Sunday, May 20, 2012
Parks, roads departments being consolidated; county's legal department being rebuilt
Last fall, residents thronged a hearing held by the previous Montgomery County administration after a preliminary version of the 2012 operating budget proposed the elimination of the county's parks department, among other drastic funding cuts. That Board of Commissioners eventually passed a budget that hiked property taxes by 17.5 percent and kept the Parks and Heritage Services department intact. Thursday morning, Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro announced that the department had been eliminated, after all. Parks and Heritage will soon cease to exist. The same goes for the Public Property department and the department of Roads and Bridges. In their place will be a single, new department: Infrastructure and Public Assets. "The…
Friday, May 18, 2012
The proposed law would penalize drivers who ignore barricades during and after floods.
The House of Representatives this week unanimously approved a bill that would levy fines and points on driver’s licenses for those who ignore barricades during floods. Introduced by State Rep. Todd Stephens (R-151) of Horsham, following the aftermath of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, the proposed legislation, dubbed "Turn Around, Don't Drown," would penalize motorists who drive through temporary police barricades during and after storms. During Hurricane Irene last year, first responders in Hatboro and Horsham put their lives at risk rescuing people who ignored raging floodwaters outside of their homes and, in more instances, barricaded roads. At least six people in Horsham failed to heed Horsham Emergency Management Coordinator …
Thursday, May 17, 2012
The ‘Truckload’ sale for compost bins and rain barrels will take place this Saturday, May 19.
- GOVERNMENT
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Thursday, May 17
Montgomery County will host a joint compost bin and rain barrel truckload sale on Saturday, May 19 from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., according to a press release from the county’s office of communication. The sale will take place at the Greater Plymouth Community Center, 2910 Jolly Road in Plymouth Meeting. Compost bins, valued at $100, will be available for sale at $45 including tax. Rain barrels, valued at $120 will be available for sale at $55 including tax. Cash, checks and credit cards, Visa or Master Card, will be accepted. “This is a great opportunity for Montgomery County residents to recycle and reuse their food scraps, yard waste and rain water,” said Montgomery County Recycling Director Chris Kaasmann said in the release. “Through …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Board of Commissioners recently approved the applicant's withdraw request. Read the rest of tonight's agenda for the 7:30 p.m. meeting.
Back in March, Liborio-Louvers, LCC sent a request to Lower Moreland Township for a zoning amendment change that would eventually allow the construction of 33 condominiums in five buildings on Lieberman Drive. In April the developer asked for a 30-day extension to submit its updated sketch plan. And now, the developer has put an end to the project altogether by withdrawing its application. In order for this project to have passed, a public meeting needed to be granted to change the zoning from “I” Industrial to allow residential development on the land behind the US Post Office adjacent to Huntingdon Self Storage. With no more sketch plan, there is no meeting required to change the township's zoning codes. As for the rest of the news …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The LM Board of Directors will meet Tuesday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the Pine Road Boardroom. Here is the complete agenda for the meeting.
Board of School Directors Tuesday, May 15, 2012, 7:30 p.m. Pine Road Boardroom I. Board Action Routine Call to Order Pledge of Allegiance: Mr. Steinberg Welcome Visitors Public Questions or Comments on Agenda Items II. Presentations Recognition of the High School Wrestling Team – Mrs. Baker Recognition of the High School Jazz Ensemble and PMEA District, Region and All State Band – Alan Steinberg III. Recommend Approval of the Minutes of the April 17, 2012 Regular Meeting, as Recorded or Amended, of the Lower Moreland Township School District. IV. Report of the Superintendent of Schools Personnel A. Recommend approval of the retirement of Nancy Hamill, Pine Road School, 5th Grade Teacher, effective June 14, 2012. B. Recommend approval of …
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Pine Road Elementary School
3737 Pine Rd, Huntingdon Valley, PA
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Monday, May 14, 2012
The Upper Moreland Revitalization Task Force and Baker Group didn’t mince words about the results of the Train Station Relocation Feasibility Study.
At the May 9 Willow Grove Train Station Relocation Feasibility Study meeting, Ryan Furgerson started off his presentation by getting straight to the point. “The ultimate conclusion is that it’s not feasible,” he said. “But, the important thing is how we got to that conclusion.” Furgerson’s presentation, which took place in the Township Building was a comprehensive recap of over a year’s worth of research and public feedback gathering conducted by both the Baker Group and the Upper Moreland Revitalization Task Force. [Click here for more on the first meetings between the Task Force and Baker Group] Laying the Tracks Following the advice from the 2003 Revitalization Plan, the current board of commissioners asked the Task Force to proceed …
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Two decades into her job, Assistant District Attorney Karen G. Ricca was suspended without pay on April 27.
"Shocked." That's how Attorney Theodore H. Swan Jr. described his reaction when he learned Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Karen Ricca was suspended from her job without pay. Other local lawyers are also stunned over the news, he said. Ricca led -- and decided whether applicants qualified for -- the county's Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition program. The pretrial measure for first-time offenders of nonviolent crimes can prevent them from getting a criminal record. Ricca, who earned about $75,000 a year, was suspended without pay on April 27. She could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. "In the small world of criminal defense ... we all know each other," Swan said on Wednesday. "Karen's been doing (ARD) for years …
Saturday, May 12, 2012
'Inside Story' airs at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
- GOVERNMENT
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Saturday, May 12
The Montgomery County Office of Communications released the following information: Josh Shapiro, chair of the Montgomery County Commissioners, will appear on "Inside Story” Sunday morning (May 13) at 11:30 a.m. on WPVI, Channel 6. The interview of Shapiro by Channel 6 anchor Tamala Edwards, which was taped Friday, will lead off the show, and will be followed by a panel discussion featuring political commentators. “Inside Story” airs on Channel 6 immediately after “This Week with George Stephanopoulos”.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
President Obama made his historic pronouncement during an interview with ABC News.
President Barack Obama has publicly come out in support of gay marriage, the first time in history that a sitting U.S. President has ever done so. Obama, who during the last presidential election stated that he opposed gay marriage, gave the news to ABC News' Robin Roberts in an interview that will air on ABC's “Good Morning America" on Thursday. "I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Ratings agency says county's general fund balance of 5.5 percent of budgeted expenditures is "inconsistent" with top credit rating.
Citing "a sizeable decline in the county's general fund balance following several years of large operating deficits," Fitch Ratings today downgraded more than $18 million in debt issued by the Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority from its highest "AAA" rating to a rating of "AA+." In a statement issued to the media, Josh Shapiro, chairman of the Board of Commissioners, called the downgrade and its associated report "disappointing because we have just begun to turn things around and dig ourselves out of the hole." "Today’s report from Fitch and their downgrade of the Redevelopment Authority’s bond rating to 'AA+' makes clear that the irresponsible spending over the past four years severely depleted the reserve fund to an unacceptably …
