Putting the Brakes on Sanatoga Green?

October 3, 2016, 9:00 pm

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The site plan for the proposed Sanatoga Green project superimposed on an aerial photo of the more than 50 acres of the site.

Whoa.

That one word could be said to sum up the township commissioners feelings Monday night about the proposed Sanatoga Green mixed use development.

Already the recipients of five variances from the township's zoning hearing board, the project that seeks to put 159 town homes; 342 apartments in 17 buildings, as well as a hotel and medical office on 52 acres off Evergreen Road, is now asking for seven more, along with 22 waivers.

In a variety of reports from the engineer, township manager and township solicitor, the township commissioners were showered with a bewildering array of new conditions, developments and exceptions being sought by the developers of the massive project, which has already garnered concern from the school board and regional planning commission.

Township Manager Ed Wagner said during the most recent township planning commission meeting, the developers were already asking for preliminary site plan approvals.

"It's totally unrealistic, I had to stand up to them and push them back," Wagner told the commissioners Monday night.

Chad Camburn, engineer from the township's firm Bursich Engineering, said among the seven variances sought is the first ever to the township's newly adopted federally required flood ordinance governing homes and a 30-foot retaining wall the developers, Castle Caldecott LLC, wants to build on soils identified as being susceptible to flooding.

Other variances included not building sidewalks, planting shade trees and extending Park Road to connect with Evergreen Road, raising concerns by the police chief and several commissioners that it could become a short-cut to the Philadelphia Premium Outlets in Limerick.

Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. also raised the concern that nothing in the township ordinances will required the developers to build the hotel and medical offices outlined in the plan.

"Right now the housing market is hot," he said, noting that it could be as long as 10 years before the developers decide the market conditions are right to add a hotel and medical offices as outlined in the plan.

He suggested the commissioners begin to take a long look at the project in its entirety, noting the developers were bringing in aspects of the project "piecemeal" and if they don't speak up about the impacts of the entire project now, it may be too late later.

The commissioners agreed with the advice of their professionals and suggested that the developers make a presentation at a future meeting outlining the fullness of their plans and bring along representations of what their buildings will look like.

Look for more coverage in subsequent issues of The Mercury. In the meantime, here are the Tweets from the meeting.

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Two New Sports, PSSA Results in Pottsgrove

October 4, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Photo by Evan Brandt Perhaps it was appropriate that Ringing Rocks second graders demonstrated their expertise with Xtra Math during Tuesday's Pottsgrove School Board meeting given that the board spent most of the meeting discussing the districts math PSSA scores.

In a rather splendid example of educational synchronicity, second graders from Ringing Rocks kicked off Tuesday's school board meeting by showing how they are using a program called Xtra Math to create a strong foundation for mathematics.

Then, after the students headed home to their beds, the school board spend the better part of two hours reviewing the district's PSSA, Keystone and AP test statistics.

Some may recall that the PSSA was reset last year, so this is the first year since then that a comparison of the most recent scores with the previous years is relevant.

What the latest results showed, in general terms, is that English scores are "stagnant" and math scores need some work, said Daniel Vorhis, the district's director of curriculum and instruction.

The board also agreed to hire an instructional coach that was included in the budget, and to add two new sports to Pottsgrove's line up.

With a unanimous vote, the board added bowling and girls volleyball to the athletic line-up.

Here are the Tweets from the meeting ....

Rescuers Honored During Fire Prevention Month

October 5, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Photos by Evan Brandt From left, Norco Fire Chief Joel McMillan, Capt. Matthew Burfete, Battalion Commander Mark Gibson, driver Russell Layre and Battalion Chief Chad Quinter, were recognized Wednesday night for the rescue of a PennDOT bridge inspector who was trapped in mud under the South Hanover Street bridge over the Schuylkill River in June.

October is, among other things, fire prevention month, so it was appropriate for Pottstown to honor some of their own for firefighting and rescue efforts in the past year.

Ironically, the first award went to someone who is not a firefighter.

As recounted by Pottstown Fire Chief Richard Lengel, in the late evening of May 20, a fire was discovered in the attic and roof of a group home for physically handicapped residents in the 1000 block of Logan Street.

Billy Wayne Hill was the supervising caretaker and was recognized for his successful evacuation of all residents and staff before firefighters event arrived.

"As a result, we did not have to expend any resources on search and rescue and we were able to attack the fire immediately," said Lengel.

Next to be recognized were four Pottstown firefighters, a North Coventry fire chief and a paramedic for the June 9 rescue of a PennDOT bridge inspector who became trapped in the mud along the Schuylkill River at the South Hanover Street bridge.

