The Sanatoga Post

SANATOGA PA – Lower Pottsgrove police officers spent 40 overtime hours last month (June 2011) on Driving Under the Influence (DUI) checkpoint duty, township Police Chief Michael Shade reported Thursday night (July 7), with all of its $1,980 cost paid for by the federal or state governments. He can guarantee they got their money’s worth, too.

A checkpoint run by Shade’s force June 10 (Friday) in the 3000 block of East High Street, near the Sanatoga interchange of U.S. Route 422 and the Turkey Hill convenience store there, netted no fewer than six DUI arrests. One of those, he told the Board of Commissioners as part of his monthly report, was a fourth-time offender. But wait!, there’s more.

Officers also:

• Stopped one driver for driving while under a DUI license suspension, and a second for driving under license suspension on a different charge;
• Found six vehicles they stopped had state inspections that were expired, and discovered a seventh with an expired registration;
• Ticketed two drivers for failure to obey traffic control devices;
• Pulled off two drivers who were not licensed;
• Issued a warning for a faulty brake light;
• Seized a registration for a vehicle on which the insurance had been canceled;
• Impounded two vehicles involved in earlier traffic violations; and
• Recovered one vehicle that was being used without the owner’s authorization. Criminal charges in that incident are pending in the borough of Norristown.

“That was a very busy night,” Shade said in retrospect.

Related (to the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ July 7 meeting):

• At Township DUI Check, They Got What They Paid For
• Police Radio Discussion Possible In Township’s Meeting

The former Sanatoga Chapel on East High Street, which the society uses as its headquarters.

SANATOGA PA – Both the August meeting and August open house of the Lower Pottsgrove Historical Society have been canceled, as society members enjoy their summer. This month’s meeting, however, is a reward of membership: the society’s annual picnic, open to its dues-payers, will be held July 20 (2011; Wednesday) beginning at 6:30 p.m. outside its headquarters, the former Sanatoga Chapel, 2341 E. High St., Pottstown PA.

• This event has been added to The Post calendar.

Hamburgers, hot dogs and sodas will be provided. Members are asked to bring a side dish or dessert to share. The meal will be followed by a meeting at 7:30 p.m., at which the 2011-2012 society officers are expected to be elected.

For more information, call 610-323-6033.

The regular meeting and open house schedule will resume in September.

SANATOGA PA – Montgomery County is asking for the opinions of Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township and other municipalities on whether they want to upgrade their police departments’ radio systems, at an estimated cost of about $48 million countywide, or install a quick and less expensive fix that solves problems now but potentially incurs more costs later.

“No brainer,” Police Chief Michael Shade and township Manager Rodney Hawthorne essentially said during May (2011), when both told the Board of Commissioners they would prefer an upgrade despite the expenses municipalities would bear. They’ll possibly have an opportunity to confirm their preference again, during the commissioners’ first monthly meeting tonight (Thursday, July 7, 2011).

It starts at 7 p.m. in the municipal building, 2199 Buchert Rd., Pottstown PA, and is open to the public. A meeting agenda was not yet available today as of 6 a.m., but once posted usually can be downloaded from the township website, here.

Commissioners last discussed the status of police radios only two weeks ago, shortly after they received a June 20 letter containing the county’s inquiry and accompanying survey form. At the time they deferred answering it until a further discussion tonight, when the chief is expected to be in attendance.

The county is being forced by the Federal Communications Commission to change how the system works by using different radio frequencies, or bands. With federal demands for an April 28 decision, county commissioners officially voted to undertake the less costly choice of re-banding, or switching frequencies, rather than upgrade, or even replace the entire system at a substantially higher cost of about $120 million.

Like Shade, however, other police chiefs think their communications and safety needs outweigh the money issues. Many have already voiced opinions that an upgrade seems prudent. The county wants confirmation of that desire … in writing.

The survey looks to find out how many new radios Lower Pottsgrove will need for its part of the upgrade (Hawthorne estimates at least 20, at a cost of about $7,000 each, or more than $140,000), and whether the township would be interested in buying the equipment outright or leasing it from the county over a 10-year period, according to county Communications Director John Corcoran.

