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Barrett Township News, Events, Public Notices: Villages of Mountainhome, Cresco, Skytop, Buck Hill Falls, Canadensis
Public Notice: Intent to Appoint Independent Accountant to Perform Annual Audit
TAKE NOTICE that on January 7, 2019 at 9 a.m., at the annual reorganization meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Barrett Township at the Barrett Township Municipal Building, 993 Route 390, Cresco, Pennsylvania 18326, the Board intends to appoint a certified or competent public accountant or a firm of certified or competent public accountants, either of which shall be registered in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to perform the annual audit of all the accounts of Barrett Townshipfor fiscal year 2018. The said public accountant or firm of public accountants shall perform the said audit in lieu of the elected auditors. This appointment shall be in accordance with Section 917 of the Second Class Township Code. WEITZMANN, WEITZMANN & HUFFMAN, LLC By: Todd W. Weitzmann, Esquire 700 Monroe Street Stroudsburg, PA 18360 Barrett Township Solicitor P - Dec. 6
New Township Auditor
I have recently been appointed auditor by the Barrett township board of supervisors.
What’s going on with the Barrett Township auditors?
Recent history:
Note: Revised 12/5/18 to indicate that May Labar was appointed, not elected.
- May Labar - was an appointed Auditor, resigned in April 2018
- Dina Rinehart - appointed May, resigned September 2018
- Nate Covington - appointed October 2018
This makes the current list of Township Auditors:
as of December 2018
- Michelle Sisak, Chair
- Christine Macaluso
- Nate Covington
History repeating? Pennsylvania may again be looking at state budget deficit, IFO reports
Editor's Note:
For those that don't remember, lawmakers in Harrisburg failed to pass a budget in 2016. The following year, they passed a combination 2016-2017 budget. Now, projections for 2018 indicate "potential budget imbalance of up to $1.71 billion in the upcoming fiscal year." (Related: Why Pennsylvania's Governor Hasn't Signed a Budget in 3 Years)
Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office is pretty much what it sounds like – an agency outside the Treasurer’s Office and the Department of Revenue tasked with taking an unbiased view of the state’s financial picture.
The IFO, staffed with economists and analysts, releases dry, analytical reports designed to help guide lawmakers to make good policy decisions. IFO reports are generally not prone to making inflammatory remarks.
Nevertheless, the IFO’s recently released projection for the next five years was accompanied by an alarming phrase: “Updated revenue and expenditure estimates suggest policymakers could face a potential budget imbalance of up to $1.71 billion in the upcoming fiscal year.”
PMSD considering outsourcing its school bus drivers, meeting set
Editor's Note:
For those who don't remember, they tried 'outsourcing school bus drivers' in Chattanooga, Tennessee and it made the news in 2016:
Report: Driver Asked Kids ‘Are You Ready To Die’ Before Crashing Bus In Chattanooga
This driver was found guilty in 2018 for the crash, and subsequently charged with statutary rape.
(Original Article Pocono Record)
Despite Election Day being over, yard signs have been popping up throughout communities in the Poconos over the past couple of weeks.
Community members have been campaigning to drum up support for the transportation staff at Pocono Mountain School District before the school board hosts a public meeting on Wednesday at 6 p.m. to potentially outsource those services.
The signs began to dot lawns and the sides of streets after the district’s school board announced at a Sept. 5 meeting that they would be looking into the possibility of outsourcing transportation services. The transportation department is made up of 150 bus drivers, 35 additional staff and 170 buses. The cost of operating the department in 2017 was more than $15.2 million, according to Wendy Frable, PMSD public relations director.
Bagged Leaf Drop-Off
Looking for a free place to drop your bagged leaves?
I'll take them, for making compost. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or text me (570.576.7497) to arrange drop off (located in Mountainhome).
Flashback: Barrett Township Business Association (1970-ish)
Did you know that there used to be a YMCA in Mountainhome? How about Solar-Way, a Solar Design and Installation Service? Lots of gems in this old publication. The old library, Cresco station... a handful of organizations are still open for business in town!
