Wilkes-Barre City Council Chooses New Chairperson

WILKES-BARRE, PA — Mike Merritt will lead city council in 2015.

The former vice chair and former council chair Bill Barrett traded places Monday, when the five-person council selected Merritt to take over as chairman and Barrett as vice chairman in consecutive unanimous decisions.

Merritt addressed the council at the conclusion of the meeting, promising to work with them to kept the city “moving in the right direction.”

The council also passed ordinances establishing the 2015 holiday and meeting schedules.

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/news/50981547/

Norristown Councilwoman Linda Christian Elected Council President

NORRISTOWN, PA – Ward 3 Councilwoman Linda Christian was unanimously elected president of council Monday at the annual reorganization meeting and replaced Councilman William Caldwell.

Christian, the former council vice president, was sworn in by Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Senior Judge William Nicholas.

Christian won reelection in 2013 by waging a successful write-in campaign in the primary election after her nominating papers were successfully challenged. She defeated Democratic challenger Eli Nogueda in the primary contest.

Read more: http://www.timesherald.com/general-news/20150105/norristown-councilwoman-linda-christian-elected-council-president

U.S. Steel Reorganizes Operating Units

U.S. Steel Tower in downtown Pittsburgh, Penns...

U.S. Steel Tower in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

U.S. Steel Corp. is reorganizing its three operating units to focus on industries the company serves, the latest phase in the Downtown-based company’s Carnegie Way program to cut costs, boost revenue and return to profitability.

As part of the new management structure, U.S. Steel is realigning its North American Flat-Rolled division to focus on five markets: automotive, consumer, industrial, service centers and mining.

“These commercial entities will put our company in a stronger position to be best-in-class in product innovation, customer service and solutions, as well as steel manufacturing,” CEO Mario Longhi said.

The company is renaming its Tubular Products unit Energy Solutions, reflecting its focus on providing steel pipe to the booming oil and gas industry. And its operations in Europe were renamed U.S. Steel European Solutions.

Read more: http://triblive.com/business/headlines/7174309-74/solutions-steel-company#ixzz3JSeCmrZ7
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Macy’s To Cut 2,500 Jobs, Close Stores

Macy's logo

Macy’s logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Macy’s Inc. is cutting 2,500 jobs as part of a reorganization to sustain its profitability.

The announcement comes on the heels of a strong holiday shopping season for the department store chain.

Macy’s said Wednesday that it will reassign or transfer some workers and add some positions, leaving its workforce level at about 175,000.

The Cincinnati-based company plans to close five stores and open eight others, leaving it with 844 stores nationwide once the changes are complete.

Read more: http://www.inyork.com/community/ci_24868130/macys-cut-2-500-jobs?source=rss

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Monroeville Council Suspends Top Official

Map of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United ...

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

In a municipality already reeling from a controversy involving its police department, Monroeville‘s municipal manager was placed on administrative leave with pay Tuesday evening and could be completely removed from her position Jan. 6.

At a special council meeting, a four-member quorum voted to suspend longtime employee Lynette McKinney. Joe Sedlak was appointed acting manager.

Of those present, councilmen Steve Duncan, Nick Gresock and Jim Johns voted for her suspension, with member Bernhard Erb abstaining. Mr. Johns said he made the motion to slow Ms. McKinney’s spending.

Solicitor Bruce Dice said the process to legally remove the manager is intricate, though her duties ceased Tuesday night.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/east/2013/11/27/Monroeville-council-suspends-top-official/stories/201311270151#ixzz2lrOWhtYc

Pottstown Borough Departments Reorganized

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County

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

POTTSTOWN — After several years without one, Pottstown has a new assistant borough manager — although she has a familiar face.

Erica Weekley, who has spent the last several years as Pottstown’s grants administrator, was the person newly-minted Borough Manager Mark Flanders chose for the post.

He made the announcement during the Dec. 10 council meeting.

And those are not the only changes either already implemented or in the works at borough hall.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130102/NEWS01/130109943/erica-weekley-named-assistant-manager-for-pottstown-#full_story

Pottstown School Board Reorganization Holds Promise Of Positive Change

Last night the Friends of Pottstown Public Education candidates Judyth Zahora, Mary-Beth Lydon and Andrew Kefer took their places as members of the Pottstown School Board.  The three candidates were able to win school director seats in the November election, despite Mr. Hylton’s attempts to sway the voting public with his high-gloss, smear-tactic postcards.  Pottstown voters were not taken in a second time by the eleventh hour negative campaigning waged by Tartan Tom’s political action committee, Citizens For Responsible Government.  Citizens For Responsible Government is run out of Mr. Hylton’s Chestnut Street home aka Mount Olympus.

It would seem Pottstown is getting tired of Mr. Hylton’s meddling in our affairs.  The borough was the first group to untangle themselves from Mr. Hylton’s death-grip involvement by making the Shade Tree Commission obsolete and taking control of Pottstown’s shade trees.  Mr. Hylton also lost his support and was not returned to the Planning Commission after twelve disastrous years which brought us revolutionary concepts like back-in angle parking.

Now it would seem Mr. Hylton’s grip on the school board has been pried loose by the election of the Friends of Pottstown Public Education block of candidates.  Last night, Judyth Zahora was elected President of the Pottstown School Board.  Mrs. Zahora is not unfamiliar with this role as she was President before.  Robert Hartman was sworn in as Vice-President.  While Mr. Hartman was not a Friends of Pottstown Public Education candidate, his actions show he is very much like-minded.

Now that sanity has been restored to the school board and Mr. Hylton has been neutralized, we can look forward to fiscally responsible decisions being made.  We can also look forward to transparency and accountability being returned with the dissolving of the Neighborhood Schools Committee, Mr. Hylton being removed as sole “liaison” on the $15 million renovation project and the mandatory use of school district email to conduct business!  No more “secret” conversations between select school board members or the board being controlled by one person.  We elect nine people for a reason! The job is too large for any one person, even if they are a god-like being of superior intelligence, with a penchant for plaid.

We congratulate Mrs. Zahora and Mr. Hartman.  We wish them much success, along with the other new members of the school board.  The task is daunting, but we voted you into these positions because we have faith and confidence you will make the best decisions for the education of our children and the fiscal health of our school district and borough.

Coventry Mall Borders Express Closing!!

Borders' current flagship store in Downtown An...

Image via Wikipedia

For whatever reason, the Coventry Mall Borders Express store is not listed on the Pennsylvania store closing list.  However, after walking around Coventry Mall this morning, the Borders Express store has a final closing sale sign in the window.  It says this location only, which I thought was rather odd since Borders is closing hundreds of stores nationwide.

So there is your alert Pottstown area shoppers.  Borders Express at Coventry mall is closing.  I believe the sign said up to 75% off.  If you want to get some cheap books, you better head over soon!  It will not be open much longer.