Ridley Park refinances loan for police station

RIDLEY PARK >> Taking advantage of lower interest rates, council took action at its March meeting to approve refinancing a 2007 general obligation note of $800,000, going from an interest rate of 4.23 percent down to 2.86 percent. The loan was used to finance a new police station that is located just inside Catania Brothers Park, off Chester Pike. An arrangement with Delaware County, which owns the park, allowed the station to be built at the site. Council President Bob Berger said the refinanced note will mature in April 2024. Council also approved $10,000 payment for the a borough’s share of the cost of a new leaf collection machine with a price tag of $197,442. The borough received a grant from TreeVitalize that will pick up 90 percent of the cost. The borough’s share will come from the capital reserve fund.

In another matter, Mayor Hank Eberle swore in three new part-time police officers, with Police Chief Robert Frazier presenting each new officer with their police badges.

The new officers are Joseph Chambers of Ridley Township, Marianna DiDomenico of Ridley Park, and Jason Golden of Tinicum.

“We had 31 applicants and we ended up with three winners,” Eberle said of the new officers.

Frazier noted that Chambers was a high school student when he rescued a Philadelphia police officer from a burning car in the wake of an accident. And DiDomenico, who was a Delaware County deputy sheriff and is a part-time cop in Darby Borough, is the first female Ridley Park native to become a member of the police department. Golden is a member of the Tinicum Township Fire Co. and graduated with high honors from Delaware County Community College.

In his report to council, Eberle said there have been reports of people feeding the Canada geese that inhabit the lake area in spite of signs prohibiting the feeding of the geese. Eberle noted the geese droppings make a mess at the lake. He recalled several attempts by the borough to discourage the geese from making the lake their home, instead of taking up residence at the nearby John Heinz National Refuge in Tinicum.

In another matter, council appointed Danielle Staccone as borough secretary to replace Chris Graham, who is retiring. Staccone has been working part time in the borough office for more than a year.