2017 Winter Edition

Council Corner BERKS JAZZ FESTIVAL The 27th annual Boscov's Berks Jazz Fest as presented by Berks Arts Council March 31 through April 9 has a definite downtown Reading focus. Indeed, there is no finer place to be than downtown during the festival. There are 38 major concerts scheduled for downtown -- 29 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading, six at the Miller Center for the Arts and three at the Santander Performing Arts Center. As always, the Berks Jazz Fest is epic in scope and talent -- with a whole constellation of stars performing in a multiplicity of concerts at venues large and small encompassing contemporary jazz, urban jazz, straight-ahead jazz, blues, funk, R&B, gospel, sounds that meld genres, and unique concerts produced especially for the festival. The Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest is recognized as one of the largest and most diverse music festivals of its kind in the country. Since 1991, the festival has been an important part of the Greater Reading’s community revitalization efforts as both an economic and cultural catalyst for positive change. The 10-day festival’s economic impact on the Berks County commu-nity is estimated to be between $8 and $10 million. The festival attracts over 45,000 fans representing 30-plus states and several foreign countries. The DoubleTree is the epicenter of Jazz Fest concerts. Thirteen of the 29 events there will be at the SOUTH Jazz Parlor at Berks, which will be housed in the ballroom and share the same ambience as the iconic SOUTH Kitchen & Jazz Parlor in Philadelphia, recognized as one of the 50 Best Jazz Clubs in America. Performing at the SOUTH Jazz Parlor at Berks are the Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio featuring Jonathan Kreisberg and Johnathan Blake (Smith is a 2017 NEA Jazz Master and one of the premier purveyors of funk/soul jazz); Mike Eben’s From the Hip Non-et; the Pat Martino Organ Trio with Horns featuring Pat Bianchi, Carmen Intorre, Adam Niewood, and Alex Norris; Eric Marien-thal; Frank DiBussolo’s Philly Reunion Band; the Jeff Hamilton Trio; the Anat Cohen Quartet; the Avalon Jazz Band plus Hot Club of Reading; and Rick Braun: The Music of Chet Baker. Other signature shows at the DoubleTree are The New Urban Jazz Party featuring Bob Baldwin, Walter Beasley, Marion Meadows and Tom Browne; Nick Colionne with Eric Darius and Adam Hawley; funk legend of Sly & the Family Stone fame Larry Graham and Graham Central Station; Jazz Gets the Blues -- a true jazz and blues mix blending blues classics with burning chops, funky grooves and high-energy performance staged exclusively for the Berks Jazz Fest and featuring Clarence Spady, Alexis P Suter, Steve Cole, Nick Colionne, Eric Darius, Pat Bianchi, Vicki Bell and the Berks Horns (Mike Anderson, Rob Diener and John Loos); the NYPD Jazz Band; the can't-miss Berks All-Star Jazz Jam with a medley of marquee artists; the West Coast Jam with Rick Braun, Norman Brown and Richard Elliot; Everette Harp & Friends featuring Chante Moore, Phil Perry, Brian Bromberg, Brian Simpson, Rayford Griffin and Dwight Sills; and multiple Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Marcus Miller. Downtown Reading has the Opening Night Celebration with R&B superstar saxophonist Gerald Albright, Grammy Award-winning vocalist Patti Austin and revered guitarist/vocalist Jonathan Butler starring in an exceptional concert produced specifi-cally for the Berks Jazz Fest on Friday, March 31, at 7:30 p.m. at the Santander Performing Arts Center. Other concerts at the Santander Performing Arts Center are the fabulous Fourplay featuring Bob James, Nathan East, Harvey Mason and Chuck Loeb; and the stylistically unbound instrumental Grammy Award-winning funk band Snarky Puppy. In a Berks Jazz Fest premiere, producer extraordinaire Jason Miles is presenting the first live performance of his memorable 2000 album Celebrating the Music of Weather Report on Saturday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Miller Center for the Arts. Miles has assembled an array of contemporary jazz heavyweights to honor the 30th anniversary of the formation of Weather Report, one of the pre-eminent early jazz fusion bands led by Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter and Miroslav Vitous. The artists helping Miles breathe life into this special concert are multiple Grammy-winning saxophonist Jeff Coffin and a member of the Dave Matthews Band; trumpeter Theo Croker; bassist Gerald Veasley; violinist Karen Briggs; multi-instrumentalist Mino Cinelu who as a teenager toured and recorded with Weather Report; percussionist Carter Beauford who is a founding member of the Dave Matthews Band; and multiple Grammy-winning drummer Shaun Martin. Other concerts at the Miller Center are the Super Band featuring Randy Brecker, Mike Stern, Bill Evans, Keith Carlock and Tom Kennedy; Troker, a jazz rock and world music band from Guadalajara, Mexico; celebrated pianist Keiko Matsui; pianist/vocalist Jim Brinkman; and the Reading Pops Orchestra with Minas featuring Orlando Haddad, Patricia King and Andrew Neu.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

