John Steransky 
Nov. 15, 1992 
John Steransky, 69, Of Chapman Street, Inkerman Section Of Jenkins Township, 
Died Sunday In The Emergency Room Of Wilkes-barre General Hospital, 
Wilkes-barre.

Trout Stocking Continues In Area Lakes 
While Many Sportsmen Are Now Concerned With The Hunting Seasons, There Is 
Still Some Fine Fishing Available In The Keystone State.

By LEANORA MINAI; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Monday, November 16, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A QUICK WORDS: DALLAS AREA MUNICIPAL
AUTHORITY DAMA 





KINGSTON TWP. -- Robert Fry, 69, said he returns every garbage bill to the
Dallas Area Municipal Authority (DAMA) with this message scrawled across the
top: "When you perform a service for me, I will pay you. Until you do, I don't
owe you anything. Thank you very much." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Records show that Fry owes DAMA $224.99. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I never hear anything from them, but they'll bill me again," said Fry, who
lives in Dallas Township. "I don't pay too much attention to it." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He's one of 843 Back Mountain residents who owe the authority $103,~979 in
unpaid garbage bills. Customer balances range from $37.19 to $449.93. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In July 1991, DAMA, which runs a sewage treatment plant in the Back
Mountain, was given responsibility for garbage collection by the governments
of Kingston Township, Dallas Township and Dallas Borough. DAMA awarded a
contract to a single hauler, Danella Environmental Technologies Inc., of
Taylor, and took on the job of billing garbage customers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But some residents of the three municipalities have refused to participate
and continue to use other haulers despite a court decision that allows DAMA to
place liens on the properties of those who don't pay its fees. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I don't think anyone can legislate where I buy my services," Fry said. "I
don't want anyone to legislate where I buy my gasoline or my groceries. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I fought in World War II to have a right to make my own decisions." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kingston Township residents owe $45,394; Dallas Township residents owe
$46,895 and Dallas Borough residents owe $11,690. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In June, records revealed that more than a quarter of DAMA's customers
didn't pay $135,813 in trash bills. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So, the delinquency rate is down. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It looks like we're over 90 percent participation, so that doesn't seem to
be a problem anymore," said Tom Bagley, DAMA executive director. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the summer of 1991, DAMA contracted Danella for 30 months and $2 million
to collect trash and recyclables from 6,400 Back Mountain homes. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 R. Spencer Martin, DAMA board chairman, said the authority included a
$108,000 reserve for 30 months to account for delinquent customers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If that's not enough to cover the shortfall, the governments of Dallas and
Kingston townships and Dallas Borough will be forced to reimburse DAMA to pay
Danella. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We're going to run out of bread," Martin said. "Judgment day is closing in
on us. It is their responsibility and their liability to make up that
shortfall." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the end, taxpayers could end up footing the delinquent bill, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's going to have to come from the taxing bodies," Martin said. "They
have the police power. We do not. The municipalities have guaranteed these
payments by the ordinance." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bagley said some liens have been filed against homes that are up for sale.
He said he didn't know how many liens were filed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We're going to have to address the delinquency problem," Bagley said. "We
haven't decided anything other than to file liens." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Delinquent customers receive notices from DAMA telling them to pay up or
face liens against their properties. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They can put a lien on our house until the cows come home," said Dallas
Township resident Joseph Kunec. "We feel our cause is right and we're not
intimidated." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Records also show that Kunec owes DAMA $224.99. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's going to be $2,000 and we're not going to pay for it," Kunec said.
"What we didn't order we don't have to pay for." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Dallas Township supervisor Phil Walter said money owed by his town could
come from the township budget. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We try to provide for some of this in the budget," he said. "We'll
probably take it out of some other line to pay DAMA." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Residents in the three towns are billed $33.75 every three months for $135
per year for Danella to collect two trash bags a week. Each extra bag costs
$1.50. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 _________________________ &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They can put a lien on our house until the cows come home. We feel our
cause is right and we're not intimidated." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Joseph Kunec &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Dallas Township resident

Trash Bills Pile Up In The Back Mountain 
The Towns That Use Dama's Garbage Program May Have To Foot The Bill For 
Residents Who Won't Pay The Program's Fees

Trash Bills Pile Up In The Back Mountain The Towns That Use Dama's Garbage Program May Have To Foot The Bill For Residents Who Won't Pay The Program's Fees