Wyoming Area Rejects Motion On Kindergarten

Area Youngsters Enjoy King's Lasting Legacy 
They Say The Slain Civil Rights Leader, Who Will Be Celebrated At A
Wilkes-barre Church Tonight, Is A Hero For Championing Rights For All.

By MICHAEL McNARNEY mmcnarney@leader.net
 Tuesday, January 21, 2003 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





WILKES-BARRE - Political plans and courthouse plans alike remained in limbo
Monday as Wilkes-Barre residents absorbed the apparent destruction of efforts
to reduce City Council by two members and elect the remaining five by ward. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday didn't help matters; the Luzerne County
Courthouse was closed, and few people had seen Court of Common Pleas Judge
Joseph Augello's opinion, which was issued late Friday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Christine Katsock, vice president of the Wilkes-Barre Area Taxpayers
Association - the group that led the push for the plan - said she's not sure
if her group will appeal Augello's ruling. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``With us not being named a defendant, I'm not sure we have the right to
appeal,'' Katsock said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Attorneys for the defendants - the city of Wilkes-Barre, the Luzerne County
Department of Voter Services and the Luzerne County Election Board - were
either taking Monday off or did not return telephone calls seeking comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Wilkes-Barre City Council President Mike McGinley said he believes the
matter is closed. The council had planned to amend the City Charter to reflect
the result of the November 2001 referendum that approved the council reduction
and the ward-voting system, but McGinley said those plans are now moot. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I'm pleased with it,'' McGinley said of Augello's ruling. ``I think we're
going to leave it alone at this point. My understanding is that everything
stays the same.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 McGinley hadn't seen the ruling; neither had Mayor Tom McGroarty, who
declined to comment on the matter. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by 14 Wilkes-Barre citizens
who said the ballot was poorly worded and that certain procedural rules were
not followed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If Katsock - or another party - appeals, the courts would have to move
quickly. County Voter Services Director Kevin Jordan said last week that the
Wilkes-Barre matter needs to be finally settled by Feb. 11. Before then, the
City Council would also have to amend its charter. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Michael McNarney, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7305. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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Ward Vote Outlook Uncertain Taxpayer Group That Pushed Plan Unsure If It Can Appeal Decision Judge Augello Issued On Friday.