Off with their heads!

[davidk]

The garbage contract shows that we need to reduce the board back to three supervisors.
This can be done if someone is willing to take up the project.
Don't look at me, I will advise but not be directly involved nor will I run.
In July there will be a window for candidates for the November election to petition to be on the ballot. This is also the time that a petition to have a new referendum put on the ballot.
This is one of the few types of referendums allowed in Pa. We could not have the garbage issue placed there unless it was to be billed via the township as a tax.
Anyway, there needs to be a petition drawn up, easiset to get a copy of the one that increased the board and update the information. Acopy can be obtained from the elections office on Jefferson Ave.
Then it's a matter of getting at least 5% of the registered voters to sign it. Best to get more to be safe from challenges. I believe there are approximately 1,500 voters in the township. so you would need, ballpark, 80 names. Call it 100 to be safe.
The names have to be collected in the specified time frame which ends Aug. 2 this year.
The petition(s) also have to have an afadavite(s) attached which are signed and notorized by the person circulating them.
Then the issue is on the ballot.
If it passes then next year we have an election for three new supervisors. The current ones can run if they choose. The top vote getter is in for 6 years, the second 4 years and third 2 years. They would take office in Jan 2006. After that it's back to six year terms which are staggered.
The other way is for the board to pass a resolution asking for the matter to be put on the ballot. Like they would go for this?
If this is not a feasable plan there is the fact that over the five year life of the contract five of the current board will be up for election. Shaffer, having just started his second six year tem tihs Jan is exempt.
Next year there are actually two seats up. Jamison who is ending is seciond six year term and I believe Pardue who was elected to a two year in the expansion.
If anyone has any questions please feel free to ask.

[susie]

Hi davidk.  My husband also feels that the board should go back to just three people.  But I do not quite understand how this would make a difference.  I thought that one of the basic reasons it was changed to five is to prevent two who think alike from always outvoting a third???

[davidk]

Susie,
The real reason the board was expanded was to stop Art Cosner from having so much control should he have been re-elected.
Obviously Art is long gone and the problem is moot.
There are hundreds of Second Calss townships across the state and only a handful have more than three supervisors. Actually only one other here in Lackawanna County is that way. Much larger townships such as South Abington, run just fine with only three.
There is also the problem of getting enough potential candidates.
Last year Shaffer ran unopposed and went only because he feared no one would run and the remaining four would get to pick the fifth.
A close friend and I sat here the other night trying to figure out who any potential, and duly qualified candidates would be. The pickings were kinda slim, clsoer to none.

[susie]

Hi David, I can see where getting candidates to continually keep 5 positions filled would be a problem.  It's too bad....  I had heard that John didn't really want to run, but only did because no one else was and he was afraid what would happen.

[Sal]

We do not need five supervisors.  I think that the reason people voted to have more supervisors was because they thought it would make thing better.  Many people that voted for five are reconsidering and I think we need to go back to three.  

Most of the time people do not have a choice of who to vote for because the person running is unopposed.  From what I recall in the fifteen years that I have been here, whenever the people had a choice they voted against the person that was in office.  Why, because they wanted change.  People thought that more supervisors would make things better.  Unfortunately, the old saying is true; it is not quantity but quality that counts.

The only way that you get quality is for more people to get involved.  We do not need more government.  We need less government and more people involvement.  

[davidk]

The whole referendum about increasing the number to five was underhanded. I keep a very close eye on what goes on in Newton and was told at the time that the referndum was not going to be on the ballot.
I only found out the truth that election day while reading the paper during lunch prior to going the polls.
Many people, including those of us who are involved with the township did not know about it, many until it was too late and they ahd already voted.
The qusetionwas placed in a corner of the ballot and not readily seen.
What is obvious is that tis action was taken by a small group in the township and they did not want it defeated.
I do not mean to sound like a conspiracy theorist but I do know there are some people in Newton who try to run things behind the scenes. This si common everywhere, not just here in Newton.
This is why we have to be ever vigialant. I do not like attending so many mettings but it's something that has to be done.

[susie]

Hi davidk,  I missed voting on the issue because I couldn't seem to find it on the ballot.  I had planned to vote for 5 people because at the time it seemed to be a good idea.   Of course, part of my trouble was self-consciousness.  I felt I was taking to long to vote and got a bit nervous.       Oh well....    

[Sal]

It is time for the people of Newton Township to take control of it.

We are not puppets for supervisors to toy with and when we are done, any would be supervisor will understand that they had better not fool around with the people of this township.

I contacted Voters Registration and they are sending me a copy of the petition.  From that petition, I will make a new one to bring the number of supervisors down to three.  The petition and instructions will be available on this website for download.  Once everything is ready, an email will be sent to everyone that is a member of this forum and another email to everyone that joined the citizens group.

Getting 100 signatures is a piece of cake.  If five people get twenty signatures, we are done.  However, lets get a lot more signatures and tell everyone about the website.  Have them join the citizens group and join our little community forum.  Newton is a good township with nice people and once the people get involved, Newton will transform into a great township.

