Parkesburg Police Nab Regional Burglary Suspect

Parkesburg police Thursday evening arrested David Price, a man wanted for a string of daring home burglaries throughout the region.

Detective Davis of the Parkesburg Police Force has been working a series of cases involving burglaries and motor vehicle thefts in our area. As reported in the Daily Local News on Thursday, the suspect brazenly broke into a residence on 5th Ave. while the family was sleeping, stealing credit cards and other valuables. Other jurisdictions in this area have also reported burglaries and similar violent acts. A recent burglary found that multiple guns had been stolen and possibly on the streets of Parkesburg. The state police had approximately 20-plus outstanding burglaries/home invasions with this suspect.

Parkesburg Police Chief Brian Sheller working cooperatively with several surrounding municipalities, put an action plan in place resulting in the capture of this suspect Thursday evening in Parkesburg, after a brief struggle.

The suspect, David Price, is currently sitting in the Chester County Prison on multiple jurisdictional warrants.

Chief Sheller received a call from Lieutenant Naylor, of the State Police, this morning, congratulating Parkesburg's department on the capture.

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Here's what the Philadephia Inquirer wrote about the incident in Saturday's edition:

Police nab Chesco man who had evaded capture

An alert citizen, three police officers, and a Taser combined to end almost two weeks on the run for a Chester County man.

Lt. Brian Naylor of the Embreeville state police barracks said yesterday that David Elijah Price, 25, who "has a history of evading capture," was taken into custody Thursday night. Officers recovered a stolen police badge and ID, part of Price's alleged stash from a burglary spree.

Naylor said a motorist recognized Price, whose last known address was Cochranville, and called Parkesburg police. Naylor said three officers used a Taser when Price, who left a van he allegedly stole, started to run.

Price was taken to Chester County Prison on an outstanding warrant for an assault on a police officer in Coatesville, Naylor said. Burglary charges are pending in a number of communities. - Kathleen Brady Shea

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Here's how the Daily Local News reported the incident in Saturday's Paper (www.dailylocal.com).

Burglary suspect, girlfriend caught

COUPLE APPREHENDED IN PARKESBURG

By JENNIFER MILLER, Staff Writer

PARKESBURG — Police captured the man who allegedly broke into numerous Chester County homes, stole cars and swiped a South Coatesville police officer’s badge. Police arrested David Elijah Price, 25, of Cochranville, about 8 p.m. Thursday after he and his girlfriend were found with a stolen van on the 100 block of West First Avenue, police said. Police approached Price’s reported girlfriend, Brandi Collins, who was exiting the van reportedly stolen from Gap. When they approached her, they found Price hiding in the bushes in front of the Fulton Bank, police said. Price allegedly tried to fight with police, and then officers used a Taser on him, police said. Police then took Price to Brandywine Hospital for examination after a possible seizure and was later released. Police said they were unsure what caused the possible seizure, and that it could have been caused by something Price ingested. Price was arrested for an outstanding warrant for a reported assault on a Coatesville police officer. He is also a suspect in a Parkesburg home burglary that occurred earlier this month, police said. “My officers did an excellent job. Luckily no officers were hurt in the confrontation,” said Parkesburg Police Chief Brian Sheller. Police said the concern with Price’s alleged break-ins were that they occurred at night while residents were at home asleep. Police believe Price is responsible for burglaries and thefts in Caln, Coatesville, East Fallowfield, Parkesburg, South Coatesville, West Brandywine, and other municipalities in the Avondale and Embreeville state police jurisdictions. One of those break-ins happened at the home of a South Coatesville police officer. Police were able to recover the officer’s stolen badge after Price told them he threw it over a fence in South Coatesville. Price likely faces a slew of charges from multiple agencies, including both Avondale and Embreeville state police barracks. He is being held at Chester County Prison on past charges. Price reportedly has a history of fleeing from police when they attempt to arrest him on outstanding warrants. Price is wanted by the Coatesville Police Department for reportedly escaping from officers on at least two occasions and assaulting an officer. Collins, 19, of Exton, was charged with receiving stolen property and hindering the apprehension of Price. She was held at Chester County Prison in lieu of $20,000 bail. Even after Price’s arrest, police continued to urge local residents to keep their homes and cars locked to prevent future thefts and burglaries. To contact staff writer Jennifer Miller send an e-mail to jmiller@dailylocal.com.

PARKESBURG BOROUGH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Regular Meeting

November 5, 2007– 7:00 p.m.

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by President Kenneth Knickerbocker.

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by all present.

Council members present were: Kenneth Knickerbocker, Thomas Curtin, David Jones, Sheri Melton, Nancy Gauthier and Willard Marsh. Also present were: Mayor, John Hagan, Borough Manager, L. James Thomas, Secretary, Wendy A. Keegan and Borough Solicitor John S. Carnes. Council Member Virginia Miller was absent.

After moving Unfinished Business to before Committee Reports, a motion to approve the agenda was made by David Jones and seconded by Willard Marsh. All in favor.

A motion to approve the minutes of the October 15, 2007 Council Meeting was made by Nancy Gauthier and seconded by Sheri Melton. All in favor.

