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FEBRUARY 13-19, 2014 Your Local News
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The Home News homenewspa.com
Proposed demolition of Historical Atlas Dam stuns Northampton Council By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
News that members of Northampton Borough Council learned on January 23 that there are plans to demolish the historic Atlas Dam stunned them then, and grew even more alarming as they discussed it at their semimonthly meeting on Thursday. They want to stop it, and Assistant Borough Manager LeRoy Brobst was instructed to send letters to State Representative Julie Harhart and the Martins-Jacoby Watershed Association, and anyone else who will listen that they do NOT want the dam to be demolished. That association has jurisdiction over waters in the Bangor area and not in this section of Northampton County. However, they have received a $420,900 grant from the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. through the Pa. Dept. of Environmental Protection that is intended for that demolition project. The officers of the watershed group were unknown
to members of Council, but one name was, John Mauser, who is their project manager, and who has an office dealing with the environment in Lower Mt. Bethel Township. He is a former Northampton area resident. Councilman Ed Pany said on Thursday that the purpose of the Martins-Jacoby watershed group is to “protect the watershed of the Bangor area.” Pany noted that a few years ago an individual approached Council asking that they support the removal of the dam, MOORE TOWNSHIP’s Board of Supervisors are seated (l-r) Dan Piorkowski, David Tashner, but was turned down. The Richard Gable. Supporting the township are (l-r) engineer Al Kortze, zoning officer Jason Harhart, – Home News photo dam was built originally to and solicitor David Backenstoe. provide electric power to the Atlas Cement plant, and it is historic because of that. Pany is curator of the Atlas Cement Memorial Museum, which houses a great deal of memorabilia related to the cement By BILL HALBFOERSTER paid before for recycling. The fields for spring soccer, one industry and its workers. board accepted the figure of for practice and two game The Home News He noted on Thursday that Moore Township Supervi- $600 and a recycling day on fields on Saturday and Sunthe dam, which has become sors Chairman David Tashner Saturday, June 7 was desig- day from the second week of overgrown with shrubs, was said at last Tuesday’s board nated for people to bring in April until sometime in June cleaned up by local firemen meeting that the road crew their recyclables from 9 a.m. The fee will be $350. when Mauser moved out has been extremely busy to 1 p.m. Blue Mountain Youth Socof the Northampton area to plowing snow, but added that The board appointed Da- cer wanted to use two fields the supply of salt is dwindling vid Frey as vice chairman of on eight Sundays at 12:30 p.m. Continued on page 9 the Environmental Advisory starting in April, but the Suwith each storm. He said eight vehicles do Board after a report was given pervisors objected since they the plowing, and the time it on EAC activities. have not paid a $1,400 bill for Troy Tucker was appointed port-a-johnny usage last year. takes to cover all the township roads has been reduced to a five-year term on the If the board consents later, from 12 to 14 hours to just 10. Recreation Commission. $50 will be charged for each Approval was given for the team. Secretary Richard Gable reported that E-Cycling’s price Northampton Soccer Club Continued on page 7 is lower than what has been to use the recreation center
Moore Twsp. road crew busy with snow Removal, but salt supplies getting low
Sacred Heart Science Fair
School board hears audit Report, standing on finances By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
Sacred Heart School in Bath recently held their annual science fair. Third place winner was Richard Turnbach, second place went to Alex Wachholz and first place was awarded to Chris Omick. -Submitted by Karen Gabryluk
Two presentations were made at Monday night’s meeting of the Northampton Area School Board. The president of Gorman & Associates, Inc. gave his report on the audit of NASD finances. He said the government no longer wants to know what you own and what you owe. There are five elements to a balance report, and Gorman said the independent
audit report shows the district is “clean.” He noted that assets were reduced over a million dollars, and commented that the audit showed there were no problems with internal control, nor with federal grants. He told the directors, “I’m constantly looking. I’m never happy as an auditor. My job is to find things that are incorrect. I commend the administration.” When asked a question by
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director Dr. Michael Baird, Gorman said auditors follow state and federal standards and that accounting principals have changed. A much lengthier explanation followed. The second presentation of the night was by Ms. Jamie Doyle of Public Financial Management on the new middle school financial update. She said market conContinued on page 16
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