Former Students Recall Their Days at Taylor School

A reunion on Sunday brought together about 50 former students and one teacher of the of the former community school, razed 49 years ago.

School, and nearly everything in Downtown Easton was different back then, recalled more than one attendee of the Taylor School reunion held on Sunday next door to the school's site at St. John's Lutheran Church. "All the good stuff, they took out of school," said Melvin Taylor, a 1930s Taylor School attendee (who is not related to the school's namesake, Declaration of Independence signer George Taylor). He and about 50 other former students of the former elementary school remembered a close-knit time when teachers, parents and other members of the ethnically mixed but unified community all had the same moral message for young people, and corporal punishment was still an option for transgressors. Taylor said the message got through. "The …

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Parking Increase, Other Funding Could Replace NID Proposal

Establishing a NID seems less and less popular among Easton elected officials, though support for the programs it would fund is strong.

City officials seem less receptive to the idea of the proposed Neighborhood Improvement District (NID), though support for the programs it is intended to fund has not waned. At a workshop meeting Tuesday evening, during the second of sessions planned to take input for alternative ideas to fund the city's Main Street and Ambassadors programs, city council members, the mayor and a few members of the public offered more suggestions, including: Presented by councilmen Mike Fleck and Ken Brown, the community development fund idea received only a lukewarm reception from other council members. “I think that everything the city spends money on is community development,” said Vice Mayor El Warner, who is expected to present a plan for a Payment In …

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Jon Geeting

11:24 am on Wednesday, July 13, 2011

I support the original proposal, but raising parking meter rates to $1 an hour is probably the best idea on the table. Demand-responsive parking would be better, but this is the next best thing. I'll wait to see the language before criticizing it, but I'd be wary that the Fleck/Brown proposal would spread limited development dollars too thin.   more ›

Life in the Slow Lane

Easton, Sea Isle City Use Smart Growth Formula

Walkable, bikable towns create vibrant communities

Sea Isle City on the Jersey Shore is a lot of things, but it is most certainly the Park Bench Capital of America. Its slogan should be “Sit your butt down here.” On the town’s promenade – which is essentially a boardwalk without all the rides and games – there’s a bench just about every 10 feet. Each has an inscription dedicating it to someone, often accompanied by a quote about the person’s love for Sea Isle City.  The benches are an amenity for tired pedestrians, a place to stop and talk, and a classy way of reminding people that the town is a great place to be. It’s just one of the facets that draw people in droves to the downtown for walking, bicycling, shopping and restaurant and bar hopping. The town center also has lighted …

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Jon Geeting

10:21 am on Monday, July 11, 2011

Nice column, Margie! Glad to see more writers picking up this important issue. There's been a lot of progress, but the cities need to stop trying to compete with the suburbs on suburban terms. As I've been writing here and on the blog, policies like mandatory minimum parking requirements, height limits, minimum lot size requirements, and maximum lot occupancy rules limit infill development …   more ›

City Extends Parking Time on Downtown Meters

Council also signs deal with Service Electric that will net the city $5,000 a year.

Easton City Council voted to amend the city's parking ordinance to extend the allowable parking time at most Downtown parking meters. The move changes the meters to a three-hour limit from the current two. Meters around Centre Square will retain a two-hour limit. The changes will go into effect as soon as the meters can be marked appropriately, officials said. “I'm hoping it's going to make a difference for our businesses and those visiting our city,” said Councilman Jeff Warren, who introduced the ordinance. Also Wednesday, council approved a 5-year lease agreement with Service Electric Cable for their communications tower on Paxinosa Road. The agreement will provide the city with $5,000 per year in rent for the parcel, with a 3 percent …

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Tom Coombe

3:23 pm on Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The idea is that it would be part parking deck, part bus terminal, part commercial property.   more ›