Young Male Illegals In Delco’s Shuttered Hospitals?? — Delaware County’s rulers were thrown into a tizzy, Monday, March 4, when a story broke that its two large shuttered hospitals — Delaware County Memorial in Upper Darby and Springfield — were going to be used to house young male illegals.
Councilwoman Christine Reuther called the claim a “paranoid fantasy.” She said that she has “literally no idea” as to what it was about.
The matter was again brought up, and stridently denied, at yesterday’s County Council meeting.
It’s believable the deniers are telling the truth and have no clue as to any plan to house illegals.
Prospect Medical Holdings owns the buildings. The county wouldn’t have much say as to what happens if the federal and state governments back a “non government organization” like HIAS Pennsylvania to use them for illegal housing.
Regardless, housing the illegals is not the paranoid fantasy.
The paranoid fantasy is housing the illegals and giving them guns.
Delco Told Prison Bosses Retaliated Against Guards Who Met With Councilman And Exec Director— Frank Kwaning, president of the Delaware County (Pa) Prison Employees Independent Union, yesterday, March 6, praised county Executive Director Barbara O’Malley and Councilman Richard R. Womack for their recent tour of the county’s George Hill Correctional Facility and the point they made to privately talk with correctional officers.
Kwaning said, however, the prison administration retaliated against those officers after the county officials left.
Womack said that he was appalled to hear that and asked Kwaning to supply him with specifics.
Kwaning, a 14-year-veteran, of the facility was among the 68 fired after the County took over the facility in April 2022. He and 12 other former correctional officers filed a federal lawsuit, Feb. 29, saying their termination was improper.
Ms. O’Malley, earlier in the night, said major upgrades have been planned for the prison and that she would investigate all complaints. She said, however, she was satisfied with how things were going there.
Carris Kocher of Concord during public comments took issue with Solicitor Jonathan Lichtenstein’s claim that only elected officials were required to take oaths of office. She read to him state law that specifically cited clerks and deputies.
She also asked why the county needed process servers outside the elected constables, who are recognized law enforcement officers.
A Concord man brought to council’s attention a matter of suspicious zoning in his township.
Delco Prepares To OK $74.5 Billion Bonds — Delaware County Council, yesterday, March 6, held the first reading of an ordinance to allow it to issue general obligation debt of $74.5 billion to pay for infrastructure projects.
Solicitor Jonathan Lichtenstein said it was not expected that the entire allowable amount be borrowed.
The maximum interest rate allowed would be 6 percent.
Council also recognized March as National Women’s Month albeit the definition of a woman was left undefined.
The county-owned Fair Acres Nursing Home in Middletown was recognized for having been declared one of the nation’s best nursing homes by Newsweek magazine.
Council approved 31 consent items. These included an agreement of sale with Commonwealth Land Title Company to buy 123 N. Olive St., Media for $775,000 and a contract with WGL Energy services to become part of the Sustainable Energy Partnership of Southeastern Pennsylvania for five years at 67 cents per megawatt hour.
Councilwoman Elaine Paul Schaefer commented and expressed great approval at the latter one.
Public Defender Again Criticized
Former public defender John Baldini (phonetic) of Upper Darby again criticized how Chris Welsh is running his old department. He took issue with statements by councilmembers defending Welsh last month.
Baldini said things are much worse. Judges previously had three public defenders of varying degrees of experience and the younger ones were mentored by the older. Now indigent defendants have access to just one inexperienced attorney, he said.
Ordinance Would Allow Out-Of-Delco Hiring — Delaware County Council, yesterday, March 6, held the first reading of an ordinance that would allow the hiring of non-county residents for all posts except solicitor, executive director and other positions mandated by state law.
Councilwoman Christine A. Reuther said the county was having trouble filling positions and noted that government employment has fallen by 7 percent over the last decade.
Councilwoman Elaine Paul Schaefer pointed out that the county has lost good workers because they had to move a mile away. She said Philadelphia is the only other county that has a residency requirement. She said that 42 percent of the county workers already have an exemption.
