Baker sponsors Voters Choice Act

SCRANTON, PA — State Senator Lisa Baker (R-20) has become a co-sponsor of the Voters Choice Act (SB 252).

Under the act, introduced by Sen. Mike Folmer (R-48), minor parties would be automatically included on the November general election ballot if they had registration membership of at least .05 percent of the state total. Minor parties would choose candidates at party conventions. Independent candidates would need 2,000 signatures for statewide office. There would also be smaller requirements for district offices. If the bill were in effect now, the Constitution, Green, and Libertarian Parties would all be ballot-qualified.

Seven other Senators are co-sponsors along with Baker and Folmer, including five Republicans (Pat Browne, Mary Jo White, Jeffrey Piccola, Rob Wonderling and Jane Earll) and two Democrats (Jim Ferlo and Lisa Boscola).

Sullivan government changes phone system

MONTICELLO, NY — The Sullivan County Government upgraded its phone system on Thursday, February 19. Callers will still be able to dial the main telephone lines to the Government Center, Liberty and Maplewood complexes as well as outside offices, but all of the division and department main extensions, as well as individual employee extensions, will change.

Callers will still be able to call the old division and department main extensions until the end of February, at which time the county will move completely to the new Voice-Over IP telephone system, which is expected to save the county an average of $250,000 for the next 10 years.

A complete department and division list is available on the right side of the county homepage, www.scgnet.us, by clicking on the link “Sullivan County Government Telephone Directory.”

Community seeks to resurrect St. Vincent’s

HONESDALE, PA — Due to financial constraints, the Diocese of Scranton was recently compelled to close St. Vincent’s school, a Catholic school in Honesdale. A group of concerned parents and community members are now working to keep the school alive for at least one more year, while formulating a proposal for a new Catholic school in a more centralized location that would better meet the needs of Pike and Wayne counties.

The group aims to collect donations totaling at least $50,000 by Friday, March 20. This is the amount they believe they will need to encourage parents to enroll children for the next school year. The prospect of closure that has threatened the school for some time has discouraged parents from enrolling their children.

A meeting will be held on Thursday, February 26 at 7:00 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Hall on Church Street to discuss strategies for keeping the school alive.

Beaverkill campground to be closed

ROSCOE, NY — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will close six of its campgrounds for the 2009 summer season, including the Beaverkill Campground about two miles from Roscoe. The closures are part of the cost-cutting measures being pursued by the state to close its deficit.

All campgrounds closed had low occupancy rates. The Beaverkill Campground’s occupancy rate in 2008 was 20 percent and in 2007 was 12 percent.

Ironically, campgrounds in the area are one business segment that has been booming in the soft economic environment. Local camp owners in 2008 did extremely well, probably because we are within one tank of gas of adjacent metropolitan areas.

Despite low occupancy rates, the Beaverkill Campground channeled significant business to Roscoe and Livingston Manor in the form of purchases of gas, groceries equipment and the like.

The DEC said it plans to re-open the campsites in 2010.

PPL to reduce workforce

ALLENTOWN, PA — PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) has announced the elimination of about 200 management and staff positions across its U.S. operations in an effort to reduce costs. The job cuts amount to about six percent of the company’s non-union U.S. workforce.

“Like all companies, PPL is facing ongoing financial pressures as a result of the recession. We undertook this cost-reduction effort to better position us to weather the current economic crisis and continue to provide excellent service to our customers and competitive returns to our shareowners,” said James H. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive officer of PPL.

The company says it will provide the necessary personnel and resources for the reliable operation of all the company’s power plants as well as its electricity delivery system in Pennsylvania.

PPL estimates that the workforce reductions will reduce annual operating expenses, on a pre-tax basis, by $20 to $25 million. The company delivers electricity to about four million customers in Pennsylvania and the United Kingdom.

On-line seminars on gas drilling

MILFORD, PA — Penn State’s College of Agriculture Sciences and Penn State Cooperative Extension are offering a series of seminars about natural gas exploration in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale. The seminars, called “webinars,” will run through May, and cover a variety of topics ranging from local government’s role in gas exploration to the effects of deep-well drilling methods on water supplies. The series is targeted at extension educators, federal and state agency representatives and interested citizens.

Sessions are March 18, April 16 and May 21. To register, visit naturalgas.extension.psu.edu/webinars.htm . Those without web access may call the Pike County Cooperative Extension office at 570/296-3400.