While I personally did not agree with most things Dave voted against, I know that he had the citizens and the students of Upper Moreland formost in his mind. The district and most importantly the board will miss his incessant questioning! (LOL!!!) Seriously, Thank you Dave for your service and dedication to UMTSD.
Bender steps down from board
By DOM COSENTINOThe Intelligencer
David Bender has resigned from the Upper Moreland School Board, just one day after the board approved a budget for 2008-09 and just as his term as its treasurer was about to expire.
A board member for nine years with 31/2 years remaining on his current term, Bender said he was “involved in a couple of other things” that have been placing demands on his time. He described those things as “personal” and declined to elaborate.
“I don't feel comfortable not being prepared for the meetings,” said Bender, who typically spoke up to ask questions at the board's public meetings. “I'm finding that it's more and more difficult to do that and I don't want to do that to my fellow board members in not being prepared.”
Tuesday night, Bender cast one of the board's three dissenting votes against a budget for next year that will raise taxes 10.65 percent. The impact of the tax hike will be offset significantly for taxpayers who signed up for the state's homestead exemption, however.
Bender said he had made his decision about a month ago but only made it official on Wednesday because his term as treasurer was set to expire Monday.
“I enjoyed it,” Bender said. “I enjoyed doing what I did. I hope I had done things for the children of our district as well as for the taxpayers of our district.”
Among the achievements Bender takes pride in are the elementary center construction, the ongoing renovations at the high school and the rise of the district's PSSA scores.
“Everybody's just doing a good job over there,” he said of the schools. “The district's heading in the right direction.”
The district is accepting applications for a replacement member who will be appointed to serve until December 2009. Those interested should send a resume to Michael J. Braun, board secretary, Upper Moreland Township School District Administration Building, 2900 Terwood Road, Willow Grove, Pa. 19090. The deadline is July 9 at 4:30 p.m.
Qualified candidates will be invited to present their credentials at a July 10 board meeting, with the appointment to be made at a special meeting July 22.
Dom Cosentino can be reached at 215-345-3148 or dcosentino@phillyBurbs.com.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
Flooding Issues
Our officials need to take a hard look at where the extra rain water is coming from and mitigate it there, not just here. Upgrading our system is needed, but let's make sure that the improvements we put in place will handle the increased storm water our neighbors to the north will be "giving" us as a result of thier new developments.
It's funny how this information is not mentioned in the story below!
When it rains ... A river runs through it
By HILARY BENTMANThe Intelligencer
The sign warns motorists — “roadway subject to flooding” — but that doesn't begin to tell the story.
In the nine years Linda Bailey has lived on Norwyn Road in Upper Moreland, she has helped to rescue at least 10 people from cars trapped on her flooded street.
Bailey has endured 3-foot-deep sinkholes in her yard, and was preparing to spend about $13,000 to fix her eroded driveway, that is until the work the contractor had started was washed away by a fast-moving storm on Wednesday.
“I have a lake in my driveway,” Bailey said last week.
She is frustrated and so are her neighbors on Norwyn, Barbara and Shirley roads, who live in what locals call the panhandle of Upper Moreland — a thin sliver of the township nestled between Horsham and Hatboro.
For decades residents have endured flooding with little or no relief from the township or other agencies.
The flooding is a result of several factors, including a circa 1950s storm water system that is undersized and not adequate to handle the flow of water.
Some of the piping has also outlived its usefulness.
The panhandle sits in a valley, with runoff from surrounding areas gravitating toward the neighborhood. Any prolonged rain or heavy summer thunderstorm will flood the community.
“It's like a river running through my yard. I've had ducks swimming in the yard,” said Joan Cunicelli, a 48-year Shirley Road resident. “I've seen two of my neighbors take terrible falls trying to get to their cars on what they thought was level ground.”
To add to the problems, the sewer line that which runs parallel to the storm water line has been affected, and neighbors like Melody Latare have dealt with sewer backups in their homes.
“They have to do something or someone's going to die,” said Latare, who has lived on Shirley Road for four years.
But for the most part nothing has been done.
In 1983, the township's engineer, Chambers Associates, conducted a study of the area, identifying the problems, said Commissioner Kevin Spearing, who represents the neighborhood and on Wednesday could be found wading in waist-deep water.
Minor repairs have been made to the system over the years, but no long-term, effective measures have been taken.
The current board of commissioners is not sure why corrective action was never taken, but most suspect it came down to money. It could take millions to fix it.
