A Taste of New Orleans at Western Center
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First-Time-Ever Valentine's Dinner and a Show at Pottstown's Own Steel River Playhouse
Come and fall head over heels for A. R. Gurney’s “Love Letters”, the story of a lifelong correspondence between Melissa Gardner and her childhood-friend-turned-love-interest, Andrew Makepeace Ladd III (played by local veteran actors Deb deCastro Braak and Bill Braak). Deb and Bill have been married for 40 years and are thrilled to be performing for the first time at Steel River Playhouse.
This production of Love Letters marks the first time that Deb and Bill have performed opposite each other since 1976 when they played Kate and Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew.
Thanks to its simple staging, Gurney’s play, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, has been performed in theater spaces all over the world from the New York Public Library to Broadway to Carnegie Hall and back again. Put away your cell phone (at least for a minute) to find out how a touching romance can bloom through old-fashioned pen and paper.
… and for the first time ever, Steel River Playhouse is hosting a …
DINNER AND A SHOW performance, Saturday, Feb. 13, evening show.
*** Limited Seating. please RSVP BY FEBRUARY 5th ***
Thanks to its simple staging, Gurney’s play, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, has been performed in theater spaces all over the world from the New York Public Library to Broadway to Carnegie Hall and back again. Put away your cell phone (at least for a minute) to find out how a touching romance can bloom through old-fashioned pen and paper.
… and for the first time ever, Steel River Playhouse is hosting a …
DINNER AND A SHOW performance, Saturday, Feb. 13, evening show.
*** Limited Seating. please RSVP BY FEBRUARY 5th ***
You can do so by clicking here.
Seating begins at 7:30 pm with table appetizers and champagne toast. Dinner wil be served at 7:50 pm. Love Letters will begin at 8:30 pm
Buffet Dinner:
Mediterranean toasted orzo with roasted vegetables and feta cheese
Beet risotto with grana padano brittle
Pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon, maple jalapeño jus
Pan seared Salmon filet topped with shrimp and roasted tomato butter
Sauteed green beans with almonds, white wine and parsley
Dessert (at Intermission):
Chocolate mousse with minted bark
Raspberry linzer torte
Cost:
Single Seating @ $70.00
Seating for 2 people @ $140.00
Seating for 3 people @ $210.00
Seating for 4 people @ $280.00
Seating begins at 7:30 pm with table appetizers and champagne toast. Dinner wil be served at 7:50 pm. Love Letters will begin at 8:30 pm
Buffet Dinner:
Mediterranean toasted orzo with roasted vegetables and feta cheese
Beet risotto with grana padano brittle
Pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon, maple jalapeño jus
Pan seared Salmon filet topped with shrimp and roasted tomato butter
Sauteed green beans with almonds, white wine and parsley
Dessert (at Intermission):
Chocolate mousse with minted bark
Raspberry linzer torte
Cost:
Single Seating @ $70.00
Seating for 2 people @ $140.00
Seating for 3 people @ $210.00
Seating for 4 people @ $280.00
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Soroptimists Help Spruce Up Library Children's Area
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| From left, Leslie Stillings, Director of Youth Services is presented with $5,000 check from Soroptimist international, Rosemary Hoffman, Carol Schreiber, Heather Wanner, Kathy Yablonski, and in front, champion for the library, Emma Turner. |
Blogger's Note:The following was provided by the Pottstown Regional Public Library:
In a corner of the youth department at the Pottstown Regional Public Library lay an area for children with a threadbare rug, toys overly worn from play and love.
It was a place of safety and comfort that needed some help. With a generous check for $5,000, Soroptimist International is helping mothers, infants and whole families use the library.
The library now has a glider for mothers of infants to rock them to sleep as they read, a fun rug for toddlers to crawl upon, and educational toys like a large wooden car to encourage imaginative pre-literate play for pre-school aged children.
Imaginative play and role playing help prepare young children with their social skills and exploring what they would like to do when they grow up.
Play is an important part of learning and childhood development.
A healthy and whole environment helps children feel worthy and respected. Soroptimists have given the library the means to create innovative and educational program for the children of the Pottstown area.
Children gather at the library for storytimes with music, sign language, physical activity, gardening classes, and science experiments, while surrounded by many books to reinforce and assist in the learning and exploring of their world.
Soroptimist’s support has helped children find a place of comfort, learning, and the knowledge that they are important and their community cares.
Soroptimist’s commitment to improving the lives of women and girls, equality, education, and fellowship are helping local families use the library in ways to help fit their needs.
Soroptimist’s commitment to improving the lives of women and girls, equality, education, and fellowship are helping local families use the library in ways to help fit their needs.
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Building Bridges in Douglas (Montgomery), Literally and Figuratively
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Photo by Evan Brandt Justin Keller, recreational circuit rider for the Pottstown Metropolitan Area Regional Planning Committee, left, asks the Douglass Township Supervisors if they would like help with grant writing or planning for the township's open spaces and parks development plans. |
I had a choice between at least three township meetings last night -- Upper Pottsgrove, Lower Pottsgrove or Douglass (Mont.)
I chose Douglass because A) Township Manager Peter Hiryak was kind enough to e-mail me the agenda ahead of time; B) the agenda for Upper and Lower, as shown on their respective web sites both seemed equally non-consequential; and C) I had not been to Douglass since Anthony Kuklinski was named the chairman of the board of supervisors.
The meeting was over in a half hour, but there were updates on how Douglass handled the Winter Storm Jonas; what regional recreation planner Justin Keller can do for Douglass and what's going on with the County Line Road Bridge project.
Read the Tweets and be updated:
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Scenes of the Schuylkill at Valley Forge
Blogger's Note:The following was provided by the Schuylkill River National Heritage Area.
A new art exhibit at Valley Forge National Historical Park explores the varied beauty and character of the Schuylkill River region.
Consisting of 16 pieces of art and photography by 15 different artists, the Scenes of the Schuylkill selections will be on display in the park’s visitors’ center through Feb. 26.
