The Hill School, Borough, And Pottstown School District Plan Second Pottstown CARES Clean-Up Event

POTTSTOWN, PA –About 700 volunteers from the Borough of Pottstown, The Hill School, the
Pottstown School District,and other organizations will again combine forces to demonstrate their
commitment to our hometown during the second annual CARES clean-up event to be held on Friday,
October 24, from 8:30 a.m. until noon. Rain date will be Monday, October 27.

Click here to view (and share) a short documentary created by Hill School student Jake Trombley
(Douglassville, Pa.) about last year’s CARES project and its impact on Pottstown.
(http://www.thehill.org/CARESvideo)

The clean-up will occur in a targeted area of Pottstown, from High Street north to Beech Street,
and Manatawny Street east to Edgewood Street.

All 515 Hill School students as well as Hill faculty and staff; at least 50 Pottstown High School students
and numerous faculty members; and many Borough workers and officials will be dispersed to weed,
pick up trash, and complete other “spruce up” tasks in public spaces in the core downtown area. In
addition, about a dozen volunteers from the Montgomery County Community College as well as
additional individuals from other community businesses and organizations will join the students and
other workers on their clean-up teams.

E-waste collector ReduxTech will be on hand to accept any old items that had electricity running
through them for recycling. The collection truck will be located in The Hill School Center For The
Arts parking lot off Beech Street from 9 a.m. to noon on October 24.

In addition, the Pottstown School District is running a blood drive in the High School gymnasium
from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Individuals interested in making a donation at the Pottstown High School
on October 24 may send an email to Pottstown faculty member Mark Agnew at
magnew@pottstownsd.org. Drop-in blood donations are also welcomed.

The CARES organizers ask that Pottstown area residents support our community by also
stopping by the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities at 57 North Franklin Street and
donating nonperishable food, laundry detergent, toiletries, warm clothing, and other items that will be
greatly appreciated by area families in need at this time. The Cluster will be accepting donations on the
CARES day (October 24) from 9 a.m. to noon.

Numerous organizations have contributed funding, tools, supplies, or other support to the CARES
endeavor. The generosity of the United Way and Home Depot provided funding for a Pottstown
CARES Community Tool Share Shed from which community individuals and organizations may
borrow tools. Interested parties should contact Katie Scanlan, High Meadows Foundation Sustainability
Chair at The Hill School, at kscanlan@thehill.org or 610-705-7277. CARES asks that tool borrowers
contribute one additional rake, shovel, or broom for each tool used and returned in order to helpexpand
the tool share program.

Organizations that wish to make additional donations of time, materials, or funding toward
CARES should contact Scanlan at the email address or phone number above; take donations of work
gloves, trash and leaf bags, or tools to Borough Hall at 100 E. High Street; or email
PottstownCARES@pottstown.org with suggestions or questions.

The massive CARES day volunteer crew will assemble under Hill’s former hockey rink roof at
8:30 a.m. on October 24 to receive instructions and participate in a group photo. All volunteers are
asked to wear blue – a “school color” shared by The Hill, the Pottstown School District, and the
Borough. Pre-organized teams then will disperse to their designated project areas until about noon,
when they will return to Hill for a picnic buffet lunch prepared by Sodexo, Hill’s food service provider.
Sodexo is generously donating the meals for all volunteers as well as Hill students and personnel.

The initial, joint CARES (Community, Awareness, Responsibility, Empowerment, and Sustainability)
endeavor was conceived in the spring of 2013 during conversations between Borough Manager Mark
Flanders, Pottstown School Superintendent Dr. Jeff Sparagana, and Hill School Headmaster Zachary
Lehman. The three leaders envisioned a collaborative project that would help to “spruce up” a
designated area in the core of Pottstown while boosting community pride. The CARES planning team
hopes these events will motivate Pottstown residents to engage in ongoing clean-ups of their own in
their immediate neighborhoods.

CARES project organizers wish to give special thanks to the Pottstown Police Department and
Emergency Services organizations and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department for their support.

‘Save the Lights’ Yard Signs Available

‘Save the Lights’ yard signs will be available for $25 each at ALL Saturday afternoon Pottstown HS [football] home games. CASH or CHECK. Note: If paying by check, checks need to be ONLY made payable to: “The Pottstown School District / Save the Lights” [Stop-by and buy one for a worthy cause… for Friday night games again!!