“It was probably a matter of cost,” said township engineer John Chambers. “The pipe goes across private property and disturbance to the property owners was (probably going to be) significantly high.”
Spearing is hoping to secure money and help from Montgomery County's flood mitigation program, as well as work with the surrounding municipalities, the local sewer authority, and even the Pennypack Greenway Partnership, whose goal is to protect the Pennypack Creek, which runs through this area.
On June 2, Upper Moreland officials authorized Chambers Associates to examine the entire township, develop a cost estimate to fix all flooding areas and prioritize the work.
“The panhandle is not the only area on the list but it happens to be number one on the list,” said Commissioner President Stacey Efkowitz.
In the end it could cost millions and residents in the panhandle expressed disgust last week that the township is borrowing $5.38 million to be used, in part, to complete the War Memorial Park entrance. The money, they argue, should go toward helping them.
But the majority of the commissioners believe the money is needed to inject some life into the economically struggling Willow Grove section.
“It's not money for a park. It's money for downtown revitalization,” said Spearing. “It's a commitment from the municipality that shows we are serious about redevelopment, and it helps bring developers to Willow Grove.” Hilary Bentman can be reached at 215-345-3148 or hbentman@phillyBurbs.com.
It's funny how this information is not mentioned in the story below!
When it rains ... A river runs through it
By HILARY BENTMANThe Intelligencer
The sign warns motorists — “roadway subject to flooding” — but that doesn't begin to tell the story.
In the nine years Linda Bailey has lived on Norwyn Road in Upper Moreland, she has helped to rescue at least 10 people from cars trapped on her flooded street.
Bailey has endured 3-foot-deep sinkholes in her yard, and was preparing to spend about $13,000 to fix her eroded driveway, that is until the work the contractor had started was washed away by a fast-moving storm on Wednesday.
“I have a lake in my driveway,” Bailey said last week.
She is frustrated and so are her neighbors on Norwyn, Barbara and Shirley roads, who live in what locals call the panhandle of Upper Moreland — a thin sliver of the township nestled between Horsham and Hatboro.
For decades residents have endured flooding with little or no relief from the township or other agencies.
The flooding is a result of several factors, including a circa 1950s storm water system that is undersized and not adequate to handle the flow of water.
Some of the piping has also outlived its usefulness.
The panhandle sits in a valley, with runoff from surrounding areas gravitating toward the neighborhood. Any prolonged rain or heavy summer thunderstorm will flood the community.
“It's like a river running through my yard. I've had ducks swimming in the yard,” said Joan Cunicelli, a 48-year Shirley Road resident. “I've seen two of my neighbors take terrible falls trying to get to their cars on what they thought was level ground.”
To add to the problems, the sewer line that which runs parallel to the storm water line has been affected, and neighbors like Melody Latare have dealt with sewer backups in their homes.
“They have to do something or someone's going to die,” said Latare, who has lived on Shirley Road for four years.
But for the most part nothing has been done.
In 1983, the township's engineer, Chambers Associates, conducted a study of the area, identifying the problems, said Commissioner Kevin Spearing, who represents the neighborhood and on Wednesday could be found wading in waist-deep water.
Minor repairs have been made to the system over the years, but no long-term, effective measures have been taken.
The current board of commissioners is not sure why corrective action was never taken, but most suspect it came down to money. It could take millions to fix it.
“It was probably a matter of cost,” said township engineer John Chambers. “The pipe goes across private property and disturbance to the property owners was (probably going to be) significantly high.”
Spearing is hoping to secure money and help from Montgomery County's flood mitigation program, as well as work with the surrounding municipalities, the local sewer authority, and even the Pennypack Greenway Partnership, whose goal is to protect the Pennypack Creek, which runs through this area.
On June 2, Upper Moreland officials authorized Chambers Associates to examine the entire township, develop a cost estimate to fix all flooding areas and prioritize the work.
“The panhandle is not the only area on the list but it happens to be number one on the list,” said Commissioner President Stacey Efkowitz.
In the end it could cost millions and residents in the panhandle expressed disgust last week that the township is borrowing $5.38 million to be used, in part, to complete the War Memorial Park entrance. The money, they argue, should go toward helping them.
But the majority of the commissioners believe the money is needed to inject some life into the economically struggling Willow Grove section.
“It's not money for a park. It's money for downtown revitalization,” said Spearing. “It's a commitment from the municipality that shows we are serious about redevelopment, and it helps bring developers to Willow Grove.” Hilary Bentman can be reached at 215-345-3148 or hbentman@phillyBurbs.com.
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