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| "Listening Woods" by Helen Mirkil. |
It is free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
The exhibit represents a selection of art from the larger 12th Annual Scenes of the Schuylkill Juried Art Show, which was held last fall at the Montgomery County Community College West Campus Gallery in Pottstown.
The exhibit represents a selection of art from the larger 12th Annual Scenes of the Schuylkill Juried Art Show, which was held last fall at the Montgomery County Community College West Campus Gallery in Pottstown.
Most works in the show are available for sale, and a portion of all proceeds benefits the Schuylkill River Heritage Area.
The 16 pieces on display at Valley Forge comprise the show’s winning entries and other selected works. They include a variety of mediums and styles, with subjects ranging from river views, cityscapes, woodland scenes, barns and more.
The 16 pieces on display at Valley Forge comprise the show’s winning entries and other selected works. They include a variety of mediums and styles, with subjects ranging from river views, cityscapes, woodland scenes, barns and more.
Presented together they create a striking exhibition that highlights the diversity of scenic beauty found throughout the region.
“We are grateful to our partners at Valley Forge National Historical Park for displaying a selection from Scenes of the Schuylkill at the park,” said Schuylkill River Heritage Area Executive Director Silas Chamberlin. “This enables us to expand the reach of our annual art show and draws attention to the many talented artists whose work is deeply rooted in the Schuylkill River valley.”
Scenes of the Schuylkill is an annual art show that celebrates the Schuylkill River region through art. Now in its 12th year, it is organized each fall by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area, a National and State Heritage Area headquartered in Pottstown.
“We are grateful to our partners at Valley Forge National Historical Park for displaying a selection from Scenes of the Schuylkill at the park,” said Schuylkill River Heritage Area Executive Director Silas Chamberlin. “This enables us to expand the reach of our annual art show and draws attention to the many talented artists whose work is deeply rooted in the Schuylkill River valley.”
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| Memento Mori by Jonathan Bond. |
Scenes of the Schuylkill is an annual art show that celebrates the Schuylkill River region through art. Now in its 12th year, it is organized each fall by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area, a National and State Heritage Area headquartered in Pottstown.
The 2015 show included 92 works and ran through November and December at Montgomery County Community College West Campus Gallery in Pottstown. All works were carefully selected from 163 submissions by juror Charles Stainback, Director of Art at the Berman Museum, Ursinus College.
The Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area, managed by the non-profit Schuylkill River Greenway Association, uses conservation, education, recreation, cultural and historic preservation and tourism as tools for community revitalization and economic development. For more information visit www.schuylkillriver.org.
The Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area, managed by the non-profit Schuylkill River Greenway Association, uses conservation, education, recreation, cultural and historic preservation and tourism as tools for community revitalization and economic development. For more information visit www.schuylkillriver.org.
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North End Firehouse (Not) Feeling the Heat
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The squirt 69 pumper is one of Pottstown's primary responders in case of a fire. It could be damaged if the boiler at the North End firehouse is not repaired quickly. |
Wednesday night's borough council meeting covered a number of interesting topics, from a tax delinquent landlord, to domestic violence to street sweeping.
But the matter of the most urgency is the fact that the heater at the North End Firehouse has given up the ghost.
North End's Assistant Chief Dave Saylor came before council last night to report that the boiler at the firehouse, now more than 30 years old, is "leaking all over the place."
Early cost estimates to replace it and the non-functioning air handler in the bay are expected to come in between $30,000 and $40,000 -- money the fire company does not have in its maintenance budget.
Recognizing that failure of the heating system could not only damage the firehouse itself, but the valuable pumper that resides in the bay, council opted to act fast and to help the fire company with the money.
"If this were in the summer, it would not be an immediate problem," said Council President Dan Weand. "We need to act quickly."
The details of that help will be worked out in the next few days between staff and the fire company
No doubt, extra contributions from anyone able to do so would be particularly welcome in this crisis.
In the meantime, here are the Tweets from the fest of the meeting.
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Valentine's Day Colonial Style at Pottsgrove Manor
Blogger's Note:The following was provided by Pottsgrove Manor.
They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
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They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
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| Connie Unangst |
If that's true, it is also true that the way to a woman's heart is paved with chocolate.
On Saturday, Feb. 13, a cooking demonstration at Pottstown's own Pottsgrove Manor will show how our colonial forebears handled chocolate.
The demonstration will be held between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. for demonstrations of open-hearth cooking with the program “Valentine’s Day, the Colonial Way.”
In the colonial era, before the invention of the techniques that give chocolate the smooth consistency people know and love today, chocolate was usually consumed as either a hot beverage or as an ingredient in various “made” dishes.
The demonstration will be held between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. for demonstrations of open-hearth cooking with the program “Valentine’s Day, the Colonial Way.”
In the colonial era, before the invention of the techniques that give chocolate the smooth consistency people know and love today, chocolate was usually consumed as either a hot beverage or as an ingredient in various “made” dishes.
In this program, historic cook Connie Unangst will prepare a variety of 18th-century recipes using chocolate.
Visitors can stop in the kitchen at any time during the hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to see what’s cooking. Guided tours of the manor will also be offered on the hour throughout the day, and the site’s museum shop will also be open.
There is a suggested donation of $2 per person for this program.
Visitors can also take a guided tour of Pottsgrove Manor during regular museum hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Visitors can also take a guided tour of Pottsgrove Manor during regular museum hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tours begin on the hour.
The last tour of the day begins at 3 p.m.
Pottsgrove Manor is located at 100 West King Street near the intersection of King Street and Route 100, just off Route 422.
Pottsgrove Manor is located at 100 West King Street near the intersection of King Street and Route 100, just off Route 422.
Pottsgrove Manor is operated by Montgomery County under the direction of the Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites Division of the Assets and Infrastructure Department.
For more information, call 610-326-4014, or visit the website at www.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor.
Like Pottsgrove Manor on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pottsgrovemanor.
