Considering Downtown Pottstown

Photo by Evan Brandt

From left, PDIDA Board members Ross Belovish, Cindy Brower, 

and Main Street Manager Sheila Dugan at Thursday's meeting

After the weather postponed the first attempt, the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority held its annual meeting with merchants Thursday night.

Merchants were briefed on upcoming events, asked to remit their "assessments" in a timely manner, warned that they need to clear the spaces in front of their stores of obstructions if they want the plows to clear their parking spaces.

Further, Police Chief Rick Drumheller addressed the audience of about 25 on the police efforts to keep downtown safe.

Also, Parks and Recreation Director Michael Lenhart briefed merchants about upcoming events for the bicentennial celebration of the borough's incorporation and invited them to get involved.

Here are the Tweets from the meeting.

We're Naming Names

Last night, borough council undertook the annual task of making appointments to boards, authorities, commissions and committees.

No incumbent seeking re-appointment was turned away and none of those who currently hold no post and applied were selected.

First, and perhaps of the highest importance, was a five-year seat on the Pottstown Borough Authority, the entity which oversees operation, maintenance and upgrades to the water and sewer systems which serve not only Pottstown, but also Lower, Upper and West Pottsgrove.

Aram Ecker, who has just completed one five-year term, was re-appointed with only one nay vote. Councilwoman Sheryl Miller, who had also sought the seat, voted against Ecker's appointment.

For his part, Ecker, a local plumber, appeared before council and said he believes the current authority board is working well together as a team and has improved relations with the partners in the surrounding townships.

The next vote, for the Blighted Property Review Committee, crucial, as the name suggests, to fighting blighted property in the borough, the majority of which is located in the oldest section of town, the First Ward.

Appointed is the council member from the First Ward, Ryan Procsal, along with Councilman Dan Weand, former First Ward councilman Mark Gibson, and member-at-large, Cheryl Chiarello, who has been on the committee since it was created.

Vote on appointments to this committee, all of which carry one-year terms, was unanimous, even thought Miller had also sought an appointment to this group as well.

Ross Belovich, incumbent John Armato, and Susquehanna Bank employee Nicole Miller were all appointed to five-year terms on the Pottstown Downtown District Improvement Authority, which taxes downtown properties on High Street from York to Evans streets, and uses the money to clear snow and stage events to draw people downtown.

Also applying and not chosen was Mike LaBanca.

LaBanca also applied for the one open seat on the Potstown Zoning Hearing Board, a semi-judicial body charged with interpreting and providing relief from Pottstown's zoning code.

However council unanimously re-appointed Mark Patrizi to the three-year term.

Council President Stephen Toroney was unanimously appointed as Council's representative to the Pottstown Police Pension Board.

Councilwoman Carol Kulp was re-appointed as Pottstown's representative to the regional Council of Governments and Toroney and Procsal were unanimously supported for membership on the Pottstown Metropolitan Area Regional Planning Committee.

In addition to naming members of these autonomous and semi-autonomous groups, Toroney also announced his appointments to the various council committees. They are as follows:

• Ad hoc committee on borough garage: Toroney, Procsal and Councilman Joe Kirkland;
• Codes/Infrastructure Committee: Kulp, Procsal and Miller;
• Finance and Administration Committee: Weand, Toroney and Council Vice President Travis Gery, along with Borough Manager Mark Flanders, Assistant  Borough Manager Erica Weekley and Finance Director Janice Lee;
• Human Relations Commission: Mayor Sharon Thomas;
• Keystone/Western Gateway Ad Hoc Committee: Kulp and Weekley;
• Library Liaison: Arthur Green;
• PDIDA: Thomas;
• Pottstown Neighborhood Partnership: Procsal
• Ricketts Community Center Liaison: Kirkland;
• Safety/Fire Committee: Gery, Miller, Procsal;
• Transportation: Kulp, Miller, Procsal.

Vacancies to Fill

Although borough council wasted little time in filling the tax collector vacancy Wednesday night, there are still a few vacant positions up for grabs.