In the past, the letter notes, “it has been customary for the county to fund the voice and data communications infrastructure while municipalities cover the cost of radio equipment for their police officers.” With so much money at stake in an upgrade, though – the letter calls it “the largest single capital investment in county history” – the county wants “assurances” from municipalities that the upgrade is necessary “and that they are willing to share the costs.”

Related:

• Township Likely Faces Costs As Dispatch Radios Change

Related (to the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ July 7 meeting):

• Police Radio Discussion Possible In Township’s Meeting

POTTSTOWN PA – “Dear Santa: We’d like to find a really great present awaiting us during the winter holidays. A brand new-looking school would be nice. Can Ringing Rocks Elementary be ready for occupancy by then? Love, the Pottsgrove School District.”

“Dear Pottsgrove School District: Have your boys and girls been really, really good? If so, no promises, but I’ll see what I can do. Yours, Santa.”

Construction of one of Ringing Rocks' new wings, as it appeared in late April. The building has come a long way since then, and could be substantially completed by August

The correspondence? That’s fiction, of course (even though we all know Santa’s the real deal). But its subject – the part about being able to occupy the renovated and expanded Ringing Rocks school during Pottsgrove’s winter holiday break – well, that could be fact.

District Business Administrator David Nester, asked last week (June 27, 2011) by the Board of School Directors for a progress update on reconstruction of the school on Kauffman Road, Pottstown PA, said he’s encouraged by what he’s seen. “The contractor tells me we’re about three weeks behind schedule because of all the spring rain,” Nester reported, “but the building could be substantially completed by Aug. 17.”

Substantial completion, Nester cautioned, does not equal move-in ready. General contractor E.R Stuebner Inc. must first run through a lengthy series of check lists to ensure every bolt is tightened and every drawer pulls smoothly. It will need to again review the work of various subcontractors. District Clerk of the Works Tom McGrady, who school board members happily say has proved to be a stickler for detail, must also be satisfied.

There could still be a spate of bad weather or other glitches that create delays, too.

Nester, though, was somewhat optimistic. “We can hope for a mid-year, Christmas break move,” he told directors, and asked that they tentatively plan to tour the building during their first meeting of August.

As proof that much must happen between now and then, Nester asked board members to let him know how they can be contacted during July, when the board will not meet. He expects last-minute change orders for Ringing may crop up, and he wants to be able to reach them for telephonic approval if necessary. The board authorized $13,013 worth of changes during its June 14 meeting.

It similarly authorized contractors’ payments. Stuebner was paid $681,181 at mid-June, with an estimated $2.274 million still outstanding. Other payments included those to Landmark Service Co. LLC for heating, ventilation and air conditioning work, $258,810, with a remaining balance of $875,016; MJF Electrical Contracting Inc., $313,222, balance $946,015; Vision Mechanical, $94,981, balance $108,958; and TMI Commercial, $11,520, balance $37,215. The entire project, when completed, is estimated to cost $15.6 million.

Related (to Ringing Rocks Elementary School renovations):