Lengel explained that the situation was more dire than it might seem, both because like quicksand, the more you struggle, the most you can sucked in to the mud. Rescuers also stand a risk of being caught.

And there is even a risk of hypothermia "even in the middle of summer time," Lengel said.

Paramedic Richard Sweeney was in the hospital and could not attend the ceremony, Lengel said. His award is pictured above.

Lengel then offered up some intimidating statistics about the danger of fires, including a disturbing rise in the number of arsons.

Here is some video of his comments, along with video of Mayor Sharon Thomas reading proclamations thanking all four fire companies -- Empire, Goodwill, North End and Phillies -- for their efforts all year long.


Thomas added to Lengel's warnings that there is a danger of fire when charging cell phones in bed and that, like smoking in bed, should be avoided.

"We applaud your diligence, professionalism and courage in assuming your posts and responding to local and regional fire emergencies," Thomas read from the proclamation.

From left, Pottstown Chief Richard Lengel, Empire Chief Brian Sierocinski, North End Chief Dave Ondik, Goodwill Chief Kevin Yerger and Phillies Chief Joe Groff.

The mayor also talked about the importance of being aware of domestic violence, and ways to prevent and deal with it, October also being Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

This was followed by a presentation on re-financing the more than $3 million remaining on the bank loan taken out to pay for the new public works facility, and converting it to a bond to save between $175,000 and $200,000.

That money would welcome in helping to close the looming $300,000 gap between projected revenues and expenses in the draft 2017 budget. But you can read all about that on the front page of The Mercury today.

Finally, Assistant Borough Manager Justin Keller updated council on the fact that nine firms have applied for the job of writing a new master plan for Pollock Park on Pottstown's south side.

And if that dandy little summary wasn't enough for you, here are the Tweets and live video. It will be like you were really there ....

Pottsgrove Manor Hosts Historic Lecture Saturday

October 6, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Blogger's Note:The following was provided by Pottsgrove Manor

Visit historic Pottsgrove Manor on Saturday, October 8, 2016 at 1 p.m. for a talk entitled “Grist for the Mill.”

While most people know John Potts as a prominent colonial ironmaster, few realize that he also owned a number of grist mills in the area. In this program, historian Dan Graham will speak about the mills that were owned by the Potts family and their importance to the region. 

After the lecture, visitors can take a guided tour of Pottsgrove Manor and the site’s current exhibit, “Potts and Family: Colonial Consumers,” as well as shop in the museum store.

There is a suggested donation of $2 per person for the lecture.

Regular museum hours are 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, in Pottstown. 

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, please call 610-326-4014, or visit the website at www.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor.

Music and a Show Benefits Pottstown Senior Center

October 8, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Digging Into 300 Years of History at Mouns Jones

October 9, 2016, 9:00 pm

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The buildings on the Mouns Jones plantation are the oldest in Berks County.

Blogger's Note:The following was provided by the Pennsylvania Society for Archaeology,

The John Shrader Chapter 21 of the Pennsylvania Society for Archaeology invites the public to a celebration on Saturday, Oct. 15 of International Archaeology Day at the Mouns Jones House on Old Philadelphia Pike.

It coincides with the 300th Anniversary Celebration of the Mouns Jones House.

The program will feature live excavations at the Mouns Jones House along with talks and walks. The talks will illustrate the influences of the colonizing Swedes and Leni Lenape indigenous peoples.

The free program will begin at 10 a.m.

The John Shrader Chapter 21 of the PSA is working in partnership with the Historic Preservation Trust of Berks County in the investigation of the Mouns Jones property, the oldest standing building in Berks County.

This year marks the fifth year of the totally volunteer project. Montgomery County Community College archaeology program is also assisting with the work.

The Science of Skateboarding at Lower Pottsgrove

October 10, 2016, 9:00 pm

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When I interviewed acting Pottsgrove Superintendent William Shirk this summer, we talked a bit about the positive things going on in the district.

He said he wished there was more average of that.

I said with a reduced staff, there is only so much we can do at The Mercury, but that I would meet him halfway if he could provide some information and photos.

Monday, the first batch came through, and although we'll need to work a bit on test and particularly photography, he kept his promise so I'm keeping mine.

The photo (best one) and text are from an event at Lower Pottsgrove Elementary School that used skateboarding to teach certain concepts of physics.

On October 4, 2016, the students of Lower Pottsgrove Elementary School experienced the science behind skateboarding. 

 The event was sponsored by Lower Pottsgrove's PTA. 

 The presenters from the Bureau of Lectures and Concert Artists, Inc engaged the children in science via skateboarding. 

This performance featured staff and student participation in their tricks as they taught scientific concepts including the distribution of force, center of gravity, momentum/inertia, and center of mass.   

