What do you get for your taxes?

Everyone remembers the summer of 2020 when we had several severe storms pop up and cause damage all over the east coast. A big discussion at that time was infrastructure and stormwater systems an designs. Government always trying to solve the problem when most of the time they are the problem. In this particular instance they absolutely are the cause and the problem. Residents know the borough does not take ownership of alley's between streets which many residents use for parking or rear access to their home. The paving in most alley's is not in good shape but to be expected. It's tough to get all residents of that particular alley to chip in. But what about the stormwater system? That is owned by Perkasie Borough. A few years back the public works department use to collect trash in the alley's which over time got to be an issue with residents not maintaining debris, tree limbs etc so the truck could get through. So the borough started picking up trash at the front of the properties. However years of the trash truck using the alley definitely caused damage as these alley's when paved are not to spec to handle large trucks. They maybe have 2" of asphalt on stone. Below you will see an inlet that has settled causing stormwater run off to go around the inlet and across residents properties. This is the results of that water not going into the storm inlet where it should. Council representatives were made aware of the issue an we were told that it would be fixed properly. Count down almost a year later from Aug 4 2020 to now this was the public works directors solution. We expected better since his former career was many years with a well named outfit in the area H&K.

By winter time the cold patch will be down the end of the alley but even more importantly here is an updated video with the stormwater runoff still doing the same thing it did originally. So why did it take almost a year to do just this? So we ask again who is running your town and what do we get for the tax dollars we pay? Eroded yards? Flooded homes? Who is steering the ship? This is what failure at all levels in our local government looks like folks. Perkasie First

Reefer madness!

The last two years we have heard from parents that utilize menlo park with their children that there has been an issue with people openly smoking cannabis while at the park or at menlo pool in the parking lot. Tonight Borough council stated there have been a lot of festivals in menlo park this year. We questioned in public forum if any were cannabis festivals. Council and the solictor seemed puzzled. That's probably because most council members live on the outskirts of the borough and rarely ever come into the heart of town. The problem was brought to their attention with the Perkasie Police Chief in the room. We have no issues with what people do on their own time. But using cannabis in a kids park is unacceptable. It was asked if there is an ordinance or does the law prevent people from doing this on Borough property. They advised that was a law enforcement question. No words from Chief Shurr. People in society do not call on police anymore due to the amount of time it takes for them to get on location to a call. They would actively catch more crime if active patrolling was done. By the time they get on location that person most likely would be done toking. If residents are seeing this openly the question is why aren't the police? People must feel comfortable enough doing things like this in the open without fear of repurcussions. Unfortunatley Perkasie Borough has had that reputation for a while. It's all about what makes them feel good and what gets their name on plaque. Not about representing the residents and keeping a safe and clean community.If we don't have a safe an clean park for our kids what does that say about our community? Perkasie First

If you really want to know what council thinks of the residents have a look.

This is 2nd ward councilman Steven Rose talking to a resident at the polls last November. The CDC guidelines and rules put out by the bucks county board of elections was if someone had a medical reason or disability they did not have to wear a mask. Mr. Rose took it upon himself  to make the rules and try to intimidate a resident who has a medical reason for not wearing a mask and was told so. The Judge of elections was apparently not made aware of the confrontation and intimidation tactic out front of borough hall. It’s not likely anything would have been done since the judge doesn’t even follow election laws herself. More on that incident in the near future. Bottom line this gentlemen does not deserve to be re elected since he doesn’t seem to want to represent all of the people of his ward just the ones that fit his political agenda. Residents should pay attention to these people that are running your town. Council president Jim Ryder and vice president Jim Purcell were made aware of Mr Rose using his council position and abusing his power. Nothing was done so we can only assume they agree with his intimidation tactics against residents. 

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Back to business as usual.....

 Well it appears borough council and the administration is back to business as usual. The public stays in the dark as to the happenings in their town. Meeting minutes haven’t been uploaded in a few months now for public view. The open meetings law requires meeting minutes to be taken for each meeting and posted for public view. We will look further if a specified timeline is required. Most other municipalities have no problem keeping these records up to date for their residents. Perkasie borough on the other hand does what it wants. 

Another issue that has been ongoing in the borough which is an unsolved issue still is on S 3rd and S 4th street. A traffic study was done as multiple residents showed up to a council meeting before the lockdown to express frustration for the amount of traffic and speeds on a secondary road due to people using it as a raceway, we mean cut through, to avoid a traffic light at Walnut and 5th street. Council in usual fashion appeared interested in the issue while having residents in front of them. The study showed over a two week period the volume of vehicles being 45,000 +!!!!!!!! This is a small secondary road in the borough. The borough council and administrations recommendation was to put up no truck traffic signs? No one that we are aware of complained about truck traffic. It was the volume of vehicles and speeds. But hey they represented the people and sprung into action right? Residents while pulling out in front of their residence have had vehicles plow into them, people have had mirrors taken off etc etc. Here we are over a year later and still nothing has been done and those no truck signs? Yea there are still large trucks passing through. Like everything else without enforcement and penalty no one will think twice. The Borough is always quick to pay a lawyer to draft up ordinances that they have no intention of enforcing anyway. 

Ladies and gentlemen let’s call this what it is. Taxation without representation. But we should not expect anything less from our representatives that open their borough packets 15 minutes before the meeting to read what they intend to vote on that evening . 

It’s time for a fresh start and new council members that are willing to put the time in that is required to do the job.  What we have seen so far are the next in line from the political parties that want to do the bidding of the party instead of the residents they serve. 

Stay tuned we have other matters we will bring forth as we continue to look out for the residents. Remember when Perkasie was quiet and peaceful before it was built up with subdivisions and building on any open piece of land?  Increased traffic, crime and wear and tear on our infrastructure. It has been proven before strength in numbers. It can easily be proven again. 

Perkasie First