Sewer Rate Hike Will Not Include Upper Pottsgrove

Image from Screenshot

Bernie Grundusky, senior director for business development for Pennsylvania American Water, outlined in yellow, informs last night's township meeting that the company's rate hike request will not include Upper Pottsgrove.

The rate hike that Pennsylvania American Water is seeking from the Public Utility Commission will not apply to Upper Pottsgrove sewer customers, a company official said Monday night.

Late last month, the commissioners voted 4-1 to sell the sewer collection system to Pennsylvania American Water for $13.7 million.

Bernie Grundusky, senior director for business development for Pennsylvania American Water, made the announcement that the rate hike won't apply to Upper Pottsgrove during an online commissioners meeting at the invitation of Chairman Trace Slinkerd.

Grundusky said because Pennsylvania American is a publicly traded company, it would have been against the rules to mention that the company was filing for a rate increase prior to the official announcement.

Further, he said any rate increase granted by the PUC will only apply to those who were customers when the company applied. And because it may be a year before the PUC approves the sale of the township's sewer system "you're not our customers yet."

Upper Pottsgrove's rate "is in no way impacted by this request. Upper Pottsgrove is not a part of" the rate hike request Grundusky said. 

Township rates will still drop by 9 percent in 2021 when compared to projected rates had the township still owned the system. That's what was presented during the four public information meetings  conducted online using the Zoom cyber-meeting platform prior to the sale.

Several of the commissioners complained about reaction on some Facebook pages when news of the rate hike request broke.

"I knew it didn't include us," said Commissioner Renee Spaide.

"I know it stirred up a lot of feeling," said Commissioner Cathy Paretti. "I didn't know about it until I read about it in the paper Friday. I called Trace and he had already looked into it and confirmed it did not include us."

"I'd like to offer some advice," Paretti continued. "You can't rely on Facebook for getting your news. If you want to be informed, you have to come to the meetings, if you have questions email one of us or the township manager."

Spaide said she felt the negative comments on Facebook were "just a handful of people," adding that she was threatened on one of the posts.

"I love this community and would never do anything to hurt this community," said Spaide before asking Commissioner Martin Schreiber, who operates his own Upper Pottsgrove Facebook page and who voted against selling the system, to outline his reasons for opposing the sale.

"I don't think it was the right time," Schreiber replied. Noting that a 143-unit over-50 housing project is currently in the works and will be hooked into the sewer system. "So maybe we could have gotten more for the system later on."

Slinkerd suggested to Schreiber that if he is going to run a Facebook page "it's incumbent on a public official to police it, particularly when profanity is used."

Resident Al Leach, who is also vice president of the Pottsgrove School Board and was among those commenting on Facebook pages, said "I completely agree about using Facebook to get your news, but we can't make a meeting, sometimes its the only news we can get."

He suggested that the township's website is "difficult to navigate" and suggested the commissioners making it "more user friendly."

Slinkerd asked Leach about the school district's website and Leach replied that the school board had recently undertaken an effort to upgrade it, as well as allow advertising there to cover the cost. He also said the school district has plans to update the "mobile site," so it is easier to read on your smart phone.

Two residents, Bill Hewitt and Nicole Matz, said they like the Zoom meeting platform and hope that the township will continue to use it ever after coronavirus restrictions end.

Resident Doug Kern agreed and added that he thought the commissioner discussion prior to the vote to sell the sewer system last month was "extremely informative. I would have preferred to hear from the commissioners prior to the information meetings."

Tax Deadline to Move

In other news, the commissioners agreed that it might help those suffering financial difficulties from the pandemic to move the deadline for property tax payments.

A formal vote will occur at the 18 meeting, but the commissioners all agreed to move the deadline forward by one month, meaning no penalty will be levied against any taxpayer who pays by June 30.

The current deadline is May 31. 

Township Manager Michelle Reddick said the township has already collected 90 percent of its property taxes and that the discount period for paying early, when most people pay, ended at the end of March.

Paving Mervine Street

Reddick also reported that she has confirmed with the borough of Pottstown that they plan to pave their half of Mervine Street next year. The street forms part of the border between Pottstown and Upper Pottsgrove.

As a result, Reddick said the township plans to hold off on plans to pave its half and do it jointly next year with the borough.  

"But we need to let residents of that street know they need to repair their curbs and sidewalks, and the commissioners will have to decide how much time we give them," she said.

Upper Pottsgrove Votes 4-1 to Sell Sewer System

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Those participating in last night's Upper Pottsgrove Commissioners meeting listen to Commissioner Martin Schreiber, outlined in the yellow rectangle, discuss his objections to the sale of the sewer system.

Surprising no one, the Upper Pottsgrove Township Commissioners vote 4-1 Monday night to sell the township's sewer collection system for $13.75 million to Pennsylvania American Water.

Commissioners Martin Schreiber cast the sole vote against the sale.

As The Mercury reported April 8, the presentation provided at four online informational sessions earlier in the month forecast that sewer rates would drop by about 9.6 percent under Pennsylvania American Water ownership.

However, the decrease — from the current $71.87 per month to $65 per month — would be short-lived, according to Bernie Grundusky, senior director for business development for the water company.

A chart he shared as part of the online meetings showed rates would return to the current rate in three or four years after the sale, and then increase annually by an average of 4.5 to 5.2 percent.

