tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30663598184442557752024-03-13T05:17:13.801-04:00E-Rock's BeatUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-1921696637622277232013-12-13T09:42:00.001-05:002013-12-13T09:42:45.102-05:002013 Draws to a Close with New Hope for Future of EddystoneA series of decisions over the past several days by the members of Borough Council who show up to meetings seem to have the Borough poised to make positive growth in the new year. On Monday, Council voted 4-0 (Paterson, Reeves, Stewart, and Tatisciore) with one abstention (Thompson) to honorably discharge Bill Conner. Pappas, Kerns, and Orr were not present at the meeting for yet another month. <br />
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The mood in Council chambers was quiet when the motion passed, with no comment or response from either the Council members or the audience. Council moved on with the regular business after the vote without comment. Councilman Stewart later commented that the decision was a difficult one but one that was in the best interest of the Borough. That statement is true. If Conner is in fact not fit for duty, it is in the best interest of the Borough residents to pay a chief who can perform the actions of a police officer. <br />
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The Council will now need to look for a new chief. Current acting chief, Police Officer Ed Mokshefsky, will most likely be given serious consideration for the top job. Mokshefsky has handled himself extremely well over the past several months, given the cavernous divide between the Council and the Mayor. I can’t imagine the tight rope that he has had to walk has been easy, given that his supervisors have literally given him opposite directives for six plus months (Mayor says no bike patrol, Council says yes to the bike patrol). It would seem like Mokshefsky deserves a shot at the top job given how well he has handled this scenario.<br />
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Council also voted 5-0 (Paterson, Thompson, Reeves, Stewart, and Tatisciore) on a preliminary budget that includes no reduction in services or tax increase. Again, Orr, Kerns, and Pappas were absent. I am quite pleased to see no tax increase, especially given the accusations Kerns’ made about the RRPOE group liking to spend money during the primary election. Apparently, they are able to balance a budget, as we have hired a full time police force, opened a fire house, have trash pick up twice per week with no fee, and had no raise in taxes.<br />
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The budget includes a tipping fee rate for trash that is equal to this year’s fees ($40,000). However, the more residents recycle, the less that fee will be. If only 20% recycle, which is the RRPOE goal, that fee will decrease to $32,000. Start talking to your neighbors. Recycling will not only help the environment. It was save tax money. Recycling is scheduled to start the first full week of January. The more resident recycle, the less we pay in tipping fees.<br />
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It does appear that the sewer fee may increase due to Delcora’s fees changing, but that is only going to be about $20-30 more for the year. The Council is also exploring moving to a “usage fee” instead of a flat rate sewer rate, which will help senior citizens. <br />
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Finally, the Council voted 5-0 (same as the budget vote) to give the Police Secretary Christmas Eve off and a ½ day on New Year’s Eve, just like all of the other non-uniform employees of the Borough. Apparently, the Council had to do this because this employee was told by the Mayor that she had to work those days, despite all of the other employees being given the time off. <br />
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Which brings me to my final mention of Ralph Orr. He most likely started doing this job with the best of intentions but somewhere along the way, he forgot that part of the process of being Mayor includes dealing with people who think differently. There are just too many people who once supported this guy whom now he can’t or won’t talk to that it just amazes me how he never learned how to not burn bridges. I can’t understand how Danielle Thompson fought harder than most to get Orr reelected, but when the hard questions were being asked, he has cowered away and hid while Thompson showed up month after month to meetings. Actually, I can believe it. That is just how Orr works. If he does not get his way, then he makes two year old temper tantrums look mild.<br />
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Here is my hope for the New Year. I hope Orr's last months as Mayor serve as a lesson to the incoming Council and Mayor. I am sure at one point Orr had great intentions, just like the RRPOE candidates do now. I hope the RRPOE candidates learn to deal with differing opinions in a way that Orr and his crew never could. Orr and his people cut people off, bullied them, or just flat out ignored them. Look at the shear quantity of people that once supported Orr who now have been ostracized or who have just chosen to walk away. I hope the RRPOE takes the time to, at minimum, hear all of the residents as they make decisions to advance the Borough. Working with everyone is not an easy task. <br />
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It is time for the residents to work together, even if that means disagreeing at times on the path forward. I hope we now have leaders that can show us how we can think differently but still work together to make this Borough this great place it can be. <br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-31356469446872123622013-11-14T20:34:00.000-05:002013-11-14T20:34:32.815-05:00Council seeks help of State Attorney General in determining Mayor's "Comp Time" recording keeping
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For the second straight month, Mayor Orr skipped the regular
meeting of Borough Council and therefore was unable to shed light on the
controversary surrounding how he allowed Bill Conner to accrue 800+ hours of
leave time despite the fact that Conner’s has been out of work for more than a
year.</div>
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Despite the Mayor’s second consecutive absence, the Council
shared two letters with residents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Council President Karen Reeves wrote a letter in late October to Orr
seeking the records surrounding the leave time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reeves stated in the letter that Orr has always told the
Council that the records were available if they wanted to see them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nearly two weeks after receiving the
letter, Orr has chosen not to share the records with either the Council or
residents.</div>
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Also shared with residents was a past email sent by Bill
Conner to the police force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
that email, Conner stated that no officer could carry more than 12 hours of
‘comp time.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is extremely
concerning that Conner would then accrue 800 hours when his officers could only
accrue 12 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we can
expect that management will always have certain ‘perks’ not given to the
regular workers, the difference between 800 hours versus 12 hours seems to be
more than a simple perk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should
also be noted that it does not appear that Conner has ever had a written
employment contract with the Borough, therefore this comp time accrual does not
appear to be something that was ever ratified by the Council, meaning that the
accounting of the 800 hours falls squarely and solely on the Mayor.</div>
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Council has turned the issue over to the State Attorney
General’s office and requested an audit.</div>
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For the record, the Council requested an audit, not an
agreed upon procedure. Some may recall the spring primary drama surrounding
Councilman Kerns’ use of the word audit and theft when referring to the
perceived issues with former Borough Manager Francie Howat and an agreed upon
procedure that was suggested by Councilwoman Thompson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The results of the agreed upon
procedure released in October of last year showed no theft, no missing money,
and in fact, found that the Borough actually had an extra $48.</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>I find it shocking that
Councilman Kerns has said absolutely nothing about this issue, given his
springtime outrage over the $48 excess as part of the findings in the agreed
upon procedure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kerns was absent
from the meeting, as was John Pappas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It will be interesting to see if any of these three men show up to
explain how such an egregious violation of weak accounting procedures could
occur under their watch, especially given the findings of the agreed upon
procedure last October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Unlike Kerns, I am going to use self-restraint and not
accuse anyone of theft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
simply going to ask a few questions. If there is no record of how the hours
were earned, how can Conner be paid for them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who authorized these payments?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can payments be authorized without any accounting
system?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lastly, in the spring,
Mayor Orr stated in the newspaper that Bill Conner did the payroll for the
police department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that not a
conflict of interest that makes the whole lack of records a bit more concerning?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be fair, Conner should not be
responsible to answer for 12 hours of leave time, as that is the amount of time
the officers were allowed to accrue. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We should get answers about the other 788 hours, though.</div>
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The great thing about Council’s decision to request an audit
is that the State Attorney General’s office will be in total control and have
the ability to get the answers tax payers deserve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other easy solution to this problem, as has been written
and stated for at least 3 months now, is that the Mayor could simply release
the records.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact that the request for records has been going on for several months, that the Mayor refuses to comment in the
newspaper, that the Mayor is now skipping meetings, and that there are still no
records released leads me to wonder if in fact the records ever existed in a
formal manner prior to the requests being made. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>After all, if we
are paying tens of thousands of dollars to an employee who is not working, shouldn’t taxpayers
know how that money was earned?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether
it is through the Mayor talking, or an audit by the State Attorney
General, residents will soon learn what is going on.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-23135831262064015312013-11-06T09:37:00.000-05:002013-11-06T09:49:56.281-05:00General Election Brings a Turning PointCongratulations to the members of the RRPOE (Despo Tatisciore, Karen Reeves, Bill Stewart, Beth Gross and Allen Reeves) and also to Bob Donahue, for their success in yesterday's general election. I want to also congratulate all of the write-in candidates (Kelly Ann Butkus, Norm Quinn and Deb Tompkins) for their tremendous efforts in their campaigns. Once again, residents came out in droves to show support for the candidates. <br />
It was overwhelming to see the support for each ticket, but it was also a little sad to see such a great divide in the town. What did this election prove? I mean the results were the same as in the primary back in May. What did the last couple of months accomplish other than pitting residents against each other yet again? <br />
I'm pretty sure we all want the same things...drugs off the streets, our kids to be safe, home prices rise, economic development. The list goes on and on. How can such a small town be divided when we want the same end results?<br />
I don't know the answer but I do know that we can now put this election behind us. The results are in and the people have spoken (again). It's time to put away the pettiness and get down to the business of rebuilding this town...socially and economically. The Council, Council-Elect and new Mayor can only do so much. We, as a community, need to do our part too. Instead of making snarky remarks on social media, maybe try getting to know your neighbors in person. After all, whether life-long residents or new to the neighborhood, we're <b>all</b> Eddystoners.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-2336593719892650562013-11-04T08:55:00.001-05:002013-11-04T09:03:17.986-05:00Red Signs? Green Signs? Old Signs? New Signs?"<strike>Red</strike>, Now Green because <strike>Red</strike> Didn’t Work" is doing what they do best. Instead of trying to sell their platform, like the RRPOE has been doing, they are instead making stuff up and manipulating words in order to try to instill fear in voters.<br />
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Hey, <strike>Red</strike>/Green organizer (i.e. Thompson)…..Stop manufacturing drama to cloud the voice of the voters. <br />
Just to clear up some of the silliness coming from Thompson and her friends:<br />
