On Sunday, July 17, my monthly column appeared in The Times Herald newspaper. The column was entitled Walking and working for a season of peace.
I appreciate some of the feedback I got on the article, and it made me realize I ought to share two things, by way of update.
First, I believe the proliferation of illegal hand guns on our streets has to be addressed and is rightly part of any comprehensive approach to addressing youth and gun violence.
My position here -- for all the NRA supporters -- is not fundamentally an encroachment or infringement upon the right to bear arms.
But we have to be honest, guns do get on the streets illegally through legal purchases, otherwise known as "straw" purchases. A straw purchase is when someone who can legally buy a gun or guns, goes into a shop and does so -- only to turn around and sale that firearm on the street to someone who is not able to buy a gun legally.
In 2009, I worked with "Heeding God's Call," an ecumenical gathering of people of faith (primarily Christian) from around the county to witness for peace. Among the issues that the gathering took up that was local was the issue of gun violence and this specific issue of straw purchases.
For months, Heeding God's Call witnessed outside of Colossimo's Gun Shop to attempt to convince the owner to sign a voluntary "Code of Conduct." Ultimately, when local and federal prosecutors got involved, their investigation led to the gun shop closing its doors.
However, the ability to tackle straw purchases was made possible by the activism of the faith community, and I'm glad I was a small part of inspiring this effort.
The code of conduct, in fact, further demonstrates the type of collaboration needed in this fight. It did not originate with clergy, but rather with America's mayors.
Finally, while this is a peaceful activism I helped launch in Philadelphia, and Philadelphia seems to often be a dirty word in Norristown, the fact is we must come to grips with the realities of violence in our inner ring suburban communities.
As I have said before, I work at a church in Philadelphia, and so I come face to face with violence routinely. But those whom my parish serves do not exclusively come from the city.
Recently, my church awarded scholarships to two young men -- brothers, who had lived in Landsdowne, a community much like Norristown.
But after the high schoolers were bullied in school and were victims of violence and even witnessed a homocide, their mother made the dramatic, but necessary choice to move to another suburb that was safer, and where her sons could complete their high school education, graduating with honors.
I was deeply moved by learning of this family's struggle, and made aware that this happens in Norristown as well.
Early on the campaign trail in 2009, shortly after I encountered Carter Duncan's family, which mourned his homicide, I met another family on Stainbridge Street, forced to move because their daughter was being bullied at the high school, and there seemed to be nothing anyone could do to stop the increasing presence of gang conflict.
So, I want people to know that this violence includes bullying, and the bullying must be addressed. We cannot simply blame Philly transplants for our problems, as there are people from everywhere in Norristown, including multi-generational Norristownians, whose sons and daughters perpertrate or are victims of this violence.
Moreover, I am not ignoring the illegal gun issue at all. That can appropriately be a part of any multi-pronged effort to confront this problem.
This is the public policy blog of Norristown Councilman At-Large Marlon Millner. Marlon was elected in 2009. Representing the entire municipality, Marlon sits on the Public Works and Personnel sub-committees of Council. Here, he will share thoughts about important matters to his local community.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Norristown and Snowstorms -- KNOW THE BASICS and STAY SAFE
When the municipality of Norristown has a snow incident, such as the wintry mix that has fallen this morning and tonight, it is important that residents know what to expect from the town. How does Norristown handle snow?
Below is a portion of a rough draft "Snow Emergency" plan that is being used by our Department of Public Works, and has been reviewed by council. Kudos to the interim director of Public Works, the assistant director, the municipal administrator and all the great staff of the Public Works Department for putting this together. I share this information because:
1) I have a commitment to transparent government and it is important you know and understand our plan
2) Residents abide by the rules contained herein, which cite laws concerning clearing sidewalks and prohibiting placing snow into the street.
3) That you understand the order and priority of salting and snow removal -- major thoroughfares first, secondary and tertiary roads later.
The goal is to get streets clear, and keep residents safe.
I'll post updates on this blog as the situation develops and as our municipal administrator in concert with the Public Works director make critical decisions.
Thank you for your patience and please stay warm and safe!
