One of the "benefits" of being elected to any type of public service office is becoming a punching bag and excuse for everything that happens. In the coming weeks, perhaps months there are going to be many accusations and complaints about all the stuff that Piper guy did to increase rates, raise taxes, spend recklessly, ruin the standard of living, and the list may go on. I have already received an e-mail from a fellow council person who is blaming the Sewer Committee for the budget problem. So, it is important that you are aware of some facts before all of the "facts" as perceived from other members start coming out in discussions trying to pin all the problems on the new guy on the block.
1. Delmont Council took out a tax anticipation loan at least one year before I was even a member. What this means is the Borough did not have enough money to end the year without borrowing. According to some other municipal officials I have met in my trainings this is a bad thing because it means the budget was done incorrectly and the government is spending more money than it is bringing in.
2. Our current budget was prepared before I took office. I had absolutely no input, which is ok because quit frankly I don't have enough experience, or education on preparing a budget. As part of my promise to you I have signed up for a budgeting course, but it isn't offered until September 7,2016. This is before next year's budget is due, but that is not helpful to me at this point. I do have another class this Saturday which is part of Newly Elected Borough Officials Boot camp which will give me some information on Borough finances. I received some information on where to get the best prices for needed equipment and supplies in the Public Works Management class I took on March 10th. I will receive some more information on May 25&26 when I attend Your Role as Municipal Secretary Administrator class.I may even gain some budgeting insights at the conference I am attending June 5-8. In the matter of full disclosure there is an opportunity for the newly elected officials to open up the budget for the year that they did not help plan. There are two reasons that I did not attempt this process. 1) I have admitted to you my current ignorance on budgeting so I felt that I could add nothing to what the previous Council put together. 2) I would have had to have the support of the rest of the council, at least the majority, to make it happen and that wouldn't have happened. If you look at the meeting notes from January when the budget was voted on you will find I abstained from voting. I was not going to support something to which I had no input, nor was I going to vote against the efforts of my colleagues.
3. Delmont purchased and upgraded the Pump-Station to the tune of $1 Million before I was on Council. Was this in the best interest of our Borough? I am not going to attempt to second guess this decision. My only criticism of it is there should have been a Master Plan for our community that listed this possibility and included a capital expenditure item line to better plan this massive, for our small town, financial endeavor.
4. The Delmont Sewage system is over 20 years old. There are no capital improvement plans in a Master Plan that took into account the increasing maintenance costs over the years it has been in service. Delmont's Capital Improvement Budget only has two line items; 1) Boiler and 2) Wheeled vehicles. I do not think this is efficient and a Master Plan for our community would not have allowed this inefficiency to go unchecked.
5. When I took office two payments were due on pump station. One for $87,327.00, and the final one for $21,578.00. The Council voted to take out another $50,000 Tax Anticipation Loan and even borrowed $34,000.00 from the Shield's farm account and was even considering another $50,000 Tax antipation loan. Did I like voting in favor of these options. No, but I felt I had no choice. It would look really dumb of me not to support methods to pay for items directly related to my responsibilities.
This is the most relevant facts that I can think of for background information. I have decided to break up the information. I don't want the posts to become so long that the reader doesn't take the time to finish it. More tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Attended Webinar "The Benefits of an Effective Planning Commission" by PA State Association of Boroughs Today
It is an eye opening experience when one is exposed to how things are suppose to be done, verses how things are actually carried out. I will be the first person to admit that "textbook" solutions will not always work in the real world; however, the textbook approach and Delmont's current practices are so far apart no wonder that our Planning Commission doesn't feel like they are a vital part of Delmont's future and they have nothing to do.
What are the major deficiencies in the way Delmont's Planning Commission as I see them so far based on what I learned. 1) Delmont Council does not support the efforts of the Planning Commission at all. This may sound harsh but a) The Planning Commission is not given any funding in the current budget. b) There is no mandate from Council that Planning Commission members receive the most basic of training to learn their jobs. c) Council has not provided the Planning Commission the most rudimentary of the basic tools to fulfill their role. ( Note: I need to research further the extent of our subdivision Regulations and Standards for creating Community Assets;our Zoning Ordinances;The extent that Delmont has incorporated the Municipal Planning Code: and, if Bylaws exist for the Planing Commission) For example, We do not have a Comprehensive Plan and the only Capital Improvement Budget Items the Borough currently has listed are 1) Boiler and 2) Wheeled Vehicle. Most government entities that have a Plan include such items as Storm Sewers, Sanitary Sewers, Fire Equipment, Parkland Purchases,Road improvements, municipal building repairs and others. Currently, we look at most of these areas on an annual basis. d) I am not sure that our Planing Commission has a set of bylaws for consistency that clearly outline the Governing body's expectations for the Commission. Finally, Government bodies that take Planning Commissions seriously usually have one or two elected officials who are also on the commission.