As part of the annual process of filling posts on boards and commissions, council will vote Monday on filling nine open spots, with a tent
h vacancy being filled in February.

One seat on the Pottstown Borough Authority is open and two people have applied to fill it. It is currently filled by plumber Aram Ecker, who is seeking a second five-year term. However, newly elected Borough Councilwoman Sheryl Miller has also asked to be appointed.

Sheryl Miller

With Miller's defeat of Jeff Chomnuk for the third ward seat on council, the authority board currently has no member of borough council, a role Chomnuk had filled.

Chomnuk remains a member of the authority board but, obviously, no longer is a member of borough council.

Miller has also asked to be appointed to the Blighted Property Review Committee, an organization that re-appoints four members every year and is charged with reviewing run-down properties in town and declaring them blighted in order to force the owners to repair them, or lose them.

That committee has traditionally been headed by Councilman Dan Weand and, in addition to a member of the codes department, also includes a resident of the borough and traditionally the council person for the first ward "since that's where most of the blighted properties are located," Council President Stephen Toroney explained Wednesday night.

If that tradition is to be followed, newly elected Councilman Ryan Procsal would be appointed.

There is one open seat on the Pottstown Zoning Hearing Board, which carries a three-year term, and incumbent Richard Patrizi has applied to be re-appointed. As of Wednesday night, there were no other applicants.

The Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority has three open seats, each of which carries a five-year term.

Ross Belovich

Three people, Nichole Taylor, John Armato and former mayoral candidate Ross Belovich are being
recommended for the seats by the PDIDA board, said Main Street Manager Sheila Dugan.

Newly elected Mayor Sharon Thomas is "automatically" a member, Toroney said Wednesday.

There is also one open seat on the Pottstown Planning Commission, but the term on that seat does not expire until Feb. 1.

Rosedale resident Jim Derr has asked to be re-appointed to another four-year term.

Miller had applied to be appointed to this post as well, but Toroney told her the planning commission cannot have more than two members of council and since he and Weand both already sit on that board, and their terms are not up, she cannot be appointed.

In theory, there is still time to apply to fill most of these posts, although there are certain requirements for the PDIDA position.

The Downtown Christmas That Was

Babystitting services were provided downtown, along with story times and other kid activities. But seriously, what kid at Christmas would not be smiling under a giant sign that says "Cake?"

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

And so, with these pictures, I present with, who knows, maybe a million.

They are courtesy of Shelia Dugan, Pottstown's Main Street Manager and the head of the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority, which scheduled this month's downtown holiday events and struggled against some truly gruesome weather.

So without further ado, here are the photos!

Pottstown is Home to the Best Holiday House Tour Sunday

Historic re-enactors in period clothing will populate Pottsgrove Manor during the popular "Pottsgrove Manor by Canldelight" holiday house tour on Sunday. As usual, it will be combined with a guided tour historic homes in Pottstown.

The historic Holiday House Tour in Pottstown will once again be paired with Pottsgrove Manor's candlelight tour and will be held on Sunday, Dec. 8.

This year, the Pottstown tour has been taken over by the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority, or PDIDA and is paired up with several other holiday events downtown.

The holiday house tour will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. and starts at The Elks Club on High Street for high tea event, which begins at 1:30 p.m.

Tickets for the tour itself will be sold at the PDIDA office, 17 N. Hanover St. or the Pottstown Parks and Recreation office on the second floor of borough hall, 100 E. High St.

A free trolley will travel between the buildings on the tour.

You can start the day at 10 a.m. with a Brunch With Santa event, to be held at Grumpy's hand-

Learn what John Potts and friends ate
for the holidays in colonial times.

Carved Sandwiches, 137 E High St.

The event runs until 1 p.m. and costs $7 each and reservations are required and can be made by calling 610-323-5400.

Carriage rides along High Street will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. and will cost only $5 per person. Tickets will be sold at Smith Plaza, right in front of borough hall, which of course, is where Santa Claus will arrive at 5 p.m.

A community tree lighting in the plaza will follow his arrival.