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• Recreation is not going away, regardless of who is elected. Stop trying to evoke fear in people.<br />
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• No one took credit for SNAP. All the credit goes to a resident. People also need to wake up and realize that the program was able to move forward smoothly because no roadblocks were put in its way.<br />
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• Danielle Thompson is still on the recreation board. She was not kicked off. Look at the minutes of their meetings to see if she attended. No more tears for her are needed.<br />
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• The chief of leave still has 800+ hours of unaccounted accrued leave time that the <b>RRPOE</b> wants to know about.<br />
(Oops….did I throw that one in again?) Why would I want my town to be led by people who stir up drama, create total fabrications of reality, and evoke fear in others just to allow their friends to accrue tens of thousands of unaccounted dollars in benefits.<br />
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What has “<strike>Red</strike>, now Green Because the <strike>Red</strike> Thing Didn’t Work”, done for you lately? <br />
Ask the same question of the <b>RRPOE</b>. One group keeps mud-slinging. Red did that in the spring and now green is taking up where red failed. <br />
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On the other side, the <b>RRPOE</b> just keeps moving along and doing things for the town. The <b>RRPOE</b>, in just 4 months, got a <b>fully staffed police department</b>, <b>reinstated the Youth Aid Panel</b>, tried to bring back the <b>bike patrol</b>, and have a <b>single stream recycling program</b> up and ready to begin in January. They have also created an environment that allows for everyone to feel like he or she can share their ideas. That’s what leaders do. They lead by example, get things done, and create an environment where <b>everyone</b>, not just the clique of their friends, can participate.<br />
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Most people see what Thompson’s play is here. She thought the red thing would fool residents in the spring. It didn’t. So, now she is trying to scare residents with the green thing. <br />
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I am casting 6 votes tomorrow: <b>Allen Reeves Jr. for Mayor, Despo Tatasciore for 2 yr Council, Karen Reeves, Beth Gross, and William Stewart for Council. I am also writing in Kelly Ann Butkus for 4 year Council.<br />
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We don’t need drama. We need leaders. And the RRPOE have shown that they can lead.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-57109225346156954372013-11-03T07:49:00.001-05:002013-11-03T07:49:25.883-05:00Putting the community children first: Paterson and Reeves do what they say they are going to do<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
There is a great new program running at the recreation center.<span> </span>SNAP is an athletic program for children with special needs.<span> </span>There are lots of rumors flying around town coming from people trying to politicize this outstanding program. You have to love people who try to take credit for other people’s good ideas in an attempt to make personal political gains.<span> </span>I asked around about SNAP and here is what I found out:</div>
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- It was an idea suggested to the recreation board by Amiee Hamilton, a 9<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> Street resident who is not on the recreation board or running for any political office.</div>
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- It has been opened up to students with special needs who live in Ridley School District.</div>
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- It is run by volunteers.<span> </span>If you are interested in volunteering, you have to have your background checks completed.</div>
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- <span><span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>It started up last week.</div>
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- It is run at Lighthouse Hall on Saturday afternoons, although it would appear that last week was held in Eddystone School’s gym instead.<span> </span></div>
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The credit for this idea needs to go to Aimee Hamilton.<span> </span>After all, it was her idea, and she had the courage to share it with the recreation board.<span> </span>It must have taken some courage to go and share that idea with the board.<span> </span>The unfortunate reality over the past few years is that the recreation center has been politicized to the point where good volunteers have literally been run out of the building. Aimee Hamilton, who literally hung a banner in opposition to Karen Reeves and Dave Paterson’s team of candidates, had to be expecting that she would receive no attention from Paterson and Reeves.</div>
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After all, about a year ago, a resident on opposite political sides of Danielle Thompson approached the board with the idea of starting a running club and hosting a 5k event framed after a national program (“Couch to 5k”) to help keep children active.<span> </span>The idea never got off the ground because of all of the roadblocks put in place.<span> </span>The same resident proposed a Yoga club that also never got serious consideration because of various "concerns" that were never explained.<span> </span>Given how Thompson and her allies allowed politics to literally diminish the new opportunities for the children in the Borough, I would think that Hamilton would have been nervous coming to Paterson and Reeves with the idea, given her obvious support of other candidates.</div>
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But, Paterson and Reeves have said that they want to be leaders who put the community first.<span> </span>And this idea of Hamilton’s is a perfect example of how the RRPOE members have actually done what they are saying that are going to do.<span> </span>Mrs. Hamiliton went so far as to hang a banner on her house advertising her dislike of Reeves as a candidate (which is her right to do), but she also has a great idea that will benefit a group of kids who are often overlooked when it comes to recreation activities.</div>
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So, while I would have to imagine that it was hard for Paterson and Reeves to swallow their personal pride, it looks like they did just that because Hamilton’s SNAP idea is up and running.<span> </span>Paterson and Reeves could have used the same exact excuses that Thompson and her people used.<span> </span>Insurance.<span> </span>Scheduling.<span> </span>Liability.<span> </span>There are tons of excuses that could be made if someone wants to be difficult.<span> </span>However, Paterson and Reeves, rather than grind a personal axe against Hamilton, which had they done so would have shortchanged the kids like others did like Thompson and her people did, instead helped to ensure there were no roadblocks in the way so this program could get up and running.<span> </span>How do I know that is true?<span> </span>The proof is in the proverbial pudding-SNAP is up and running but the running and Yoga clubs never happened.<span> </span>And, while rarely do people get credit for the behind the scenes work that needs to go into a program, Reeves and Paterson deserve credit, just as Hamilton does for presenting the idea and the volunteers who are helping also do, for ensuring the children of our community are taken care of regardless of political posturing.</div>
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Special thanks goes out to Amiee Hamilton for coming up with a great idea and presenting it.<span> </span>Thanks also goes out to Dave Paterson and Karen Reeves for ensuring they represent all people and not just the people who supported them.</div>
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At election time, it is easy to say, “We are the candidates for all the people.”<span> </span>In fact, people can say just about anything at election time, but what they can’t do is change their past actions.<span> </span>It is much harder to actually be the candidate for all people.<span> </span>Looking at the track record, it is clear that only the RRPOE candidates say they want to work with everyone AND ACTUALLY TRY TO WORK WITH EVERYONE.</div>
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It takes strong character to be able to work with people who hung banners on their houses opposing them.<span> </span>Paterson has done it.<span> </span>Now Karen Reeves has done it.<span> </span>On November 5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>, my vote for Council is going to Karen Reeves, Bill Stewart, Beth Gross, and Despo Tatasciore.<span> </span>My vote for Mayor is going to Allen Reeves Jr.<span> </span>I hope you will consider doing the same.</div>
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But don’t take my word for it.<span> </span>Come and meet them in person on Sunday night at the Doghouse for a good ole’ fashioned community potluck.<span> </span>Enjoy seeing neighbors and trading favorite recipes while getting a chance to meet with the candidates.<span> </span>Nothing says small town community fun like a potluck!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-14459959728231013782013-11-01T11:12:00.000-04:002013-11-01T11:13:33.134-04:00Pumpkins, Ninjas and Candy! O My!Anyone else run out of Halloween candy last night? I’m pretty sure we must have given out more than 200 pieces of candy and we were tapped out by 7pm! (I knew I should have grabbed more on my way home from work…lesson learned). But on the bright side, Halloween candy will be 50% off starting today so maybe I can get a head start on next year. ;) <br />
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The kids really went all out on their costumes this year. We saw several very unique costumes (the Creeper, the lady dressed up as Jelly Belly Jelly Beans, and the Lighthouse were my personal faves). And of course, the classics…pretty princesses, Scream, a couple of Marios, several ninjas and various super heroes. <br />
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When my husband and kids came home, we went through the ritual of inspecting the candy. My kids are not big peanut butter fans so the Mary Janes, Reese Cups, and those orange and black taffies went into the “Mom and Dad” pile. We did not complain ;)<br />
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Overall, I think it was a successful night. A little disappointed that we didn’t see the bike patrol; especially since it was approved by council, however I did see a few officers on foot and helping the crossing guard at 9th and Saville so that was nice. A BIG thank you to our police force! The main objective was to keep the kids safe while they were trick or treating and I think we, as a community, get an A+ for that.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-37966498883026153752013-10-28T07:16:00.001-04:002013-10-28T07:16:36.406-04:00Which candidates are trying to help more people? Hmmm.....<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Bill Stewart is the leader this town needs.<span> </span>I have to admit.<span> </span>A few years ago, I do not think I could have made that statement.<span> </span>Two years ago, he ran with the establishment, and I really thought he was going to be a puppet.<span> </span>I really thought he was going to be a guy who was okay with paying chiefs on leave, with having a part time police force that could be easily controlled, and who would just go along with the status quo.</div>
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I was wrong.<span> </span>Bill Stewart is a stand up guy who is anything but a puppet.<span> </span>He single-handedly organized and led the Civil Service Commission, which led to the hiring of a full-time police force.<span> </span>And why is that so important?</div>
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It saves taxpayers money.<span> </span>Lots of insurance money.<span> </span>It costs a lot of money to insure part-time police officers.<span> </span>On the other hand, it is a lot cheaper to insure a full-time staff.<span> </span>So, thanks to Bill Stewart, who also had the support of Karen Reeves, Dave Paterson, and Despo Tatasciore, we have a full-time police force.<span> </span>It is also important to note that Danielle Thompson and John Pappas both voted against hiring a full-time police force.</div>
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Stewart, along with the support of Reeves, Paterson, and Tatasciore, also think that people need to show up to work in order to get paid.<span> </span>Honestly, is that a bad thing?<span> </span>These four members of Council are working to ensure that the police chief on leave is only paid what he earned, something that has really irked Danielle Thompson, John Pappas, and Ralph Orr.<span> </span>Taking that position requires strong character.<span> </span>It is not easy to stand up and say that something is wrong, especially in a small town where you know the people you are talking about.<span> </span>Allowing someone to accrue 800+ hours of paid leave time, when every other Borough employee has a ‘use it or lose it’ vacation policy, is wrong.<span> </span>Stewart, Reeves, Paterson, and Tatasciore are trying to correct a long-standing problem existing as a result of the Mayor and his police chief on leave friend, both of who are supported by Thompson and Pappas. <span> </span>The RRPOE members of Council are not on a witch-hunt, as Thompson wants to cry about.<span> </span>They are simply asking the Mayor to demonstrate how the chief on leave accrued 800+ hours of leave time when he has not been a work for quite some time.</div>
