Anonymous sources

Skip Lawrence's December 1st blog entry, entitled "Free Speech and Patience" (link here), quotes, without attribution, a 'fictional Presidential speech.'

For those of you who learned to actually cite your quotes, the source of Mr. Lawrence's quotation is the fictional President Andrew Shepherd in "The American President."

For those of you who may quote Mr. Lawrence in the future, be sure to give him the courtesy of properly attributing the quote to him. If you don't, someone may think it is your own writing and you will surely be embarrassed.

Parking -- West Chester style

An article in the Daily Local News of November 25, 2008 notes that West Chester intends to lease parking spaces in its newly-planned garage to companies that wish to reserve the spaces.

According to the DLN, West Chester Borough Manager McNeely states that the cost per space will be $20K-$27K and that a lessee will need to commit to paying off that cost over the term of the construction bonds, 20-30 years. The contribution to operating costs is extra.

At a 4% interest rate and a 20-year term, the basic monthly payment per space would be $121.20--163.61 (principal and interest, like your mortgage).

The Phoenixville Parking Authority (you remember them, don't you) needs to evaluate how many Phoenixville businesses are willing and able to make that commitment to solve the downtown parking 'crisis.'

Ze budget ...ze budget

The Borough now has the proposed 2009 budget on its website.

Unfortunately, the 'official' version, while it includes the 2008 data, does not show any comparisons.

An annotated set of the budget financial data (with comparisons to 2008) appears here. Several sheets of analyses appear here. There is also an analysis of the proposed staffing increases here.

Doing another line of Krack

Borough Manager E. Jean Krack's "Budget Address" to the Council concludes with the following sentence:

"I ask that Council consider a financial committee or sub-committee of three council persons willing to meet with Mr. Nease and me once a month to provide Council with an accurate update and ability to adjust to any significant trends."

What has prevented the Manager and the Finance Director from providing "accurate updates" at the monthly meetings of the Council's existing Finance Committee?

The Law of Averages

According to the 2009 Proposed Phoenixville Borough Budget, the average borough personnel costs (salary plus benefits) per full-time-equivalent employee are:

All General Fund Departments $87,859

Executive Department $77,781

Finance Department $67,900

Public Works Department $92,182

Police Department $101,897

Codes Department $60,127

Crossing Guards $95,198

Streets Department $81,266

Recreation Department $49,952.98

Water Treatment Department $85,369

Water Distribution Department $75,675

Waste Water Treatment Department $89,272

2009 Budget Continued

Comments on the recreation budget and some more about the general fund are linked here.

I have heard that some members of the staff and of the council have expressed concern that I have been able to comment on the budget – a ‘privilege’ not afforded the general public.

My response: I have not commented on any material that was not publicly discussed at the November 3, 2008 council meeting. I addressed my letter to the council members, not the general public. I did not make the letter publicly available until I heard of the above-noted ‘concerns.’ Lastly, public comment on the affairs of government is not a privilege, it is a right. Any public official, elected or appointed, who cannot respect that right needs to leave his public position immediately.

From PASD-world, home of the 'voluntary resignation'

The separation agreement for former PASD Superintendant Dr. Schwab appears here.

Anyone who believes that it takes two teams of lawyers and nine pages of text to accomplish a 'voluntary resignation' should be required to repeat the third grade.

And now, for something completely budgetary

The recent proposed 2009 budget presented by Borough staff on November 3rd calls for a $50K increase in the salaries and wages line in the executive department -- an increase of about 30%.

A link to my letter to Council regarding the budget, along with a set of budget documents, can be found here. (With apologies for the several typos.)

Cafe Wagner Menu

The Cafe Wagner and its chef Jean Krack present for your enjoyment

Budget a la Nutter

the new publicly invisible budget, for councilmembers' eyes only.

And there's sure to be a surprise once you look inside.

Case of Buckwalter v. Borough of Phoenixville

A compendium of the principal filings in this case is available at this link. These papers tell the whole story of the case to the point at which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided to hear this appeal.

I am posting this just for reference, not for comment.

This is your Borough on Krack

The Phoenix reports Borough Manager Krack’s thoughts on streamlining the Planning Commission’s operations. For the article, click here.

So, Council is concerned about its ‘relationship’ with the Planning Commission. (Translation: the PC doesn’t always do what Council’s leadership wants, forcing Council to actually take on the issue and responsibility itself.)

