Woman Found Dead In W-b Motel Room

Alice M. (boone) Kiesinger

By MICHAEL McNARNEY mmcnarney@leader.net
 Wednesday, January 08, 2003 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





WILKES-BARRE - City Council members want to know: Where did the giant snow
blower go? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Nanticoke, wondered Kathy Kane. Willow Street, where Mayor Tom McGroarty
lives, said Phil Latinski jokingly. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; McGroarty bought the giant blower, which chews packed snow up with an auger
and spits it out a chute into a truck, in 1996. But it was missing during the
Christmas day storm and subsequent snow-hauling efforts. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The blower is socked away in a corner of the Public Works Department's
auto-repair garage. It was there Friday afternoon, and remained there -
obscured by three police vehicles - Tuesday night. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 McGroarty said a foot is needed before the blower is effective, and - he
said - less than that fell on Christmas. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Attached to the parked blower is a receipt dated Dec. 31 from Stackhouse
Auto Electric in West Pittston for $45. Written on the receipt is `repaired
plug on switch.' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``If you want to look for something negative, that's all you'll find,''
McGroarty said. The mayor said criticism came from ``politicians who were
sound asleep in their bed. All the hours the men worked, I worked.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 McGroarty said council members are ``jealous'' that Public Works employees
got recycling, cardboard, Christmas trees and garbage picked up on time. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In other business, the council: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Talked about the plan to divide Wilkes-Barre into five districts, with a
council member representing each district. Councilman Jim McCarthy said the
map from the Wilkes-Barre Apportionment Commission is one of the most
confusing maps he's seen in 12 years on the council. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The maps don't show the street names where the city is to be divided. Other
council members said voting and campaigning are going to be difficult. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Discussed recent payment of city bills with the recently received $3.78
million tax-anticipation note. McCarthy complained the city clerk's office was
bypassed in the payment process. Councilman Tom Leighton said he talked with
McGroarty on the phone about the payments, many of which were delivered by top
city officials. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``The mayor informed myself and the (city) clerk's office that he's the
mayor of Wilkes-Barre and he'll pay the bills the way he wants to,'' Leighton
said, adding McGroarty then hung up on him. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Michael McNarney, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7305. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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W-b City Council Snow Too Light To Bring Out Snow Blower, Mayor Says Mcgroarty Praises Public Works Crews For Efforts