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First Niagara Donates $20,000 to Cluster Program
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| From left: Renee Murdock, First Niagara’s Community Development Officer-Eastern PA; Allan Altschull, Pottstown Cluster Board President, Bob Rettinger, First Niagara’s Branch Manager-East End/Pottstown; Barbara Wilhelmy, Pottstown Cluster Executive Director; Mary Ann Glocker, Pottstown Cluster Board VP; & Tamera Hrynkow, First Niagara Area Manager. |
Blogger's Note:The following was provided by a public relations firm for First Niagara Bank.
On Ja. 28, First Niagara provided a $20,000 grant to Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities to support the Understanding Poverty to Plan and Persevere.
Through interfaith cooperation, the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities addresses the basic needs of persons within the greater Pottstown community, while assisting with their spiritual and social needs.
Their programs and referrals are coordinated to help individuals make real progress in moving from dependency to productive self-sufficiency.
Understanding Poverty to Plan and Persevere is an intensive sixteen week workshop to educate persons living in poverty on how to recognize the cultural and economic differences between people living in poverty and people of middle class status.
Understanding Poverty to Plan and Persevere is an intensive sixteen week workshop to educate persons living in poverty on how to recognize the cultural and economic differences between people living in poverty and people of middle class status.
With this knowledge, persons in poverty can develop realistic plans for achieving stability.
It is the goal of the program to equip participants to reduce dependence and increase self-sufficiency.
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Pottstown Health and Wellness Foundation Announces Latest Grant Round Worth $1.5 Million
The Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation has announced its latest round of grant awards.
The foundation seeks grant proposals that are consistent with our identified mission of improving health outcomes in the Pottstown region.
Within its mission, the foundation has established priorities which grants are required to serve.
The fall 2015 grant round includes 39 grants, totaling $1,481,042 awarded to non-profit organizations, schools, and municipalities.
The fall 2015 grant round includes 39 grants, totaling $1,481,042 awarded to non-profit organizations, schools, and municipalities.
These grants are funded according to the following priorities:
PRIORITY #1: Healthy Behaviors - General (One grant totaling $31,200).
Pottstown Mercury Foundation: Fit for Life
PRIORITY #1A: Promoting healthy living through nutrition, activities and programs in public and private schools to reduce obesity and encourage healthy living
There were no requests for Priority #1A during this grant round.
PRIORITY #1B: Improving parks, programming and the built environment to increase access to physical activity. (Six grants were awarded totaling $250,353).
Borough of Pottstown: Bike Pottstown Shelter at Manatawny Green
Borough of Pottstown: Memorial Park Playground Replacement and Site Improvement
Parent Booster USA Inc.: Replacement weightlifting equipment and room refurbishment for
Daniel Boone High School
Pottstown School District: Grigg Memorial Field Lights Matching Grant
Preservation Pottstown Inc.: Community Garden Expansion and Capacity Building
South Coventry Township: T. S. Elliott Site
PRIORITY #1C: Creating and promoting social networks involving healthy living
(Seventeen grants were awarded totaling $456,212).
Centro Cultural Latinos Unidos Inc.: Dancing Dribbling Fusion
Communities in Motion: Traffic Safety Town Program
Council On Chemical Abuse Inc.: LifeSkills Training for Daniel Boone School District
Developmental Enterprises Corporation/Pottstown Training Center: Healthy Eating,
Healthy Living Family Services of Montgomery County: Building Resilience Among Teen Parents
Helping To Inspire Positive And Healthy Opportunities For Progress: HIP HOP Health
Maternity Care Coalition: Early Head Start (Pottstown)
Pottstown Area Police Athletic League: General Operating & PAL Youth Programs for Health, Wellness & Leadership Development
Pottstown Area Seniors' Center: Prime Time Health
Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority: Pottstown Outdoor Farmer's Market Pottstown FARM
Schuylkill River Athletic Club: C.R.E.W. Community Recreational Water athletics program
The Pennsylvania State University Philanthropic Fund: Pathway to Quality: Better Kid Care
Professional Development Support
The Pennsylvania State University Philanthropic Fund: After School Programs at Park Springs Apartments
Triskeles Foundation: Food For Thought
Wellness Council of Boyertown: Complete Wellness for All
West Pottsgrove Township: Establishment of Aquatic Programs at West Pottsgrove Twp. Community Pool
Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania: Jump with Jill Nutrition Education Initiative
PRIORITY #2: PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH (Eight grants were awarded totaling $522,037).
Camphill Village Kimberton Hills: Aging in Community (Funded by PAHWF East Auxiliary).
Carson Valley Children's Aid: Women's Voices/Healthy Choices
Child Advocacy Center of Montgomery County, d/b/a Mission Kids: Fostering the Resilient Child through Family Advocacy and Forensic Interviews (Partially funded by PAHWF East Auxiliary).
Child, Home & Community: Pottstown Adolescent Prenatal Parenting and Support Continuum
Creative Health Services, Inc.: Healthy Weight, Healthy Families Program
Health Care Access: Health Care Access Programs
Montgomery County Community College Foundation: Dental Sealant Day
Visiting Nurse Association Community Services, Inc. (VNA): Personal Navigator Program with Expanded Legal Support
PRIORITY #3: STRENGTHEN NON-PROFITS (Seven grants were awarded totaling $221,240).
First Baptist Church: Handicap accessible renovations requested by CCLU
Foundation for Pottstown Education: Donor Perfect Fundraising and Donor Management Software
Pottstown Area Industrial Development Inc.: PAID Annual Operations - 2015 supplemental
Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities: Program Support for Healthy and Sustainable Living and Capacity Support for Organizational Sustainability
Pottstown Karate Club: Capacity Building/Program Management
Royersford Outreach, Inc.: General Operating Funds for Building and Program
YWCA Tri-County Area: Mission Impact Support
The Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation’s mission is to enhance the health and wellness of area residents, providing education, funding and programs that motivate people to adopt healthy lifestyles. Visit www.pottstownfoundation.org for more information about the Foundation. Discover Pottstown area’s online community Mission Healthy Living to learn and share great information on how to lead a healthier life. You can also follow Mission Healthy Living on Facebook and Twitter and the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation on Pinterest and LinkedIn.
