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Thursday, January 21, 1988, p. 5.

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Damascus still talking junk

By TOM RUE


DAMASCUS -- Not even 30 days after amending the zoning code in an effort to crack down on small-time junkyards, Damascus Township Supervisors seemed stuck on how to go about enforcing the code, at their January 18 meeting.

Resident Richard Lott asked what the board had done since his last complaint about a neighbor's junk-pile on Marks Road. He said Ivan Williams of Kenoza Lake was recently granted title to two acres there, as part of a probate court judgment, and is using it to operate an unlawful junkyard. "l'm asking you nice to please help get this straightened up," Lott pled.

However, chair Tom Griffith replied he did not think the supervisors would get any further with Williams than Lott had. "We already sent him a certified letter. It just lay in the mailbox until they sent it back. What else would you do?" Griffith asked.

Bertha Swendsen of Milanville urged the supervisors to take strong measures to enforce the 1980 zoning code. "If you don't start taking care of your zoning rules, you know what's going to happen. National Park [Service] is going to take it. They'll say you weren't doing your job," she predicted.

Supervisor Bob Diehl suggested directing solicitor Jack Span to put Williams on notice that his junkyard is out of conformance with zoning, and instructing him to take corrective action. Griffith agreed, promising to get back to Lott with the results.

Although the supervisors expressed some displeasure with the occasional slowness of some of Spall's work, treasurer Elvin Swendsen said it is difficult to find attorneys willing to accept municipal employment. He claimed there are only three lawyers in Wayne County willing to represent townships.

The names of Manchester solicitor Warren Schloesser and former Buckingham solicitor Jeffrey Treat, both of Honesdale, were mentioned as alternatives.

In another matter, Chuck Heyn of Abrahamsville announced he was elected on January 14 to chair the township planning commission, following the resignation of Fred Albers. Heyn, who owns and operates River Hill Sawmill, said he would not be able to devote the same long hours to the job that Albers did.

However, he told the supervisors he would attempt to keep the same schedule at the municipal building as sewage enforcement officer Jim Rutledge, on second and fourth Thursdays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.

Like other members of the township planning commission, Heyn serves without pay. He has been on the commission for about six years.

Griffith noted that the vacancy created by the resignatiOn of Leonard Rolston as head of the zoning hearing board, has not yet been filled.

In other business, Elvin Swendsen gave a brief treasurer's report. He said there was $209,000 in the general fund; $85,000 in the liquid fuel fund; and $965 in the fire tax fund. Swendsen noted that township secretary Charles Rutledge is recovering from recent surgery and is expected to be present at the next meeting.