• Ringing Rocks Delivery Could Be On Santa’s Wishlist
• Pottsgrove Board Tours, And Likes, Progress At Ringing
• No Power For Ringing Library Computers ‘An Omission’
• Blasting A Possibility, But Not Yet, At Ringing Rocks
• Few Change Orders, So Far, At Ringing Rocks
• Rigs Arrive At Ringing Site To Drill Deep For Geo-Heat
• Exterior Demolition To Begin At Ringing Rocks
• Digging’s Done, Now Real Work Starts At Ringing
• Ringing Rocks Ground-Breaking Set For Thursday
• After Month’s Work, Pius Deemed Set For Ringing Pupils
• Ringing Rocks Bids Accepted, At $1.5 Million Less
• Final Words On Ringing Rocks: Okey-Dokey
• Ringing Rocks Gets Final Plan OK
• Borrowing Authorized For Ringing Rocks Project
• Pottsgrove Signs Pius Lease For Ringing Students
• Pottsgrove Authorizes Pius Lease For Ringing Relocation
• Call Goes Out For Ringing Rocks Construction Bids
• Board OKs Ringing Rocks’ Preliminary Plans
• School Vestibule Design OK; No Decision On Rocks’ Relocation
• Ringing Rocks Plan Approval Held Until May
• Ringing Relocation Decision Deferred Again
• Township Legal Move Saves District Time, Money
• Economic Tales, Exec Sessions, And Long Night At Pottsgrove
• Geothermal Now ‘Locked’ Into Ringing Re-Build
• How Estimated Costs For Ringing Shape Up
• Less Is More In School Project, Planners Learn
• Bids Sought For Ringing Project Asbestos Removal
• Ringing Relocation Decision Possible In Two Weeks
• Restaurant, Ringing Projects Win Conditional Uses
• Ringing Rocks, Restaurant Hearing Topics Tonight
• Pottsgrove Student Enrollment: Up? Yes. Down? Yes Again
• Green Discussion At Ringing Results In Red Faces
• Pottsgrove, Archdiocese Still Discussing Pius Lease
• Ringing Rocks Relocation Discussion Set For Tonight
• In The Ringing Rebuild, Whither Pius?
• Ringing Rocks Relocation Plan: Modulars At MS
• Ringing Rocks Construction Cost Hearing Tonight
• Planners OK Ringing Rocks Land Sketch
• District Sets Dec. 3 Hearing On Rocks Budget
• Pottsgrove Asks State Help To Pay For Ringing Re-Build
• As School Opens, Progress On Ringing Rocks’ Project
• Surprise Enrollment Spurs Demographic Interest
• District Assembles Ringing Rocks Planning Team
• District OKs Architect Negotiations
• Consensus On Ringing Renovations: $16M
• Ringing Rocks Proposals Aired Tuesday
• Ringing Rocks Re-Examined April 14
• Pottsgrove To Trust-But-Verify On Ringing Plans
• Ringing Rocks Plans Take Another Step
• No Shortage Of Ideas At Pottsgrove Meeting
• Weigh In On Pottsgrove Renovations
• Framing The Rocks Discussion
• Response Mixed To Pottsgrove Improvements
• District Invites Public For Study Results
• A Different Rocks, But Only As A Concept

Related (to the Pottsgrove Board of School Directors’ June 27 meeting):

• Ringing Rocks Delivery Could Be On Santa’s Wishlist
• 12 Personnel Positions Affected By Pottsgrove Approvals
• After The Budget, Pottsgrove Directors Bat Clean-Up
• Pottsgrove Authorizes Special Education Agreements
• Pottsgrove Plans To ‘Look Into’ Student YouTube Vids
• Stripped, Naked And Worked Over At Pottsgrove MS
• Of 7 Final Budget Choices, Pottsgrove Landed In Middle
• Pottsgrove OKs Final Budget: 1.8% Tax Hike, About $74

POTTSTOWN PA – So let’s say you’re cruising east on High Street, heading from Stowe to Sanatoga, with your brand-new WiFi-enabled tablet computer sitting on the adjacent seat in your car. All of a sudden, you get this urge to send an e-mail to your aunt, who you haven’t talked to since she forced you to cut your hair in the ’70s. You pull over and, right there at the curb, you begin pecking away, “Dear Aunt Minnie …”

Hey, it could happen. And now thanks to cable television and Internet service provider Comcast, it could happen for free – twice – this month only.

During July (2011) only, use free WiFi twice in greater Pottstown where you see a red square

A Comcast executive in his blog on Friday (July 1, 2011) announced that the company’s Xfinity-brand WiFi hotspots, which cover thousands of small and usually connected areas in southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, would be free for use by the public twice during July for up to 60 minutes each time.

There are dozens of such hotspots in Pottstown PA along West High, High, and East High streets, by the way (shown as red squares on the map above), which make your missive to Minnie possible. There are lots of others nearby, too. Search for those near you, here.

Sure, sure, there are rules and caveats with any give-away. This one’s no exception. It applies only to out-of-home WiFi services; you’ll still pay, as an example, without a discount or break for whatever services Comcast provides at your house. You’ll be required to log-in, which is how you’ll be limited to two timed uses. Hotspots are locations outside a home, usually at a business but sometimes also out on the street, where you can also connect to the Internet.

Usually, you’d pay a fee for the privilege. Not so during July. Use your computer’s capability to find an Xfinity hot spot near you, log onto it, register and follow the prompted instructions, and you’ll be surfing.

