Work Set For Area Roads 
The Pennsylvania Department Of Transportation Plans The Following Road Work 
This Week.

Airport Gets $200,000 Grant For Road Work

By JENNIFER LEARN; Times Leader Hazleton Bureau
 Saturday, December 17, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





HAZLE TWP. -- A Hazleton Area School Board decision in July to make
contractors hire local union workers for all district jobs that receive
government funding has been criticized as unfair and illegal. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Several local contractors who employ non-union workers say they're prepared
to sue the district to get rid of the rule. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Board members have not decided whether they'll cancel their resolution or
fight to keep it in place, said Thomas Marnell, board president. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The problem is that there is no precedent or case law anywhere in the
commonwealth," Marnell said. "If contested, this could conceivably be tested
by the (state) Supreme Court." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 District solicitor David Glassberg and assistant solicitor Conrad Falvello
are studying the issue and will probably make a recommendation to the board by
the January meeting, Falvello said. School officials will meet with
representatives of both the contractors and unions to discuss their decision. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But local contractors say there's nothing to investigate. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's totally against anything this country stands for," said Earl Slusser,
co-owner of Slusser Brothers Inc. and director of the state chapter of
Associated Builders and Contractors Inc., a nationwide group of building
contractors. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Slusser said the district should award all projects based on quality, price
and ability -- not union affiliation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Our attorneys immediately identified this as an illegal decision," he
said, adding that the association is prepared to sue or seek an injunction
against the district. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Marnell said he introduced the resolution to prevent future district
building projects from ending up like the 2-year-old Hazleton Area High
School. The district blames most of the construction problems at the school on
the out-of-town contractor, clerk-of-works, engineer and architect. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The workers in the local union halls are skilled, local taxpayers. We felt
if we made sure the workers lived in the district and maybe had children in
district schools, then that would serve as a conscience," Marnell said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The resolution was brought into the limelight when the district accepted
bids to renovate West Hazleton Junior High School restrooms in August. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The low bidders -- George J. Hayden Inc. and Bognet Inc. -- won't adhere to
the resolution and insist they should still be awarded the job. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 George Hayden Sr. told the board he shouldn't be penalized for employing
non-union workers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We've done totally satisfactory work in the district before, and I don't
think you can get any more local than us," said Hayden, noting that he's a
local taxpayer with 50 skilled employees from the Hazleton area. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hayden said his $6,400 bid was also $3,000 lower than the next bid. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The district should be trying to save the taxpayers money." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 At the regular board meeting Thursday night, the board voted to postpone
decisions on the West Hazleton Junior High School job. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In other business, the school board: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Canceled a contract with Value Management Corp., of Philadelphia, to
oversee the district's computerized busing program. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Board members say they don't think the firm, which they hired last year,
has saved the district money as promised, although business manager Donald
Boyer did not have figures. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hired Zavada and Associates of Wilkes-Barre for a maximum of $5,000, to
audit the district's federal programs department from June 30, 1990, to June
30, 1994. The state auditor general's office does not routinely inspect this
department because it does not receive state funding, Marnell said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Union-only Requirement Stirs Anger 
The Hazleton Area School Board Is Only Trying To Avoid A Repetition Of A Bad 
Experience With An Out-of-town Builder, The Board President Says

Union-only Requirement Stirs Anger The Hazleton Area School Board Is Only Trying To Avoid A Repetition Of A Bad Experience With An Out-of-town Builder, The Board President Says