How To Grow Pottstown And Beyond

A public meeting will be held this week for area residents to contribute to a market assessment and fiscal impact study underway in the region.

The meeting will held by the Pottstown Metropolitan Regional Planning Committee 7 p.m. on Sept. 8 at Pottstown High School.

The purpose of the meeting is to collect ideas from the public regarding job creation strategies, how to best grow the regional economy, create a quality of life through economic activity, focus public and private resources to expand employment and educational opportunities and grow the region.

The PMRPC hired a consulting firm, TischlerBise, to conduct the study.

The study is funded by the Montgomery County Planning Commission, the PMRPC and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Council.

Background:

The idea to improve the community is nothing new to many Pottstown residents.

Problems in the borough include a need for more efficient public transportation to towns like King Of Prussia where more jobs can be found.

Some locals disagree over the number of owner-occupied homes versus multi-family unit investment properties. 

And many complain of high school taxes. 

Too many local folks are without jobs, Pottstown resident Barbara Harley said earlier this summer. 

“You have a lot of hardship in town,” she said. 

At that time, Christina Carroll talked of gang fights, slumlords, and prostitutes who push their baby strollers while they look for customers. 

“It’s been a depressed area for quite some time,” Carroll said. 

Frances Laws said there are many homeless people in Pottstown.

“I think people are just dropping them off at night and in the daytime you see them,” Laws said.