So, PC Member Evans is in favor of curtailing public participation in the PC’s meetings. (Translation: if Evans can’t get everyone he has herded to the meeting to speak into the microphone, no one else should get to speak at all.)

So, Borough Manager Krack wants to ‘shortcut’ things, based on his seven years’ experience in Coatesville. (Translation: Council wants to create a back channel to exercise control over the PC and curtail its independence.)

OK, Council should just eliminate the PC and do the job itself. To paraphrase Woody Allen, they’ll be doing the job with people they love.

The machinery will surely run better with fewer moving parts.

Then Council President Wagner will have surpassed the accomplishments of his predecessor, John “I Can Deliver” Messina.

And Borough Manager Krack will have taken another step in moving Phoenixville toward the greatness of Coatesville.

$74,000 for fundraising supplies

According to the CDC’s Form 990, in the 2006-2007 fiscal year, it received income of $306K: $39K of direct public support ($37.5K of which was from a single source, the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation), $227K of government grants, and $40K from special events.

It spent $276K: $43K for program services, $159K for management and general expenses, and $74K for fundraising supplies.

$74K for fundraising supplies for an entity that gets virtually all its support from the PCHF, the Borough, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania?

Council bliss -- July 28

On Monday, July 28, 2008, Borough Council held a public hearing regarding a grant application for $250,00 for a revolving loan fund.

After that hearing, at which no one spoke, the Council tabled the vote on the matter. Seems that neither the Council members nor the Borough Manager actually had any papers or solid information about the grant application.

Since the matter had been advertised for a public hearing back on July 17th, you might think that somebody in the Borough government would actually know what it was all about. Perhaps the Manager, who presumably arranged for the advertising, could have informed himself. Maybe he could then have passed the information on to Council. Is that too much to expect?

Instead, the Manager and Council simply moved forward with a public hearing despite their own virtually total ignorance.

What sort of public hearing input were they expecting? Was it a genuine effort to accept public comment?

I suppose we should be thankful that they didn’t vote on something on which they were admittedly uninformed.

What the CDC got

In answer to a question raised to an earlier post:


According to the Main Street CDC’s 990s, it received the following in public support and government contributions from January 2003 through June 2006. The CDC’s 990 for July 2006–June 2007 is not yet on Guidestar.

Year /Period ...Public support ........Government contributions
2003.....................$64,780 ....................$50,000
2004 ....................$45,615 ....................$65,000
1/05-6/05 ..............$4,821 ....................$56,667
7/05-6/06.............$90,139 ....................$95,000

Totals .................$205,355 ..................$266,667


Go to Guidestar to get the full reports of the Main Street CDC, PCHF, etc.

Drink tax for Phoenixville--not quite

Councilman Buckwalter suggests that we investigate an alcoholic beverage tax, modeled after the recently introduced tax in Allegheny County, as part of the Borough's revenue -raising portfolio.

The Allegheny County tax is imposed under authority of Act 44 of 2007, which added 53 Pa.C.S. Sections 8601 and 8602 to state law. (Look here, go down to 53 Pa.C.S.A., and keep opening nodes till you get there.)

Some problems exist in trying to apply this law to Phoenixville:

Phoenixville is not a county of the second class. Last I looked, Phoenixville isn't even a county.

The alcoholic beverage tax must be applied to support transit systems. So, are we now going to build a Phoenixville transit system?

To your health!

According to the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation’s 990 filings, it gave grants to the Main Street CDC of $30,000 in FY 04-05, $77,500 in FY 05-06, and $37,500 in FY 06-07, for a total of $145,00 in those three years.

PCHF’s FY 06-07 filing also reports approval of a future grant of $75,000 to the CDC. Since the reporting period ended June 30, 2007, more than a year ago, one might suppose that this ‘future’ grant has already been paid.

So, it would seem that the CDC got $220,000 from the PCHF. Don’t you now feel so much healthier.

Not to mention $333,333 of Borough funds on top of the $220,000.