2017 Pagoda Award ....... 2

Veterans Grove .............. 3

Mt. Penn Reserve

Master Plan ................ 3

Mt. Penn Community

Design Meeting ........... 4

Legislative

Highlights .................... 5

Volunteer

Opportunities .............. 6

Project Buy a Brick ........ 7

Berks Arts Council Announces the

Reading Buccaneers as Recipient of the

2017 Pagoda Award

Pagoda Award and special concert to be

held Monday, April 3, 2017, at Double-

Tree by Hilton Reading as part of the 27th

annual Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest.

Reading - Berks Arts Council will honor

Berks County’s championship drum and

bugle corps the Reading Buccaneers with

the 2017 Pagoda

Award for Excel-

lence in the Arts

for 60 years of

unparalleled per-

formance excel-

lence at 7:00

p.m., Monday,

April 3, at Dou-

bleTree by Hilton

Reading. The

Pagoda Award

coincides with the 60th anniversary of the

Reading Buccaneers and the 30th anniver-

sary of the Buccaneer Alumni Drum and

Bugle Corps.

Berks Arts Council Board President Lee

Olsen stated: “I am proud to announce

that Berks Arts Council chose to com-

memorate the Reading Buccaneers. We

are thrilled to recognize the Bucs 60 years

of exceptional work.”

Reading Buccaneers director Lou Tierno

said: "On behalf of six decades of Bucca-

neers, I thank the Berks Arts Council for

this incredible honor. We are proud to

have represented the Greater Reading area

for the past 60 years, and we have valued

our long association with the Berks Arts

Council. To receive this recognition from

the local arts community is particularly

gratifying.”

Pagoda Award Chairperson Kevin Barn-

hardt added: “I have spent a lot of time

with the Buccaneers over the past year,

and I am inspired by the energy and com-

mitment to Artistic Excellence that this

corps has shown.”

The Awards Ceremony will include a

special Berks Jazz Fest performance to

honor the “Bucs” with Buccaneers’ alum-

nus Al Chez performing with his band --

The Brothers of Funk Big Band.

Karen Haver, Berks Arts Council Execu-

tive Director, shared: “With the long his-

tory of production support from the Read-

ing Buccaneers for the Berks Jazz Fest,

we felt that the fest was the ideal time to

honor the Bucs. Including the concert and

awards in the fest allows us to really cre-

ate a special celebration.”

Chez has a long and storied career with

multiple ensembles in the DCA and Drum

Corp International (DCI), including the

Buccaneers. He is best known for his 25-

year stint on trumpet and flugelhorn play-

ing on Late Night with David Letterman

and the Late Show with David Lettermen.

In 1979, Chez joined forces with Jon Bon

Jovi to create the band the Atlantic City

Expressway, playing in clubs on the Jer-

sey Shore. Chez went on to play with

Tower of Power, Robert Cray Band, Spy-

ro Gyra, Sting, Rolling Stones, Eric Clap-

ton, Bon Jovi, Cee lo Greene, Snoop Dog,

James Brown and many others before

joining Paul Shaffer and the Late Night

Orchestra.