PRIORITY #1: Healthy Behaviors - General (One grant totaling $31,200).
Pottstown Mercury Foundation: Fit for Life
PRIORITY #1A: Promoting healthy living through nutrition, activities and programs in public and private schools to reduce obesity and encourage healthy living
There were no requests for Priority #1A during this grant round.
PRIORITY #1B: Improving parks, programming and the built environment to increase access to physical activity. (Six grants were awarded totaling $250,353).
Borough of Pottstown: Bike Pottstown Shelter at Manatawny Green
Borough of Pottstown: Memorial Park Playground Replacement and Site Improvement
Parent Booster USA Inc.: Replacement weightlifting equipment and room refurbishment for
Daniel Boone High School
Pottstown School District: Grigg Memorial Field Lights Matching Grant
Preservation Pottstown Inc.: Community Garden Expansion and Capacity Building
South Coventry Township: T. S. Elliott Site
PRIORITY #1C: Creating and promoting social networks involving healthy living
(Seventeen grants were awarded totaling $456,212).
Centro Cultural Latinos Unidos Inc.: Dancing Dribbling Fusion
Communities in Motion: Traffic Safety Town Program
Council On Chemical Abuse Inc.: LifeSkills Training for Daniel Boone School District
Developmental Enterprises Corporation/Pottstown Training Center: Healthy Eating,
Healthy Living Family Services of Montgomery County: Building Resilience Among Teen Parents
Helping To Inspire Positive And Healthy Opportunities For Progress: HIP HOP Health
Maternity Care Coalition: Early Head Start (Pottstown)
Pottstown Area Police Athletic League: General Operating & PAL Youth Programs for Health, Wellness & Leadership Development
Pottstown Area Seniors' Center: Prime Time Health
Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority: Pottstown Outdoor Farmer's Market Pottstown FARM
Schuylkill River Athletic Club: C.R.E.W. Community Recreational Water athletics program
The Pennsylvania State University Philanthropic Fund: Pathway to Quality: Better Kid Care
Professional Development Support
The Pennsylvania State University Philanthropic Fund: After School Programs at Park Springs Apartments
Triskeles Foundation: Food For Thought
Wellness Council of Boyertown: Complete Wellness for All
West Pottsgrove Township: Establishment of Aquatic Programs at West Pottsgrove Twp. Community Pool
Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania: Jump with Jill Nutrition Education Initiative
PRIORITY #2: PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH (Eight grants were awarded totaling $522,037).
Camphill Village Kimberton Hills: Aging in Community (Funded by PAHWF East Auxiliary).
Carson Valley Children's Aid: Women's Voices/Healthy Choices
Child Advocacy Center of Montgomery County, d/b/a Mission Kids: Fostering the Resilient Child through Family Advocacy and Forensic Interviews (Partially funded by PAHWF East Auxiliary).
Child, Home & Community: Pottstown Adolescent Prenatal Parenting and Support Continuum
Creative Health Services, Inc.: Healthy Weight, Healthy Families Program
Health Care Access: Health Care Access Programs
Montgomery County Community College Foundation: Dental Sealant Day
Visiting Nurse Association Community Services, Inc. (VNA): Personal Navigator Program with Expanded Legal Support
PRIORITY #3: STRENGTHEN NON-PROFITS (Seven grants were awarded totaling $221,240).
First Baptist Church: Handicap accessible renovations requested by CCLU
Foundation for Pottstown Education: Donor Perfect Fundraising and Donor Management Software
Pottstown Area Industrial Development Inc.: PAID Annual Operations - 2015 supplemental
Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities: Program Support for Healthy and Sustainable Living and Capacity Support for Organizational Sustainability
Pottstown Karate Club: Capacity Building/Program Management
Royersford Outreach, Inc.: General Operating Funds for Building and Program
YWCA Tri-County Area: Mission Impact Support
The Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation’s mission is to enhance the health and wellness of area residents, providing education, funding and programs that motivate people to adopt healthy lifestyles. Visit www.pottstownfoundation.org for more information about the Foundation. Discover Pottstown area’s online community Mission Healthy Living to learn and share great information on how to lead a healthier life. You can also follow Mission Healthy Living on Facebook and Twitter and the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation on Pinterest and LinkedIn.
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School Board Halfway to Government Transparency
It is an effort to be lauded and encouraged.
There is now an on-line (and paper) survey asking for input on what we all think are important characteristics in a new schools superintendent, a decision to be made in the coming months.
But the district is asking for other input as well.
In a move that seemed to come out of left field, the district also announced last week that it is setting aside time in upcoming Monday board meetings specifically to seek input from staff, students, parents, residents, taxpayers and the odd farm animal on ways the district can save money and avoid waste.
This too is to be lauded and encouraged.
But ....
As I have argued before, HOW you do something is as important as WHAT you do.
If your WHAT is ending world hunger, it sounds good until you say the HOW of accomplishing this is to kill off half the world's population.
HOW matters.
And HOW the district went about inviting residents to come to meetings to share their ideas for saving money is itself a demonstration of how novel this whole government transparency thing is to Pottstown schools.
I attend every school board meeting. (Luckily, I get paid to do that, so the pain of the enterprise is somewhat muted.)
To the best of my recollection, there was never any vote to begin this public cost-saving initiative nor, worse yet, any public discussion of it. It just kind of happened.
That's a no-no.
What is supposed to happen in an open and transparent government is things get discussed publicly and voted on publicly so the public knows what its elected officials -- in this case the group of people in charge of the largest share of your property tax bill -- is doing.
Right now, those considerations still get treated as an after-thought and an annoyance among Pottstown school officials.
("Oh there's that freakin' reporter again, going on about secret meetings. Why can't he give us credit for trying to do something right?)
He's trying.
But when I asked the long-suffering Community Relations Director John Armato HOW this decision to start actively pursuing public input on the budget came about, he got back to me and, with a knowing sigh, said he was told that "it came up in the July board workshop, and was again discussed in the January workshop."
See, this is a problem.
These "workshop" meetings are closed to the public. (I think you see where I'm going with this.)
