Heath to Seek Second Term

Bonnie Heath

Pottstown Mayor Bonnie Heath said Monday night that she will run for a second four-year term.

Her comments came at the end of her regular "Mayor's Report" portion of the regular borough council meeting.

As she termed is, she "will make myself available for a second term as mayor."

She had been speaking about a press conference Monday afternoon in which she had participated and which was sponsored by the group Mayor's Against Illegal Guns.

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg

Founded by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the group was in Media, Delaware County to mark the second anniversary of the school shootings in Newtown, CT and to hail the passage of Pennsylvania's Brad Fox Law, which closes the loophole on straw gun purchases.

Fox, a resident of New Hanover Township and a police officer in Plymouth Township, was shot and killed Sept. 13, 2012, near the Schuylkill River Trail with a gun purchased by a Philadelphia man, Michael J. Henry, and resold to Andrew Thomas of Lower Merion. Fox had pursued Thomas from a hit-and-run traffic accident and was shot by Thomas with the gun. Thomas was on probation from a 2005 forgery arrest in Upper Merion and was not permitted to possess firearms. Thomas killed himself after shooting Fox.

Tom Corbett signing the Brad Fox law

Gov. Tom Corbett signed the law Friday in Plymouth.

Heath said she supports the agenda of Bloomberg's group because she sees it as a way to "keep our police officers more safe."

She said is also opposed to "assault weapons or military-style weapons or magazines with dozens of rounds."

Heath also pointed to the regional efforts of the "First Suburbs" group, which recently received a $500,000 grant from the federal Housing and Urban Development office to study ways to keep low-income housing from being concentrated in older communities like Pottstown.

These and other ongoing efforts are the types of things Heath pointed to as her reasoning for seeking a second term.

"I do a lot of networking with people who want to open businesses to try to get them to look at Pottstown," Heath said after Monday's council meeting.

"I've sent dozens and dozens or referrals to Steve Bamford" she said in reference to the executive director of Pottstown Area Industrial Development, or PAID, which takes the lead in economic development in Pottstown.

"I travel in a pretty wide arc in my other job and I am always looking for ways to promote Pottstown," she said.

"I asked the advice of a lot of people (about seeking a second term) and the people of Pottstown have been very gracious to the mayor's office, whomever is occupying it," she said.

"I just wish I could be everywhere and do everything."

She may not be the only candidate in the field.

A group of residents calling itself "We Are Pottstown" has been meeting and is trying to put together a reform slate of candidates.

They have yet to make any public announcements.