Pottstown Selects Boyertown Multi-Service to Run Ricketts Center
POTTSTOWN, Pa. – By a 4-2 vote Tuesday night, the Pottstown Borough Council selected the proposal from Boyertown Multi-Service to operate the Richard J. Ricketts Sr. Community Center.
Council President, Dan Weand, Vice President Carol Kulp and Council members Donald Lebedynsky and Ryan Procsal voted in favor, while Council members Trenita Lindsay and Joseph Kirkland were opposed. Council member Rita Paez abstained.
Lindsey and Kirkland wanted the borough Parks and Recreation department to be selected.
Lindsay said that she “had faith in the borough’s ability to do the job.”
Kirkland said that in his district, “it was clear that the community wanted the borough to run the center.”
In supporting the Boyertown Multi-Services proposal, Weand said that if the Pottstown Rec Department ran the center the borough would incur additional expenses.
“Our preliminary budget shows the need for a 4.5% tax increase,” Weand said. “We’ll have to raise taxes even more if Pottstown takes on the center.”
Procsal said that the Boyertown proposal “delivered all the needed services plus it provides financial help as well.” He added that the Parks and Rec department could also offer programs at the center and would learn how to run it if the borough does not want to continue with Boyertown Multi-Service when the two-year contract expires.
In addition to Boyertown Multi-Service and the Pottstown Parks and Recreation department, CCLU (Centro Cultural Latinos Unidos), STRIVE of Pottstown, and the Tri-County YWCA of Pottstown submitted proposals.
The council also:
– Adopted a resolution authorizing application to the PECO Green Region Open Space Program for the Steel River Station in Memorial Park Connectivity Project, in the amount of $10,000. If the application is granted, the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust commits to the expenditure of $10,000 matching funds.
– Adopted a resolution amending water rates for the borough as recommended by the Pottstown Borough Authority.
– Adopted a resolution for a legislative body relating to a money purchase retirement plan to be invested in Vantage Trust and administered by ICMA Retirement Corporation.
– Awarded the 2020 Chemical Bids as per the bid tabulations of Sept. 17 to Coyne for five years for sodium bisulfate, activated carbon and sulfuric acid; and aluminum sulfate for 1 year to Thatcher.
– Approved a three-year professional services agreement between Hough Associates and the borough to collect the 2019, 2020 and 2021 recycling data and prepare PA DEP 904 recycling grant applications at a fixed price of $8,000 per year.
– Ratified the mayor’s disciplinary action of suspending a police officer without pay.
– Granted the request of the Victory Christian Life Church to hold a Light the Night event on Oct. 31, resulting in the closing of Washington Street between King Street and Buttonwood Alley, from 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
– Granted the request of Janet Freedline to hold a Halloween Trick or Treat night on Oct. 31, resulting in the closing of Franklin Street, between Diamond and Wilson streets, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
– Granted the request of Tiburon Endurance Sports to hold its Fox Trot 5K event on May 16, 2020, resulting in the closing of the Circle of Progress and Glasgow Street from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., and to utilize borough owned property for event parking.
– Approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for the property located at 912 E. High St. as recommended by HARB (Historical Architectural Review Board).
– Ratified the action of the building permit officer approving a Certificate of Appropriateness for the following properties: 100 North Hanover Street; 344 King St.; 121 King St.; 107 King St.; and 990 E. High St.
– Denied a certificate of appropriateness for the property located at 940 E. High St. as recommended by HARB.
Source: https://www.wfmz.com/