[JoeP]

You have my full support Sal!  Heretofore I was not involved in politics, local or otherwise.  But as you said, it's time to get involved, and to understand how the system works so we can make better choices.  As I said in another post, I have lived in many places during my working career and Newton is one of those hidden jewels, a great place to live.

Three questions -  

1. In addition the number of supervisors, their terms seem awfully long.  Is there a benefit in shortening them say to 2 or 3 years?  If so, how do we go about initiating that change?

2. Are they salaried and if so, is it a matter of public record?

3. Is the secretary's position an appointee job, or does it require soliciting the public at large (via newspaper ad) and interviewing applicants?  I believe (I could be wrong) the current secretary was appointed, there was no public announcement the position was open.

Thanks,
Joe

[Sal]

Is there a benefit in shortening them say to 2 or 3 years?

I think that the State sets the term so I do not think that it can be changed. David seems to know a lot about that stuff, maybe he can chime in.  I would like to see it shortened.

Are they salaried and if so, is it a matter of public record?

Supervisors are paid a salary and it is public record. The salary is not very much but they get paid for other things and any benefits and goodies that they can get on the side.  The road master gets $15.00 per hour on top of everything else and because we have so many supervisors, we now have an assistant road master too.  But, do not expect service the milkman stopped delivering a long time ago.  How do you spell taxpayermilkjob?    

Is the secretary's position an appointee job

The secretary is a paid position that must be advertised and the township is required to take applications.  Here is what causes the confusion.  In Newton Township, the person that gets the job of secretary has always been appointed to the position of Secretary/Treasurer too.  There is a big difference between a person that is employed as a secretary to do clerical work and a person that holds the position of Township Secretary and Township Treasurer. Township Secretary means Municipal Records Keeper.  The Municipal Records Keeper is not a clerical position.  It is the duty and responsibility of the Municipal Records Keeper to keep municipal records in order and to make them available for public inspection.

[davidk]

The term of six years is by state law. Only the legislature can change it.
The Supervisors are paid I believe a total of $1,600 per annum give or take. I know the new figure is higher but the board never voted to increase it so the new none of the members are receiving it.
They can apply for reimburstment for expenses such as mileage, etc. If they do it is a matter of public record.
The rate the roadmaster gets is set, via state law by the auditors from the township.
While we currently use a private accounting firm to audit the books the other responsibilities are handled by our local auditors.
I do not know who they are currently as the elected ones quit over the hiring of the private firm. There were new ones appointed to handle things like the road master rates, etc. The names should be posted in the office as well as when the terms expire.
Auditor is not a job many will take as it requires filing an annual ethics form. This includes some personal information which many do not like having publicized.
The forms are available for inspection in the secretaries office.
All elected officials and candidates as well as appointed officials who make decisons have to file them annually. Planning, Recreation and other advisory positions do not have to file.
The position of secretary has been publicized when it was open. there were several candidates who applied. I remember seeing them leaving the building after being interviewed, which was a closed process.
If anyone is interested in the laws etc. it is adviseable to get a copy of the states Second Class Township Code.
It should be available, free from Wansacz's office, though they didn't have any locally when I tried to get an updated version a few months ago.
It spells out all the positions requirements, as well as what the officials can and cannot do. Including the handling of the referendum.
All in all it makes very interesting reading and a greta source for those concerned with local activities.
Pending that I will try and answer as many questions as I can.
David K.

[JoeP]

Thanks Dave for the detailed explanation.  I'm sure others were enlightened also, as I was.  I sent an Email to Wansacz's office tonight requesting a copy of the states Second Class Township Code, both printed and as a PDF or Text file (if available) so we can put it up on this web site for all residents to view if they wish.

Joe

[Sal]

Thanks Dave.  It is good to have you here.

Joe, if we can get a copy of the code in a file format that would be great.  If not I may be able to put something together.  In the meantime, the Second Class Township Code can be viewed it online here http://www.psats.org/townshipcode/

On second thought, the problem with laws is that they keep changing and there are amendments.  Making the changes requires additional work.  Maybe we are better off providing links to laws in the legal section of this website.

[JoeP]

Agreee Sal, and thanks for providing the link - I think it's a great idea to set up a "legal section" in this forum for this and other government links, like how to contact your State and Federal elected officials.  I have this info if you need it.

Thanks
Joe

[Sal]

Joe if you have links that you would like to put up you can start a new topic under General and you can put related links in separate posts or anyway you like to do it.  I’ll make you a website moderator that way you will be able to edit and move them if necessary.

By the way, I have everything we need to for the petition to return to a three-member board of supervisors.  As soon as I put it all together it will be put on the website.  It is easy to do and we have until August 2nd.

Interestingly, I found out that the petition to bring it up to five was not done properly which made it invalid so the question should not have been on the ballot in the first place.  But, we will do it correctly because I’m sure we will have some crybabies as they walk out the door.