By comparison, the township's sewer rates, which have increased in a more haphazard fashion, average out to between 4.6 to 6 percent a year, according to the presentation.

Now that the sale has been approved, the average homeowner will save  $1,260 between the time rates were dropped to when they return to their current level, according to the presentation.

The deal must still be approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, a process which could take longer than a year to be finalized.

As a result of the vote, PFM Financial Advisors LLC will be paid more than $250,000.

As noted by Commissioners Chairman Trace Slinkerd, who, prior to the vote, praised the consultants for taking a risk, noting that if the commissioners voted against the sale, PFM would have been paid only its $7,500 fee for preliminary work.

Scott Shearer, managing director of PFM, insisted during Monday's meeting that the firm "did not make a recommendation. We're not trying to sell this system."

During the four public information sessions the township staged online, not one negative aspect of the sale identified. Township Manager Michelle Reddick said the presentations were put together by PFM and the staff.

(You can see that presentation by clicking here.)

During those meetings, Slinkerd restricted all interaction to questions from residents, which were mostly answered by the consultants or township staff. He said public comments would be accepted at the April 20 meeting.

When that happened last night, the online meeting was attended by more than 50 people.

Eight residents spoke. All but one asked the commissioners to vote against the sale or, even more frequently, delay the vote until next month or later.

Pennsylvania American Water's bid does not expire until June 30.

Don Read, a former member of the Pottstown Borough Authority and a current member of the township's sewer committee, spoke in favor of the sale and said, as he did at the April 16 meeting, that the best reason to sell the system is the risk inherent in running it.

He said the potential capital costs of problems with sewer lines and pump stations, as well as capital costs imposed by the Pottstown Borough Authority, which runs the plant that receives and treats Upper Pottsgrove's sewage, is too big a financial risk for a four-person staff.

"The price is on the high side of what we projected," he said of the winning bid. The other bidder was Aqua America. "What's another month going to do? It's frustrating to watch people come in at the last hour and ask for a delay."

He was referring, presumably, to other speakers who said they were unaware of the potential sale of the system until they received a township letter in the mail, a letter which arrived after the first two public information sessions had already occurred. 

"I am imploring you all to take an opportunity to table the vote until the May 20th meeting," said Turnberry Farms resident Stephanie Rowe.

"This is beneficial in several ways, the first being it allows all residents to be able to digest and question this decision that seems to be on a fast track for a reason that has not been satisfied by any of the presentations that you allowed to happen with little or no response from the board -- almost every question was deferred to either PFM or PA American Water," Rowe said.

Darryle Tillman, seen in scrubs framed in yellow, objected
to the manner in which the township has proceeded with the sale.

Darryle Tillman, who appeared in scrubs while caring "for 104 patients, one third to one half of
which have COVID-19," also urged a delay.

"This plan has its good points and its bad points, but it is ridiculous to do this in a Zoom meeting in the middle of a pandemic," he said in reference to the on-line platform used for the meeting.

Al Leach, who is also the vice president of the Pottsgrove School Board, also urged a pause.

"I'm sure you've all done your due diligence, but a lot of residents are just finding out about this and would like to see if they can get more involved," Leach said.

"There are a lot of questions that need to get answered, like how the board intends to spend the proceeds, and the open space question," he said.

Although the presentation has identified the proceeds as paying down the sewer system debt; making the pension system whole and paying off general fund and road fund debt, two other proposed uses have raised questions.

One is paying off debt undertaken by the open space fund, which is paid off with a voter-approved earned income tax; and infrastructure improvements to the police station and township offices in the firehouse.

No specific plan for those improvements has been presented as part of the sewer system sale proposal, said resident Doug Kern.

"We have no access to the paperwork, no ability to examine this ourselves," said Kern, who said he did not find out about the proposal until two of the public information sessions had already passed.

"All I have is a bunch of slides, which changed after almost every meeting, and a lot of 'take-my-word-for-it-answers. It sounds like you have a 90-day window to make a decision," said Kern, urging a delay or a no vote.

Dustin Schreiber said his research indicates American Water, the parent company of the high bidder, "is owned by a German conglomerate called RFWAG. I'd prefer we support an American company if we sell, and  I'm not convinced we should sell."

Hanover Drive resident Keith Plumadore said he sees the sale as a short-term fix for the township's finances. "It's an temporary reprieve from amateur fiscal management. The township did a good job with the (request for proposals) but I see no evidence the township will execute and bring better fiscal governance with the proceeds."

"When I moved here in 2000, the commissioners and the people all worked together," said Leach. "I implore you to at least consider the idea of tabling this motion, It would be so easy to delay this vote so we can get all our ducks in a row and demonstrate transparency we always used to have in this community."

Slinkerd closed public comment and then called on Schreiber to outline the objections he has been posting on his Facebook page and the Turnberry Farms Facebook page.

However, as Schreiber spoke, Slinkerd repeatedly interrupted him, talked over him and told him his points were not relevant to the subject at hand.

"The sewer customers paid for the sewer, if they were stock holders, they should be getting a bonus check, they're getting the short-end of the stick," said Schreiber. 

"What about people who pay school taxes but don't have any children in the system," Slinkerd interjected. "Should they not be taxed?"

"Everyone has a chance to send to send students to school," Schreiber replied. "What about open space, Martin?" Slinkerd interrupted again. "That's paid with earned income tax, but seniors don't pay that. Should we put signs up telling them they can't use the open space?" Slinkerd asked.

