Tuesday, May 7, 2013
There was some arguing on the subject, but ultimately the measure failed.
A recommendation from the Spring City Finance and Ordinance committee to publicly post names and addresses of residents who have liens against their homes was voted down Monday night following a lengthy discussion. Spring City Borough Council voted 4-2 against the proposal to post the information on the borough website in an effort to collect unpaid taxes. "We're trying to humiliate people into paying their bill," Councilman Gene Sweeney said. The committee came up with the suggestion in hopes that "maybe seeing their name in print would encourage them to pay their bills," Council President Louis DiGuiseppe said. "They think, now my neighbor knows I didn't pay my bill. Or, people see them at the bar every night and think, 'oh, they're at …
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
The board examined two projects they want to fund.
At Spring City's monthly board meeting on Monday, March 4, borough manager Dennis Rittenhouse presented two improvement plans to the borough council that could be funded by grants from the Chester County Department of Community Development. These grants are intended to pay for community revitalization projects. Rittenhouse told the council that both plans are improvements that the borough definitely needs. One is the purchase and installation of an anaerobic digester at the wasterwater treatment plant on Gay Street; the second involves repairing a stormwater flow issue in the 100 block of Hall Street. The county has $2.5 million in grant money available this year. The digester project would cost $910,000. Rittenhouse said that this …
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
The borough council discussed ideas for encouraging growth in Spring City.
The stagnation of Spring City's Main Street came up at this month's borough council meeting, following a somewhat heated discussion at January's meeting between council members and attendees. On Monday's agenda was the topic of "Proposed Economic Development Initiative Ordinance". Council president Louis DiGuiseppe said that the discussion started in the Finance and Ordinance (F&O) Committee after last month's meeting to start discussing ideas for how the borough could help businesses that want to move into or stay in Spring City. The F&O committee's first suggestion was to form an economic development committee comprised of residents, businessmen and councilmen to get ideas and suggestions Councilman Michael Hays said he thought a …
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Several residents aired concerns at Monday's meeting.
The public comment period during Monday's Spring City borough council meeting turned into a discussion of residents' concerns about the state of Spring City. Virginia Metzger, a longtime borough resident, pointed out during public comment that with PNC Bank closing their Spring City branch and Rite Aid moving out, Spring City's residents are suffering from the lack of services in town. "This council should be concerned about this," Metzger said. "I don't see anything worthwhile coming into town." She pointed out that there is also a lack of services such as doctors or dentists, no grocery store, and no place to buy cards or gifts. "It seems like we get more apartments, more Section 8 [housing]," Metzger said. Council President Louis …
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
The increase will raise taxes by .36 mills.
Spring City's Borough Council passed its 2013 budget at Monday night's meeting, and the budget will include an 8.9 percent tax increase for borough residents. The new rate is 4.37 mills, an increase of .36 mills. This means residents will pay $4.37 for every $1000 of their assessed property value, so a hypothetical property valued at $100,000 will pay $437 in taxes. "It will be an increase of between $30 and $36 [per year] for most residents," said borough manager Dennis Rittenhouse. The real estate transfer tax, the occupation privilege tax and the earned income tax rates will stay at 1 percent. Occupational assessments will be 25 mills. Library project stalls The new Spring City Library project hit another snag at Monday's meeting …
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
The borough council also voted to advertise next year's budget and tax rates.
Spring City's Borough Council passed a much-discussed animal control ordinance on Monday evening at their monthly meeting. Council also voted to advertise the 2013 budget and tax rates, which will have a public hearing at the December 3 meeting. Animal Control Ordinance The animal control ordinance has gone back and forth from the Finance and Ordinance Committee to the borough council for several months. Many of the sticking points related to the number of animals a resident would be allowed to keep. Several council members expressed concerns at previous meetings that genreally limiting the number of animals would prevent people from owning small pets. Some council members also said they would like for people to be able to own chickens if…
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Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Phase 4 of Spring City's streetscape project will go out for bid soon.
Spring City Borough Council held its regular monthly meeting on Monday night. Council dealt with a number of issues, including their ongoing streetscape project, which is hitting its final phase. Streetscape Project Phase 4 Drew Sonntag, representing the Urban Research and Development Corporation (URDC), presented plans for the last phase of the streetscape project. This phase will encompass the north side of Bridge Street from the river to Main Street and the west side of Main Street to Yost Avenue. The plans contain mostly curb and sidewalk improvements. Due to underground utilities and the number of driveways and utility poles on Bridge Street, there is only one tree to be planted. Council authorized putting the project out to bid, …
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
An ordinance regarding animal keeping is still being worked on by council and committees.
Spring City Borough Council once again discussed an ordinance during Monday's meeting that will regulate the number and types of animals that can be kept in homes and on properties in the borough. Council talked about the ordinance at last month's meeting. Spring City resident Margaret Hughes has been before council on a few occasions to outline issues she has with a neighbor who has animals. Councilman Gene Sweeney expressed concerns that limiting "all animals", without specifying which animals, would make it illegal to own multiple "goldfish or guppies or hamsters." "I have a problem with it being all pets," Sweeney said. Several other council members agreed. Councilman Michael Hays reiterated that he feels residents should be allowed to…
40.176847
-75.547891
Spring City Borough Hall & Police Department
6 S Church St, Spring City, PA
/articles/spring-city-talks-animal-rules-main-street-cleanup
1410362
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Monday, April 9, 2012
State Rep candidate and Spring City Councilman Mike Hays signs public service pledge
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, April 9, 2012
The following was submitted by Timothy Potts: Two candidates for the state House of Representatives have become the first to sign a Public Service Pledge, committing them to following the will of PA citizens as documented by state-of-the-art public opinion research. Michael Hays, seeking election in Chester County’s 26th district, and Christopher Lee, running in the 171st district in Centre & Mifflin counties, have signed The Majority Party PA's pledge. “Lawmakers always claim to speak for the majority of voters, but the majority want a government that is far better than the one we have,” Hays said. "True public service is about addressing the needs of the people, not those of special interests and Harrisburg lobbyists." “I signed the …
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Spring City Borough Council did not start off the year on a positive note, with two councilmen quarreling mid-meeting.
The Spring City Borough Council met for its first meeting of 2012 on Tuesday night. As a part of the meeting, the council had to do a mandatory reorganization, where newly-elected officials were sworn in, committees were rehashed and a new president and vice president were selected. Former Board President Lou DiGiuseppe was reelected to the president's seat by a 6-1 vote, after board member Jim Burns was shot down in a 2-5 vote for the seat. For the vice president spot, which was held by Rick Beard, who no longer serves on the council, Donald Shaner won unanimously. Chairman Pro-Tem will be Mike Petak, who was voted in unanimously. Petak, Shaner and Gene Sweeney were sworn in as newly elected officials. Under new business, the board …
Dynamo47
7:04 am on Tuesday, May 7, 2013
I agree with those who opposed the measure. There are many factors that go into someone who has a lien against them or their property. There are things such as job loss, divorce, death of a spouse, medical issues that can make someone fall behind. I am not blind to the fact there are some who legitimately default but for the most part I think they are just good people encountering hard times. … more ›