Sometimes called "retreats," they are supposed to be meetings at which information is presented to board members but, so as not to violate Pennsylvania's admittedly feeble Open Meetings law, "deliberation" is not supposed to occur.
But if things are being "discussed" and "decisions" are being made, that's pretty much the definition of "deliberation."
She replied "you can call it a 'workshop,' you can call it 'a garden party' or you can call it 'Bob's Secret Santa,' if you want.' If a quorum of the school board is getting together and discussing public business and, as it sounds like happened here, and making a decision about a policy change, it has to happen in public session."
And she agreed with me that it was "sad and ironic," that the school board held a meeting that was likely illegally closed to the public in order to foster being more open with the public at its meetings.
And sure, you might argue, "no harm, no foul;" that the board is moving in the right direction, and I'd agree.
But consider that for many of us, there is a little voice inside our heads saying "So sure, we know about this and it seems like a good thing. But what ELSE did they deliberate or decide that we don't know about?"
Why undo the impression that you're trying to be more open by deciding to be more open in secret? Fulminating reporters aside, doesn't that defeat your purpose?
After all, to give credit where credit is due, after being criticized for holding a closed door executive session to hear a proposal from the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit on conducting the district's superintendent search, the board did a do-over and held it again, but in public at the last meeting.
And more incredibly at the last meeting, board members Tom Hylton and Amy Francis said they want to invite the public into "negotiation sessions as we talked about a few months ago" (something which the scold in me feels compelled to point out this sounds like an improper policy discussion in an executive session...)
But still, if that means publicly open negotiations with the teachers union, that would be revolutionary given that discussing labor negotiations is one of the four reasons the board is actually ALLOWED to exclude the public.
So consider all this a helpful reminder in a teachable moment, rather than my usual vitriolic foot-stamping about talking the talk but not walking the walk.After all, Sunshine Week -- in which open government is celebrated -- is just a month away (March 13 through March 19), so why not study up now?
There are only four topics of discussion from which the public can be legally excluded: labor negotiations, real estate purchases or leases, personnel discussions of a specific individual (very important that last part), or identifiable legal issues, particularly one that has actually been filed in a court.
Otherwise, it has to be in public.
Its not as if you have hordes of people busting down the doors to come to your board meetings folks.
Best rule of thumb is not to call them "workshops," or "retreats" or "information sessions" or even "Bob's Secret Santa" and best not to exclude the public.
I mean the board most often holds these 'workshop' meetings on a Saturday morning anyway. If no one comes to your regular meetings, why are you worried who will show up on a Saturday?
Hold them Saturday morning, don't close them to the public and if the public shows up? So what?
Maybe you'd get some of that input you're looking for.
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Some Heat Over North End Fire Co. Boiler Request
The subject which got the most attention of borough council Monday night was the question of the North End fire Company's new boiler.
Last week, Assistant Chief Dave Saylor appeared before council and said that with little warning, the fire house's boiler had gone the way of all metal holding water.
He asked council for help and said the cost could be as much as $40,000.
Last night council voted, begrudingly, by a 4-3 margin to provide up to $40,000.
Voting in favor were Vice President Sheryl Miller and Council members Ryan Procsal, Dennis Arms and Rita Paez.
But the agreement to do so had some conditions, including consulting a certified financial planner.
That went to the heart of concerns expressed by Council President Dan Weand, who wanted to give a smaller cash gift up front and have the rest come out of the fire company's annual allotment from the borough fire tax.
He stressed that North End must become "sustainable," financially and otherwise.
Miller countered that the company was making progress and "saddling them with more debt is not going to help."
We'll have more detail in an upcoming Mercury article.
In the meantime, here is Mayor Sharon Thomas's monthly report, recorded and embedded here for your convenient viewing:
And, without further ado, here are the Tweets from the meeting:
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Elks, Plumbers Lend a Hand to Vets for Vets
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| Members of Pottstown Elks Lodge 814 and the Pottstown Area Master Plumbers Association present a $6,000 donation to the Vets for Vets organization in Pennsburg. |
Vets for Vets is an organization in Pennsburg run by veterans to help returning veterans re-adjust to civilian life.
VFV's goal is to provide safe and positive transitional housing providing a mixture of camaraderie,
life skills as well as educational and employment opportunities.
Recently, the transitional home at 32 4th St. in Pennsburg was visited by members of the Veterans Committee of Pottstown Elks Lodge 814 and the Pottstown Area Master Plumbers Association.
They brought along a check for $6,000 to donate to the group.
Each July, the Elks Lodge has a golf outing sponsored by Vlahos/Dunn Insurance and donations from that outing, along with $2,100 from the Master Plumbers Association were pooled together to help Vets for Vets.
The group that visited the facility was comprised of: Ron Nace, Gina Custer, Terry Embody, Paul Mizic, Bob Rhoades, Bill Ebinger, Jim Vlahos and Cathy Paretti from the Elks; and Dave Hollenbach, Del Locke, Anthony Piazza, James Loftus from the Master Plumbers Association.
They were greeted by Jonathan Bittner, who welcomed them and gave them a tour of the facility.
More information can be found at Soldiertocivilian.org or by calling 484-938-vets (Jake Leone, Administrator/ Michael Stephens, Veteran Liaison)
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Genesis Offers Pottstown Classes on Homebuying
Blogger's Note:The following was provided by Genesis Housing Corporation.
Learn how to make the most of your money, to make smart money decisions and learn the best ways to reduce your debts. Learn how to improve your credit scores. Make good decisions with your money. Learn what they never covered in school!
Genesis Housing Corporation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit community development corporation, will hold FREE classes on Wednesday evenings, March 2nd, March 9th and March 16th from 7 to 9 PM, at the YWCA, 315 King Street in Pottstown.
