Gettysburg Times (Newspaper) - January 12, 2012, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania VOL. 110, NO. 10 Deaths ................................. A2 Opinion ............................... A4 Sports ............................ B1- B4 Jan. 12, 1862 - General George McClellan, severely ill for weeks with typhoid, unexpectedly attends a cabinet meeting at the White House with the president. He has little to add to the discussion. Mild — Page A8 Boiling Springs blasts Biglerville wrestling — SPORTS, Page B1 Classifieds ................. B7 Comics ................................ A7 Crossword ......................... B7 County reopens budget BY JESS HAINES Times Staff Writer The Adams County Commissioners used a provision in Pennsylvania’s County Code Wednesday morning to open the county’s 2012 budget for reconsideration. Their decision came in the form of a unanimous vote during their regular business meeting. Also included in Wednesday’s action, the commissioners gave themselves the ability to reconsider any levy or tax rates should they determine changes to be appropriate. “ We simply want the fl exibility of being able to consider any items that we feel need to be changed,” explained Commissioner Chairman Randy Phiel prior to the vote. “ In order to do that, the budget has to be reopened.” “ It doesn’t mean we’re going to go over every line item and change that,” he continued. Solicitor John Hartzell explained that if the three- member board chose to take any action on amending the budget, they must do so before Feb. 15 and after a 10 day period for the public to review any tentative amendments. “ You’ve got about two to two- anda- half weeks to take action ( on a tentative budget) with a normal scheduled meeting,” Hartzell told the commissioners. The move fell under a section of the County Code that allows county commissioners to reopen budget for consideration following personnel changes as a result of municipal elections. Commissioner Marty Karsteter Qually added that after opening, the budget could be closed again without changes, but that the board wanted to take the opportunity to make sure they were completely comfortable with the 2012 budget. “ If you didn’t take this action, you wouldn’t be able to do anything,” Hartzell said. The previous board of Adams County Commissioners approved the $ 66.1 million budget during their Dec. 28 business meeting. In that bud- Funding issues plague Civil War 150 celebration BY MARK WALTERS Times Staff Writer Dr. Brad Hoch has stepped down as the chair of Main Street Gettysburg’s Civil War 150th Steering Committee, citing a need to devote more time to the completion of Gettysburg’s Schmucker Hall project and new leaders are having dif fi culty securing funds for grand celebrations. Main Street Gettysburg President Deb Adamik said she will now be the facilitator of the steering committee, which has been meeting monthly and consists of various community stakeholders involved with the upcoming sesquicentennial celebration in 2013. Hoch took the reins of the steering committee in late May of 2010 during Main Street Gettysburg’s Visioning Day 2010. “ I feel privileged to have chaired the Civil War 150th Steering Committee and to have worked with so many talented people,” Hoch wrote in a statement. “ I also am in total support of the committee’s parent organization, Main Street Gettysburg, its vision and its goals. I now look forward to devoting more time to the successful completion of Gettysburg’s Schmucker Hall project.” The Schmucker Hall renovation consists of an $ 11.7 million effort to convert the iconic, 179- year- old building on the campus of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg into a Civil War museum depicting the fi rst day of the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863- era medicine, religion and black life during the Civil War. According to Adamik, the steering committee has been encountering some dif fi culty in securing various state and federal funding for the sesquicentennial celebration. “ It’s dif fi cult to plan something without much money,” Adamik said. “ The ( state and federal) funding available is minimal. Everyone is cutting back. We raised enough money last year and I give credit to Brad for creating the regional kickoff events. But a year later, we’re hearing ‘ there isn’t any money available.’ All the Miracle of birth Darryl Wheeler/ Gettysburg Times Children intently watch chicks hatch from their eggs at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg this week. The show continues at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex through Saturday. Gettysburg outsources ambulance services BY MARK WALTERS Times Staff Writer The Gettysburg Fire Department is outsourcing some of its EMT services to WellSpan Health. The move was announced Wednesday as volunteer fi re departments across Adams County continue to struggle to fund the services they provide area residents. “ The department wanted to do what was in the best interest of the department and the community,” said Gettysburg Fire Chief Allen Baldwin. “ The process to get to this point has been ongoing for about six years.” Baldwin pointed to a minimal $ 30,000 in estimated annual savings for his department, noting that it will maintain its crew of eight full- time, one part- time and several as- needed EMT employees. The service agreement between WellSpan Health and the Gettysburg Fire Department will provide two leased EMTs to the company for 24 hours per day, seven days per week. WellSpan will be responsible for handling employee- related needs such as training and employee bene fi ts. A similar service agreement went into effect in October of 2011 between WellSpan and the Bonneauville Community Fire Company. “ The agreement ensures that professional EMTs continue to be available to the Gettysburg Fire Department with the support and management expertise from WellSpan’s Emergency Medical Services,” said Tony DeFelice, administrative director, Emergency Medicine, York Hospital, WellSpan Health. “ The community bene fi ts from this partnership by having professional EMT personnel who have access to WellSpan’s ongoing education and training, while fi re department administrators are able to focus their vital time on other key needs and issues.” According to a press release from Will Lavery, Gettysburg Hospital’s public relations and communications Election 2012 Moul ready for more Rep. Dan Moul, R- 91, announced Thursday that he will seek re- election for the 91st Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Moul was elected in 2006. Moul said in a press release that he has supported efforts to increase government transparency and ef fi ciency, enhance business development and job creation, and develop sound energy policies. “ As vice chairman of the House Children and Youth Committee, Moul has been a strong advocate for laws protecting the safety and welfare of children. Other Dan Moul BY JARRAD HEDES Times Staff Writer A former public school teacher from Shippensburg announced Wednesday she will seek the Democratic nomination to represent Pennsylvania’s 33rd Senate District, which includes most of Adams and Franklin counties and parts of York and Cumberland counties. Susan Spicka, 41, joins incumbent Republican Richard Alloway as the only two so far to publicly announce their intentions to seek the seat. “ There are nearly half a million people in Pennsylvania unable to fi nd work,” Spicka said Shippensburg woman wants 33rd District Susan Spicka Gembusia wants 193rd Bryan Gembusia has announced he is seeking the Republican nomination for State Representative in the 193rd District. His said his focus will be to eliminate property taxes in Pennsylvania. The 193rd District seat is currently held by Will Tallman, R- Adams County. Gembusia is currently a township supervisor in South Middleton Township, Cumberland County, which is part of the newly- redrawn 193rd Legislative District. He is a small business owner, and resides in South Middleton Township with his wife, Monica. “ I currently serve on a board where we worked as a team to eliminate nuisance taxes,” Gembusia said. Bryan Gembusia ( See MOUL on Page A6) ( See GEMBUSIA ( See SPICKA on Page A6) on Page A6) ( See BUDGET on Page A6) ( See 150 on Page A6) ( See AMBULANCES on Page A6) 50¢ INSIDE E- MAIL: news@ gburgtimes. com sports@ gburgtimes. com WEB: www. gettysburgtimes. com GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA • THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012 5780 YORK RD., NEW OXFORD, PA 624- 8779 • GETTYSBURG: 334- 5752 • YORK: 741- 0788 • www. audioprohearing. com S TART THE NEW YEAR OUT WITH B ETTER HEARING Harry Novak, BC- HIS • Free Consultations and Demonstrations of Digital Hearing Aid System by Siemens • Starkey • Widex • Phonak • Service, Repairs & Batteries for All Brands Platinum Award Recipient