Sincerely,
Councilman Marlon Millner
---------------------------------
Each winter the Norristown Public Works Department is responsible for snow and ice operations. Though no two storms are alike, and each may require a somewhat different response, this plan is intended as a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for most winter storms.
Preparation
The Public Works Director shall ensure that there are sufficient resources available to plow for 48 consecutive hours without interruption. An important objective of this SOP is to have 16 qualified employees capable of operating snow-plowing equipment. This will mean that CDL drivers and other employees must be trained on snow-plowing operations. Every employee in the Public Works Department with a drivers license shall be capable of plowing snow either with CDL equipment or a pick up truck.
In March of each year the Public Works Director shall make arrangements with vendors for salt and/or anti-skid material procurement through the Montgomery County Consortium of Communities.
In September of each year, the Public Works Director shall ensure that all qualified public works employees understand how to properly operate and maintain plows and spreaders. Every public works employee shall receive a review of plowing routes and procedures contained in this SOP.
In September of each year Public Works Director shall ensure that equipment needed for winter emergencies is checked and sent out for service if required.
The Public Works Director shall maintain a list of contractors, who in the event of emergency, failed equipment, or excessive snow, can be called upon to assist in Municipal snow removal operations. In September of each year the Public Works Director shall prepare a RFP for the procurement of contractor services. The resulting contract shall “lock in” the price the successful contractor(s) shall charge during the coming winter.
Equipment
The following equipment will be used for routine snow events in Norristown:
Plowing Routes
Salting and plowing shall begin first on PennDOT routes and the major arterial routes and collector streets, including any residential streets that serve as a route for emergency vehicles, to ensure access into and out of Norristown by emergency vehicles:
A portion of the snow plow force will be redirected to clear secondary residential streets after the initial clearing of the major roads. All crews will continue to circle throughout the Municipality after the snow fall has ended until all streets are clear.
Norristown is divided into four quadrants for the purposes of snow plowing: East, West, North and Central. The following equipment shall be allocated to each quadrant:
The East quadrant is bounded by Johnson Highway, the Plymouth line, Arch Street and Washington Street.
The West quadrant is bounded by Johnson Highway, Markley, Forrest Avenue and Washington Streets;
The North Quadrant is bounded by Johnson Highway, Arch, Markley and Fornance; and
The Central Quadrant is bounded by Fornance, Arch, Markley and Washington Streets.
Methods of Snow Clearance
Storms shall be classified as follows:
Class 1 Storm: 0 – 2 inches salt/cinder only. No plowing
Class 2 Storm: 2 - 6 inches salt/cinder and plow.
Drivers will widen each street as completely as possible before moving on to the next street. This will often involve two passes down each street before moving on to the next street. On narrow streets, particularly those with on-street parking, only one pass may be possible.
Drivers will use their judgment in widening streets. While it is optimal to open a street from curb to curb, it may not be necessary in all situations. Drivers must balance the need to widen the street against the possibility that cleared sidewalks will be covered.
Sidewalks
Muncipal sidewalks must be cleared within 24 hours of the end of a snow storm. If there are insufficient numbers of Public Works employees to meet this standard, the Public Works Director may seek volunteers from other departments on an overtime basis to perform this work.
Throwing Snow into the Streets
Clearing snow from sidewalks or cars and throwing it into public streets is prohibited. When this behavior is observed by Public Works employees, they shall contact their supervisor who shall then contact the police for dispatch to the scene.
Below is a portion of a rough draft "Snow Emergency" plan that is being used by our Department of Public Works, and has been reviewed by council. Kudos to the interim director of Public Works, the assistant director, the municipal administrator and all the great staff of the Public Works Department for putting this together. I share this information because:
1) I have a commitment to transparent government and it is important you know and understand our plan
2) Residents abide by the rules contained herein, which cite laws concerning clearing sidewalks and prohibiting placing snow into the street.
3) That you understand the order and priority of salting and snow removal -- major thoroughfares first, secondary and tertiary roads later.
The goal is to get streets clear, and keep residents safe.
I'll post updates on this blog as the situation develops and as our municipal administrator in concert with the Public Works director make critical decisions.
