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!

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.

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.

And Justice For All?

Usually I am a proponent of the justice system and following the rules of the courts, but there are some issues in Chester County that appear to be a miscarriage of that justice. A Downingtown resident had taken their dog to the vet in January and paid the bill with a check. The vet then later called and said that they had not paid the bill at all, however the resident took her bank statement to the vet and showed that the check was cashed and it was not returned. The resident, whom I shall call Paula, thought that that was the end of the issue, but it was not. In July of 2011 Paula was sent by regular mail with no specific return address an “Execution of Sale” where her belongings would be sold off to pay for a lawsuit that was brought against her for delinquency of payment. Paula never knew that the suit had been brought against her and when she went to the court (15-4-2 in Thorndale) to find out what needed to be done she was faced with an extremely rude court clerk who would offer no assistance other than to tell Paula she wasn’t going to argue and the fine needed to be paid. As Paula is a neighbor I have seen how she handles some situations so I offered to help so that possibly the problem could be solved and the anger she felt towards Downingtown could be managed. I asked Paula to tell me the story from start to finish leaving out no detail. The only other detail that seemed pertinent was the fact that service was made on her in March, but the service documents were not in her possession and the constable served Paula’s daughter. Paula has four children, the oldest is 14. The daughter that was allegedly served is 10. I did some research online and asked a legal expert if that was legal and he told us that Paula should file to vacate the suit because it was not good service. Paula and I even made a trip down to Legal Aid in West Chester to find out that they did not find it to be a pressing enough matter to help. Paula’s husband had been out of work since May on medical disability, they were having to negotiate rent with their landlord and they were facing an approximately $300 bill or their possessions would be sold, and it’s not a pressing matter. A very kind friend of Paula’s loaned her the money and she and I ventured down to court. The court clerk again was rude and downright nasty until Paula said to stop the sale she would pay the money. Paula paid what she was told, got a receipt saying paid in full and copies of the documents along with the name of the constable (John Ross) who allegedly served Paula’s 10 year old daughter. Funds have been very tight for Paula and her family and she is unable to afford legal counsel to fight this injustice, but now the plot thickens. Today Paula was called by the rude clerk and told that there was a clerical error and that she owed an additional $150. It was suggested that Paula call and ask to see the Judge who made the initial ruling. My husband and myself went with Paula since we felt she was being unfairly treated by a system that is supposed to be just. Judge Jeffrey Valocchi appeared and told Paula that she had to pay the additional $150 because it was a clerical error and if she had gone into a retail store and purchased an item that was listed for $200 dollars and the clerk told her it was $150 she didn’t get the item for $150 she had to pay the $200. My husband and I were sitting off to the side quietly and I will admit to frowning trying to understand his meaning, when the judge looked at me and asked, “Are you a lawyer?” I responded with , “No and I haven’t said anything.” Judge Valocchi stated, “No you haven’t but you will not react in my court!” The judge told Paula that it was his court and he could do what he wanted and she had to pay. The only time he showed any type of humanity was when Paula said that she needed back surgery. The judge then offered her six months to pay the $150 and her things would not be sold.




Granted Paula now has six months to either come up with the additional money or appeal, but how in the world did it get to this point if the people issuing the court orders were actually looking at what they were affixing their signature? How is it legal to serve a 10 year old? How is it a way to help the public handle their legal issues if the clerks speak in a tone that is disrespectful and rude? Judge Valocchi is up for re-election and the constables in your area are elected in also. You might want to double check who you are voting for and how they handle due process before you pull the lever in November.

National Night Out

Johnsontown Community Group is hosting it's Second Annual National Night Out.  It takes place Tuesday August 2, 2011 from 6-8PM in Johnsontown Park.  We will have awesome face painting provided by Paintings on People a rocking DJ from Moore Music,  great food from Chick Fil A, Blue Cafe and Foster Boys.  There will be activities for the kids both young and old, baskets with lots of goodies up for raffle and informational tables set up by several local businesses and groups.  We will also be having the official ribbon cutting ceremony of the Born Learning Trail in conjunction with the United Way and the DASD volunteers and we will be joined by members of borough council and the mayor.  Downingtown police and both Minquas and Alert fire companies will be there with their impressive ladder truck, EMS truck and police cars for the kids to get a look at.  It's going to be a night for fun food and fellowship, so come on out and join us we'd love to see you!

Come On Down

Johnsontown Community Group is having their general meeting tonight.  On the agenda is the Born Learning Trail, National Night Out and the proposed train station.  Join us at 7:30PM at St. Anthony's Banquet Hall on Church Street.

Ironic Debt

I'll have to admit that tonight's Borough Council meeting gave me a bit of a headache and it wasn't just all the wrangling that went on. The big issue that had everyone squirming was the bond ordinance that was brought before council. I have to say that I am not savvy in the ways of municipal bonds and the reasons behind them and all the technicalities that go along with it, but I did understand why this had been brought before council and why it is a necessary evil. First of all to be honest I was really peeved that Council had long ago made an agreement with anyone for any project that would cost any amount of money before any currency was in hand. That does not mean that I have reversed my stance on Kardon Park or on the Millrace property, but even I know that you do not make a bet if you can't cover the spread. With that said I understand why it is now necessary for the borough to go out on a limb and acquire a bond to pay for the things that were promised, I don't like it but it is what it is. What made me a bit angry and uncomfortable were the questions that were raised and the attitudes that were taken. Ms. Feldman and I while we have been cordial and I will work with her for the betterment of our community will never be friends. I have however, gone to bat for her when I thought she was right and when I thought that the attitudes and comments made by various people were beyond the pale and were unprofessional. I never thought that she would make me eat those words. Tonight on several occasions she was a bit rude to the president of council Mr. Bruton whom was trying valiantly not to call the questions she was asking exactly what they were....IRONIC. I am not fond of Ms. Feldman's predilection of nit picking, but there have been times that it has been necessary, however tonight I wonder if she even saw the irony of her questions. She did not see the validity of the bond when it will encourage more debt in years down the road if it does not become the "wash" that most council members feel it will, which I agree with, however her lawsuit and the blocking of development of "Kardon Park" is exactly why Council now needs to take this measure. Ms. Feldman has claimed numerous times that she is just trying to work for and be the voice of the community at large, yet here we are in this quagmire because of her and the Friends of Kardon Park. So no Ms. Feldman, on this issue you needed to just listen and vote and put your nitpicker away.

The other issue brought before council was a new train station. The present one exists in Johnsontown and by all appearances seems to be the forgotten station, yet it is a busy area come quitting time in Philadelphia and Harrisburg. Traffic can become a hairy situation especially if the light goes out at the tunnel that leads to Business 30 which happened just this Tuesday at 6PM. The gentleman that was there from PennDot appeared to have all his ducks in a row and it seems that the situation will be approached with community involvement, but my question is why not focus more on the residents of Johnsontown rather than the borough at large since we will be the ones most impacted. Regardless if the station stays in J'town or moves across 322, we will still be left with the remnants of what is, in my opinion, one of the biggest eyesores of a train station on the whole R5 line. Time will tell but Johnsontown is now seriously on council's radar as it should be.

The dog days of summer in the borough are promising to be interesting to say the least....tune in next time.