"We taxed ourselves for that," Schreiber started to reply and Slinkerd pressed on. "We don't separate our residents into septic or sewer residents. Are you saying that's the way we should go?"

As Schreiber tried to raise further points, Slinkerd continued to interrupt him. "That's what you've been doing, going down this rabbit hole trying to dislodge what we're talking about," Slinkerd said.

"You keep trying to throw things at the wall at the 11th hour to see what sticks to make it seem like you did research," he continued. "You've had a year to think about this stuff."

"Are you going to let me finish?" Schreiber finally asked. "I never stopped you," Slinkerd replied, finally allowing Schreiber to speak uninterrupted.

The areas of Upper Pottsgrove shown in green are
part of the sewer collection system.

The other commissioners, Dave Waldt, Cathy Paretti and Renee Spaide were permitted to speak uninterrupted, except when Schrieber thought Paretti was finished with her point.

He apologized for interrupting her and urged her to go on.

The other commissioners joined in disputing Schreiber's points.

Spaide, who has served on the board for many years with Schreiber, read from a prepared statement that noted, in part, "all the commissioners have been involved."

She said she agrees with Read that running the sewer system is a risk. "We have a road crew, not a sewer crew and Pennsylvania American Water does this for a living," said Spaide.

Waldt said he and Paretti "ran on concern about the township's finances. People were very unhappy." He disputed Schreiber's characterization that he was left out of discussions. "We've spent hours on the budget and I never see you. You never participate," said Waldt.

"Dave and I started to get to get acquainted with this while we were running," said Paretti. "We don't have any business running a sewer business. If we keep it, our taxes would rise and the rates would be higher than if we didn't own it."

She added, "I don't wait to be invited into things, I ask for the information I need."

When Schreiber tried to point out he had asked Reddick for information and it took two days to get an answer, the other commissioners leapt to her defense. "Michelle has a lot on her plate," said Paretti.

"Michelle has done an outstanding job," said Slinkerd.

Paretti pointed out that while people last night were complaining about having the meeting over Zoom, it had more participants than most in-person township meetings. 

"It's great to see so many people participate. This is not as many as we get at regular meetings. I've had people tell me they like this better," said Paretti. "You're never going to make everyone happy." 

But even in a pandemic, "the one thing that can't stop is your government," Paretti said.

After the vote, Slinkerd said next steps would be discussed at a future meeting.

U. Pottsgrove Sewer Sale Hinges on Monday Vote

The green-shaded area indicates the Upper Pottsgrove parcels served by the township's sewer collection system.

After more than a year of discussion, and four online question and answer sessions, the drive to sell the township's sewer collection system comes down to a single vote Monday night.

Although the sale, if approved Monday by the commissioners, must still be approved by the Public Utility Commission, the township's final say on the matter will be Monday's vote.

On March 20, Pennsylvania American Water, which provides services to 19 percent of Pennsylvania's population, submitted the highest bid for the purchase of the system — $13,750,000.

Ben Kapenstein, who works for PFM Financial Advisors LLC, said bid is "on the high end" of what the township was anticipating being offered. The other company to offer a bid was Aqua PA.

Informational Meetings

Prior to Monday's pending voting, the commissioners staged four online question and answer sessions on April 6, April 8, April 14 and April 16. Participation ranged from 40 to as many as 70 people at each one.

Each session included an hour-long presentation on how the township got to this point, and the benefits of the sale of the system which serves about 1,600 households. By way of comparison, Pennsylvania American has 74,000 wastewater customers among the various systems it owns.

The company most recently purchased the Exeter Township wastewater system for $93.5 million and is in the process of purchasing Royersford Borough's system.



As The Mercury reported April 8, the presentation forecasts that sewer rates would drop by about 9.6 percent if the township commissioners vote to sell the system to Pennsylvania American Water.

However, the decrease — from the current $71.87 per month to $65 per month — would be short-lived, according to Bernie Grundusky, senior director for business development for the water company.

A chart he shared as part of the online meeting showed rates would return to the current rate in three

This slide from the presentation shows the difference in sewer rates.

or four years after the sale, and then increase annually by an average of 4.5 to 5.2 percent.

By comparison, the township's sewer rates, which have increased in a more haphazard fashion, average out to between 4.6 to 6 percent a year, according to the presentation.

If the sale goes through, the average homeowner would have saved $1,260 between the time rates were dropped to when they return to their current level, according to the presentation.

In addition to the lowered rates, the benefits touted in the presentation included:

• The retirement of all township debt, including unfunded pension obligations;
• A transfer of the inherent risk of running the system to a third, expert, party;
• The ability to spend up to $4 million on infrastructure projects like a new or upgraded police station without borrowing;
• The elimination of the $5,447 "tap-in fee," currently charged by the township for new connections to the system.

Why the Rush?

Many of the residents who participated had questions — ranging from how the sale would affect their property and proposed sewer expansion projects and what some perceived as a "rush" to vote on the matter.

"Why does the vote need to happen on April 20?" resident Stephanie Rowe asked during the final meeting Thursday.

"We're in the middle of a pandemic. We're doing meetings on line and we're all dealing with a new normal," she said.

"I think we can do this," Commissioners Chairman Trace Slinkerd replied. "We've done enough due diligence. We need to get this moving through the PUC process," he said in reference to the sale still needing to be approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission process.

