Spring City to Get Website Makeover

The Spring City Borough Council met for its regular monthly meeting on Monday night, with the borough's website being the major topic of discussion.

After two years of its trial-run, Council President Lou DiGuiseppe said it's time to take the website in a new direction. The website is currently being run by councilman Jim Burns.

"Someone brought to our attention that the website is there but not working well the way we want it to work," DiGuiseppe opened. "When we discussed the website two years ago and the creation of initial hope that we were going to get it out there for a learning project for an Eagle Scout or someone in high school who needed advancement with computer skills to try and get this. Guidance was given from the group to go forward with. But, it didn’t get that far."

DiGuiseppe explained that the project was then taken on by councilman and started up soon after. DiGuiseppe revealed a new idea.

"At this time, we have a councilman who is a computer class operator and a school teacher who deals all day long with children and computers. I would like to see him and his children have a shot at our website, bringing it up to date. Bringing a little younger-feel and putting advancements in every day."

Councilman was elected to the Spring City Borough Council in January. He is a business teacher at Kutztown Middle School. DiGuiseppe further explained the problems with the website.

"I built one, but I’m not on top of it every day," said DiGuiseppe, who said he ran his own personal website. "Jim, you've done a bangup job - but, pictures of grafitti on the Royersford bridge, old ladies at the Flagg House - it's not selling our website and making it pop as they’d like to say."

DiGuiseppe said he'd like to get Burns and Sweeney together to figure out the logistics of turning the project over, with improvements like contact information for all councilmen and emails being sent to Borough Manager Dennis Rittenhouse first instead of council for borough-related issues.

Councilman Mike Hays even suggested setting up a Facebook and Twitter account for the borough.

"We can get all pertinent information out there," DiGuiseppe concluded. "We can then put signs over the road that have our website on it so people see it every day and learn to get into it so they can find out everything going on and know what’s happening in town. We can get our words out. Money spent there can start putting things in when we need to get it spread about sewer inspections and this, that and the other thing. See it, read it, see kids pictures from the Halloween parade and Easter egg hunt. People like seeing themselves. It's like a TV. Nothing’s changed in 50 years."

One member of the audience spoke up about the website, as well as the outdated technology of the borough.

"We have flush toilets and electricity in here," DiGuiseppe responded. "We’re a small town. We could bankrupt people if we put a central nervous system in here. We still do bookkeeping in books. That’s why it’s called bookkeeping. We could hire a staff and buy computers, but we can’t afford it in our budget."

Hays responded with some ideas the borough council has been kicking around in recent months.

" is getting reports and emailing the city paper," he said. "The website launched two years ago. We never had one before in the borough's history. We're trying to make steps, but trying to do it prudently. We want to look at all possibilities, but we have a tight budget."

Council also voted to approve the purchase of 60 American flags, which would be hung on every other poll on Main Street, and is looking into the option of purchasing brackets for the polls which can be turned so that the flags don't interfere with traffic and parking.

The flags are 20x30-inches and 43 of them would be hung in town, while the rest would be stored for reserves in case of damage. The motion passed unanimously.

Councilman Mike Petak was absent from the meeting.

Other News and Notes

• Streets/Utilities - 97.8 tons of refuse were hauled to Lanchester Landfill in Honey Brook in February. Between Jan. 23 and Feb. 20, 8 loads of bulk trash were picked up. Four pickup-truck-loads of yard waste at curbside were sent to Penn Organics in February. Potholes were fixed on six streets and two alleys. Street signs were replaced. Light bulbs were changed on lampposts on N. Main Street. Crews manually swept Main Street from Wall Street to Yost Avenue.
• Sanitation - Averaged 334,000 gallons per day. Borough hit its peak on Feb. 7 at 388,000 gallons. Bridge Street Pump Station had a new flow meter installed. Councilmen were happy to report February showed one of the lowest average usages to date.
• - Police Chief Art Brown is looking to add three part-time officers. CPR and Taser training were completed by current officers. Brown received two quotes for repair work in waterproofing the basement. He was advised to run them by Rittenhouse for prices and proceedings. Report for February: 254 complaints. 5 thefts, 2 criminal mischiefs, 20 traffic citations (9 speeding), 6 criminal arrests, 3 accidents, 13 parking tickets.
• Parks and Recreation -There will be an Easter Egg Hunt at on March 31 at 11 a.m. No rain date has been set. Spring-Ford Interact is sending 12 volunteers to assist with the event.
• - The Library Project has hit a stalemate. Here is a report from Mike Hays: "Right now, the borough owns the buiding. We worked on a lease last year. The Library Board went before the Zoning Hearing Board last summer – as part of a condition of approval, the library had to work with the Methodist Church on the parking lot to come up with a lease to share it. The church is asking for a lot on it. They basically want a brand new lot, with light improvements, stormwater improvements... So, we're looking to scale back the project dramatically. Instaed of getting a new building, we're looking for just improvements. We still hope to salvage the project, but right now, it's not looking good."
• Council unanimously approved a handicapped parking space at 226 Yost Ave.