Leesport mayor offers to donate speed-sign funds
Leesport’s mayor has offered to donate funds to help purchase a radar speed sign for the borough.
“It’s much more than generous on the part of the mayor,” Councilman Martin Goetz said, regarding Mayor Granville Sandridge’s proposed donation of $2,500.
Sandridge, a Northern Berks Regional Police commissioner, hopes Leesport will consider matching his donation in order to purchase the device.
The police commission recently purchased a radar speed sign for about $5,000 with plans to use it in the borough and the two other municipalities Northern Berks Police cover, Maidencreek and Ontelaunee townships.
Sandridge said police placed the sign near the Leesport post office on East Wall Street to monitor traffic. He watched drivers’ reaction to the sign and said he could tell that cars slowed down.
“The sign worked. It impressed me,” Sandridge said.
Maidencreek Township purchased its own radar sign after seeing the results when Northern Berks police placed the radar speed sign in Maidencreek, according to Sandridge.
Councilman Charles N. Berger welcomed Sandridge’s offer, but wanted the approval of the police, who would be operating the sign.
Solicitor Chris Hartman advised that Leesport could donate the speed monitoring sign to the police commission to use in Leesport and the commission would be responsible for maintenance.
In other business, Sandridge expressed concern about overgrown properties on Centre Avenue.
He said the borough’s recently adopted weed ordinance should help to eliminate the problem, but that it might take a few months.
Although council passed a resolution in July setting fines for overgrown weeds, the borough doesn’t yet have a process for citing offenders, Borough Sandra L. Weiser said.
Courtesy: Karen L. Chandler