The classes are designed to help to:
- Understand Credit -- Information on credit scores, improving your scores, re-establishing credit, dealing with debt. Class participants can obtain a free credit report with scores from the three major credit reporting services. (March 2, 2015)
- Money Management– Information on preparing realistic budgets that are more than just monthly bills, prioritizing spending in tough times and understanding how current spending impacts your future financial options. (March 9, 2015)
- Home Buying Basics -- Information the home buying process -- finding a realtor, home inspections, Agreements of Sale, mortgages and first-time homebuyer grant programs. (March 16, 2015)
Holcroft also provides individual housing counseling sessions to help clients achieve their financial goals. Holcroft has worked with families to restructure their mortgages, avoid foreclosures and reduce their debts.
Registration can be made online at www.genesishousing.org or by calling Genesis Housing Corporation at 610-275-4357.
The Pottstown classes are funded, in part, by National Penn Bank. Additional funding was provided by Montgomery County.
For more information on Genesis Housing Corporation programs, please call 610-275-4357 or visit our web site at www.genesishousing.org.
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Wednesday Briefing Set for Pottstown Off-Ramp on the Digital Super-Highway
The Pennsylvania Gigabit Revolution is a broadband initiative to maximize every possible synergy for six "off-ramps" from an ultra-high capacity fiber broadband system to be constructed in 2016 running from New York City through the Pottstown area to Ashburn, Virginia.
The program is funded in part by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Broadband Outreach and Aggregation Fund.
Presently, most ultra-high capacity fiber between NYC and DC runs along the Amtrak/I-95 corridor. York-based, United Fiber & Data (UFD) is building this ultra-high capacity fiber broadband to improve redundancy, capacity, and safety.
Presently, most ultra-high capacity fiber between NYC and DC runs along the Amtrak/I-95 corridor. York-based, United Fiber & Data (UFD) is building this ultra-high capacity fiber broadband to improve redundancy, capacity, and safety.
Like interchanges on interstate highways, the UFD fiber creates an opportunity for communities that maximize an "off-ramp" to this digital super-highway.
Representatives of UFD and Business Information Group, Inc. will be hosting a briefing in Pottstown at 1:30 p.m. onWednesday, Feb. 17, in the Community Room of Montgomery County Community College, 101 College Drive, Pottstown.
Representatives of UFD and Business Information Group, Inc. will be hosting a briefing in Pottstown at 1:30 p.m. onWednesday, Feb. 17, in the Community Room of Montgomery County Community College, 101 College Drive, Pottstown.
The public is encouraged to attend.
This meeting was originally scheduled for January 25, but was postponed due to the weather.
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The First Four
Today is the day that some of us get to stay home from work or school because -- presidents.
Given the impracticality of giving people the day off for both George Washington's birthday and Abraham Lincoln's birthday, the holiday bureau, or whomever makes these decisions, combined them into a single "President's Day" holiday.
To be honest, I don't think too many of us sit around pondering past presidents all day. No doubt we're too busy resisting the urge to take advantage of the great sale prices at our local Buick dealership.
But it is worth a ponder, especially when the question of who will be the next president looms so large on our consciousness.
It seems reasonable on President's Day to look at the question of the next president within the framework of past presidents, good and bad.
Who were the best presidents? Why are they favored and what characteristics did
Is it Teddy Roosevelt's muscular leadership style?
Wilson's idealism, the dichotomy of an unwavering belief in world peace contained within the frame of an unapologetic racist?
Is it Kennedy's particular blend of inspiration, pragmatism and a history scrubbed clean by tragedy?
Although they all brought unique qualities to the office, so much of what it means to be president can be found among the first few.
Consider that the "father of the Constitution," James Madison, conceived of the presidency mostly as a kind of clerkship, carrying out the wishes of the legislature, which he, veteran of many state legislatures that he was, considered to be the supreme representation of the will of the people.
But almost from the beginning, the chief executive's post captured the imagination of the electorate and the post, for better or worse, has come to epitomize the America of each president's time.
Ray Raphael convincingly argues in his book "Founding Myths" that this should not be so.
American history is so much more than a list of presidents, he writes.
The United States came about, Raphael says, not just because of the actions of great men, but, more importantly, by the collected actions of thousands of unnamed patriots.
Raphael writes that those leaders whose names now echo through the history books, sometimes falsely, were merely following the trends of history and the will of a people bent of self-governing; and that the study of American history these days suffers from a kind of "presidential chic."
He is essentially right, but its hard to write a history of everybody.
Regardless of the arguments to the contrary presidents have, from the beginning, symbolized their times and the nation they led, for better or worse.
And when it comes to making the most of symbolism, few compare to our first president.
George Washington may not have been the most lettered of the founders, but his
Ben Franklin once quipped that left to their own devices a roomful of men would inevitably elect the tallest of them as their leader.
This was certainly true of Washington.
But luckily for us, this was his particular genius and he more than any other understood that everything he did would be precedent-setting -- everything from policy to protocol.
Few people held in awe by their contemporaries felt the weight of that responsibility more keenly and, as a result, considered every action a careful balance between preserving the prestige he required to lead the country, and what was best for that country in the long-term.
Consider that when Washington set out to visit every state, he was would usually
Today, that action might be seen as craven. But at the time, it was necessary to cement a disparate and far-flung people into having some kind of national identity.
As Madison said: "The Presidency alone unites the conjectures of the public."
But Americans tire of heroes and by the time he walked away from power -- making him the "greatest man in the world," according to King George III, his former enemy -- he was being pilloried on the highly partisan press of the day, much like any other politician.
If Washington was the example of everything we say we want in a president, his successor was the opposite.
Poor, brilliant, flawed, insecure, proud, patriotic John Adams.
Just as we had never had a president, we had never had a second president and
Bad decision. Their loyalty was to Washington and Adams, a prickly patriot not well-suited to inspiring comrades to personal loyalty, was not well served by the decision.
Ever the paradox, the steadfast patriot who took on airs, Adams oversaw perhaps the worst and best actions a president has ever taken.
He allowed himself to be talked into signing the alien and sedition act, jailing those who wrote ill of the government; a more anti-American law it would be hard to imagine.
But while he was manipulated at home by his own party, and a temperament ill-suited to the constant criticism inherent in the office, he refused to be manipulated by the conniving French.