 

Pottstown Resident Miffed By Lack Of ‘Mercury’ Front Page Coverage For Pottstown High School Football Team’s Win

Pottstown Borough Hall

Editor’s Note:  We saw this on Facebook and feel it needs to be shared with the wider community.  We understand and share this parent’s concern about the promotion of Pottstown and the Pottstown School District.  In our humble opinion, Pottstown and Pottstown School District news should always take priority in the local paper.  Far more disturbing is the son’s comment that “nobody cares about Pottstown”.  How sad is this and what does it say about the prevailing attitude of Pottstonians if this despair has crept all the way down the ladder to school age children?  At times this appears to be the prevailing attitude of the leadership, both paid and elected.  This issue needs some serious discussion by the “powers that be” and this cycle of “nobody cares” needs to end.  How will Pottstown ever recover with a defeatist attitude! Apparently, this attitude has been picked up on by “the rest of the world” and might be why articles like the recent one in the Philadelphia Inquirer get published.

I found myself very annoyed this morning.  I went and bought my local HOMETOWN newspaper which is operated and ran in Pottstown.  I looked on the front page and to my surprise and anger there is nothing about the Pottstown High School football team winning yesterday, but yet we put the Perk Valley vs. Methacton score on the front page.  Now please don’t think that I am putting down the other schools, but to not have the school that resides where your paper is published on the front page was to be quite frank, appalling.  My son, who happens to play for the Trojans, told me “what is the big deal Dad, no one cares about Pottstown”.  News Alert: I care and there are people out there that do care.  I’m sure there are people that agree with him but I am not one of them.  I am a former grad who still supports his local team.  How do we expect to move forward in this school district when our students have the mentality of no one cares about us, no big deal?  Our town needs help and I just think that a putting some good news about the LOCAL KIDS would go a long way in changing people ‘s attitude.   Rob Bertoti

23rd Annual Pottstown Rumble: A Glorious Weekend For Pottstown

Memorial Park from the King Street bridge

Entrance to Memorial Park

Rumble Sign

Food area

iCreate Cafe serving healthy food to athletes and spectators

iCreate owner Ashraf Khalil (right) and awesome helper Bruce.

Sly Fox Beer, brewed in Pottstown

Center Court action

Center Court action

Center Court view from the stands

Pottstown Community Television live streaming.

I say kudos to the Pottstown Rumble organizers for another successful tournament.  For a large event that draws several thousand volleyball players from across the United States and probably several thousand spectators, it runs like a well oiled machine.  The Rumble is one of the biggest events that is hosted in the borough and probably the most well run.  I think it draws a great group of people.  A very well-behaved group from what I have observed over the years and today was no different.

I think the cooperation between the borough and the event organizers was apparent.  From the PART trolley shuttling people between venues, the folks at Parks and Recreation and the powers that be in borough hall, it seemed as though everyone was on the same page.  I even noticed Pottstown Police Officers walking around.

This event has put Pottstown on the sports world map and is a favorite venue among players.  Memorial Park looked great.  The music was a nice mix and had high energy.  The sun was shining.  Vendors had lines of people waiting to buy food.  It just doesn’t get any better than that.

The Rumble showcases the best things about Pottstown.  One vendor said to me they wished there were several more big events during the year like this one. It’s a nice infusion of cash into the local economy. That’s always a positive thing.

So hats off to another great Pottstown Rumble!  Feeling Pottstown Proud.

Layne Steps Down As Upper Pottsgrove Township Manager

Location of Upper Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

UPPER POTTSGROVE — The township’s worst kept secret was finally made public Monday night when it was announced that Township Manager Jack Layne has resigned to take a job as manager of Maple Shade, N.J.

Layne began his work with the township in May, 2006, taking over to fill the void left by the surprise resignation of his predecessor, Michael Cotter.

Layne had himself resigned earlier in the year as manager of Pottstown Borough and the Pottstown Borough Authority, a position he had held since January, 2003 after leaving a post in Ohio.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20131216/layne-steps-down-as-u-pottsgrove-township-manager

Core Community Clean-Up Planning Meeting Set For Tuesday In Pottstown

Residents and business owners of the Borough of Pottstown have the opportunity to share suggestions and requests for targeted neighborhood property repairs and general “clean-up” needs during a community conversation to be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25 in the Ricketts Center, 640 Beech St., Pottstown.