Council Faces Storm Water Fee Decision

October 11, 2016, 9:00 pm

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If you read my blog post of Sept. 21, or my Mercury story of the same day, you won't find much new here in terms of the main topic of discussion last night.

What was new, I suppose, was borough council's reaction to it.

Whether or not a storm water fee is imposed in Pottstown will, first, depend on borough council because the only entity Pennsylvania law will allow to impose such a fee is an existing authority, like the Pottstown Borough Authority.

If council does not want the authority board to handle the matter, which is has up to this point, it will have to create a new "storm water authority," if it wants to impose a fee.

Imposing a fee is the only way to ensure that non-profit entities like The Hill School or Pottstown's many churches also pay into the costs of managing storm run-off.

The problem is, everyone else pays too and, as Councilman Dennis Arms no doubt correctly noted, "nobody wants to pay any more."

So the decision about moving forward rests with council; and then implementing that decision will likely rest either with the Borough Authority or a new authority created for just this issue and that, in my humble opinion, would make things even more complicated than they already are.

If you're confused, perhaps the Tweets will clear things up.

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Beer Sales Fuel $4,700 Donation to Heritage Area

October 12, 2016, 9:00 pm

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From left, Sschuylkill River Heritage Area Board Member Wendy Wheeler, SRHA Executive Director Silas Chamberlin, Sly Fox Brewmaster Brian O’Reilly, SRHA Grants Program Coordinator Tim Fenchel.

Blogger's Note:The following was provided by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area.

Sly Fox Brewing Company presented a check for $4,711 to the Schuylkill River Heritage Area recently to benefit the Schuylkill River Trail.

The money was raised through the sale of SRT Ale, a seasonal beer introduced by Sly Fox last year to benefit and celebrate the Schuylkill River Trail.

Sly Fox Brewmaster Brian O’Reilly presented the check to Schuylkill River Heritage Area Executive Director Silas Chamberlin at Sly Fox’s popular Can Jam Music Festival in Pottstown on September 24.

In conjunction with the check presentation, the Schuylkill River Heritage Area also held its inaugural Ride for the River event, a bike ride that benefited the Schuylkill River Trail. The ride, which took place primarily along the trail, attracted over 300 cyclists and began and ended at the Can Jam Music Festival.

This marks the second year that Sly Fox has both brewed SRT Ale and donated a portion of the proceeds from the beer to the Heritage Area. Last year, $4,018 was donated. Therefore, over the past two years, the sale of SRT Ale has garnered over $8,000 for improving, maintaining and expanding the trail.

“On behalf of the Schuylkill River Heritage Area and all of the partners working to build the Schuylkill River Trail, I want to thank Sly Fox for their partnership,” said Chamberlin. “We count on great community partners like Sly Fox to help us expand and maintain the Schuylkill River Trail.”

Money donated by Sly Fox has been targeted for the Heritage Area’s Safe Crossing program, which improves safety at various places where the trail crosses roadways.

SRT Ale was re-released for 2016 on Earth Day and was available from April through September. Sly Fox brewers said the beer was brewed specifically for craft beer fans who love the outdoors, and thousands of cases were sold throughout the 2016 season.

SRT Ale has annually debuted at the SRT Spreekend, a weekend-long celebration of the trail that included a 50K relay race, a group kayak paddle on the river and a series of trail cleanups.

SRT Ale was developed as a tribute to the Schuylkill River Trail, one of this region’s most beloved recreational resources. A section of the trail meanders near the brewery in Pottstown, PA, as well as near Sly Fox's original Brewhouse & Eatery in Phoenixville.

The Schuylkill River Trail will one day span the entire length of the Schuylkill River from Philadelphia to Pottsville totaling an estimated 130 miles, and running through five counties (Philadelphia, Montgomery, Chester, Berks and Schuylkill). Currently, there are over 60 miles complete.

The trail is owned and maintained by a number of different organizations. The Schuylkill River Heritage Area operates and maintains about 30 miles of the trail, and works to promote and improve the entire trail.

Sly Fox Brewing Co. describes SRT Ale as “a golden, delicious, hop-forward American Pale Ale, and at 4.7% alcohol by volume, it's designed to be the perfect post-activity beer.”

Two Interviewed for Pottstown School Board Vacancy

October 13, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Marissa Bush

Bonita Barnhill

Thursday night two Pottstown School Board hopefuls made their case to be appointed to the board to replace Andrew Kefer, who resigned last month because he and his family moved out of state.

The two women who applied to fill the slot are Marissa Bush, a new resident in town, and Bonita Barnhill, a longtime resident who is a former school board member.

As solicitor Stephen Kalis explained, whomever the board selects will serve until the board re-organizes in December of 2017.

