In 2015 the previous council passed a resolution renaming the park on Keystone Avenue, “Gerald W. Gross Park.” A dedication ceremony was supposed to take place when weather turned more pleasant in 2016. Spring, Summer, and Fall passed.
The excuse was that the new signs, being made by county inmates (which would save the borough a few hundred dollars), was delayed due to various issues. I can’t even remember what the excuses for the delays were now.
By the time the inmate idea was finally scrapped and a real sign maker was hired, who delivered the signs in a timely manner, we were past a point where we could plan a dedication ceremony before cold weather hit.
Though the responsibility of getting the signs done was that of Councilman Tom Nodoline, a holdover from the previous council, it gave the appearance that the newly elected council wasn’t all that concerned about having a dedication ceremony for the Mayor and that left a bad taste in my mouth.
Mayor Gross put 50 years into serving West Easton as both a Councilman and our Mayor. Doing only one year myself, as a Councilman, I respect him for his longevity and perseverance.
The Mayor deserves a proper dedication of the park. Not having one is, if nothing else, just simply rude.
Though I occasionally brought up the subject of the ceremony during earlier 2016 council sessions and ran into the signs not being ready problem, they are finally completed.
So, at Monday’s meeting, I again pushed for a commitment to a dedication ceremony.
It is tentatively set for April 15th, 2017. This is the date of the West Easton Easter Egg Hunt at the park, which should allow for those who don’t bother to read the newsletter, or visit the borough website for announcements, to be on hand for the dedication.
Though the date hasn’t been made official, or even a time of when the event will start, I now feel confident that it will take place.
Disclaimer: On January 4, 2016, the owner of WestEastonPA.com began serving on the West Easton Council following an election. Postings and all content found on this website are the opinions of Matthew A. Dees and may not necessarily represent the opinion of the governing body for The Borough of West Easton.
