Tuesday, August 11, 2009

As expected....results from the August Council meeting

The taxpayers of Phoenixville will be proud to know that we have each pitched in some tax monies to have our town nominated a "Classic" town.

Sigh.

Justify it as they may, Council continues to encourage the feeding frenzy at the public trough of tax dollars as though we were all participants in our very own charitable family trust just like the Annenberg Foundation!

Councilman Richard Mark Kirkner is the only council member who voted against making a "classic" pile of one hundred $50 dollar bills and burning it.

And, as expected, Council voted unanimously to approve the conditional conditional use application with conditions as set forth by the Planning Commission with the possiblity of future additional Council created conditions.

CORRECTION

Councilman Ken Buckwalter voted AGAINST the conditional use application approval.


It's off to Court we go!

Maybe in a year...

Unfortunately, my get up and go got up and went before Council commenced discussion on the heretofore unknown and not publically scrutinized new ordinance proposal.

Gimme some time to learn the details of this agenda item, and I'll post them to this thread.

UPDATE:

Council approved the scheduling of a hearing on the proposed new ordinance for the Parking Authority.

My sources indicate Councilman Ken Buckwalter as the dissenting vote.

Handwerk and Senley were absent from tonight's meeting.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kirkner should be ashamed of himself in addressing those for preserving his town corner of Starr and Bridge, by saying that the majority of them will qualify or need a home there by the time this is resolved. Mr. Kirkner if you payed attendtin. this project will not be for low income. It is not HUD funded. It will be high cost adult housing. And hte slo9pes and other concrns you mentioned were addressed 5-6 times all year. Your not paying attention as usual, It was unprofesional and hasty to decide on naming a bridge without public input. Amazing

Anonymous said...

Handwerk & Senley missing. And for a change Ciruelos was there! A question for those running for Council this November: "Will you be able to make all meetings, except in the case of a family emergency?"
If your job has a habit of taking you out of town or working evenings change you mind about running and drop out of the race.

Anonymous said...

And again, history repeats itself. Evidence last night when the town council pulled their "Pontius Pilate" act and gave the conditional use vote to the rabble and in effect said let the courts decide.

Anonymous said...

Having the 6-8 conditions on the motion for Luxury Apt - Evans plan does not make anyone comfortable because::

The members who voted on this in the beginning had conditions on the motion which Clemm prepared:

The conditions were:

1) Concept and Project had to receive full HUD funding approval by Apr 2008 application deadline-

EVANS TESTIFED NEVER APPLIED!

2) Concept and Project had to receive full Pville Planning approval and Zoning.

PLANNING TESTIFIED THEY DID NOT LIKE THE LOCATION AND WERE AGAINST PROJECT. THE MADE A LONG LIST OF CONDITIONS FOR COUNCIL IF THIS PROJECT SITE HAD TO MOVE FORWAD.

3) The plans of building size, location and style, could not be amended. The congregation did not want a building blocking their church.

BUILDING PLAN IS HIGHER, LARGER AND CLOSER TO CHURCH IN AMENDED PLANS MADE AS RECENT AS THIS YEAR.

4) How this project came to light was testifed in hearing as one way, yet priest at HG testified at meeting of church another way and confuses the fact it was not a "unlucrative idea".

IF ALL OF ITEMS WERE NOT COMPLETE PROJECT WAS OFF THE TABLE.

Sidenote:: rooms were to be low cost and top priority to all elderly of Holy Ghost. The elders would be put on top of the 250 waiting list. One member of board would be on the director board of this corporation running facility.



LIES LIES LIES. Church split, broke and had money to build their social hall before the Evans plan with Fedornock began.

Anonymous said...

Are there any controls in place to ensure that Father Evans can not turn this corner into a project other then what he claims with elderly housing?

He seemed overly calm at the conditions on use.

There has been indication from his staff that this is not a low income housing project anymore.



HELP!

Anonymous said...

Not sure why anyone surprised by Specks handling of bridge naming.

This idea like the elderly housing, always it put into peoples ear first.

Its called politics.

Anonymous said...

So lets get this straight. The people of HG were duped by some pastors into believing they were doing the right thing as Christians by selling their land to help widows and orphans- or whatever. Now it appears they've sold their land for a pittance to aid rich widows and orphans? LOLOL. It isn't really funny, but can you see what playing 'follow the church leader' gets you here?

Anonymous said...

After finally seeing an actual picture in todays Mercury of what Holy Ghost church has planned for their corner, it's obvious that the current members that voted for it cannot be proud of their heritage if they are willing to hide the unique architectural character of their church behind such an ugly McSenior structure.

Anonymous said...

Just read todays Mercury.
1) Reporting flawed as land not given away to anyone.

2) Kirkner offensive as if brotherhood members in future would qualify to live in this housing, they must be loaded since it is NOT A LOW INCOME PROJECT ANYMORE. Also, if this group protecting church land were poor widows, at least they spend their own money on saving church land - instead of fighting church majority with church funds!

3) Majority of members of church DID NOT APPROVE THIS IN A LEGAL MEETING! 37 VOTES FOR OUT OF 270 MEMBERS!

Anonymous said...

I needed something stronger than coffee this morning when I saw the picture in todays Mercury of what is planned on the corner of Bridge and Starr Sts. And then an overwhelming sadness hit me when I realized I would no longer enjoy the view of such a beautiful church in all seasons. Especially the huge wreath lit up during their extended Christmas. And the dogwood trees in full mature bloom. And the glittering gold dome that catches every sunlight beam. Why would the Orthodox want to hide their faith? Something tells me there's more to this than meets the eye.

Jeff Senley said...

AnonyMoose 08/12/2009 05:54 AM:

I was on vacation. This was expressed at the previous Council meeting so my colleagues were aware that I would not be present.

My colleague Mr. Kirkner missed 3 meetings in a row a few months back for reasons which he informed us of in advance.

Council President Wagner has missed 3 meetings in 2009.

Check the official records for Mr. Ciruelos to see when he is absent, and when he is present what time he strolls in.

If you have attendance criticism, feel free to write to Borough Hall and demand that I and others are not compensated for meetings I am unable to attend.

I also suggest you criticize equally on this issue across the Council spectrum, and not selectively.

Jeff Senley said...

AnonyMoose 08/12/2009 05:54 AM:

I was on vacation. This was expressed at the previous Council meeting so my colleagues were aware that I would not be present.

My colleague Mr. Kirkner missed 3 meetings in a row a few months back for reasons which he informed us of in advance.

Council President Wagner has missed 3 meetings in 2009.

Check the meeting minutes for Mr. Ciruelos to see when he is absent, and when he is present what time he strolls in.

If you have attendance criticism, feel free to write to Borough Hall and demand that I am not compensated for meetings I am unable to attend.

I also suggest you criticize equally on this issue across the Council spectrum, and not selectively.

Anonymous said...

I have been a Borough Council observer for for.....oh...40 years.... and this current batch of council members has the worst attendance of all the Councils I've observed. Past Councils may have had a rogue member or two but all of this batch just don't seem to take the job as seriously as past Council's. Those old members planned their vacations when there wasn't a meeting scheduled and let their employer's know how important that one or two or even three nighs a month were. And then made it up to the employer by being more available when there were no meeting. And they were able to plan and control their schedules so that they wouldn't just come strolling in after the meeting start time. I just don't see the commitment of old and it shows in the actions taken or not taken as the case may be.