After that, the seat will be considered open and the two years remaining on Kefer's term will be filled by whomever wins the spring 2017 primary and fall 2017 election.

Kalis, who conducted the interviews for the board, said the board could vote on the spot or, as he recommended, wait until the voting meeting of Monday, Oct. 24, which is what happened, although there was some fairly extensive discussion of each candidate by the board members who were there.

To be selected, a candidate must earn five votes of the board.

Complicating matters is the fact that two board members -- Amy Francis and Ron Williams -- were not present for the interviews.

(Luckily for them, a certain civic-minded Mercury reporter recorded both interviews on video and they can be viewed by one and all. They appear in the Twitter stream pasted below).

Further complicating matters is the fact that board member Emanuel Wilkerson will not be present when the voting does occur on Oct. 24.

As a result -- assuming the rest of the board members are there  -- there will be only seven board members present from which the five necessary votes must be culled.

At board member Thomas Hylton's suggestion, the board intends to proceed on Oct. 24 as it did for selecting a school board president. A motion will be made to appoint a new board member and the votes will consist of each board member naming their choice.

Should five votes be reached this way, the decision will have been made, all will be right with the world, and there will be much rejoicing.

But in the case of a 4-3 vote, neither candidate will have earned five votes, and the old method of nominating a single person and trying to attract five "ayes" will be put into play.

As for what the candidates said, well, for that you will have to watch the videos below!

Keep Calm and Keep Marching

October 15, 2016, 9:29 pm

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Photos by Evan Brandt A hunter's moon was waiting in the wings behind this glorious autumn sunset over the Ephrata High School football field for the Marching Band Showcase Saturday.

For some people, days in the mid-70s and nights in the 50s represents football weather.

But for marching band parents and fans, those same conditions represent marching band weather.

York Suburban High School's marching band lucked out in pulling the performance slot when the autumn sky was most glorious.

And band showcases, like the one Saturday night in Lancaster County at Ephrata High School, when there is no football game, are the best when the sky is clear, the air is crisp and the performances are not about score and athletics, but about musicianship, discipline and comradeship.

Like at the showcase at Lancaster Catholic several weeks ago, there are no judges, no scores, no sour feelings on the bus on the way home; just each band doing their level best for the audience and to show their pride to the other school bands.

That is what performing arts is all about and there was plenty of artistry Saturday night.

As Pottstown, which was first on the docket, completed its performance, the sun was just dipping beneath the trees at Ephrata High School.

Also, I cannot help but mention once again that during both showcases in Lancaster County, the intermission provided the best show of all -- students from all high school marching bands assembling without specific invitation or direction on the field and, in a circle, introducing themselves and then simply playing a game together.

The Pottstown Marching Band family knows how to save seats in the stands for after the performance.

A game of Duck, Duck Goose was cut short when a Pottstown student collided with another runner and had to be escorted off the field.

But perhaps the best example of the esprit de corps that develops at these shows was that there were no hard feelings, and the group simply moved on to a new game, freeze tag, before the more modern phenomenon of "dabbing" asserted its influence.

The students at Ephrata where particularly gracious, thanking us for attending, complimenting the band's performance and even holding a welcoming line for the audience where we were cheered like lineman about to come out for the big game.

The Ephrata High School Marching Band welcome wagon.

And hat's off to the event organizers for establishing a Twitter hashtag for the event (#LancBandCo), which allowed the sharing of posts, pictures and videos to be much more widespread!

This was my son's final marching band showcase, so I do not know how many more times I will report on the Pottstown High School Marching Band's activities. I hope to keep in touch and perhaps do so from time to time.

I hope you have enjoyed these posts and videos over the past four years.

Now, on to Jazz Band season!

Here are the Tweets from the evening.

1st Baptist Sets Fundraisers to Pay for Steeple Work

October 16, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Photos by Evan Brandt AFTER: First Baptist Church, at the corner of King and North Charlotte Street, no longer sports a bell tower on its northwest corner.

Work to remove the crumbing bell tower at King and North Charlotte streets in Pottstown appears to be largely completed.

BEFORE: Work begins to disassemble the bell tower at First Baptist Church.

But although the potential for physical damage has been largely removed, the financial damage remains.

To secure the new roof and pay the contractors, the church must more than $250,000.

The problems began in April when a stone fell off the tower and crashed through the front steps. Although no one was hurt, it began a chain of events which has led to an inconvenience for drivers on King and North Charlotte streets, and a financial burden for the church.

Towards that end, the church has scheduled two fundraiser in the next two months to cover costs.

The first will be this coming Sunday, Oct. 23 at p.m. when a concert and spaghetti dinner and silent auction will be held at the church

Cost for tickets is $15.