Hopefully, however, not while you’re also cruising. That’s just dangerous, and think of how ashamed Minnie might feel.

POTTSTOWN PA – Personnel actions recommended by the Pottsgrove School District administration were approved unanimously and without discussion last week (Monday, June 27, 2011) by the district Board of School Directors.

Approved for resignation:

• Robin Gadsby, duty aide, West Pottsgrove Elementary; and
• Julie Lieberman, girls soccer and lacrosse coach, Pottsgrove Middle School.

Approved as district substitute employees:

• Jennifer Holste, substitute teacher, $100 per day; and
• Robin Gadsby, substitute aide, $9.21-$9.76 per hour.

Approved for non-certified employment:

• Laurie Bickert, secretary, Ringing Rocks Elementary, replacing Terri Roberts, $15.57 per hour;
• Ashley Lanyon, special education instructional assistant, replacing Irene Pavlik, $13.67 per hour; and
• Garrett Vanderweghe, grounds utility technician, replacing Dan Coccie, $15.56 per hour.

Approved for certified employment:

• Justin Giles, teacher, Pottsgrove Middle School, replacing Cheryl Fithian, $41,929;
• Jennifer Holste, Grade 2 long-term substitute, Lower Pottsgrove Elementary, replacing Jessica Dierolf, $41,929; and
• Stephen Mellor, long-term substitute, Pottsgrove High School, replacing Krista Rundell, $41,929.

Approved as a teacher for the elementary school summer program, at $31 hourly:

• Mary Bradley.

Approved for placement as a guidance intern:

• Aaron Bell of Kutztown University, supervised by Cristina Kleinfelter, at Pottsgrove MIddle School for the 2011-2012 school year.

Approved for attendance at conferences:

• High school teacher Margaret Scott, to attend the AP Summer Institute for U.S. History at a cost of $800, with no substitute coverage required.

Related (to the Pottsgrove Board of School Directors’ June 27 meeting):

• 12 Personnel Positions Affected By Pottsgrove Approvals
• After The Budget, Pottsgrove Directors Bat Clean-Up
• Pottsgrove Authorizes Special Education Agreements
• Pottsgrove Plans To ‘Look Into’ Student YouTube Vids
• Stripped, Naked And Worked Over At Pottsgrove MS
• Of 7 Final Budget Choices, Pottsgrove Landed In Middle
• Pottsgrove OKs Final Budget: 1.8% Tax Hike, About $74

Photo from Clipart.com

POTTSTOWN PA – Passage of the Pottsgrove School District‘s 2011-2012 final budget, with a 1.8-percent tax increase, was the headline-grabbing action last week of the Board of School Directors. But as in many things, clean-up details also matter, and board members attended to a number of those during their June 27 meeting as well.

They continued what are known as “nuisance taxes,” small revenue generators that can amount to millions of extra dollars, without change; they designated the district’s official banks and tax collectors; and they re-appointed the district solicitor.

Continued and unchanged taxes were a:

• One-percent tax on earned personal income;
• Per capita tax of $5, levied on all Pottsgrove district residents age 18 or older;
• Local services tax of $5;
• Real estate transfer tax of 1 percent of a property’s purchase price; and
• Mercantile tax charged to business owners, at a rate of 1 mill to wholesalers and 1-1/2 mills to retailers.

Appointed as depositories, where the district will keep its money:

• Wells Fargo, Citizens, First Niagara, National Penn, TD, and WSFS banks;
• Tri-County Federal Credit Union;
• Pennsylvania Local Government Investment Trust; and
• Pennsylvania School District Liquid Asset Fund.

Named as tax collectors for:

• Local services taxes, H.A. Berkheimer Associates, headquartered in Bangor PA, for Lower and Upper Pottsgrove townships; and Theresa Yost for West Pottsgrove;
• Earned income tax, Berkheimer, at a fee of 1.39 percent;
• Delinquent per capital taxes, Berkheimer, at fees permitted by law;
• Mercantile taxes, Berkheimer, at a fee of 3 percent; and the
• Real estate transfer tax, the Montgomery County (PA) Recorder of Deeds in Norristown, at fees established by law.