"I live on a cul de sac and there are six families there, three of them have first responders who could not be at this meeting and the other three had no idea this was happening," Rowe said.

"We still have nine to 12 months of more exploration until everything is closed," said Commissioner Cathy Paretti in apparent reference to the PUC approval timeline.

"We'll still be looking at information," Paretti said. "It's not like the vote Monday is the end of it."

But it is the end of it as far as decisions by the commissioners are concerned argued Commissioner Martin Schreiber, who has repeatedly expressed frustration at the idea of holding the public meetings online and what he has described as his difficulty getting answers.

He said after two queries, he still had not been told when the bids expire and it will be too late for the township to act. "We have 22 staff people, I don't understand why I can't get answers," he fumed.

The answer was then supplied by Township Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr., who said the Pennsylvania American bid expires on June 30.

Who Pays? Who Benefits?

Other pointed questions revolved around the fact that not all residents have paid into the system system, but all residents will benefit.

According to the presentation, Upper Pottsgrove has about $8.4 million in debt, but only $4.7 million is sewer debt, which would be paid out of the proceeds of the sale of the system.

The remaining debt is $2.1 million in the open space fund; about $208,000 in the general fund and $241,000 in the road fund.

Elwood Taylor, highlighted at the top right, had

a long list of questions during the online meeting.

About 65 percent of the township's parcels are served by the system so the sale of the asset sewer customers have paid to build and maintain will benefit those who have never paid into the system, argued former commissioner Elwood Taylor.

"Much of this would make sense if the $8 million in debt where all general fund debt, but you're putting the burden of paying off township-wide debt on sewer users," Taylor said.

He also pointed out that using the proceeds from the sewer sale to pay off the debt in the township open space fund will not result in savings to the general fund.

The open space fund debt is paid through an additional earned income tax approved by voters in 2006. The money raised by that tax can only be spent to purchase new open space, or maintain the township's current open space, Garner confirmed.

Taylor also argued that when residents have an issue with their sewer bill, or how the system is run, they can take those complaints to their elected officials and even work toward throwing them out of office if they don't like the results.

After selling to Pennsylvania American, Upper Pottsgrove customers would have the same standing as the other 74,000 customers in the state and, if they don't get satisfaction from the company in a dispute, would only be able to take it to the Public Utility Commission, Taylor said.

Avoiding Risk

Others supported the sale.

Don Read, who served on the Pottstown Borough Authority and is currently on the township's sewer committee, said "it looks like it makes sense to sell it."

Read said he sees the primary benefit of the sale as "mitigating risk."

A screenshot from the April 16 informational meeting.

He explained that in addition to capital costs Upper Pottsgrove's collection system may incur, it is also responsible for its portion of capital projects at the wastewater treatment plant on Industrial Highway in Pottstown, which receives and treats Upper Pottsgrove's waste.

That plant is operated by the Pottstown Borough Authority and the township has no say in what gets done at that plant, or how much it costs, said Read.

Last year the authority completed a $5 million sludge dryer replacement project which Upper Pottsgrove, and the other surrounding townships who send sewage to the plant, helped to fund under the terms of the agreement with the borough authority.

"The borough authority can throw anything at us they want," said Read.

In fact, that agreement is something Pennsylvania America will have to resolve if the commissioners vote Monday to sell them the system. The authority can agree to transfer the existing agreement to the new owners, or require a new one, according to Township Manager Michelle Reddick.

But Marc Feller, an attorney with the firm Philadelphia law firm of Dilworth Paxson — hired by the township as special counsel to the sewer sale — pointed out that "the Pottstown plant needs the waste as much as the township needs a place to dispose of it."

Conflict of Interest?

In addition to the law firm, Upper Pottsgrove hired PFM Financial Advisors LLC, also known as Public Finance Management, to assess the feasibility of selling the system. It is the same firm that handled the sale of the Royersford sewer system to Pennsylvania American Water for $13 million.

According to an answer Reddick posted on the township website, PFM will be paid a fee of $7,500 for the "limited scope valuation" it undertook to explore the question of whether selling the system would be beneficial.

A second agreement for the work it has done since then, which Slinkerd previously described as being $50,000 plus 1.5 percent of sale price, indicates that PFM will be paid the major portion of their fee only if the commissioners agree to the sale.

As a result, PFM will receive about $250,750 if the township agrees to sell, and only $7,500 if the commissioners vote against the sale, which raises the question of whether PFM is motivated to convince the commissioners to sell in considering the information it presents to them.

In her posted response, Reddick did address the part of the question which read "Any conflict of interest concerns the taxpayers should be aware of?"

No downsides to selling the system were identified in any part of the presentation, which was prepared by PFM and which became more detailed over the course of the four online meetings as questions from residents provoked fine tuning.

A Mercury email to Reddick asking if any negatives to selling the system had been identified in the year-long exploration of the issues, had elicited no reply as of Friday evening.

Thursday night, Slinkerd, who restricted public involvement in the four meetings to questions from residents, thus prohibiting a Mercury reporter from being be called upon to ask questions, said the commissioners will entertain opinions and comments on the proposed sale during Monday's meeting.

Those comments will be limited to three minutes.

"Commissioners will then debate this and hash it all out," said Slinkerd.

