This Meets Code

Jenkintown Council membership has its benefits

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For the past several months, pedestrians walking along the 300 block of Rodman Avenue might have noticed a half-block of sidewalk dug out and cordoned off by yellow tape. The photo above taken last Thursday shows it patched with asphalt, something not allowed by borough code. The property abutting this sidewalk belongs to Jay Conners, Borough Council Member, Chairman of the Public Works Committee, local Democratic party chairman, and a […]

Policy

Do you trust George Locke to enforce a deed restriction?

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For those of you who think that the proposed deed restriction imposed upon Summit House eliminates the possibility of children in the project, please read this article from the Yale Law Review. It’s lengthy, but here is a salient part: “In contrast to this broadly public enforcement system for zoning, the enforcement regime for municipally imposed covenants is often tightly limited. Municipalities routinely write covenants that forbid citizen enforcement, and the […]

Town Center

Affordable does not always mean low-cost, especially with housing

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The difference between an Affordable Housing unit and low-quality housing is the difference between buying a new Toyota Camry at a 75% discount (courtesy of the government) after winning a lottery (since no car maker likes to sell below cost) and buying a used Nissan Versa yourself because it’s all you can afford, gets the job done, and doesn’t require winning a lottery, since car dealers can still turn a profit […]

Borough Council / Policy

How to do open government — A lesson for Jenkintown

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Last night’s the “Conversation with the Commissioners” event at the Abington Township Office not only gave us a good dose of information about county activities, it also revealed the stark contrast between Jenkintown’s government with one committed to transparency above and beyond the strict legal guidelines. First, the concept: Montgomery County is a big place, so having our commissioners set up open forums to meet constituents shows a true commitment to an […]

Latest News

Jenkintown, Pennsylvania: a bell jar sample of municipal decline

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Four issues that expose Jenkintown’s festering malaise and the people responsible for it Most people who live here want to preserve Jenkintown’s small-town character, and yet our leaders seem hell-bent on letting that unravel. Council President Deborra Sines-Pancoe, social media bully and Council VP, Rick Bunker, and finally Borough Solicitor and FBI target Sean Kilkenny have led our town and its citizens into a growing thicket of municipal failures and […]

Parking

Jenkintown Math Fail: Replacing A [name your building] With Parking

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If we’re going to take a risk, why not on a new dog park, or facade improvements to downtown buildings, or a connected sidewalk network? If you’re reading this and starting to think about these issues, I highly encourage you to get involved in your city. Attend City Council meetings, go to Planning Commission meetings, and make your voice heard.  I would bet a pretty penny that your city leaders have […]

Latest News

Statement from Peggy Downs regarding the borough’s citation

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Peggy Downs stood before Borough Council last night to read this statement. Unfortunately, Council President Deborra Sines-Pancoe cut her off before she could finish. We publish that statement here in its entirety. Please share this post not only with your friends and neighbors, but with any connections you might have in the media or with organizations that might be interested in learning more about Jenkintown’s governmental abuses.  UPDATE: the Boro […]

Borough Council

Jenkintown and the dangers of happy talk

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It always puzzles me when I see and hear people lament controversy and seek a return to nothing but happy talk, whether it’s about their town, their particular interest group, or about some relationship. The Titanic might be sinking, but they just want to gaze at the majestic iceberg in the water. Those of you who just want “everyone to get along” or to stop saying bad things about Jenkintown […]

Town Center

Jenkintown falls to the summit

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Last night’s committee meetings featured presentations and public comment that went on for at least 90 minutes before they started to address items on the BZR agenda. All in all, it was a policy wonk’s dream, especially if you like to listen to legal discussions, ponder the minutiae of tax assessment calculation, gaze upon at topographic flood-plain maps, and debate the merits of what constitutes the character of a small […]

Policy

Jenkintown makes code enforcement double-plus good.

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Big Brother peers in on the Jenkintown Community Facebook page A few weeks ago, I made the mistake of recommending to a fellow resident seeking a contractor for a furnace replacement that he might do the work himself. Facing a similar project, I consulted a friend and fellow DIYer, who told me that the job no more requires a contractor than does the replacement of a washing machine. My friend […]

Town Center

Roizman is not building a skyscraper

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Roizman’s five-floor proposal for Jenkintown isn’t perfect, but it will enhance our downtown in a way that a drive-through window never could. Among the lesser controversies swirling about the Borough Hall of Fun is the five-story apartment building for seniors proposed by Roizman Development to replace the Salem Baptist Church. This project also requires (and got) zoning code variances for height and parking. As expected, some in town and especially […]