Thank you for your patience and please stay warm and safe!
Sincerely,
Councilman Marlon Millner
---------------------------------
Emergency Action Plan
Snow Emergency
Municipality of Norristown
IntroductionEach winter the Norristown Public Works Department is responsible for snow and ice operations. Though no two storms are alike, and each may require a somewhat different response, this plan is intended as a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for most winter storms.
Preparation
The Public Works Director shall ensure that there are sufficient resources available to plow for 48 consecutive hours without interruption. An important objective of this SOP is to have 16 qualified employees capable of operating snow-plowing equipment. This will mean that CDL drivers and other employees must be trained on snow-plowing operations. Every employee in the Public Works Department with a drivers license shall be capable of plowing snow either with CDL equipment or a pick up truck.
In March of each year the Public Works Director shall make arrangements with vendors for salt and/or anti-skid material procurement through the Montgomery County Consortium of Communities.
In September of each year, the Public Works Director shall ensure that all qualified public works employees understand how to properly operate and maintain plows and spreaders. Every public works employee shall receive a review of plowing routes and procedures contained in this SOP.
In September of each year Public Works Director shall ensure that equipment needed for winter emergencies is checked and sent out for service if required.
The Public Works Director shall maintain a list of contractors, who in the event of emergency, failed equipment, or excessive snow, can be called upon to assist in Municipal snow removal operations. In September of each year the Public Works Director shall prepare a RFP for the procurement of contractor services. The resulting contract shall “lock in” the price the successful contractor(s) shall charge during the coming winter.
Equipment
The following equipment will be used for routine snow events in Norristown:
- 3 10-ton dump trucks with plows and spreaders; 4 1-ton pick ups with plows and spreaders; and 2 pick ups with spreaders.
Plowing Routes
Salting and plowing shall begin first on PennDOT routes and the major arterial routes and collector streets, including any residential streets that serve as a route for emergency vehicles, to ensure access into and out of Norristown by emergency vehicles:
- Main Street
- DeKalb Street
- Swede Street
- Marshall Street
- Sterigere Street
- Airy Street
- Markley Street
- Lafayette Street
- Johnson Highway
A portion of the snow plow force will be redirected to clear secondary residential streets after the initial clearing of the major roads. All crews will continue to circle throughout the Municipality after the snow fall has ended until all streets are clear.
Norristown is divided into four quadrants for the purposes of snow plowing: East, West, North and Central. The following equipment shall be allocated to each quadrant:
- East: 1 10-ton; 1 1-ton
- West: 1 10-ton; 1 1-ton
- North: 1 10-ton; 1 1-ton
- Central: 1 1-ton and 2 pickups
The East quadrant is bounded by Johnson Highway, the Plymouth line, Arch Street and Washington Street.
The West quadrant is bounded by Johnson Highway, Markley, Forrest Avenue and Washington Streets;
The North Quadrant is bounded by Johnson Highway, Arch, Markley and Fornance; and
The Central Quadrant is bounded by Fornance, Arch, Markley and Washington Streets.
Methods of Snow Clearance
Storms shall be classified as follows:
Amount of Snowfall Method of Road Maintenance
Class 1 Storm: 0 – 2 inches salt/cinder only. No plowing
Class 2 Storm: 2 - 6 inches salt/cinder and plow.
Drivers will widen each street as completely as possible before moving on to the next street. This will often involve two passes down each street before moving on to the next street. On narrow streets, particularly those with on-street parking, only one pass may be possible.
Drivers will use their judgment in widening streets. While it is optimal to open a street from curb to curb, it may not be necessary in all situations. Drivers must balance the need to widen the street against the possibility that cleared sidewalks will be covered.
Sidewalks
Muncipal sidewalks must be cleared within 24 hours of the end of a snow storm. If there are insufficient numbers of Public Works employees to meet this standard, the Public Works Director may seek volunteers from other departments on an overtime basis to perform this work.
