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Bob Bergey on 11.03.03 @ 03:51 PM EST [link]
Perkasie, Bucks County, Pennsylvania 18944
The Perkasie Opinion Blog
Sunday, August 21st
Chief Dickinson Moves On
It's a sad day for Perkasie. I was sorry to learn a couple of weeks ago that Perkasie Police Chief Paul T. Dickinson had announced he's leaving his post in Perkasie to accept a new opportunity in Towamencin Township as their new Chief of Police. The last several Borough Councils have known that we had an outstanding chief, one who could have left at any time for a job practically anywhere if he had wanted. I, for one, am grateful he stayed as long as he has; he has left his imprint all over Perkasie, and the police department, in some very good ways. Of significant note over the last couple of years, he oversaw the move into the newly renovated and expanded police headquarters on Ninth Street, and the expansion of the police department to cover Sellersville Borough as well as Perkasie.
The Chief says (as reported in the News Herald) he's leaving because he's done what he could here, and this is a good career move for him. That may be true. But the current political climate in Perkasie certainly didn't give him any incentive to stay. With his departure the end of September, the current Borough Council will have caused or encouraged the change of every department head in the Borough since they took office in January 2004, with the exception of the Public Utility Department where politically savvy Phil Ivins holds onto his job.
The News Herald also reports that Borough Council will look inside the police department for Chief Dickinson's replacement. That would be very smart, and I'll applaud Council if they do that. We have some excellent officers with leadership skills in Perkasie, thanks in large part to the work the Chief has done here over his last 13 years in Perkasie. It would be great to have a new chief who already knows us and knows the department.
Good luck, Chief Dickinson -- we wish you and your family the best. We will miss you. Thank you again for all you've done for our community.
Bob Bergey on 08.21.05 @ 03:46 PM EST [link]
Friday, April 1st
Hettel Resigns Position on Borough Council
In a surprise move today, William Hettel, longtime councilman representing Perkasie's Ward 2 on Borough Council, held a press conference to announce his immediate resignation from Perkasie Borough Council. "It's time to move on," he told a handful of reporters. "I've had problems sleeping at night, and I just can't walk around town any more with my head held high. I've pulled the wool over voters' eyes for too long, and it's time to come clean."
When asked to elaborate, he gave only a couple of examples, saying there are many more if you look at his history on Council. "Two areas I regret," he said: "First was decimating our borough staff of so many good, experienced employees the last two years. We've hurt some good people, and we've hurt Perkasie's future as a result." He wouldn't elaborate, but others suggested the loss of numerous key staff persons the last two years -- from the solicitor, community and economic development director, borough manager, director of public works, director of parks and recreation, borough engineer, and several key committee/board persons -- were what he referred to.
"Second, at my recommendation and leadership on Council, we've seriously mismanaged Perkasie's finances the last two years," Hettel continued. "Electric rates should have been increased to cover increased costs; instead we cut costs and budgets in areas we should have left alone. Perkasie's voters would have certainly understood, but I was afraid if we increased rates before the 2005 elections, I might lose my seat. I know that was wrong, so I'm voluntarily resigning my seat effective immediately so as not to improperly influence the election and continue to mislead Perkasie voters. We must get our financial house in order, and it's time for someone else to provide some leadership. It's not too late to restore good fiscal management to Perkasie, but I'm not the one to do it."
Council president Burke and Councilwoman Handy said they were stunned at the announcement; "I certainly didn't see this coming," Handy responded to reporters questions, "But then I'm often caught by surprise. I guess there's still a lot I don't know about Perkasie's history, and what it takes to run a borough of this size. Maybe I should consider resigning, too." Burke said she was sorry to see Hettel go; "We've worked so closely the last several years, and voted alike on nearly every issue before Council."
Councilman McGonigal said he, too, regretted Hettel's resignation, pointing out he had originally run for Council at Hettel's urging. "I don't say much at meetings," McGonigal said, "But I supported Bill pretty much across the board. I liked Bill's ideas, they seemed to make sense to me."
Hettel would not elaborate on future plans. Other councilpersons couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
Bob Bergey on 04.01.05 @ 09:02 PM EST [link]
Tuesday, January 18th
Council Discards More Experience
In another stunning move, Perkasie Borough Council Monday night refused to reappoint Perkasie Borough Authority board member Jim Algeo to another five year term on the PBA board. Algeo has served PBA and PWTA (Pennridge Wastewater Treatment Authority) for 28 years as a board member, and is one of the most knowledgeable persons in Perkasie. Instead Council appointed Brian Triplett, who currently serves on the PWTA board.
