Category: Delco Council

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

Delco Council Told ‘Jihadist Graffiti’ At Don Guanella Buildings — Delaware County Council, tonight, June 5, was told that “jihadist graffiti” was found in one of the former Don Guanella buildings on the county’s Delco Woods park.

The site is being considered by the county for a mental facility but many suspect it there are plans to use it to house illegals.

Charlie Alexander of Marple told Council in the first round of questions of finding graffiti saying “death to infidels” in one of the buildings. He displayed a picture of graffiti which also included an anarchist symbol.

He said the building was unsecured and easy to enter. Alexander asked why Council is letting the facilities rot and why doesn’t the community have access to either the basketball court or a swimming pool on the site.

Jimmy Small of Marple told Council he was with Alexander when they found the graffiti. He said they saw a yellow Kraft bus leaving the property.

Howard Alexander, Charlie’s father and a contractor, noted that water and electricity remain on at the property. He said the buildings are in such poor repair it would not be cost-effective to renovate them. He recommended they be torn down.

Kevin Corrigan (phonetic) of Marple said he was ashamed at the anti-Biden clothing some in the audience was wearing but expressed despair the Council is willing to break their promise to keep Don Guanella a park. He said they have a “constituency of none” on the matter.

Kathy from Haverford noted that Councilman Kevin Madden had an article in the Delaware County Daily Times in which he is now saying a mental facility would house but 16 persons. The original estimate had been 28.

Delco Heard Comments On $7.4 Million Action Plan — Delaware County Council, tonight, June 5, took public comment on the proposed list of awards approved May 1 for the 2024 Annual Action Plan.

The plan calls for spending $7,441,187 in federal grants for housing and development projects along with an additional $996,818 in AHF money including $16,057 to rehabilitate a home in Haverford.

Media GOP Chairman Michael Straw noted the budget includes $368,370 in contingency spending. He suggested that council include the organizations receiving money in all the line items.

Joy Schwartz of Upper Darby said it would be very helpful to include information about any matching money the county is requiring for grants.

Kimberly Brown of Colwyn took issue with a grant being sent to her borough. She said the application was filled improperly as Borough Council did not have at either its February or March meetings to approve it. She said the application should be voided.

It was noted that cost overruns of less than 25 percent don’t need council approval for covering.

Delco Heard Comments On $7.4 Million Action Plan

Petition Started To Remove Warden Laura Williams — A petition was started, May 16, on Change.Org to remove embattled Laura Williams as warden of Delaware County’s George Hill Prison.

It was filed by an Al Johnson.

“If there is no immediate change soon either an incarcerated person or a staff member is going to be seriously hurt,” Johnson says. “We are losing employees daily due to unfair treatment by administration, a grievance procedure that allows the warden to serve write ups at any given time even as far back as 2022, no active responses to complaints of harassment from staff, unilaterally creating new rules without bargaining with the union and an inability bargain a fair contract with the union.”

As of 2:10 this afternoon, May 20, it has 286 signatures with 251 signing today.

Ms. Williams’ tenure since her appointment Jan. 31, 2022, has been beset by suicides, murders, and general violence. Correctional officers have been speaking almost monthly at County Council meetings about declining conditions and increasing danger.

Ms. Williams appointment was itself problematic. It was made three months before the County took the prison over from The GEO Group. Hill had been privately managed since 1998.

Ms. Williams previous job had been as as chief deputy warden at Allegheny County Jail where she was the subject of numerous complaints. She started her career in corrections in 2014 as a substance abuse counselor.

So why did Delco hire her? Maybe the five who made the decision though it hip. It certainly has been unfortunate.

Here’s the link to the petition: https://www.change.org/p/remove-warden-laura-williams-from-delaware-county-jail

Councilwoman Schaefer Votes For Irving Contract

By Sharon Devaney

Delaware County (PA) Council, May 15, passed 32 consent items including the amending of a contract with Lewis M Hunt Irving, adding service and a three day bed hold to the agencies Agreement. Irving does business as Delco County Emergency Youth Academy

Councilwoman Elaine Schaefer had questioned the contract at the work session the day before, but still went along with the vote.

Also approved were the purchase of a 2023 Ford Bronco Sport vehicle from Fred Beans of West Chester not to exceed $32,459.94 for the Juvenile Court and Protective Services; a Ford F-250 Super Cab work truck with a snow plow from Pacifico Marple Ford for $77,127.04 for the Fair Acres Maintenance Department; and a Ford-350 Chassis Super Duty Regular Cab Truck from the Whitmoyer Auto Groupo using the COSTARS Contract for $81,495.

In other business, Karen Wilwol was introduced as the director of soil conservation.

Councilwoman Schaefer Votes For Irving Contract

Black Mold And Shanks At Delco Prison, Council Told –Delaware County (Pa) Council was told last night, May 15, that problems continue to plague the county’s George Hill Prison.

Kimberly Brown of Colwyn told Council in the first round of public comments that they should fix the existing program at Hill before applying for a $833,000 Department of Justice reentry grant. She said the way the the program is now set allows eligible inmates to barter prescription drugs with other inmates.

In the second round of comments, Ms. Brown blasted Councilman Kevin M. Madden who is the board’s prison liaison for “bias”. She also said correctional officers were being beaten by inmates and said the chief deputy warden is never around, among other things.

Ken from Chester, identified himself as a correctional officer at Hill, thanked Richard R. Womack, for visiting the prison to investigate the concerns being raised at council meetings.

Ken said, however, that once he left the officers were targeted for retaliation by the prison administration.

He said shanks (homemade knives) are found all over the facility. Ken says the cells are filled with black mold, and the cell doors don’t work.

He said there are 250 inmates for every officer, and the officers are overworked and demoralized.

He said the general public must be told of what’s going on.

In Council remarks, Womack said he hasn’t forgotten the officers and praised them for coming to the meetings. He said they are making a difference.

He said that he can’t speak on some things that he has observed because they are under investigation.

Black Mold And Shanks At Delco Prison