Letter May Signal Movement On Keim Street Bridge Project

Editor’s note:  Replacing this bridge won’t happen soon enough!

POTTSTOWN — After being closed to traffic for nearly three years, the Keim Street Bridge project is seeing signs of life.

A letter sent to the borough council invites it to choose a volunteer to participate on a committee that will look at the historical significance of the area surrounding the Keim Street Bridge.

The letter was sent Lansdale based CHRS Inc., a company that specializes in making sure building projects comply with state and federal laws on behalf of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

For residents and businesses on both sides of the bridge looking for an end to the waiting period, some movement on the project could finally begin.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130511/NEWS01/130519888/letter-may-signal-movement-on-keim-street-bridge-project#full_story

New Pottstown Chief Aims For Crime Rate Reduction

Editor’s note: While we applaud any momentum to reduce the crime rate in Pottstown…at the rate of 1 to 2 percent per year it will take decades before the crime rate in Pottstown is below the national average.  Maybe some “sweeping changes” are desperately needed!  Pottstown needs a new mayor and a new borough council.  Check out the Reform Party candidates as alternatives to the same old, same old, good old boy network candidates.  You see how that’s working out.

POTTSTOWN — With a unanimous vote and no public discussion, borough council chose Police Captain F. Richard Drumheller as Pottstown’s new chief of police Monday night.

“At first I was nervous, now I’m excited,” Drumheller told his new boss, Mayor Bonnie Heath, after the council meeting.

Drumheller told The Mercury he does not plan any immediate “sweeping changes” to department operations, but that he does have plans to improve the borough’s policing over time and he would like to set a goal of driving down the borough’s crime rate by 1 to 2 percent in a year.

Most significant of the changes he plans, he said, is a greater use of crime data to drive policing efforts.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130408/NEWS01/130409346/new-pottstown-chief-aims-for-crime-rate-reduction

Pottstown Welcomes 2 New Businesses, 50 Jobs

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

Editor’s note:  Thumbs up to Steve Bamford!

POTTSTOWN — Following on the heels of the news that downtown Pottstown will lose as many as 75 jobs in the coming months, comes the news that the borough may be gaining as many as 58 jobs at two new businesses soon to be break ground.

The news came Wednesday night when borough council heard about two proposals for two new businesses that want to put up new buildings in the borough.

One, known as Patient First, is part of a chain of 43 urgent care medical centers that has been in business for 43 years and promises to bring 50 jobs into the borough.

“We’re looking to hire locally,” said Carl Wright, founder and president of  The Wright Group, which will construct the building at the site of the former Chinese food restaurant across the parking lot from Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and Just Cabinets.

Read more:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130404/NEWS01/130409614/pottstown-welcomes-2-new-businesses-50-jobs#full_story

Pottstown Homicide – When Is Enough Violent Crime Enough?

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

If you read today’s Mercury, you undoubtedly noticed there was a fatal shooting at Brian’s Cafe on the corner of North Charlotte Street and Jefferson Avenue around 2:00 am this morning.  A 27-year-old male died at PMMC after being transported there from the crime scene.

It appears the leadership of Pottstown doesn’t care about crime.  They are more concerned about saving paper and buying 23 iPads instead of spending money on surveillance cameras, police overtime, more police, crime tracking software, cops walking a beat and/or any other assorted method(s) to combat crime.

Pottstown will never revitalize until it gets cleaned up.  Cleaning up Pottstown won’t happen until somebody takes crime seriously and (a).  allocates some resources to solve the problem or (b). asks for help from the state or (c).  all the above.   Keeping a “lid on the powder keg” isn’t a strategy, sorry!

Criminals are not afraid of the police.  Drug deals take place is broad daylight.  Vagrants wander the downtown chasing away potential customers who are trying to patronize one of the few businesses on High Street.  The laws already on the books are not enforced.   Yet borough council meetings have plain clothes police officers in the audience to keep the unruly taxpayers quiet. Maybe those police officers should be patrolling the streets instead of being used to intimidate the very people who pay their salaries.

The Codes Department is a shambles and has contributed to the problem by allowing absentee landlords to carve up homes into substandard rental units.  You have all been following this debacle in the Mercury, I’m sure.  Absentee landlords fail to conduct background checks and will rent to anybody willing to pay in cash.  Pottstown is overrun with social service agencies, Section 8 housing, vagrants, drugs and criminals.

Pottstown keeps promoting from within which is perpetuating the leadership vacuum.  How many borough employees live in Pottstown?  Do any police officers live in Pottstown?  Does Pottstown have any minority or female police officers?  Does Chief BM live in Pottstown?  Did Jason Bobst live in Pottstown?