Here is something to think about in regards to the proposed Shield's Farm project. Planning Commissions are suppose to have the municipality's demographics and trends. This information is to be taken into account in decisions. (I am not sure about Delmont's information, but I am going to research this as well) Major trends discussed in PA demographics suggest 1&2 person households are the fastest growing household types. The number of households with children is decreasing and the number of childless households is increasing. If these trends are true in Delmont, is increasing the number and type of baseball fields in our community really the best use for our town's most valuable resource?
Well, I am going to end this post here. I have a number of questions to send to our solicitor in an e-mail based on what I have learned. But before I go, what are some actions that can be taken? 1) Personally, I am going to get answers to all the points mentioned in this post. 2) I am going to get a copy of the Municipal Planning Code. 3) I have acquired all the Ordinances of Delmont and want to read them all, but will concentrate on the ones pertaining to planning. 4) I will continue working with my ad visors on Delmont Community Out reach. 5) I will research the possibilities of bringing other planning commission trainers into our area.
What can all citizens of Delmont do? 1) Encourage all members of Council to take the Planning Commission Seriously. 2) Persuade Council to appoint some elected officials to the planning commission. 3) Get serious about using the consultant and Develop a Comprehensive Plan for Delmont. 4) Encourage council to possibly consider paying the planning commission a small steepen 5) Encourage Council to pay more attention to Capital Expenditures and include Planning objectives. 6) Develop groups and start discourse about what you want your community to be like 75 years or more in the future and work to the end.
I had to take great pause at mentioning 75 years in the future, because I started thinking back when I was a child and placed some items in the time capsule that was buried, How very different Delmont was back then.....How many historical treasures were lost.....I can't help thinking that a Comprehensive Plan could have preserved that. And....... I can't help thinking how much Delmont could change again until the time capsule is opened in I believe it will be about 17 more years, perhaps to its determent if we continue to fail to plan for the future.
What are the major deficiencies in the way Delmont's Planning Commission as I see them so far based on what I learned. 1) Delmont Council does not support the efforts of the Planning Commission at all. This may sound harsh but a) The Planning Commission is not given any funding in the current budget. b) There is no mandate from Council that Planning Commission members receive the most basic of training to learn their jobs. c) Council has not provided the Planning Commission the most rudimentary of the basic tools to fulfill their role. ( Note: I need to research further the extent of our subdivision Regulations and Standards for creating Community Assets;our Zoning Ordinances;The extent that Delmont has incorporated the Municipal Planning Code: and, if Bylaws exist for the Planing Commission) For example, We do not have a Comprehensive Plan and the only Capital Improvement Budget Items the Borough currently has listed are 1) Boiler and 2) Wheeled Vehicle. Most government entities that have a Plan include such items as Storm Sewers, Sanitary Sewers, Fire Equipment, Parkland Purchases,Road improvements, municipal building repairs and others. Currently, we look at most of these areas on an annual basis. d) I am not sure that our Planing Commission has a set of bylaws for consistency that clearly outline the Governing body's expectations for the Commission. Finally, Government bodies that take Planning Commissions seriously usually have one or two elected officials who are also on the commission.
Here is something to think about in regards to the proposed Shield's Farm project. Planning Commissions are suppose to have the municipality's demographics and trends. This information is to be taken into account in decisions. (I am not sure about Delmont's information, but I am going to research this as well) Major trends discussed in PA demographics suggest 1&2 person households are the fastest growing household types. The number of households with children is decreasing and the number of childless households is increasing. If these trends are true in Delmont, is increasing the number and type of baseball fields in our community really the best use for our town's most valuable resource?
Well, I am going to end this post here. I have a number of questions to send to our solicitor in an e-mail based on what I have learned. But before I go, what are some actions that can be taken? 1) Personally, I am going to get answers to all the points mentioned in this post. 2) I am going to get a copy of the Municipal Planning Code. 3) I have acquired all the Ordinances of Delmont and want to read them all, but will concentrate on the ones pertaining to planning. 4) I will continue working with my ad visors on Delmont Community Out reach. 5) I will research the possibilities of bringing other planning commission trainers into our area.
