Wharton board sends letter opposing justices cuts
WHARTON TWP. – After an announcement Friday that four area district justices will lose their jobs at the end of their terms, the township supervisors Monday voted to send a letter to the state Supreme Court, requesting to keep local District Justice Wendy Dennis at work in the township. “I think we need to send a letter opposing this move and try to keep her here,” Supervisor Joe Henning said. “She has done a fine job and has been in business here for a long time.”
In compliance with the high court, President Judge Conrad B. Capuzzi eliminated Dennis’ position, as well as those of district justices Robert Breakiron, Brenda Cavalcante and Michael Defino Jr.
Dennis’ term will expire the first Monday of January 2006, but a spokesperson for the state Supreme Court noted that there is no time frame for the court to approve the plan and that revisions are still a possibility.
Dennis, who serves as the magistrate for Wharton, Henry Clay and Stewart townships, as well as Ohiopyle and Markleysburg boroughs, was determined to be 61.1 percent below the average number of caseloads for the 13 district justices in the county, the lowest of any of the four justices named. The average caseload was determined to be 1,919.
According to Henning, the caseload for Dennis has been increasing, though, as the most recent census revealed that Wharton Township and the surrounding areas are seeing a rise in population. Regardless of the figures, Henning said he was pleased to see residents petitioning to keep Dennis’ position, and he encouraged the other townships affected to send letters opposing the proposal.
“Everybody supports her,” he said.
The supervisors also heard from National Pike Water Authority Chairman Dick Dennis about the proposed water lines along Hawes Road. Dennis asked the supervisors if they had come to any conclusions about the proposal, which entailed volunteers doing most of the labor for the project. The proposal, which would provide water to several residences along a 1-mile stretch of Hawes Road, would be funded through the PennStep, sponsored by the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Solicitor Denise Simons said she was still trying to grasp the total scope of the proposal but said the township would know soon if the project is feasible.
In addition, the supervisors announced that a public meeting will be held in early April for all residents along Workman Road to discuss plans to upgrade drainage along the roadway this year.