To date, Schreiber, who has been on the board for several years, has been the only commissioner to ask questions publicly about the proposed sale.

Two other commissioners, Paretti and Dave Waldt took office four months ago, although they were in regular attendance at commissioner meetings prior to that.

Renee Spaide is the fifth township commissioner who has a vote Monday.

I'm No Longer Meeting You Halfway

Norman Rockwell's famed painting,

'Freedom of Speech' depicts that speech

happening at a town meeting.

Perhaps the most important, and least appealing aspect of municipal government is the much-maligned public meeting.

They are almost always in the evening, when all of the good TV shows are on, and it can be hard to navigate the language and procedures to get a feel for what's being accomplished -- or not accomplished.

And let's face it, people in the audience, and on the dias, have been known to drone on at public meetings.

That's where your local news sources comes in. We usually have a fair bit of experience in that department.

In my case, it's more than 30 years and, remember, I'm being paid to be there -- at least for now..

The public meeting is the place where elected officials, and the paid staff, interact with and are, to some extent, accountable to the people who elected them and pay their salaries.

The public meeting is where those things most likely to affect your life on a daily basis -- things like trash pick-up, water from the tap, your neighbor's noisy rooster -- can be taken up and addressed, not always to our satisfaction.

But knowing which meeting to attend, when your issue is going to come up, why a particular motion is important, can be a difficult needle to thread. After all, who wants to go to them all?

And all too often, important matters come up that were either not on the agenda, or whose importance was not clearly outlined on the agenda.

Traditionally, this is where local news has served a public purpose, paying folks like me to know what meeting is important, and to be there when the agenda looks boring but something vital comes up unexpectedly.

As I have written about here previously, and, some would argue, ad nauseum, that vital public service is being threatened by a variety of factors. Local newspapers are struggling and closing and the public they once served is less informed as a result.

That is true here in Pottstown as it is all across the country.

All of which brings me to today's point.

Thanks to government offices being closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Tuesday saw seven different meetings (that I know of) that should have been covered:

The Fifth Street home where an Airbnb is proposed.

• The Pottstown Zoning Hearing Board heard testimony on a request to convert a large home on Fifth Street into an Airbnb, an application borough council opposed. I didn't go to that meeting, so I don't know yet what happened. And so, neither do most of you.
• In the next room in borough hall, the Pottstown Borough Authority met and, according to the agenda, set the new water rates for 2020. An attachment to the agenda made it clear what they are and I have reported on it previously, but I didn't go to that meeting, so I don't know yet if anything else happened. And so, neither do most of you.
• In Royersford, the Spring-Ford Area School Board met for a work session. One of the items was discussion of a $176 million preliminary budget for the coming school year. The board is scheduled to vote on adopting it at another meeting Monday night, during which two other municipal meetings that should be covered will take place (more on that later). I didn't go to the school board meeting Tuesday, so I don't know what was said. And so, neither do most of you.
• In Limerick, the township supervisors met and their agenda included discussion of the construction of a new firehouse for the Linfield Fire Company. I didn't go that meeting either, so I don't know if anything happened. And so, neither do most of you.
• The Douglass (Mont.) Township Supervisors also met Tuesday, but because they do not post their agenda online, I can't even tell you what I missed because I wasn't there. And so, neither do most of you know what happened either.
• In Upper Pottsgrove, I've confirmed the Township Commissioners voted unanimously to advertise an ordinance to abolish the township planning commission and replace it with a planning committee. I wasn't there, so I won't have a report on that for a day or two. The final vote on whether to move ahead with it is scheduled for Feb. 3.
• The meeting I did go to was the Phoenixville School Board, which, evidently, had a rocky start to its year. With several new board members, the video from the Jan. 13 meeting shows the board convening, heading immediately into closed-door executive session and coming out more than an hour later and immediately adjourning. Tuesday's meeting was a continuation of that meeting.

U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan

Among the things discussed was the revelation that the Pennsylvania Department of Education has cited the district for disproportionately suspending students of color.

The picture is muddled and I am meeting with Superintendent Alan Fegleyy and Assistant Superintendent LeRoy Whitehead today at noon to get it sorted out before I report something incorrectly about a very important and sensitive subject.

Speaking of today, if you've read this far and you live in the 6th Congressional District, you may want to attend a meeting I will be covering. U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan will be holding her 15th Town Hall meeting at the Colonial Theater on Bridge Street at 7 p.m.

As you may have read recently, in 2019, Houlahan held more town hall meetings than any other member of Pennsylvania's Congressional delegation, a report put together by CoverThis.com.

That means I will miss the Lower Pottsgrove Township Commissioners meeting tonight where the agenda indicates architects will present the latest plans for the new $8.2 million township building.

But, check out Joe Zlomek's Sanatoga Post news site. He will likely be there and have a report for you.

And when Monday rolls around, there are three meetings which should be covered. In addition to the previously mentioned Spring-Ford School Board's voting meeting, the North Coventry Township Supervisors will meet.

Last night, Chairman Jim Marks, who was at the regional planning meeting I was covering, revealed that two important officials, longtime Township Manager Kevin Hennessey and Police Chief Robert Schurr are both retiring, "so we're dealing with that."

An older version of the plan for New Hanover Town Center.

And perhaps most significantly, the New Hanover Township Supervisors and Planning Commission will conduct a joint meeting on the proposed massive New Hanover Town Center project, which includes shopping centers and more than 700 new homes.