What can all citizens of Delmont do? 1) Encourage all members of Council to take the Planning Commission Seriously. 2) Persuade Council to appoint some elected officials to the planning commission. 3) Get serious about using the consultant and Develop a Comprehensive Plan for Delmont. 4) Encourage council to possibly consider paying the planning commission a small steepen 5) Encourage Council to pay more attention to Capital Expenditures and include Planning objectives. 6) Develop groups and start discourse about what you want your community to be like 75 years or more in the future and work to the end.
I had to take great pause at mentioning 75 years in the future, because I started thinking back when I was a child and placed some items in the time capsule that was buried, How very different Delmont was back then.....How many historical treasures were lost.....I can't help thinking that a Comprehensive Plan could have preserved that. And....... I can't help thinking how much Delmont could change again until the time capsule is opened in I believe it will be about 17 more years, perhaps to its determent if we continue to fail to plan for the future.
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Salem Crossroads at a Major Crossroads
I titled this post using the historical name of Delmont, Salem Crossroads. This is the perfect time to discuss this because: 1) There are positions opening up on the Planning Commission, 2) Delmont is soliciting proposals for Planing Consultants,and 3) There is a proposal to add another ball field to Shields Farm. 4) Delmont Council is going to discuss an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to allow the Library to develop the site that was acquired for the new building.
Delmont has a poor planning history which I have been informed is not uncommon for Boroughs our size. However, just because something is common does not mean that it is an acceptable practice. One of the key problems is very few people including members of our Planning Commission do not understand the vital link between a Master Plan and Economic Development of a Community. I am not making this statement as a criticism toward our Planning Commission because the are doing an excellent job considering the Council and the People of Delmont have not given them the necessary tools to carry out their mission effectively. In fact after a conversation with one of the members of the Commission, I was left with the impression that he was not aware of how vital their work is to Delmont's future. He said, " I am not sure how important our commission is because most of the developable land in Delmont has been developed." This statement could not be further from the truth, but it is understandable since they do not have a Master Plan to work from. Our solicitor said at one time, "Oh, you could get a Master Plan if you wanted to spend $30,000" I do not know how accurate that figure is but that amounts to about $1.39 per resident a year for the next 10 years. I picked 10 years because this is an accepted time frame for the "life" of a plan. The last statement is not entirely true because a plan really is not to have an expiration date but is to be revised periodically in about 5 year increments. There will be on going maintenance costs with any plan but none will touch the amount required for the initial plan. The more though and information that goes into that the cheaper the minimal ongoing cost will be. Furthermore, with a set plan in place the acquisition and eligibility for future grants and assistance will be. As Carl Boyd mentioned at the last Council Meeting when he disbanded temporarily the property development committee that certain property issues that would have cost the Borough over $30,000 with absolutely no immediate benefit and questionable and vague future benefit. Note: If any of my fellow Council members would say that this last statement is untrue or not fair then they have some information that I was not given. When all the information that has been provided to me is considered, the statement is absolutely true. I just want to concede that there may be information that was not shared with me.)
Delmont lost a historical society. A historical landmark in Delmont lost a vital part of its structure. If it wasn't for a group of brothers 33 years ago Delmont would have lost the property that has become the parklet. There was a person who wanted to put a auto repair shop on that piece of property, but the group sold a much more valuable piece of commercial property at a loss so that that eye sore would not be part of the Delmont downtown landscape. These are all areas that are addressed in a Master Plan.
Recent history also sheds light on the importance of a Master Plan. The issue about selling the Borough Building. The conflict over the Speedway property. Even Sewerage issues that we are having can be addressed by the Master Plan.
I mentioned that the Council is planning to change the zoning ordinance so that the Library can build on the property acquired for that purpose. I am a strong support of the Library Project, I am just concerned about the unintended consequences of the way we are planning to proceed without a Master Plan.
As far as Shield's Farm is concerned, I believe that ALL Development needs to stop until a Master Plan is developed and accepted. The unintended consequences could be Delmont becoming the center for Little League Tournaments.Is this a bad thing? Personally it would not be top on my list but more importantly than that this is not the reason that the reason that the Snyders and Ewings gave that property to the Borough. I have stated before that I have first hand knowledge of the negotiations that made that land available for our community. I have even talked to the daughter of Fred Ewing. Her statement was that her dad probably wouldn't have minded "a ball field" on the property for children since he was a school teacher and loved children. Well a definition of a ball field when he was alive and what has developed on the property are world's apart. Now having spent time hunting with Herbert Snyder and Judge Snyder they would not want any ball fields on the property. Judge Snyder's passion was trying to save the American Chestnut which unfortunately has become extinct. He dedicated many acres of his farm property in Bedford to this passion and attempting to bring the Chestnut back. Herbert and Judge Snyder were all about conserving and preserving nature and open space. They were also very interested in preserving farming ideals.