Read more:  http://evan-brandt.blogspot.com/2013/06/core-community-clean-up-planning.html

Pottstown School District Preliminary Budget Has 4.2 Percent Tax Increase

Image via Wikipedia

The problem with this PSD budget number is that it is above the 2.4 percent increase allowed by the state.  If Mrs. Adams can’t “whittle” down that figure any further, the board will need to ask permission from the state to make an exception and allow a larger tax increase.

The big picture here is that Pottstown Borough Council just passed a budget with a 1.68 percent tax increase.  Pottstown Borough and Pottstown School District occupy the same geographical area and the residents of Pottstown are not just getting one increase, but TWO.  Even if Mrs. Adams can get to the state mandated 2.4 percent increase, taxpayers are on the hook for a 4.08 percent increase.  I am guessing possibly higher.

As Councilor Rhoads has pointed out time and again, most people have a finite amount of money to work with each year.  With the current state of the U.S. economy, finding extra money is very difficult.  Pottstown has a large percentage of senior citizens on fixed incomes.  We also have a large percentage of low-income residents and residents below the poverty level.

People are having to make choices between food, heat, housing and taxes.  This is flat-out wrong.  This spending addiction pissing contest between the Borough of Pottstown and the Pottstown School District is killing the average Pottstown resident.  We are on the edge of the cliff staring down at the bottom of the ravine.  There is no where left to go except down in flames or move out of Pottstown, if that option is even available.  Many people are too financially strapped to even escape.

We do not need four fire companies nor do we need five elementary schools and two annex buildings.  Are we looking at job performance?  If we are not getting enough bang for the buck would outsourcing services make more sense?  We cannot afford all these salaries, benefits and pensions, which make up the lion’s share of both organization’s budgets.  We haven’t even felt the pain of the upcoming pension crisis with the school district. 

The economy is not going to improve fast enough to save the day.  We need long-term financial solutions for both taxing entities in this town.  Frankly, I am not seeing enough effort being made to address these very serious problems that impact 22,377 people by either entity.

Keim Street Bridge Replacement Vote Tabled By Montgomery County Commissioners

I just read the Fishwrap‘s latest Keim Street bridge article.  I am left scratching my head.  If the quote in the article is correct, then we are lead to believe that the Montgomery County Commissioners learned of this “change of heart” in the newspaper.  Naturally they tabled the vote to approve the engineering contract.  Sadly, the $247,992 contract was going to a Pottstown area business.

Nobody thought calling Norristown to tell them about this “new thinking” would be prudent?  Instead, the commissioners were left to “read all about it” in the newspaper!  WTH!  This proposal should have been discussed “off-line” with the township and the county before any of this information was made public.

And while we’re at it, has anybody polled the North Coventry Township Supervisors or residents?  The Keim Street bridge does connect them to Pottstown so they may have some thoughts on the matter.  Were the township supervisors left to “read about it in the paper” as well?  So much for thinking “regionally”.

No wonder this town never gets any respect from the county.  What kind of message does this send?  Not a very positive one.  It’s like Alice In Wonderland, we just went down another rabbit hole.

COMMUNICATION people!

UPDATE!  North Coventy officials are PISSED!  Check this out!  http://www.pottstownmercury.com/articles/2011/08/11/news/doc4e449dba87aa2669813071.txt

Pottstown Area Industrial Development (PAID) Meeting, Thursday, April 28th

Image via Wikipedia

If you have followed the transition of the Pottstown Area Industrial Development  (PAID) organization into the borough’s economic development engine then you should attend a public meeting at the Hill School Library, Thursday, April 28th at 6 p.m.  The new board of directors will be introduced.

This is an important vehicle that will hopefully enable Pottstown to speak with a unified voice when presenting economic development goals and strategies.  Having a consensus will help the borough receive grant money for projects.

Jason Bobst, Pottstown Borough Manager, will be the first President of the Board of Directors.  The office of president will rotate every year between the borough, the school district and the Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority.

The first year is crucial because the new Executive Director will be hired.  This person will be the point of contact and run the day-to-day operations of PAID.

The ULI recommendations will be used as a blue print for economic development by PAID’s Executive Director and the Board of Directors.

