Kutztown to Join OJR Cavalcade Saturday to Honor, Richard Wells, Former Director of Both Programs

From 1961 to 1968, Richard Wells, an Owen J. Roberts alumnus, was the band director for his alma mater.

Then he was named Associate Professor of the music department at Kutztown University and, in 1997, after 29 years of teaching, he retired and was named professor emeritus.

This Saturday, both of Wells' alma maters will join together into on giant band to close the 47th Annual Owen J. Roberts Cavalcade of Bands with a performance of "America the Beuatiful." 

And Wells will be there to lead them.

The cavalcade begins at 5:55 p.m. in Wildcat Stadium on the campus of Owen J. Roberts High School. 

Kutztown, like OJR, is a large ensemble with a great band tradition. The audience can look forward to a spectacular performance composed of winds, brass, percussion, and color guard members who bring with them a wide variety of talents and experiences, according to Todd Mengel, the current OJR band director.

"The idea is to make this a very special night for Mr. Wells and honor him for his service to both schools," Mengel wrote in an email. "We will also be presenting Mr. Wells with a plaque and doing a dedication to him that night." 

Wells is credited with establishing the jazz studies program at KU and he continues to direct the alumni jazz ensembles.

The large ensemble rehearsal space at Kutztown University was named for Wells in 2013 as part of a $20 million renovation and expansion of Schaeffer Auditorium. KU alumni, students, faculty and staff raised more than $500,000 to honor Wells with the naming rights.

At the cavalcade show, Owen J. Roberts and Kutztown University will honor Wells’ 36 years as a music educator. 

"He has influenced scores of students to aspire to excellence in music performance," wrote Mengel. "A resident of the Owen J. Roberts School District, Mr. Wells remains loyal to the ideals and benefits of music and education and may be seen at both high school and college events."

The 2017 Cavalcade of Music event will operate as a “showcase” event rather than a competition. Owen J. Roberts Marching Band has recently become a member of the Lancaster County Marching Band Coalition which gives high school bands adjudicated (judged) opportunities to receive professional feedback rather than rankings or numerical scores. 

Part of the energy of the event comes from the fact that all spectators, including students from other performing bands, are seated on the home sideline, so that everyone can listen, observe, and enjoy the performances as they were intended...from the front. This method of engagement allows performers the ability to relax and have fun while providing a peer learning opportunity for student spectators.

In lieu of an awards ceremony, the audience can be prepared for a super, grand finale of music and visual energy.

Founded in 1934, the Kutztown University Marching Unit is comprised of 150 students under the direction of Professor Dan Neuenschwander. 

The marching unit is open to any KU student, regardless of their field of study.

The event is open to the public and tickets are available at the gate. Ticket prices are $10/adult, $8/senior and $5/students (grades K- College). 

Concession stands will offer food and drinks for purchase. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the first band will perform at 6 p.m. A list of performing bands is available at ojrbandmpo.com.

Murals, Manager Search But Little Budget Talk

You might never know that council is wrestling with a potential 23 percent tax hike if you had attended last night's council meeting, or are lucky enough to see it on PCTV.

That's because it was hardly mentioned.

"I want to know what they are doing about the budget, not about murals," one resident told this reporter.

He had a point.

At this point, the budget is being handled in the finance committee, whose meetings are public, but whose schedule is difficult to find on the borough web site.

And all we learned about that Wednesday night is that Council President Dan Weand asked Vice President Sheryl Miller to resign from it. He said he had heard from constituents that because she is not running for reelection, she will not have to live with the consequences of the recommendations it makes to council.

Miller, not one to take such affronts lying down, refused and said her constituents had urged her to stay on and noted that if Weand loses the election in November, he should also immediately step down from the committee given he also will not have to live with the consequences as a council member, just as a taxpayer like Miller.

"Sounds right," said Weand, who later told a reporter that as council president, he has the right to appoint or remove committee members at will, and he was trying to be polite. He declined to say .

All of which makes for lovely gossip and an eye into the power politics and priorities of some of our council members, but does little to close a $2 million budget gap.

To be fair, there were some ideas floated. Miller is still pushing for a professional review of borough operations and salaries and said a new borough manager should not be chosen until that review -- on which no one else has agreed -- is finished.

