Potpourri 5/22-5/28

Please continue to check the Morrisville's Future blog for updates. We intend to keep the blog going.

PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS

From buckslocalnews.com
PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS: Yardley-Makefield area races - Yardley News - Bucks Local News

MORRISVILLE BOROUGH

WARD 2 – Former council president Nancy Sherlock and Jeffrey S. Johnson won a three-way race on the Democratic ballot for two open seats on council, besting Graeme Thomson.

WARDS 3 & 4 – Both Rhonda Davis (D) and current Council President Dave Rivella (D) ran in uncontested primaries for the 3rd and 4th wards, respectively.

MORRISVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT

SCHOOL BOARD (4-YEAR SEAT) – In the race for five, 4-year seats on the school board, newly-appointed Board Member Stephen Worob led everyone with 12.2 percent (561 votes) while Board President Bill Hellmann came in second with 11.6 percent (532 votes) of the final tally. The rest of the results are as follows: Marlys Mihok, 11.4 percent; Alfred Radosti, 11.3 percent; Damon Miller, 11.3 percent; Dave Stoneburner, 10.7 percent; Wanda Kartal, 10.6 percent; Yvonne Ruthrauff, 10.4 percent; and Ted Parker, 10.1 percent. All candidates were cross-filed. Democratic nominees will be Damon Miller, David Stoneburner, Ted Parker and Wanda Kartal - all member of Morrisville Matters - as well as Stephen Worob. The Republican nominees will be the "Stay On Course" team of Marlys Mihok, Alfred Radosti, Bill Hellmann and Yvonne Ruthrauff. Stephen Worob also received enough votes to be on the Republican ticket as well.

SCHOOL BOARD (2-YEAR SEAT) – Alina Marone ran cross-filed and unopposed.

PennDOT OKs limits on brake retarders

from the bcct:

PennDOT OKs limits on brake retarders

By GEMA MARIA DUARTE staff writer Calkins Media, Inc. | 0 comments

Morrisville - Truck drivers, take notice. Signs in Morrisville will soon be going up to let you know that brake retarders are prohibited on certain borough streets.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation gave Morrisville its blessing to stop the use of brake retarders on portions of state-owned streets - Delmorr, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and Trenton avenues and Bridge Street.

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Morrisville followed in the footsteps of Bristol and Yardley, where similar requests were made and permission granted from the state agency after residents complained of the loud noise the braking system makes. Brake retarders, commonly known as Jake brakes and used to save costly wear on conventional brake pads, can create a loud chattering or "machine gun" exhaust noise. The braking system installed on some diesel engines uses a blast of compressed air from engine exhaust valves to slow a moving truck.

"I did previously state that it was in PennDOT's hands, but I had a good feeling that they would grant us permission," Morrisville council President Dave Rivella said. "I believe that PennDOT made the right call on this, after all when you think about Morrisville's roads they are pretty flat. If we had steep hills then I could see for safety reasons that the big trucks may need to use a Jake brake but that's not the case here and I agree that we should be able to regulate them."

Because the streets are state-owned, Morrisville needed PennDOT's approval, according to Pennsylvania law. PennDOT approved the request in a letter dated April 25, after conducting a study of the streets. From that study, PennDOT is allowing Morrisville to prohibit the use of Jake brakes on:

n North Pennsylvania Avenue from Ridge Avenue to Bridge Street

n South Pennsylvania Avenue from Ridge Avenue to Post Road

n North Delmorr Avenue from East Trenton Avenue to East Bridget Street

n West Philadelphia Avenue from South Pennsylvania to Wright Avenue

n East Philadelphia Avenue from South Delmorr to South Pennsylvania

n East Bridge Street from the Trenton-Makes (Lower) Bridge to Pennsylvania Avenue

n West Bridge Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Althea Avenue

n East Trenton Avenue from Calhoun Street Bridge to Pennsylvania Avenue

n West Trenton Avenue from Pennsylvania Avenue to Route 13.

The borough will be responsible for enacting an ordinance to prohibit the use of Jake brakes, as well as its enforcement, the letter reads. It will also be the responsibility of Morrisville to purchase and erect the appropriate signs prohibiting the braking system. The maintenance of those signs will also fall on the borough.

"While the borough will be responsible for the signs that get posted I believe it is in the best interest of our borough to move forward on this," Rivella said.

He added that a vote to move the ordinance forward will take place at the May 16 council meeting.

Potpourri 5/1-5/7

Just a little over 2 weeks till the May 17 primary. S.O.C. seems to be running scared while the Morrisville Matters campaign keeps the pressure on. Its going to be an interesting 2 weeks for sure. Dont forget to get out and vote on the 17th of May!