As usual, Councilman Bill Hettel (photo above right) led the charge against experience. His sole reason for not appointing Algeo to another term was a sexual harrassment suit brought against PBA Manager Gary Winton several years ago, saying Winton should have been fired by the PBA board, and he would not vote to reappoint Algeo because Algeo supposedly didn't do anything about it. (It should be noted the suit was settled out of court.) Most of the PBA Board, along with Assistant PBA Manager Ray Conville, were present at the Council meeting in support of Algeo, but that made no difference as Hettel led the charge against Algeo.
Interestingly, there may be a small chink in the Hettel-led Council, as councilpersons Jim Liebenow and Nancy Keenan sided with Rich Hendricks in supporting Algeo rather than follow Hettel's direction. However that left Council a vote short as Hettel cohorts Handy, McGonigal, Boyer, and Burke followed Hettel's lead.
Bob Bergey on 01.18.05 @ 11:21 AM EST [link]
Monday, January 17th
Council Elects New Officers
Perkasie Borough Council tonight elected new officers. Council President Lee Metzger, who was absent from tonight's meeting, had submitted a letter of resignation as president, citing business that frequently takes him out of town (he did not resign, however, from Council).
Elected as Council president was Eadie Burke (photo at right), previously serving as vice president, and long-time Councilman Jim Boyer was elected as vice president.
(Following the meeting, I asked Burke and Boyer to pose for a photograph; Boyer agreed but Burke very childishly declined, turning her back to me anytime she noticed my camera nearby; the photo above right was taken as she spoke to another reporter.)
Bob Bergey on 01.17.05 @ 07:32 PM EST [link]
Saturday, December 18th
Borough Manager Deal Not Good for Perkasie
Perkasie Borough Council has decided to hire Interim Borough Manager Daniel P. Olpere as the "full time" Borough Manager. No surprise there. What is disappointing, however, is the salary arrangement: $85,000 for a 35 hour work week. He was currently earning the annual salary equivalent of $95,000 for a 25 hour work week as Interim Borough Manager.
I don't have so much a problem with the money (a good manager could be worth that much). But the 35 hour work week is a bad deal for the Borough. Leadership is patterned from the top; if the manager works only 35 hours a week, it certainly makes it easier for that work pattern to spread to other employees, whether by design or by example. But worse, it says the manager's loyalties are divided. He's not dedicated to the work in Perkasie; he's got one foot out the door already, and it's just a matter of time until he's gone. Perkasie needs a full time manager, one who's committed to the job, and committed to the Borough. Mr. Olpere isn't that person; he had to have his arm twisted to accept even the limited responsibility he's taking on. It's not a good deal for Perkasie, and I urge Council to keep looking. If they can find someone even half as committed to the Borough as was our previous Borough Manager (John Cornelius), it will bode much better for the future of Perkasie.
On the other hand, maybe this is the best we can expect under the current Council; I'm sure no one's been breaking down the door to come to Perkasie since this Council took over in January 2004. The Borough management ranks have been decimated, with the firing or resignation of almost every department head and manager since the beginning of the year. The Borough has become a "commodity" -- government without direction, history, or character. The only goal this Council seems to care about is the bottom line -- how to balance the budget without raising electric rates, despite significant increases in electric costs. I doubt very much that they'll be successful -- it's fiscal mismanagement, in my opinion -- but that's a whole other issue for a future commentary.
Bob Bergey on 12.18.04 @ 02:44 PM EST [link]
Tuesday, November 2nd
VOTE TODAY!
I voted at 3 PM this afternoon, and was voter #664 in Ward 2. I don't ever remember having that high a number this early in the day, so it looks like local turnout is similar to that across the nation -- much higher than usual. Make sure you get to the polls before 8 PM tonight -- and be prepared to wait a short while if you wait until the last minute. At 3 PM I had no wait at all, but earlier there had been a line out the door.
Bob Bergey on 11.02.04 @ 03:23 PM EST [link]
Monday, November 1st
Have You Attended a Borough Council Meeting Recently?
A Perkasie resident, after attending a recent Borough Council meeting: "I'm not mad at Borough Council. I'm mad at the residents who didn't do their research and make an informed vote in the last Borough Council elections. If they [residents] would come out and attend a few Council meetings, they'd be embarrassed."
Bob Bergey on 11.01.04 @ 08:22 PM EST [link]
