First pass through the 7th Ward

There are about 1750 homes in hte 7th Ward, and I've completed my first pass through. And I'm well into the second visit to each home. Of course, I haven't met everyone at those houses, but every home has at least had a flyer in their door that I've personally delivered. Many thanks to State Rep. Greg Vitali, who has walked with me for about 700-800 of those homes so far.

It's a lot of fun meeting that many people and hearing what they have to say about their community and their neighborhoods. Here's a sampling of things I have heard over and over again:

• It's time for a change
• Our neighborhood is a great place to live
• There too much traffic on my street, on Eagle Road, on Darby Road, etc.
• Yes, I've heard about the Grand Jury investigation and the indictments
• Why did the Haverford State thing take so long?
• What about the recreation center?
• What about the new library?
• The Township website is lousy
• Taxes!

Also, I get a lot of good ideas while I'm talking with people. I keep a notebook with me and write down the ideas and suggestions. Here are some of them:

• Recycling - many different suggestions but the most often heard is to mix recycling and include colored glass.
• Traffic calming - speed bumps, speed limits, etc. In one place they painted a yellow "speed bump" on the street to slow things down. Another suggestion was rumble strips.
• Collection - many different ideas on hazardous waste, yard waste, leaf collection and bulk pick-up

What do you think?

The Friends of Jim McGarrity Employment Agency: Comments from the Aug 13 2007 Commissioners Meeting

These are my comments in the Citizens Forum at the Aug 13 2007 Commissioners Meeting (as written):

Last month I asked a number of pointed questions about the Township budget. Shortly thereafter, Acting Township Manager Larry Gentile provided the answers and Board President Steve D'Emilio also followed up. Thanks to both. Mr. Gentile told me it was okay to publish his answers and I have provided those at this meeting and on my campaign blog.

I did make a mistake in one of the questions, Question 7 [regarding the Highway Inspector job]. The Highway Inspector position was filled a couple of years ago, not a few months ago. This is also related to Question 2, concerning the lawsuit on the “HR issue”.

The Township’s Highway Inspector is a long time friend of Mr. McGarrity. Indeed, there is a federal lawsuit now in progress by a former township employee related to this hiring of McGarrity’s friend as the Highway Inspector. And just for kicks, if you read McGarrity’s 2006 campaign finance reports you’ll see that this same township employee has been paid for campaign work for McGarrity. (CLICK HERE for the campaign finance report in PDF format.)

Two follow-up questions:
How much has the Township spent so far defending itself?
And what is the potential cost to the Township if we lose?

All in all, not a great deal for the taxpayers of Haverford Township, defending lawsuits to hire Jim McGarrity’s friend.
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According to the response to Question 6, the former director of Public Works was moved from his previous duties and given a special assignment reviewing recycling. This employee is also McGarrity’s friend. One might guess that with salary and benefits, the expense would be about $75,000 - $100,000 per year.

So just days after passing a balanced budget at the end of 2006, the township adds a new position that was not in the budget. How can this happen?

• Why was it NOT important in December 2006 to have someone on recycling, but then it became so important in January 2007?
• Was the need for a recycling reviewer established first, or was the position only created after it was decided to move the director of Public Works? The fact that it was not in the 2006 budget tells me that it isn’t that critical and the job was created.
• Does the Township Manager have the power to add special assignment jobs to the payroll? If so, how many special assignment jobs can be added? Please show where in the township laws this is allowed.
• Can jobs or special assignments be filled without posting or advertising them?
• Can such positions be created without a job description?
• If we don’t post or advertise the job, how do we get the best person to do the recycling job?
• If this is not a permanent position, when does it end? What happens to the employee when it does end? Is there another special assignment planned?
• Can the township add $75,000 - $100,000 to the payroll without a vote of the entire board?

Regardless of any after-the-fact performance on recycling, a huge cost was added to the Township's expenses to create this position that was not in the budget.

This is exactly the kind of interference, favoritism and cronyism that I pledge to fight against.

At last month’s meeting Mr. McGarrity said that all public works employees were his friends.

We can NOT afford Jim McGarrity or any more of McGarrity’s friends bloating the township payroll!

It's time for this "business-as-usual" to stop.

And I call for this Board of Commissioners to resolve these issues at the earliest possible time and bring this huge budget expense to a vote of the entire board at next month’s meeting.

Agenda for the Haverford Township Commissioners meeting on Monday Aug 13, 2007

I picked up the meeting agenda for the Commissioners meeting on Monday Aug 13, 2007.

CLICK HERE for the agenda, PDF format file.

These items may be of interest:

• Verizon Franchise Agreement presentation and vote on the agreement.
  
• Rugby Road zoning, 2nd reading
  
• Codes amendment regarding Trees, 1st reading
  
• Various speed limit and sign ordinances
  
• Announce public hearing on Zoning restrictions
  
• Establish new 4-person Historical Committee
  
• Review schedule of fees for consultants
  
• Contracts for Insurance, Fence for Preston Park, Cell Tower modifications, Storm sewer repairs, Planning Committee's consultants
  

PECO engineers to check 7-4 electric grid

While knocking on doors in 4th precinct of the 7th Ward recently, I heard from many residents along parts of Campbell Ave, Hastings Ave, Ridgeway Ave and Academy Lane that they have had ongoing problems with frequent and prolonged power outages. They described that their power goes out many times when neighbors in nearby sections do not lose power, and their power outages were longer in duration.

I contacted Acting Township Manager Larry Gentile and asked him to contact PECO to let them know of this problem. Mr. Gentile contacted PECO promptly. Due to that request, PECO Engineers will perform a reliability study in your area in about 3 – 4 weeks.

If you live in that area, keep me posted on any progress.

Just a preliminary example of the responsiveness and quality of constituent services I will be able to provide should I be elected 7th Ward Commissioner!