Throwing Snow into the Streets
Clearing snow from sidewalks or cars and throwing it into public streets is prohibited. When this behavior is observed by Public Works employees, they shall contact their supervisor who shall then contact the police for dispatch to the scene.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
"Daddy" King -- MLK as a parent and the war on parents
Is everything in order? Do we have everything we need? The bottles, the diapers, the wipes, the cookies, the crackers? But there is always the thing I worry about that I can't control -- the behavior!
So, I worry -- will they be too aggressive, too loud, run too fast, fall too hard, spit too far???
And, frankly, my worries are often wrapped up in what the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr said powerfully as his desire that his then small kids, in 1963, would be judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin.
I worry, yes, that in the "Boondocks" era of portrayals of black youth, and the notable stats on delinquency, truancy, teen pregnancy, and frankly life expectancy, that when folks see my kids shout, scream, cry, babble or boo boo, they are all too often being judged negatively, prejudicially.
But, the fact is that this is not just an African American problem -- it IS an American problem.
I caught a recent debate about the new MTV show SKINS.
I saw the stress in the library as white, Hispanic, south Asian and African American parents routinely admonished their children to well -- not be children. Don't run, don't laugh, don't fall on or over or through one another. Don't chase, scream, hit or hug anyone!
Rooted in the moment perhaps was the fear that MTV, or BET, or Facebook or Myspace or Twitter or the million things I'm not cool enough to even know about already are taking control.
Can I pastor a church, do communications for a large organization, sit on boards or serve on council when I know daily my kids character is being formed by a decadent and often degradable and degrading culture?
If nothing else, I was encouraged again, not by King, but by his family.
His daughter, Rev. Bernice King, who has no doubt had her own challenges and struggles, commented at the recent King Day commemorative worship service at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, that her mom, Coretta Scott King was always proud that one of her greatest accomplishments was raising and loving her kids.
But she quickly added that most folks did not know that Coretta really had five kids.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.
What is this? Some bombshell surprise 40 plus years in the making?
No not quite. The fifth child was the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Non-Violent Social Change in Atlanta.
Amazingly, Coretta seemed to maintain as much love for her two daughters (one now deceased) and two sons as she did for causes like the King Center, which spoke to the social action to bring into being a society where each of them, along with EJ and Imma might be judged by character, and where such character is nurtured by caritas.
Caritas -- the Latin word for charity or love -- is the greatest, the highest of Christian, or theological virtues.
It is nurtured by deep practices -- practices that engender faith, increase devotion to God and others, and enable solidarity through the toughest, most stressful circumstances of life -- otherwise known as evil.
I can't say if a 15 month old biting a classmate, or a 3-year-old repeating some adult words, or some tweens having sex is evil, but I know a society already too ready to constrain, condemn, convict, commit, incarcerate and kill such youth is one we must constantly fight against, even as Dr. King did, with love.So I let my kids play, be kids, explore. After all, everyone had to yank their kids up at least once, with a "love" hug.
Sometimes I never want to let them go, but I have to. And I hope, that with love, I will win this war on families with the same strength Martin Luther King called for us to love -- and change -- our children, our community, and our world.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Is affordable housing development all bad?
Dear residents,
Tonight I, and two of my council colleagues, met with a representative from developer The Ingerman Group. Ingerman has proposed to develop a 49-unit, multifamily rental complex in the far East End of town on Sandy Street. This development is called workforce housing by advocates, but low-income housing by detractors.
Initial reaction has been cool at best, because the reality is that Norristown has more renters than homeowners, and certainly has its share of affordable, if-not-quality, places to live for low- and moderate-income households.
Are we just driving Norristown further down a deep hole by agreeing to this development?
Well the jury is still out.
But one thing that can be said is that The Ingerman Group is a quality firm. I have perused their website and was impressed by the variety and quality of affordable housing projects they have done.
Take for example a senior housing project in Chester, PA -- Pentecostal Square:
http://www.ingerman.com/rental.php?property_id=55
This project was a major public-private partnership, funded through a church-based community development corporation.
Such development is a commendable role for the church in service (rather than in worship), and shows an important investment of public funds to provide low-income seniors a quality place to live.
Those who are not affluent nevertheless deserve the dignity of a quality place to live.
I'm not rich, so I don't live in a gated community with private security guards. But that doesn't mean the place where I live should not be a nice, even if affordable, place to live and raise my family.
