Latest Update: At about 2:48 PM, the Borough now advises that the records will be available.
You may recall the recent questions in Council and in other places about the newly-installed streetlights (or perhaps streetdarks) in the 200 block of Bridge Street.
In an attempt to get some information on that subject, I wrote to the Borough Manager on March 12, 2007, asking for “[a]ll contracts, invoices, payments, and vouchers related to the purchase, installation, or electrification of the new streetlights on Bridge Street during 2006 and 2007, or related to the management of the aforesaid matters.” Pennsylvania’s Right to Know Law grants the public access to this kind of data.
Despite the law’s requirement that the Borough respond in five business days, my request was ignored until after I sent a written follow-up on March 21. On March 22, the Borough made available 35 pages of bills and accounting records, but no contracts.
When the omission of the contracts was brought to Mr. Nease’s attention, he provided 11 pages of contract documents. Those eleven pages represent a small part of just one contract. And, since the bills show payments to numerous vendors, there are undoubtedly, more contracts.
At last word from the Borough Administration, sent on March 22, they “will inform [me] when they are available for review.”
The Administration either can’t find the documents for the multimillion-dollar Streetscapes project or they are hiding them. A bit of both, maybe? What do you think?
And what about the lights?
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3 comments:
Mr. Breuer - Would this act allow one to get information on the cost of the very similar street lights recently placed in Sprint City?
The are not a municipality - but is information available on the cost of the very nice, nearly identical lights placed around the foundry building property by PAEDCO.
Just wondering about the comparison when we do get the "cost per unit" of the lamp post part of the streetscapes project.
If Spring City bought lights, you should be able to inspect their records upon request. You only need to be a Pennsylvania citizen, you don't have to explain why you want the information.
As far as PAEDCO, you'll have to ask whoever is running that organization.
Dear April 12, 2007 8:14 PM
Spring City is a Borough in the State of Pennsylvania, and is governed under the laws of the Commonwealth of PA.
I highly recommend everyone go see the beautiful Street Lights in Spring City,,and that someone follow through with a Public Information Request.
I've heard, that the Street Lights were DONATED to the Borough,,by the owner of the Spring City Foundry,,,who had to threaten litigation on the Borough of Phoenixville,,before Phoenixville Borough,,bought their Barry Cassidy Blue lights from Spring City Foundry.
be sure to check out chaplins music cafe..
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