In addition to enjoying a tour of the historic Victorian homes throughout Pottstown, decorated for the holidays, isitors can also visit Pottsgrove Manor from 2 to 8 p.m. and enjoy a colonial Christmas celebration as part of the "Pottsgrove Manor by Candlelight open house.

The public is invited to take a self-guided tour of the elegant 1752 manor house where costumed interpreters will depict the colonial residents of Pottsgrove Manor. 

As visitors make their way through the house they will hear the strains of traditional harp music, see English country dancing, catch a whiff of the delicious smells in the kitchen as historical cook Deborah Peterson prepares authentic dishes at the open hearth, and enjoy the beauty of the mansion lit by candlelight and bedecked with greenery. 

Traditional colonial Christmas dishes will be cooked at 

Pottsgrove Manor Sunday

Complimentary refreshments of hot spiced cider, colonial-style chocolate drink, and gingerbread cookies will be served at the end of the house tour.

After exploring the house, guests will want to visit Pottsgrove Manor’s museum shop for unique, historically-oriented gifts like locally-made redware pottery and ornaments, reproduction glassware, handcrafted candles and soaps, books, toys, games, and more.

Next door to the mansion in the Miller’s House, young visitors will be able to make free seasonal crafts to take home. Outside in the manor’s courtyard, visitors will be able to warm themselves by a bonfire (weather permitting), and enjoy historic carols sung by the Colonial Revelers singing group (performing from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.)

A donation of $2 per person is suggested for this event. No reservations are needed. 

Visitors are asked to park at Memorial Park (75 West King Street); a shuttle will transport visitors to and from Pottsgrove Manor throughout the event. 

Holiday celebrations in colonial times, as will be seen at
Pottsgrove Manor 

centered around Twelfth Night.

Handicapped parking is available in the museum’s parking lot. The Manor’s open house will also be featured as a stop on the Pottstown Historical House Tour that evening.

Can’t make it to the open house? Visitors can enjoy the spirit of the season at Pottsgrove Manor now through Jan. 12 with a guided tour of the mansion, decorated for the holidays. 

Tours are offered during regular museum hours, and the museum shop will also be open for holiday shopping. Regular museum hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

Tours are given on the hour. The last tour of the day begins as 3 p.m. Groups of 10 or more should pre-register by calling 610-326-4014. The museum is closed Mondays, as well as Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

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, & 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. Like Pottsgrove Manor on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pottsgrovemanor.

Shop Local Saturday and all Month Long, Win Money

Shopping locally is a way to boost the local economy in your town and keep the dollars you spend circulating locally instead of being shipped off to some corporate headquarters somewhere.

This Saturday, during Small Business Saturday (following, by no coincidence, Black Friday) the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority wants to give you extra incentive to shop in the small local businesses downtown -- money.

Or at least the chance to win some.

The first prize in this raffle is $1,000 and the second prize is $500.

Your local merchant wants you! ....and your holiday shopping dollar

Here's how it works: You pay $25 for a ticket and must spend a minimum of $100 between Saturday and Dec. 20th at midnight in stores in the downtown shopping district.

That means store on High Street between York and Evans streets, or stores with the "Buy Local" sign displayed.

Once you've spent at least $100, drop off your receipts and filled out ticket at the PDIDA Office, 17 N. Hanover St., no later than just before midnight on Dec. 20.

The winning entries will be drawn on Saturday, Dec. 21 after the holiday events, which begin at 2 p.m.

You can purchase a raffle ticket at the PDIDA office on North Hanover Street, Grumpy's Hand-carved Sandwiches, 137 E. High St. or at Cole's Tobacco, 215 E. High St. 

(We'll be publishing a schedule of those in the coming days.)

Don't forget, PDIDA notes, when you buy local:

1) You know that your LOCAL economy is being helped, which mean better policing, cleaner streets and better roads. Consider, 63 percent of your dollar stays local when you shop local, while only 42 percent of your dollar stays in your community when you shop at a big box store. 