We are going to continue to listen to The Ingerman Group and learn more. I encourage you to do the same and share your feedback.
Quality development is quality development -- whether it serves wealthy people or working people.
And this could be an opportunity to bring quality development to a community of hardworking folks.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that!
As always, feel free to express your opinion or ask questions as we continue to gather information and learn about what is possible and in the best interests of our community.
Tonight I, and two of my council colleagues, met with a representative from developer The Ingerman Group. Ingerman has proposed to develop a 49-unit, multifamily rental complex in the far East End of town on Sandy Street. This development is called workforce housing by advocates, but low-income housing by detractors.
Initial reaction has been cool at best, because the reality is that Norristown has more renters than homeowners, and certainly has its share of affordable, if-not-quality, places to live for low- and moderate-income households.
Are we just driving Norristown further down a deep hole by agreeing to this development?
Well the jury is still out.
But one thing that can be said is that The Ingerman Group is a quality firm. I have perused their website and was impressed by the variety and quality of affordable housing projects they have done.
Take for example a senior housing project in Chester, PA -- Pentecostal Square:
http://www.ingerman.com/rental.php?property_id=55
Such development is a commendable role for the church in service (rather than in worship), and shows an important investment of public funds to provide low-income seniors a quality place to live.
Those who are not affluent nevertheless deserve the dignity of a quality place to live.
I'm not rich, so I don't live in a gated community with private security guards. But that doesn't mean the place where I live should not be a nice, even if affordable, place to live and raise my family.
We are going to continue to listen to The Ingerman Group and learn more. I encourage you to do the same and share your feedback.
Quality development is quality development -- whether it serves wealthy people or working people.
And this could be an opportunity to bring quality development to a community of hardworking folks.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that!
As always, feel free to express your opinion or ask questions as we continue to gather information and learn about what is possible and in the best interests of our community.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Norristown council reorganizes
Dear residents,
The beginning of the year is not only a time to make resolutions, and celebrate with family and friends, but it is also a time that your municipal council reorganizes.
By law, the municipal council of Norristown annually elects a president and a vice-president, from among its members, at the beginning of each year. It also, by law, appoints our town's solicitor (legal counsel), municipal engineer, municipal manager and our ambassador -- the inimitable Hank Cisco!
Things went fairly routine tonight. Congratulations are in order for Councilwoman Linda Christian, who was elected council president by her peers, and to Councilman Gary Simpson, elected council vice-president by the same.
After being elected by her peers, President Christian then made committee appointments, with things remaining fairly consistent. The present committee structure is as follows:
Finance Committee
Chair -- Cathy Lawrence
Vice Chair -- Gary Simpson
Public Safety Committee (Police/Fire)
Chair -- Bill Procyson
Vice Chair -- Cathy Lawrence
Public Safety Committee (Code Enforcement)
Chair -- William Caldwell
Vice Chair -- Marlon Millner
Planning/Zoning & Business Development Committee
Chair -- Gary Simpson
Vice Chair -- William Caldwell
Public Works/ Parks & Recreation
Chair -- Marlon Millner
Vice Chair -- Bill Procyson
You'll notice a hole in our roster. That is because Councilwoman Mila Hayes stepped down at the end of 2010 due to family obligations. Council celebrated her six years of service with flowers and a plaque. We wish Mila all the best in her future endeavors.
The year always has a way of beginning with smiles, joy, laughter and promise. We hope to maintain that throughout the year, even as the invariable challenges come.
Now that I know where I will be serving -- on two of the most important areas in the municipality, I pledge the following:
1) That we will have a strong and sufficient response to any snow emergency. You will know when there is a snow emergency and you will know how you should respond (moving cars, suspension on street parking and street maintenance rules, snow emergency routes, etc). You can expect our streets to be clear.
2) We will hire a new Public Works Director of the first rank and highest order. This person will not just bring a long laborer experience, but more importantly will have professional experience that can be leveraged in management best practices and garnering resources for the department to pursue critical projects.
3) I have a deep and abiding commitment to workforce diversity and contractor diversity. Norristown will take bold steps in 2011 to demonstrate the value of diversity in both hiring and contracting through Public Works and Code Enforcement.
4) Code Enforcement will be closely managed and we will share results with the public of our ongoing effort to tackle a variety of problems from property maintenance, to blight, to recycling.
5) Speaking of recycling, some recent rule changes are now being fully enforced with trash pick up. We are going to let you know what those issues are, and how you can get more information. But basically, the big change is we need more people to recycle. So get those cans, bottles, newspapers and magazine OUT OF THE TRASH and into a recycling bin ... OR ELSE! :-)
6) Finally, for the committee that I chair -- Public Works -- I commit to making our meetings open to the public, and our minutes readily available to the public.
Thanks again for your support and we look forward to continuing to serve you in 2011!
Sincerely,
Councilman At-Large Marlon Millner
The beginning of the year is not only a time to make resolutions, and celebrate with family and friends, but it is also a time that your municipal council reorganizes.
By law, the municipal council of Norristown annually elects a president and a vice-president, from among its members, at the beginning of each year. It also, by law, appoints our town's solicitor (legal counsel), municipal engineer, municipal manager and our ambassador -- the inimitable Hank Cisco!
Things went fairly routine tonight. Congratulations are in order for Councilwoman Linda Christian, who was elected council president by her peers, and to Councilman Gary Simpson, elected council vice-president by the same.
After being elected by her peers, President Christian then made committee appointments, with things remaining fairly consistent. The present committee structure is as follows:
Finance Committee
Chair -- Cathy Lawrence
Vice Chair -- Gary Simpson
Public Safety Committee (Police/Fire)
Chair -- Bill Procyson
Vice Chair -- Cathy Lawrence
Public Safety Committee (Code Enforcement)
Chair -- William Caldwell
Vice Chair -- Marlon Millner
Planning/Zoning & Business Development Committee
Chair -- Gary Simpson
Vice Chair -- William Caldwell
Public Works/ Parks & Recreation
Chair -- Marlon Millner
Vice Chair -- Bill Procyson
You'll notice a hole in our roster. That is because Councilwoman Mila Hayes stepped down at the end of 2010 due to family obligations. Council celebrated her six years of service with flowers and a plaque. We wish Mila all the best in her future endeavors.
The year always has a way of beginning with smiles, joy, laughter and promise. We hope to maintain that throughout the year, even as the invariable challenges come.
Now that I know where I will be serving -- on two of the most important areas in the municipality, I pledge the following:
1) That we will have a strong and sufficient response to any snow emergency. You will know when there is a snow emergency and you will know how you should respond (moving cars, suspension on street parking and street maintenance rules, snow emergency routes, etc). You can expect our streets to be clear.
2) We will hire a new Public Works Director of the first rank and highest order. This person will not just bring a long laborer experience, but more importantly will have professional experience that can be leveraged in management best practices and garnering resources for the department to pursue critical projects.
3) I have a deep and abiding commitment to workforce diversity and contractor diversity. Norristown will take bold steps in 2011 to demonstrate the value of diversity in both hiring and contracting through Public Works and Code Enforcement.
4) Code Enforcement will be closely managed and we will share results with the public of our ongoing effort to tackle a variety of problems from property maintenance, to blight, to recycling.
5) Speaking of recycling, some recent rule changes are now being fully enforced with trash pick up. We are going to let you know what those issues are, and how you can get more information. But basically, the big change is we need more people to recycle. So get those cans, bottles, newspapers and magazine OUT OF THE TRASH and into a recycling bin ... OR ELSE! :-)
6) Finally, for the committee that I chair -- Public Works -- I commit to making our meetings open to the public, and our minutes readily available to the public.
Thanks again for your support and we look forward to continuing to serve you in 2011!
Sincerely,
Councilman At-Large Marlon Millner
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Norristown council approves 2011 budget with 12.7 percent tax increase
Dear residents,
Tonight, I made a very tough vote. I voted to approve a proposed $29 million dollar budget that will raise your municipal property taxes 12.7 percent. The millage rate increases to 11.95 mils from 10.6 mils. For an average house in Norristown, valued at $95,000, this will result in a tax increase of about $128.00.
There was nothing easy about this. I'm not sure all of the toughest decisions were made that could be made. But council is a group, and in this instance there would be no victory for anyone, including residents, to give a solo protest vote.
Rather than protest, I will continue to live up to my promise to assure your tax dollars are used wisely and efficiently.
I think that early in 2011 you will see some progress made that will indicate in a meaningful and tangible way that I am committed to wise and efficient use of YOUR money. Overall, we intend to at minimum maintain our overall levels of service. And in many instances find new ways to provide better service.
I am proud to say Norristown is going to invest tens of thousands of dollars in improving the Firemen's bandshell at Elwood Park. An improved bandshell will mean a safer and more enjoyable place to listen to music, see fireworks and entertain with family and friends in the park. It's a small investment financially, but sure to pay big community-wide dividends.
We are also planning to hire a fulltime Public Works director early in 2011. This hire will fill a huge need at Municipal Hall and provide a consummate professional, who will enable our Public Works department to provide a higher level of service to the community. This position has been budgeted for, but not filled, for several years in the Norristown budget, so it is not an increase in overall expense from a budget perspective. But again, the gains in stronger management, a fulltime presence, and seasoned experience in a variety of critical areas related to Public Works should more than pay for itself in huge gains for our community.
Finally, let me commend outgoing Council President Bill Caldwell for his service. Bill served admirably in what was certainly a difficult year. None of us expected the jump in gun violence, or the complaints over parking regulations, nor the debacle that is 770 Sandy Street. I think Bill stepped up and led. He first and foremost led our seven-member council. But he also led in the community, often engaging residents in community meetings, and representing this community proudly at many important civic functions.
I thank Bill for supporting me in my first year of council and I look forward to continuing to work with him as he seeks re-election to council in 2011.
I welcome Councilwoman Linda Christian to the presidency of council in 2011. As many of you know, Linda in largely responsible for my entry in to service as an elected official in Norristown. My political engagement in this community began several years ago by attending Linda's community meetings.
I have no doubt Linda will bring a constituent-focus to leading our council in 2011. I am excited to be a part of a constituent-focused council -- not just on small problems, like potholes, but in big policy priorities -- locally and at the county, state and federal levels as well.
May the voice of Norristown be heard from Harrisburg to Washington, and most importantly on the streets of our neighborhoods in 2011 more than ever!
Thank you for the opportunity to serve in 2010.
I'm listening to you and look forward to continuing to work with and serve you in 2011.
Happy New Year!
Warmly,
Councilman At-Large Marlon Millner
Tonight, I made a very tough vote. I voted to approve a proposed $29 million dollar budget that will raise your municipal property taxes 12.7 percent. The millage rate increases to 11.95 mils from 10.6 mils. For an average house in Norristown, valued at $95,000, this will result in a tax increase of about $128.00.
There was nothing easy about this. I'm not sure all of the toughest decisions were made that could be made. But council is a group, and in this instance there would be no victory for anyone, including residents, to give a solo protest vote.
Rather than protest, I will continue to live up to my promise to assure your tax dollars are used wisely and efficiently.
I think that early in 2011 you will see some progress made that will indicate in a meaningful and tangible way that I am committed to wise and efficient use of YOUR money. Overall, we intend to at minimum maintain our overall levels of service. And in many instances find new ways to provide better service.
I am proud to say Norristown is going to invest tens of thousands of dollars in improving the Firemen's bandshell at Elwood Park. An improved bandshell will mean a safer and more enjoyable place to listen to music, see fireworks and entertain with family and friends in the park. It's a small investment financially, but sure to pay big community-wide dividends.
We are also planning to hire a fulltime Public Works director early in 2011. This hire will fill a huge need at Municipal Hall and provide a consummate professional, who will enable our Public Works department to provide a higher level of service to the community. This position has been budgeted for, but not filled, for several years in the Norristown budget, so it is not an increase in overall expense from a budget perspective. But again, the gains in stronger management, a fulltime presence, and seasoned experience in a variety of critical areas related to Public Works should more than pay for itself in huge gains for our community.
Finally, let me commend outgoing Council President Bill Caldwell for his service. Bill served admirably in what was certainly a difficult year. None of us expected the jump in gun violence, or the complaints over parking regulations, nor the debacle that is 770 Sandy Street. I think Bill stepped up and led. He first and foremost led our seven-member council. But he also led in the community, often engaging residents in community meetings, and representing this community proudly at many important civic functions.
I thank Bill for supporting me in my first year of council and I look forward to continuing to work with him as he seeks re-election to council in 2011.
I welcome Councilwoman Linda Christian to the presidency of council in 2011. As many of you know, Linda in largely responsible for my entry in to service as an elected official in Norristown. My political engagement in this community began several years ago by attending Linda's community meetings.
I have no doubt Linda will bring a constituent-focus to leading our council in 2011. I am excited to be a part of a constituent-focused council -- not just on small problems, like potholes, but in big policy priorities -- locally and at the county, state and federal levels as well.
May the voice of Norristown be heard from Harrisburg to Washington, and most importantly on the streets of our neighborhoods in 2011 more than ever!
Thank you for the opportunity to serve in 2010.
I'm listening to you and look forward to continuing to work with and serve you in 2011.
Happy New Year!
Warmly,
Councilman At-Large Marlon Millner
Monday, December 27, 2010
Snowmaggedon fails to materialize
Monday
Dec. 27, 2010
Dear residents,
We have weathered our first real winter storm of the season, and it came at an ideal time.
Though the storm delivered four to six inches in many areas, we are in the midst of the Christmas holiday, and lots of people are already off of work, or could easily take a day off. This enabled our Public Works crews to get out there and hit those streets.
As of 4pm today, when I began my tour, the streets look pretty good. The reality is that Norristown has lots of narrow, one-way streets, where cars park on both sides of the street. Frankly, these narrow, one-way streets, which are jam-packed with cars are simply difficult to plow.
After last year's back-to-back blizzards -- and our less than stellar response in the mind of residents -- I directed our Public Works team to draft a new snow emergency and snow maintenance plan. The snow emergency plan calls for us to declare certain streets a snow emergency route in a major storm. Moreover, the plan calls for diverting parked cars from narrow streets to nearby parking lots, possibly at schools, county lots, and private businesses.
I realize some will consider this an inconvenience, however, it is a quality trade-off to ensure these narrow streets don't become impassible for days on end.
Norristown simply has not had an official snow emergency plan on paper, and boroughs around the state are expected to have such a plan.
I will be looking for additional input from residents in 2011. But we hope to put the plan in place and make Norristown a much safer place to park and drive during winter's worst.
Please let me know if you have any feedback or concerns.
Sincerely,
Councilman at-large Marlon Millner
Dec. 27, 2010
Dear residents,
We have weathered our first real winter storm of the season, and it came at an ideal time.
Though the storm delivered four to six inches in many areas, we are in the midst of the Christmas holiday, and lots of people are already off of work, or could easily take a day off. This enabled our Public Works crews to get out there and hit those streets.
As of 4pm today, when I began my tour, the streets look pretty good. The reality is that Norristown has lots of narrow, one-way streets, where cars park on both sides of the street. Frankly, these narrow, one-way streets, which are jam-packed with cars are simply difficult to plow.
After last year's back-to-back blizzards -- and our less than stellar response in the mind of residents -- I directed our Public Works team to draft a new snow emergency and snow maintenance plan. The snow emergency plan calls for us to declare certain streets a snow emergency route in a major storm. Moreover, the plan calls for diverting parked cars from narrow streets to nearby parking lots, possibly at schools, county lots, and private businesses.
I realize some will consider this an inconvenience, however, it is a quality trade-off to ensure these narrow streets don't become impassible for days on end.
Norristown simply has not had an official snow emergency plan on paper, and boroughs around the state are expected to have such a plan.
I will be looking for additional input from residents in 2011. But we hope to put the plan in place and make Norristown a much safer place to park and drive during winter's worst.
Please let me know if you have any feedback or concerns.
Sincerely,
Councilman at-large Marlon Millner
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