Wilkes-barre Rec Dept Holds Tennis Camp

Aldo Russo 
Aug. 9, 1996 
Aldo Russo, 88, Of New Hancock Street, Wilkes-barre, And Formerly Of Scott 
Street, Parsons, Wilkes-barre, Died Friday At Home.

By BRIAN MALINA; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Sunday, August 11, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1 





KLINE TWP. -- History has repeated itself for Kline Township Fire Chief
Gary Perna, and it's not good. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Thirteen years ago, Perna was convicted of theft while he was member of the
West Hazleton Borough Fire Department. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; On Monday, Perna, 37, was arrested on a new theft charge -- for allegedly
stealing a television and tools from a crashed truck along Interstate 81 in
April. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Perna was able to rebound from the 1983 criminal problem. The theft charge
resulted in his dismissal from the volunteer West Hazleton department, but
Perna never went to jail. Soon afterward, he joined Kline's department and was
elected to head its volunteer firefighters about six years ago. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 This time, however, the criminal charge comes as Perna's personal life
appears to be crumbling. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 His wife of six years, Hope A. Perna, filed for divorce, seeking custody of
their young son on July 26, according to documents in Schuylkill County Court
of Common Pleas. One day later, state police learned of Perna's alleged theft
from a township policeman, an affidavit says. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Adding to Perna's problems are an ongoing criminal investigation of a July
16 suspicious fire at Perna's house and an unresolved probe of harassment
complaints at the township fire department. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has targeted
Perna in an investigation, based on a complaint that someone at Perna's home
neglected two dogs, one of which Perna turned over to a representative of the
Ruth Steiner Memorial SPCA in Minersville on Thursday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Phyllis Siegfried, spokeswoman for the SPCA, said the dog Perna gave up was
a dalmatian puppy that belonged to Perna's wife. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Not much detail is available about the investigation of harassment at the
fire department. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But as Perna's problems mount, township residents have seen the fire
department office marked off-limits with yellow police tape, a temporary
shutdown of the fire company, with McAdoo agreeing to respond to township
fires, and a vague admission by township supervisors that the Kline company
has financial problems. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Gary Potter, fire company treasurer, has refused to comment about the
financial woes. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Perna could not be reached for comment. His phone number is unlisted and he
would not come to the door when a reporter visited his house. The reporter
left a note on his door seeking an interview. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Township Police Chief George Pennington said township police are
investigating complaints of "harassment and threats" that involved township
firefighters. He would not elaborate. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Pennington also said a state police fire marshal is investigating the fire
at Perna's residence at 42 Center St. The fire singed some exterior siding at
the rear of the home, but did no major damage. "All these matters are linked
together," Pennington said, refusing further comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Rosalie Serdula, a Kline Township native who grew up with Perna, said she
is shocked by the fire chief's problems. "He seems like a real nice guy. He's
always been an absolute gentleman," said Serdula, whose mother lives four
houses from Perna. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Serdula, who now lives in Yardley, said Perna has helped her mother several
times when she would lock herself out of her house accidentally after going
for a walk. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "He would come over with something from the fire station and open the door
right up," Serdula said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Pennington described himself as a good friend of Perna's. He said kindness
like that described by Serdula is typical of Perna. "He'll bend over backwards
to help anybody," Pennington said. "I've never had any problem with him." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Perna's first run-in with the law took place in May 1983 when he was
convicted of stealing about $300 from the West Hazleton Fire Co. #1 Social
Room between January and November 1982. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Perna, who was in charge of the Social Room money, admitted taking the
money, according to court documents. He said he stole the money because he did
not have a job and needed to pay bills, the records said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Perna was sentenced to six months probation and made to pay $300
restitution plus court costs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The conviction caused Perna to be dismissed from the West Hazleton Fire
Department, said Bob Ward, fire chief. Soon after his dismissal, Perna joined
the Kline Township Volunteer Fire Co., Ward said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Perna was elected Kline Township Volunteer Fire Chief about six years ago,
Pennington said. Neither he nor other township representatives could give the
number of members of the township department or financial information about
it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Pennington said members elected Perna chief, giving him responsibility for
most aspects of the department, including the organization of fund raisers,
such as bingo, and control of the department's vehicles. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Basically, he was the fire department," Pennington said, adding that Perna
is still the fire chief but is on leave for personal reasons other than his
arrest. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It is unclear if those who elected Perna knew of his criminal record. No
members of the department could be reached for comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 State Police Cpl. Daniel Sist, of Troop S in Hazleton, began to investigate
the latest theft allegations against Perna on July 27, when township Police
Officer Michael Hoff told state police that a township firefighter told him
that Perna stole from the accident scene, a probable cause affidavit attached
to the theft charge says. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The affidavit also says Perna later admitted the thefts, saying he had no
intention of returning the items to their owner, a truck driver from St.
Clair, Mo. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The affidavit indicates Sist did not have an easy time gathering
information on the theft -- at times relying on hearsay information but
eventually confronting Perna. The affidavit says: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sist said Hoff told him he was told of the theft by Kline Township
Volunteer firefighter Edward Acker. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Acker told Hoff that Perna had taken a television and a bucket of tools
from a truck and Perna kept the television at the fire station and his home
and the tools at the station. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sist said Acker would not repeat this information when he interviewed him. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sist interviewed two firefighters, John Bakich and Joseph Krupa, who said
that Perna told them to put the television and tools in the fire engine. Krupa
said Perna then had him put the items in the fire house. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In an interview with Perna, the fire chief admitted that he ordered Krupa
to remove the items and that he had no intention of returning the items to the
rightful owner. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 None of the firefighters interviewed by Sist could be reached for comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Perna, who is free on his own recognizance, is scheduled for a preliminary
hearing at 9 a.m. Thursday before District Justice Andrew Zelonis of Tamaqua. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 TIMES LEADER/PETE G. WILCOX &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The entrance to the Kline Township Volunteer Fire Co. was recently locked
and marked with yellow police tape by township police. Township Police Chief
George Pennington said the area was blocked off because it is involved in a
police investigation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 TIMES LEADER/PETE G. WILCOX &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kline Township Police Chief George Pennington talks about his department's
investigation into problems at the Kline Township Fire Department. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 TIMES LEADER/PETE G. WILCOX &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Rosalie Serdula, who grew up with Gary Perna, recalls the happier times in
Perna's life. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 TIMES LEADER/PETE G. WILCOX &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kline Township Volunteer Fire Co. Gary Perna avoided reporters last week by
not answering the door at his home, at 42 Center St. Perna was arrested Monday
on a theft charge. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Troubles With Law Return A New Theft Charge Is Only The Latest In A Number Of Problems For Kline Fire Chief Gary Perna