A tale of two towns

This is a tale of two towns. Both of them have been taking their lumps lately.

In Ridley Park, they are celebrating a title they probably would just as well do without.

The borough is the snow capital of the region, according to snowfall totals kept by the National Weather Service.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. And very heavy is all that snow that has been shoveled out of Ridley Park driveways and sidewalks.

The borough sits at the top of the heap in snowfall totals for the one-two punch delivered by Mother Nature since last weekend.

Last Saturday the borough was saddled with 30 inches of snow. Then Mother Nature decided to add insult to injury, dumping another 21.5 inches of snow on the town Monday night and Tuesday.

That brings that grand total from the two storms in Ridley Park to 51.5 inches.

What exactly did they do to so offend the weather gods? Don’t look now, but they’re talking about more snow on Monday.

Relax, Ridley Parkers, this time they’re saying we’re not supposed to get that much snow.

Speaking of heavy is the head that wears the crown, how’d you like to be on borough council in Norwood these days?

The embattled council Wednesday signed off on a whopping 34 percent tax hike, much to the chagrin of residents who packed the meeting demanding answers to the borough financial bloodbath.

For a typical homeowner in Norwood with a house assessed at $100,000, the new budget will mean forking over another $279. Total tax bills for most homeowners will now weigh in at a burdensome $1,082.

Residents are not happy. And they made sure borough council got the word.

Not that it mattered much. The borough is wallowing in red ink, after apparently spending years with lax bookkeeping and a habit of letting bills slide, at least that’s the story given by the current council.
They say they inherited these problems from their predecessors.

The vote on the new budget was 4-3, with the new Republican majority voting in favor; all three Democrats voting against.

Council also voted to hire a borough manager. He’ll be paid $63,000, although he will not receive health benefits.

Now at least residents who will know who is watching the borough’s books, something that apparently hasn’t been happening for some time.

Comments