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There is a glaringly obvious solution for Thompson, the chief of leave, and the Mayor.<span> </span>Provide the records.<span> </span>If someone can show how 800+ hours of leave time was accrued even when the chief on leave wasn’t working, this conversation would be over. <span> </span>In fact, a resident even made a Right to Know request for the records, and he did not receive them.<span> </span>Council President Karen Reeves has openly stated that she is trying to help the resident get the information he requested.<span> </span>The only conclusion that can be drawn from this is that the records don’t exist anymore.<span> </span>The astounding lack of leadership coming from Thompson and that group looks even worse when put up to comparison to the work of Stewart coupled with the years of experience in Reeves and Tatasciore. Thompson's group looks like they are fighting to save the benefits of one or two people while Stewart, Reeves, Paterson and Tatasciore look like they are making the tough decisions that benefit our entire community.</div>
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Bill Stewart also spearheaded the recycling initiative that will be starting in January. A lot of people want to take credit for getting this program off the ground, but the reality of the situation is that Bill attended the meetings, did the research, and developed the plan for recycling in Eddystone.<span> </span>And that recycling plan will cost residents nothing while saving the Borough tens of thousands of dollars in tipping fees if a mere 20% of the town participates.<span> </span>Look at the minutes.<span> </span>Who attended the meetings?<span> </span>Bill Stewart and Dave Paterson.<span> </span>Who presented the information?<span> </span>Bill Stewart and Karen Reeves.</div>
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In a few months, Stewart, Reeves, Paterson, and Tatasciore should be joined by Beth Gross, who will add some more experience to the mix thanks to her years of work with the Eddystone Home and School, the Youth Aid Panel, and the firehouse, among other things.</div>
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Don’t forget to vote on November 5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> for Bill Stewart, Karen Reeves, Beth Gross, and Despo Tatasciore for Council and Allen Reeves for Mayor.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-54609519667369388872013-08-13T15:11:00.000-04:002013-08-13T15:21:24.860-04:00Shake Up in Committees Confuses CouncilwomanWith all the rumors flying around town about what was supposed to go down at last night’s council meeting, the actual events ended up being a little anti-climatic. It reminds me of Winston Churchill when he said, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.”<br />
If you remember, there was a shift in leadership last month on council. Councilman John Pappas was ousted as president, Councilwoman Karen Reeves was then elected to fill the position and Councilman Bill Stewart was elected as Vice President. As a result, there was also a shift in committees among the council members. The most controversial of the shifts was the removal of Councilwoman Danielle Thompson from being the Chairperson for the Recreation Board and also her removal from the Administration Committee. For some reason, this came as a surprise to many people…including Ms. Thompson. <br />
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Before I continue, let’s set the record straight. Ms. Thompson still serves on the Recreation Board. Councilman Dave Paterson now serves as the Chairperson. As Mr. Paterson stated in last night’s meeting, no one is being removed from the board. The reason Ms. Thompson cannot serve as the Chair is because it is viewed as a conflict of interest. For example, if the Rec Board votes on a new program and then needs Council to approve it, the Chairperson should not have a vote on both panels. It’s my guess that the handful of Rec Board members who showed up at last night’s meeting were led to believe that she was being tossed off entirely when in fact, that was not the case.<br />
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So why then was Ms. Thompson removed from the Administration Committee? Appointed Councilman Dale Kerns would have you believe that she is the only one with the professional background to run the finances in the borough when in fact Council President Karen Reeves has a background as an office manager. Ms. Thompson actually works in human resources…not exactly finances, so it would make sense that an office manager would chair the committee that manages the finances. But let’s take a closer look. As resident, Glen Wilson brought to light in the public forum, there are rumors going around about the Acting Police Chief’s pay, the current but absent Police Chief’s pay and the borough budget. I don’t know about you, but given the fact that Ms. Thompson is the current Police Chief’s live-in girlfriend, that raises a huge red flag and I believe it was a wise choice to remove her from that committee, again because it is a conflict of interest. While I’m not sure what committees Ms. Thompson serves on, my guess is that she serves on at least one and not “zero” as she would have you to believe.<br />
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But there sat Ms. Thompson, aghast at the fact that she was removed and vowed to keep serving the people. Yes…we saw proof of that as she tried unsuccessfully to run for mayor as an Independent in this November’s municipal election…even pulling residents Norm Quinn and Louis Ciarrocchi in to run as Independent Councilmen. According to the court documents, they were challenged by President of the Reformed Republican Party of Eddystone and Council Vice President Bill Stewart. Ultimately they decided that it probably wasn’t the best idea, especially given the fact that in running as Independents after they already voted in the May primary as Republicans is illegal. <br />
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It’s admirable to want to serve your community but my question is…Why act like a wounded animal that is trapped in a corner? Does she have something to hide? <br />
Hmmmmm….. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-69432921956887727502013-07-11T08:47:00.001-04:002013-07-11T08:53:23.987-04:00Orr's antics cost friend presidency: Pappas replaced by Reeves<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
A discussion over the implementation of the bike patrol served as the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back on Monday night, as council ended up reorganizing its leadership positions. Councilman Bill Stewart pressed council and the mayor to agree to a timeline to determine if the bike patrol could be implemented for the remainder of the summer. Stewart has been asking about the bike patrol for several months but cannot seem to get an answer from the mayor, who is solely responsible for making the decision on implementing a bike patrol. In response to Stewart’s request, the Mayor replied that it was an operational decision of the police department and that it was his decision to have the bike patrol, which is the same answer he has given since he lost in the primary election two months ago. He stated, as he did in June, that he would talk to the acting chief to see whether or not the program could take place. There was no report from the mayor about how his discussions went after June's meeting. Orr and Stewart both chaired opposing election platforms stating that bringing back the bike patrol was a priority, however two months after the primary election, Stewart's effort to enact those campaign promises seems to have been stalled by the mayor’s office. </div>
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Stewart pressed the issue and asked more questions. He asked if there were bikes available and if there would be an assumed willingness from officers to take on the overtime shifts. The answers to both questions were yes. John Pappas stated that he was concerned about the finances, stating that the new firehouse is way over budget. Questions arose about the $25,000 the mayor said was saved during the FOP contract settlement, which was ratified in March of this year. Residents wondered why that money could not be used to pay for the bike patrol. No response was given and the borough solicitor advised council not to speak about the police contract.</div>
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At this point Council voted to replace John Pappas as President with Karen Reeves, appointing Bill Stewart to Vice President of Council, and Despo Tatisciore as pro temp of Council. </div>
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Some commentary….</div>
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Pappas has been unable to balance the opinions of both factions on council, and although he says the right things with regard to putting the Borough first, he has been unable to execute that vision and get everyone working together. The videos posted to YouTube show a clear bias of Pappas to listen to whatever Orr would shout out from the corner. Whenever Orr wants a conversation shut down, Pappas shuts it down, which seems to frustrate those who were endorsed by the residents in May. </div>
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Funding is the common argument against the bike patrol. If funding truly does not exist for the program, I would first question why both tickets in the May primary campaigned about having a bike patrol. Neither should have promised a program if funding does not exist, and both sides should have known prior to making the promise for bike patrol if funding was available. Pappas has said for months that funding would need to be found, which is confusing to residents because the Mayor said he has $25,000 in savings from the FOP contract that was ratified in March. This amount of money could pay for multiple years of bike patrol. However, it is entirely possible that the $25,000 saved by avoiding arbitration with the FOP is only a drop in the bucket when it comes to the overspending to build a new firehouse. No one has said this, but I am guessing it may be true given that Pappas mentioned that the firehouse is over budget, and he is staunchly against spending what would now be about $5,000 to run a bike patrol for the remaining summer months.</div>
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Had Pappas been forthcoming when the Mayor apparently misled residents months ago about the savings, and he shut down the conversation from both sides of the table with regard to increasing services during campaign season, he could have avoided the embarrassment of this reorganization. Pappas should have shut the mayor down when he said there was a savings of money because he knows that the savings still does not account for the overspending on the firehouse. Pappas should have also shut down all of the candidates who currently hold seats (Orr, Reeves, Stewart, Tatiscoire, and Kerns) when they talked about the bike patrol. He could have said, “There is no money because of the firehouse being over budget. The firehouse was necessary. We all agreed to build it. Now we need to be responsible as we move forward to ensure we continue to not raise taxes, as we have done for almost a decade.” That would have been the tough but necessary statement that a president of council needs to make, and it would have shown that he has no blatant bias toward one side. However, Pappas allowed the Mayor and his ticket to try to win an election by saying he saved money with the FOP contract. </div>
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Pappas may want to blame politics for the reorganization. And he is right. It was a completely political decision to remove him. However, he needs to acknowledge that both sides are playing political games here. To point out the politics of one side without acknowledging the same behavior of the other is hypocritical. Pappas would be wise to reflect on some of the people who served on Council, just in the past 5 years (Suzanne Blissick and Kevin Begley, to name two), and recall how Orr crucified them when they had different opinions than Orr held with regard to police and administrative oversight issues. Had Orr and his ticket won in May, they would be doing the same thing.</div>
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Which brings me to the following conclusion….It is time for this entire group to start looking forward and implementing ideas instead of griping about the past or trying to take credit for an idea to advance a personal agenda. Take a lesson from Stewart’s decision to nominate Dave Bennett to the Civil Service Commission and his willingness to work with Kerns on a recycling project. These men ran against each other in May, with Kerns and Bennett on the other ticket, yet Stewart is putting the political difference aside to ensure the residents receive valuable services. You are not going to agree on the best path forward, however you should be able to disagree like adults and ensure the Borough is run in a responsible manner.</div>
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To that end…..</div>