Has anybody noticed all the for sale signs dotting the borough?  What about all the Sheriff’s sales? People just walk away from their homes.

Before Pottstown becomes the next Camden or Chester, somebody needs to do something.  As voters, you can do something by cleaning house this fall and getting new blood on Pottstown Borough Council and electing a new mayor.  If things don’t change soon, there will be no going back.  The day of reckoning is almost at hand.

We urge voters to check out the Reform Party candidates for Pottstown Borough Council and Ross Belovich for mayor as alternatives to the current bumper crop of ostriches on council and the illustrious Missy Mayor.  You can make a difference.

The taxpayers of Pottstown need to take control of their own destiny.  You’re footing the bill so you should be calling the shots.  Get people on council who will truly represent your interests instead of electing those who foster their own private agendas and could give a rip about your needs.

Power to the Pottstown People!

Pottstown Purchase Of iPads Questionable

Editor’s note:  We SO agree!  Chief BM has a spending addiction.

Going paperless, going green, embracing technology are goals of government these days, and Pottstown borough is getting on board.

A positive path to be sure, but it comes with a cost.

At Pottstown’s council meeting last week, it was announced that the borough has purchased 23 iPads for members of borough council, the mayor, and members of the borough authority.

Each iPad cost $389 for a total of $9,960 with the cost of the covers, Borough Manager Mark Flanders reported.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130317/OPINION01/130319487/pottstown-purchase-of-ipads-questionable-

Pottstown, West Pottsgrove Push Extension Of Keystone Boulevard

POTTSTOWN — Just two days after borough council approved a property tax break for a new business proposed along Keystone Boulevard, officials from the borough and West Pottsgrove Township met to brainstorm about extending the road to the Grosstown Road exit off Route 422.

The extension of Keystone Boulevard through the former Flagg Brass property in West Pottsgrove and over to the Stowe interchange has long been envisioned and was the subject of an $81,000 study by the Rettew Assoc. engineering firm.

Paid for through a grant from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the grant brought both municipalities together to plan jointly for the project, which could cost as much as $10 million.

Although PennDOT does have plans for a $30 million improvement to the Stowe interchange as part of its long-range plans for upgrading Route 422, Brian Regli, Montgomery County’s Director of Commerce, told the assembled officials not to expect the state to come up with the money for that project any time soon.

Read more:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130315/NEWS01/130319529/pottstown-w-pottsgrove-push-extension-of-keystone-blvd-#full_story

Pottstown Council OKs Business Tax Break With 4-3 Vote

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

POTTSTOWN — With a 4-3 vote, borough council Monday night approved a tax-abatement incentive for a hearse and limousine business seeking to take over the vacant former 84 Lumber building at 451 Keystone Blvd.

Councilmen Dan Weand, Travis Gery and Joe Kirkland voted against extending the Keystone Opportunity Zone property tax break, while it was supported by Council President Stephen Toroney, vice president Jeff Chomnuk and council members Mark Gibson and Carol Kulp.

The matter now moves to the school board, which oversees a much larger slice of the borough’s tax burden and stands to sacrifice substantially more money under the proposed agreement.  It is expected to vote on the matter at its March 25 meeting.

The Montgomery County Commissioners, who must also approve the deal, have indicated they will approve it as long as the borough and the school district do, according to Steve Bamford, Pottstown’s chief economic development officer and an advocate for the deal council approved.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130311/NEWS01/130319844/pottstown-council-oks-business-tax-break-with-4-3-vote#full_story

Pottstown Meeting Set To Boost Borough-School District Cooperation

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

Editor’s note:  Considering the same 5 square miles comprises the school district and the borough, this is well overdue.  However, on a positive note, we will hope this leads to substantive change for the beleaguered Pottstown taxpayer.

POTTSTOWN — It won’t just be the location of the joint school board/borough council meeting Tuesday that is unusual.

The agenda is short, unusual in itself, and further, it is focused almost exclusively on breaking down barriers to cooperation.

“We want to set the stage for collaborating, for open communication,” said schools Superintendent Jeff Sparagana who, along with Borough Manager Mark Flanders, met with The Mercury Thursday to outline their efforts.

“That’s one of the reasons we wanted to have the meeting off-site,” said Flanders. “To put everyone in a setting that encourages participation and interaction.”

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130225/NEWS01/130229649/pottstown-meeting-set-to-boost-borough-school-district-cooperation#full_story

New Pottstown Law Charges Fee To Owners Of Vacant Property

Editor’s note:  The only way this is worth the paper it’s printed on is IF it’s enforced.  The track record for enforcing ordinances in Pottstown is poor.  There are loitering ordinances on file but look at High Street.  ”ZZ Top” and company lingering aimlessly around the clock tower, panhandlers, drop in center people hanging around etc…  Why not enforce the laws already on the books!  That would offer immediate improvement.