She said the finance department needs to keep a better eye on trends, like health care costs and dropping property assessments, and plan accordingly, and then added that first responders should not be cut. It is perhaps relevant here to mention that the police department consumes more than half the borough's general fund.

Kind of hard to have a serious discussion about the budget when the first thing you do is take half of it off the table for discussion.

And Mayor Sharon Thomas suggested that rather than hire a new borough manager, that Assistant Borough Manager Justin Keller be promoted and do both his and Flanders' job for the same salary.

If Pottstown holds to its usual course, having predicted doom, a final budget which contains a tax hike, but a smaller one, will be presented to council in November as a fait accompli -- most likely AFTER the election -- with little time for discussion or innovation.

But with three of four council seats un-opposed, why would anything change?

And, because this is Pottstown, we talked more about murals.

Sigh.

But there was a good idea floated by a resident, Lisa Mueller. She was responding to the notion that a third party can be assigned the maintenance responsibility for a mural which has been the sticking point from the beginning for a particular property owner.

And she suggested that perhaps the borough could form a public arts council that would vet mural proposals as well as take responsibility for maintenance.

That actually sounds like a pretty great idea, so long as we can avoid the usual Pottstown tendency to let WHO gets chosen devolve into a pissing contest.

And with that, I present to you, The Tweets:

Althouse Arboretum to Hold Night Hike for Kids

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Althouse Arboretum.

GreenAllies and local students will hold a Family Night Hike Program at the Althouse Arboretum, located at 1794 Gilbertsville Road from 6 pm to 9 pm on Friday, Oct. 13 and Saturday, Oct. 14.

Parking will be available only at the Hillside Aquatic Center located at 134 W. Moyer Road in Pottstown. A shuttle will be available to take guest the short 2 minute drive to and from the Arboretum.

The Family Night Hike - Daring Dinos program is a fun alternative to scary Halloween activities and 

is specially designed for kids 10 and under. 

Take a guided night time walk through illuminated trails to storyteller. Enjoy roasting marshmallows around our campfires. Win prizes playing games and try out our dino-mite craft set up in the pavilion. 

Come dressed in your Halloween costume and don’t forget a flashlight. 

This program will cost $5 per child and their will be additional food available for purchase. If you have any questions, call 267-371- 2288 for more information.

Upper Pottsgrove Lines Up Against $2M Garage

Photos by Evan Brandt

Upper Pottsgrove residents line up to speak on the proposed new township highway garage and its $2 million cost. 

No doubt, there is strength in numbers.

And by the numbers, the dozen or so speakers from among the crowd of more than 75 Upper Pottsgrove Township residents who packed the middle school cafeteria Monday night outlined their opposition to a proposal to spend $2 million on a new solar-powered seven-bay highway garage that would take 25 years to pay off.

The crowd gathers for Monday night's meeting.

And, as the Tweets below show, it seemed to work.

Commissioner John Bealer, who is not running for reelection,  told the crowd that what they had said at last night's meeting had convinced him the township is not ready to move forward with the project.

Commissioner France Krazalkovich, whose term does not expire for two years and thus is not running for reelection next month, said he had been dubious about the project from the start and his concern about "scope creep" had come to pass.

Commissioner Martin Schreiber, who is running for reelection, wanted to vote on rejecting the bids that night, but it was decided the legal advertisement had not indicated that might happen, so it would be best not to.

Taylor and the rest of the board listen to a resident who says

Upper Pottsgrove does not need "a Taj Mahal" for its highway garage.

And Commissioner's President Elwood Taylor said that given that the people had spoken against the project, that he is looking for a number of them to meet as a committee and give the commissioner's a different option before the bids are rejected.

The township has already invested $80,000 in getting the project to this point and has already instituted a tax to pay for the project.

Here are the Tweets from the meeting:

Hopewell Hosting Program in Native American Trade

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Friends of Hopewell Furnace.

A program on "Early Pennsylvania Treaties and Trade with Native Americans will be presented by historic preservationist Larry Ward at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, in the Hopewell Furnace Conference Room.

The free program is sponsored by the Friends of Hopewell Furnace.

Ward will bring to life his research on Mouns Jones who was a licensed Indian Trader along with others who traded with 18th century Native Americans. 