The law firm of Fox Rothschild was retained as solicitor, most often represented at board meetings by attorney A. Kyle Berman, who is based in its Blue Bell office.

Related (to the Pottsgrove Board of School Directors’ June 27 meeting):

• 12 Personnel Positions Affected By Pottsgrove Approvals
• After The Budget, Pottsgrove Directors Bat Clean-Up
• Pottsgrove Authorizes Special Education Agreements
• Pottsgrove Plans To ‘Look Into’ Student YouTube Vids
• Stripped, Naked And Worked Over At Pottsgrove MS
• Of 7 Final Budget Choices, Pottsgrove Landed In Middle
• Pottsgrove OKs Final Budget: 1.8% Tax Hike, About $74

Related (to the Pottsgrove School District 2011-2012 budget):

• After The Budget, Pottsgrove Directors Bat Clean-Up
• Unlike Pottsgrove, Most Districts (So Far) Avoid Freeze
• PA Legislators Work To Reform Schools’ Taxing Abilities
• Pottsgrove Task Force, A Good Idea Copied, Copied Again
• Of 7 Final Budget Choices, Pottsgrove Landed In Middle
• Pottsgrove OKs Final Budget: 1.8% Tax Hike, About $74
• ‘Cyber School, Here We Come,’ Pottsgrove Proclaims
• Budget-Motivated Pottsgrove Admin Changes Approved
• Plan To Further Cut Pottsgrove Tax Hike Dies In Tie
• Pottsgrove Cuts Admin Job Among Leadership Changes
• Pottsgrove Plans For Re-Assignments A Budget-Saver?
• Teamsters Agree, Too, On Wage Freeze For Pottsgrove
• Does Pottsgrove Have An Administrative Cut-In-Waiting?
• Red And Yellow Items Left On Pottsgrove Budget Table
• Pottsgrove OKs 2.8% Tax Hike In Tentative Budget
• Local School Boards Face Both Cuts And Policy Changes
• Pottsgrove Chinese Language Students Face Cuts Again
• Pottsgrove Task Force Didn’t Shelve Pay-To-Play Plan
• Committee: Charter School May Save Pottsgrove $70K
• Pottsgrove Paying $28K Next Year For MCIU Support
• Secretary Says Schools Must Find Funds Themselves
• College Students Protest Proposed Ed Budget Cuts
• Pay Freeze Endorsed As Pottsgrove Labor Talks Start
• Pottsgrove High Protesters Exercise Art Of Compromise
• Pottsgrove’s Landis Distributes State Fund Comparison
• Pottsgrove Budget Deficit Balloons With Gov’s Proposal
• MCIU Budgets On Pottsgrove Schools Agenda Tonight
• PA House OKs ‘Cut And Replace’ On Education Funding
• Idea: Other Local Schools Consider Extracurricular Fees
• Idea: Pottsgrove Might Prosper With Own Charter School
• Pooling Resources Could Save Pottsgrove On Special Ed
• Like Pottsgrove Task Force, Outsiders Weigh Cost Vs. Value
• Task Force Crowd Packs Into Pottsgrove For First Session
• School Budget Task Force Kicks Off Its Work Tonight
• Does Western PA School Tax Uprising Foretell Mood Here?
• Pottsgrove Schools Budget Short Another $400,000
• Pottsgrove, As Expected, Adopts Budget First Draft
• Pottsgrove Tentative Budget Adoption Expected
• Weather Postpones Pottsgrove Budget Meeting
• Still Time In Pottsgrove For Budget Volunteers To Enlist
• Challenge To Pottsgrove Budget Advisers: 10 Percent
• Best Guesses, Deficit Launch Pottsgrove Budget Season
• Senate Education Chair Preps For Voucher, Choice Battle
• School Board Questions Pottsgrove Recreation Costs
• Pension Reform Vote Could Benefit Pottsgrove, Others
• Notebook Worthy: News Reporters Made News Tuesday
• Pottsgrove Isn’t Waiting In Search For Budget Volunteers
• If You’ve Got A Budget Idea, Pottsgrove Says It’ll Listen
• Pottsgrove Seeks More Public Input On District Budget

POTTSTOWN PA – Just as the Pottsgrove School District prepares during the next 60 days to open its buildings for the new school year, it’s also putting into place agreements for special education and other services that selected students will need. Those were approved by the Board of School Directors during two separate meetings (June 27 and June 14, 2011, respectively).

