Friday, March 8, 2013
Lansdale Borough Council, in two separate 7-2 votes, approved on Wednesday professional services with Spiezle Architects for the design and construction of a new borough complex and for 311 W. Main St.
After much debate—and a failed majority vote to table four action items—Lansdale Borough Council Wednesday voted 7-2 to authorize a contract with Spiezle Architectural Group related to the design and construction of a new municipal complex, housing the police department and the borough hall administration. Council also voted 7-2 to authorize a contract with Spiezle for the design and renovation of 311 W. Main St. The dissenting votes in both instances were Democratic Councilmen Jack Hansen and Rich DiGregorio Jr. Hansen also made the motion to table the votes related to 311 W. Main St. and the borough complex, seconded by DiGregorio Jr. The motion was defeated in a 7-2 roll call vote. "I'm sitting here wondering why we’re having a special…
Friday, October 19, 2012
The board approved a variance to allow an LED sign in the borough for the Catholic school on Lansdale Avenue. Lansdale Borough will also have availability of the sign to broadcast emergency messages to the public
A new LED sign for Lansdale Catholic will soon replace the old sign at Lansdale Avenue and Seventh Street — and it will allow Lansdale Borough use of the sign to notify commuters and residents in emergency situations. The zoning board unanimously approved 3-0 the request for a variance from LC and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to allow the sign, contingent upon the sign does not blink, animate or scroll; does not move from its location or change in size; does not change type on average of no more than once a day; and Lansdale Catholic does allow it to be available to the borough for emergency messages. Representing Attorney Frank Bartle told the board the sign would replace the existing sign and remain the same size. The LED message …
Friday, September 14, 2012
Councilman Rich DiGregorio requested the public safety committee look at the possibility of a blanketing speed limit of 25 mph or 15 mph for borough side streets that are without signage. Councilman Mike Sobel said the costs would be more than $500,000
In what was called a "pie in the sky" idea by Lansdale Councilman Mike Sobel, a request by Lansdale Borough Councilman Rich DiGregorio to reduce all borough side streets, absent of posted speed limits, to 25 mph or 15 mph was researched and subsequently denied by the public safety committee for fiscal reasons. However, after a debate during the council work session between DiGregorio and Sobel, President Matt West suggested DiGregorio discuss it further with Lansdale Police Chief Robert McDyre, borough Manager Timi Kirchner and Sobel. Sobel, who chairs the committee, said a received an email from DiGregorio requesting the reduction and subsequent signage for all residential back streets. Sobel said he, along with McDyre, researched facts …
Friday, September 7, 2012
Councilman Rich DiGregorio was chastised Wednesday night by council members for talking to Action News about the possible smoking ban in Lansdale. DiGregorio responded with a letter to the editor on his stance
The following is a letter to the editor sent to Lansdale Patch by Lansdale Borough Councilman Rich DiGregorio in response to his public rebuke by his peers for an interview with Action News 6abc: To the editor: We can all agree that Lansdale Borough council’s proposed ban on smoking is controversial. We, as council members, must weigh potential health issues with the liberty of people to engage in certain behaviors. Regardless of which way you lean on this issue, last night arose an incident that gave me pause for concern and that was Councilman Dunigan’s statement that in the future I should check with the administration before speaking to the press. Councilman Dunigan chastised me for speaking to Walter Perez from Channel 6 Action News …
Lansdale Councilman Rich DiGregorio talked to Action News 6abc about the potential smoking ban in the borough. Councilman Dan Dunigan and council President Matt West said DiGregorio did not follow protocol on media interviews
Council President Matt West said he was shocked to turn on the TV to Channel 6 Wednesday evening and see a familiar face — that of Councilman Rich DiGregorio. DiGregorio was interviewed by Action News about the potential smoking ban in Lansdale's parks, public property and pools. However, Councilman Dan Dunigan said at the end of Wednesday's public council meeting that DiGregorio did not follow protocol per borough orientation for incoming council members on media interviews. "While I'm sure Councilman DiGregorio did represent the borough well, I'd appreciate if he would remember next time the orientation process we all went through about interactions with the media, at least advising the borough manager and the president," Dunigan said…