The right idea

Lifted from an anonymous comment on Councilman Senley's blog:

Some things to consider:
(1) Should the CDC contract be renewed at all?
(2) Should the CDC contract be renewed independent of the 2009 budget process?
(3) Should the CDC contract be renewed at an increased rate?
(4) Should the term of a new CDC contract be 5 years?
(5) What services will the CDC provide to the Borough if the CDC contract is renewed? Are those services necessary?
(6) Can grants be obtained to fund any of the cost of the CDC contract?
(7) What services provided under the CDC contract can or should be done by Borough staff?
(8) Are there merchant or business organizations willing and able to provide any of the services provided under the CDC contract?
(9) Are all of the CDC's operating costs and expenses paid from the base contract amount? Does the Borough incur any additional costs like filing fees, travel expenses, etc.?

The CDC Director weighs in on his own conduct

Just an short excerpt from Mr. Cassidy's "shrimp boiled in beer" posing of July 24, 2008:



it was not without controversy and problems. some contractor whistled the three stooges theme every time i walked by his site for about a week...i did nothing and kept moving but them it got too much when they yelled stuff like is he a boy or girl...hey honey. i did confront...got a little verbal with him and he made a mistake in throwing a punch which hit me in the forehead...i hit him in the stomach and he doubled over...his workers were stunned...they just sat there and looked with their mouths open because this guy had a big bark...hit him in the nose with my knee when he was doubled over and whipped out my member and pissed in him. told him to notice i did not have to squat.

To read it all, go here

An 'authoritative' hour

The newly-created Phoenixville Parking Authority held its initial meeting Wednesday evening, July 9th. The five Authority members were joined by Borough Manager Krack and CDC Director Cassidy.

The one-hour meeting proceeded in a measured and businesslike manner. After introductions of the members, the discussion moved to a review of the 2004 “Parking Study Report,” Borough parking issues generally, on-street and off-street parking, downtown and neighborhood parking issues, and a possible parking garage. The Authority also plans more frequent future meetings and the active solicitation of public input. The members noted that, somewhat to their surprise, their task included all parking in the Borough, not just the downtown.

The funding sources for a downtown garage include potential federal, state, and county grants totaling $7.8–$8 million, according to Cassidy. Also, he suggested that a private donation of the land for a garage may be in the offing. The value of that donation would be used as the local match.

The Authority appears to realize that it has no current Borough appropriation or staff and that it will need to develop its own funding ability.

Anyone wanting an emailed mostly-complete copy of the 2004 parking study can email me at

morechickencacciatore@yahoo.com

Please put “parking study” in the subject line.

The urge to be urgent

Skip Lawrence suggests in his recent column that the Council should rapidly approve $5,000 toward the costs of moving the “Phoenix Pherris” wheel from Asbury Park to Kimberton for restoration. His reason for the supposed urgency: “there might just be other bidders for purchase.”

Of course, neither Mr. Lawrence nor anyone else suggests that there are really any other competing buyers. Nor does he enlighten us on how long the wheel has lain disused and rusting on the ground in Asbury Park. But, merely the imagined possibility of another buyer makes this an urgent decision, one for which time must be ‘compressed’ and, thus, judgment suspended.

Ms. Cohen told Council that the total project cost was about $152,000: $50,000 for the purchase, the rest for transportation and restoration. She also advised that she had a commitment for $25,000 toward the purchase price and that the seller was allowing the purchasers eighteen months to come up with the $25,000 balance.

One might well ask what competition there is to buy the wheel if the seller is willing to defer half the price for a year and a half interest-free.

One might also ask why Ms. Cohen wants or needs to move the wheel before it's been paid for. Is it her plan to refurbish the wheel first, before it’s fully paid, just to create more intense pressure to provide funding of the purchase price?

Has Ms. Cohen suggested where the wheel will go when it’s done? On whose land? Who will own it, secure it, maintain it? Until there is a more complete and coherent plan, there is no public urgency at all.

Oh council

With apologies to Walt Whitman

Oh Council, my Council, the meeting’s nearly done
Agenda long and tedious, and midnight’s almost come
The end is clear, adjournment near, the video is ending
Members clear out to go on home, it is too late for drinking

But oh town! Town! Town!
Oh precious burg of mine
The new motions that they have passed
Will haunt us for all time

Oh Council, my Council, rise up and do your jobs
Put on a tie and suit jacket and try not to be slobs
For you the public did elect, for government they’re yearning
But you’re not paid a salary, and nought you full are earning

Hear Council, our Council
This town around you sits
While you stay here and legislate
In awful starts and fits

My Council does not answer, it remains pale and still
My Council does not feel my vote, perhaps it never will
The Borough’s headed for the rocks, the Council couldn’t care
The Council presses claptrap, of facts it’s unaware

Arise arise oh public
And call your councilmen
Or else our Borough all too soon
Will sink into the fen

Hope for council

"Monkeys Think, Moving Artificial Arm as Own" -- headline in The New York Times, May 29th.