Al Chez and The Brothers of Funk Big

Band are not your typical big band.

In 2008 Chez met up with musicians Jim-

my Steele and Jarred Streiff and the result

was Al Chez and The Brothers of Funk

Big Band, which has reinvented the big

band sound by changing up classic rock,

soul, jazz and standard music to a unique

and powerful sound.

Along with its unique musical arrange-

ments of rock-soul -- jazz-blues standards

and original tunes, Chez's stratospheric

trumpet playing and soulful vocals make

for a magical and memorable show.

Chez started his musical career at the age

of 9 when he joined his local drum corps.

Chez still donates his time to drum corps

activity,

working

with

many

corps and

bands.

Reading

Buccaneers were organized in 1957 as a

parade corps comprised of veterans of

World War II and Korea who had aged

out of the local junior corps. They won

their first VFW championship in 1960.

The Buccaneers are a charter member of

the Drum Corps Associates (DCA) and

compete annually for the DCA World

Championship. In 1965 the Buccaneers

won the first DCA World Championship,

a title they have held a record 14 times,

most recently in 2015 when they had an

undefeated season. They have been DCA

finalists for over 20 consecutive years,

consistently placing in the top 5 since

1998.

The first Pagoda Award was presented to

the late Gertrude Sternbergh in 1993 in

recognition

of her valua-

ble contri-

bution to the

arts in Berks

County.

Over the

past 20

years, the awards were expanded to in-

clude multiple recipients celebrating con-

tributions to the arts through excellence,

patronage, and leadership. Over 30 indi-

viduals have been presented since the

award’s inception.

The Pagoda Awards and special concert

will be presented on Monday, April 3 at

DoubleTree by Hilton Reading, for more

information visit PagodaAwards.com.

Tickets for the Award Ceremony concert

are $25 and are available through Pago-

daAwards.com, BerksJazzFest.com, San-

tander Arena Box Office, or by calling

ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, or

Ticketmaster outlets. For more infor-

mation, please contact the Berks Arts

Council at 610-898-1930.

The mission of Berks Arts Council, a 501

(c)(3) non-profit organization, is to culti-

vate, promote, and support the arts in our

community through collaboration, educa-

tion, and presentation.

Berks Arts Council

presents the Boscov’s

Berks Jazz Fest, the

Bandshell Concert

Series, Fast Lane Art

and the Pagoda

Awards. The Council

administers the Penn-

sylvania Partners in the Arts Re-Granting

Program, which provides funding to local

arts projects and programs, and provides

art exhibition and

marketing opportu-

nities for member artists. Visit them at

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Have you driven by or walked through Reading’s City

Park and noticed all the memorials, flag poles, canons

and statues scattered throughout the park? Have you

ever wondered who cares for all the stone and bronze?

For decades, Berks County residents have flocked to

Reading’s Veterans Grove to honor and remember the

men and women who have so bravely defended our

Country and its freedoms. Throughout the park are stat-

ues and memorials erected by various groups honoring

Veterans from countless conflicts throughout our Coun-

tries military history.

Groups are formed and funds are raised to build these

memorials but seldom are funds put in place for the long

term care of the memorials and accompanying fixtures.

Over time the stone crumbles and bronze weathers and

these once striking fixtures begin to deteriorate. Addi-

tionally, as we’ve seen in Veterans Grove, vandals have

been causing major damage to the memorials. This is

where the Berks County Monument Preservation Fund

(BCMPF) and our Freedom Path brick walkway project

come into the picture.

Over the past 3 years, the BCMPF has raised money and

funded innumerable repairs and organized countless

rehabs of military memorials throughout the County.

The BCMPF also has taken it upon itself to rake leaves,

mulch, plant flowers and power wash memorials leading

up to all major military events and holidays to show the

respect we feel is deserved to our Veterans. We have

completely rehabbed the Maine Anchor memorial as well

as the World War I memorial in Veterans Grove and

have done substantial improvements to other memorials

around the area as well as completing landscaping im-

provements at and around different memorials.

Our Freedom Path project will be a significant project

which will not only enhance City Park and Veterans

Grove but it will allow the BCMPF to raise the funds nec-

essary to install cameras, additional lighting, educational

plaques and seating in Veterans Grove while also ensur-

ing capital is in place to care for the more than 100 mili-

tary memorials throughout the County which currently

are being neglected.

Individual bricks are being sold starting at $100. You

can select a custom message of your choosing to be

etched into the bricks - up to (3) lines and (15) characters

per line. The bricks will then be placed in Veterans

Grove to form the “Freedom Path” which tie together all

of the memorials including the Vietnam memorial.

The BCMPF is comprised solely of volunteers and one hundred percent of the proceeds from this project go directly to caring for and honoring military veterans

throughout Berks County. The BCMPF is a 501c3. All brick purchases and donations are tax deductible. For more information please feel free to visit BerksFor-

Vets.com or email us at BerksMonuments@gmail.com.

Veterans Grove Brick Walkway Page 3

The Mt. Penn Preserve committee has begun

the public input portion of the master plan. We held

meetings at City Hall on Saturday, February 25th in the

morning and afternoon and we received a tremendous

number of ideas and suggestions to improve the experi-

ence and preserve the attributes that make the Mt. Penn

Preserve a unique experience. Additional meetings will

be held: Thursday, March 9th from 4pm-6pm and 7pm-

9pm at the Reading Liederkranz, Saturday, March 25th

from 10am-1 pm and 1pm-4pm at City Hall and Thurs-

day, April 20th from 7pm-9pm at Stokesay Castle.

We have many folks traveling from outside of

our community are enjoying the Preserve for exercise,

recreation, amazing views and activities. We want

YOUR input into the future of the Preserve and what

will encourage people to return as well as patronize our

local shops and restaurants.

If you can’t make the public meetings, please

take a few minutes to complete the survey

www.mtpennpreserve.org

Thank you for your time and consideration of our local treasure! If you are interested in serving on the Mount Penn Preserve Steering Committee, please contact: Kevin Barnhardt at 610.478-6136 or kbarn-hardt@countyofberks.com or Lee Olsen at 610.371.9606 ext. 216 or lol-

Mt. Penn Reserve Master Plan

By County Commissioner Kevin Barnhardt

By Chad Schlanger

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Did you know…………….

Use of ATVs: The use of all types and forms of ATV’s are prohibited within Reading by the State; however, we often see and

hear them being used on streets, alleys and park properties. The State requires all ATV’s to be registered with the State

DCNR (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources). City Code Chapter 576, Part 13 Motorized Devices and

Chapter 576-407 Storage of Vehicles on Streets was modified by adding language regarding All-Terrain Vehicles and

authorizing the Police Department to seize and dispose of all ATV’s that are unregistered.

Parking Large Trucks: In Reading it is illegal to park any commercial vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of

10,000 lbs. or more for more than 1 hour in plain view from the public right of way. Tow Trucks designated medium or

heavy duty, Car Carriers, and Low Boy Trailers are similarly prohibited. This restriction applies City-wide and includes

without limitation school buses, construction equipment, trucks, trailers, or tractors, whether attached or unattached

unless the vehicle is involved in the actual delivery, pick up of goods, supplies, or merchandise from any building, resi-

dence or business, or the vehicle is used to perform services for any permitted residential or commercial project in that

block. Violations should be reported to the Reading Police Desk Sergeant at 610 655 6111. Vehicles are warned one time

prior to ticketing.

Streetlight Outage: Is there a streetlight burned out? Please report the outage to the City’s Citizens Service Center by calling

877-727-3234 or report the outage in iRequest on the City’s website or download on your smart phone. Simply report

the type of pole – wooden or metal – along with the pole number located on the tag attached to the pole, as that infor-

mation will determine if the repair is required by the City or MetEd.