Native to the Schuylkill Highlands are the Lenni Lenape or Delaware Indians. 

They were a loose confederation of Algonkian bands, which at the opening of the 17th century occupied a continuous territory from the Delaware Bay to the Blue Mountain Ridge, including today’s Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. 

A prominent feature of the park is the Lenape Trail, a 5.5 mile trail that runs through Hopewell Furnace and neighboring French Creek State Park. See Area Features Map.

A published author along with Stephen Kindig of the Atlas of Drawings of Structures Preserved by the Historic Preservation Trust of Berks County [2008], Ward has served as director and vice president of the trust. 

He continues to serve actively on the Board of Directors. He is a known bookseller, heading up Museum Books, LLC. He practiced law in Berks County from 1968-1997 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Providence College and a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University.

Established in 1994, the Friends of Hopewell Furnace is the official non-profit fundraising arm of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. A 501(c)3 citizen organization, its mission is to support the preservation, maintenance and programs of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. Donations to the Friends may be tax deductible according to the rules set by the Internal Revenue Service.

While at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site visitors are encouraged to go into the village, tour the buildings, see Hopewell's water wheel and learn about iron making and why Hopewell Furnace is important to our nation’s history. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the park is located five miles south of Birdsboro, PA, off Route 345. For more information visit www.friendsofhopewellfurn.org.

Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation Bids Board Members Goodbye, Welcomes New Ones

Photos Courtesy of the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation

The Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation board of directors with retiring and newly appointed members.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation.

Health and Wellness President Dave Kraybill, right, thanks outgoing
board member Art Green for his 9 years of service.

The Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation has had changes in board leadership.

As of June 30, 2017, three of the Foundation’s Board members, Art Green, Jim Corum and Kerri Pidcock-Lester, have concluded their terms and retired from the Board.

“We are very fortunate to have had Art, Jim and Kerri serve on the Foundation’s Board of Directors with their combined knowledge, expertise and love of the communities we serve,” Foundation President Dave Kraybill said.

Green held the title of Foundation’s Board Chair from July 2014- June 2017. In his nine years on the Board, he has served on the Executive, Strategic Planning, Marketing/Communications, Grants and Impact Committees.

“Art is a tireless advocate for Pottstown and its economic future,” Kraybill said. “His multi-faceted professional background and insight was an asset to the board.”

Kraybill, left, thanks Kerri Pidcock-Lester for her 

6 years of service on the board.

Kerri Pidcock-Lester served as a Foundation board member for six years, sitting on both the Grants and Nominating Committees.

“Kerri is a heart for the people of Pottstown,” Kraybill said. “Her passion and unique perspective as a leader in the religious community was invaluable.”

Jim Corum served on the board for three years, offering his expertise on both the Nominating and Marketing/Communications Committees.

“A leader in community connectivity, Jim’s enthusiasm and love of Pottstown is unwavering” Kraybill said. “His zest for life is infectious and he truly walks the walk when it comes to our mission of leading a healthy lifestyle.”

Kraybill expressed gratitude to the three retirees for their time, efforts and contributions to the organization over the years.

“Oh behalf of the Foundation’s Board and staff, we thank Art, Kerri and Jim for their years of service and wish them all the best in their future endeavors,” Kraybill said.

Kraybill, right, thanks Jim Corum for his 3 years of service.

In June, the Foundation’s Board of Directors welcomed Dana Corp. Plant Manager Danny Aaron who will serve on the Grants Committee and retired Pottstown School District Superintendent
Jeff Sparagana who will serve on the Strategic Planning and Marketing/Communications Committees.

“We welcome Danny and Jeff to our Board and look forward to the valuable insights and professional experience they will each bring to the table,” Kraybill said.

As of July 1, 2017, retired Owen J. Roberts School District Superintendent Myra Forrest serves as Chair of the Board with Todd Alderfer as Vice Chair and Matt Cappelletti continuing in the role of Treasurer. Dr. Keith Harrison will also continue in the role of Secretary and Doug Trainer will serve as “member-at- large” of the Executive Committee.

About PAHWF: The Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation’s (PAHWF) 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, an initiative of PAHWF, to learn and share great information on how to lead a healthier life. You can also follow the Foundation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube.