Public's Access to Macungie Council Keeps Shrinking

Macungie Council President Jean Nagle addressed the press directly at the May 7 meeting, claiming a comment she made at the April 16 meeting was taken out of context.

Council was considering to the beginning and end of public meetings.

Borough Manager Chris Boehm made the point that the public might not be able to express opinions if too many limitations are imposed.

“I don’t care,” Nagle said at the April meeting. The comment was reported in a Patch story.

Do you feel your input is welcome by Macungie Council? Leave a comment.

Borough officials also recorded it, as they record every meeting. Recordings are kept until the minutes for those meetings are approved, then they’re destroyed.

The CDs are available to Macungie taxpayers – for a fee – until the recordings are destroyed.

At the May 7 meeting, Nagle took several minutes to emphasize that she does care about the borough. That she has been a public servant for decades is proof.

Indeed, she said, she wonders where other people who care can be found since there are so many .

“But I still don’t care to hear from people during the meat of an issue,” she said at the May 7 meeting.

Since three members of council were voted out and three other voted and sworn in last January:

* Meeting agendas have less meeting detail resulting in less prior knowledge of topics. However,

* Specific and numerous instructions are included with each agenda on how taxpayers may address council.

* Time and opportunity for public comment has been shortened.

* Comments that will take more than 5 minutes of council's time are required to be submitted in writing.