That meeting will be held at the township recreation center, 2373 Hoffmansville Road, starting at 6:30 p.m., according to the legal notice published in The Mercury on Jan. 15.

"We're expecting a crowd," New Hanover Supervisor Kurt Zebrowsky said at last night's regional planning meeting. "It's going to be some meeting."

Don't worry, I'm not going to miss that one.

Awards and a Bitter Goodbye in Upper Pottsgrove

It was a small number of us who made our way through the cold December rain Monday night to watch the Upper Pottsgrove Township Commissioners meet for the last time in 2019.

Photos by Evan Brandt
Michelle Reddick, left, thanks all those who have helped her in
her 25 years of service to the township including, at right,
Commissioners Chairman Trace Slinkerd.

Those of us who did, were witness to the passage of another budget that does not raise taxes.

Were were also witness to some awards being given out.

Michelle Reddick, who is the current township manager and has held more positions in the township office than you can shake a stick at.

She received a plaque and the thanks of the commissioners for 25 years of service to Upper Pottsgrove.

Reddick, in turn, thanked the commissioners who have given her an opportunity to learn and achieve.

Outgoing Upper Pottsgrove Township Commissioner France
Krazalkovich, left, is congratulated by Slinkerd.

Also receiving a plaque was outgoing Commissioner France Krazalkovich, who decided against seeking another term on the board to instead pursue a seat on the Montgomery County Commissioners, an effort which ultimately fell short.

As the meeting would down, Krazalkovich made a short speech, listing the board's accomplishments during his time.

He thanked the commissioners, past and present, including Elwood Taylor, who was also at his last meeting.

Noting that "when we first met, it was like "oil and water."

"But once we became colleagues, it certainly matured me enough to understand that at the end of the day, we are colleagues and we're both working to use our own principles to serve our neighbors," Krazalkovich noted.

He's video of much of his speech:



When it came to Taylor, despite more than 20 years of service on the board, he received no plaque from the township.

Nor did he want one, Commissioner Renee Spaide said after the meeting.

Taylor, a retired Pottsgrove Middle School social studies teacher, told the board "I'm a history teacher and I know history is written by the winners and I am a loser," he said in apparent reference to his reelection loss last month.

He decried what he said was the deliberate twisting of his legacy, which in evidently include the effort to force him to resign from the planning commission, or his township commissioner post.

He did neither, despite a September vote by the commissioners to remove him. He was granted a hearing in October and while the board met in closed-door session to discuss its next move, they never took the final step, which was made moot by his election loss.

Taylor's term in the planning commission ends on Dec. 31, 2020 and, no longer being a township commissioner, will no longer be in conflict with the resolution the board passed banning commissioners from serving on other boards.

His comments last night were bitter and he made little attempt to hide it.

"I've been here a long time. I never sought power. People came to me and said 'Elwood would you do this? starting 25, 30 years ago and here I am, absolutely disappointed about the history that is going to be written about this time," he said.

He thanked those with whom he has served over the years, saying "nothing that was done here was done by one person. I always thought my power, was the power to persuade."

Taylor decided to skip over most of his "long list" of concerns, and focused on just one: "I am very concerned about the status of public dialog here, especially at our meetings. There is no public dialog. People are limited to just asking a question or making a statement, not participating in any dialog."

Here is as much video of his comments as I was able to catch:



And once again, since Twitter seems to have given up on allowing its own creations to be embedded, I can only offer this link to the Tweets from the meeting.

Sparks Over Conflict, New Police Chief in Upper

Photos by Evan Brandt

20 YEARS OF SERVICE: Upper Pottsgrove Commissioners Chairman Trace Slinkerd and Commissioner Elwood Taylor were all smiles at the beginning of Monday's Commissioners meeting when Taylor was presented with an award for his 20 years of service on the board. A little later in the evening, things got less cordial.

Francis Wheatley

Because the laws of physics dictate that I cannot be in two places at one time, I was not at the commissioners' June 17 meeting. I have a pretty good excuse. My wife was getting surgery.

Nevertheless, the news stops for no one and apparently I missed some. Turns out that's the meeting where Police Chief Francis Wheatley announced his resignation.

According to the minutes of the meeting, he has accepted a job as chief in Upper Dublin Township, which is closer to where he lives. Township Manager Michelle Reddick said his last day was June 28.

According to the minutes "the chief wanted the public to know that he was not looking for a new position; a job opened up in the town where he grew up and started his law enforcement career and they reached out to him to apply for the job to replace the retiring chief of police."

At the same meeting, Upper Pottsgrove Police Corporal Al Werner was unanimously appointed appointed acting chief.

Wheatley said Werner has 18 years with the department, is working through his master's degree and has attended leadership and management classes, including one through the FBI. "The chief said he feels very comfortable leaving Corporal Werner in charge," according to the minutes.

Cpl. Al Werner, right, was named Acting Police Chief .

“I feel I was called back home,” Wheatley said about his new job in a recent interview with Montgomery News.

(This is where I point out that Montgomery News is owned by the same company that owns The Mercury and if we didn't reduce staff at the company like it was our only job, someone might have alerted us to the departure of the Upper Pottsgrove Police Chief ... But I'm not bitter.)

Commissioners Chairman Trace Slinkerd said the township asked Wheatley to be involved in helping
to choose his replacement.

