Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Fun For All

This Sunday will be a busy time in Downingtown, but if you would like to get a jump start on your Christmas shopping the Fourth Annual Log House Craft Fair will be held from 10am to 3pm on Sunday October2, 2011 near the Gazebo on Pennsylvania Ave.  Many local artisans, crafters, along with food and music provided by The Floats,  Auroras, Emberway and Nicole Zell.  Tickets for the Ghost Walk will be available at the Log House.  So come down and join your neighbors for a great shopping experience and support local small businesses!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Roller Coaster Ride

I have not been to an amusement park in quite awhile, but last weeks Borough Council meeting provided me with the opportunity to do just that and we all got to ride the roller coaster.  The climb to the first hill started with Citizens to Be Heard.  Ms. Brown who is a resident of East Brandywine and Ann Feldman's right hand woman when it comes to Kardon Park railed against council for what she thought were violations of DEP standards and covert actions taken by council to stop water flow in the Mill Race.  Back in August Ms. Brown first questioned why there were rocks in the small flowing creek of the Mill Race.  It appeared that she was accusing council for putting them there.  Councilman Benner replied that it was possible that the rocks appeared since the water levels were so low.  Apparently that did not appease Ms. Brown as she produced a two page copy of her accusations against council and gave a bit convoluted description the rocks appearing and then disappearing.  Councilman Smith tried to help make clear what she was saying and was hushed by Ms. Feldman.  Ms Brown then proceeded to accuse Public Works and council of violating DEP standards because they had the audacity to mow the high weeds which by chance flew into the Mill Race on Norwood Rd.  In the end Ms. Brown leveled some serious accusations at council and called Jack Law and Steve Sullins liars.

When that hullabaloo was over and we felt like we were on the down side of the first hill.  DMWA presented their request for an ordinance which would preclude anyone in the borough from digging and building a well without approval of the Water Authority.  A first this did not sound to be too complicated, but if you listened close enough we were back on an uphill climb again.  Essentially under the guise of protecting the citizens of the borough DMWA does not want competition and wishes council to help them stop anyone from coming up with a different source for their water.  DMWA has quite a monopoly in D'town and has just recently raised water usage rates exponentially.  Even a family of two whom are professionals and not home all day saw an increase of almost $50 in their bill.  Both Councilwoman Feldman and Councilman Smith were upset by the language that was being used by DMWA and felt that competition was what was needed and if DMWA did not want it, "TOUGH".

Just when we thought the end of the ride had come Kardon Park came along and took us up one hill into a hairpin corkscrew and bunny hopped us all the way to the end of the meeting.  Solicitor for litigation Patrick O'Donnell brought to council that Kardon Park was going to be brought up for rebidding due to borough legal parameters, transparency and the fact that the value of said land has now changed due to litigation brought forth against the sale.  Both O'Donnell and council for the present developer, Progressive Housing, Louis Colagreco agreed that this is what was needed to be done until such time as the court cases come to an end.  When it came time to vote on this issue Ms. Feldman pushed saying that she should be a part of this vote as it is not in conjunction with the current litigation.  Council President James Bruton told Ms. Feldman that may be the case, but the rebidding is a direct result of the lawsuit brought forth by her.  Ms. Feldman would not let it go saying that voters would be disenfranchised if she did not get a vote.  Several murmurings could be heard among the residents in attendance stating that Ms. Feldman brought this on herself.  When she pressed the issue Mr. Colagreco stated that Ms. Feldman would then open herself up to personal litigation.  Many felt that it was about time that someone let her know that you cannot have your cake and eat it too.  Finally a vote was taken and rebidding for the sit will go on.

Getting off that night's roller coaster was a bit daunting and had me reviewing what kind of ride I had been taken on.  First of all I have no idea why a resident of East Brandywine is even considered in a Downingtown Borough Council meeting.  But then I remember that Ms. Brown is a cohort of Ms. Feldman.  DMWA in my eyes is a monopoly that really needs to be challenged.  When water usage bills go up over $100 in one bill cycle there is something seriously wrong in the back rooms of that organization.  Now we come to Kardon Park.  My views on that have not changed, but I am getting a bit tired of the fight that has lasted far too long.  I have never felt that Ms. Feldman should be allowed to remain on council while bringing litigation to the very body she sits on.  I know that she was legally voted in, but the very fact that she is the complainant on said litigation is a clear conflict of interest.  Yet Ms. Feldman is concerned that voters will be disenfranchised if she does not get a vote?  Wake up Ms. Feldman you are the one who created the situation.  While I would still think that she had a serious case of NIMBY syndrome and that the fight would still go on, I would have less of a difficult time taking Ms. Feldman seriously if she was not sitting on council while taking said body to court.  The voters may have placed her there, but did they understand the ramifications of Ms. Feldman having to recuse herself?  Did anyone think of that.

I think the next time I want to ride a roller coaster I will just go to Hershey Park as their coasters are much more fun.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Try to Remember the Kind of September

Tomorrow will mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and it breaks my heart all over again to think about it and what we lost that day.  That being said I am a bit tired of all the TV shows and tributes and rehashing of a terrible day in history.  I don't want to hear tapes of a last phone call made to a loved one before their plane crashed, I don't want to hear nor have that person relive the terrible panic they experienced while trying to get out of a building that was coming down around them, nor do I want to watch over and over again the Towers burning and then falling to the ground.  We lived it and I think that is enough.  Yes, it will become part of our history, but it has been a mere 10 years and the wounds are so easily opened again.

I am also disappointed in the fact that those who were not invited on September 11 2001 and still went sacrificing in some cases their own lives are not invited 10 years later, because "there is no room".  How about the politicians stay home with their cadre of security and make room for those who should be there not those looking for a photo op.  Men and women who left their homes and their families knowing full well they may not come back are an after thought to the story, they will be able to attend another ceremony later in the week, but they were there THAT DAY!

So tomorrow as I wake I will say a prayer for those who went before us, for those they left behind and for those who are still here with us,and the brave men and women who helped those in peril, but I won't be watching any recaps or History Channel specials or interviews with survivors, because even without all that my heart still aches, the tears still come and I will never forget.