What now? I have added two more persons to my personal advisory committee. But the most important thing is we have to come together as a Borough and really decide what type of town we want into the future. Citizens across all ages and demographics need to try to find the time to offer their input. The Master Plan needs to connect with the values and visions of its citizens. No one person is going to be 100% satisfied with everything that will end up making its way into the plan, and many personal ideas and visions will need to be compromised for the benefit of our future. I am going to work at establishing out reach programs so every interested citizen is offered an opportunity to learn what goes into a plan and the benefits of planning. Here is the first step http://www.lincolninst.edu/education/online-education/ This Website offers free courses covering planning, zoning, and land use. I have completed the first course myself to gain some of the basic understanding of these subjects. The nice thing about a lot of these courses is they have segments of subject areas that are not dependent on the segments for understanding. This allows people to pick and choose segments of interest and segments that can be fit into available time.
What is the alternative? To continue in a hit or miss fashion that promises to cause conflict and dissent among the citizens of Delmont. To remain ineligible for certain grants and funding. To have our town develop in a hazard fashion. We will eventually loose all the charm and beauty that has lead us to settle in Delmont. We need to act now. We have already lost some parts of our heritage that can never be replaced. We can't afford to set by and watch our town develop and grow without the desires of all citizens who want to contribute to the future having a chance.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you. I can be reached at david4delmont@gmail.com. My office phone is (724) 552-9531.
Delmont has a poor planning history which I have been informed is not uncommon for Boroughs our size. However, just because something is common does not mean that it is an acceptable practice. One of the key problems is very few people including members of our Planning Commission do not understand the vital link between a Master Plan and Economic Development of a Community. I am not making this statement as a criticism toward our Planning Commission because the are doing an excellent job considering the Council and the People of Delmont have not given them the necessary tools to carry out their mission effectively. In fact after a conversation with one of the members of the Commission, I was left with the impression that he was not aware of how vital their work is to Delmont's future. He said, " I am not sure how important our commission is because most of the developable land in Delmont has been developed." This statement could not be further from the truth, but it is understandable since they do not have a Master Plan to work from. Our solicitor said at one time, "Oh, you could get a Master Plan if you wanted to spend $30,000" I do not know how accurate that figure is but that amounts to about $1.39 per resident a year for the next 10 years. I picked 10 years because this is an accepted time frame for the "life" of a plan. The last statement is not entirely true because a plan really is not to have an expiration date but is to be revised periodically in about 5 year increments. There will be on going maintenance costs with any plan but none will touch the amount required for the initial plan. The more though and information that goes into that the cheaper the minimal ongoing cost will be. Furthermore, with a set plan in place the acquisition and eligibility for future grants and assistance will be. As Carl Boyd mentioned at the last Council Meeting when he disbanded temporarily the property development committee that certain property issues that would have cost the Borough over $30,000 with absolutely no immediate benefit and questionable and vague future benefit. Note: If any of my fellow Council members would say that this last statement is untrue or not fair then they have some information that I was not given. When all the information that has been provided to me is considered, the statement is absolutely true. I just want to concede that there may be information that was not shared with me.)
Delmont lost a historical society. A historical landmark in Delmont lost a vital part of its structure. If it wasn't for a group of brothers 33 years ago Delmont would have lost the property that has become the parklet. There was a person who wanted to put a auto repair shop on that piece of property, but the group sold a much more valuable piece of commercial property at a loss so that that eye sore would not be part of the Delmont downtown landscape. These are all areas that are addressed in a Master Plan.
Recent history also sheds light on the importance of a Master Plan. The issue about selling the Borough Building. The conflict over the Speedway property. Even Sewerage issues that we are having can be addressed by the Master Plan.
I mentioned that the Council is planning to change the zoning ordinance so that the Library can build on the property acquired for that purpose. I am a strong support of the Library Project, I am just concerned about the unintended consequences of the way we are planning to proceed without a Master Plan.