POTTSTOWN — With a 4-1 vote Monday, borough council adopted a new ordinance which requires the owners of vacant property to register those properties with the borough and to pay an escalating registration fee for each year the property remains vacant.

According to the ordinance, the owners of vacant property must not only register it, but secure it against illegal entry and even post a sign on the property, indicating the name, address and telephone number of the owner.

Starting Sept. 1, when the ordinance goes into effect, owners of vacant residential property must pay a $75 registration fee. If the property is vacant a year later, the registration fee is $125, and $175 the year after that. For every other subsequent year the property is vacant, the registration fee is $275.

Vacant multi-family dwellings will see their registration fee rise from $200 to $400 and industrial or commercial buildings smaller than 10,000 square feet have a first-time fee of $250 that rises to $450 by the fourth year.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130217/NEWS01/130219607/new-pottstown-law-charges-fee-to-owners-of-vacant-property#full_story

Pottstown AFSCME Contract Extended A Year, Excludes Code Inspectors

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

Editor’s note:  I would get my resume updated and start looking for a new job…just sayin’….  As for the tardiness of the Codes Department review by Remington, Vernick and Beach, are we really surprised?  I hope not.  Another day in paradise.

POTTSTOWN — With a 5-0 vote Monday night, borough council approved a one-year extension of the contract with the union which represents borough hall, public works and parks and recreation workers.

However, it does not include the borough’s code enforcement officers.

With Councilman Joe Kirkland and Councilwoman Carole Kulp absent, the remaining council members supported the motion to extend the contract, which was recommended by Borough Manager Mark Flanders and Borough Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr., the borough’s primary negotiators.

According to the information provided to council, the extension means no change in wages or health care contributions for either side.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130214/NEWS01/130219793/pottstown-afscme-contract-extended-a-year-excludes-code-inspectors#full_story

Pottstown Borough Manager’s Salary Comparison With Other Pennsylvania Cities

Please look long and hard at the list below and ask yourself WTF is going on with the Pottstown Borough Manager’s salary.  Why are Pottstown taxpayers on the hook for this gigantic salary!  The mayors of the cities listed below are the executives running these communities, not baby kisser like Pottstown’s illustrious Missy Mayor.  Their jobs are comparable to a borough manager only they are running MUCH larger communities with MUCH larger staffs making MUCH less money????????????????  These are also elected officials and more accountable for their actions as opposed to someone hired by their BFF’s and placed in power.

SavePottstown! has also been addressing this ridiculous imbalance and the head-scratching choice of the new Borough Manager – see  http://savepottstown.com/lang/es/2013/02/overpaid/

Here’s the promised comparison list:

- Philadelphia, $174,438 (population 1,526,006)

- Pottstown, $120,000 (population 22,377)

- Pittsburgh, $96,511 (population 305,704)

- Allentown, $95,000 (population 118,032)

- Bethlehem, $90,500 (population 74,982)

- Harrisburg, $80,000 (population 49,528)

- Easton, $80,000 (population 26,800)

- Wilkes-Barre, $79,911 (population 41,498)

- Erie, $65,000, going to $95,000 in 2014 (population 101,786)

- Scranton, $50,000, under review by City Council for an increase (population 76,089)

With the exception of the data on Pottstown and Pittsburgh, the salary figures came from the Scranton Times-Tribune.   Populations are 2010 United States Census results.  The Pittsburgh mayor’s salary is taken from an article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

SavePottstown! Has “Reactivated” Due To The Deteriorating State Of Pottstown

Editor’s note:  They’re back and looking for hard facts about the increasing corruption of local government, in an effort to expose the seamy underbelly of Pottstown politics.  Looks like that den of “vipers” in Pottstown Borough Hall is about to meet their mongoose!  Bwahahahahaha!

What Stinks?

POTTSTOWN, PA – Hello folks…is this thing working?

After receiving countless correspondence from our loyal readers and shedding many tears over the injustices that have become far too commonplace in our fair town over the past year, we have decided to rev up the SavePottstown!! engines in order to be the change we want to see in Pottstown.

Read more:  http://savepottstown.com/lang/es/2012/12/what-stinks/

Speaker On Flanders Appointment Quieted By Pottstown Police

Editor’s note: Very Orwellian.

POTTSTOWN — A man who apparently did not understand that comments at borough council meetings are to be made at the beginning was shut down Tuesday night by Borough Council President Stephen Toroney and plain clothes police as he tried to comment on the appointment of Mark Flanders as the new borough manager.

Waiting until a motion and second had been made for Flanders’ appointment, an elderly man in the back of the room, said he had a question on the matter.

But Toroney told him “this is a public meeting and comments are to be made at the beginning of the meeting.”

“How are you supposed to comment when you don’t know what’s going to happen?” asked a woman in the audience.

Read more:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20121113/NEWS01/121119709/speaker-on-flanders-appointment-quieted-by-police

Pottstown Council Chooses Police Chief Mark Flanders As New Borough Manager

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

Editor’s note:  Just another day in paradise!

POTTSTOWN,PA — With a unanimous vote, Police Chief Mark Flanders became Borough Manager Mark Flanders Tuesday night when council unanimously appointed him to the post and unanimously awarded him a one-year contract that nets him $120,000 and four weeks vacation.

Flanders will also remain the police chief until his official retirement in April, however he will not earn two salaries, Borough Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. explained.

“For the one salary, you get both jobs,” Garner said.

Prior to the vote, each council member carefully and quietly enumerated their reasons for supporting Flanders’ candidacy, several of them saying they were impressed with the way he had handled the job since July.

Read more:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20121113/NEWS01/121119711/pottstown-council-chooses-police-chief-mark-flanders-as-new-borough-manager

Council Vote Will Clear The Way For Drumheller As New Pottstown Police Chief

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

POTTSTOWN — Borough council will vote Tuesday to begin the process of creating a Civil Service list for the position of police captain, thus clearing the way should the current captain, Rick Drumheller, be named the new police chief.

The current chief, Mark Flanders, must retire in April as the result of his participation in an early retirement program.

He is also currently serving as the interim borough managers and several sources have indicated he will be named to that position permanently at Tuesday evening’s meeting.

Last Wednesday night, council, at the urging of Safety Committee Chairman Mark Gibson, indicated it is willing to begin the process of Civil Service Commission testing to create an eligibility list for the rank of captain.

Read more:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20121112/NEWS01/121119818/council-vote-will-clear-the-way-for-drumheller-as-new-pottstown-police-chief#full_story

Questions Of Unethical, Sexual Conduct By Pottstown Police Chief/Interim Borough Manager Mark Flanders

Editor’s Note:   The Goldencockroach has opened Pandora’s box, also known as Pottstown politics, and all kinds of noxious gases are escaping into the atmosphere.   Getting to the bottom of the shenanigans going on in Pottstown Borough Hall is like peeling a rotten onion. Each layer is more putrid that the previous one.

The governing process utilized by borough leadership is mushroom management.  Keep the taxpayers in the dark and buried in dung.  There is plenty of dung to go around.  

The elected leadership of Pottstown evidently has a fondness for the feudal system.  The taxpayers aka “serfs” are treated as a nonentity and taxed to death.  The leadership aka the “landed gentry” recklessly spend tax dollars like there is no tomorrow.  

Speaking of reckless spending, evidently we wasted money on a supposed national search for a new borough manager only to have the job handed to Mark Flanders.  So you people are telling us there no one person in the United States of America who is more qualified to run Pottstown than the Chief of Police?????  Has anybody noticed the crime rate in Pottstown???? Evidently we reward poor performance with a promotion and a hefty raise.  Are there even metrics in place in borough hall to evaluate employees or do we just give raises and promotions to our friends?  Knod, knod, wink, wink…

An outside agency, not connected to anyone in Pottstown, nor intimidated by anyone in Pottstown, needs to do a thorough audit of Pottstown Borough Council and Pottstown Borough Hall.  We think the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania should involve itself in an official capacity. If not Act 47 then the establishment of an oversight committee to ensure borough government becomes more transparent, review the overinflated budget and come up with a more realistic number for a borough of 22,377 inhabitants.

Click on the link below to read a ‘Peyton Place’ like narrative from the Goldencockroach: 

http://goldencockroach.wordpress.com/2012/11/10/allegations-of-unethical-sexual-conduct-by-pottstown-police-chiefinterim-borough-manager-mark-flanders/

Pottstown Halloween Parade Is Back On After Council Waives Half The Fee

Editor’s note:  Some of the council’s logic here is frightening.  The reason Pottstown is going broke can hardly be attributed to the costs associated with a couple of parades and fireworks. It’s the protuberant budget!  $38,000,000.00 for a town with 22,377 people is absurd.  Again, these few activities combined account for less than 1% of the budget.  The tax base can’t support a budget this size and cuts need to be made, but council is unwilling to do so (as they have demonstrated year after year).  Then, out of the blue they want to “tighten the purse strings” over a couple thousand lousy dollars that don’t make a hill of beans difference in the grand scheme of things.  I would be far more impressed with more substantive belt-tightening that would actually make a dent.

POTTSTOWN, PA — Borough council Tuesday night voted unanimously to waive half the fees for the annual Halloween parade, allowing the organizers to proclaim that they would raise the remaining $2,660 somehow and that the parade will go on as planned.

It is scheduled for Wed. Oct. 24, 7 p.m. on High Street.

“It’s such a good thing for Pottstown,” said Aram Ecker, speaking for the AMBUCS. “There are a lot of organizations involved and there is a lot of time put in for the costumes and floats. It’s been such a legacy and tradition in Pottstown, I don’t want to see it die.”

“The middle school marching band is so excited, they bought sweatshirts for the event. Their debut this year will be the Halloween parade and they’ve been practicing since the first day of school,” Ecker said.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20121009/NEWS01/121009362/pottstown-halloween-parade-is-back-on-after-council-waives-half-the-fee

Dozens Apply For Pottstown Borough Manager Post, Background Checks Pending

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

Editor’s note:  We can only hope that whom ever is selected, and paid a very large salary, will be allowed to do their job. We would expect this person to have formidable expertise for the price tag. Why spend this kind of money if you are just going to hire a sock puppet, yes man/woman? It’s a complete waste of taxpayer money! Based on the previous history in Pottstown, certain people try and “run the show” and circumvent the staff.  If this practice will continue, and I have NO DOUBT it will, then this is an exercise in futility.

POTTSTOWN, PA — Tomorrow is the last day for those interested in becoming Pottstown’s next borough manager to apply and anyone who does will find themselves up against 35 to 40 who have already applied.

Borough Council President Stephen Toroney told council Wednesday that the applications have come from all over the country.

“Some are local, some come from all over the United States and there are some very qualified individuals among them,” he said. “So the process is moving forward.”

Wednesday, council agreed in principle that the process will include a background check costing the borough between $2,500 and $3,000.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120907/NEWS01/120909650/dozens-apply-for-pottstown-borough-manager-post-background-checks-pending&pager=full_story

Many Questions About Jason Bobst’s Departure

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

Editor’s note:  Below is a Letter to the Editor in today’s Fishwrap.  We give two big Roy’s Rants thumbs up to Glenn Mooney of Pottstown for raising his very valid points.  There is far more to Jason’s story, but unfortunately we will never know all the details.  Pottstown politics are nasty and people get tired of beating their head against a wall.  Sometimes you just have to walk away to preserve your own sanity.  Mr. Toroney has learned nothing from Jason’s departure.  We can only hope enough new people get on Council in November to pick a new Council President.  It’s time to clean house!

Referring to the most recent Mercury article by Evan Brandt, dated Aug. 15, I have some questions not about his report but about the mayor and borough council’s account of losing Jason Bobst.  Let me understand, Councilman Toroney stated, and I quote from the article, “He did a fantastic job for us.  But age and experience were not on his side.  He didn’t have the battle scars.  We need someone with experience who has the wherewithal to do a good job for us.”  My bet is Jason could elaborate quite a bit about battle scars!

This sounds a little funny regarding whose choice it was for his leaving Pottstown?  Then we have Mayor Bonnie Heath and Jeff Chomnuk stating that the borough has begun to gain traction in its recovery efforts, due largely to the efforts of Bobst and Finance Director Janice Lee.  Hhmm?  These comments were to help justify going outside to hire a new manager at a 30-percent higher salary.  Then Mayor Heath stated and I quote, “It’s actually kind of an awkward fact that we were paying Jason less than $100,000.”

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120901/OPINION02/120909989/many-questions-about-jason-bobst-s-departure

Pottstown To Offer $110K To $130K For Manager’s Post

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

Editor’s note:  For the proposed salary level, a national search had better be conducted!  There are rumors flying around that Pottstown Borough Council has already decided to give the manager position to a current borough employee.  If a wise decision is not made, Pottstown will suffer greatly!

POTTSTOWN — Borough council will decide formally Monday whether to offer a salary range of between $110,000 and $130,00 a year for a new borough manager.

It surfaced during Wednesday’s work session when council heard a presentation from David L. Woglom, former QuakertownBorough Manager and now the associate director for public service at the at Lafayette College.

The Meyner Center was hired by borough council to perform a search for a new borough manager after Jason Bobst submitted his resignation in May after getting a job as West Norriton’s township manager, a post Bobst has already taken up.

Last month council appointed Pottstown Police Chief Mark Flanders as interim borough manager.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120810/NEWS01/120819948/pottstown-to-offer-110k-to-130k-for-manager-s-post