For the good of the country, he fulfilled the wishes of his political enemies -- Thomas Jefferson and James Madison -- and kept the nation out of war with France, something the self-confirmed Anglohile considered to be the greatest achievement of his one-term presidency.
His political enemy Alexander Hamilton maneuvered to provide Jefferson the votes he needed in the House of Representatives to break the electoral tie because Hamilton would rather have the country in the hands of an honorable man with whom he fervently disagreed, than a candidate from his own state he considered to be unscrupulous.
But it was Jefferson's successor, and legislative right hand, who was the first truly modern president.
By the time Madison took office, political parties or "factions" as the politicians of the day called them, had taken firm hold of the American political system, never to be dislodged.
Years of making deals in the trenches of the Virginia Legislature and in the House of Representatives and Senate had prepared Madison for the inescapable facts of American politics, that compromise is necessary to get things done.
He was willing enough to do it, to risk his reputation both to history and his own "faction," for the good of the country.
History has been kind of Madison, and rightly so. But compromise, his signature skill as a founder, has lately fallen on hard times.
Public education undermined, our history re-written, compromise is now viewed not as the result of reasonable accommodation among reasonable people, but a weakness that shames the nation, particularly by some of those now running for the presidency.
There is a fine line to be walked in leading such a large, powerful and diverse country.
Absolutism is not leadership, and compromise is not weakness, it is a necessity.
Let's all hope we can elect a president who recognizes this.
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PASC's Golden Apple Gala Set for March 12
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| The West Chester Swing Kings will provide the music for the 2016 Golden Apple Gala on March 12. |
Blogger's Note:The following was provided by the Pottstown Area Senior Center.
The third annual Golden Apple Gala is just one month away. This exciting event raises money for the Pottstown Area Seniors’ Center as they work to support seniors in the greater Pottstown area.
“We are planning another exciting event,” said Brian Parkes, executive director of the senior center. “Attendees will be treated to some great music, and we have a local award-winning couple demonstrating ballroom dancing.”
This year’s event will be held on Saturday, March 12 at Brookside Country Club in Pottstown.
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Photo by Joe Voytilla Patti and Bill Underwood will provide a ballroom dancing demonstration at the gala |
Betsy Chapman will be featured on the harp, and the West Chester Swing Kings will provide entertainment after dinner.
A ballroom dancing demonstration will be presented by Patti and Bill Underwood, who have been dancing together for 25 years.
The Underwoods are competitors in American Smooth and American Rhythm. In November, they won the Amateur American Smooth Championship at the Ohio Star Ball. They have also been the National Senior lll American 9-Dance Champions in 2007-08, 2010 and 2013.
Beer and wine, hors d’oeuvres, and a choice of entrees, are included in the $125 per person ticket price.
Beer and wine, hors d’oeuvres, and a choice of entrees, are included in the $125 per person ticket price.
Reservations and sponsorships can be purchased at www.goldenapplegala.org, or by calling the senior center at 610-323-5305.
The exciting silent auction features original artwork, gift certificates, and many other valuable items.
All profits from the event will support services for older adults in the tri-county area, including a free daily lunch, professional assistance from trained staff, and exercise and social programs that help keep seniors active and independent.
Major supporters of the Golden Apple Gala include Joe and Linda Voytilla, Patient First, Catagnus Funeral Home & Cremation Center, First Niagara, Thrivent Financial, Wolf Baldwin & Associates, and David G. Garner, Esq.
The Pottstown Area Seniors’ Center serves adults age 50 and better with programs and services including information and referral assistance, a daily lunch, exercise programs, social activities, and much more.
The exciting silent auction features original artwork, gift certificates, and many other valuable items.
All profits from the event will support services for older adults in the tri-county area, including a free daily lunch, professional assistance from trained staff, and exercise and social programs that help keep seniors active and independent.
Major supporters of the Golden Apple Gala include Joe and Linda Voytilla, Patient First, Catagnus Funeral Home & Cremation Center, First Niagara, Thrivent Financial, Wolf Baldwin & Associates, and David G. Garner, Esq.
The Pottstown Area Seniors’ Center serves adults age 50 and better with programs and services including information and referral assistance, a daily lunch, exercise programs, social activities, and much more.
The Mission of the Pottstown Area Seniors’ Center is to enhance the well-being of its members by providing services and activities that promote an independent and healthy life style.
The Pottstown Area Seniors’ Center has more than 3,000 members residing in the tri-county area. Anyone living in the tri-county area (Berks, Chester and Montgomery Counties) who is 50-plus years of age is welcome to join the senior center. Learn more at www.greaterpasc.com.
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Affordable Housing Abandoned for Senior Housing
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Photo by Evan Brandt Developer Richard Mingey explains his proposal for property at the intersection of Route 100 and West Moyer Road in Upper Pottsgrove Tuesday night. |
Well the Upper Pottsgrove Township Commissioners took their time finishing the township's business Tuesday night.
In a meeting re-scheduled due to the fact that municipal offices were closed for President's Day, the meeting stretched into and past the three-hour mark.
Perhaps most significant among the items under discussion was developer Richard Mingey's plans for 10 acres west of Route 100 along Route 100.
About this time last year, Mingey had proposed an affordable housing apartment complex.
Since then, he has re-considered and came before the commissioners Tuesday night proposing an "age-targeted" housing development of about 98 units, along with a small commercial component for the same property.
While "age-restricted" usually limits occupants to 55 and up, "age targeted" zeros in on the same age group, but does not require it.
To get the project done, Mingey would need the township to consider a zoning change, which only Township Commissioner Herb Miller opposed, given that the property is the headwaters of Sprogel's Run.
There is also progress on the township's plans to build a new highway garage.
You can read all about it in the Tweets below.
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Budget Mysteries and Soccer Triumphs in Pottsgrove
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Photo by Evan Brandt The Pottsgrove High School boys soccer team being recognized by the school board for its championship season. |
By about 10:15 p.m. I had had it.
If you want to know what happened at the Pottsgrove School Board meeting last night after 10:15 or so, you'll have to read the district's board notes.