Pottstown Borough Council February Meeting Summary

Image via Wikipedia

February’s Borough Council meeting had a short agenda to go along with the shortest month of the year.

All Councilors were present.  After the usual opening formalities, there were a few comments from citizens.

A concerned resident brought up a temporary cross walk erected between PMMC and Wawa.  He feels the situation is dangerous as people are walking across the street and expected traffic to stop.  The resident observed an incident which turned into a verbal altercation between a motorist and a hospital employee.  The employee started walking across the street and expected the car to stop.  This caused the driver to start yelling at the hospital worker.  With the increased traffic from construction, the situation could end up resulting in an injury, death or a physical altercation.  President Toroney said this matter will be brought up at the next Safety Committee meeting for discussion.

Human Resources gave a brief update of events they will take part in:  Family Fest on March 17th, Latin Night hosted by CCLU at Academy Hall on May 7^th and the Fourth of July parade. They are working on sensitivity training for the Police Department.  The Human Resources Department is finally getting their long-awaited computer and other requested items.

Rita Paez of CCLU asked council to vote yes for agenda item number 5.

Mayor’s Report

The Mayor wished everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day and then quickly proceeded to lose that loving feeling.  Bonnie felt the need to again give her little lecture about the small group of haters and their under current of negativity that is trying to destroy Pottstown.  It is sad that people who disagree with her are labeled “haters” and constantly browbeaten in public.  Frankly, it is getting old.

Manager’s Report

Jason attended a transit meeting which included PART, SEPTA, BARTA and LANTA.    Jason thinks it is time for PART to undergo a third-party review of its operations.

Pottstown received a Greenway Grant ($25,000) and an Assistance Grant ($2,000).  A Heritage Action Plan is being developed for Pottstown to capitalize on heritage tourism using the Schuylkill River and the trail system as a way to bring people into Pottstown.  Hopefully this will also tie into the Hanover Street Bike Lane Project.

Jason hopes to have an infrastructure meeting with PECO after the underground transformer explosion on High Street last week.  The power outage severely affected several downtown restaurants, which lost large quantities of food, and many residents were without power.  President Toroney agrees this issue is important and stated we were very lucky this incident was not far worse, like what recently happened in Allentown or Philadelphia.

Jason is requesting that Council allow him to investigate the costs involved in getting mobile computers and printers for the Codes Department.  This would allow Codes to issues citations on site, without delay.  The money would be well spent.  Any use of technology to speed up a process is good.  The Codes Department would greatly benefit from having this tool in their efforts to curb blight and handle other code violations.

Contracts are still in arbitration for the Police Department and AFSCME.

Pottstown and Norristown’s Codes Departments are looking for ways to work together since both boroughs have similar challenges.

Committee Reports

Most meetings were cancelled last month due to the weather.

PDIDA – Assessments will be going out.

Blighted Property – the meeting was cancelled but Councilor Weand did attend a Blighted Property Seminar and found that Pottstown is ahead of the curve on this issue based on what he heard from other municipalities.

New Business

Council adopted a resolution to authorize the destruction of certain municipal records.

Council adopted a motion to ratify an agreement between Hough Associates and the Borough of Pottstown to collect recycling data and prepare a grant application.

Council passed a motion to grant Pottstown Industrial Investments, LLC a one year extension to gather more information for their zoning request on the proposed use of property at 551 Keystone Boulevard.

Council unanimously gave Thomas Hylton his walking papers as a member of the Pottstown Planning Commission after twelve years.  Mr. Hylton was not reappointed.  President Toroney directed that a letter be sent to Mr. Hylton thanking him for his 12 years of service.  Council unanimously approved the appointment of Andrew Kefer, of Chestnut Street, to the Pottstown Planning Commission for a four-year term.  We wish Andrew much success.

Mr. Hylton’s Chairmanship of the Shade Tree Commission was recently rendered null and void by Council’s decision to rewrite the Shade Tree Ordinance.  Borough management will now make all decisions concerning trees in Pottstown, making the need for a Shade Tree Commission obsolete.  Mr. Hylton is still a member of the Pottstown School Board.  We certainly hope these change will allow Pottstown to move forward.   

