Wyoming 
Uncleared Vehicles To Be Towed 
The Borough Council Announced That Any Vehicles Not Cleared Of Snow By Sunday 
Will Be Towed From The Roadways At The Owners' Expense.

Anthony Puk 
Jan. 24, 1994 
Anthony A. Puk, Of Meyers Street, Edwardsville, Died Monday In Wilkes-barre 
General Hospital.

Wednesday, January 26, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A QUICK WORDS: WYOMING AREA 





WYOMING AREA &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 This whole thing was a tempest in a teapot &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thomas Kearns &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 President, Wyoming Area School Board, on a group's claim he failed to pay
his taxes &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Gripe about board chief ends meeting &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A complaint about an elected official's taxes is ``not relevant,'' says the
school district's solicitor &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 By ROBERT SITTEN &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Times Leader Staff Writer &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 EXETER -- The Wyoming Area School Board abruptly ended its meeting Tuesday
night when the leader of a taxpayers' group tried to address board President
Thomas Kearns about the group's claims that he failed to pay his taxes. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Afterward, George Race, president of the Wyoming Area Taxpayers'
Association, handed out copies of a statement which called for Kearns'
resignation. Race was not given the opportunity to read the statement during
the public comment portion of the meeting at Wyoming Area High School. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This is not relevant to the business of our meeting, Mr. Race," board
solicitor Joseph Carmody said when Race told him what the statement was about.
Race tried to argue that whether Kearns paid his taxes was relevant, and the
board adjourned the meeting. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The adjournment brought howls of protest from members of the audience. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I sure didn't expect them to adjourn like that. See how they all got
together and supported him?" Race said. "The statement doesn't say anything
nasty about Mr. Kearns. I just say he's irresponsible for not paying his
taxes." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the statement, Race says: "I believe elected and appointed officials
should lead by example. The example Mr. Kearns has shown the taxpayers of
Wyoming Area will make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for him to
lead our district through the many important issues facing the taxpayers." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In December, the United States Department of the Treasury filed liens for
$17,621 against Kearns. Those liens will be lifted in February when he
finishes paying off his federal tax debt, he said. Meanwhile, records in the
West Pittston borough tax collector's office and the Luzerne County Courthouse
show his local and county taxes are paid. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This whole thing was a tempest in a teapot," Kearns said after the meeting
Tuesday night. "I owed 1993 taxes and I had until Dec. 31 to pay them, like
everybody does. After that there's a penalty period. They were paid in
January." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Yolanda Hoban, a member of the taxpayers association, said the only reason
Kearns paid his taxes was that he was put under pressure by the group. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kearns refused to comment on that charge. "I won't discuss this anymore. I
won't rehash it over and over. Let's get on with the business of educating our
kids," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 More than 150 people crowded the high school's auditorium for the meeting.
Many were angry that the board adjourned so suddenly. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This is an outrage, an absolute outrage," said Marguerite Voda. cq "It's
really wrong that he wasn't even given an opportunity to speak." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Dave Williams, a member of the taxpayers' association, said Carmody is
"full of canal water" for saying Race's statement wasn't relevant. "Anything
pertaining to the public school code is relevant. It's a conflict of interest
if you don't pay your taxes." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kearns said in Tuesday's Times Leader that the taxpayers have a vendetta
against him from two years ago, when he was last on the board, but Race and
association member Dominic Tavana cq said that's not true. The group didn't
even exist two years ago, Race said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "He should recant that. That's what we wanted him to do tonight," Tavana
said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 TIMES LEADER/FRED ADAMS &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 George Race, president of the Wyoming Area Taxpayers Association, tries
Tuesday night to read a statement to Wyoming Area School Board President
Thomas Kearns about his taxes.

Wyoming Area 
This Whole Thing Was A Tempest In A Teapot 
Thomas Kearns 
President, Wyoming Area School Board, On A Group's Claim He Failed To Pay His 
Taxes 
Gripe About Board Chief Ends Meeting 
A Complaint About An Elected Official's Taxes Is ``not Relevant,'' Says The

Wyoming Area This Whole Thing Was A Tempest In A Teapot Thomas Kearns President, Wyoming Area School Board, On A Group's Claim He Failed To Pay His Taxes Gripe About Board Chief Ends Meeting A Complaint About An Elected Official's Taxes Is ``not Relevant,'' Says The