Countdown to April 29 to PERMANENTLY close M. R. Reiter. Ask the board to see the 6 point plan.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Borough Council Recap

From the BCCT.

First off, congrats and good wishes to Councilman Albertson.

Now let's check the box scores:
* Dems 6, GOP 2 (a big swing from the GOP control of a few months ago)
* Council 3, PJRP 0 (this most recent defeat for PJRP might be better to call a forfeit since the plans were withdrawn. Anyone know the scoop on that?)
* Citizens: zero tax relief (let's hope Councilman Albertson can help turn that around. Can we afford to wait another year to sweep out the do-nothing council?)

Memo to the Dems: The GOP may have ruled the roost for many previous years, but you're in charge now. If you don't get your collective act together and get new life in this town, you'll be tagged with the error on the play and be relegated back to minority status.

P.S.: Go Phils!


Council appoints Democrat to fill vacant seat

The Morrisville Borough Council appointed Democrat Edward Albertson to fill a council seat left vacant last month by Republican George Bolos.

Albertson, who works for the Public Service Enterprise Group energy company in New Jersey, Monday night edged out Fred Kerner, vice chairman of the Morrisville Democratic Club, for the Third Ward council seat in a 4-3 vote.

Council Democrats Eileen Dreisbach and Rita Ledger, as well as Republicans Jane Burger and Stephen Worob voted to nominate Albertson. Democrats Nancy Sherlock, Kathryn Panzitta and David Rivella voted for Kerner, who works in the mail room at Rider University.

The face of the eight-member board is now made up of six Democrats and two Republicans.

Albertson was sworn in by District Judge Michael Burns. He shook hands with his new colleagues and took his seat behind the council’s dais.

Bolos resigned last month because he moved to Virginia with his family.

In other business Monday night, the council unanimously denied preliminary plans for an office building at East Bridge Street and North Delmorr Avenue that was developer Penn Jersey Real Properties’ second attempt of sorts for a Morrisville Gateway Center.

The controversial Gateway Center proposal was killed in May by a lack of council support. A month later, Penn Jersey proposed an office building that was less than half the size of the Gateway Center proposal.

The council denied the second project because Penn Jersey withdrew its plans, officials said.

The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching Penn Jersey officials for comment.

2 comments:

Jon said...

Congratulations to Councilman Albertson. But forgive me if I'm a bit worried and skeptical because Jane Burger and, especially, Stephen Worob, supported him.

And why did Democrats Eileen Dreisbach and Rita Ledger support the choice of Republicans Burger and Worob? I know, I know - he was the best, most qualified candidate, and ..........

Jon said...

At least with Gateway dead, the boro will be able to root around digging holes unimpeded inside the fence at the end of Williamson park (aka Bridge Commission property) on Bridge St. near Delmorr Ave. Apparently, the boro is looking for the collapsed storm drain that's down there somewhere, there it is, no, that's not it. It's not very comforting that the storm drain is a) collapsed, and b) not found yet.

Anyway, that's what that pit and pile of debris there apparently is. I took a look down into the pit. It's about 10 feet deep, maybe more. I had heard the area was a former leaf dump, but the soil was riddled with old car tires, bricks, concrete chunks, old rugs, plastic garbage bags, a car's front grill, and other non-leafy material that has been buried there. It looks more like a garbage dump than a leaf dump.

Anyone who opposed Gateway on environmental grounds - does this bother you? Have you spoken out about this? "This" being a collapsed storm drain unlocated in a sea of buried garbage.

Where is the stormwater going?

What's in that garbage?

Are any toxic or hazardous materials buried there?

Has anything leached into the soil or groundwater?

Has it migrated?

What about the children and their children and so on that play there?