Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
UPDATED: 11:20 p.m., Monday, November 2:
Borough secretary and council candidate Karen Kondrk said she forwarded the complaint onto the proper officials. She also said it is not her job to enforce zoning, a responsibility which falls on the part-time zoning officer.
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Original Post:
Less than a week before the November 3 election, three political signs have caused hot debate in Penndel Borough.
Borough resident Linda Roe claimed three political signs, which bear the name of current Borough Assistant Secretary and council candidate Karen Kondrk are excessively large, exceeding local ordinance guidelines by 28 square feet.
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While borough local ordinance forbids campaign signage on front yards from being any larger that four square feet, Kondrk’s signs, which were placed on the lawns of two current council members, allegedly measure 32 square feet in size. The borough solicitor confirmed Roe’s claims that the signs exceed ordinance requirements.
According to borough officials, Kondrk also handles zoning complaints between residents and code enforcement. A complaint about the signs was reportedly been submitted early Monday by a resident, finding it’s across Kondrk’s desk.
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“Well, they have 30 days to remove them, there is nothing anyone can do,” said Councilwoman Arlene Harms.
Council Vice President Beverly Wolfe apologized and instructed she would remove the sign. Councilwoman Barbara Heffelfinger, however, noted she wasn’t sure how the sign ended up on her lawn and that she had no plans to remove it.
“It is a conflict of interest for Ms. Kondrk to be handling a complaint of this nature, she won’t enforce it because she is benefiting from the sign,” said Rich Flanagan, who is also campaigning for a council seat. “This is the latest example of how Penndel has been run, the laws apply to certain folks but not others and their friends.”
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For Council President Kali Sodano, the issues lie deeper. “As an elected official it’s not okay to say ‘I didn’t know’. It’s our job as council members to know and understand Borough Code, and more importantly to lead by example,” she said. Sodano, a Republican, is also a candidate for re-election on Tuesday.
The issue caused a debate at Monday night’s council meeting.