As far as Shield's Farm is concerned, I believe that ALL Development needs to stop until a Master Plan is developed and accepted. The unintended consequences could be Delmont becoming the center for Little League Tournaments.Is this a bad thing? Personally it would not be top on my list but more importantly than that this is not the reason that the reason that the Snyders and Ewings gave that property to the Borough. I have stated before that I have first hand knowledge of the negotiations that made that land available for our community. I have even talked to the daughter of Fred Ewing. Her statement was that her dad probably wouldn't have minded "a ball field" on the property for children since he was a school teacher and loved children. Well a definition of a ball field when he was alive and what has developed on the property are world's apart. Now having spent time hunting with Herbert Snyder and Judge Snyder they would not want any ball fields on the property. Judge Snyder's passion was trying to save the American Chestnut which unfortunately has become extinct. He dedicated many acres of his farm property in Bedford to this passion and attempting to bring the Chestnut back. Herbert and Judge Snyder were all about conserving and preserving nature and open space. They were also very interested in preserving farming ideals.
What now? I have added two more persons to my personal advisory committee. But the most important thing is we have to come together as a Borough and really decide what type of town we want into the future. Citizens across all ages and demographics need to try to find the time to offer their input. The Master Plan needs to connect with the values and visions of its citizens. No one person is going to be 100% satisfied with everything that will end up making its way into the plan, and many personal ideas and visions will need to be compromised for the benefit of our future. I am going to work at establishing out reach programs so every interested citizen is offered an opportunity to learn what goes into a plan and the benefits of planning. Here is the first step http://www.lincolninst.edu/education/online-education/ This Website offers free courses covering planning, zoning, and land use. I have completed the first course myself to gain some of the basic understanding of these subjects. The nice thing about a lot of these courses is they have segments of subject areas that are not dependent on the segments for understanding. This allows people to pick and choose segments of interest and segments that can be fit into available time.
What is the alternative? To continue in a hit or miss fashion that promises to cause conflict and dissent among the citizens of Delmont. To remain ineligible for certain grants and funding. To have our town develop in a hazard fashion. We will eventually loose all the charm and beauty that has lead us to settle in Delmont. We need to act now. We have already lost some parts of our heritage that can never be replaced. We can't afford to set by and watch our town develop and grow without the desires of all citizens who want to contribute to the future having a chance.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you. I can be reached at david4delmont@gmail.com. My office phone is (724) 552-9531.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Council Meeting April 12, 2016
I was very pleasantly surprised and baffled by the outcome of the Bus Stop issue. The agreement for the new agreement was sent to Council before I was sworn in as a council member. The general attitude that I perceived from Council is, "Why should we pay when outsiders are using the service?" The political technique of tabling an issue is generally employed when you want to kill a motion without casting votes that could cause great discontent with a large portion of constituents.
I knew that parking was an issue, but at the meeting it being the only reason that the agreement was tabled was news to me. It made it look like all the posts on social media and my blog post was a major over reaction by me. It makes me feel like they may be trying to spin my demeanor as irrational and over the top. It may be difficult with me to accept the image they are trying to create but the end result is the citizens of Delmont still have their bus stop for another year. I hope that the majority of constituents realize that I will do whatever it takes to learn about an issue and if my actions appear "over the top" it is to fight for the issues that you tell me our important. I remember very well the feeling of helplessness and frustration of not being listened to when I was sitting in the audience at Council Meetings. The looks of total frustration and rejection to the point of not trying to approach Council for anything that I saw on several faces before being elected is burned into my memory and drives me to fight for what you want. Going over the top is still not good enough for the Citizens of Delmont, but I will continue to do my best.
The garbage and recycling issue was a very hot topic at this meeting. I am surprised how some of the members where giving the appearance of coming around to the will of many of the citizens of Delmont's demands. There were three citizens who are against contracting with a single garbage/recycling pick up provider. Two gave reasonable arguments that I truly empathized with and understood their position. One of those almost mirrored exactly my personal hang up of being told who we must use for garbage. The third person just kept muttering, "Bull-shit! This is Bull-shit!" while walking around the meeting room. I really wish this person would have expressed the reasons behind his conclusions. It is hard as a Councilman to gain any useful insights from this type of comment. Although, I fully empathize with the sentiments. There is a lot of BS in politics, perhaps even more than other professions or daily activities. Being on the sewer committee does add a different perspective on BS. Well actually excrement of a different type. In all seriousness, I appreciate the opinions of all those opposed and will continue to listen to the arguments against, but at this point I feel that Delmont will be best served by a curbside pick up recycling option. I just hope that action will be taken. I have learned that it is a better practice to watch what people do more so than what they say. It is even better to find people whos' words and actions are in harmony. The ultimate condition is one whose action and words are congruent in all settings. I have not yet seen this in Delmont's situation, but I remain hopeful. I have seen this integrity in officials in neighboring communities. I admire and respect this integrity and will try to emulate it in my own behavior.
There are two other major happenings that deserve their own posts. One is comming in next month's meeting to change the zoning ordnance so that the Library can be built on the chosen piece of property. I am for the Library in its proposed location, but t he method of changing the zoning causes me great concerns. I will explain this in latter post.
After the executive meeting, we received some MS4 training. The implications of the program will cost residents upwards of $5.00 month. Now don't get nervous this is about 10-20 years out. This is not a charge that I am looking forward to and it is not a charge I agree with. I will write another post concerning this.
For those of you that have attended the meeting, thank you for cumming and participating in our government. It is great to see so many citizens at the meetings. If there is anything I can do for you, please e-mail me at david4delmont@gmail.com, or you could call me at (724) 552-9531. I lso invite you to comment on anything I write in these blogs. I will allow your comments to be posted even if they are in disagreement with what I write. The only requirement is they be constructive and in good taste.
It is a pleasure serving you.
I knew that parking was an issue, but at the meeting it being the only reason that the agreement was tabled was news to me. It made it look like all the posts on social media and my blog post was a major over reaction by me. It makes me feel like they may be trying to spin my demeanor as irrational and over the top. It may be difficult with me to accept the image they are trying to create but the end result is the citizens of Delmont still have their bus stop for another year. I hope that the majority of constituents realize that I will do whatever it takes to learn about an issue and if my actions appear "over the top" it is to fight for the issues that you tell me our important. I remember very well the feeling of helplessness and frustration of not being listened to when I was sitting in the audience at Council Meetings. The looks of total frustration and rejection to the point of not trying to approach Council for anything that I saw on several faces before being elected is burned into my memory and drives me to fight for what you want. Going over the top is still not good enough for the Citizens of Delmont, but I will continue to do my best.
The garbage and recycling issue was a very hot topic at this meeting. I am surprised how some of the members where giving the appearance of coming around to the will of many of the citizens of Delmont's demands. There were three citizens who are against contracting with a single garbage/recycling pick up provider. Two gave reasonable arguments that I truly empathized with and understood their position. One of those almost mirrored exactly my personal hang up of being told who we must use for garbage. The third person just kept muttering, "Bull-shit! This is Bull-shit!" while walking around the meeting room. I really wish this person would have expressed the reasons behind his conclusions. It is hard as a Councilman to gain any useful insights from this type of comment. Although, I fully empathize with the sentiments. There is a lot of BS in politics, perhaps even more than other professions or daily activities. Being on the sewer committee does add a different perspective on BS. Well actually excrement of a different type. In all seriousness, I appreciate the opinions of all those opposed and will continue to listen to the arguments against, but at this point I feel that Delmont will be best served by a curbside pick up recycling option. I just hope that action will be taken. I have learned that it is a better practice to watch what people do more so than what they say. It is even better to find people whos' words and actions are in harmony. The ultimate condition is one whose action and words are congruent in all settings. I have not yet seen this in Delmont's situation, but I remain hopeful. I have seen this integrity in officials in neighboring communities. I admire and respect this integrity and will try to emulate it in my own behavior.
There are two other major happenings that deserve their own posts. One is comming in next month's meeting to change the zoning ordnance so that the Library can be built on the chosen piece of property. I am for the Library in its proposed location, but t he method of changing the zoning causes me great concerns. I will explain this in latter post.
After the executive meeting, we received some MS4 training. The implications of the program will cost residents upwards of $5.00 month. Now don't get nervous this is about 10-20 years out. This is not a charge that I am looking forward to and it is not a charge I agree with. I will write another post concerning this.
For those of you that have attended the meeting, thank you for cumming and participating in our government. It is great to see so many citizens at the meetings. If there is anything I can do for you, please e-mail me at david4delmont@gmail.com, or you could call me at (724) 552-9531. I lso invite you to comment on anything I write in these blogs. I will allow your comments to be posted even if they are in disagreement with what I write. The only requirement is they be constructive and in good taste.
It is a pleasure serving you.
