Citizens Academy, Convenience Stores, Goodbye Erica and Thoughts on the Nation's Turmoil

Photo by Evan Brandt

The 18 graduates of the first-ever Pottstown Citizens Academy were recognized during Monday night's borough council meeting. (Two were not present).

For reasons beyond my limited technical ability, the iPad provided to me by the Digital Notebook's crack technical team took a header Monday night.

That left me with two choices.

Try to keep up with everything using just my thumbs (iPad has a full-sized keyboard) or turn everything into a video.

As you can see, I went with the second choice.

That said, the more interesting things from last night's meeting include the first Citizen's Academy, nearly 20 people who devoted their own time to learning more about how the borough works.

There were be another one next fall.

As the story in today's Mercury indicates, council is also moving to more strictly regulate new convenience stores, and also finally agreed on all the terms for the LERTA tax break district.

Of particular interest were comments by Hamilton Street resident Jonathan Yoder, who outlined some of the problems he has faced for seven years living next to a couple who, judging by the photos, seem to have a hoarding problem.

The borough, it seems, has not yet been able to help him.

Also significant were the comments made by Councilman Joseph Kirkland and Mayor Sharon Thomas about the national turmoil caused by repeated conflicts between police and African-Americans.

Its all on the video.

And last but certainly not least, much beloved Assistant Borough Manager Erica Batdorf, attended her last meeting Monday before she heads off to become West Vincent Township's manager.

She gave a talk, which is also captured on video.

Here it all is: