North Wales borough recognized junior councilperson Braeden Bussman, fourth from right, during their Aug. 27, 2024 meeting, then reappointed Bussman for a term running through summer 2025 in Sept.. From left to right are council members Mark Tarlecki, Sally Neiderhisr, Sarah Whelan, Brittany Kohler, Alex Groce, Sherwin Collins, Sal Amato, Bussman, councilwomen Anji Fazio and Wendy McClure, and Mayor Neil McDevitt. Photo by Dan Sokil | The Reporter.
Parks board resignation, budget also discussed
A familiar face will be seated alongside North Wales Borough Council for another year.
Council members voted unanimously in early September to reappoint Braeden Bussman to be their junior councilperson for a second term.
“Braden, you know we are overjoyed to have you. You’ve been a great addition,” said borough Manager Christine Hart.
Back in February, council swore in Bussman, a sophomore at Lansdale Catholic High School at the time, to be the town’s first-ever junior councilperson, activating a program that had been discussed as far back as 2022 and is run under rules set by the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs. He has no formal voting power, but attends monthly council meetings, takes part in borough business, and is meant to learn about local government while sharing input and thoughts on various issues.
"We're going to do it for 2024-25, and then I could only hope that in Lansdale Catholic, and/or North Penn High School, that the word is out — and if you have any of your peers that have asked questions, maybe you can encourage them to look into doing this in future years," Hart said.
Council President Sal Amato asked if staff or council members could speak to local schools in assemblies or classroom gatherings, and Hart said she and staff would reach out to local schools to do so.
Parks and rec resignation
Council voted on Sept. 10 to accept the resignation of parks and recreation board member Gina Calhoun.
During her time on the board, Calhoun helped organize and recruit food vendors for the town's summer food truck festival, but has recently submitted a letter of resignation citing family commitments, the manager told council. Councilwoman Sarah Whelan added that Calhoun had been "really great at doing the fliers" and producing marketing materials for town events, and Hart said she'd ask Calhoun if she could still assist and/or teach others how to do so.
Vacant season on the town's boards and commissions now include an open spot on the town’s human relations commission, running through 2024; one each on the Historical Architectural Review Board (must be a licensed real estate broker) and on the Nor-Gwyn Pool Commission running through 2028, one on the parks and recreation board running through 2026 and two on the zoning hearing board, running through 2025 and 2027 (alternate member) respectively.
Anyone interested in serving in any of those positions can contact Hart with a letter of interest and resume by emailing [email protected] or at 300 School Street, North Wales PA, 19454.
Budget talks starting soon
Hart also gave council a preview of the next few months: "I know it seems like it came really quick, but budget time is here," she said.
A tentative budget schedule includes talks with each department head through September, formal budget request for 2025 from each to the manager by the end of the month, then a preliminary budget submission to council in early October. Council would then hold a formal budget workshop to go line-by-line through the plans on Oct. 22, followed by votes to advertise the budget on Nov. 12 and to adopt it on Nov. 26, with a vote on any new tax ordinance possible on Dec. 10 if needed.
"Each department will review their needs, their wish lists, and then we will have ongoing meetings, and in the interim we will be working with council's finance committee" to go over specifics, Hart said. Amato added that finance committee members for fall 2024 will include himself and council members Alex Groce and Anji Fazio, and that group will develop a written document outlining that committee's duties and responsibilities for future years.
"We need to have some sort of document that describes what the finance committee is, and its expectations. We haven't had that in the past," Amato said.
Park work underway
The manager also gave an update on work to pave and upgrade a trail running through the town's Ninth Street Park.
"We're looking to wrap that up, hopefully by the end of this month," she said.
In August work began on the project, after council awarded a $102,000 contract in July to widen and pave a path running through the park, as the first step in a series of upgrades that could help the town meet state and federal mandates for pollution reduction over the next several years. As of Sept. 10, the manager said, work looked likely to finish within the next two weeks, with planting and signage to be installed once the construction is complete.
North Wales borough council next meets at 7 p.m. on Oct. 8 and 22, both at borough hall, 300 School Street; for more information visit www.NorthWalesBorough.org.
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