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Prior to the reorganization described above, Eddystone Rail Company made a presentation to highlight the progress of their project. They stated how they want to positively contribute to the community. There are approximately 7 weekends left in the summer. Maybe someone could ask the company to make a donation to the borough to fund, or at least partially fund, this year’s program? Rather than show how each side is wrong, maybe we could look to see how we can implement the positive parts of each other’s argument. Bike patrol is valid. Saving money is valid. Maybe using company donations for large-scale projects can accomplish both goals. Everyone knows that Orr will hit the company up for WIN Committee or recreation money, if he hasn't already done so. Maybe he should ask for bike patrol money instead.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-81207059900215641042013-06-15T09:19:00.001-04:002013-06-15T09:19:06.764-04:00A tale of two leaders<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Both Ralph Orr and Bill Stewart, the chairs of colliding Republican parties in Eddystone, developed campaign platforms that included bringing back the bike patrol and implementing a recycling program.<span> </span><span> </span>For months leading up to the election, this blog included entries about how words and actions must match each other and that empty promises at election time may win favor with voters but will actually do nothing to help the town. June’s Council Meeting is such a clear example of what we were talking about.</div>
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Bill Stewart and his reform party continue to move forward, as he rolled out the preliminary research on the feasibility of a recycling program within the Borough.<span> </span>According to Stewart, if about 20% of residents in the Borough participate, we will “break even” and make no money but lose none, either.<span> </span><span>Fire Chief Cuzzy Rowles added to Stewart’s presentation, stating that Stewart seems to be conservative and that, should the Borough implement the program, then we will be eligible for numerous state and federal grants to buy things like a<span dtx-highlight-backgroundcolor="blue" id="dtx-highlighting-item"> new </span>trash truck. </span><span> </span><span>Listening to Stewart and Rowles talk, it sounds like if 20% of homes recycle, the Borough may actually make a few dollars on the deal and we may qualify for grants to pay for things we had to do anyway (at some point, we will need a<span dtx-highlight-backgroundcolor="blue" id="dtx-highlighting-item"> new </span>truck).</span></div>
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Stewart’s team made a campaign promise about recycling and at the very next meeting, he presented research to help move toward implementing the idea.<span> </span>Stewart did tell residents that he did not think it was feasible to have the program up and running before January, as outreach within the community to ensure participation would be a key component of the program should the Council decide to adopt the idea (there are grants available to pay for this outreach).</div>
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During the round table discussion, Dave Paterson mentioned that a community garden was in the works, thanks to some land owned by Armen Pace.<span> </span>I would anticipate we will hear more about this in the upcoming meetings.<span> </span><span>Karen Reeves asked if anyone k<span dtx-highlight-backgroundcolor="blue" id="dtx-highlighting-item">new </span>who took down the basketball hoops in Village?</span><span> </span>These courts would fall under the jurisdiction of the recreation board.<span> </span>After an awkward pause, Orr chimed in with, “Sometimes, they take them down.<span> </span>I’ll take care of it.”</div>
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Questions:<span> </span>Who is ‘they?’ and why can ‘they’ take down the basketball nets whenever ‘they’want?<span> </span>Who authorized ‘they’ to take them down?<span> </span>And how does no one know anything about what ‘they’ did?<span> </span>Hmmm…..</div>
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Maybe it was a police issue?<span> </span><span>If so, that might explain why Orr k<span dtx-highlight-backgroundcolor="blue" id="dtx-highlighting-item">new </span>how to fix the problem, as maybe he is actually the ‘they’ that ordered someone to take them down.</span><span> </span>That brings us to the last issue of the evening.<span> </span>Both Reeves and Stewart tried to talk about the bike patrol.<span> </span>Both talked about wanting it initiated for some weekends during the summer months.<span> </span>If there was an issue in the Village with the basketball courts, having 2 extra officers on duty could have helped ensure the safety of the residents while letting the kids play.<span> </span>However, Orr was completely noncommittal on reinstating the bike patrol, saying that it was his sole decision to have or not have the bikes because it was an operational function of the police force, thus falling under the Mayor’s duties.</div>
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So, Orr campaigned on the idea of having a bike patrol, is the sole decision maker on whether or not we have one, we don’t have one, and Orr wonders why we did not believe his campaign promises?<span> </span>Hmm…..money can’t be the reason why we don’t have one.<span> </span>In March, Orr stated that he saved the Borough $25,000 in police arbitration fees.<span> </span><a href="http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2013/03/16/news/doc514537911da9c305880127.txt" target="_blank">Click on the link to read the article for yourself</a>.<span> </span>If that is true, then there is plenty of money available to fund the bike patrol.<span> </span>The bike patrol costs approximately $400 per night to operate.<span> </span><span>If we were to use the bike patrol two nights per week ($800 per week) for the summer months (June, July, August-about<span dtx-highlight-backgroundcolor="cyan" id="dtx-highlighting-item"> 1</span>0-<span dtx-highlight-backgroundcolor="cyan" id="dtx-highlighting-item">1</span>2 weeks), the total cost of the program would be $8,000-$9,600.</span><span> </span></div>
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If what Orr said about saving $25,000 is true, it sounds like we saved enough money for this year’s bike patrol, next year’s bike patrol, and some money for the following year, too.<span> </span></div>
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The bike patrol increases staffing, visibility, patrolling, community relations, responds to a community need and costs no money to residents because the money is already in the budget.</div>
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So, why not have a bike patrol?<span> </span>I guess the Mayor alone will have to explain his thinking because like he said, the decision is his.<span> </span>Meanwhile, Stewart and his team are moving forward with a beautification ideas and a recycling program that will benefit all residents. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-91632722876009327442013-05-27T09:51:00.000-04:002013-05-27T09:51:05.521-04:00A perfect day in honor of our heroes: Memorial Day in Eddystone 2013<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
With perfect weather serving as a backdrop, Eddystone celebrated Memorial Day with its annual festivities.<span> </span>The day kicked off with a parade, much longer than in recent years, as the train made its way all through town.<span> </span>Veterans serving as the grand marshals led dozens of fire trucks and emergency response vehicles around town.<span> </span>All of the baseball, softball, and t-ball players, as well as some very wonderfully decorated bikes, followed the fire trucks.<span> </span>The annual ceremony at the monument followed, led by members of the V.F.W.<span> </span>The day ended with great activities in the field, fun games, and hot dogs.<span> </span>A great turnout decided to enjoy the fantastic weather and an opportunity to catch up with neighbors.<span> </span>The night ended with a spectacular fireworks display.</div>
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Noticeably missing from the day’s events was the political divide existing within the town for the last several months.<span> </span>And that is exactly as it should have been.<span> </span>While only 9.5% of people across the county voted, Eddystone can brag that about 60% of its registered voters came to the polls last week and chose their new leaders.<span> </span>That turnout was the same experts said came out during the last presidential election.<span> </span>So, it is safe to say that the majority of Eddystone made their selections and it is time to move on.</div>
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Yesterday was a perfect example of a community moving on together and celebrating together, whether it was on the parade route, at the monument or field, or in a backyard having a barbeque.<span> </span>Thanks goes out to all of the volunteers for putting together a great day for the families of Eddystone.<span> </span>Remember, Memorial Day is a day to honor those soldiers who have gone before us as they made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedom.<span> </span>Take a moment today to remember these heroes, and their families.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-39240390492430921742013-05-19T10:10:00.002-04:002013-05-19T10:10:35.207-04:00Part 3 of 3: F.O.P. endorses Allen Reeves<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
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I am going to make an obvious statement.<span> </span>At some point in the future, whether it be 3 days from now or three years from now or 30 years from now, Ralph Orr will not be mayor.<span> </span>When that time comes, jackets will still be given out, Bingos will still occur, people will get help during emergencies, and families in need will still get assistance.<span> </span>In short, the world will go on.<span> </span></div>
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How am I so sure this is true?<span> </span>Because all of these things were done when the last mayor was in office and the mayor before that was in office.<span> </span>The face of who is doing the work changed, but the act itself has not.<span> </span>So, to base a vote on things that literally every single person with the title of Mayor has done just does not seem like a good idea to me.<span> </span></div>
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I do consider that in the past 10 years, tens of thousands of dollars in state grants for children’s activities has been available through State Representative Thaddeus Kirkland’s office.<span> </span>All that had to happen to get the money was for the mayor to write up a proposal and ask for it.<span> </span>How many times has Orr asked for that money?<span> </span>Zero.<span> </span>Not only has Orr refused to ask Kirkland for grants, he actually reduced the amount of grant money coming into the borough.<span> </span>Supporters like to talk about Orr’s work with the W.I.N. Committee.<span> </span>W.I.N.<span> </span>Working in Neighborhoods.<span> </span>It was a committee that started well before Orr was mayor.<span> </span>Guess where the money came from?<span> </span>Among other places, Thaddeus Kirkland’s grants.<span> </span>When Orr became mayor, he stopped attending meetings, which resulted in the grant money going away.</div>
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More than the community projects listed above, the Mayor has one primary responsibility.<span> </span>The police force.<span> </span>When it comes to the police force, don’t be fooled for one second as to why it has been short staffed for so long.<span> </span>Ralph Orr made a calculated decision to use part-time officers instead of hiring full-time, union member officers for one simple reason.<span> </span>It is far easier to “boss around” and control the part-time officers.<span> </span>The part-timers are “at will” employees, meaning that they could be fired for looking at a tree the wrong way.<span> </span>Because Orr lacks the ability to build a consensus or to be able to handle anyone disagreeing with him, he had to have officers whom he could easily control.<span> </span>Had he hired full-time union officers, he would have had to work with them, and the union, instead of talking at them.</div>
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Heck, even in the meeting in December when Bill Stewart motioned to hire two new police officers, Orr practically fell out of his chair screaming that he was in charge of the police force.<span> </span>Orr shouted, “No, we don’t want that,” in the hopes to sway members of Council to agree with John Pappas and Danielle Thompson who voted against hiring a full-time staff.</div>
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Don’t take our word for it, though.<span> </span>Go to Borough Hall and ask to listen to the audio recording of the meeting.<span> </span>It is public record.</div>
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After Orr reads this post, he is going to say things like,“Let me turn around so you can pull the knife out of my back” or “You see?<span> </span>I am not a bad guy” as he talks about jackets, turkeys, presents, and Bingos.<span> </span>He is going to victimize himself and try to deflect attention away from the police issues.<span> </span>He is going to blame Council (“I don’t do the hiring.<span> </span>Council does”) in the hopes that you will forget that it has only been within the last 6 months that a real divide amongst the councilors has occurred.<span> </span>For the past 9 ½ years, he had the support of at least four members of council, so he could have gotten passed any decision he wanted to pass.<span> </span>He had the votes.<span> </span>All he had to do was ask.<span> </span>He chose to go with part time officers, eliminate the bike patrol, and pay “chiefs on leave” for the vast majority of his time.<span> </span>He can’t explain why he has done this, so he will deflect away from these decisions.</div>
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Since the “great divide” 6 months ago, Bill Stewart, Karen Reeves, Despo Tatasciore, and Dave Paterson have pushed to find and hire 3 new full time police officers with 1 more on the way.<span> </span>Orr had nothing to do with it.<span> </span>Again, don’t take our word for it.<span> </span>Go to Borough Hall and review the tapes from December and January.<span> </span>Reeves and Stewart are easily heard arguing with Orr, Pappas, and Thompson. </div>
