DALTON – At the April 13 borough council meeting, board member Bill Montgomery announced someone had made a bid on the Helene Novak property at 210 Lackawanna Trail, raising the price to $68,000 (last price was $55,000). He asked the council members if they would submit a bid equal to it.

“She (Novak) told us if we would match that bid, we would get the property,” he said.

President Gus Vlassis mentioned plans to maybe use the property’s land for a salt shed and to either lease or sell some of it.

Zoning officer Jared Gard said Novak wants to meet with Cheryl Ellsworth, trail coordinator of Countryside Conservancy, and Attorney Frank Bolock to discuss bullet points about plans with the property. He said that he ran through a few grant options to reduce the price.

“The main thing is that she’s (Novak) looking for is that we preserve the property, said Gard. “She has a lot of pride in it from her childhood and when her family took care of it. She’s very interested in a memorial talking about her family’s involvement in Dalton.”

Gard also said he talked to Ellswoth about a memorial and that Ellsworth seems interested in helping with the memorial.

“If we do this (purchase the property), we need a plan and a timetable and execute it.”

Vlassis said if the council does purchase it, he intends to appoint a committee to look into the possibilities of how the property can be used. The council voted to approve a resolution authorizing the president of Dalton Borough Council and other appropriate officials of the Borough of Dalton, Lackawanna County Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to execute and enter an agreement of sale to acquire the Helene Novak property at 210 Lackawanna Trail, Dalton, PA, at $68,000.

Also, Kyle Brown, in his health and sanitation report, announced that MS4 (municipal storm sewer systems) needs a specific plan to renew its permit on Ackerly Creek and that it needs to be done by Aug. 3. He said one of the members of ACOG (Abington Council of Governments) invited an engineering firm to speak with stormwater authorities.

“With regard to that deadline (Aug. 3) in filing an application to renew our permit, they’re (engineering firm) willing to take on that work, and I asked them to come back with a proposal with numbers attached to it at the next ACOG meeting, which is May 3,” he said.

Brown said he will attend this meeting and report back to the council. He said that one of the firm’s members, who made a presentation, guesstimated the proposal will cost about $7,000 to $9,000.

Also, Vlassis, in his president’s report, said he dictated a letter to Senator John Blake and Representative Karen Boback to use their positions to attempt to persuade Governor Tom Wolf or Lackawanna County Commissioners to help pay expenses for the snow removal, which was performed after the blizzard in March, since the federal government isn’t offering any reimbursements.

“The cost was approximately $11,000 in overtime, equipment usage, rentals, and so forth to remove the snow,” he said. “So, we need to recoup some of that if we can.”

During public forum, new Dalton residents Tom and Kim Boccafogli asked the council about a puddle of access water on Third Street, where they recently relocated. Vlassis replied the council is working on it.

Tom Boccafogli replied, “Whatever you guys need to do, I’m all for it.”

In new business, the council voted to approve donating $300 from the recreation fund to the children’s fishing derby, which will be held at Streamside Park on Sunday, May 21.

By Ben Freda

For Abington Journal

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