The second fundraiser will be held on Sunday, Nov. 27 at Pottstown High School. It will be a concert basket raffle and another silent auction.

Performers will be the Boyertown Alumni Band, the Boyertown Area Choral Association, several Pottstown School District musical groups, the Coventry Singers, Maggie Riker, Dave Heffner, Myra Forrest and Teri Hoffman.

Tickets are available at the First Baptist office by calling Doris at 610-326-2273.

The church has also established a "gofundme" page accessible at www.gofundme.com/fbcpottstown

Residents 'Cross' About Cross Roads Housing Project

October 17, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Photos by Evan Brandt The remnants of the crowd at the Upper Pottsgrove Commissioners meeting Monday night as discussion of the Cross Roads development began to wind down.

Residents worried about a proposal to build apartments for those earning "workforce" wages off Route 100 crowded the Upper Pottsgrove meeting room Monday night to ask questions and propose reasons why the project should not move forward.

The site, located on the east side of Route 100 near the intersection with Moyer Road, has a long complicated history that goes back to 2002.

The short version is the developer at the time, Richard Mingey, had proposals for developments on two properties on either side of Route 100 which at different times, numbered as many as 500, or 300.

The township commissioners at the time resisted the proposal and Mingey sued the township arguing its zoning was flawed because it did not allow for affordable housing. The township and Mingey settled and as part of a "curative amendment" that has the force of a court order, the project was reduced to one side of the highway and 51 townhouses.

Commissioner Herb Miller said he visited another site operated by Delaware Valley Development Co and was impressed. This was one of two photos passed around as an example of their work.

Mingey may have won the battle, but he lost the war when the housing market collapsed and the curbs and wires visible in a field on the right from northbound Route 100 is the evidence that remains of that failure.

Now a new company, Delaware Valley Development Co., has taken over the project. It applied for and obtained tax credits from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. This provides a tax incentive for housing that meets the needs of those who make between $30,000 and $60,000 a year, roughly.

Although reported, this was all flying under the public radar for the most part until the developer asked the township to change the project from townhouses to "flats," or apartments." The commissioners agreed because it would improve the aesthetic layout of a project they had to allow anyway.

Because the Pottsgrove School Board was also a party to the settlement, the township asked the school board if they would approve the change.

School board member Al Leach posed the question to the members of the Facebook page operated for the benefit of residents of the Turnberry Farm development and, well, the rest is history, or at least news of the moment.

About 30 people attended the meeting and none spoke in favor of the project. Many asked questions and some said the township should reject the development, while commissioners and Township Solicitor Charles Garner Jr. explained why they could not (or would not, depending on your interpretation.)

This is another photo presented Monday night as a site built and run by Delaware Valley Development Co.

The residents of Turnberry Farms -- which is home to roughly 450 souls, presumably some of them children, and was built between 1995 and 2002 by Rotelle Builders -- said the proposed 51-unit project would over-burden the schools, causing school taxes to go up.

They said their homes are already worth less than they paid for them, and that allowing rental units at the location three miles away would lower their property values even further, and bring crime and other social problems to the township.

As of now, no formal plan has been submitted and the matter will like be discussed at the next Pottsgrove School Board meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at Pottsgrove High School.

A note about the Tweets below: In an effort to get as many interested people as possible involved, I shot live Periscope video of about 40 minutes of the meeting, which reached nearly 90 views. However, while Periscope is nice because its live, its also persnickety. and is only on line for 24 hours.

And despite my settings commending it to save the video to my iPhone so I can upload it to YouTube and preserve it for later viewing, it did not. So watch while you can, I'm afraid there will be no permanent video record.

Focus on Education at PottsTown Talks Forum

October 18, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Fuzzy inadequate photos by Evan Brandt From left, Federation of Pottstown Teacxhers Vice President Robert Decker, president Beth Yoder and Vice President Mike DiDonato discuss the challenges faced by the Pottstown School District and why they have the best students on the planet, at least according to Decker.

The next in Pottstown School Board member Emanuel Wilkerson's ambitious PottsTown Talk series was held Tuesday night with moderate turn-out and maximum enthusiasm.

The subject this month was education and a series of speakers talked about the advantages of each of their educational institutions and efforts.

Representatives from the Federation of Pottstown Teachers, the Pottstown School District administration, Pottstown Early Action for Kindergarten Readiness and Montgomery County Community College were present.

Montgomery County Community College teachers presented at Tuesday night's PottsTown Talk.

There was a decided public education flavor to the presentations given that The Hill School and The Wyndcroft School, both of which are also in the borough, were not represented.