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Why did the bike patrol go away?<span> </span>Orr will tell you because there was no funding.<span> </span>You mean to tell me that a few thousand didn’t exist to pay a few people during the summer months for a few hours?<span> </span>There has been a surplus at the end of each calendar year for at least the past 5 years.<span> </span>And I am not talking a few dollars.<span> </span>I am talking $50,000+ in surplus.<span> </span>One year, we bought a new highway truck at the end of the year and still had $58,000 in surplus.<span> </span>The bike patrol wasn’t too expensive.<span> </span>In reality, Orr did not like that the FOP insisted that full-time officers be given preference over the part-timer officers for those extra shifts.<span> </span>So, rather than deal with the union’s request, Orr took an <span> </span>“I’ll show them” approach and nixed the entire program</div>
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Who better to run a police force than a retired police officer?<span> </span>Does Allen have flaws?<span> </span>Sure he does.<span> </span>What human doesn’t? <span> </span>Even though Ralph Orr has been mayor for 10 years and Allen Reeves has never been elected, the moment Reeves takes office should he win, he will still have 13 ½ years more experience in policing. <span> </span>If anyone can set the right tone and direction for our police force, it is Allen Reeves. Reeves is endorsed by the F.O.P. Lodge 27. That's a pretty impressive endorsement for a challenger to recieve when running against an incumbant. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-39642539592388242622013-05-18T14:02:00.000-04:002013-05-18T14:02:04.044-04:00 Important information about Voting Rights: You can vote for anyone you wish to vote for on Tuesday<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
There has been some miscommunication about voter’s rights.<span> </span>While we certainly hope you will vote for the candidates we like, we also respect everyone’s right to vote for whomever they think is the best choice. You can vote for anyone regardless of which ticket they are on.<span> </span><strong><em><u><span style="color: blue;">You are not required to vote for just the “Orr ticket” or the “RRPOE ticket.”</span></u></em></strong></div>
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As far as the local elections go, <em>Republicans have 3 decisions to make on Tuesday</em>.<span> </span>Here are your options:</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><u>Choice 1: Mayor (vote for 1)</u></strong></span></div>
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Ralph Orr<span> </span>or Allen Reeves</div>
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<strong><em><u><span style="color: blue;">Whomever you select for mayor does not affect your choices for Council.</span></u></em></strong></div>
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<strong><em><u><span style="color: blue;"></span></u></em></strong> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><u>Choice 2: 4 year Council seat (<span style="color: blue;">pick ANY 4</span>-I listed them in alphabetical order)</u></strong></span></div>
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Dave Bennett</div>
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Kelly Butkus</div>
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Bob Donahue</div>
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Beth Gross</div>
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Dale Kerns</div>
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Karen Reeves</div>
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William Stewart</div>
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Debrah Tompkins</div>
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<em>NOTE:<span> </span>You can pick ANY 4.<span> </span>Obviously, each team wants you to pick their running mates, but you do not have to do that.<span> </span>You select any 4 you wish to vote for.</em></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><u>Choice 3: 2 year Council seat (pick 1)</u></strong></span></div>
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Christine Cocker or Despo Tatasciore</div>
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We hope this clarifies the confusion.</div>
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Lastly, and most importantly, <strong><em><u><span style="color: red;">NO ONE CAN SEE YOUR VOTE</span></u></em></strong>.<span> </span>PEOPLE CAN ONLY SEE IF YOU VOTED IN THE ELECTION BUT NO ONE CAN SEE WHO YOU ACTUALLY SELECTED.<span> </span>THE ONLY WAY SOMEONE WILL KNOW WHO YOU VOTED FOR IS IF YOU TELL THEM.</div>
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<span style="color: red;"><strong><em><u>Anyone telling you that they can see who you actually cast a vote for is lying</u></em></strong>.</span></div>
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If you don’t believe us, or you have questions about the above information, please call the Delaware County Election Board at 610-891-4673</div>
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You can also view your right’s at this website by clicking on Pennsylvania at the<span> </span><a href="http://www.aflcio.org/Legislation-and-Politics/Voters-Rights" target="_blank">AFL-CIO website</a></div>
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You can also see more about voters' rights from the <a href="http://www.aclu.org/voting-rights" target="_blank">American Civil Liberties Union</a>.</div>
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You will not need ID unless you are voting at your polling place for the first time.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-43760658388286086092013-05-17T14:41:00.001-04:002013-05-19T22:29:47.409-04:00Part 2 of 3: The original report card, complete with accurate nonbiased information It is a lot harder to evaluate the other “endorsed by Orr” candidates because they have no experience leading a town or an open website highlighting their skills.<br />
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These people might be nice people and good neighbors, but that does not mean that they will make good members of Council. I have nothing to evaluate their ability to lead on because they have not done it, other than for a few months on recreation for a couple, and have not made a point of creating an open website to talk about their skills with voters. Because of this, while I may have been inclined to vote for some of these people, I can only evaluate them based on two things I see and believe.<br />
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First, I firmly believe that you can judge a person by the company they keep. These 4 people have had the ability to speak out and distance themselves from Kerns’ and Orr’s lies. They have not demonstrated that courage, at least in a public way. <br />
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Second, and this is more important to me, let’s assume the Orr team wins. Who is going to “lead” them come January? Orr from the corner? Look at how he has led the police department as a prime example of how that is a problem. Understaffed, loss of officers, and reduced services (until election time, then all kinds of promises are made). Kerns with his lies? The borough will be seeing red with the debt we will incur to defend his ignorance. Dave Paterson? No-Orr isolates him now. That is not going to change after a new election cycle if Orr’s team wins. Which leaves us with Danielle Thompson. For those of you who can (remember that her posts are on a private page), go back and read the closed Republican Facebook page. Thompson spends her time talking about people, many of whom are not council members, people in a position to make a change, or candidates rather than presenting a counterargument to the blog’s posts. Obviously, Thompson has a forum. She could post her counterargument and evidence for that position. Instead, she posts angry rants with false accusations, all for the children to read because she and the other administrators of the site thought it a wise decision to exclude voters from the page but include young kids on it. What would be the point in having a closed off to voter political page but adding kids to it?<br />
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When I look at how the RRPOE candidates have handled themselves throughout this election, they have stayed “above the fray” and left the mean spirited personal attacks out of the campaign. While some of their supporters who are unconnected to the campaign may have put out their own opinions of Orr’s ticket, the candidates have stuck to the issues at hand in an attempt to show how they will lead the entire town. To be an elected official, one needs to be able to lead the entire town, not just the part that agrees with you. On the other side, the “endorsed by Orr” candidates, rather than put out a final piece of literature talking about themselves, chose instead to negatively attack their opponents with door hangers. The candidates themselves, with some of their supporters, hung them on door.<br />
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To summarize. Saying that a person is nice or a good neighbor does not qualify them to run a town. It is entirely possible that in two years, after seeing all of the great things these people may do on the recreation board, we may write that they are quality candidates deserving of our support. Now is not that time, though. People change, as has our position on some members of the sitting Council. It is healthy to have disagreeing opinions and the "endorsed by Orr" ticket has shown no evidence that they will be able to handle the disagreements that certainly occur when a town is being led.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-9442776994030792952013-05-16T21:03:00.000-04:002013-05-16T22:21:58.952-04:00Part 1 of 3: The original report card, complete with accurate nonbiased information<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
What has Dale Kerns done to show that we should re-elect him during his 3 month audition?</div>
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<span style="color: red;">Defend liberty and the constitution?</span> <span style="color: blue;">UMMM….Nope</span>. He sat back and watched a citizen get bullied by the Mayor and President, despite the fact that the Sunshine Law specifically protects the Citizen’s Right to Speak. </div>
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<span style="color: red;">Protected Borough Tax Payer Money? </span><span style="color: blue;">a double NOPE</span>. Thanks to Kerns’ uninformed speaking for 3 months, lawsuits are impending against the Borough for slander and defamation of character.A lawsuit is eminent because of Kerns’ “audit” and “theft” rants. <a href="http://www.delconewsnetwork.com/articles/2013/05/16/ridley_town_talk/news/doc51951c90e3b73297107674.txt" target="_blank">See the Ridley Town Town Talk for more details.</a></div>
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Tying these first two points together, Kerns would not help a resident speak on Monday but had no problem once again going on his campaign page Tuesday and talking about the same report that mysteriously could not be talked about the night before. He writes, that “Make no mistake about it, an “Audit” was conducted, no matter what fancy name people would like to call it—Rules something or other.” The grammatical errors are his.</div>
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So, we are being sued, Council is told not to talk about it, Kerns does not talk in a public meeting, but he goes on Facebook to continue to make the same mistakes that are getting us sued. Hmm…</div>
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If you go into a bar and ask for alcohol, is there a difference amongst the drinks you could be served? “Hello, bartender, I would like alcohol.”</div>
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There are obvious differences between beer, mixed drinks, and hard liquor. The same goes for things done in the world of accounting. There are obvious differences in an audit and an agreed upon procedure. Kerns has no experience in accounting. He has no degree in accounting. He obviously has no time to research facts either because, if he would simply “google” the phrase ‘agreed upon procedure,’ he would see that no one is using fancy words. It is an actual process. </div>
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<span style="color: red;">Increase transparency?</span> <span style="color: blue;">A big no.</span> Kerns did not even communicate with his running mate. Orr not only received a letter in 2009 about the advances, he also received a memo (that he forgot about) in 2012, AND a second letter from the Delaware County District Attorney's office in December, 2012. Why didn't Kerns at least talk to Orr about getting the accurate information before he misspoke for three straight months. </div>
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<span style="color: red;">Corrected the mistakes of Council members? </span><span style="color: blue;">lol…..no</span>. One of Kerns’ biggest complaints of Orr and Council during the last election when he ran unendorsed (now his argument conveniently centers on 2 opponents) was that they did no research to educate themselves.</div>
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Dale….seriously….we are being sued because, for 3 months you kept saying the same thing. You kept saying audit. Not only did you use the wrong vocabulary, you took it one step further and you kept saying people stole money. As recently as 2 days ago, you still said 'audit.' You just listened to Orr and did that guy's dirty work by attacking people with unfounded lies. Unfortunately for you, now you have just slandered some good people, embarrassed a few others, made yourself look silly, and cost tax payers what could be a boat load of money.</div>
