Several Residents Tell Pottstown Borough Council Where There's Smoke, There's a Problem

Two years ago, borough council loosened the regulations regarding open burning, most specifically as it relates to the fire pits many were already using in their backyards.

But several residents told borough council Monday night that some of their neighbors are abusing the privilege and causing problems.

One Second Street resident said neighbors have a property that is frequently disheveled and that the residents there is now using a fire pit and the smoke gets into her home. "I have to close my windows," she said.

Another resident said his neighbors has a fire "day and night to smoke his food," while another neighbor is burning construction debris in the backyard, "which is illegal."

He even showed a video of the debris being burned, (although it projected sideways on the screen, and so is presented that way here because I am not tech savvy enough to fix those things.)



A third resident, this one from the North End, said she opposed rescinding the burning ban when council approved it two years ago and her fears have only been confirmed.

Noting that parts of the North End are in a valley or depression, the many fire pits burning there results in the smoke hanging in the stagnant air.

"I can't enjoy my patio. I either have to close all my windows or even drive away from my own house, and I shouldn't have to do that with the amount of taxes I pay," she said.

Council thanked them all for their comments.

Two other residents spoke, both of whom spoke about council's pending decision about who should run the Ricketts Community Center.

Jonathan Corson, who said he is speaking as a taxpayer, urged the two agencies contending to run the Ricketts Center -- the STRIVE Initiative and the Olivet Boys & Girls Club -- to find a way to work together.

If not, council should award the contract to neither and "take it back," and run it out of the Parks and Recreation Department, as occurs in most other municipalities and as used to be done there.

He said both the borough and school district have "washed their hands" of being concerned about the center.

Another speaker, Elaine Waltmate, said she volunteers there teaching American sign language and urged council to keep Olivet in charge.

Council did vote to send a new contract to Olivet with new provisions, but Council President Dan Weand stressed council was merely taking the opportunity to make changes to the contract and that their vote was unrelated to their final decision.

And with that, here are the Tweets from the meeting:

Where There's Smoke, There's Fire