Councilman Richard R. Womack said he had mixed feelings about changing the policy and that, if it should change, he would hope county residents would still get a preference in hiring.
Executive Director Barbara O’Malley also said she had mixed feelings but that the change was necessary.
Solicitor Jonathan Lichtenstein said the part of the bill providing for reimbursement for relocating only applies to those moving to the county and is not automatic.
Speaking against the ordinance were Joy Schwartz of Upper Darby and Carris Kocher of Concord.
John Baldini (phonetic) of Upper Darby said the county should open up but there should be a salary cap on non-county residents.
Delco Concedes CYS Is Poorly Trained And Understaffed — Delaware County, Pa. Executive Director Barbara O’Malley, last night, March 6, addressed the horrific stories concerning the county’s Children and Youth Services Department.
Mothers had been separated from their children for almost a year and stigmatized as abusers on the flimsiest of claims.
In at least one case, it was reported that the child, after removal, was placed in an environment in which he was sexually abused.
Further, the rulings by CYS have kept these women from getting jobs — at least two are teachers — or otherwise working with kids.
Ms. O’Malley reported that CYS was extremely understaffed and Delco was having trouble finding workers (see other story). She also noted the department’s training was poor.
Somewhere in her statement was a vague promise to improve things.
Recognizing the problem is a positive but immediate action can and must be taken to end immediate suffering.
First step is to make right the lives of those who were victims of this incompetency.
County Council can do this.
Simply call the person in charge and say let it be so. If this person won’t make these problems go away you make her go away and hire someone who knows what he’s doing.
By the way, we’ve heard reports of retaliation by CYS against a woman who spoke out. We are watching.
Second step is to create policy in which children aren’t removed due to domestic complaints unless a, hopefully, better trained supervisor does a follow up investigation. This is especially true if a judge has awarded custody to the accused.
Third step is don’t hire consultants that hire people implicated in serious scandals involving the removal of children.
Defensive Delco Council Shrilly Denies Issue With Illegals — Delaware County Council, tonight, March 6, perversely promoted multiculturalism when given first-hand accounts of suffering caused by illegal aliens and reports of law enforcement unable to keep them in custody when they commit crimes.
Sharon Devaney of Haverford Township described how she was permanently disabled in 2017 when a car traveling 70 mph and driven by an illegal, t-boned her Toyota Camry at Lawrence and Ellis roads. She had been dropping off her daughter with her parents before work. The illegal was not insured and in violation of numerous laws yet the police released her without charges.
Ms.Devaney implored council to change Delco’s status as a sanctuary county.
Our officials don’t appear to have a handle as to what’s happening.
Christine A. Reuther dismissed Ms. Devaney’s claim that the problem was illegal immigration and that Delco was protecting illegals.
“I heard someone say we’ve been a sanctuary county since 2014, which I’m sure would surprise our previous councilmembers who I can’t imagine would have voted to have made us a sanctuary county,” she said.
Dr. Monica Taylor expressed anger at the words used by those describing the crisis and claimed those expressing the concerns were directing them at immigrants rather than the flood crossing the border in violation of our laws.
She also dismissed Ms. Devany’s experience saying the person who nearly killed two people while crippling one while speeding through a busy intersection was just an “uninsured driver” and it was not an immigration issue.
So tell us Dr. Taylor, where do you think this person took her test for her driver’s license?
Swarthmore College student Jonas Salk (phonetic) praised sanctuary cities and multiculturalism.
Ms. Reuther made a puzzling statement in her objections to the concerns expressed about illegal immigration.
“They can speculate about what we might do or tell you what they might do if they were sitting up here but to simply say that ‘Oh gee maybe somebody that has nothing to do with any of this who to be quite honest with you isn’t necessarily supported by every member of County Council in a run for higher office, who can’t affect any sort of usage for any sort of property that doesn’t belong to the county is just fearmongering.”
So who is this person running for higher office not necessarily supported by every member of County Council? We doubt it’s a Republican.
Answer to yesterday‘s William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit quote puzzle: Whenever a man’s friends begin to compliment him about looking young, he may be sure that they think he is growing old. Victor Hugo (or maybe Washington Irving)