Among agreements authorized were those with:

• Lakeside Educational Network of Fort Washington PA, for educational placements and mobile support services;
• An unidentified special needs student, under a confidential settlement and release agreement, the details of which were not provided;
• Vanguard School in Malvern, for a single student next year, at a cost of $45,185;
• Wordsworth Academy in Fort Washington, for extended school year services for a single student at the rate of $250 daily for 29 days, or $7,250;
• Pathway School in Norristown, for extended services between July 6 and Aug. 16 for a single student at a cost of $6,800; and
• Devereaux Brandywine in Glenmoore, for extended services between July 5 and Aug. 19 for a single student at a cost of $185 per day, or $6,290.

Related (to the Pottsgrove Board of School Directors’ June 27 meeting):

• 12 Personnel Positions Affected By Pottsgrove Approvals
• After The Budget, Pottsgrove Directors Bat Clean-Up
• Pottsgrove Authorizes Special Education Agreements
• Pottsgrove Plans To ‘Look Into’ Student YouTube Vids
• Stripped, Naked And Worked Over At Pottsgrove MS
• Of 7 Final Budget Choices, Pottsgrove Landed In Middle
• Pottsgrove OKs Final Budget: 1.8% Tax Hike, About $74

Photo from Google Images

Members of the 78th Army Band in concert during 2008

SANATOGA PA – As a concert venue, Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township is finding itself among some pretty elite company.

The U.S. Army Reserve’s 78th Army Band doesn’t play just anywhere, its commander, Warrant Officer Eric Flowers, can tell you. It often enjoys big crowds at big halls. Not surprisingly, then, during next week alone, the band is scheduled to play in Baltimore MD, Ocean City MD, Gettysburg PA, Philadelphia PA, Cape May NJ, and Haddonfield NJ.

Smack dab in the middle of that schedule – on July 13 (Wednesday) at 7 p.m., township receptionist Jennifer Corley reports – the 50-piece ensemble will strike up a series of patriotic tunes at Lower Pottsgrove’s own band shell in Sanatoga Park, South Sanatoga Road, Pottstown PA.

• This event has been added to The Post calendar.

The band consists of soldiers from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania, and is posted from Fort Dix NJ. Its will be the second of several performances slated during the township’s summer concert series at the park, thanks to what Corley calls “generous” financial support and sponsorship from Exelon Nuclear. The series itself is conducted by the township Parks and Recreation Board.

It’s important to note that the band’s appearance is the only concert in the series NOT scheduled for a Sunday. Like all other performances this summer, it’s free and open to the public. Those planning to attend are urged to bring their own seating in the form of lawn chairs or ground blankets.

Also scheduled in the series are:

• July 17 (Sunday), 6 p.m., family fun night with The Paisley Pickles;
• July 24 (Sunday), 6 p.m., Barbone Street Jazz Band;
• July 31 (Sunday), 6 p.m., The Mango Men; and
• Aug. 7 (Sunday), 6 p.m., Pottsgrove Community Band.

Have fun on really hot or rainy days, and avoid getting sandy feet too

SANATOGA PA – Parents and their kids can go to the beach without getting sand between their toes, Sanatoga child care school owner Ed Shaw claims … and on certain days, his suggestion might even be better than the real thing.

Shaw, who operates the local Goddard School franchise at 2074 E. High St., Pottstown PA, says that on days when it’s too hot or too rainy to go outdoors, parents should consider creating an indoor oasis for their young children.

“Start by creating a space in your living room or play room that can be used as the beach,” Shaw advises. “Have your child wear their best beach outfit, complete with flip flops and sunglasses, and lay beach towels on the floor. If you have beach balls or other beach-related decorations, bring them out to add to the fun.”

During their day at the beach, kids can use their imaginations to pretend they’re swimming, surfing in the waves, or the working as a lifeguard to watch over all the other swimmers. “Read your child’s favorite beach-related books together, eat lunch picnic-style on your beach towels, play a game of beach ball catch, and even take a nap on the beach,” says Shaw.

There’s no need for sunscreen, either, he notes.