Much of the college presentation was focused on its arts programs, music, dance and theater; how successful careers are built in those fields; and how the community college prepares students for success in four-year colleges.

Valerie Jackson, PEAK's new community engagement coordinator, talked about the many initiatives the nationally recognized early education partnership have undertaken.

Newest are the effort to deal with the impact trauma has on children and families, and their ability to learn, as well as a brand new program that aims at helping healthy brains grow in children before they are even born.

Stephen Rodriguez, acting superintendent of the Pottstown School District.

The teacher federation focused on its outreach efforts to better connect with the Pottstown community. High school math teacher Robert Decker emphasized that many of the district's teachers are there because they want to be.

"I would not want to teach anywhere else," said Decker. "Our students are the most polite, most respectful I have seen, compared to some others I have seen from wealthier districts."

Fifth grade teacher Michael DiDonato emphasized the important the federation places on fair funding for education, and its attempts to advocate for change in Harrisburg to enact it faster.

Last up was Stephen Rodriguez, the acting superintendent of Pottstown Schools.

He talked about the many ways in which Pottstown is an excellent school district, how often that excellence is recognized; the thriftiness it exercises with taxpayer dollars and the many opportunities the district offers.

Wilkerson said the purpose of Tuesday night's meeting was to highlight the partnerships in the community and to demonstrate a foundation on which future education forums would be built.

There were no questions taken from the audience.

Here are the Tweets and video from the meeting

Still Time to Register for the Halloween Parade

October 19, 2016, 9:00 pm

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It's that time.

Pottstown's famous the Halloween Parade will be held next Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. on High Street.

If weather is inclement, the parade will be held Thursday , Oct. 27 at the same time. The decision will be made by 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

Additionally, the evening will kick-off with the annual costume contest, to be held at Goodwill Fire Company at 6 p.m. the day of the parade.

This year, here is a fee to register groups to be in the parade and organizers are still taking registrations.

The fee is for businesses and organizations. Families, youth, and individuals still participate free.

The fees are $20 for non-profits (excluding fire companies and marching bands); $40 for business and commercial entities and $40 for political organizations.

The hope is that the addition of this funding feature will ensure the parade can continue in perpetuity as a partially self-funding event.

To register contact the Parks and Recreation office at 610-970-6018.

All proceeds go to the Rotary Club to pay parade costs.

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Firm Says Expand 422/Sanatoga Interchange Project

October 20, 2016, 9:00 pm

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A Google map of the Sanatoga Green interchange.

Having successfully obtained a $2.1 million grant to help cover the costs of doing half the work necessary to improve Route 422's Sanatoga interchange, a consulting firm said Thursday night it makes sense to expand the project to do all the work at the same time.

Delta Development Group made the case to the Lower Pottsgrove Township Commissioners, arguing they believe they can convince PennDOT that with Lower Pottsgrove and Limerick townships having collectively contributed nearly $1 million to the cost of the project, that the entire project should be done all at once.

"The iron is right to strike, now is the time," said Delta's Anthony Seitz.

"You guys have stepped up in a big way to do improvements on state roads," Seitz said of the $900,988 being contributed by the two townships.

The total cost of the westbound ramp project is estimated at about $3 million, and the money provided by Limerick and Lower Pottsgrove is the 30 percent match required by the grant.

But it makes sense from a variety of viewpoints, including economies of scale, purchasing and timing, for PennDOT to realize that its best to also improve the eastbound element of the interchange at the same time, said Seitz.

A car makes its way down the westbound ramp onto Route 422.

"The funding for the eastbound ramps is really, at this point I think, a negotiated discussion with PennDOT," he said. "We're talking with them at the highest levels. We have a meeting set up already."

In order to facilitate the continuance of those discussions, the commissioners voted unanimously to join Limerick in a 90-day contract with Delta to continue to advocate on behalf of expanding the project.

Township Manager Ed Wagner said the total cost of the Delta contract is $5,520 per month, but Lower Pottsgrove's full share is $5,000  the rest being paid by Limerick.

At the heart of the issue is the Philadelphia Premium Outlets off Evergeeen and Lightcap roads along Lower Pottsgrove's border. Westbound traffic leaving the outlets must make a left turn across oncoming traffic to get onto Route 422.

That left-turning traffic stacks up on the bridge over the highway and can block eastbound traffic from exiting Route 422 and making the left onto Evergreen Road.

The westbound work is made more necessary by the proposal to build a development on 51 acres on the the north side of Evergreen Road, in Lower Pottsgrove, that includes 508 housing units, a 100-room hotel and office space.

In fact, PennDOT will not allow the project access to Evergreen Road until the westbound portion of the interchange is improved due to the increased traffic Sanatoga Green, as the project is named, would produce.

Ted Drauschak, managing partner of the firm proposing Sanatoga Green --  Castle Caldecott LLC --

The proposed Sanatoga Greeen development superimposed on an aerial photograph of the 51-acre site.

was at Thursday's meeting and said the improvement of "the westbound ramp is very important to our project and to the community."

He said the township's Act 209 ordinance requires the payment of $1,200 per "P.M. trip" generated by his project, which means Castle Caldecott will be coughing up "roughly $700,000 to go into that fund."

(By the way, that works out to the addition of 583 "P.M. trips" per day, if those figures are accurate.).

Further, Drauschak noted that one of the firm's partners owns the three acres of property on the southwest corner of the intersection where a right-of-way is needed for a new eastbound ramp.

"It's our intention to meet with the joint township committee this week and resolve that issue and hopefully find a way to accommodate the design and provide the land that's necessary for the ramp to be constructed through a mutual arrangement with the joint committee," Drauschak said.

"It's in our best interest to have both ramps constructed and we believe its in the township's best interests and the community's best interests to have both ramps constructed," said Drauschak. "So we intend to make the full contribution to that process."

He said the contribution goes into the Act 209 fund and the use of that money is at the township's discretion. "Hopefully the taxpayers will not be paying for that construction," Draushak said.

This was not the only subject discussed at last night's meeting.

To find out what else happened, check out the Tweets and video below.

1st Annual Meet and Eat With Police This Afternoon

October 21, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Learning Fire Safety in West Pottsgrove

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Today's event will be much like the National Night Out held at the Chestnut Street Park each year.

The NAACP Pottstown Chapter, Pottstown Police Department and the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office will host the first annual Picnic With Police today from 12 to 2 p.m.

The event will be held at the park at the intersection of Chestnut and Washington streets and will be similar to a National Night Out event.

There will be free grilled hot dogs, snacks and drinks, as well as games, music and giveaways.

The even seeks to bring police together with the communities they serve and will allow the community to meet their local beat officers, including several new officers who have recently joined the force.

"This is a family-oriented event to bring everyone together for casual conversations or to discuss community issues while having fun," Pottstown Police Chief F. Richard Drumheller said i0n a preprared release.

"We are blessed in Pottstown to have such strong and vibrant organizations and coming together to relate on an informal basis with our police officers is important on so many fronts," said Jonathan Corson, interim president of the Pottstown NAACP chapter. "It's always better to have strong lines of communication in place before there ever might be a problem to face together.

"Pottstown residents of all ages are encouraged to come out, enjoy some good food, spend time with their neighbors and meet the beat officers," said assistant district attorney Brianna Ringwood. "We're looking forward to seeing everyone."

Learning Fire Safety in West Pottsgrove

October 23, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: A New Board Member and Hidden Raises

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Photos courtesy of West Pottsgrove Elementary School West Pottsgrove Elementary School students enjoy a day of fire safety instruction with members of the West End Fire Company.

Blogger's Note:The following was provided by the Pottsgrove School District.

Members of the West End Fire Company, came to West Pottsgrove Elementary School on Oct. 13 to present their annual Fire Safety Assembly. 

This is a yearly highlight and one the students and staff always enjoy. 

West Pottsgrove Elementary Students become accustomed to the site of a firefighter in full gear to  learn not to fear them during a fire.

Members of the department share fire safety tips, review the reasons to call 911, review the stop/drop/and roll technique and demonstrate some of their equipment. 

Another key part of the assembly is that the firefighters don their full gear so the children would know what to expect in case of an emergency. By doing this in a non-threatening environment, it eases the fears the children may have if they were to see a firefighter with the mask and full gear on in the event of a fire or other emergency. 

Students love visiting the fire trucks in person.

The highlight for the children is the opportunity to get an up close and personal look at the trucks and equipment. 

This year, the company brought three of their large trucks and the fire police truck. 

Students were able to look inside the trucks and learn more about the equipment the fire fighters use on the job.

The staff and students wish to thank the members of West End for spending time with us, sharing an important message and for providing each student with a take home packet of fire safety information.

A New Board Member and Hidden Raises

October 24, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Pottsgrove Punts on Crossroads Apartment Decision, Debates What to Do With a $2.3 Million Surplus

≪ Previous: Learning Fire Safety in West Pottsgrove

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Photos by Evan Brandt Susan Lawrence.

The Pottstown School Board chose life-time Pottstown resident and former high school valedictorian Susan Lawrence as the newest member of the school board last night.

She was chosen over former board member Bonita Barnhill, who earned only vote from from the board.

Lawrence will replace Andrew Kefer, whose resignation from the board became official on Sept. 30.

Lawrence will be sworn in at the next school board meeting.