Feenick's Wocky

With apologies to Lewis Carroll


In Feenick’s Ville the slithy toves
Do gyre and gimble down Bridge Street
Out before the sea-di-sea
With pony tails replete

Beware the kas-e-dee my son
The pen that writes initials bad
Beware the skip-er-do’s reports
That obscure the facts so sad

He took the Phoenix in his hand
Hard with it he batted back
He blogged a bit for some relief
And watched the mural crack

And as in drunken daze he stood
Outside his fav’rite Bridge Street bar
Authority came upon him quick
“Garage for parking cars!”

One two one two and through and through
A fan that heats and then ignites
A house or two go up in smoke
Such things do give us frights

And has thou managed yet to get
All Feenick’s Ville’s good public dough
Oh frabjous day, Calloh Callay
They are such fools you know

$35,196.69 per space

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on May 9th that the new garage at Main and Cherry Streets in Norristown has 483 spaces and cost $17 million.

You are welcome to check my math.

A job for NASA

Anecdotal evidence suggests that on Friday and Saturday nights there's a wait for tables at both Molly's and Iron Hill.

My conclusion is that there's no parking problem, but rather a restaurant seating problem.

To that end, I propose that Council immediately form a Neighborhood Alehouse Seating Authority to address the root cause of this problem. I'm sure that the authority members will find a way to publicly fund a solution.

Leading by example

In Phoenixville government, that would be by bad example.

The State Ethics Act requires that public officials and certain public employees file a publicly available "Statement of Financial Affairs" with the Borough Secretary by May 1 of each year.

Neither Council President Wagner nor Acting Borough Manger Watson have filed theirs.

Mr. Wagner didn't file last year's statement either.

The State Ethics Act provides that "no public official shall be allowed to take the oath of office or enter or continue upon his duties, nor shall he receive compensation from public funds, unless he has filed a statement of financial interests as required by this chapter."

Dive right in

If you haven't yet discovered the Diving Cat Studio at 246 Bridge Street, you need to get hoppin' (or is it divin').

It's a place that will put a smile to the face of a curmudgeon (a type of salamander, I am told).

Anyway, I picked up a wonderful gift there this afternoon for my Mom.

Really a unique selection of craft items and full of customers in the middle of the afternoon.

For their website, click here.

Every circus needs a sideshow

Word has it that Mayor Scoda signed the Parking Authority Ordinance on April 29th.

Now that Council has solved its parking problem, let's see what the Authority does.

Don't forget, every circus also has someone walking behind the elephants, carrying a shovel. Sound like the citizens to you?

An incoherent truth?

“The comments and posts on The Phoenix Files do necessisarily represents the thoughts or feelings of The Phoenix and/or PhoenixvilleNews.com ownership or management.”


taken verbatim from The Phoenix Files.

Phoenixville -- deprived again

ARRRRGGGGHHHH!
No, this is not write like a silly editor day. But with Barack Obama scheduled to appear at the Paoli and Downingtown train stations today, I expect the Editor of The Phoenix will write something like this:

Are you frustrated that Phoenixville is having another brush with presidential politics that is ending up with, again, a candidate ALMOST coming to Phoenixville.

Okay, it was great that Barack Obama will appear today at the Paoli and Downingtown train stations.

But he should have come here! What stopped him?

A TRAIN STATION, or, rather, reportedly, the lack of one.

Local gossip Dementia Blabberer said that she heard from the cousin of a great-aunt of a daughter-in-law of a friend of an Obama campaign worker that Obama was originally scheduled to ride the Schuylkill Valley Metro to Phoenixville, but changed plans when the campaign discovered that it didn't exist.

No, I'm not saying that we should build a multi-million dollar rail line just for an occasional campaign stop by a political candidate, but it is certainly as good an economic justification as anything else that's been put forward.

Lack of train service in Phoenixville can be an extreme inconvenience.