Public Notice: Estate of Patricia A. Haines
PUBLIC NOTICE ESTATE NOTICE Estate of Patricia A. Haines, deceased Late of Barrett Township, Monroe County Letters of Administration in the above named estate having been granted to the undersigned, all persons indebted to the estate are requested to make immediate payment, and those having claims are directed to present the same without delay to the undersigned or her attorney within four months from the date hereof and to file with the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the Forty-Third Judicial District, Orphans' Court Division, a particular statement of claim, duly verified by an Affidavit setting forth an address with the County where notice may be given to Claimant. Tracey L. Haines-Qiaquinta, Administratrix c/o Timothy B. Fisher II, Esquire FISHER & FISHER LAW OFFICES P.O. Box 396 Gouldsboro, PA 18424 PR - Nov. 9, Nov. 16, Nov. 23
The Long Journey: Cresco Station Museum
In the mid-1970’s, the Cresco Railroad Station may have been the loneliest spot in the Poconos. The place gave no hint of its past, a roiling past that included as many as a thousand passengers a day, the parking lot jammed with horses and buggies and automobiles that would turn today’s heads. There were fortunes made in trade. Among the thousands of pieces of freight delivered there? Five barrels of pork delivered to Cresco in 1896 from Armour & Co, in 1900 a one hundred twenty-five pound barrel of soap, freight charge 25¢.
Canadensis man charged with selling heroin
Editor's Note:
Why wasn't this guy locked up when he was charged for his prior arrests?
CANADENSIS — Chester Botch, 49, was charged this week with selling heroin out of his Beartown Road home in Barrett Township after an Oct. 24 incident there.
Botch was placed in Monroe County Correctional Facility in lieu of $100,000 bail and is awaiting a district court hearing.
Monroe County recycling programs granted $1.9M in funding
[Editor's Note: Unfortunately, the recycling center in Barrett is now closed...]
With recycling and waste programs struggling throughout the region, recent grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will be providing much needed relief.
A total of eight Monroe County organizations received nearly $2 million to be used for different types of recycling program and education.
“By providing these grants, we are helping bolster recycling in communities all over Pennsylvania, and reduce the amount of material going into our landfills,” said Patrick McDonnell, Department of Environmental Protection(DEP) secretary.
The state’s DEP announced earlier this month that 195 county and municipal governments would be receiving $37 million in Recycling Development and Implementation grants In Monroe County, eight programs received a total of $1,993,805. The grants can be used for recycling and education programs, as well as leaf collection.
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To the Editor: Response to PMSD Admin Salaries
Hi Nate,
I for one do NOT support the continued increase in PMSD administrators' budget when we can't adequately support the bus drivers and other front line workers in the district. If I gave myself pay increases in this economy I would go out of business. Not to mention, they claim to be "saving" money by outsourcing things like transportation which will put the locals out of work. How is it that the community has no say in these matters?
I went to one of the meetings where Robinson's increase was debated, the consensus from most was we can't afford it yet the school board, with the exception of one person voted to approve. I guess we can just keep passing the buck to the taxpayers until the entire district is full of "for sale" signs and foreclosed properties. The only people who will be able to afford the school taxes will be the school administrators. They brag about the minuscule millage decrease but they close down several schools which in my opinion should have DRAMATICALLY decreased our millage. Instead they pass the money on the the admins, give us a few crumbs, and pat themselves on the back.
PMSD Admins making $820k per year
Original Article:
PMSD defends admin salary increases
With a unanimous vote during a board meeting earlier this month, the Pocono Mountain School Board renewed contracts for four administrators through the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
With incremental raises, those four administrators are expected to make more than $820k during that school year but Board President Rusty Johnson feels it is money well spent.
Survey Results: Should we live stream the supervisor meetings?
Editor's Note: This survey was conducted in April and May of 2017. Sorry for the delay in posting the results! I had gone to a few supervisor meetings and brought these results directly to the supervisors but nothing was done about it since. I also noticed that they already have a PA system in the municipal building.
Survey Results: Newsletter
Editor's Note:
This survey was conducted August 2016. Sorry for the delay in releasing the results. Based on the information here, I have adjusted the automatic email newsletters to start going out every week (only if there are any new posts) rather than every month. I felt some of the posts are time sensitive and not suitable for a monthly newsletter schedule.
Should we have a newsletter?
Yes: 13
No: 0