Do Tax Payers Count ?

Every 4th of July Pottstown has a parade followed up at Memorial Park with traditional holiday events culminating with "Fireworks". The public use of the park for these events has gone on for countless years. Refurbished some years ago, the park was wired conveniently so venders could set up on either side of a promenade which allowed the public to flow freely. 

This year is a problem ! Volleyball Rumble one week before the 4th used this same area for vendors no matter the condition of the ground from the rains. Now that area is what some call, as I do, a quagmire. Our tax payer park is now in question for use by its owners, we taxpayers, because the Recreation Department chose the Rumble, theoretically a "for profit" generator, over it's civic responsibility. 

Yes, I will be vilified for accusing this from those living elsewhere, who sweep into Pottstown, take from our largest, and leave for another year. We're left with a costly cleanup and care this year made enormous by the circumstance of rain. 

If a Rumble is ingrained in Pottstown's culture have it scheduled a month earlier or, better yet, a couple weeks after the 4th of July. Have the Rumble post a performance bond that would guaranty the park be brought back to its original condition. 

Borough Council, I understand, is the ultimate determiner of park use while leaving day to day operations to the director who answers to the Borough Manager with advice from a recreation board. But, who does Borough Council work for ? You got it, the the tax paying voting residents of Pottstown. 

When everything runs smoothly none of these blips are seen by the public, but government is in place to correct problems that arise and make long range plans so problems don't come up. You, the voting public, have to hold to the fire the feet of public officials so they don't shirk from their jobs. Yours, a seemingly unimportant job, is so vitally necessary in the ultimate smooth running of a town, like Pottstown.

Ronald C. Downie