2) It helps you get to know the community on a more personal level. Growing together and facing the hard times during a weak economy. This in turn brings about volunteerism, bartering for services and friendships that can never be formed when you go to the big box store. 

3)You get a warm fuzzy feeling because you know you have just helped a mom and pop heat their home, gave their children warm coats for the winter or helped contribute to the college fund for their oldest, soon on her way to becoming a responsible adult. 

For more information, call Pottstown's Main Street Manager, Sheila Dugan, at 484-948-6061 / 610-323-5400 OR check out the PDIDA website at www.downtownpottstown.org.

According to Wikipedia, Small Business Saturday is an American shopping holiday held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. First observed on November 27, 2010, it is a counterpart to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which feature big box retail and e-commerce stores respectively. By contrast, Small Business Saturday encourages holiday shoppers to patronize brick and mortar businesses that are small and local.

In 2010 the holiday was conceived and promoted by American Express via a nationwide radio and television advertising campaign. That year Amex bought advertising inventory on Facebook, which it in turn gave to its small merchant account holders, and also gave rebates to new customers to promote the event.

For Appearances' Sake

This property in the 200 block of High Street, recently had this stone facade installed on the front of the building.

When council voted last year to remove the jurisdiction of the Historic Architecture Review Board from the downtown area, it was really just a matter of time before something HARB might have discouraged was put up downtown.

As you can see from the photo above, it took almost exactly a year. 

The argument in favor of removing HARB jurisdiction -- supported by Council President Stephen Toroney, Vice President Jeff Chomnuk, along with former council members Maureen Allen and Jody Rhoads -- was that the HARB process was making it hard for developers to work downtown. 

Voting against were councilmen Mark Gibson, Joe Kirkland and Dan Weand, 

In the course of the debate last year, none of the proponents of HARB's removal produced a single  developer to support their contention that HARB was stifling their development plans.

Nor could (or would) they even name one. In fact, they had trouble even saying how many developers had made this complaint.

Chomnuk, who headed up the committee that recommended the removal of HARB oversight, insisted that the borough's zoning code provided adequate protection for what HARB Board member (and current president) Andrew Monastra called "Pottstown's architectural equity."

As a seven-year member of the zoning board, it's fair to call him an expert on interpreting that code.

Arguing against the move was former HARB Chairman Joseph Fay who mustered a number of downtown merchants in support of HARB's continued involvement.

Councilman Joseph Kirkland, an architect, agreed with Fay's warning that the new process, which lets the oft-maligned and often-cited codes department make these decisions, is not equipped with the expertise or the manpower, to make good decisions about changes to downtown facades. 

The codes department said flatly they did not want this additional responsibility.

Sheila Dugan, president of the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District, which was never consulted by council about the move (there's a suprise), was joined by property and business owner Bruce Sullivan in calling on council to reconsider its decision.

The only member of Council to do so was Weand.

Weand had supported the idea when it was first proposed, but he tried to get council to hold off for six months after talking with business owners downtown who said they supported HARB's involvement.

But the four council members, none of whom is a business owner, placed their judgement above those who make a living downtown, as well as the business organization that represents those owners.

So I guess in the end the question is results -- since that is what matters.

Those favoring the change, said it would help spur downtown development. Those opposed said it would be the beginning of the end of downtown Pottstown's architectural integrity -- something numerous revitalization studies have cited as one of Pottstown's best assets.

In the ensuing year, I am not aware of any new developments being attracted by the absence of HARB oversight, although I am happy to be corrected on that score. But it's hard not to be aware of what happened to the building shown above.

So, the score so far?

New development = zero.

Erosion of architectural integrity = one and counting.

After spotting the change in the facade of the building, which was once a Woolworth and more recently hosted the much-maligned "drop-in center" for the less fortunate, I snapped the above picture and e-mailed it to all members of council, Borough Manager Mark Flanders, as well as Monastra at HARB.

I asked them if this what they had in mind when they removed HARB oversight, or if they wanted to offer any comment at all.

None of them responded, (another shocker) except Monastra.

Monastra would not go so far as to condemn the facade, located next to High Street's premier address -- The Steel River Playhouse.