The post was advertised in a chiefs of police magazine and and Wheatley and Reddick went through "stacks of resumes," Slinkerd said. "We asked them to recommend three candidates," Slinkerd said.

Those three interviews were conducted during a closed-door executive session before Monday's meeting. Slinkerd said the commissioners hope to make a section this month.

Wheatley was hired in 2015 and during his time in Upper Pottsgrove oversaw the hiring of three new officers,increased security in the police building, purchased new rifles and handguns and oversaw the installation of a new computer server, according to the minutes.

A Conflict Over Conflict

The other item of interest last night is a bit more nuanced.

The board discussed a proposed resolution which would prohibit township commissioners from being voting members of other "township boards, commissions or committees as well as other non-profit organizations that receive monetary contributions from Upper Pottsgrove Township."

Depending on who you ask, it is either an attempt to avoid the "appearance of conflict of interest and undue influence;" or "a personal slap in the face."

Commissioner Elwood Taylor, who earlier in the evening shook hands with Slinkerd upon receiving an award for 20 years of service, said he thought it ironic that the same night, Slinkerd would be engineering what he described as a personal attack on him.

"I can't help but think this is aimed at me," said Taylor.

In addition to being a longtime member of the planning commission, Taylor was also recently appointed to the board of the non-profit group Green Allies, which runs the Althouse Arboretum and which does receive an annual contribution from the township.

So too does the Pottsgrove Parks and Recreation Board, of which Commissioner Renee Spaide is a member. So although this resolution could potentially affect that position, Spaide was quick to point out that the parks and recreation board's establishing document requires a township commissioner from each of the three townships which comprise it.

And while the resolution could potentially affect Vice Chairman France Krazalkovich's position on the township's fire committee, the re-structuring to that committee he himself has proposed conveniently includes a requirement that at least one commissioner be a member of the fire committee.

Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. confirmed that the resolution contains "an exception" when the board on which a commissioner is serving requires the presence of a township commissioner.

Commissioner Martin Schreiber's position on the Civil Service Commission would also be in conflict with this resolution. It would also prohibit him from holding a seat on the board of directors of the fire company, which also receives funding from the township.

Slinkerd, who seemed to indicate he was speaking for the majority of the board, said he would expect that Schreiber and Taylor to resign from their respective boards once the resolution is adopted in October.

"It's the feeling of majority of board should that commissioners should serve on just one board, it's not punitive," Slinkerd said.

But, as Taylor noted, the resolution does not have the power to force them to. Township Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. confirmed that once you are appointed to a township board or commission, you serve out your term unless you resign, or are removed through a formal process, and usually only for extreme misconduct.

He also pointed out that the Pennsylvania township code makes provisions for and allows commissioners to serve on the planning commission.

"I take personal slight at this, practical slight at this. It's ironic this comes up on day I receive a plaque for 20 years of service. It's beyond the pale, I'm offended," said Taylor. 

"I can't believe you made this a personal issue," responded Slinkerd. "Are you so important that we can't live without you on the planning commission?" he asked Taylor.

Taylor also pointed out that using "conflict of interest" in the resolution has a legal meaning. It refers to someone who is benefiting personally and financially, from their position.

Garner also confirmed that is how the state's ethics act defines conflict of interest. 

Given that he is actually expected to give money, not get money by serving on the Green Allies board, and is unpaid as a member of the planning commission, "which is advisory only," Taylor said he objected to the suggestion that he needed to be removed because he was somehow benefiting financially from the roles.

"It could be seen as a huge appearance of conflict of interest to be on board of non-profit that is lobbying commissioners for taxpayer money," said Krazalkovich.

Slinkerd said Taylor is welcome to attend all the planning commission meetings and offer as much comment as he wanted. "You and I both know that being a member provides you with much more information," said Taylor.

"Ah, so you're talking about the undue influence then?" Slinkerd responded. "It's about knowledge," Taylor replied coldly.

And on that chilly note, here are the Tweets from the meeting:

Musical Chairs and a New Police Chief

Upper Pottsgrove Township Commissioners Approve Half-Million Dollar Sewer Project in Regal Oaks

A half-million-dollar sewer project in the Regal Oaks neighborhood was given the green light by the township commissioners Monday night.

Former Commissioner John Bealer, and sewer committee chairman, said the project to connect 25 homes on Rose Valley Road and Holly Berry Court to the sewer system will cost $494,076.

Happily, Upper Pottsgrove received a $200,000 grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority through the Small Water and Sewer Grant Program to help cover some of the cost.

Bealer said the township had applied for a larger grant, but Commissioner Elwood Taylor reminded the commissioners that this was the largest state grant the township has received for such a project.

Also last night: Marc Debnam, center,  took the oath as
Upper Pottsgrove's 

newest fire police officer.

The sewer budget has enough in its capital budget -- barely -- to cover the remainder although Township Manager Carol Lewis pointed out that the tap-in fees those being connected will have to pay will put $136,000 back into the capital fund.

Each of the homes being connected will have to pay a $5,447 tap-in fee in addition to paying a plumber to run a line from the curb to their house.

As a result, this project will not result in an increase in sewer rates, Bealer said.

The septic systems at these homes are failing, largely due to the geology of the area, and Bealer said some people can't sell their homes because the cannot pass a health inspection with a failing septic system.