Phoenixville can use some good publicity and it's sad that yet another chance for a quick headline in the dying local paper is gone, perhaps forever.

But the train problem is more enduring and has broader implications than the occasional loss of bright opportunities like these.

Without a train line, it’s impossible to measure just how many people live on the right side of the tracks. But it’s known that some people do, because they tell us so.

That means lost status and self-esteem, sometimes not just for a day, but permanently.

I don't know whether Phoenixville should establish a Transportation Authority to handle the problem, or just set up a Transportation Department along with other borough offices. I’ve heard arguments on both sides.

But SOMEBODY needs to start building a train station downtown, or close to it, and soon. For special events at the high school or Reeves Park, organizers could set up a shuttle service using tumbrels, which is way easier to do from one central location like a train station.

'nuf said.

Clamor yes; answers, no.

“For Phoenixville pride, and for Phoenixville pocketbooks: Push Parking!”–Patricia Matson of The Phoenix.

I am reminded of the quote that ran in The Phoenix May 10, 2007:

“ ‘Get us our garage ...’ said Ken Beard of Jaworski’s Music.”

What I suggested to Mr. Beard at that time is reproduced below. Not Mr. Beard, Ms. Matson, Mr. Lawrence, nor anyone on the Council or the CDC has yet put forward in public any answers.



Dear Mr. Beard:

Thank you for your order to Garages ‘R Us. In order for us to process your order, please fill in the following information in our order form:


1. Size of garage (number of spaces): _________


2. Price per space: ____________


3. Base construction cost (1 x 2) = ___________


4. Land acquisition cost: ____________


5. Administration, miscellaneous costs: ________


6. Total price (3 + 4 + 5): ________________


7. How will you be paying for your new garage:_________________ (i.e., cash, credit, yours or someone else’s).


8. Will parking be free or will a parking fee be charged? _____


9. Estimated fee ___________, estimated occupancy ________, estimated fees collected (per month or year) _______________.


10. What are the estimated operating costs for your new garage: _______________/year.


11. How will you pay the operating costs: _______________


12. If you are financing your garage, what are the estimated payments (principal and interest) per year: _______________


13. How will you pay the principal and interest: _________________


14. Do the estimated fees cover the estimated operating, capital, and financing costs?


We look forward to receiving your completed order.


Cordially,

Garages ‘R Us

What is cheaper than The Phoenix?

Looking for something cheaper than The Phoenix.

Try stock in the Journal Register Company, which owns The Phoenix.

Trading at $0.24 this morning (April 8th, 2008).

Phebruary in Phoenixville

Go to the Borough's OFFICIAL website.

Click on "Calendar."

Yes, it's still Phebruary in Phoenixville.

Ever wonder what year it might be?

No meeting minutes yet, but the all important Easter Egg hunt is still on for March 15th. (Oops, it's April 2.)

Klaatu barada nikto

Go to Phoenixville's homepage.

Click on "calendar."

Watch February's calendar appear.

Remind yourself that it's March 20th.

I can't wait for the saucer to land in Reeves Park.

Gort, where are you now that we need you?

Ignorance is no excuse

Willful ignorance is even less of an excuse.

Other than Councilman Buckwalter, who has attended numerous courses and has been designated as a Certified Borough Official, have any of the present Council Members, either newly-elected or incumbent, ever taken any of the courses to inform themselves about their responsibilities as Borough officials?

For $150 and two days of their precious time, Council Members could have taken the "Newly Elected Borough Officials" course, which was offered on February 15th and 16th in Media or March 7th and 8th in Fort Washington.

Ask your Council Member what he has done to learn about what he ought to be doing.

Ask your Council Member exactly how much longer he intends to remain willfully ignorant about the job to which you elected him.

Give us a reason. . . how about a good reason

It's March 16th. The Borough's now-official website still doesn't carry a single set of minutes for this year.

There must certainly be a reason.

The problem is that there's no good reason.

Why should Phoenixville tolerate more government in secret?

There is, however, a link to a really important piece of government business: an Easter egg hunt.

Call your Council Member

Henry Wagner (Council President) 484-363-4956
Michael Handwerk (Assistant Borough Secretary) 610-933-0309
Carlos Ciruelos 610-415-1370
Michael Speck 610-933-5499
Richard Kirkner (Council Vice President) 610-935-1397
Jeffrey Senley 610-935-2227
David Gill 610-935-1198
Kendrick Buckwalter 610-933-8106

Icon to icon

Do you think the Vale Rio would fit inside the Foundry?


