During the monthly meeting of the borough council on April 4, a motion was approved to discontinue payment of the electric bill for the tower clock located at The Church of the Good Shepherd, effective with the 2017 budget year. This is one step in an ongoing process to turn the responsibly of the clock over to Good Shepherd.
All council members voted in favor of this motion, with exception to Gene Gabel who voted against it.
During public comments Clayton Leister of Boyertown reacted to the motion approved regarding the town clock, under the impression the clock would be turned off. “The light was always there,” he said, “There’s something sacred about the light.”
“Where in that motion did you hear that we’re turning off the light of the clock?” said Council President Frank Deery.
Council members clarified that the clock’s electricity would not be shut off, but only that the borough would no longer be responsible for the bill.
Lori Carnes, council member and a member of the Save Our Town Clock Foundation, stated that the clock has been in disrepair and a foundation has been formed.
“The town has been supporting it; we’re almost at our goal,” she said. “It will be working for years to come and it will be working right.”
The goal – originally set at $200,000 – is now $220,000. The foundation has raised $180,000 and is ready to begin repair work. Back in January, the borough council approved a $10,000 donation to the fund
The hope is that the town clock will be ringing by July to celebrate the town’s Sesquicentennial.
For more information about the foundation, visit www.saveourtownclock.org for more information.
In other news – Jake Lea, on behalf of Building a Better Boyertown, followed up with council regarding the trail feasibility study. This topic was discussed at the March meeting.
The proposed trail would run along the Colebrookdale Railroad corridor. A feasibility study is needed to see if this would be possible.
Building a Better Boyertown has asked the borough to serve as the grant applicant. The grant application deadline is April 10. A motion was unanimously approved by council members to submit the grant application and for the president of council to sign it.