Over time, Bealer said the township will need to connect 75 homes in Regal Oaks to the system, which is now pumped up hill and into the Pottstown sewer treatment plant on Industrial Highway.

The project is not expected to begin construction until the spring, said Bealer.

Last night, the board also decided to reject all bids for a new salt shed, and will try to muddle through the winter with the one now on its last legs at the township facility on Heather Place.

They will re-bid the project in the spring in hopes of getting a better price.

Here are the Tweets from the meeting.

Half-Million Sewer Project

Mulch Spreading, Firm Vetting and Open Gov't

Photo by Evan Brandt

MULCH ADO ABOUT SOMETHING: Upper Pottsgrove Township= Manager Carol Lewis, left, and Commissioners chairman Trace Slinkerd, third from left, thank the entire Pottsgrove High School football Falcons for putting down all the mulch in all the township's parks this spring.

Nine months ago, the Upper Pottsgrove Township Commissioners rejected the bids for a new $2 million public works garage on Heather Place.

Instead, a committee of residents was formed to find a better solution.

That committee no longer exists.

NEW FIRE POLICE OFFICER: Bryan Floyd, right

takes the oath of office as Trace Slinkerd, left, swears

Floyd in as the township's newest fire police officer Monday.

Instead, the commissioners tasked the township planning commission with vetting firms that could provide a more comprehensive review of all the township's building needs.

The planners narrowed it down to two, KCBA Architects of Hatfield, which designed the renovations and expansion of Pottsgrove High School, and Alloy 5, an architecture firm out of Bethlehem.

Monday night, both firms made their best case to the township commissioners. Each firm will undertake the study for about $8,000, although the Bethlehem firm is about $1,200 less, said Commissioners chairman Trace Slinkerd.

Each has fairly extensive experience in municipal buildings and each said they would give an honest assessment without trying to talk the township into an expensive construction project.

Opinion on the planning commission was split, said Commissioner Elwood Taylor, and no clear preference was made evident by the commissioners Monday night.

Instead, said Slinkerd, the board will vote to select a firm to conduct the study next month.

State Sen. bob Mensch, standing, holds up a chart showing how much

of the state budget goes to education and human services during 

Monday night's Upper Pottsgrove Commissioners' meeting.

The board also voted unanimously to hire another police officer, replacing officer Steve Sigoda, who is retiring.

And State Sen. Bob Mensch, R-24th Dist., stopped by for a visit as he does about once a year, talked about the state budget, said the state is not growing because it's business taxes are too high, and fielded a few softball questions from friendly Republicans in the audience and on the board.

He said starting in 2019, the state will begin "performance-based budgeting," which means every line of the budget being audited. He told a Mercury reporter outside, because the reporter's question was not allowed in the meeting, that those audits will be public records available through the Right to Know law, and that the audits would include the legislature's accounts as well.

In another government transparency moment, Commissioner Martin Schreiber, who is also a volunteer fireman, complained that he was told he could not be present for a conference call between township officials, a consultant and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

The call was about the fire department study the commissioners voted to ask the state to conduct last month. Schreiber was told because Slinkerd and Vice President France Krazalkovich were already participating, his participation would constitute a quorum and thus violate the Open Meetings Law.

Schreiber countered that because Krazalkovich and fire officials on the call are all members of the township's fire committee, that a quorum of that group had convened without public notice.

Township Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. confirmed it was an apparent violation of the Open Meetings Law.

But as has been observed more than once at the past two meetings, Slinkerd merely ignored Schreiber's point and moved the meeting along.

Speaking of which, here are the Tweets from the meeting.

Picking a Study Partner

Garage Bids Rejected, No Tax Hike, Insect Invaders

Township commissioners made it official Monday night, rejecting all bids for the new $2 million public works facility at Heather Place.

Commissioners Chairman Elwood Taylor cast the only no vote.

He said characterizations of him being disappointed by the outcry from the Oct. 2 meeting at which many residents spoke out against the project were inaccurate. He said the township had been exploring the issue for many years and this was the outcome and he supports the process.

Nevertheless, Taylor said he looks forward to the alternatives produced by a committee of residents who volunteered to look into the matter.

Discussion of the township budget also indicated that in its current draft form, no tax hike is anticipated, although there was some spirited discussion about the annual cost of sewer service, voiced mostly by the audience.

And our friends in the insect family are really bugging folks in Upper Pottsgrove.

Township Manager Carol Lewis said the township is receiving lots of complaints about the invasive species spotted lantern fly, which comes here by way of Korea and is a danger to trees.

Commissioner France Kazalkovich, who lives in a townhouse development said "I have exactly one tree on my property, and it was covered from top to bottom with these things."

State Sen. Judy Schwank, D-11th Dist., will hold a hearing on this threat on Wednesday, at 9 a.m. and the hearing will be livestreamed on her web site (click here).

In the meantime, Lewis is pursuing a PECO grant to replace the ash trees on public property the township is expected to lose (those that were not harvested for lumber) to another invasive insect, the emerald ash borer.

Before I release you to revel in the live Tweets from the meeting, I would be remiss if I did not share a new term Township Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. invented, which talking about the intersection of the zoning ordinance as it relates to farm animals, and the animal control ordinance adopted this year -- "horse densities."

Evidently it relates to a "horses-per-acre" ratio, and not a measure of how dense your horse may be.

And without further ado, here are the Tweets: