Day: June 6, 2024

Delco Has A Trust Problem — Delaware County Councilman Kevin M. Madden finished yesterday’s, June 5, Council meeting passionately speaking for caring for the mentally ill and urged the equally passionate audience to see the humanity across the political divide.

We think he was sincere.

We also think he should take the plank out his own eye before looking for sawdust in others.

During public comments, Joy Schwartz of Upper Darby noted the strange tenacity with which the county fights requests for public records. She cited the matter of Delco’s first diversity, equity, and inclusion director, Lauren Footman, who is unsuccessfully seeking records related to her firing in March.

Delco, by the way, not merely stonewalls record requests but fights rulings by the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records to give the people records they want.

Especially relating to elections.

How does that engender trust, Kevin?

We asked Madden after the meeting.

He just laughed.

Council, by the way, last night, approved a “right to know” officer for the solicitor’s office. Pay is between $22.91 and $33.46 per hour. We suspect the prime skill set sought is how to hide public records.

Gary Rider of Marple took Madden to task for changing positions on a proposed mental facility at the Delco Woods nature preserve.

Rider said Madden has gone from seeking a facility with 28 patients on 40 acres to seeking a facility to house 16 patients on one acre.

“We can find you one acre and 16 beds,” said Rider. “It’s at Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital.”

Another speaker suggested that a 16-bed facility could be easily put at the 200-plus acre Fair Acres complex.

Tom Flocco of Upper Providence brought up the book The Parallel Election by Greg Stenstrom and Leah Hoopes along with a related documentary as proof the county elections are rigged.

You know Kevin, if you stopped fighting right-to-know requests election skepticism would start easing. Allowing poll watchers the same rights at the Wharf central ballot counting center as they have at all other precincts would end just about all the skepticism.

So why don’t you?

Flocco wanted to know why the County is keeping the evidence claimed by Ms. Hoopes and Stenstrom out of the courtroom.

That’s a good point. The pair were sued for defamation by former Delco Voting Machine Warehouse supervisor James Savage. Greg and Leah responded with a truth defense.

Truth is an absolute defense against defamation. Of course, one has to have been telling the truth for it to work.

Savage dropped the entire case — which included Donald Trump as a defendant — just after defendants prepared to subpoena county District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.

Doesn’t that make you go hmmm, Kevin?

Flocco said all of County Council might have won their seats via election fraud.

Obviously, Kevin, there is a crisis of trust.

The video about the 2020 election can be found here.

Roz Mayo (phonetic) of Brookhaven said she didn’t trust the elections because the present system is a “black box”.

If the county didn’t try so hard to hide election records she wouldn’t think that.

Ms. Mayo also said voter registration was insultingly easy and is automatic when applying for a driver’s license. Illegals can get driver’s licenses. She said they can be registered to vote without knowing then have someone vote in their name.

Laura Lewis of Radnor mentioned machine vulnerabilities.

Scott Thomas of Marple said his group has studied the feasibility of counting ballots by hand, and that it’s doable for Delco. It would save the county much money, he says.

Jim Small of Marple offered to take Council on a snap inspection of the Don Guanella buildings to catch illegals.

Barbara of Broomall noted that the building sought is over-sized for a 28-bed facility and asked if there are undisclosed plans to house more. She said that a facility would mean that Marple has to hire more police. She said considering how the county runs the prison, she has no confidence that a county mental facility at Delco Woods would be run competently. Barbara also pointed at that Biden border policy is a disaster and has left 80,000 children unaccounted for.

Mike of Media said Don Guanella patients still remain at the facility including his brother who has Downs Syndrome. He says he is in the end-of-life unit.

He was convinced the County has plans to put illegals next to him, and is angry at what might happen to his loved one.

Joe Finio of Marple said it is about keeping promises and Council promised a park at Delco Woods. He said the buildings at the site are neither secure nor habitable and asked why is it so hard it is to find a facility for 16 beds

“Something else is going on here,” he said. “There is to much energy being directed at this property for 16 beds.”

Tevin Dix of Upper Darby passionately defended free speech and encouraged Council to turn off the “Marxist media” and do real research.

He praised the work done by Stenstrom and Ms. Hoopes.

Dix, who is Black, noted Trump supporters are falsely smeared as haters and racists.

Good point. When is Elaine Schaefer going to apologize?

Bill from Upper Darby told Council to again seek God, and then read from the Book of Matthew.

“As a watchman I am sounding the alarm,” he said. He warned Council they might be committing treason.

How do you like that for trust, Kevin?

The Other Side

Council did have defenders.

Kevin Corrigan of Marple lectured the crowd for wearing anti-Biden clothing and called them “seditionists”. He praised Council despite his opposition to putting a mental facility in Delco Woods.

Andrewa Knox of Swarthmore said she was “appalled” by the behavior of the audience and that they were spreading “misinformaton.”

Jason of Havertown praised immigration and Delco’s elections. He blamed Rupert Murdoch and the “convicted felon Donald Trump” for what his opponents believed.

Jean Montgomery of Chester Heights said she experienced joy using the county parks, liked its health department and supported a mental health facility at Delco Woods.

Margaret Mansfield of Ridley Township said she was a Quaker. She praised Council and said “climate change” is going to destroy much of God’s creation.

Ed from Ridley praised Delco’s sustainability programs.

Three young people from Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living (CRCQL) spoke in opposition to Covanta’s Delaware Valley Resource Recovery Facility  and a proposed “hydrogen hub” project for the city.

“Hydrogen hubs may sound green but they are dangerous,” said Renee, a Swarthmore College student.

In Council comments, Christine Reuther said she was offended on behalf of all county employees who work for elections.

Again check out the video.

Ms. Reuther also said hand-counting would not be practical nor would it even be legal.

Here’s a thought: Keep the machines but empower poll watchers at the central ballot counting center. Then stop fighting right-to-know requests and get rid of the widely mistrusted dropboxes which are redundant to mailboxes anyway.

Dontcha think that would be a fair compromise? Stop the treason talk? Or don’t you think it matters?

In his turn, Madden said he respected those who came out even though he disagreed. He said their differences were because they got their news from different sources.

We strongly suspect Kevin, that we question our news sources more than you question yours.

Other Matters

In more pleasant matters, Council announced that a Juneteenth celebration will be held June 19 at Rose Tree Park starting at 4 p.m. Headliner Philly Gumbo takes the stage at 7:30 .m.

Also the county’s summer concert series in Rose Tree Park starts June 12.

Delco has 900 acres of parks, it was said

Delco Has A Trust Problem and Delco Has A Trust Problem and Delco Has A Trust Problem

Delco Has Illegals Problem; Told Police Purposely Delayed Response — Delaware County (Pa) Council heard, yesterday, June 5, first hand reports that should put paid to any doubts that illegal immigration and corruption have reached a crisis level.

Kathy Buckley, the Republican candidate for the 168th District State House seat, said there were three serious crimes in recent weeks on her formerly safe street in Edgmont.

One break-in involved illegals targeting homes. It took State Police an hour to respond, she said. The typical wait had been five minutes. She asked the trooper why the delay. He said they were ordered to “stand down”.

Only a fool will not wake up.

Sharon Devaney of Haverford said that she was confronted just a few days ago by apparent illegals from Africa at Suburban Square in Montco just across the county-line, who tried to sell her small baskets. She declined and they followed her insisting she buy. They were large and intimidating, she said. They only left her alone when people stepped from a store.

She said she feared for her neighbors.

Joy Schwartz of Upper Darby complimented Council on its park improvements but said she feared using them at night. Illegals have been reported camping on the trails, she said. A butchered deer carcass was found on one of them.