Councilor Weand submitted a very routine request to draft a policy which addresses monetary requests from non-profit organizations.  Pottstown Borough gives money to several local non-profit organizations like the Senior Center.  They also routinely receive requests from other groups.  Councilor Weand, who is head of the Finance Committee, has been trying to standardize and streamline all financial processes and procedures since he took office.  Councilor Weand wanted to create a one page standardized form to be used for all requests for money from the borough.

The reaction to this request by several councilors and the mayor was frankly astounding.  Councilor Chomnuk totally opposed this request because he said it gives the appearance Pottstown had money to give away and would encourage people to apply for money.  He also made the statement it would create a burden on the staff by implementing a procedure that we do not need.  Mayor Heath also jumped on the “this gives the appearance we have money to give away” bandwagon.  Several people asked for clarification about the form and how many requests for assistance the borough receives.  The debate because rather testy at times.

Councilor Weand then asked if Council wanted to tell everyone who requested money NO?  This suggestion was met with further cranky objections.  Evidently, certain people want to take things on a “case by case” basis (read between the lines here).  So to recap, Council spent a good fifteen minutes arguing about streamlining a procedure with a one-page form.  We applaud Councilor Weand’s efforts with our borough finances and his attempt to be fair and equitable in the treatment of those who request financial assistance from the borough.  The motion was tabled.

A motion passed 5-2 to ratify the mayor’s disciplinary action toward a Pottstown Police Officer who was given a three-day suspension.  Councilors Gibson and Allen abstained.

A motion passed to approve Certificates of Appropriateness, issued by HARB, for two properties.

The bills were paid.

The meeting was adjourned and Council went into Executive Session.

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. 

Pottstown’s Financial Audit

I read with great rejoicing the article in today’s Mercury that our borough financial audit was vastly improved.  The financial health of Pottstown is much brighter than one year ago.

We must give thanks to Jason Bobst, our Borough Manager for his diligence and perseverance, our Finance Director Janice Lee, 5th Ward Councilor Dan Weand and the finance committee for their hard work in making this turnaround a reality!

The dramatic improvement in one year illustrates the committment everyone is making to get our financial house in order.

For the full story see:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/articles/2010/08/09/news/srv0000009031783.txt

Former Stanley Flagg Site Eyed For Green Development

Developer David Mermelstein owns the site of the former Stanley Flagg company.  David would like to develop 29 acres in POTTSTOWN BOROUGH into a green energy business.  If you read today’s Our View in the Mercury it goes into detail about the business Mr. Mermelstein would like to create in Pottstown. 

If you read my post about the Logan Triangle area of Philadelphia, that site is 35 acres.  The City of York is developing a massive brownfield site which is also 29 acres.  You can read about that on here as well.  This Stanley Flagg proposal represents a HUGE investment and should be taken very seriously!

Pottstown’s Keystone Opportunity Zone has been created for a while now and as far as I know only one business is located there??  The Flagg site is industrial and not close to a lot of residential areas.  David appears willing to make many concessions to ensure this plant will not negatively impact the quality of life here in Pottstown.  This would create jobs and generate revenue for Pottstown Borough.

Mr. Mermelstein said the reception he received was “positive, but not glowing.”  Let us hope this proposal is seriously considered.  If other investors see Pottstown as easy to work with, more investment will be forthcoming into the borough instead of all around it ala Upland Square and Commerce Corner for starters.

This is a golden opportunity to start the ball rolling.  Let’s remove the stone wall as depicted in today’s Mercury cartoon so the development train doesn’t once again skirt Pottstown for a more business-friendly suburb.

Pottstown Borough Creates Intermodal Transportation Center Using Federal Stimulus Grant

If you have been downtown lately, you will notice there is construction going on next to Harleysville Bank First Niagara Bank.  The old SEPTA train platform area is being renovated and transformed into an intermodal transportation center.  This is a much-needed improvement for Pottstown.  Currently, PART’s main transfer point is right in front of Argento’s restaurant and in the middle of the very busy High & Hanover Street intersection.  Those big buses take up a lot of room!

Wisely, our borough government has applied for and been awarded a grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create the intermodal transportation center.  A transportation center makes SENSE!  If you have ever been to Norristown’s transportation center you will see how organized this makes using mass transit.  Pottstown is unique as we are the only municipality in Montgomery County to have our own mass transit system.  Pottstown also has SEPTA service along with PART. 

