June 18 2012 Council Meeting

Council met last night in the wake of the police shooting and the near-drowning incident at Menlo Aquatics center.  They wisely decided not to comment or discuss the shooting until all the facts were in and the Bucks County DA issued a report.  The incident at the Aquatics center received a little attention with council members agreeing to visit the pool on a future date to review procedures especially the lazy river which is where the incident took place.

You can watch video of the meeting below in 2 parts, sorry for the sound quality the accoustics and PA system at borough hall leave a lot to be desired.  What do you expect for $4.3 Million renovation?

Part 2 has an interesting comment from Councilperson Steve Pizzollo at the 20:13 mark.  A resident had spoken up in public comment at the beginning of the meeting about an email sent by another resident concerning the near-drowning incident at the pool and serious concerns about the safety plan and employees of the pool- that other resident was unable to make the meeting.  Pizzollo commented that if there were a problem at the pool that the room would have been packed and said "this one individual complaint isn't even worthwhile paying attention to"

In other business there was a tabling of the public hearing on the proposed zoning ordinance amendment related to the Federal Fair Housing act because a letter from the Bucks Co planning commission had only been received a few hours before the meeting.  The county had previously stated that Perkasie needed to change its definition of "family" and also remove the minimum size requirements for garden and conversion apartments to comply with the Fair Housing Act and be eligible to continue to receive grant money.

Also the borough Master electric plan presented in May was approved.  This sets a timeframe for advance purchases of power in blocks to help diversify the purchasing and hopefully help level prices in the future.

Council voted to spend $600 on upgrades to the bike path crossing at Callowhill Street. Even though it is state law that drivers have to yield to pedestrians in any crosswalk there was comment made that bikers often ride right across.

Next council meeting is Monday July 2.  Please remember to sign up for our email group to have the agenda forwarded the Friday before the meeting, just enter your email in the box on the top right of the blog.

Proposed Master Electric Plan

Borough council is considering a new master electric plan which aims to diversify purchases on a timeline to avoid drastic rate fluctuations like the 68% increase in 2008.  Here is an article from the Intelligencer.

While on the surface it sounds like a good idea, the notion that the borough would continue to purchase power through AMP Ohio seems like a bad idea since this is the middleman company that we signed onto the bad deal in 2008 with.

Here is a letter to the editor from resident questioning the wisdom of the Borough in this plan - Denied Free Market Choices 

Here is video of the Utility meeting on May 14

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Councilmember Kravitz Uncensored!

Councilwoman Suzanne Kravitz approached residents after the April 16 meeting and admonished them for exercising their 1st amendment rights because of the content of their signs.  Is this how we expect our councilmembers to behave?

Perkasie Councilmember Krantz Walk of Shame

Video outside Boro Hall before the April 16 meeting of Council.  A few residents are peacefully assembled outside with signs voicing their displeasure at the Sunshine Law violations that occurred.  Councilwoman Barbara Krantz misuses police resources for her own little dog and pony show.

Perkasie violates PA Sunshine Act

"Perkasie Council committed a “double violation” of the state’s open meeting law for gathering behind closed doors to discuss the possibility of selling a borough building and giving a company a break on electric rates, according to a Bucks County grand jury investigation released Thursday."

  Read the rest of the story here including a copy of the grand jury report 

Here is the edited video of the 30 minute press conference with Special Guest appearance by Perkasie solicitor Nate Fox from Begley Carlin Mandio law firm.

















Here is the full unedited version