He did allow that had HARB been involved, they might have worked with the property owner not only to put up something more architecturally consistent with the other buildings on the street, but also something potentially much less expensive.

"However, I'm not anxious to discourage people from investing in their property to improve it," Monastra told me during a Positively Pottstown's Happy Hour in December. 

Which is a fair point.

And, I will also grant, the new facade could have been far worse -- an aluminum siding monstrosity or some such addition.

Sadly, other improvements made to the building, a new paint job on the window light boxes, for example, where certainly in keeping with the architectural element.

I realize that, to a great extent, this is a matter of taste and that's hard to legislate. 

But again, what matters is results.

It remains to be seen if the change will help attract a tenant.

In the meantime, since no one in borough hall seems to have an opinion they're willing to share, I'll throw it open to the rest of you.

What do you think?

North Hanover Street, Where Past and Future Meet

The Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority will hold its Visitor Center grand opening Friday, in conjunction with The Mercury's Community Media Lab grand opening across the street.

One of the first things they teach you in Journalism 101 (I refuse to use the "journo" abbreviation that Twitter has foisted upon us) is the "check the library."

Back in the day, this was how we looked up old newspaper stories.

In English, that means check the file of newspaper clips on any given subject to understand the context of whatever developing news you're about to write about.

For many years, this was a vital position in the newsroom and there was very little that escaped the attention of the sharp-eyed, ink-fingered person whose job was to preserve the day's news for future reference.

The rows and rows of specially  sized file cabinets once formed the very physical (as well as the philosophical) wall between editorial and advertising when both departments were on the third floor of our vintage building.

Look closely and you can see our new micro-film
machine being set up.

But it could be difficult for people coming in off the street to find old articles, particularly as they often wanted the whole page.

More often than not, we sent them to the Pottstown Regional Public Library where old copies of The Mercury could be accessed on micro-film.

Now, among the things they can do in our spiffy new Community Media Lab is to look at that micro-film right here at The Mercury.

In addition to the coffee and the micro-film, the lab will also be a place where, (Blatant Suck-Up Alert!) you can use "free Wi-Fi, Internet TV, coffee and cold drinks available, a lending library of books (with recommendations for reading from our editors and bloggers) and computers for public use."

At least that's how my boss, Nancy March, described it in her most recent post on her blog The Editor's Desk.

This is what will greet Community Media Lab visitors who come in
at the North Hanover Street entrance.

"The space can be used to blog, work on a resume, research. You can ask us for help starting a blog, you can schedule a meeting of your writers group, you can knit, you can read, or you can just stop in to say hi, pick up a map of the Schuylkill River Trail or post a help-wanted notice on the Community Share bulletin board," she wrote.

It will also feature, at least for now, a number of prints of front page photos published over the years in The Mercury.

It will include presidents, fires, features and famous people who have visited Pottstown -- some of whom, like Donald Trump, did not want to be photographed.

One of my favorite John Strickler photographs, which will be
on display in the Community Media Lab.

But our media lab will not be the only place where interesting Pottstown photographs can be found.

Across the street, at 17 N. Hanover St. the PDIDA office will also be opening their new welcome center.

While preparing for that event, Main Street Manager Sheila Dugan came across a stash of fascinating old photographs of Pottstown.

Some of them will be recognizable, others show what once was.

Do you know what this is? It once stood where the
New VIP Diner stands.

We have been running some of those photos on our Facebook and Pintrest pages recently and have been amazed and pleased at the response from so many of our readers who recognize, or try to recognize places that once made Pottstown special.

(Note: It's still special.)

I'm pleased that PDIDA is emphasizing Pottstown's rich history to first-time visitors.

This sign at PDIDA's new Welcome
Center reminds us of what we're
preserving when we focus on
our own local history.

As I wrote just Friday, local history and the things that make a place special are one of the most important tools available to those who want to revitalize old towns like Pottstown.

But to revitalize takes more than shticks, tricks and clever slogans. It takes money.