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See, even if the taxpayers win the lawsuits filed against us, we will have to pay a lawyer money to defend us. I have a feeling the lawyer is going to get more than $1500, your yearly stipend. </div>
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And as far as his citizen’s advisory committee goes, it has been stalled for months because the legal issues need to be researched. What has Kerns done each month? Nothing. He asks, “Where are we on this?” but he has not presented any of his ideas that he has researched. Here’s the thing…..if I have an idea, I don’t just say, “Hey, I have an idea” and leave the work of implementing the idea to someone else. If I have an idea, I first research it, then present it, then continue to research it as I work toward implementing it. Has Kerns done this? No.</div>
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<span style="color: red;">Lastly, Kerns wrote: “No matter how small or large, while you are in office, your record as an elected official should be able to be scrutinized.”</span></div>
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I have no issues with Dale wanting to drink alcohol. I don’t even have an issue with his obvious desire to drink until he is drunk beyond the point where self-control seems like a good idea. What I do have an issue with is <span style="color: blue;">people being in public office and lacking any self-discipline.</span></div>
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Dale has proven that he has no self-discipline in office (see the lawsuits) and during his recreational time (see the run ins with the law).</div>
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To summarize....in 4 months on Council, Kerns has:</div>
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0 0.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span> Ideas brought to the table and implemented </div>
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1 1 <span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span>Lawsuits brought upon the Borough, thanks to his words</div>
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2 2<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span>Times he has been alleged to be in trouble with the law as a result of his lack of self-discipline..</div>
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3<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span>Upset enough sitting members of Council that they would rather start their own political party rather than be associated with him.</div>
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4. Donated about $400 back to the Borough but cost us exponentially more thanks to the lawsuit.</div>
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5. High fived himself on anything he thinks will help him get elected</div>
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Dale Kerns. Good for himself. Not good for Eddystone.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-35401826063059287652013-05-15T07:08:00.001-04:002013-05-15T07:15:09.694-04:00Patterns of lies light up character flaws that make it impossible for some to leadIt's no longer looking like Orr's team is mis-speaking. The pattern of lies is now emmerging and becoming clear. Last night's Orr literature is a prime example of the disrespect this team has for the voters, as again Orr's team thinks the voters can't figure out the truth for themselves. We are simply going to use one example on Orr's literature as an example of these exaggerations.<br />
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To say the work of Reeves and Tatiscoire cost tax payers money is lie. The agreed upon procedure was requested by the likes of Orr and Danielle Thompson. No one forced them to do it. And what did they find? No missing money and suggestions for changes in the way the borough keeps its records. The funny thing about this conclusion is that Thompson could have simply made a motion to change all of the payroll items without ever having an agreed upon procedure done. That would have been free. So to now come back now and blame other people for the cost of exact agreed upon procedure that they requested is hilarious. Here's what I think: Thompson ordered the agreed upon procedure, at the prodding of Orr, IN THE HOPES that something bad would be found. Nothing bad was found, so now blame needs to be deflected onto someone else.<br />
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Speaking of tax payer money, how much money has Ralph Orr cost taxpayers by hiring two police chiefs? In his tenue as mayor, we paid over a half million dollars of wasted salary to people so they can stay home. <br />
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We could go on and on, but really? What's the point....Kerns himself is all over his political pages saying how he supports the information on the literature. On Monday night, we were told that the Borough may be sued thanks to Kerns' and Orr's inability to speak truthfully. This literature is yet another example of the lies these two men put out in the hopes that we the voters won't be able to figure out the truth. Unfortunately, the rest of their team is so inexperienced with Borough issues because they have not run for office before, or even attended council meetings prior to two months ago, so all they know is what Orr and Kerns tell them. <br />
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I think it is interesting to see the quality of character in Orr and Kerns. What Orr does not want people to know is that he asked Bill Stewart to run with him. Orr was livid when Stewart said no. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that this ugliness, paid for by Ralph Orr's group, is the reason that Bill Stewart decided to start his own political party rather than associate himself with this nasty lying. It took courage for Bill Stewart to walk away from Orr, just as it would take courage for the other 4 candidates on Orr's ticket to disassociate themselves from the ugliness that everyone knows is rooted in Orr and Kerns' leadership.<br />
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And people wonder why we use pen names? Imagine the ugliness that would be directed at us if we said what we say under our real names. Look at how many people choose to literally walk away from Orr and Kerns rather than deal with their harrassment. Has Orr ever had harrassment accusations made against him? Yes. What do Kerns' union brothers say about the way he handled himself during one of his many failed attempts at elections? That he would step on anybody to get himself ahead.<br />
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Question of the day: Kerns says he will donate his borough stipend back to the residents. I have a feeling a lawsuit is going to cost more than $1500, the annual amount he is paid. If we are sued for Kerns' uneducated comments, will he pay for it out of his own pocket or will he saddle the tax payers with the bill?<br />
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Hmmmmm.........<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-23514032115770331412013-05-14T18:08:00.000-04:002013-05-14T18:08:39.272-04:00All lies stink.....where is that stench coming from?<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Ralph Orr stated on April 15, 2013 that<span> </span>“I don’t have a computer and I never got a hard copy of any memo. The (police) chief and I knew nothing about it,”in reference to pay advances for police officers.<span> </span><a href="http://delcotimes.com/articles/2013/04/15/news/doc516b6771e9e7a004089666.txt" target="_blank">See Daily Times article (paragraph 2).</a></div>
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Last night, Dan Arrison tried to question the Mayor, saying that not only was there a proposal of pay advances offered to police officers, but the idea actually originated from Borough officials.<span> </span>He produced a letter written in 2009 by then solicitor Jack Whelan. <span> </span>Not coincidentally, the“agreed upon procedure” Dale Kerns talked about, calling it an audit by mistake for several months and now pushing the Borough toward being sued, also started with payroll from 2009.</div>
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Arrison tried to ask Orr about this, but Orr refused to answer and John Pappas shut down the conversation, referring Arrison to the Borough Solicitor because of impending litigation.<span> </span>There were copies of the letter provided to every person asking for one.<span> </span>The letter detailed the changes in the pay system, the anticipated challenges the police officers would have, and a suggested solution to the problem.</div>
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In 2009, Whelan wrote, “A suggested solution to this problem would be <span style="color: red;">for the borough to advance for example a sum of money equal to one week’s pay</span> and over a six month period, the borough could payroll deduct a small sum until the advanced money is paid back to the borough.”</div>
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So, here’s what I can surmise.<span> The Mayor</span> refused to answer a resident's question last night, and the reason given was because of impending litigation.<span> </span>To say that another way, the Borough may be sued, most likely as a result of the agreed upon procedure flaps created first by Dale Kerns when he called the report an audit, then accused people of stealing from the Borough, and finally followed up by Ralph Orr who called the newspaper and stated he had no knowledge of these advances and that he called the District Attorney and asked for an investigation..</div>
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After the meeting, Orr shouted at Arrison and accused him of having “all political motives” for bringing this material to light.<span> </span>I had to laugh as Orr ranted and raved after the meeting after refusing to talk during it.<span> </span>Here is a Mayor up for re-election, and he accuses a guy who has never run for office of having a “political motive” when he asks a question.</div>
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Here’s a shot out of a cannon for you….</div>
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How could a private citizen get a copy of a letter clearly showing that advances were not only given but suggested by the Borough, and the Mayor with all of his resources did not see the letter or could not find it?<span> </span>It was copied to him, according to Jack Whalen.<span> </span>Before Ralph Orr called the paper in April, he wants us to believe that:<span> </span>not only did he not see the letter Whelan sent to him, but Bill Conner also did not see it (the letter was copied to him, too).<span> </span>As if that is not enough to swallow, he also wants us to also believe that the District Attorney (Jack Whelan), the same guy who wrote the 2009 letter, forgot he wrote it.<span> </span>Then Orr also wants us to believe that not only did Jack Whalen forget about it, but he also did not discover it during his investigation of the alleged “theft” of Borough money.<span> </span></div>
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In order to believe Orr’s story, I also would have to believe that Jack Whelan did not do his job.<span> </span>According to Orr, Whelan did not get him the 2009 letter and did not bring it up during the investigation Orr allegedly requested.<span> </span>I just have a hard time believing that, in this situation, Orr is the competent one and Whelan is the inept one. Actually, I have a hard time imagining that Orr would be competent when Whelan would not be in any situation, but that is for another day....</div>
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It’s just an awful lot of strange coincidences that Ralph Orr wants us to believe, isn’t it?<span> </span>Orr didn’t see it.<span> </span>Conner didn’t see it.<span> </span>The District Attorney forgot about it.<span> </span>AND the D.A. did not discover it during an investigation.</div>
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All lies stink.<span> </span>No matter how deep they get buried, their stench eventually rises to the surface.</div>
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Here’s what I think really happened.<span> </span>Orr called the paper and deliberately“forgot” about the letter in the hopes that no one would be able to call his bluff.<span> </span>He hoped to gain a political edge by deflecting the attention away from Dale Kerns’ colossal mistakes with regard to the agreed upon procedure.<span> </span>It’s not a coincidence that Orr called the paper after Kerns’ three-month audit misstep, and the two of them are running together.<span> </span>Orr bet that no one would call him on his lie.<span> </span></div>
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Which brings me back to last night.<span> </span>I have watched other residents yell and scream for what seems like an eternity about their issues.<span> </span>Orr and Pappas cut Arrison off within 30 seconds of him trying to ask a question.<span> </span>And Kerns, the Defender of the Constitution, the man who believes in the Bill of Rights, what did he do to protect this private citizen’s right to ask a question of his elected officials?</div>
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Nothing.<span> </span>He just sat there like a puppy dog and did not speak up for his alleged free speech convictions..</div>
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All lies stink.<span> </span>Kerns tried for months to exaggerate an agreed upon procedure and make it into an issue for political gain.<span> </span>Orr tried desperately to “forget” key information in an attempt to help Kerns when he called the papers two weeks ago.<span> </span></div>
