Lackawaxen aims to upgrade garage

LACKAWAXEN, PA — The Lackawaxen Township Board of Supervisors, Brian Stuart, Fred Gelderman, and Rich Krochta, and the township’s professional staff are seeking citizen support for a proposed Lackawaxen Township Building/Road Maintenance Garage replacement project. It would be sited at the same location as the current township buildings on Township Road.

The existing building, a converted chicken coop, is thought to be too costly to repair. Recent rapid growth in the township has increased the need for staff, office space and public meeting rooms. The supervisors also cite the need for better energy efficiency and lower operating costs as grounds for replacing the old building.

A design has been developed for the new building, pictured in the artist’s rendering above.

State expected to approve Pike County-PENNDOT land transfer

HARRISBURG, PA — House Bill 2158, co-sponsored by representatives John Siptroth and Mike Peifer, is set to be voted on in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The bill would grant Pike County 3.3 acres in Milford that are now state owned in exchange for 13.5 acres in Blooming Grove Township. The land in question includes PennDOT’s Pike County maintenance facility, and would be used to expand administrative offices and storage. Milford is the county seat and therefore must house various county departments, but with land scarce there it has been difficult to find the room to expand.

PennDOT should also benefit from the transfer, as it will now be more centrally located and be able to provide services more efficiently.

Siptroth, Peifer, and senator Lisa Baker, who introduced a companion bill in the state senate that has already passed, commended the Pike County Commissioners for coming up with the innovative solution. The bill will go to the house for concurrence, and is expected to pass and be signed into law.

Medical society chides Specter

HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania AARP and the Pennsylvania Medical Society have chided Senator Arlen Specter for his role in blocking passage of H.R. 6331 in the Senate. The bill would have prevented a 10 percent cut in Medicare reimbursements and restricted increases in premiums. The legislation passed by a landslide in the House before being stopped in the Senate.

The bill would also have strengthened protections for lower-income beneficiaries, improved the coverage of preventive services, and provided a system of electronic prescribing.

“Because of this vote, the Senate went home for July 4th recess leaving care for our nation’s seniors, disabled individuals, and military families hanging in the balance,” said Peter Lund, MD, president of the Pennsylvania medical Society.

“For the sake of older Americans, people with disabilities and military families, we urge Senator Specter to listen to his constituents and reconsider his vote when the bill comes up again,” said AARP Pennsylvania State President Estella Hyde.

CEO leaving Bethel Woods

BETHEL, NY — Peter Lane, the CEO of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, will be stepping down from that post and will seek “career opportunities outside the company.” That’s according to a statement released on July 7 by the facility.

Lane, who stepped into his role slightly less than a year ago, was reportedly unhappy with the shifting focus of his job. The statement from Bethel Woods read, “Alan Gerry has asked Peter to focus on transition strategies for the Gerry Foundation and as a result, Peter would need to put aside his focus on day-to-day activities. This is not where Peter’s interests lie nor [does it utilize] all of his skills, so we have agreed to separate.”

Before moving to Bethel Woods, Lane served as president and CEO of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, which is the summer home for the Philadelphia Orchestra. He has also worked with the San Francisco Symphony and The New York Pops.

Entertainment City gets go ahead

ALBANY, NY — Governor David Paterson signed a law on July 8 that will likely clear the way for the opening of the $1 billion Entertainment City project proposed by developer Louis Capelli.

The law gives Capelli’s Concord Associates, and his partners Empire Resorts, a 75 percent share of revenues from video gaming machines (VGM), up from the current 32 percent. But the increased revenue comes only after Cappelli meets certain investment goals, and makes good on his promise that revenues to the state from the VGMS will jump from $22 million per year to $44 million.

The VGMs operation is currently located at Might M Gaming in Monticello. The new facility will be located on the site of the Concord Hotel in Kiamesha Lake, which is currently being demolished. The VGM operation will be moved to the new locaton.