Lititz Record Express

              -A. r v * „ . *
L ititz R e c o rd E x p r e ss
117TH YEAR Two sections LITITZ, PENNSYLVANIA 28 Pages- No. 36 30 cents
Smith
resig n s
CONNIE BUCKWALTER
Record Express Staff
After a 35-minute executive ses­sion
that delayed the start of then-meeting
last Wednesday, Warwick
Township Supervisors announced
that Township Manager Robert C.
Smith had resigned.
Smith’s resignation was effective
immediately, said Michael Brubaker,
supervisor chairman.
Township officials would not
release the contents of Smith’s resig­nation
letter nor would they com­ment
extensively on the move.
According to the statutes of the Sun­shine
Law, personnel matters can be
considered protected information.
Smith was not available for com­ment
at the meeting and did not
respond to several messages from a
reporter later in the week.
As manager, Smith oversaw the
daily operations of the municipality
and the work of several other town­ship
employees. He also served as
zoning officer.
Until a permanent replacement is
found, supervisors said Thomas Zor-baugh,
code enforcement officer and
zoning assistant, will assume all the
duties associated with zoning matters
and Marlene Harris, current town­ship
employee, will serve as assistant
secretary. A veteran and respected
employee, Harris told supervisors
that she was not interested in apply­ing
for the position of manager.
After the meeting, Brubaker
would not elaborate on the
announcement, declining to specu­late
whether or not Smith’s contract
would have been renewed at the end
of the year if he had not resigned. He
did say Smith’s performance was
being periodically evaluated by
supervisors throughout the year but
would not draw a connection
between the reviews and the
resignation.
For now, Brubaker said that the
supervisors will be “formulating an
interim plan to advertise for the posi­tion
immediately.” He said that the
supervisors would establish a search
committee to review the applications
for the post.
“We want to fill the position as
soon as possible, but not hastily,”
Brubaker said. “We want to secure
the right person.”
Smith began his official involve­ment
with the township in 1983 when
he was elected supervisor. While a
supervisor, Smith served as chair­man
from 1985-86 and vice chair­man
from 1984-85. He resigned from
his seat as chairman in August of
1987 to become the township’s chief
administrator, after Lynn William­son
resigned.
Brubaker called Smith an “effec­tive
facilitator” and said that he was
helpful in the drafting of the town-
(Turn to Page 13)
? * Vif's Teens d isru p t
town business,
retailers say
Local ministry explains goals
DIANE NIXDORF
Record Express Staff
Although the Power Connection Youth Center is changing the lives of
many young people, it is causing a great deal of turmoil among local retailers
— particularly those on Main Street.
A non-denominational ministry sponsored by community churches, the
Power Connection, 23 E. Main St., works to change the lives of youth in Lititz
through the love of God and message of salvation.
“We bring Jesus Christ to the kids and show them values—a way of living
that’s different from the way they’ve chosen,” said Jim Kreider, chairman of
the board.
Through the work of Director Lee Achenbach, the facility lures kids off the
street into a place where they can feel safe and secure. “We try to guide them
in the right direction,” said Achenbach.
Although the center is providing a valuable service to the youth on Friday
and Saturday nights, retailers say many of its followers are hindering local
businesses with their malevolent behavior.
“The idea of the program is great,” said one business owner. “But we’re
more concerned with what’s happening to the community.”
Last Thursday morning, more than 20 concerned citizens including local
retailers, borough council members and members of the Power Connection
Board of Directors met to discuss the purpose of the center and the problems
associated with it.
In a question and answer session facilitated by Warwick School Board
member Gaylord Poling, retailers expressed their primary concerns.
According to many outraged business owners, the youth are “hanging out”
on the sidewalks in front of the center, standing in the streets, causing destruc­tion
to business property and using foul language both among themselves and
directed towards others.
“It’s giving us a bad name in our community,” said one retailer.
Another retailer said she often finds cigarette butts in front of her shop and
spit on the windows.