Campaign Reporting Requirements: As we enter into a municipal election year, a reminder to all seeking election to a City

Council seat that the Ethics Code requires everyone entering into a political campaign for a City office or operating a

political action committee (PAC) to file copies of the reports filed with the Elections Office with the City Clerk’s Office.

There are also limitations on campaign contributions as listed below:

Election year:

individuals - $2,600

organizations - $10,400

campaign committees - $10,400

Non-Election year:

Mayor – $150,000 per year

Auditor – $75,000 per year

City Council President - $50,000

City Council – $25,000 per year

Post-Election to candidates and candidate campaign committees

individuals - $2,600

organizations - $10,600

Candidates must notify the City of Reading Board of Ethics when a political committee is formed and must submit a form

to the City Clerk’s Office. Candidates must file a Financial Interest Statement and provide a copy to the Board of Ethics and

must submit a copy of their report of receipts and expenditures to the office of the City Clerk along with a written statemen t

signed by the filer swearing that the information is true and correct.

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Volunteer Opportunities

The City of Reading has many opportunities for residents to be involved in decisions made by their local government. At this time, the City needs residents to serve on several Boards, Authorities and Commissions (BAC). Four BACs are highlighted below along with a comprehensive list of all openings on City BACs. Are you a heating/air conditioning professional? The HVAC Board reviews the City’s heating and air conditioning installation and maintenance requirements. Board of Ethics members must be City residents. The Board gives advice and processes complaints of potential violations of the Code of Ethics and conducts education programs. Board members have an elevated duty to avoid conflicts of interests and may not hold or campaign for public office, hold office in any political party, organization or committee, may be employed or appointed by any government, or actively participate or contribute to any campaign for City office. Members of the Charter Board must be City residents. The Board gives advice and processes complaints of potential violations of the Home Rule Charter and conducts education programs. Board members have an elevated duty to avoid conflicts of interests and may not hold or campaign for public office, hold office in any political party, organization or committee, may be employed or appointed by any government, or actively participate or contribute to any campaign for City office. The Reading Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) works to protect areas, buildings and structures of the City which reflect the cultural, social, and architectural history of the City, awaken an interest in the City’s historic past, foster civic pride in the architectural, historical, cultural and educational accomplishments of Reading, promotes the use and reuse of the his-toric areas, buildings and structures, enhancing the City's attractiveness to visitors, encouraging new buildings and developments that are harmonious with existing historic and architecturally important buildings, and to enable the City to participate actively in the National Register of Historic Places program and procedures and the National Certified Local Government Program to qualify for grant assistance. Electrician’s Examining Board 1 opening Plumbing Board 2 openings HVAC Board 6 openings Zoning Hearing Board 2 alternate openings Fire Civil Service Board 1 opening HARB 4 openings – 1 at large resident, 1 resident of the Prince District, 1 resident of the Penn’s Com-

mons District and 1 real estate broker Board of Health 2 openings + 1 alternate opening – environmental health and infectious disease knowledge Board of Ethics 2 openings Building/Fire Code Board Of Appeals 2 openings + 2 alternate openings – building and trades experience Animal Control Board 3 openings Charter Board 3 openings Code & License Appeals Board 1 opening – must own a business in Reading Diversity Board 2 openings – 1 rep of a reputable City Hispanic org and 1 rep of the NAACP Main Street Board 3 openings Pagoda Foundation 4 openings Water Authority 2 openings Redevelopment Authority 2 openings CRIZ Authority 5 openings Planning Commission 2 openings Shade Tree Commission 2 openings Stadium Commission 2 openings Human Relations Commission 2 openings Environmental Advisory Council 4 openings Recreation Commission 2 openings All interested citizens should complete the BAC application form found on the City’s website – www.readingpa.gov – and return it to the City Clerk’s office, 815 Washington St, Reading, PA 19601. For additional information, please call the City Clerk’s office at 610-655-6204 or email to council@readingpa.gov.

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