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Councilman Rich DiGregorio is adamant about getting a flashing school signal for Knapp Road, but without Montgomery Township on board, it's a dead issue
The third time isn't a charm for Lansdale Councilman Rich DiGregorio. DiGregorio's request for the public safety committee to look at a flashing school crossing on Knapp Road has been denied for a third time in four years in a 3-0 vote. The issue: Montgomery Township and North Penn School District need to be part of an interagency agreement to install the lights. Knapp Road is the dividing line in that part of town between Lansdale Borough and Montgomery Township. At the public safety committee meeting this month, Lansdale Police Chief Robert McDyre estimated the cost of install at $60,000 split three ways. Public Safety Committee member and council Vice President Paul Clemente voted to deny the request for a third time. "This has been …
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Borough Manger Timi Kirchner has more guidelines toward her borough code-enforced purchasing power, and retains her power to request or not request proposals for contractual work
Lansdale Borough Manager Timi Kirchner now has more guidelines toward her purchasing power in the borough. Not only that – Kirchner continues her authority to put out or not put out Requests for Proposals for specific borough contractual services. Council this month approved unanimously the approval of a purchasing manual for the borough for the procurement of services and bids. Councilmen Rich DiGregorio and Jack Hansen, both Democrats from Ward Two, were dissenters earlier in the meeting when they said Kirchner's power to decide whether or not an RFP should be required for professional consultancy should be removed from the purchasing manual. Mayor Andy Szekely – who can vote to break a tie and veto an ordinance – proposed that the power…
Monday, January 23, 2012
Jack Hansen taking over as chair of Department of Community Development, Denton Burnell taking reins as chair of Public Works Committee
The announcement of new Lansdale Borough committee assignments last week revealed some new leadership under the 2012 council. Council President Matt West said the committee assignments were finalized two weeks ago, but ran through each one to "memorialize" the appointments. Dan Dunigan will remain as chair of the Administration and Finance Committee. Joining him will be council vice president Paul Clemente and West. There is no change to assignments from 2011. The Parks and Recreation Committee will be chaired again by Mary Fuller. Joining her are new councilman Steve Malagari and councilman Rich DiGregorio. Malagari and DiGregorio replace resigning councilwoman Anne Scheuring and councilman Mike Sobel, respectively. Public Works Committee…
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Councilman Rich DiGregorio said Montgomery Township, North Penn School District are now on board to fund installation of safety devices on Knapp Road
Lansdale Councilman Rich DiGregorio is determined to get a flashing school zone on Knapp Road next to Knapp Elementary. The problem: Knapp Road is the dividing line for Lansdale Borough and Montgomery Township. Lansdale cannot install a flashing school zone area and police the area without agreement from Montgomery Township. “We have a school zone. We have support from Montgomery Township, I was told from the chief of police. For the next year, I would like to propose to see if we can put these lights up at the school,” said DiGregorio at last week’s council meeting during the budget presentation. “It’s a safety situation,” he said. “The district and principal would like to have the lights up.” DiGregorio said he would like the borough to …
Friday, November 18, 2011
Will Democrats in Lansdale pursue progress by looking past political lines?
As a registered Republican in the county, I am still reeling from the Democratic landslide that occurred in Lansdale Borough on November 8. I knew the borough had become a Democratic majority over the past three years – do we blame G.W. Bush for that? – but I never expected anything like this. I’d like to believe that being a Democrat or Republican doesn’t matter when it comes to local politics; if you sit on council, you should work together, avoiding party lines, and do what’s right for the constituents of the town. Now I don’t live in Lansdale, so I didn’t have a say in who got elected to what seat. I do, however, cover the entire borough as my job. When you sit on the sidelines and look in toward the action, you somewhat share the same…
Janet Herman Karll
10:32 am on Monday, March 11, 2013
I agree on no more demolishing of Lansdale's history! more ›