(Turn to Page 19) WTMA clears
one h u rd le
Photo by Diane Nixdorf
A VISIT WITH SANTA—With only a few days left until Christmas, many children are becoming restless
i with anticipation. Wesley Eugene Porch (I), 7, and Ashley Nicole Tase, 4, shared their last minute Christ-i
mas wishes with Santa Claus on Sunday afternoon. During an outing with their grandmother, Dorothy
i Porch, of Lititz, the children received free pictures with Santa at the Warwick Township Municipal Build-i
ing. The event was sponsored by the Warwick Township Police Department Police Officer's Association
i and the Warwick Township Supervisors.
Salon owner loses
battle to keep sign
DIANE NIXDORF
!--------------------- — ■ ■
Record Express Staff
After three months of deliberation, the Zoning Hearing
Board denied Mary Shelly-Weaver’s request to continue
displaying the controversial graphic/logo in her beauty
salon window because it does not comply with the maxi­mum
size regulations (six square feet) permitted in the
office/professional district.
Although the vote was split two-two, Shelley-Weaver
did not receive the majority and, therefore, was ordered
to remove the sign from the S hear Shoppe on East Orange
Street.
Despite her testimony, proprietor Shelley-Weaver
failed to convince board members at Monday night’s
meeting that her colorful graphic is classified as a win­dow
dressing rather than a sign.
(Turn to Page 19)
CONNIE BUCKWALTER
Record Express Staff
After considering several options,
Warwick Township supervisors vot­ed
to amend the township zoning
ordinance to allow municipal build­ings
in agriculturally-zoned districts
as permitted uses.
The decision resulted from the
Warwick Township Municipal
Authority’s plans to build a mainte­nance
shed on a 10-acre parcel of
agriculturally-zoned land adjacent to
the existing municipal building.
Two weeks ago on Dec. 8, WTMA
met with the Warwick Township
Zoning Hearing Board to request a
variance to build the shed on the agri­cultural
land. Zoning Hearing Board
members said they understood the
sensibility of WTMA’s request, but
were reluctant to go against the zon­ing
ordinance mandates. Supervisor
V. Riggs Kohler, who attended the
zoning meeting, suggested asking
supervisors to rezone the land from
agricultural to rural, thus taking the
problem off the backs of zoning hear­ing
board members.
During the supervisors’ Dec. 15
meeting, William C. Croswell, town­ship
solicitor, told supervisors they
had three options in dealing with
WTMA’s request: change zoning
from agricultural to rural, amend the
existing regulation for agricultural
districts that would allow for the con­struction
of municipal buildings and
uses for the township and any author­ity
created by the township, make an
ordinance-wide amendment permit­ting
the construction of aforesaid
buildings and uses in any zone in the
township.
Michael W. Brubaker, supervisor
chairman, expressed his understand­ing
of the three options but said he
was concerned about establishing a
double standard.
“My concern is that I don’t want to
establish two standards — one for the
municipality and one for everyone
else,” he said.
In the vote, Brubaker cast the only
dissenting vote against the action.
Earlier in the meeting, supervisors
tabled action on a request for final
plan approval on Phase I of Cross-
(Turn to Page 1 3)
THIS WEEK IN THE RECORD EXPRESS
Wrestlers crown four, share Tourney title
Warwick’s wrestling team
crowned four champions ¿nd
had one silver medalist, as
they turned in a strong shew­ing
in the finals of last Satur­day’s
Norlebco Tournament
and tied Hershey for the team
title. Read more on page 8.
Early deadlines announced for holiday issues
Deadlines for Record adver­tising
and editorial copy have
been changed for the Dec. 29
issue.
Retail and classified display
ads and all editorial copy must
be in Thursday, Dec. 23 at noon.
Classified reader ads will be
accepted until 10 a.m. Monday,
Dec. 27. The offices of the Lititz
Record Express will be closed
Dec. 31, Jan. 1 and 2.
The Dec. 29 issue will be
printed on Tuesday and
received by subscribers on
Wednesday, Dec. 29.
n s i
THE INDEX
Business 15
Church 16-17
Classified 25-27
Editorial 4
Manheim 18
Obituaries 2
Out of the Past 4
School Menu 6
School News 6
Social 22-23
Sports 8-11
WEATHER: Wednesday, part­ly
cloudy. Low from mid-20’s to
Iow30's. Thursday, partly cloudy.