11/19/12 Perkasie Council Meeting

Council President Matt Aigeldinger reports for closed pre-meeting, claims it is just a planning meeting but will not allow resident in to public building to view meeting of public officials.  Also present at this particular pre-meeting were Mayor Hollenbach and VP Jim Purcell, and Borough manager Olpere.  If there is nothing to hide then why not invite public to witness?  It's not illegal without a quorum just not 100% transparency as we have been promised from Mr Aigeldinger.

Part 1 of Meeting- council is approached about creating a quality of life task force to help curb youth drug use in town.  Mayor Hollenbach reports on Chief Gura's report in regards to the Marino Shooting and says it is being reviewed and then will be presented to Borough Council and hopefully made public.

Part 2 of Meeting - recall bid for borough trash bags, vote on new power purchases, vote on businesses being allowed to connect to public electric for lighting events,   new appointment to Parks & Recreation board, resignation of Amanda Brooks, authorize solicitor to file action against Borough tenant for breach of lease, Pennridge FISH

Part 3 of Meeting - council addresses leaf collection concerns, resident questions connection between Perkasie Pride and Perkasie Regional Authority.  Executive session was held after the meeting.

Link to Philly Burbs story on the meeting

11/12/12 Community Outreach Meeting

This meeting was attended by Steve Pizzolo, Jim Ryder, and Justin Stottlar from council.  They mayor was there and also assistant manager Andrea Coaxum.

Here is a news article about the meeting.  Hope more residents show up at the next one, it is a great opportunity for dialogue!

By Thomas Celona
tcelona@montgomerynews.com 

Like it has been for months, the police shooting of a Quakertown man was a main topic of discussion at Perkasie Borough Council’s special constituent outreach meeting Tuesday, Nov. 13, with the mayor indicating an outside review is nearly complete.

Michael Marino Jr., 26, was shot and killed by a Perkasie police officer in Sellersville in July during a struggle in which the officers were attempting to restrain Marino. The shooting death of an unarmed man has sparked controversy in the community, with many questioning the justification for the use of deadly force.

Following the shooting, the Bucks County district attorney conducted an investigation, determining the shooting to be justifiable homicide, eliminating the possibility of criminal charges. The DA, however, did question some of the actions of the officers on scene.

The officers involved received counseling, including one who received counseling from the state police, and the officer who fired the shot underwent several psychological evaluations before returning to active duty, Mayor John Hollenbach said at the Nov. 13 meeting.

The next step in the investigation is for police Chief Joseph Gura to review the department’s policies, procedures and training in light of the July incident. News of that investigation has also sparked controversy among residents, with some questioning Gura’s ability to be impartial.
“That review is completed, but we are getting an outside source to review our policies, procedures and training,” Hollenbach said.

The outside review is being conducted by another police chief, but Hollenbach declined to identify who.

“It’s a very established chief,” borough council member James Ryder said, noting the chief is not connected with the borough or its insurance company.

That outside report is not yet complete but will hopefully be finished later this week, according to Hollenbach.

“His goal is to make our policies, procedures and training better,” Ryder said.
“I already know they’re looking at certain training opportunities,” Hollenbach said, but he declined to specify what type of training.

Ryder said the Marino family has given notification of intent to file a civil suit against the borough, but nothing has actually been filed to date.

Hollenbach’s report — which he said he was “sticking his neck out a bit” to do — came after both residents and council members complained about the lack of communication regarding the investigation.

Resident Andrew Rumbold said the point of council’s special constituent outreach meetings, which were also held July 10 and Sept. 11, was to create dialogue and allow council members to provide follow-up information to residents. While there had been dialogue, he said there had been no follow-up, as concerns about the shooting investigation were brought up at the prior two meetings.

“We haven’t heard any report on this police shooting. Nothing,” he said.

Ryder agreed with Rumbold, saying he had drafted a letter to both the mayor and police chief asking for the topic to be addressed at council’s Nov. 19 meeting.

“We have been waiting long enough,” he said. “Something needs to be done. We need a timetable of some type.”

After hearing Hollenbach’s report, however, Ryder said the mayor had addressed his questions.

Rumbold still criticized the lack of communication about the investigation.
“It’s not sticking your neck out; it’s communication,” he said. “That’s the way it’s supposed to be. ... I think the communication could have been a lot better.”

“It could have been done quicker, I’d agree with that,” Hollenbach said.

http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/2012/11/15/perkasie_news_herald/news/doc50a45534691a8534746981.txt

11/4/12 Perkasie Council Committee Meeting

Unfortunately no video from the meeting is available.  The agenda is available here.

Few notes:
High praise was given to our public works and electric company from the public and the borough for their response during the recent storm.  Most residents only had a power outage of about 12 hours.

Perkasie Regional Authority (PRA) is attempting to use Council to force people into connecting to their water supply by claiming traces of TCE gas present a danger to 165 Perkasie residents who still have their own private wells. The EPA study that was done in 2005 is summarized here.  If it is such a problem- has the EPA been notified by the PRA?  Or does PRA simply want more customers to pay for the new $4 million facility they are building on Ridge Rd?  The one that will leave Pennridge FISH homeless.

Council is considering a request from Perkasie businesses to connect to the electric on the lampposts for special events. As long as it does not exceed the rated amperage they seem to be ok with this.

A youth delegate was appointed to the Parks & Recreation board.

Council held an executive session for a personnel matter and did not return after that.


A Public Utility meeting will be held Monday November 12th at 6pm at Boro Hall to discuss wholesale electric purchases.

The next Constituent Outreach Meeting will be held Tuesday November 13th at 7pm at Boro Hall. This is an opportunity to have an informal discussion between 3 members of Council and residents. 

Next Council meeting is Monday, November 19th 2012 at 7pm at Boro Hall

Article in Daily Intelligencer here.

Article in Perkasie News Herald here.  Note on this story: the Borough does not utilize ReadyNotifyPA, no alerts have been sent from the Boro through this system.  A resident brought this up during public forum.

Past and future meeting agendas and also meeting minutes are available on the Borough website here.