Local News

By Kevin Conroy

In the mid-1970’s, the Cresco Railroad Station may have been the loneliest spot in the Poconos. The place gave no hint of its past, a roiling past that included as many as a thousand passengers a day, the parking lot jammed with horses and buggies and automobiles that would turn today’s heads. There were fortunes made in trade. Among the thousands of pieces of freight delivered there? Five barrels of pork delivered to Cresco in 1896 from Armour & Co, in 1900 a one hundred twenty-five pound barrel of soap, freight charge 25¢.

Editor's Note:
Why wasn't this guy locked up when he was charged for his prior arrests?  

CANADENSIS — Chester Botch, 49, was charged this week with selling heroin out of his Beartown Road home in Barrett Township after an Oct. 24 incident there.

Botch was placed in Monroe County Correctional Facility in lieu of $100,000 bail and is awaiting a district court hearing.

[Editor's Note: Unfortunately, the recycling center in Barrett is now closed...]

With recycling and waste programs struggling throughout the region, recent grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will be providing much needed relief.

A total of eight Monroe County organizations received nearly $2 million to be used for different types of recycling program and education.

“By providing these grants, we are helping bolster recycling in communities all over Pennsylvania, and reduce the amount of material going into our landfills,” said Patrick McDonnell, Department of Environmental Protection(DEP) secretary.

The state’s DEP announced earlier this month that 195 county and municipal governments would be receiving $37 million in Recycling Development and Implementation grants In Monroe County, eight programs received a total of $1,993,805. The grants can be used for recycling and education programs, as well as leaf collection.

Hi Nate,

I for one do NOT support the continued increase in PMSD administrators' budget when we can't adequately support the bus drivers and other front line workers in the district. If I gave myself pay increases in this economy I would go out of business. Not to mention, they claim to be "saving" money by outsourcing things like transportation which will put the locals out of work. How is it that the community has no say in these matters?

I went to one of the meetings where Robinson's increase was debated, the consensus from most was we can't afford it yet the school board, with the exception of one person voted to approve. I guess we can just keep passing the buck to the taxpayers until the entire district is full of "for sale" signs and foreclosed properties. The only people who will be able to afford the school taxes will be the school administrators. They brag about the minuscule millage decrease but they close down several schools which in my opinion should have DRAMATICALLY decreased our millage. Instead they pass the money on the the admins, give us a few crumbs, and pat themselves on the back.

Original Article:

PMSD defends admin salary increases

With a unanimous vote during a board meeting earlier this month, the Pocono Mountain School Board renewed contracts for four administrators through the end of the 2023-2024 school year.

With incremental raises, those four administrators are expected to make more than $820k during that school year but Board President Rusty Johnson feels it is money well spent.

Editor's Note: This survey was conducted in April and May of 2017.  Sorry for the delay in posting the results!  I had gone to a few supervisor meetings and brought these results directly to the supervisors but nothing was done about it since.  I also noticed that they already have a PA system in the municipal building. 

Editor's Note:
This survey was conducted August 2016.  Sorry for the delay in releasing the results.  Based on the information here, I have adjusted the automatic email newsletters to start going out every week (only if there are any new posts) rather than every month.  I felt some of the posts are time sensitive and not suitable for a monthly newsletter schedule.  

Should we have a newsletter?
Yes: 13
No: 0

Total Responses: 181
Valid Surveys: 121 (Some people voted twice so only counted one of theirs - nice try!)

The Barrett Township Board of Auditors currently has an opening. Please submit a letter of interest to the Board of Supervisors by October 23 if you’re interested in the position.

Don't forget to vote! 
November 6, 2018
Sample Ballot

Precinct: Barrett One
Address: Barrett Township Municipal Building 993 Route 390 Cresco, PA 18326
Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Precinct: Barrett Two
Address: Mountainhome United Methodist Church Annex 6680 Route 191 Mountainhome PA 18342
Handicapped Accessible: Yes

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has modernized its online Customer Care Center – customercare.penndot.gov – to make it easier to report concerns on state-maintained roadways with new mapping capabilities, optional photo uploads and a mobile-friendly interface.

Public reports help PennDOT with roadway maintenance and safety responsibilities. This modernization will ensure PennDOT receives better information from our customers who drive the roadways every day.

BARRETT TOWNSHIP — After being closed for nearly a decade, the vines and plants that were once only roadside growth have started to claim the bridge on Old Canadensis Hill Road as their own.

That may not be the case for long, however, as Barrett Township recently received $689k from the state to rebuild the bridge, which has been closed since 2008.

“We need it, we need it in the worst way,” said John Seese, township supervisor and roadmaster. “At least we can have one access to get in and out with heavy equipment, wide loads, all that stuff. That one bridge is going to take care of everything.”