Saturday, April 9, 2016
Bus Stop in Delmont in Danger
Yesterday, I made posts in the following Communities on FaceBook: Delmont, Franklin Regional, and Westmoreland County. The purpose of the posts is to encourage residents that use the service to encourage Council to act and ensure continued service. I received some criticism for not telling "the whole" story.
There are two approaches for learning "the whole" story in Delmont Politics. The first is to meet in Council Chambers and discuss individual perceptions of the issues and their effects on the community. Many of us may feel like our perceptions are actually facts and have difficulty in understanding why the citizens of Delmont don't agree with the findings. They just don't understand the "facts" behind the "whole story".
The second approach is to attempt to verify the information with any agencies that have insight then to actually go into the community and start talking with the citizens about their understandings of the issues and how their lives are affected by the decisions we are making on behalf of those who elected us to office. The information in this post is from 1) Information from the Westmoreland County Transit Authority. 2) Talking to passengers and business people on April 8, 2016., and 3) Previous actions taken by Council.
Delmont's share is $1,190.00. This portion goes toward grant matching for state and Federal programs. According to my calculations( I am basing this on a Borough population of 2663) comes out to $0.037 a month per resident to have this service available. Our share amount is $1,130 cheaper than a bill we paid for avoidable repairs. It is 30x or more cheaper then a consideration that would have provided no immediate service benefit to our citizens. I am not a spend thrift but to my thinking spending this small amount is a no brainer, but let me provide some additional information.
There are two routes that currently go through Delmont. The 2F Route is the Latrobe to Pittsburgh Flyer. In January this route ran for 20 days and had 4,922 passengers. In February, due to Leap Year, it operated 21 days and had 5,076 passengers. If the extra day is taken into account there is still a 4% increase in riders.
The second bus route through Delmont is 12 the Greensburg/New Kensington route. January they had 568 passengers, and in February there were 752 Passengers. Adjusting for Leap-Year there was still a 5% increase.
Here is where the math gets a bit fuzzy. The WT (Westmoreland Transit Authority) knows 85% of those passengers on the 2F route board between Delmont and Murrysville. That is approximately 216 passengers a day. The problem is there is also a stop in Export and Murrysville. It is unclear if WT's estimate is before the Murrysville pick up, or after the pick-up. This is problematic for many of the members of council because they want the "hard" numbers of how many Borough residents are benefiting for the money the spent.
What I learned talking to riders. There was a rider from Punxsutawney that riders come from Ligoner regularly. Slickville is a common point of ridership, Yes, I even talked to two Borough residents. Now the day that I was there was a Friday and that is a low ridership day for the bus. I only talked to five people from three buses. One of the riders has her nails down at the nail shop in the Central Hotel Building.
I stopped in Ianni's Pizza to ask them some questions. Incidentally, one of the passengers that I talked to was walking out of Ianni's carrying a pizza home. Ianni's was extremely busy. The worker I talked to said the get a fair amount of business from riders of the bus. She also informed me that she personally lives in the Crammer plant and that there are many people that live there that the bus is their sole source of transportation.
WT offers 10 trip passes that range in price from $13.00 to $40.00 depending on how many zones a rider goes through. The monthly pass ranges from $48.00-$144.00 again dependent on zone travel. These fees are extremely reasonable if we consider the cost of fuel, parking, insurance, etc. of operating a vehicle. In fact, if it wasn't for bus service many people couldn't afford to work.
Conclusions:
1. A large number of non-Borough Residents use the service in Delmont.
2. Many riders support local business.
3. Enough Residents use the service to justify the minimal cost.
4. Negative economic impacts of discontinuing service are far greater than spending the $1190 to keep them.
Perhaps if I act like I am opposed to spending the $1190 it would have a greater chance of passing in council, but you elected me to act in your best interests. If you oppose the $1190 expense let ,me know.
There are two approaches for learning "the whole" story in Delmont Politics. The first is to meet in Council Chambers and discuss individual perceptions of the issues and their effects on the community. Many of us may feel like our perceptions are actually facts and have difficulty in understanding why the citizens of Delmont don't agree with the findings. They just don't understand the "facts" behind the "whole story".
The second approach is to attempt to verify the information with any agencies that have insight then to actually go into the community and start talking with the citizens about their understandings of the issues and how their lives are affected by the decisions we are making on behalf of those who elected us to office. The information in this post is from 1) Information from the Westmoreland County Transit Authority. 2) Talking to passengers and business people on April 8, 2016., and 3) Previous actions taken by Council.
