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Thursday, March 10, 1988, p. 7.

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Damascus to vote on UDC referendum
DAMASCUS -- Damascus residents will have an opportunity to state in the voting booth whether or not that township should have a voice on the Upper Delaware Council (UDC).
A petition containing 80 names was submitted to the Wayne County Board of Elections last week, asking that the following question appear on the April 26 primary ballot: "Shall the supervisors of Damascus Township appoint delegate to represent the interest of the township on the Upper Delaware Council?" announced township secretary Charles Rutledge at the March 7 supervisors meeting. As the petition was being read, River Road resident Tom Rue presented Rutledge with ten more signatures, bringing the total to 90. He noted Wayne County elections director Margaret O'Neill told him that 86 of that number were verified as registered voters.
Petitions to put a question on the ballot must be signed b 10% of those who voted in the last election, which totaled 74 for Damascus, according to a letter from O'Neill.
Rue had asked the supervisors to order the referendum on their own initiative at the February 15th township meeting, but they declined.
Barbara Yeaman, president of the Upper Delaware River Association (UDRA), read a statement announcing the group's support for the ballot question and the UDC. That association was founded in 1972 as the Damascus Township River Association.
Originated by Rue as an individual, the petition was supported by the UDRA executive board on March 5. Several signatures were also gathered by Milton Groesbeck of Delaware Avenue.
Reaction seemed mixed from the audience concerning whether the question should be put to the voters. Resident Wayne Olver asked "what office" Rue held which gave him the right to circulate the petition.
"Citizen -- the highest office in this country ," Rue replied.
Mary Van Varick said she would go door-to-door and "tell people the truth"-about the UDC, calling the council "puppets" of the National Park Service (NPS). "Those people did nor realize what they were signing, so I'd like to challenge that petition," she asserted.
However, supervisors acknowledged that the decision of whether the question appears on the ballot was out of their hands.
Resident Charlie Kwitchoff questioned why the township has not already sent a delegate to the UDC, "This is like complaining about who gets elected to office when you don't vote."
Kwitchoff suggested the township appoint someone who would vote on the council as directed by the supervisors.
Van Varick said that sending a delegate to tile UDC would be viewed as approval of NPS policies. Rutledge read an information sheet written by Rue which denied this, stating that the federal presence and River Management Plan "are now facts of life."
Rue added that he could not understand why some people in the audience seemed "so intent on keeping the question off the ballot."
Milton Groesbeck objected to what he called the "intimidating behavior" of some NPS opponents at public meetings. He said elderly residents in his neighborhood have expressed fear of attending township meetings because of verbal abuse they might receive.
In a related matter, Groesbeck urged supervisors to accept federal grants for law enforcement and trash pickup in the river corridor. The funds are not contingent on joining the UDC. Last year the township did not accept the money.
Jennifer Canfield seemed to agree with Groesbeck, "There's a lot of incidents that happen that somebody could handle other than the state police."

She said the state police are understaffed locally, adding that she was aware of break-ins which might have been prevented if there were a more visible police presence.

In another matter, Canfield said several people asked her to inquire about how to amend the minimum lot size required in the zoning code. Griffith said an amendment could be considered by the planning commission, if they so chose. The code presently calls for 1½ acres, and 2 acres in the river district, he said.

Bill Gager of Galilee presented the supervisors with information on the Pennsylvania Agriculture Area Security Act. He also inquired why the board did not have reports on township finances and building permits issued, as promised several meetings ago. Rutledge, who has been out sick for some time, said he would look into the matter.

In other business, the supervisors: announced that Honesdale attorney Wendell Kay became the new township solicitor on January 1, replacing Jack Spall; responded to questions about when they will begin enforcing a recent zoning amendment about junk-yards; noted the liquid fuel account for 1986 and part of 1987 is about to be audited; discussed government regulations on use of pesticides and herbicides to control water pollution; praised efforts by volunteer ambulance workers and firefighters; and mentioned the notable safety record of township employees who maintain local roads.