You don’t have to spend time going in and out of rental properties in Pottstown, as I’ve done this past year, to know that something is seriously wrong with the codes department that overlooks important safety issues, inspections and applicable violations.
The Pennsylvania State Department of Labor and Industry knows there are problems too, as you will see.
There’s also the fact of a check, a sum of money, ($5,000), that passed hands from Frank McLaughlin to Michelle Borzick (Fry) the Zoning Work Leader in the Codes Department.
Were favors granted for that money? I don’t know. This doesn’t seem to be a concern for the D.A., managers, supervisors at borough hall, nor any of the elected officials – for that matter – but it should be.
Taxpayers want to know what’s going on. Enforcement is arbitrary, spotty, some are cited for inconsequential, (questionable), violations while seriously dangerous conditions are ignored.
This summer, I was called by a tenant who was living in a rental unit at 361 Jefferson St. owned by Alan Childs. These are the conditions I encountered at the apartment:
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- Badly Repaired Window Frame Cold Air and Wind Infiltrated
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- Mold at the Entry Door
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- Paint and Plaster Falling Out Everywhere
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- Clogged Bathroom Sink
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- Shut Off Valves Outside Bathtub NO Faucet Handles
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- Badly Repaired, Deteriorating Widows No Protection from Wind/Cold
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- Raw Sewage Outside and In Basement
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- Electric Panel Box for A/C
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- The Ceiling in the Kitchen
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- Electrical Outlet Wire Exposed
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- Storm Window Only No Stationary Window
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- The Kitchen Floor Maybe There’s Tile Under There?
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- Electrical Wiring
After explaining to me how she couldn’t get any help from the property owner or codes, the tenant said: “it makes me wonder if the landlord is paying off the inspector, Charlie Weller, to pass this place?”
By this time, in July, other renters had voiced the same question and, I couldn’t ignore their concerns. But, I didn’t have the answers.
I felt an obligation to take that information to the Head of the Codes Department, Maria (Gerber) Bliele. I told her about the living conditions I’d seen and what renters were telling me.
Maria said that she would have no way to determine if the renters suspicions about Charlie were right. I agreed, it would be difficult to prove that somebody in the field was receiving payola, nevertheless, I anticipated that information would be taken seriously and there would be follow up and an investigation.
Not long after that, I heard about D.A. Risa Ferman’s Grand Jury investigation of the Codes Department. It seemed, I thought, like an opportunity to examine the circumstances in that department and take a indepth look at the ethics of the people who work there.
At first, people were optimistic that the D.A.’s office would get to the bottom of the dysfunction, but it appears that wasn’t their objective, and they have not facilitated the necessary fact-finding.
Now, it is believed that the investigation is, or soon will be, concluded and still we have no answers.
Today, the fact remains that homeowners are frequently sited for the most inconsequential issues yet larger-than-life codes violations and dangers inside and outside of many rental properties are never addressed while fees and fines for some investors are forgiven. Why?
Remington, Vernick and Beech are on the scene in the Codes Department now too and it’s unclear why this (expensive), analysis of the Codes Department is taking place? Does their presence muddy the waters or will they get to the root of the problems? The presence of RVB, based on their history of service and legal woes is not exactly, it would seem, the model of professionalism that will be required to begin to make a dent on the housing woes in Pottstown.
No matter what the outcome, one thing is for sure…
There has been no measurable benefit to Pottstown because of the D.A.’s investigation or RVB’s presence, as I write this today.
Ultimately, where do taxpayers turn to find help and solutions when our county and local leaders fail to look for, acknowledge and remedy the real problems?
A knowledgeable, functioning codes department is VITAL to the future of this community.
The documents below were recently brought to my attention and I avail them to you, the public, for your scrutiny. Please read carefully and understand that, in some cases, you may have been charged for permits that you should not have had to pay for:
None of this surprises me. Are there any people on any of the boards, and commissions that are qualified? We have someone planting 1/2 million dollars of trees who is not even an arborist. We have people in codes who can’t even keep track of what is going on. When I was on the Environmental Advisory Board, we couldn’t even communicate with the boro. Writing the last trash contract was an effort in frustration. And then we lose good people, eg Jason, then raise the salary, and what do we get? We elect a mayor who has virtually no power, who has to live in the boro. Council, who view this as a part time position, which it is, to hire a 6 figure boro manager who does not have to live in the boro, and has more power than the mayor. Look, let’s eliminate the Boro Manager position, make that the Mayor’s position. We then can elect a boro resident to that position who answers to the tax payers. Council is elected like it is now, but can propose and vote on ordinances that must be passed or vetoed by the Mayor. I’m just tired of Pottstown being run by a bunch of part time people.
nothing surprises me that is going on in this boro..keep up the digging and we all hope they will one day be held accountable for their actions and the boro generally improves…i one day want to sell my home and get out…if only id have a buyer wanting to come in however…no one does at this time…
oops…meant to say sell my home…no one wants to come into the boro with all this despair…just to clarify my last statement..not due to my home condition..
So if you look at the last page of the letter, which by the way was sent Oct. 2nd 2012, you will notice that a copy was also sent to the Borough Council president Steve Toroney. I can also attest to the fact that I personally made the interim Borough Manager Mark Flanders aware of the letter after a council meeting and made him the offer that if Mr. Toroney had not passed along the letter to him, I could provide a copy. So now 2 months have passed, and the question becomes what, if anything has the Borough done to address the issues raised in the letter. I can tell you that they have stopped taking some residential permits, but have tried to keep that to themselves. Finding no. 7 and no. 8 refer to this. There is at least one other Ordinance that requires a permit for roofing and siding that the Borough’s own consultant gave a 50-50 chance of holding up in court. I guess 50% was good enough for this borough, so they have started charging for residential roofing and siding permits once again.
UpppppP
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
huh? Can you translate?
The information you dig up is almost unbelievable. Hopefully more residents/tax payers will get involved and put an end to the craziness.
I’m appalled.
So, Golden…Can you find me info about the apartment I lived in? I saw a few things in there that, in retrospect, were suspect as being “overlooked” by an inspector. The address was 255 Walnut St, 1st Floor Rear. The inspection happened sometime in March or early April. I am curious as to how some things got passed and if the apartment was legal in the first place. Thanks!
Julia, I’ll put some info. up for you tomorrow. Thanks for your question!!
You’re welcome! If anyone knows anything about this, you would.
What the hell is going on in the Boro of Pottstown? And why is the District Attorney’s office helping to keep things quiet?!?!?
I wish I had the answers James. All I’ve accomplished is to raise more questions!! But I would like to see a serious effort to sort things out there because in the real estate and housing arena – we’re sinking fast.