And more than just grant money and investment money, it takes the kind of money you spend on your average Saturday at Lowe's or Wal-Mart or Giant.

So that's why it's important to remember that in addition to announcing the opening of  two GREAT new community resources, the grand openings, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., are also the kick-off to a summer sidewalk sale the next day.

As I first wrote about in this June 3 post, it will be held Saturday, from  11 a.m. to 4 p.m., your local merchants will brave the heat to put their wares on display.

Come down and check it out...and bring your wallet.

Coming Soon to a Sidewalk Near You!

PDIDA wants these sidewalks teeming with tables and shoppers
on July 21 for the First Sidewalk Sale of 2012.

You might think it's a little early to announce a Sidewalk Sale on July 21.

But not if you're a craftsman (or woman), or part of a local business or organization.

That's because PDIDA, the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority, is looking for people to populate their sidewalk sale.

So if you would like to set up a table on High Street for a day that will include music, children's activities, crafters, a window decorating competition, free raffle give aways every hour and great deals at downtown shops, you need to consider signing up.

You can do so by calling Shelia, Cindy or Joe at 610-323-5400.

Or, you can send an e-mail to sheiladugan@comcast.net.

We're already signed up.

The inside-The-Mercury-scuttlebutt is that we hope to have our "grand opening" of our newly refurbished Community Media Lab that day.

Renovations have already begun in our Community Media Lab

As my boss, Editor Nancy March, blogged about on May 4, the reburbished room will have computers the public can use as well as make it a working reference room for community with microfilm of our archives. 

Currently, only place to research back issues on microfilm is at public library. 


Last month, our Community Media Lab was selected as one of 10 newspapers throughout Digital First Media to get funding for a community room project.

You can read about our ideas on the application by clicking here.

The Envelope Please ...

It's award season and as the Grammys, People's Choice and Oscar awards fill the screen, some other more local selections are being made as well.

Several citizens were tapped to serve Monday

Certainly less glamorous, but arguably much more important, empty slots on a variety of borough boards and committees were filled Monday by unanimous votes of borough council.

On the Planning Commission, council accepted the resignation of member Chris Huff and appointed Jim Derr, who also serves as the chairman of the Environmental Advisory Commission, to finish Huff's term.

Borough Manager Jason Bobst said Derr was the only person to apply for the post. The term will expire on Feb. 1, 2014.

Council also re-appointed Borough Council President Stephen Toroney to another four-year term on the planning commission, a post he will hold until Feb. 1, 2016.

Sue Repko

Sue Repko, recently named as the executive director of Pottstown's Mosaic Community Land Trust, was unanimously appointed to a five-year term on the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority.

Repko, who also writes the Positively Pottstown blog, hosted on The Mercury's Town Square blog site on the web, will serve until Jan. 1, 2017.

Two of three empty slots on the Historic Architecture Review Board were filled by council as well.

A seat which expires on April 1, 2015, was filled by code enforcement officer Bill Sharon, who was re-appointed.

A second seat, which expires on April 1 of this year, has been filled by Patricia Derr.

That seat had been held by former HARB Chairman Joseph Fay, who resigned in December in the wake of council's decision to removed HARB jurisdiction from the downtown area.

A third seat, which must be held by a real estate professional and whose term expires on April 1, 2015, has yet to be filled, although Borough Councilman Joseph Kirkland said he believes he has identified a candidate.

That seat was vacated by Stephanie Stranick, who was the board's Realtor and who also resigned over dissatisfaction with council's decision about HARb jurisdiction downtown.

Left unfilled is the council appointment to the board of directors of the Pottstown Regional Public Library. Councilman Jody Rhoads, who had held the post, submitted his resignation, telling council "it's just not going to work out.,"

Toroney has been unable to convince any other members of council to volunteer for the appointment.

If you would like to volunteer for a borough board or committee, contact Bobst and your name can be put on a list. He can be reached at 610-970-6511 or via e-mail at jbost@pottstown.org.

Or, you can write him an old-fashioned letter at 100 E. High St., Pottstown, PA 19464.