Swoyersville Borough Council Calls For Fire Department Summit

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Swoyersville Borough Council wants a summit meeting with the fire chiefs of the borough’s three volunteer companies in order to dampen a controversy and move toward a consolidated fire service.

A funds solicitation letter sent by Swoyersville Hose Company No. 1 has become the catalyst for council action on issues that need clarification, borough coordinator Gene Breznay said.  Those issues include the operational status of Hose Company 1, its finances, membership and leadership, fire engine use and insurance coverage.

Breznay is working to set the meeting between borough officials and the fire chiefs of the three volunteer companies. No date has been set.

Swoyersville’s volunteer companies date back to the beginning of the 20th Century.  Swoyersville Hose Company No. 2 started in 1912 as the Broderick’s Company named after the Broderick family.  Maltby Fire Company, dating back to 1915, was named after the Maltby section of the borough and the Maltby Colliery.  A recent fundraising letter sent out by Swoyersville Hose Company No. 1 boasts of 99 years of service, meaning a startup date in 1914.

Read more:  http://citizensvoice.com/news/swoyersville-council-calls-for-summit-1.1488144

West Reading Fires Police Chief, 2 Others

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  At least there are places in the universe where poor performance and bad behavior aren’t rewarded or tolerated!

After months of turmoil in its troubled police department, West Reading Borough Council voted Wednesday night to fire Police Chief Edward C. Fabriziani, Sgt. Richard Vetter and Officer Ronald E. Ladd.

“We had a rough night, as you can imagine,” Councilman James J. Gallen Jr. said after the vote, which was preceded by a 2½-hour executive session that left some council members teary-eyed.

Fabriziani and Council President Kevin M. Conrad declined to comment on the action, and Ladd and Vetter were not present.

Reached at home following the meeting, Ladd’s wife said that the couple needed a couple of days to deal with things before they would comment.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=428065

West Reading Committee Weighs Police Options

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A committee formed by West Reading officials last month is looking into the possibility of consolidating the borough’s police force.

James Gallen Jr., a borough councilman and committee member, said the committee – rounded out by Council President Kevin M. Conrad, Councilwoman Elizabeth Heckler and Mayor Shane J. Keller – will enter into discussions with neighboring municipalities and the state police regarding the future of West Reading’s troubled police department.

“We’re exploring consolidation as a cost-saving measure,” Gallen said, adding that Wyomissing would be “a natural fit.”

The talks will extend to other nearby departments, which could include Shillington, and Cumru and Spring townships, he added.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=420092

Two Pottstown Fire Companies Moving In Together

Editor’s note:  Hallelujah!  This makes complete sense and will help the borough budget!  Two Roy’s Rants thumbs up!

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

POTTSTOWN, PA — One of the four firehouses in the borough is  up for sale and the fire company that has occupied it for 92 years will be moving into another firehouse by December.

Mark Gibson, a longtime member of the Empire Hook and Ladder Co. and its designated spokesman in this matter, confirmed that Empire will move into space at the Goodwill Fire Company on High Street and has put the 7,970-square-foot Empire firehouse at Chestnut and Franklin streets on the market.

The asking price is about $225,000.

Empire members voted overwhelmingly to endorse the move early in the year, he said.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120928/NEWS01/120929441/two-pottstown-fire-companies-moving-in-together

Fulton Bank’s Expansion Grows By 75 Percent

Plans for Fulton Bank‘s expansion near Lancaster‘s Penn Square may have been delayed by two years, but those plans have also increased in size by 75 percent.

The county’s largest bank now plans an eight-story office building, with a two-level underground parking garage at 23 E. King St.

Project planners on Tuesday provided no cost estimate for the 159.000-square-foot building which will replace the former Sovereign Bank building now on the site.

The building was originally slated for completion in 2013.  In May, Fulton announced it would be begin construction next spring of a 91,000-square-foot, six story building that was due to be completed in spring 2015.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/728196_Fulton-Bank-s-expansion-grows-by-75-percent.html#ixzz25t5BQYml

Mount Penn Borough and Lower Alsace Township Agree To Merger Study

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After much discussion and two joint meetings, Mount Penn Borough Council and the Lower Alsace supervisors agreed Monday to move forward with a study of the pros and cons of merging or consolidating the municipalities.

Council then voted to approve a $22,500 contract with the Pennsylvania Economy League for the study. Lower Alsace had approved the contract in May after the first joint municipality meeting, contingent on Mount Penn’s involvement.

Councilman Thomas Smith said the study would provide the information needed to help supervisors and council decide whether merging or consolidating would be beneficial to both municipalities and their residents.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=399499

Mount Penn Borough, Lower Alsace Township Meet, Talk Merger

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Claudia Hurwitz and Josh Nowotarski were there to find facts.

John Theodossiou wanted to promote moving forward with an open mind.

Hurwitz, a Mount Penn council member, Nowotarski, the Mount Penn mayor, and Theodossiou, a Lower Alsace Township supervisor, were speaking at a joint public meeting on the possibility of pursuing a study that would examine the advantages and disadvantages of merging the two municipalities.