As Kefer was the board's vice president when he resigned, the board also had to act to elect a new vice president. The unanimous choice was Amy Francis, who was nominated by board member Ron Williams. There were no other nominations.

Mr. Woodley accepts his award from Stephen Rodriquez.

The board also moved ahead, by a split 4-3 vote, to proceed with a design phase and request for bid to improve the over-used fields along North Franklin Street.

And there were more than a few awards handed out.

David Woodley, was given a superintendent's award for his formation of the Management Information Systems team, as well as his work with the Trojan Man mascot and its use in boosting school spirit.

And then, Rupert Elementary School Principal Matt Moyer got up and announced that Preservation Pennsylvania had awarded the "Sustainability and Historic Preservation Award" to the school district for its preservation of the key architectural elements of the district's oldest school, built in 1928.

One of the main reasons for the award was that Rupert has been made energy efficient in its most recent renovation. Rupert also graced the cover of the program for the evening, said Moyer.

Acting Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez and Rupert Principal Matt Moyer with the preservation award.

Let's see..... was there anything else ...?

Oh yeah, buried in the agenda, which was not available for the public Monday night for inexplicable reasons, was a small item about "approval of salaries."

Not "raises," but "salaries." Really?

If you check out the agenda on the school district web site, and you are willing to dig, you will find the item with three PDF's attached.

It shows new salaries for the support staff, non-union workers and "Act 93" workers, who are the administrators.

But even then, it tells you little.

Because rather than put last year's salary and the new salary, and the increase out there like grown-ups, the administration continues its practice of presenting only the new salary, giving you no fram of reference.

So we'll have to dig and dig and dig. Their reward for playing being less than transparent will be a story on the front page of The Mercury -- a story which might otherwise have been very routine.

This district talks about "transparency" and trying to get people involved, but this school district still makes secrecy its default position, while they spend more than $60 million of your money.

A hat's off to School Board Director Kurt Heidel for at least informing the public that the raise, for one year, represents a 4 percent hike. At least he had enough respect for the public to tell them how much more of their money the district will be spending.

Board members Thomas Hylton and Ron Williams cast the only votes against the raises.

Otherwise, enjoy the Tweets.

Pottsgrove Punts on Crossroads Apartment Decision, Debates What to Do With a $2.3 Million Surplus

October 25, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Photos by Evan Brandt At top, an artist's rendering of the site plan lay-out proposed for the 51-unit Cross Roads development as apartments, instead of townhouses. Below, a look at the proposed design for the buildings.

Members of the Pottsgrove School Board got a thorough review of the newly controversial Crossroads apartment proposal in Upper Pottsgrove Tuesday night, but declined to make a decision.

Instead, after hearing from the developer and two Upper Pottsgrove Township Commissioners, the school board decided they should wait for the township to take action, since planning and development issues are primarily in their purview.

The school board is only involved because it is part to a 10-year-old legal settlement over the development which is now being implemented. The only question before both boards is whether to let Delaware Valley Development Co. build apartments instead of townhouses.

Rendition of a project now under construction in Reading, which school board member Al Leach called "beautiful.

Last week, residents of Turnberry Farms, motivated largely by school board member and neighbor Al Leach's request for opinions on the development's Facebook page, turned up at the township commissioners meeting to voice objections.

There were few in the audience of Tuesday night's school board meeting.

After hearing from the developer's representative, the board voted to table the vote on whether to support the request to build apartments until its Nov. 15 meeting.

In other significant news, the board also undertook a discussion about what to do with a $2.3 million budget surplus resulting from the 2015-2016 budget.

Business Manager David Nester explained the surplus had several causes, including lower than expected fuel, pension and health costs, as well as $400,000 more from the state than expected and an accounting decision about which budget year to place $750,000 in money from the state to reimburse for construction.

The decisions are not yet final, although the board did vote to "re-commit" $375,000 in the PSERS retirement fund that was not used as expected last year, to be used for the same purpose this year.

The board has to spend or assign at least $1 million of the money or the surplus will exceed 8 percent and, by law, the district would lose the option of raising taxes in the upcoming budget for the 2017-2018 school year.

A motion by School Board President Rick Rabinowitz to put $1.5 million of the money into the district's capital reserve fund was tabled by the board.

There was also discussion about "returning" the money to the taxpayers, although the idea of sending small refund checks was soon discarded in favor of simply putting it toward keeping taxes down in the coming budget -- IF that's the option the board chooses to pursue.

Other members said considering the district's "unacceptable" standardized test scores that perhaps the money should be spent on programs to improve the educational program.

More in more detail in upcoming editions of The Mercury.

In the meantime, here are the many, many, many Tweets from the meeting: