Pottstown Borough Council Makes Two Historic Decisions At Tonight’s Meeting

I have good news and I have bad news.

Good news first!

TIMBER!!!!!

After a 10 minute emotionally charged “presentation” by Shade Tree Commissioner Thomas Hylton and a round of questioning, Borough Council unanimously passed the new Shade Tree Ordinance thereby making the Shade Tree Commission and Thomas Hylton history. 

Hylton told Council he hoped they knew what they were getting themselves into by taking on trees.  He reminded Council that as a nonprofit he has “discretion” on what he does and does not do.  Therein lies the problem Tom and that is why you are no longer in charge.  It is a little thing called customer service.  Being arbitrary is NOT good public relations. 

Hylton made a statement that led some on Council to believe Trees, Inc. would no longer use their money to provide tree services if the Shade Tree Commission was disbanded.  His answer was vague.  When further pressed Hylton emotionally stated that it is hard to do a job when people throw bricks at you all the time.  Finally when pressed again said he would continue to help, aka Trees, Inc..  Hylton then left the meeting.

Bad news!

Council had a big decision to make which will decide Pottstown’s path for the future.  The question was do we want to be like Manayunk or do we want to be a low-income retirement community.  After much debate we unanimously chose the low-income retirement community option.  1.5 acres of prime riverfront property will become a subsidized 55+ housing project (rentals).  In the end, $11 million dollars and a supposed guarantee that the property will always stay on the tax rolls won out.

This project is good for 15 years.  After 15 years the property could be sold to a private investor who could potentially make undesirable changes.  Of course the “pitch man” said that would be highly unlikely….right.

While Pottstown has a demonstrated need for senior housing this site is wrong, wrong, wrong.  Furthermore, these residents will pull our already low demographics down further.  Residents will not buy things on High Street.  They will not eat at the Brick House or Juan Carlos.  They won’t be able to afford it.  They won’t have enough disposable income left after paying their rent and electric bill.  By the way, the heat is ELECTRIC and not included!!!!  Excelon is rasing their already astronomical rates even higher!

I was told more senior housing is planned for the borough.  Evidently a larger project is in the works for the old Pottstown Nipple factory area.  I will venture a guess we are not talking about a project like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Villages,_Florida  but more like the towers or this new riverfront community.

There was a lot of other business discussed which I will report on tomorrow. 

Good night!

The Continued Arrogance Of Tom Hylton

We were “treated” to yet another paid Mercury infomercial by Mr. Hylton today.  In the immortal words of Dr. Smith from Lost In Space “The pain. The pain.”

It must be so rewarding to sit atop Mt. Olympus (aka Chestnut Street) and look down your nose at us mere mortals (see smug smirk). 

If someone has a difference of opinion with Mr. Hylton, he writes an infomercial to publicly trivialize their perspective because HE (see god-like being) was a Mercury reporter and has lived in Pottstown longer.  Sorry Tom, everyone’s reality does not always match yours, thankfully.

Calling someone a “noisemaker” who is trying to improve the quality of life in Pottstown is rude.  This person does more than make noise!  She puts her money where her mouth is.

So get out of your treehouse, come down here with the rest of us and stop acting like some superior being.  You put your pants on one leg at a time like everyone else in this town. 

Get over yourself!

Pottstown Open House Colossal Success

Image via Wikipedia

 

From all accounts, Saturday’s Open House exceeded everyone’s expectations.  Estimates put the crowd at between 5,000 & 6,000! That is an awesome turnout. 

Perceptions are powerful things and everyone has them.  Unfortunately, many people’s “perception” of Pottstown is not very positive.  I think this event helped “open eyes” and made people reevaluate their “perception” of our town.  Many of us already know Pottstown is a great place to live and we see Pottstown poised to become a regional destination/show place.  Sadly, many people focus on the negatives and do not accentuate the positives. 

Many thanks for everyone involved in the Open House for opening eyes and changing perceptions.  Hopefully this event instilled some civic pride that is sorely lacking in this town.