For weeks the borough and township discussed whether they wanted to meet with one another to discuss a potential study. After deliberating at meetings, they independently decided to meet Tuesday at the Antietam Junior-Senior High School in Lower Alsace.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=386464

Crayola Moving Distribution To Majestic Bethlehem Center

Crayola will shift its distribution operations to the Majestic Bethlehem Center next year, becoming the first tenant for the undeveloped property on former Bethlehem Steel land.

The crayon maker will shutter its distribution centers in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, Bethlehem Township and Fredericksburg, Lebanon County, next year and move into the 800,000-square-foot Majestic facility straddling Lower Saucon Township and Bethlehem, Crayola officials announced Wednesday.

The company plans to employ 60 to 80 workers at the distribution hub, including workers from existing facilities, Crayola spokesman Eric Zebley said.

Mike Perry, Crayola’s CEO and president, labeled the move in part a way to save money and boost efficiency.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/business/mc-bethlehem-crayola-majestic-bethlehem-center-20120328,0,5754477.story

T-Mobile Closing Lehigh Valley Call Center

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lehigh County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  This news sucks!

More than 600 people will lose their jobs at the end of June — unless they relocate to other states — when wireless communications company T-Mobile closes its Lehigh Valley call center as part of a company-wide cost-cutting maneuver.

The Bellevue, Wash., company announced Thursday it is closing seven of its 24 call centers in the country, including one on Roble Road in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. T-Mobile also is closing call centers in Florida, Texas, Kansas, Colorado and Oregon.

“Concentrating call centers is an important step to achieve competitive cost structures to successfully compete … in the wireless market,” Philipp Humm, CEO and president of T-Mobile, said in a news release. “These are not easy steps to take, but they are necessary to realize efficiency in order to invest for growth.”

The fate of T-Mobile’s Valley call center came in question last year when the company’s bigger competitor AT&T proposed buying T-Mobile for $39 billion. AT&T dropped its T-Mobile bid in December, citing objections from federal regulators who were concerned the deal would limit competition in the wireless industry and potentially increase prices for consumers.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/business/mc-t-mobile-call-center-closing-20120322,0,5402783.story

Antietam School District Exploring The Possibility Of Merging With Exeter SD

 

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It’s a tune the Antietam School District has heard before: The district is once again exploring the possibility of merging with Exeter Township School District.

This is not the first time the neighboring districts have considered merging, nor the second. Or even the third. The idea has been discussed, repeatedly, as far back as the 1960s.

And for some Antietam residents, the history of failed mergers clouds their opinion of a new consideration.

“I don’t think they’ll merge,” said Brandy High, a Lower Alsace Township mother with two children in Antietam schools. “They’ve been saying it for a long time and never did.”

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=362292

Fire Companies Consolidate In Eastern Berks County

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Three Berks County fire companies that have fought fires together for decades will be merging to form the Eastern Berks Fire Department in January.

The Goodwill Fire Co. in Bally, Volunteer Barto Fire Co. and the Keystone Fire Co. of Bechtelsville will join for what they say will provide better service, according to a news release.

“After three years of talks, negotiations, forms, inventories and legal approval, the three will begin operating as a single department at 4 p.m. on Jan. 3,” Rev. Paul Bartlett of the fire department said in the release.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-berks-fire-company-merger-20111226,0,7133192.story

Phoenixville Fire Companies To Consolidate

Okay Pottstown…let’s get on the consolidation bus too!  We can’t afford four fire companies anymore!

Read all about it in the Phoenix:

http://phoenixvillenews.com/articles/2011/03/05/news/srv0000011077764.txt?viewmode=fullstory

Super-Regional Police Force Being Considered In York County

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A new study is about to begin that would consider merging the following police departments:  York City, Dover, East Manchester, Manchester, Springettsbury and Spring Garden townships, Manchester, Mount Wolf and West York boroughs.  Several of these departments are already part of regional police forces but will consider further consolidation to make one super-regional police force.  Benefits include elimination of duplicate administrative positions, more combined personnel and access to specialties that some of the smaller departments now lack.

A state grant of $39,000 will go toward the $78,000 cost of the study.  YorkCounts, a local nonprofit group, is picking up the other $39,000.

York City Police Captain Russ Tschopp said “It would make sense to work together.”  Captain Tschopp also stated he thinks public safety would be improved.

We agree.  Two Roy’s Rants thumbs up for putting petty politics aside and doing the right thing by taxpayers.  Public safety should be the number one concern.

Municipal And School District Consolidations – Interesting Piece From The Harrisburg Patriot

This is certainly a topic of conversation that people are passionate about but there is merit in some of these ideas for consolidation of services.  Take a moment to read through the comments at the bottom.  Surprisingly many people agree with some or all of these ideas.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/12/your_comments_regionalize_area.html

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Reviewing The Consolidation Of District Judge Positions

Cash strapped Pennsylvania is compiling data on consolidation of the District Judge positions in the Commonwealth.  A District Judge makes $80,927 per year.  For example, in Lackawanna County there are 11 District Judges.  Is this too many?

There are vacancies in a number of counties and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has asked every county to review these vacancies to see if any of the positons can be eliminated.