Directing traffic to Honesdale

David Hulse
Posted 8/21/12

HONESDALE, PA — One Honesdale businessman is continuing his efforts to get interstate highway traffic pointed toward Wayne County.

Paul Ludick is the owner of Maude Alley, which comprises …

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Directing traffic to Honesdale

Posted

HONESDALE, PA — One Honesdale businessman is continuing his efforts to get interstate highway traffic pointed toward Wayne County.

Paul Ludick is the owner of Maude Alley, which comprises two 19th-century buildings facing on 1023 Main St. and the narrow connecting Maude Alley, where six boutique clothing, food and cheese, books and fine arts, frame restoration and beauty shops share spaces with the Wayne County Arts Alliance.

On January 7, Ludick noted that four years ago he appeared before the commissioners asking their intervention with PennDOT to add Route 6 and Honesdale’s name to the overhead direction menu over the highway junction of I-84 and I-81 in Scranton.

Ludick said PennDOT agreed, but the signs had a 10-year lifespan. Now, he said, he has learned that lifespan is coming to an end.

He said he has spoken state Rep. Sandra Major and state Sen. Lisa Baker about the signs, and he asked the commissioners to “keep pressing,” so PennDOT makes good on its agreement.

Commissioner Wendell Kay agreed, saying, “It’s a good idea. Those signs used to say Wilkes-Barre and Binghamton, but if you wanted Scranton…?” he left the thought unfinished.

Including the Governor Robert P. Casey Highway (U.S. Route 6 between Scranton and Carbondale), Commissioner Jonathan Fritz confirmed, “We’ll stay right on it.”

In other business, Wayne County Business Manager John Haggerty presented loan agreements for the commissioner’s signatures, finalizing the county’s $2 million tax anticipation note.

He noted the .83% interest rate is a historic low.

The loan covers county expenses through early March, when new tax bills are mailed.

Return payments have been “pretty consistent” over the years, he said.

The county’s uncollectable rate is around 9% and has held at that level for the past 20 years, Haggerty said.

Meanwhile the county’s tax base has “increased somewhat” over the period. Wayne last reassessed in 2005 and updates annually, he said.

The commissioners also extended the contract of Wayne County Prison physician Dr. Phillip Gutherz MD. The physician is paid at differing rates according to the monthly inmate count, varying from $2,900 for fewer than 100, to a newly increased maximum of $3,700 for 125 or more.

They also approved the hiring of four new county transportation drivers: Patricia Manookian and Michael Bakos at $10.81 hourly, and Joel Burnett and Michael O’Day at $10.34 per hour.

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