As I am constantly posting and hinting around about Pottstown getting grants to pay for improvements, I feel it is only fair that we give public recognition to the borough for obtaining one!  Nice going and let’s get some more :).

Bucks County Borough Takes A Tough Stand On Rental Properties

The small borough of Trumbauersville, Bucks County, is ensuring their rental properties are up to snuff!  Trumbauersville Council has approved annual rental inspections and property owners are required to have a residential rental license (yes, there is  fee) for each unit.  Much larger Quakertown has similar ordinances on their books.  Trumbauersville is located in Milford Township over near Quakertown.

These new regulations are a direct result of problems which have been reported to the borough and in some cases involved out-of-town property owners (absentee landlords).  There are 50 rental properties in this .4 square mile borough of 1059 souls.

Recently, a fire inspection of a vacant rental property found maggots in the refrigerator and 5 dump trucks full of trash inside.  The Code Enforcement Officer will use a checklist and report his findings to the property owner who in turn has a set amount of time to make corrections or appeal them to Borough Council.

This ordinance has some teeth to it (imagine that).  Landlords living more than 20 miles from town must has a property manager living or working within 20 miles of the borough or a license will not be granted.  If tenants have three disruptive conduct reports on file within a twelve month period, they will be evicted (disruptive conduct includes public drunkenness and fighting for example).  Violations of the new ordinance can lead to fines or imprisonment!

Some food for thought if we are serious about cleaning up slumlord and rental property issues in Pottstown.  If tiny Trumbauersville can do it, why can’t Pottstown!?!

POTTSTOWN BOROUGH CHANGES BANKS

The Pottstown Borough and Authority will begin using Susquehanna Bank, High and Hanover Streets effective with any payments made on July 01, 2010.  This change in banking services will afford the Borough increased savings each year through reduced banking charges and fees as well as increased interest earnings.

EFFECTIVE JULY 01, 2010

FOR WATER, SEWER, TRASH PAYMENTS

For more information:

http://www.pottstown.org/PDF/BankChange%20for%20Water-Sewer-Trash%200810.pdf

Upcoming Pottstown Borough Events

BMX National Race – Trilogy Park.  May 28-30 Memorial Park, Pottstown

 

PASSIONFEST – Trilogy Park.  May 29, Memorial Park, Pottstown

 

Memorial Day Parade, Monday May 31, 2010, 10:00 a.m. starting at Good Will Fire Company, High street to Manatawny Street to Memorial Park – by Pottstown Joint Veterans Council.

 

RAGTIME – June 3 – 20, 2010  Tri-County Performing Arts Center, Pottstown

Thursday – 7:30 pm
Friday – 8:00 pm
Saturday – 8:00 pm
Sunday – 3:00 pm
ADULT: Thurs $19; Fri, Sat & Sun $23
STUDENT/SENIOR(65+): Thurs $17; Fri, Sat, Sun $21
CHILD (12 & under): Thurs $13; Fri, Sat & Sun $15
$2 off per ticket for groups of 10 or more!

http://www.villageproductions.org/Ragtime.html

 

Pottstown Rumble Volleyball Tournament

Saturday and Sunday June 26 , 27

The tournament begins at 8 am in Pottstown Memorial Park.  Last year over 1200 players took part in the tournament.  This event is open to the public and you can walk though the park and watch the matches.  It’s a fun way to spend some time.

 

Pottstown’s 4th of July Homecoming Celebration now has it’s own website. The site is updated daily so bookmark it and check frequently. They supply an RSS feed so you can have updates sent directly to your email : http://www.pottstownjuly4th.org/

Pottstown Shade Tree Commission Update

In my Pottstown Herald article covering the last Shade Tree Commission meeting I reported that a property owner on Keim Street was having a major tree problem.  

The property owner was told by the Shade Tree Commission that he would have to foot the bill to have a tree removed from his property.  The offending tree was ready to fall onto Keim St. and had been hit twice by vehicles.  The property owner is retired and did not have the funds to pay for a tree removal.  He asked for assistance and was turned down by Mr. Hylton.  The property owned said he could either pay his taxes or cut down the tree, but he could not do both.

Now the tree has been cut down and mysteriously paid for by an unknown source.  I find that very interesting.  Don’t you????

http://www.pottstownherald.com/