Nov 14, 2002 By April Straughters 4 min read

Luzerne Township residents asked township supervisors to hold regular meetings in the evenings instead of afternoons so working citizens can attend, but supervisors said they do not feel more people will attend meetings if they are held in the evening. The issue has been brought up at the last couple of township meetings by resident Donna Jackson of Zuback Stretch, who says residents have been asking to have meetings held at night for the last five years.

Tuesday, the issue was brought again up by Rod Schad of Penncraft.

“I think now is a proper time to ask you to reconsider and have your meetings at night. The majority of people cannot attend meetings because they have to work,” he said.

Chairman William Baker said this was not a good time to change the meetings.

“We’re coming up on winter, this is not a good time,” he said.

Schad was annoyed and said supervisors give the same excuse every time.

“It’s always the same excuse, continuously the same excuse,” Schad said.

Baker and Schad went back and forth until Baker finally said, “We’ll have meetings when we want.”

Later in the meeting, Jackson brought up the issue again and Baker said he really doesn’t care when the meetings are held.

“I done care. I’m here at 10, I’m here at 4 a.m. and I don’t get paid for that. I care about my job that much,” Baker said.

Those in the audience agreed with Baker, but favored evening meetings nonetheless.

Supervisor Ron DeSalvo said in order to change the time of meetings they would have to work with the solicitor.

Solicitor Jack Purcell was not present during this discussion. He left the meeting early after receiving a phone call.

Residents complained that Purcell is paid to be at meetings so they should not be scheduled to meet his needs.

“I’ve been asking this for a year and a half. Mr. Schad has been asking longer than that,” Jackson said.

But DeSalvo said more people attend meetings in the afternoon than they did at evening meetings.

Tanya Capuzzi, township secretary, said four or five years ago the supervisors did hold meetings in the evenings for six months and in the afternoon for six months. She said attendance at evening meetings started off strong but soon fell off.

“The first evening meetings we had a lot of people. The next meeting it cut back to 10, by the third meeting it was back to the same four people that always attend,” Capuzzi said.

Thirteen people attended Tuesday’s meeting, many of whom were there to complain about the afternoon meetings.

Jackson asked the supervisors if they are paid to attend meetings.

DeSalvo answered, “Yes.”

“And you won’t consider changing the times so the working man can attend,” Jackson said.

Resident Fred Erhard of Bull Run Road agreed that meetings should be held in the evening.

He said now that he is retired, he is able to attend meetings, but he said he was not able to when he was still working.

According to Jackson, German Township holds their monthly meetings in the evenings and have an average of 30 people in attendance.

Baker said that Redstone Township holds their meetings at 4 p.m.

Jackson said people who work aren’t given the opportunity to voice their opinions at meetings if they wish. She said that with the new prison being built, a lot of people who she has spoken to would like to attend meetings to keep up with township business.

But Capuzzi said people do not have to attend meetings to voice their opinion. She said people can always call or visit the office if they want to talk to a supervisor.