A motion to approve the bills submitted was made by Thomas Curtin and seconded by Nancy Gauthier. All in favor.

PUBLIC COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only)
· Christopher Crockett of First Avenue asked if the parking resolution is on the agenda.

SUBDIVISIONS/PLANNING COMMISSION

· Phillips Zoning Hearing - John Carnes will attend the hearing to state Borough Council’s position.

MANAGER’S REPORT—L. James Thomas

· Mr. Thomas reported that a pre-bid meeting for the stormwater project was held on October 30^th; Bids are due and will be opened on November 15^th.

· Brandywine Valley Association & Habitat Resource Network of SE Pennsylvania is sponsoring a seminar entitled Landscaping with Rainwater for Beauty & Function on November 17^th.

· The Borough was awarded a $200,000 grant from DEP for stormwater management for the HDC project and Minch Park.

· The retaining wall issue on Sixth Avenue has been resolved and construction of the wall has begun.

· Mr. Knickerbocker informed the public that there is a council member and a candidate for council who owe trash fees. A motion to have Mr. Carnes investigate whether council wages could be withheld to pay for outstanding trash fees was made by Sheri Melton and seconded by Nancy Gauthier. All in favor.

SOLICITOR’S REPORT—John S. Carnes, Jr., Esquire

A copy of the Solicitor’s Report is on file at the Borough Hall.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

· Engineering Firms – There was discussion between Council Members regarding the two firms, Czop/Specter and Arro Consulting, being considered for the Engineering, Zoning and Code Enforcement contract. After the discussion a motion to enter into discussions with Arro with the intention of reaching an agreement was made by David Jones and Willard Marsh. All in favor.

· $200,000 Grant with HDC – Mr. Thomas asked Council for direction regarding engineering services for the Borough/HDC project. A motion to entertain a professional services agreement with Arro was made by Nancy Gauthier and seconded by Willard Marsh. All in favor.

· Borough Priorities: Mr. Knickerbocker presented a list of priorities and assigned each one to a Council Member or the Manager. There are as follows:

A Priorities
Transition Borough Hall to the Fire Company–David Jones

Police Contract–David Jones

Police Service Pricing–Jim Thomas

Zoning Ordinance Update–Jim Thomas

Storm Water Project–Tom Curtin

2008 Budget–David Jones

Rental Ordinance–Ken Knickerbocker

Selection of and transition to a new engineering firm–Ken Knickerbocker

Trash to Tax Billing–David Jones

Housing Developments – Jim Thomas

Quarry Property – 320 Units

Crystal Springs – 120 Units

Knoll – 80 Units

HDC –80 Units

B Priorities

Police Chief’s Contract–David Jones

Soundproofing the Great Room–Tom Curtin

Park Rebuilding–Sheri Melton

Removing State Street Bridge abutment– Tom Curtin

Removing East Bridge Street–Tom Curtin

Renovating West Bridge Street Bridge–Tom Curtin

Street & Sidewalk Plan–Tom Curtin

Parking ordinance–Tom Curtin

Acme Plaza–Ken Knickerbocker

New Library Building–Ken Knickerbocker

Arms Parking Lot–Jim Thomas

Train Station Revitalization–Tom Curtin

School Board Tax Summit–Nancy Gauthier

Emergency Management Planning–Tom Curtin

Housing Developments – Jim Thomas

West Main Street – 100 Units

Lindale Village – 40 Units

NEW BUSINESS:

None

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Parks & Recreation—Sheri Melton

Ms. Melton reported that she met with Joseph Reali who will continue to help with the development and priorities of Minch Park; Ms. Melton also met with Bernadette Cazillo to discuss the Summer Park Program for 2008.

Progress & Development—Thomas Curtin

No report.

Streets & Property—Thomas Curtin

No report.

Finance—David Jones

At the Finance Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday 11/8 the draft of the 2008 budget will be finalized. A public hearing will be held on December 3^rd for adoption at the December 17^th meeting.

Police & Fire—David Jones

Mr. Jones attended a meeting with the Fire Company Board. An agreement for turning over the old borough building to the fire company is very close. There has been no progress with the police contract negotiations.

Library–Ken Knickerbocker

The new building feasability study has been put on hold.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

· Betty Wilde of Main Street asked if tax exempt organization such as churches would also be exempt from trash payments.

· William Tomlinson of 14 West Street asked Council if his street could be paved since there is a surplus in the budget.

COUNCIL COMMENTS:

· Mr. Jones explained that the surplus in the budget will be used to pay bills in January and February rather than the Borough taking out another Tax Anticipation Note in 2008.

ADJOURNMENT:

With there being no further business, a motion was made by Nancy Gauthier and seconded by Sheri Melton to adjourn the meeting 8:30 p.m. All in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Wendy A. Keegan

Borough Secretary

Persch, Keen, Jones & Curtin Win Council Seats

Here are the unofficial results from Tuesdays election for Borough Council:

	North	South	Total
Persch	119	207	326
Keen	82	185	267
Curtin	90	172	262
Stevenson	69	179	248
Crockett	67	141	208
	North	South	Total
Jones	82	165	247
Marsh	77	154	231

Hats off to Chuck, Mel, Tom & David!

Check back in the next day or two for a more comprehensive review of the election.

Post Ledger Endorses Jones, Curtin and Stevenson

We at Parkesburg Today couldn't have said it better!

Here's the editorial from the November 1st edition of the Parkesburg Post Ledger. Its wonderful seeing David and Tom getting the credit they deserve!

PARKESBURG POST LEDGER

Opinions

November 1, 2007

David Jones Deserves Your Vote

For many years, living in Parkesburg was a financial struggle. And the elderly on fixed incomes suffered most. Year after year, taxes rose and inflation soared. While school taxes from Octorara School District are still an ongoing concern, it appears borough residents will be getting a brief respite from their local taxes. That's certainly good news to Parkesburg taxpayers, who already are paying one of the highest tax millage rates in the county.

The Borough will end 2007 with a surplus of about $356,000, according to Council Vice President David Jones, who also chairs the borough's finance committee. The surplus is a significant change from the beginning of the fiscal year, which the borough began with a $212,000 deficit.

"We feel borough residents need a break from (tax increases) at least for a year," Jones said. "They've been hit pretty hard for a number of years."

Well said.

In Parkesburg, there are roughly 3,400 people, about 8 percent of whom live below the poverty level. The median house value is $180,000, far below the county average. And Parkesburg has more than its share of senior citizens who live on a fixed income. Tax hikes hit them hardest.

Jones deserves much of the credit for reducing the budget deficit. He, along with council members Tom Curtin and Milt Stevenson, have managed to work the numbers in the taxpayers' favor. Fiscal responsibility has eluded past councils.

Although Jones is not actively seeking reelection, we feel voters should show their appreciation by coming out in droves to vote for him, and for Curtin and Stevenson who are also on his ticket. He's done a great job for the borough, and it shows.

It's great to see someone who truly cares about his town.

Be sure to vote on Tuesday.

Prominent Republican Endorses Democratic Council Ticket

In a letter written to the local paper Michael Martorana, a Republican and former Vice-President of Borough Council, urges Parkesburg voters to support Tom Curtin and David Jones for Borough Council.

In the letter, which the newspaper refused to print saying it was too political and not submitted at least two weeks before the election, Martorana speaks to the progress Parkesburg has made under the David's and Tom's leadership and suggests their teamwork and hard work are far better than the inexperience and single-issue focus of the Republican slate.

Here's the letter in its entirety:

To the Editor, {Name of Local Newspaper}:
For immediate publishing.October 30, 2007

Next week the residents of the Borough have an important decision to make: Retain David Jones and Tom Curtain on Council or bring in newcomers.

Because of serious health reasons, my wife and I had to sadly relinquish our positions in the town we love. My position was as Council Vice President, Cassidy was President of the Parkesburg Area Business Association.

A big reason for past success in Council was the teamwork and experience brought to Council by David Jones and Tom Curtain. David’s experience as CEO of major hospitals and Tom’s experience with local, state and federal government as well as his career in managing new technology for Blue Cross and Welch’s are invaluable assets to the Borough and unmatched by others.

Our police department, borough offices and district court all have more efficient operations in a new building thanks in part to their unselfish devotion to the betterment of the Borough in general. They promote no self interest, no hidden agenda. Everything they do on Council is sincerely meant to help us all.

Case in point; David Jones as treasurer not only balanced the budget but brought in a surplus or Tom spearheading LERTA, an important tool to help establish more business in town. These gentlemen are current Council members who are always present and always working for the town.

You will see them at every single Council meeting. As residents, we get a great deal back because of their hard work and caring effort.

I promote these Democrats even though I am a Republican because I think they are the best choice in this election.

Let’s look at a serious and divisive issue. Parkesburg’s number of rental units. Some are nice units, safe apartments, operated by caring landlords. Others seem to cater to less discriminating tenants. Some historical, landmark shops may soon to be divided up into small apartments destined to have but one parking spot for the entire building, creating more problems in town. There are a lot of homes turned into apartments here.

While there are those who may resist the new rental inspection ordinance because of what may be legitimate concerns, there are other critics who may inadvertently leave some problems up to the taxpayers of the Borough to solve, stemming from the creation of more rental apartments. We already see heaps garbage on sidewalks and back yards. We notice an increasing need for police presence, dedicating overtime hours to provide law enforcement in problem areas. Apartments must be created with built-in safety factors implemented so tragedy is prevented. You simply can not change that. It’s also sad to see beautiful shops being turned into more low income apartments in the center of town instead of retail shops for us all to enjoy.

Candidates running for office should be impartial and not have self-interest in mind. They must be self-less and serve all equally. David was born here, but it’s got nothing to do with being born here as anyone with common sense should know. Ask the people of California how they like their Governor. Most love him. Here too, our Council must be highly professional and be able to envision Parkesburg as a thriving, warm community filled with contributing, long-term residents who care for the home they live in and about the welfare of the entire borough.

With David Jones and Tom Curtain, we will move in the right direction without the risk of promoting self interests or ineffective management.

Respectfully,
Michael A. Martorana