Delco Must Act On Election Concerns — Delaware County, Pa., Council was schooled on trust, last night, May 1, when Joy Schwartz of Upper Darby pointed out the restrictions imposed by election observers at the county’s ballot counting center at the Wharf in Chester.
Mrs. Schwartz was an observer during the April 23 primary. She said observers’ were required to leave cell phones and purses in their cars, and they were confined to a pen far from the counting.
“We can see absolutely nothing,” she said.
The Wharf is where all ballots from mailboxes and dropboxes are processed. State law exempts it from the rules governing precincts. This means pollwatchers have no power or right to access.
County Council must change this.
Assuming it wants its elections to be trusted.
Carris Kocher of Concord pointed out that Delaware County has almost a quarter of Pennsylvania’s dropboxes.
This is more than Philadelphia and Pittsburgh combined.
There is little need for dropboxes. Mailboxes are accessible 24/7 and are ubiquitous. Dropboxes are a costly and unnecessary expense. They invariably create distrust, and complicate the logistics of the ballot stream pointlessly extending election night.
County Council should get rid of the dropboxes.
Barb Lewis of Radnor pointed out that the public is being kept from seeing the workings of the voting machines.
Good point. Why should the IP concerns of private corporations take precedence over election transparency? C’mon, Mr. and Ms. and Whatever Democrat. Answer that one.
Ms. Lewis wants to eliminate voting machines and return to handcounting, as did Mrs. Schwartz.
As does Scott Thomas of Marple. Thomas is a judge of elections. He says the machines are overly complicated.
Kathy from Haverford said there is plenty of proof elections are stolen. She also noted that Delco has yet to remove its restrictions from posting on its Facebook page.
If Delco addresses the reasonable concerns of the skeptics, the skepticism goes away.
Delco Spending $56 Million On Prison — The warden of George Hill Correctional Facility told Delaware County, Pa., Council, last night, May 1, that the prison’s budget was $56 million but it was just a peachy neat place now with teachers and nurses and such.
Delco is spending $13 million more on incarceration than in 2019. Warden Laura Williams, however, said wages are up for workers and everything is going great and they are getting rewards and honors and stuff.
Of course, not every one agrees about things going great. See here and here and here.
In fact, during public comments an African immigrant told council that he was unjustly fired as a corrections officer.
Also, Kimberly Brown of Colwyn said the raises disproportionately went to certain employees.
Also, Boothwyn tech guru Ed Trice described his “all-expense paid, 10-day vacation” at Hill, two years ago, when it was somehow thought he was involved in Flash Crash 2010. It wasn’t peachy neat.
Trice was there for other things and had not planned to speak . Ms. Williams’ presentation, though, inspired him.
There was a bald, blinding and necessary revelation in Ms. Williams’ too-long corporate spiel. It concerned the inmates at Hill with serious mental illness.
Pennsylvania has left just two long-term state mental hospitals. These are Norristown and Torrance near Pittsburgh.
Inmates with mental illness can’t move through the system until treated and these are the only places where this can be done.
The waits are long.
Councilwoman Christine Reuther said the state is spending less for mental health than it did in 2007.
Ominous Warning For Delco Officials — Robert Mancini of Media told Delaware County, Pa., Council, last night, May 1, that he has filed criminal charges against one Delco official, April 23, and will be filing charges against another in two weeks.
He also said he is writing a federal complaint against one official “who is in the room” but won’t file it if this official resigns.
Citizens Again Throng Delco Council With Concerns Of Illegals — Delaware County (Pa) Council faced an angry throng for its second straight meeting, last night, May 1.
Illegals and the quasi-related plan for Delco Woods — the 213-acre Don Guanella tract in Marple now a county park — were again the flashpoints.
This time only 55 were allowed in the council meeting room . The rest — said to be over 100 — were stashed in the jury room and watched on TV.
Attendees were kept from entering the Government Center until 5:45 p.m. for the 6 p.m. meeting.
This was the first time we recall this restriction.
Delco, like most of America, is suffering the consequences of the Biden Administration’s bizarre border policy.
The Black residents of Chester are being supplanted by Guatemalans. A crime ring of New Jersey-based illegals has plagued Springfield.
By the way, Liz Piazza, who is the Republican nominee for the 165th District in the Pennsylvania House and is the subject of the the headline at the last link, was in attendance.
As was reportedly incumbent Jen O’Mara, albeit in the overflow room.
Charles Alexander of Marple, who has been at the forefront of community concerns, emotionally pointed out that human trafficking is occurring in the county. He demanded that council pass an ordinance declaring Delco to be an unsanctuary county. Alexander also demanded it pass ordinances prohibiting its use as staging ground for human trafficking, and to stop globalist non-governmental organizations like HIAS from operating freely.
He specifically blasted Councilman Kevin Madden.
Sharon Devaney, of Haverford, asked if any of the councilmember read the documentation she gave them, April 3, regarding the crippling injuries she received in 2017 when an illegal t-boned her car at Lawrence and Ellis roads.
Ms. Devaney noted that she could no longer run or ride a bike because of her injuries. She said she felt uncomfortable going to the beach.
She was in tears by the end of her three minutes.
Jim Brennan of Marple was who followed Alexander.
“Everything Charlie said,” was the first words from his mouth.
He segued into the plans for Delco Woods. Rumors fly that the county wants to use its buildings for illegals, albeit it says they just want them to house the criminally insane.
Brennan wanted to know if the county had made any progress in finding an alternative site for the mental facility as they had promised.
He also asked council to remove its designation as a “sanctuary.”
Sixteen-year-old Nick D’Ambrosio spoke on behalf of Marple Civic Youth. He said he was part of the planning for Delco Woods. Nick said that the county promised the teens there would be murals, Wi-Fi and a pavilion where the buildings are. He asked that they keep the entire parcel as open space.
Kevin Coup (phonetic) asked why illegals were not listed on the meeting’s agenda. He said there is real concern about illegal alien housing among the citizenry.
“You need to have recognition of these facts,” he said.
James Small of Marple identified as “lying, cheating politicians” and mimicked the council’s denials.
He said illegals were coming into neighborhoods regardless of what the county said.
Bill from Upper Darby read Psalms 74:17 which describes how God set borders. This means borders are necessary, he said.
Council, despite it being local, can still take steps to protect its people, he said.
He said he was praying for them.
Kathy from Haverford said that 21 beds are not being used at the mental facility at Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital in Darby. That’s in the range of what council claims would be used at Delco Woods, she said.
A Radnor man said that opaque $36 million contingency expenses were the third highest county budget item and this could be being used for supporting illegals.
Media GOP leader Michael Straw expressed concern that the county would no longer be able to afford a mental health facility once Covid grants ran out.
He wanted to know why council was creating new items when it just levied a 5 percent tax hike.
Kay Dugery, the Republican nominee for the 166th District State House seat, warned of the dangers of a mental health facility in Delco Woods due its proximity to a park and to schools.
“Make one mistake and it could be catastrophic,” she said.
When it came time for council’s response, the normally outspoken Christine Reuther said she had no comments. This brought forth laughs from the audience.
Council Chairwoman Monica Taylor tried to address some of the concerns. She pledged to do better with seating the next time. Also, she said that many of the spending items listed on the agenda were state mandates and are expected to be funded by future grants.
She said that illegal immigration is not a county issue. She insisted that Delaware County is not a sanctuary county.
Note the Republicans were running things at this time.
Further, some also claim Delco is a sanctuary because it agreed to participate in a refugee program in 2020 at the request of President Trump.
Perhaps the label is unfair, but Sharon Devaney was crippled by a driver here illegally.
And she notes this driver never suffered consequences.
Kathy from Haverford said last night that if a Delco resident robs Walmart, he gets sent to the “crappy, poorly run prison” but when illegals rob Walmart, they are let go.
Charlie Alexander gave council the solution.
Declare Delco to be anti-sanctuary, and prosecute to the law’s full extent illegals who commit crime. Shout to the world you are doing so.
This isn’t about sending county detectives to cheap hotels. Do these things and you won’t have to.
And this is no longer about Democrat vs Republican. This is about freedom and peace vs fear and misery.
Immigrants and refugees come to America with the intent to respect our laws. Illegals obviously don’t.
Without the rule of law there is only fear and misery.
Also in attendance were Alfe Goodwin, the Republican nominee for Pennsylvania’s 5th District congressional seat; and, reportedly, State Sen. Timothy P. Kearney (D-26) and Delco GOP Chairman Frank Agovino.
Council members Madden and Elaine Paul Schaefer both left early as was announced at the meeting’s start. In Ms. Schaefer’s case it was to attend an event regarding antisemitism.
Sharon Devaney and Charlie Alexander will be speaking, tonight, at United4Delco’s meeting at Gatsby’s Bar and Grill in Aston. It starts at 6. See here for details.
The line outside the Government Center, May 1, before the doors were opened at 5:45 p.m.
Citizens Again Throng Delco Council With Concerns Of Illegals
Citizens Again Throng Delco Council With Concerns Of Illegals
Holy Myrrh-Bearers Spring Fair 2024 is May 11 at the church, 900 Fairview Road, Swarthmore, Pa. 19081.
There will be crafts and and attic treasurers for sale along with Ukrainian foods and baked goods. Burgers, hot dogs and kielbasa will be sold from the grill.
Answer to yesterday‘s William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit quote puzzle: Another May new buds and flowers shall bring: Ah! why has happiness no second Spring? Charlotte Smith