Seriously.

The delivery boy is back

Wondering why Councilman Kirkner and his cronies felt such an urgent need to appoint the defeated John Messina to the Planning Commission?

For those with very short memories, I’ve reproduced below an excerpt from a November 2, 2005 article in The Phoenix, followed by an excerpt from the affidavit of PPG’s estimable facilitator John M. MacPhee.

Was the real purpose of the appointment to put Messina back in a position in which his fund-raising potential would be re-vitalized?


Half D’s funds from PPG
By BILL RETTEW JR.
11/02/2005

Employees of the steel site developer, Phoenix Property Group (PPG), made half of all campaign contributions received by the Phoenixville Democratic Party between June 7 and Oct. 24, according to campaign finance reports issued by the Chester County Voter Services.
*
*
*
John Messina, Democratic Committee Chair, borough council member and chair of the borough planning commission, said that he saw no problem with the PPG contributions and said that he had solicited the builder to donate to local Democrats. “No, I sent out about 40 requests for contributions and that's what I got back,” said Messina.

John MacPhee, of PPG, said that a request was made and in turn Delta/PPG made the contributions.

“I don't believe it gives us favoritism,” said MacPhee.


Affidavit of John M. MacPhee, March 8, 2007

“This can get done. I will deliver.”–John Messina, January 2006, after discussions throughout November and December 2005, as quoted by John MacPhee in MacPhee’s affidavit.

How many sides in a Council President's mouth?

Council President Wagner is quoted in Friday's Phoenix as having been in favor of interviewing planning commission candidates before Council made an appointment.

Please, Mr. Wagner, if that is what you favor, why then did you vote for an appointment before the interviews?

All the Council Members who pretend to favor interviews first but voted anyway to appoint should answer the same question.

If this is the way that Council is going to treat the planning commission, why not just abolish the commission and have Council take over the planning task directly?

PS. What makes Mr. Messina think that a planning commission appointment can be rescinded by Council? Aren't members appointed for a term, not at Council's pleasure (whim)? Messina needs to resign, so Council can fill the vacancy.

For a musical tribute to Council, click here.

"Present" indeed

On the motion to appoint John Messina to the Planning Commission, Councilman Speck voted a decisive "present."

“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in a time of moral crisis, remain neutral.” -- Dante Alighieri

Semper fry.

Voters -- we don't need no stinking voters

It’s been just months since the North Ward voters wisely decided to dismiss their backroom-dealing secret-memo-writing budget-hiding council representative.

And now, comes Councilman Kirkner, accomplice in last year’s ‘let’s hide the budget till after the election’ fiasco, pressing to put John Messina back on the planning commission.

The prime accomplishment of Mr. Messina’s tenure on the planning commission is right in the middle of the Borough: the steel site wasteland. For years Messina and those who misguidedly followed his lead promoted the PPG/Delta charlatans in their so-called development efforts.

The steel site remains a disaster. There are millions of dollars in judgments against PPG/Delta.

If you doubt Messina’s role in this, just read what John MacFee says in his sworn affidavit.

Kirkner is wrong, dead wrong. We do need voters. And we need to listen to the voters.

What we do not need is to restore the appearance of impropriety to the planning commission. We do not need the ‘services’ of John Messina.

Where's Wagner?

To get the contact information for Middle Ward Council Member Henry Wagner, our new Council President, click here, but don't be surprised at what you get.

Phoenixville's website

Dear Councilman Handwerk:

Since you have expressed a concern about the contents of the Borough’s website, may I suggest a few areas that merit further attention.

1. Is this an official website of Phoenixville and, if so, who is responsible for its content?

2. The other Council Member from the Middle Ward has no contact information posted.

3. The most recent Borough Council minutes are those for August 29, 2007. I believe that there have been Council meetings since then, with minutes being produced.

4. The site links to the Proposed 2008 Budget, although the actual budget, which is difference, was approved last month.

5. The website states that “Our goal is to keep the community up to date with important information associated with the Government of the Borough.” To whom does the pronoun “our” refer and what steps will you put in place toward the achievement of the stated goal?