Kathy from Haverford again brought up the report that Ridley Police were required to free illegals found in a stolen car. She said she asked the Philadelphia office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about it. They said that, yes, Delco was a “sanctuary county”, she said.

County officials have been denying this for months.

Peggy Muir (phonetic) from Havertown rebutted claims about illegals being housed surreptitiously in the county. She said she had worked with ICE and was knowledgeable about their protocols. ICE is the only organization that is allowed to house illegal immigrants and that there would be public hearings if it such housing was planned in Delco, she said.

Shouts from the crowd told her that the rules were no longer being followed, which gets us to the trust issue. See next story.

Delco Has Illegals Problem; Told Police Purposely Delayed Response

Delco Has A Spending Problem — Delaware County (Pa) Council, yesterday, June 5, was raked over the coals by commentators regarding spending decisions that are inevitably going to cause serious pain for taxpayers.

Spending is five or six times over budget on some items Carris Kocher of Concord said. She later noted that America doesn’t have rulers but elected servants.

A 19-percent property tax hike looms for next year, Media GOP Chairman Michael Straw said. He pointed out that Delco has entangled itself in numerous stupid and unnecessary lawsuits. He questioned the the purchase of electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles are a rather expensive fashion statement if one thinks about it.

The Democrats have blown $46 million in rainy day money, and another $8 million on the white elephant Health Department which did not exist five years ago, Straw said.

The spending is being funded by a property tax which Straw noted was a regressive tax.

Straw also called out Councilwoman Elaine Schafer for her continual failure to apologize for demeaning things she said about citizens expressing legitimate grievances.

County GOP Finance Director Dave Galluch of Newtown said the county has been ignoring spending consequences for three years, and has buried itself in a $70 million hole.

A 30-percent tax hike is possible, he said.

This means that the owner of even a small home could be paying $300 more next year in taxes.

Galluch said he grew up poor as the son of a single mom. There were times his mom barely had $50 in her bank account, he said.

Believe it or not, oh privileged council members, there are those who would be crushed in this county by having to shell out $300 more.

Hey, but electric cars are cool.

Charlie Alexander of Marple also expressed anger over the lawsuits the county has incurred. He said all the county does is raise taxes to deal with the spending crisis. Alexander said that this council is purposely trying to destroy Delco. He said they drove out legendary Upper Darby Police Chief Michael Chitwood to sow crime and chaos.

Alexander said he was going to run for County Council.

Cynthia of Upper Providence said that the health department was subsidized by pandemic money. She asked if council ever considered what would happen when the subsidies ended but the program remained. She also wanted to know if they were considering the inevitable pension bomb from the new employees.

When Council remarks rolled around Councilwoman  Christine A. Reuther surprisingly conceded most of the points. Yes, she said Moody’s has lowered Delco’s bond rating because of its deficit spending and a tax increase is needed because of inflation.

She said the meanie state government restricts counties to using the property tax to raise money so the poor are going to just have to suck it up.

Neato parks and health departments and electric cars and all.

Delco Has A Spending Problem

Delco Has A Prison Problem — Delaware County (Pa) Council, yesterday, June 5, was again ripped for creating the horror show that George Hill Prison has become.

Kimberly Brown of Colwyn, a case manager at Hill, said the facility isn’t “humane.”

Correctional officers are assaulted everyday, she said.

The cell doors still don’t lock and 70 percent of the inmates are constantly high.

The senior staff — she specifically cited the deputy warden – is indifferent to the problems and won’t do the walkthroughs and inspections expected of leadership.

What’s worse is that they are retaliatory as has been reported by others.

“Every time I attend these (Council) meetings, I get called in,” she said.

She said she didn’t care.

She levied special ire at Councilman Kevin M. Madden who is Council’s prison liaison.

“”I’m unhappy with you and I’m unhappy for supporting you,” she said.

Madden had especially campaigned on promises to make the prison better.

He has failed miserably at keeping them.

By most accounts, it seems things are much worse.

Delco Has A Prison Problem