Luckily, the honoring of this year's championship boys soccer team was early on in the evening.
Here is some video from the ceremony honoring their achievements.
Other than that, the two most notable things on an otherwise mundane agenda were the passage of the changes to the construction schedule at Pottsgrove High School to try to provide more time for contractors to meet their deadline and by done with the job by the opening of school.
That opening looks like it will be after Labor Day for the entire district, at least that's what the administration is recommending.
Final decision will likely be made at the next board meeting, scheduled for Feb. 23.
The other item, almost laughable, was a budget review made all the more pointless by the absence of a state budget and absolutely no idea how much more money the district will get their year, or next.
Business Manager David Nester said the shortfall could be as high as $4.8 million if Harrisburg doesn't get its freakin' act together.
The good news is the initial projected tax hike, which could be as high as 3.1, is 2 percent.
However, egged on by board member Bill Parker, the board also adopted a motion directing the administration to put together budget scenarios for a 1 percent tax hike and for no tax hike at all.
Look for a more detailed story on that in upcoming editions of The Mercury.
In the meantime, here are the Tweets from the meeting (at least until I left):
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Salaries and Sensibilities in Pottstown Schools
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Spiffy Panoramic photo by Evan Brandt Dozens of green-shirted members of the Federation of Pottstown Teachers stand in solidarity as their spokesperson, Franklin Elementary School teacher Lindi Vollmuth, makes her comments to the Pottstown School Board Thursday night. |
Goodness there was a lot of the public's money flying around Thursday night in discussions at the Pottstown School Board.
According to preliminary calculations put together by the Federation of Pottstown Teachers, the range of raises proposed in an "administrative re-structuring" included raises ranging from 54.88 percent to 5.42 percent.
All together, it added up to $90,922, according to calculations from a group of people who last year accepted a one-year contract with no cost of living of living increase, no hourly increase and no percentage increase in the steps, but received a 1 percent bonus.
So its probably not surprising that in what was no doubt a pre-arranged show of
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| Federation of Pottstown Teachers members stand for Lindi Vollmuth's comments about negotiations. |
Vollmuth said that not only is is demoralizing for teachers to be told there is no money for raises for them while administrators enjoy them, that more than half the teachers have indicated they have considered leaving Pottstown Schools to look for work elsewhere.
By what can only be an unintended coincidence, this plan was floated to the general public exactly four days before the Monday board meeting that the public has been invited to specifically suggest ways the budget could be cut.
Really, I swear I'm not making that up.
(Although there appeared to be some confusion on the part of some board members who were bemoaning the absence of the public at a meeting to which they were not specifically invited.)
The administrative re-structuring, which would install Human Resources Director Stephen Rodriguez into a new "assistant to the superintendent" post among other changes, received what Board Vice President Andrew Kefer called a "heated but civil" discussion among the board.
It began when board member Thomas Hylton read a statement saying he would make a motion Monday to table a vote on the re-structuring plan.
He said given that the district will very shortly be bringing in a new superintendent, it would be appropriate to give that new leader some input into the new structure.
And in what can only described as the rhetorical highlight of the evening, after board member Ron Williams recalled that in his Navy days, a new commander would always "re-arrange the furniture," Business Manager Linda Adams described herself as "one of those pieces of furniture."
This came after a truly bizarre statement in which Adams said she could envision the new superintendent doing "something unethical" which might require the board to "buy out my contract."
Solicitor Stephen Kalis soothed the frazzled hyperbole when he clarified Hylton's desire as delay, not rejection; and Board President Kim Stillwell raised a salient point when she asked if anyone had asked the person hunting for a new superintendent how a re-organization now might affect the search.
No one answered, which most often means in Pottstown School Board parlance -- "no."
Read the Tweets below and it will be like you were there, except didn't have to miss your favorite Thursday night TV show:
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The Jazz Band Season Kicks Off in Pottsgrove
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Photos by Evan Brandt The awards for the 'Grove Jazz Fest Saturday await awarding. |
The Jazz Band season officially began, at least for my family, Saturday evening with the 'Grove Jazz Festival.
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| Representatives from all the bands that performed gather for the awards ceremony at the Grove Jazz Fest |
It was a small but very local showing with middle school jazz bands from Pottstown, Pottsgrove and Spring-Ford all strutting their stuff.
Also on stage and packing a punch were the Pottstown and Pottsgrove high school jazz bands.
Here is a video sample of some of the performances:
They all sounded lovely but the Pottstown Middle schoolers really stole the show.
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| Pottstown Middle School Jazz Band performs Saturday. |
The judges agreed and awarded them the only "Outstanding" rating of the evening.
The Pottstown middle schoolers also captured the best saxophone and best trumpet section awards, as well as two soloist awards.
Jacob Eagle received honorable mention for his trumpet solo on "Tiger of San Pedro" and David Hicks received a soloist award for his trombone solo in "Vehicle."
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| Pottsgrove Middle School Jazz Band |
All the other bands received an "Excellent" rating.
The best trombone section award went to Pottsgrove Middle School and alto sax player Nakeem Palmer won a soloist award for his work in "God Bless This Child.".
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| Spring-Ford Middle School Jazz Ensemble |
Lest it seem to you that the middle school bands won a preponderance of the awards, understand that Pottstown High School was the only high school being scored.
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| Pottstown High School Jazz Band |
By the way, trumpet player Nick Wilson from Pottstown high also won a soloist award for his work in "Moondance."
As host, Pottsgrove High School performed, but only in exhibition and was not scored.
And, as Pottsgrove music director Victor Holladay explained to the crowd, the three judges had "different levels of expectation" for middle school bands versus high school bands.
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| As hosts, the Pottsgrove High School Jazz Band performed in exhibition only and was not scored. |
This year, I have posted all of the full YouTube videos in the Storify down below. It is more manageable and means I get to sleep a little bit on Jazz Band Nights.
Just like when they are embedded in the blog, you can click on them and listen without having to go to a new site.
Of course, you can also watch them, and recordings from previous years, on my YouTube channel by clicking here.
Otherwise, scroll down and enjoy:
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