Delmont's share is $1,190.00. This portion goes toward grant matching for state and Federal programs. According to my calculations( I am basing this on a Borough population of 2663) comes out to $0.037 a month per resident to have this service available. Our share amount is $1,130 cheaper than a bill we paid for avoidable repairs. It is 30x or more cheaper then a consideration that would have provided no immediate service benefit to our citizens. I am not a spend thrift but to my thinking spending this small amount is a no brainer, but let me provide some additional information.
There are two routes that currently go through Delmont. The 2F Route is the Latrobe to Pittsburgh Flyer. In January this route ran for 20 days and had 4,922 passengers. In February, due to Leap Year, it operated 21 days and had 5,076 passengers. If the extra day is taken into account there is still a 4% increase in riders.
The second bus route through Delmont is 12 the Greensburg/New Kensington route. January they had 568 passengers, and in February there were 752 Passengers. Adjusting for Leap-Year there was still a 5% increase.
Here is where the math gets a bit fuzzy. The WT (Westmoreland Transit Authority) knows 85% of those passengers on the 2F route board between Delmont and Murrysville. That is approximately 216 passengers a day. The problem is there is also a stop in Export and Murrysville. It is unclear if WT's estimate is before the Murrysville pick up, or after the pick-up. This is problematic for many of the members of council because they want the "hard" numbers of how many Borough residents are benefiting for the money the spent.
What I learned talking to riders. There was a rider from Punxsutawney that riders come from Ligoner regularly. Slickville is a common point of ridership, Yes, I even talked to two Borough residents. Now the day that I was there was a Friday and that is a low ridership day for the bus. I only talked to five people from three buses. One of the riders has her nails down at the nail shop in the Central Hotel Building.
I stopped in Ianni's Pizza to ask them some questions. Incidentally, one of the passengers that I talked to was walking out of Ianni's carrying a pizza home. Ianni's was extremely busy. The worker I talked to said the get a fair amount of business from riders of the bus. She also informed me that she personally lives in the Crammer plant and that there are many people that live there that the bus is their sole source of transportation.
WT offers 10 trip passes that range in price from $13.00 to $40.00 depending on how many zones a rider goes through. The monthly pass ranges from $48.00-$144.00 again dependent on zone travel. These fees are extremely reasonable if we consider the cost of fuel, parking, insurance, etc. of operating a vehicle. In fact, if it wasn't for bus service many people couldn't afford to work.
Conclusions:
1. A large number of non-Borough Residents use the service in Delmont.
2. Many riders support local business.
3. Enough Residents use the service to justify the minimal cost.
4. Negative economic impacts of discontinuing service are far greater than spending the $1190 to keep them.
Perhaps if I act like I am opposed to spending the $1190 it would have a greater chance of passing in council, but you elected me to act in your best interests. If you oppose the $1190 expense let ,me know.
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Recycling and Garbage in the Borough
Fellow Citizens,
I received an e-mail from a resident who has been doing research on bringing some type of recycling option to our community. It would involve the Borough entering into an agreement with one of the local waste management companies to include curb-side recycling pick up. This would reduce the monthly refuse bill of the residents and provide money to the Borough based on the amount of the recyclables collected.
I told her that I am open to the idea, but have two major reservations. 1) I believe very strongly that it is an individual's right to choose their trash service provider. Governments at all levels have forced entirely too many "choices" down our throats (health care, seat belt, social security and unemployment taxes, etc...). 2) Unless proper provisions would be included the monies received would be payable to the Borough. I would rather see a large portion of the proceeds go to Delmont Volunteer Fire Department and Delmont Lions Club for distribution. The individuals in our Fire Department risk their lives every time the respond to a call. Furthermore, the are forced to take more time away from their families and other activities to engage in fund raising activities. I don't think it is right that an organization that is so vital to the safety and economic vitality of our Borough seem to get the short end of the budget from Delmont officials. I believe the Lion's Club should be the other recipient because the have over 25 years experience placing the funds from their recycling program into the hands of the organizations in Delmont that needed it.
As I told Becky, I am here to serve you. I will not let my personal feelings about limiting an individuals choice interfere with supporting the imitative that she is proposing. I think over-all the proposal will benefit the community. It will require the passing of a resolution and I told her she may have a difficult time convincing the other members of council that this is a good option.
Our Council Meeting is next Tuesday at 7:00 PM at the Borough Office Building 77 Greensburg St.
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