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Exaggeration and forgetfulness are forms of intentional lying. It misrepresents infomation and assumes voters cannot figure out the truth.<span> </span>I have no desire to be led by liars who treat me like I am stupid.<span> </span>Do you?</div>
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Hmmmm……</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-3039915240708383422013-05-09T21:17:00.002-04:002013-05-09T21:19:05.836-04:00Fundraiser for Kayla<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Fundraiser for Kayla-Thanks, Michele Patricelli for organizing it!</div>
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A fundraiser is being held to help offset the funeral costs for Kayla Barnes. Michele Patricelli is organizing it.</div>
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7:30 PM to 10:30 PM Friday</div>
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DellaPolla’s Tavern in Folsom (MacDave Blvd-between Milmont Ave and Swarthmore Ave).</div>
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Cover Charge is $10</div>
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Must be over the age of 21.</div>
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Basket Raffles, 50/50s….donations of baskets to be raffled or cash are greatly appreciated.</div>
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There are two other options available to make a donation:</div>
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Cash Donations can be made at any TD Bank branch. Just walk in and ask to make a donation to the “Kayla Barnes Fund”.</div>
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Donations can also be made directly to the funeral home (White-Luttrell Funeral Home in Ridley Park).</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-85349963122627492812013-05-06T21:14:00.000-04:002013-05-06T21:47:39.385-04:00Continuance in Kerns' Court Case Robs Voters of Information<div class="ecxyiv3622639435ecxyiv2147305970ecxyiv8239559738ecxyiv6917030759MsoNormal">
We have stayed away from Councilman Kerns’ legal troubles for more than 3 months, giving the young man an opportunity to go before a judge, explain his alleged involvement in a fight at a bar, how he allegedly handled himself in the minutes afterward when police arrived, and to allow the facts of the case to be heard in court. If you read his websites, he has had plenty of time to write about other people and the choices they have made. Yet, there is no mention of his alleged actions. Kerns talks about how leaders need to be held accountable. Kerns talks about how leaders need to be transparent. Given his call to hold our leaders accountable and for there to be transparency, why has he not explained his alleged fight that occurred months ago? </div>
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<a href="http://ujsportal.pacourts.us/DocketSheets/MDJCourtSummaryReport.aspx?docketNumber=MJ-32131-NT-0000070-2013" target="_blank">Councilman Kerns Court Appearances</a></div>
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If you cannot read this document, or open the link, it is the Court Summary sheet from Councilman Kerns' court appearance on April 30, 2013 (that was last week). It lists a summary offense for disorderly conduct-involved with fighting.</div>
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It is massively concerning that this case has been continued, not once, but twice, which ensures that a verdict will not be rendered until after the primary election. We are concerned that the continuances are because this incident has the potential to be extraordinarily embarrassing for not only Kerns but also the people endorsing him. There is also the possibility that there is more to this story than just a disorderly charge. A summary offense is not something that is going to absolutely sway votes one way or the other. However, if the Councilman possibly approached the police officer in “Reese Witherspoon like” fashion...that’s a whole different can of worms….we have no idea if Kerns tried to abuse his position or not because the case keeps getting continued.</div>
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Maybe Kerns can put out a statement on his campaign page?<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-49757818328457347962013-05-05T07:42:00.000-04:002013-05-05T07:43:12.770-04:00In Remembrance: Rest In Peace, KaylaYesterday, we were all reminded of how precious and fragile life can be. Our community lost Kayla Barnes, whose courageous battle against leukemia served as an inspiration to all who knew her. No words can express the sorrow we feel. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to all of Kayla's friends and family.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-10164023807620440472013-05-04T09:17:00.002-04:002013-05-04T09:18:03.294-04:00BINGO! One reason we support Ralph Orr as a recreation board member and Allen Reeves Jr. as Mayor<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
I think one thing we all should be able to agree on is that we all want Eddystone to be a great place to raise a family. To that end, maybe I need to clarify why I am concerned with Ralph Orr as a mayor. A few people have stopped me to talk about Ralph Orr. In defense of him, they have suggested that he should be reelected for these reasons.</div>
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He runs dances for the kids.</div>
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He has Bingos for the kids.</div>
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He gives t-shirts on birthdays to the kids.</div>
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He gives out turkeys to families who could use it.</div>
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He gives out coats to the kids.</div>
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He coaches kids.</div>
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I won’t argue against the fact that he does these things. But, I also think there is more to being a mayor than just doing things for kids. I think that just because the kids like Orr does not mean he is good at running a police department. Just because he works in a school and volunteers his time does not mean that he has the capability to bridge people with differing opinions toward a common goal.</div>
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The reasons listed above include: turkeys donated by a church and Shop-Rite and coats donated by Exelon. In both cases, the donations will continue for years to come because that is what good corporate neighbors do. They give back to their communities, regardless of the political leaders. The defense of Ralph Orr also includes: dances (recreation), Bingos (recreation), birthdays (recreation), and sports (recreation). All of these things can be done as a member of the recreation board, where Orr and several on his ticket sit. It seems that he has an eager team in place on the recreation board. That group of people have young kids, and parents with young kids are going to be the most motivated to enhance recreation. Maybe they should focus that positive energy on making the recreation center the best it could be. Orr could even incorporate activities for seniors and veterans as part of the expansion of recreation activities.</div>
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Imagine how good things in recreation could be if Ralph Orr could concentrate on those activities, rather than having to try and juggle getting everyone to compromise (something a mayor has to do) and having to handle the police issues. The Camden Iron issue was a disaster for him. After all, he had a company that purchased land, received all of their permits, were supported unanimously by a Council, but still did not move into the Borough. Clearly, this was not entirely his fault, however this issue is a perfect example of how Orr struggles in dealing with people that disagree with him on a non-personal level. I liken a Mayor to the Captain of the ship. He has to keep everyone rowing in unison. The Camden Iron issue is a prime example of where he failed to do this. In addition, he is clearly struggling with the police-we lost officers to other communities, lost the bike patrol under Orr’s leadership, and had a department grossly understaffed until Bill Stewart got the civil service commission going to fill some of the gaps. Taxpayers have also massively overpaid the position of Chief because we have had to pay multiple people simultaneously for almost all of Orr’s tenure. Drugs continue to creep around certain corners of town according to residents.</div>
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For these reasons, I think it would be prudent for voters to allow Orr to concentrate on doing all of the great things people say he does with recreation and let someone else handle the duties of a mayor.</div>
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Imagine how great the town could be if we had Orr doing what he does best for kids as part of the recreation, a Mayor who knew something about police, and a Council willing to work with all of the residents, not just a select few that agree with them. </div>
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“To say my fate is not tied to your fate is kind of like saying your side of the boat is sinking.” We all do want a thriving Eddystone to raise our families in for years to come.</div>
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It may help to consider that my opinion of Ralph Orr as mayor has nothing to do with the recreation work he has done. I think he has done a commendable job with dances, bingos, and birthdays. He would make a great recreation board member. I just think that there is more to being a mayor than hiring a DJ, getting Bingo cards, and making birthdays special. After all, the Titanic still did sink even though the band was playing as it went down. Orr's greatest triumphs have been with kids and recreation. I think the town would be wise to put someone in the Mayor's seat who has the experience and ability to have an equal amount of success with the police department.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-85592116739328590262013-05-02T07:38:00.000-04:002013-05-02T12:49:34.505-04:00"THEFT" IN EDDYSTONE: And we pinkie swear promise that we ARE NOT using big words or exaggerating!!!<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Call the police! Sound the alarms! Shut down the streets! A THEFT HAS OCCURRED IN EDDYSTONE! Lock your doors people, arm yourselves, and prepare to fight a revolution against the rising tide of thievery amongst our neighbors. The Endorsed Republican Party put their platform literature out this weekend. And it is strikingly similar to the RRPOE platform, which has been on their website for weeks. </div>
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A heist of platforms! Embezzlement! Copyright infringement! Armed theft robbery! Grand larceny! Assault on a thought! HELLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPP!</div>
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I might be exaggerating this just a bit. However, what should not get lost in my gross overstatement is that even though the Orr people put out their literature this weekend, it really did not help me understand what they were hoping to do. They use big words like “positive change,” which sounds like the phrase another group used when they actually changed something in the town. They use words like “Fiscal stability,” which sounds really good. Except Orr neglects to mention the fact that we have not had a tax increase in almost a decade (that is pretty stable). My personal favorite is how they wrote about accuracy and accountability, yet they ignore the fact that the only some people are held accountable (SEE: AGREED UPON PROCEDURE TO NOT INVESTIGATE ALL PAYROLL ACCOUNTS). They also talk about recreation, policing, and job creation. All of these ideas were mentioned on the RRPOE website long before any literature went out.</div>
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Which, let’s be honest, is not really a big deal. There was no theft. This is not something to get really upset about.</div>
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But, it does make me wonder, if Ralph Orr had all of these great ideas, why has he sat on them for so long? He has been Mayor for how many years? 10. What has he done in 10 years to enhance Eddystone? <span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">The drug dealers will say that he has understaffed the police department, eliminated the bike patrol, and made the streets much easier for them to work on</span>.</span> </div>
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Since both teams practically have the same platform right now, I guess this election is going to boil down to which team I trust to implement increased recreation, increased policing, and ensure accountability.</div>
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Team Orr:</div>
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They say increased recreation. Practically his entire team<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"> is on the recreation board, albeit they have only been there a few months. If increasing recreation is what they want, then they should stay where they are on the RECREATION BOARD. They can increase recreation without being on Council. </span></div>
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Increased policing: How many years has Ralph Orr led an understaffed police force? Seriously, you can’t say increased policing with a record like his as a mayor and expect to be taken seriously.</div>
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Ensure accountability: Umm….ensuring accountability for everyone is not the same as a witch-hunt for a few. If you want accountability, then hold everyone, even yourself, to a certain standard. Can Orr honestly say he has stood for accountability when he literally excluded his best friend from an agreed <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">upon procedure investigating payroll? Can Kerns really say that he is about being held personally accountable for his actions?</span></div>
