POTTSTOWN PA – “Somebody must know something!,” President Michael Neiffer fumed Tuesday (Oct. 25, 2011), as the Pottsgrove Board of School Directors learned that no one has yet been apprehended in acts of vandalism committed last weekend (Oct. 22-23) at the newly reconstructed Ringing Rocks Elementary School on Kauffman Road, and nearby properties.

While he smoldered during the board’s second monthly meeting at the district office, just south down the hill from Ringing, Neiffer suggested the district should offer a reward for information leading to a perpetrator’s arrest and conviction. So far, it has been only a thought; no reward was authorized by board members.

Lower Pottsgrove police are continuing their investigation of the mischief that left thick lines, obscene graffiti and other images in white spray paint on the exterior walls and parking lot at the not-yet-reopened $17 million school. “To have it trashed by some morons is inexcusable,” Neiffer growled.

If there was any happiness regarding the incident, it was supplied by district Business Administrator David Nester. “The good news is, the power washer worked well,” he told the board. District workers and Ringing Hill Fire Company volunteers successfully cleaned up the vandals’ mess to the point where “I couldn’t see any instance of the damage,” Nester reported.

The taggers, as spray painters are sometimes called, also hit some contractors’ vehicles on the school site, as well as at the Classic Grill V restaurant at North Charlotte Street and School Lane; the Planet Fitness franchise at the opposite side of the same corner; the former Pizza Hut building a short distance away on North Charlotte; and the Dollar General store in the North End Shopping Plaza.

Was only one person or several involved? As of Tuesday, police weren’t sure. Was the vandalism gang-related? Probably not, they added. Had other places been similarly tagged recently? Could be, police acknowledged, noting they were checking into reports of other recent incidents in neighboring municipalities.

Lower Pottsgrove Lt. Michael Foltz expects police patrols around the school and the neighborhood will increase as Halloween, and the potential for more mischief, approaches, he told The (Pottstown PA) Mercury newspaper Monday (Oct. 24).

Directors were generally pleased that police responded quickly, and volunteers had been so generous their time. Mere discussion of the incident, however, left Neiffer still shaking his head in disgust. “Morons!,” he repeated, in describing the vandals. “This is a close-knit community,” he added, “and somebody might know something.”

If you do, call Foltz at 610-326-1508.

Other coverage:

• Pottsgrove School Board president seeks reward for school vandalism ‘morons’ (The Mercury)
• Lower Pottsgrove police investigate graffiti vandalism (The Mercury)

Related (to Ringing Rocks Elementary School renovations):

• Color Him White With Anger Over Pottsgrove Vandalism
• Hear That? It’s The Ticking Deadline Clock At Ringing
• 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’ Oct. 25 meeting):

• Color Him White With Anger Over Pottsgrove Vandalism
• No Disciplinary Changes, School Committee Suggests

Photo from Google Images