GREATER BUSTLETON CIVIC LEAGUE NEWS

March 2006 Can you feel it? It’s almost Spring in Bustleton!!

March MEETING:

Wednesday, Mar 22

at 7:30 pm at the American Heritage Credit Union

Bring yourself, bring a neighbor, bring your thoughts…We’ll bring pastries and coffee!!

March agenda:

-- Fox Chase Cancer Center will be sending a representative to discuss a variety of health issues that are of real interest to every one of our members.

-- Representatives of St. Thomas Church will make a presentation about their property and changes they are making.

It happened in Feb…

The proposed T-Mobile installation on Verree Road at the synagogue brought heated debate about safety and aesthetics and was ultimately rejected, 19 in favor, 27 opposed.

A pediatric dentist office proposed for 241 Geiger Road (in the industrial park), was approved. They will renovate an existing building and need a variance. It was unanimously approved.

A proposed tattoo parlor at Grant & Blue Grass (near Nifty 50's), needed a certificate to open. Although it isn’t in our precise area, it was referred to the GBCL by Councilman O'Neill. There was spirited discussion, led by Annemarie Boyle, a member who also works for the Councilman. It was rejected, 13 in favor, 35 opposed.

Remapping

Councilman O’Neill told us that a revised zoning map for the Grant-Bowler-Boulevard-Bustleton area was introduced and approved.

He also told us that, based on our research, he had a bill in to allow people to rebuild their own homes, even if zoning had changed.

He told the group about a property at Murray and Cowden caught in the remapping issue where it is already approved for 3 houses but now needs zoning to reduce it to two houses.

After questioning by Maureen Greene, he also admitted yet another under the radar zoning change, this one for the West side of Bustleton Ave north of Grant. He said it would be done by March 13 and that each individual owner had signed off on it so he felt no need for public discussion. Obviously, we disagree. This is a poor practice and we are fairly horrified that it is now his preferred way of doing business.

About the GBCL…

We are NON-POLITICAL. We do not endorse candidates. This does not mean that some active members do not have political ties and it certainly doesn't mean we don't vote or support candidates in our private lives!

Unless the body votes to suspend this rule, you MUST be a member to vote. If you haven't paid your dues by January, you are not eligible to vote until they are paid.

We expect decorum at the meetings and we expect people to be honest agents in their dealings at meetings.

As a general principle, we believe in solving problems rather than shifting a problem from one group to another or helping to create NEW problems in fixing the old one!

Executive Board

President – Bernice Hill

Vice-President – John McKeever

Treasurer – Betty Clogston

Corresponding Sec – Maureen Greene

Recording Sec – Diane Caruso

Standing Committees:

Membership -- VP (McKeever)

Publicity and Programs -- Corresponding secretary (Greene)

Zoning -- Chair Carl Jadack

Community Safety -- Chair Bob Marburg

Health, Education and Recreation – Co-chairs Harry Citrino and George Weiss

Standing committee on Rules -- Chair Barry Stucker

GBCL HOTLINE:

(215) 676-6890

or email us at

GBCL@prodigy.net

Or visit us on the Web at

www.gbcleague.com

Official numbers:

Mayor John Street 215.686.2181

Brian O’Neill 215.686.3422

Richard Mariano 215.686.3448

Council at Large

Frank Rizzo 215.686.3440

Blondell Reynolds Brown 215.686.3438

James Kenney 215.686.3450

Jack Kelly 215.686.3452

Wilson Goode 215.686.3414

Juan Ramos 215.686.3420

APRIL meeting

Wednesday, April 26

A judge will be here – come tell it to the judge or at least let the judge tell it to you!!

Also, it is time for nominations for the Executive Board. All positions are – as always – open!

going first class…

Please get your 2006 dues paid before we purge the mailing list.

Sign up for email newsletter delivery by emailing GBCL@PRODIGY.NET using you real name as the subject line. If you think you’ve signed up for email but got a printed letter, email us again.

Greater Bustleton Civic League
PO Box 51523
Philadelphia, PA 19115

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In case of bad weather, always call the hotline before leaving for the meeting!










membership

It is time to pay dues for 2006! Up-to-date membership affords you 1st class postage on your newsletter. (If you sent your check in the last couple of weeks, your update may not have made it yet – give us one more month.)

If you haven’t paid in 3 years, your label will say, “We miss you.” We will stop these mailings if you do not rejoin.

If it says “Our neighbor at…” you are receiving the mailing because there is an active issue near you. We encourage you to join. Those mailings typically end after a month or two.

If you want your news via e-mail (and are a paid-up member), please send an e-mail to GBCL@PRODIGY.NET with your real name in the subject line. We will occasionally send other information along as well.



____ 2006 Membership renewal -- $7 per family or Seniors $5

$_____Donation for ________________

Names of all adults in the household

Address

E-mail address ___________________________________________________________________

Phone: Senior Citizen? Yes/No

Send a check and this form to: GBCL, P.O. Box 51523, Philadelphia, PA 19115

I'm interested in –

__Remapping Committee __Festival committee __Zoning committee __Community Safety committee

__ Membership committee __Distributing newsletters __Park committee __Health, Ed., and Rec committee

March ‘06