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Orr’s team can say the same words as the RRPOE. What he can’t do, though, is hide from his 10 years of neglect. It has to say something to the community that 3 of the 4 members of Council chose to start their own party rather than run with him. And the 1 who chose to run with him has been pining to get elected into something for years but has been unsuccessful in doing so and really is only worried about getting himself elected. Two years ago, Kerns screamed (loudly) about Orr and his weak leadership. One year ago, Orr kicked Kerns off the ballot for Committeeman. This year, they are on the same ticket. Desperate people do desperate things.</div>
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Call off the dogs. There is nothing to see here. It was a false alarm. No thievery. Team Orr is just using big words that sound good at an election time in an attempt to distract people from the 10 years of neglect this community has received while he has been at the helm.</div>
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You know what would flesh these ideas out, though? </div>
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A community meeting, debate, or whatever you call it, where the candidates could actually explain what their words mean. It would kind of be like sharing an action plan for the platform. If I were running, and I had a plan, I would not only want to share it, but I would want the opportunity to prove that my plan was superior to my opponents. Which makes me wonder….why is team Orr backing away from Kerns’ idea of a debate? Why has Kerns backed away from Kerns idea of a debate? </div>
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Perhaps it is because the word ‘debate’ sounds good, but in reality Team Orr knows that if they have to talk about an action plan, then they are in trouble. After all, look at the 10 years worth of inaction they would have to defend. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-14040634377323676942013-04-28T05:00:00.000-04:002013-04-28T08:06:51.307-04:00Police shortage...ORR not: "talking trash," borough managers, and police chiefs to increase policing without raising taxes one single penny<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
The reformers are going around town saying that they want to increase the police force. Some are asking how it will be paid for if the budget is already strapped.</div>
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There are two full-time positions currently unfilled in the Borough. Until Bill Stewart pushed for the Civil Service Commission to hire police, there were four unfilled spots. Here’s how the other two police vacancies can be paid for without raising taxes.</div>
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<u><strong>Police Officer #1: two things to do now</strong></u></div>
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- Continue paying a firm to handle the duties of Borough Manager, as opposed to hiring one person to do the job. This is something the RRPOE wants to do. In salary alone, the <span style="color: red;">Borough saves $45,000 ANNUALLY. This does not include benefits plans (another $10,000-$20,000 saved) or pension matching. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> - </span>Implement a recycling program within the Borough to reduce tipping fees when trash is disposed off at the curb, something Dave Paterson talked about last year and Bill Stewart suggested to study with the intent to implement. Based on savings seen in surrounding communities (Ridley Park and Ridley Township), savings will be anywhere from 10-20% of the tipping fees. Eddystone’s fees last year were about $175,000, so the <span style="color: red;">Borough saves $17,500-$35,000 ANNUALLY</span></div>
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So far, <span style="color: red;">these two measures alone will shift $70,000-$80,000, based on a conservative estimate, of money already existing in the Budget. No services will be decreased.</span></div>
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These two changes alone will save enough money to pay the salary of one full-time police officer, and there might even be some money left over to apply to a second officer. Therefore, services to residents actually increase just by shifting money in the budget and not raising taxes one penny.</div>
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<strong><u>Police Officer #2: stop "double dipping" now</u></strong></div>
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During most of the years Ralph Orr has been Mayor, we have paid 2 police chiefs at the same time. One has been on leave and the other has worked. In fact, during Orr’s time as Mayor, we have had 2 police chiefs more than half of the time (first Chief Rodden was on leave, then Chief Conner was on leave a few times;). Think about that money for one second. Assuming that 50% of the time (I think it is actually 7 of the 10 years, or 70% of the time but let’s go with 50% to avoid accusations of exaggeration) we have paid 2 police chiefs who each make approximately $80,000 annually. Combined over the past 10 years, we have paid about a half million dollars to a second police chief who was at home.</div>
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Let’s be clear: We are not accusing people of cheating the system. However, the fact that Ralph Orr had an issue with an “on leave” chief when he took office, and 10 years later is still dealing with the same problem (just a different face) doesn’t bode well for his leadership credentials. </div>
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If the Borough could hire a police chief, one that will be at work with his badge and gun everyday, then we could use the money we have been paying to a “chief on leave” to pay almost all of police officer #2’s salary.</div>
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SO.....</div>
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the two vacant police spots currently existing on our force are filled without raising taxes one penny. These are two spots that Mayor Orr and President Pappas said, as recently as in December, could not be filled because there was no money in the budget. Apparently, they are still saying the same thing because people are emailing us asking questions about how the RRPOE could pay for more police. Our opinion is that no money in the budget is seen by Orr (and Pappas for that matter) because of a lack the creativity to find it, the lack of forward thinking to project it, and the lack of openness on how to spend it. We found the money in less than 24 hours after receiving a question about it. </div>
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If we could find the money in 24 hours, why hasn’t Orr, the leader of the police force, done it during the 10 years he has been in office? </div>
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Saying he wants to do something at election time does not erase the 10 years of inaction on the same topic.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-15548015288959837592013-04-26T09:49:00.000-04:002013-04-26T09:49:12.313-04:00Imitation is Not Always the Sincerest Form of Flattery<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ELpqbnRVCzg/UXqFry9DKGI/AAAAAAAAAO4/-JeP9Fo0d5Q/s1600/no-bullying.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ELpqbnRVCzg/UXqFry9DKGI/AAAAAAAAAO4/-JeP9Fo0d5Q/s320/no-bullying.jpg" /></a><br />
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They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, however I don't agree with that saying when the imposter posts nothing but hateful gossip. There is a FaceBook page that was created yesterday called E-Rock's Beat. However, the original E-Rock's Beat page was created almost 2 years ago (one can plainly see this on the timelines). The original FaceBook page was never made public for the same reason we use Pen Names here at E-Rock's Beat and we do not have the blog open for comments. If any of you ever read the comments on DelcoTimes.com, whenever Eddystone is mentioned, the commenters RIP each other apart. The staff at The Daily Times have to work double time to keep up with removing the flagged comments. <br />
Our page was not made public until yesterday when our email filled up with comments about an imposter page. We receive several emails a week. Most are gossip about the endorsed candidates. We have NEVER posted the gossip nor do we intend to. Here at Erock's Beat, we stick to what is happening within the borough of Eddystone and how it pertains to its residents. The imposter page, however, has chosen to post gossip about the reformed candidates, not taking into consideration that before these people are CANDIDATES, they are MOMS and DADS and our NEIGHBORS. Posting or writing anything other than Borough politics, events, etc and how the people of Eddystone are <b>affected</b> is nothing short of being irresponsible...not to mention just downright nasty.<br />
We here at Erock's Beat will continue to report what happens at Council meetings, events, etc. in a responsible manner, however we feel it necessary to address the bullying. If you are against hate speech, bullying, and gossip, I would suggest not "liking" the imposter E-Rock's Beat FaceBook page. You can see the content without "liking" it. It would seem that those who "like" this page only condone this type of behavior. I sincerely hope that anyone who "likes" this page does not work with children in any shape or form, whether at a school, rec center, church, etc. <br />
<b>And as a side note/warning to the imposter....print screens have been saved and you have been reported for violating several FaceBook policies and a civil rights attorney has been contacted. We do not take bullying lightly</b>. <br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066359818444255775.post-56257669502217781652013-04-24T18:51:00.002-04:002013-04-24T18:51:15.493-04:00Campaign Slogan: "Do as I say, not as I do"?????<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
We found Team Orr’s online material.<span> </span>Unfortunately, just like the Recreation Board page, it is a closed group.<span> </span>This means that you cannot view it unless you are either “accepted” or“invited” into the group.<span> </span>The administrators of this site are some of the same administrators of the Recreation Board closed site, which leads me to believe that the “closed group” thing is not a mistake but a calculated decision to censor viewership.</div>
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It is genuinely concerning to me that a group of people expecting a vote of endorsement from the community thinks that exclusionary practices are acceptable leadership methods.<span> </span>I can’t say that I am surprised by Orr’s closed approach to politicking, as he started closing his rallies off to the public years ago.<span> </span>I am not surprised that Cocker, Bennett, Tompkins, or Donahue are going along with Orr’s ways because that is the way Orr works.<span> </span>You either do what he says, or he ignores you completely.<span> </span></div>
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I am shocked with Kerns, though.<span> </span>I mean, here is a guy who literally wrote “Defender of the Constitution” on one of his many campaign websites.<span> </span>Just this week, he stated that he is a part of a group that opposes “…ALL RESTRICTIONS on free and honest expressions, most critically THOSE THAT INFRINGE ON POLITICAL DISCOURSE.”<span> </span>Not only does Kerns limit access to information, but based on what I have watched on his Facebook page, he censors critics of his political positions by removing their posts.<span> </span>This seems kind of hypocritical.<span> </span>Almost King George III like if you ask me.<span> </span>Maybe Kerns is for HIS free speech but not for equal rights?</div>
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On the other side, the reformers, as they call themselves, have an open website, an open Facebook page, and have openly invited the entire community to a rally at the corner of 7<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and Eddystone Avenue on Sunday evening.<span> </span></div>
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These little tidbits, the openness of the reformers compared to the closedoffedness (Like that word?) of Orr’s people show us how each team will lead if elected.<span> </span>You can’t call yourself a leader in American society if you are going to treat yourself like some maharajah who only surrounds himself with adorning fans and beheads the opposing infidels.<span> </span>Free speech is about allowing everyone to speak their mind; free speech is not limited to “the people that agree with you,’ unless of course you think you are a king.<span> </span></div>
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Which brings me back to where I started.<span> </span>If one team says that they are for“free speech” but their actions limit the speech of people or access to information that may (or may not) disagree with them, what should I believe?<span> </span>Their words or actions?<span> </span>On the other hand, another team is open and forthcoming with information.<span> </span>They say they want to work with everyone and they are inviting everyone to talk.<span> </span>Their actions and words convey an identical message.<span> </span>I don’t have to wonder which to believe because they are sending one consistent theme.</div>
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As Election Day quickly approaches, I am asking myself two questions. First, "Which team's plan do I think is best for the community?<span> </span>I am also asking, “Which candidates are going to be able to work with the entire community?”</div>
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