Town and Country Newspaper

News Article

Pennsburg Council President Resigns

Written by Kelly Chandler
2013-01-10

Pennsburg Borough Council will soon be getting a new captain at its helm.

Council President John Lear announced his resignation from council via a letter Monday, citing personal reasons. He was unable to attend the meeting. Vice Chairman Kris Kirkwood presided.

Lear served the borough for seven years and among other projects, was instrumental in lobbying for and getting a traffic light installed at the intersection of Main and 11^th streets. That signal improved pedestrian and bus safety for Upper Perkiomen High School, as well for commuters, in the area.

Council has 30 days from the effective date of the resignation, Jan. 31, to appoint Lear’s replacement on council. That appointee will serve for approximately one year until December 31, 2013. Anyone interested in a council seat is asked to contact the borough at (215)679-4546, ext. 3.

A new council president will likely be appointed in February.

In other business, council reorganized and appointed an emergency management coordinator, Cody Belmont. Belmont was reportedly recommended for the position by Pennsburg Fire Chief Scott Seip and served that department for 9 years.

The previous emergency management coordinator, Carmen Merolla, resigned Dec. 31, 2012, officials said.

Prior to the appointment, resident Wayne Stevens told council he believed they were in violation of state and county regulations by having a void in the position. He also inquired as to the whereabouts of two 800 MHz radios, owned by the county, which were under the coordinator’s purview.

Resident Diane Stevens asked where the borough’s two generators where, which could have been used to power the borough building and police department during power outages caused by Hurricane Sandy.

Kirkwood said council would look into both issues.

Other appointments included Nate Cordero as deputy fire marshal and renewed appointments to the fire marshal, borough secretary/treasurer, solicitor, engineer, police review board, vacancy board, zoning hearing board and Upper Montgomery Joint Authority representative.

Council also voted unanimously to give the borough’s full-time and part-time employee 3 percent raises, effective Jan. 7.

They amended the borough’s fee schedule to set a flat fee of $50 plus administrative costs for re-roofing permits and extended the contract with Associated Paving Contractors for the most recent revitalization work, phase five, until March 31. Officials said the decorative street lights were backordered and the borough needed to allow for delivery and installation.

Return to Previous Page