

Further, he said, the company proposes to abandon the distribution system "in writing it off as a financial loss without incurring any expense for removal of mains and four oil-fired boilers installed in 1963 ould be sold as scrap rather than maintained in their present operating condition or sold to another agency or business Cohen also said a 1969 letter sent to all steam heat customers by the utility served to dwindle business by informing consumers that if financial losses continue, the company may be compelled to consider asking for abandonment of the facilities. McConaghy countered by saying the firm "has been honest with its customers and did not intend to scare them away. We're up against a hopeless situation with mounting annual losses and no place to get new customers." Cohen rebutted by saying Met Ed did not ish to acquire new customers because, following the 1969 letter, not a of the building's structural features. McConaghy outlined problems faced by Met-Ed in the steam heating operations it took over in 1950 with the acquisition of the former Edison Power and Light Co. Until 1959 when generation of electricity ceased at the plant, steam was sold as a by-product and used to heat buildings in the center city area.

Met-Ed's lawyer said the major problem is the constant decline in the number of customers which peaked at 370 in 1956-57 and dropped to 260 by the end of 1974 During the 13 succeeding months, another 53 customers had discontinued the service for one reason or another and the figure stood at 207 on Jan. 31 of this year, he noted. Correspondingly, McConaghy said, the firm has suf fered operating losses each year since 1959. a fact he attributed to the continual loss of business, steadily increasing fuel and maintenance costs and loss of steam within an aging distribution system. McConaghy said all Met-Ed employes now assigned to the steam heating facility would be absoi bed into the company's electrical generation business if abandonment is permitted He summed up his argument by stating, "we i Met-Ed) are the victims of York's center city deterioration not the cause of it and we want out ot this predicament His summation was directed at an earlier statement by Cohen who said.

"Met-Ed substantially is the author of its own problem," contending the utility stands to lose more HARRIS1U RG Pennsylvania Public I'tility Commission members heard oral arguments Thursday in Metropolitan Edison Company's application to abandon its downtown steam heat producing plant The 90 minute session before the full five-member PIC followed public hearings conducted at York County Court House Jan 6-7 and Feb 11 of this year after which counsel for Met Ed and opponents to the closing of the plant filed written briefs with the commission Atty John McConaghy, Reading, representing Met-Ed. asked the commission to rule as soon as possible on the request in order that the 207 remaining steam heat customers provided abandonment is allowed will have time to complele alternate heating system installations before next fall McConaghy said the utility has asked for a June 1 abandonment order and hoped the commission would not wait until near that time to announce its decision Atty Donn I Cohen counsel for Grumbacher and Son Inc 160 George St argued abandonment should not be granted "because Met Ed has not made out a case for aban donment If allowed. Cohen asked the commission to attach special conditions requiring Met-Ed to assume a share of the financial burden upon remaining customers He said estimates of heating conversion costs for customers have ranged from $5,000 to $123,000 and. in some instances, appear to be a physical impossibility because We're No. Dempsey Altland, 819 W.

Princess truck driver. 1 would say it would be better if the kids spent the money on something wholesome Hills Department Store at Delco I'laza was honored Thursday inornini; as the highest ranking operation of the almost chain. Surrounding their trophy prize are, from left, front, Employe Committee members Doris Deeker. 1'ain Keens and (lail Stump, and rear. A I l.eko, district manager; Tom Kukowski.

general manager, and Herbert II. (ioldherger. president of Hills Department Stores. Only the second store to receic the semi -annual award. Delco I'laza employes will display the trophy at the Customer Ser ice Desk.

And it's not going to leae." vowed Ms. Decker. because we're going to keep on winning." The Employes Committee also received (MKI for their accomplishment and will probably spend the lands on a party Record I'hoto) Bloom queried Cohen whether remaining customers are willing to continue steam heating service at any cost since Met-Ed also has asked for another rate increase to offset some of the losses McConaghy. later commenting on the question, said "by their own admission, some of the customers in opposition to the closing have said it would be cheaper for them to convert to alternate heating methods than to be subjected to exorbitant steam heat rates." dollar as spent to promote the business and encourage new customers. Cohen said he could not answer one concluding question posed by Commissioner Michael Johnson who asked.

"If the plant's closing is so great a concern to the community, why did not the City of York accept the company's offer to sell the steam heat operation at a $1 cost late in 1975'" Commissioner Robert Landfill Is Facing Fine For Fish Kill fill, to close off the ditch Flesher said perhaps 500 small mouth bass, suckers and minnows were killed in the half mile of the unnamed stream which flows from the landfill to Salmon Run. and in about another half mile of the run. Fish life was "completely wiped out" in the tributary stream, he said By the time the leachate reached the Conewago. it was sufficiently diluted and did not further affect fish The Harmony Grove landfill covers 15 to 20 acres It was filled and closed more than two years ago. A neighbor.

Lawrence Rine- The owner of Harmony Crove landfill will be fined and action taken toward a perman ent correction of leaching from the landfill hich this week led to a complete kill of fish in the small Conewago Creek tributary into which the leachate as ditched This was the statement Thursday of James Flesher. chairman of the operations section of the Harrisburg regional office of the Bureau of Water Quality Management. Department of Environmental Resources, who said the con tammated water had been temporarily contained by requiring the owner. Harmony Land hart, 6275 Clearview Dover, said the leachate had broken out at other times and been contained by "patching" the break Meanwhile. Rine-hart said, neighboring landowners have suffered through land contamination, noxious odors and the threat of contaminated wells, which he said exists for as many as a dozen properties One neighbor has been unable to use his meadow for the past three years at the direction of DER, Rinehart said.

The neighboring landowner recalled how area residents had fought the landfill before its establishment on grounds that the shale and clay hilltop was unsuitable for landfill use Rinehart has regularly kept DER Secretary Maurice God-dard and State Rep Donald Dorr apprised of the problems which have followed, he said, but up to now had received no help from the department Flesher said he did not know the amount of the predicted fine REDWOOD FURNITURE at VfTTTnni (Mailable Home Center Store Only) vim1 MYERS HOME CENTER I Street Resurfacing Portions of city streets scheduled tor resurfacing on Monriav by Ihe Public Works department have been announced by city officials who said the areas will be closed to trallic during the work periods. Resurfacing will be done as follows: West King Street, bet ween South I'ershint, Avenue and the railroad crossing: West Cottage Place, from Jessop Place to Manor Street, and Fast College Avenue, from South (ieorge Street to South Duke Street HTI- THE SNEAKER PLACE CHOOSE NOW, WHILE SELECTION IS COMPLETE DO IT YOURSELF AND SAVE STANDARD BED BaRN WHITE CEDAR MILLED STOCKADE FENCING YORK COUNTY SHOPPING CENTER Daily 10-9 Other sizes available! i Put together your own wooden storage building! Ideal for storage, playhouse, tool shed, pump house and many others. Wood construction throughout Complete kit and all omterials furnished 8'x8'x8' 19.95 23.50 4'-0 High 8 -0 Section 1 Post 6'-0 High 8'-0 Section 1 Post Shh don't make a sound sneak around this Spring in the latest cotton canvas styles just SPLIT RAIL FENCING 2- RAIL Featuring Locust Posts 3- RAIL Featuring Locust Posts 13.95 $1 99.50 Storting As law As for fun olay CASH CARRY For EVERYBODY! QUALITY BRAND NAMES NOW IN STOCK COT A natural for sun decks Outdoor'l'M brand wood. Obviously the smart choice for a sun deck. Especially if you plan to build one near water.

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