TT BoS and Chesterbrook’s Green Hills Condemn PTC Condemnations 2/1/09
Green Hills residents attended the BoS meeting en masse. Forty-three neighbors came to the meeting to register their disapproval of PTC taking two homes in the neighborhood. Many homeowners spoke to the Supervisors at the meeting expressing their concerns and asking questions.
Supervisor John DiBuonaventuro stated clearly that the PTC’s plan to take homes is unacceptable. He reminded all of a Green Hills homeowner’s question to the PTC last Tuesday evening, “Can you look me in the eye, and tell me that you’ve done everything you can to avoid the taking of my property?” This Supervisor agrees that the PTC has not exhausted other options.
Supervisor Judy DiFilippo reported of a meeting on Friday January 30 with John DiBuonaventuro, Deirdre Gibson and Michael Caldwell (both of VFNHP) to discuss solutions to the storm water issue. The park representatives indicated they will allow water to be dispensed onto park property, spray irrigation is acceptable, but they will not allow detention basins. Detention basins of the 1970’s are considered “passe” by current storm water managers. Another method of holding storm water before it could enter the park must be found – possibly underground storage tanks. Supervisor DiFilippo also contacted Congressman Gerlach, and reported that a study may be done regarding storm water and VFNHP. She urges neighbors to “Keep your organizations together. We will work together as a total.”
Township Manager, Mimi Gleason responded to a suggestion to use VFNHP property saying that an act of U.S. Congress is the only way to gain permission to use National Park property. Such an act would likely not pass, since it would be precedent setting.
She also informed us that PTC’s storm water management plans must meet the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection regulations, as well as Tredyffrin’s regulations. Tredyffrin has had significant issues with PTC’s lacking storm water management. She indicated that there are “several years of work left” on the plan, and there will likely be many “iterations.” She encouraged residents to ask the PTC to improve their plans, and to “use less land more creatively to solve the problem.”
Supervisor DiFilippo encouraged neighbors to stay in close communication, keep organized, continue asking questions of the PTC, and keep contacting legislators. The TT Supervisors agree that the homes should not be taken, but they have limited powers. We are encouraged to contact Senator Dinniman and Representative Drucker. (For more information on how to contact these legislators and others, see “Pages” at upper right hand corner of blog, and click on “Legislators Addresses.” OR CLICK HERE)
-A Pen
Report on PTC Open House in Tredyffrin (1/27/09)
An Overview
At the PTC Open House Tuesday night, there were tables for attendees to register so PTC could mail updates, a room with a 3-5 minute video over-viewing the expansion, and a large room full of: posters showing the plans, PTC people answering general questions, a table for people whose properties are being taken to talk with a representative, and a PTC Public Outreach poster mentioning their “Good Neighbor” policy. Many Tredyffrin residents were present as well as some local politicians. (Senator Dinniman, Representative Rubley, and TT Supervisors DiBuonaventuro, DiFilippo, Kampf, and Lamina)
The Homes Affected
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will take 9 Tredyffrin family homes, and portions of 97 Tredyffrin family properties. For a grand total of 106 Tredyffrin family homes and properties affected. Homes being taken are on Yellow Springs Rd., Morgan Lane, Colonel DeWees Rd., a hole or two at Glenhardie Country Club, and Red Coat Lane, and will be used for retention basins. The properties being partially taken run along the same corridor.
The Retention Basins
According to a representative aerial photos were taken of the area and topographical maps were developed from the information. Water is directed to a central location for treatment which includes: rate control and volume control.
The basins are lined, and will hold storm water to control its rate and volume before it reaches its next destination. The PTC surrounds their basins with 10-foot high chain-link fencing. Basins will hold some level of water 50% of the time. Representatives were vague about the amount of water, but they anticipate water in them from 3-14 days after a storm. A large portion of the basin is designed to encourage evaporation.
A resident concerned about standing water, mosquitoes and West Nile virus inquired about the standing water, and how the PTC planned to reduce it. The PTC representative indicated that the basins would hold water only 50% of the time, and that they would be wet mostly in the winter. The PTC stated that the summer months would be the driest, vegetation would be used to help evaporate the water, and that the vegetation would also encourage mosquito predators to the area.
Our Green Hills neighborhood has two retention basins which are unlined, they rarely have water in them except after a big storm, and then by 2-3 days later, they’re empty. Why has the PTC decided to line these basins?
The Department of Environmental Protection has the right to deny approval of the project. A thirty-day public comment period will follow the PTC’s application for permits. To date, The PTC has not applied for permits. PTC first seeks public comment on the designs. Citizens may contact the DEP independently about this issue. The PTC indicated that all state representatives have seen the plans. They mentioned specifically: Dinniman, Briggs, Drucker, Leach, and Rafferty.
PTC also needs approval from Tredyffrin Township regarding sound barriers and storm water runoff.
Are Concrete Barriers Sound Absorptive?
The representative says “yes.” The core of the barrier is made of concrete, and is covered by a secondary surface made of wood chips which provide sound absorption.
Panhandle Civic Association Meeting w/TT BoS
A Pen thanks…
The Panhandle Civic Association’s leadership for organizing this meeting. We hope for your success in improving this matter.
What: Notice Of Special Panhandle Civic Association Meeting
When: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: First Baptist Church, 1012 Upper Gulph Road, Wayne, PA 19087
Who: Three Tredyffrin Supervisors, Paul Olson, Bob Lamina and Judy DiFillippo
Why: To discuss the $2.4 million deficit written into the approved budget for 2009. In order to balance this budget, it is planned to deplete the reserve funds for the second year in a row by this amount. With the reduced income expected this year, and the economy in disarray, fiscal responsibility calls for further reduction in spending in 2009 to preserve the reserve fund for emergencies.
Please join us for an opportunity to express your thoughts on this dilemma. Taxes would have to be raised 38% to balance the budget.
Representatives from other civic associations are also invited.
Tredyffrin Supervisors Raise Taxes Again! 12/15/08
The Good News First
Thanks again to Supervisor Olsen, the lone voice of reason and fiscal responsibility.
A Pen thanks the citizens who spoke against the tax increase at the meeting. About 15 citizens spoke in total. Four spoke in favor of increasing taxes, mainly because someone misinformed them about the police officer’s salaries being on the line – they weren’t. Eleven taxpayers asked the Supervisors not to raise taxes, and a few had excellent suggestions to help the Supervisors reign in the spending.
The Bad News
In spite of so many citizens speaking against raising taxes on 11/17/08 and 12/15/08 the Supervisors (except for Paul Olsen and Bob Lamina) turned a deaf ear. Looking back, it’s not surprising. Supervisors in the last three meetings have indicated that they do not want to reduce your tax burden, because they do not think it is high enough yet. Most Supervisors suggested budget increases when the conversation was about decreasing it. The only one speaking against the majority was Supervisor Olsen. Unfortunately, Supervisor Lamina attended by spotty phone connection from the Middle East.
This tax increase is the second in two years, and it’s only the beginning. Supervisor Kampf reported that if they waited to raise taxes, they would be “forced” to raise them 50% in one year. His projection assumes no improvements in the economy. So, think of this 2.4% as a warm-up for tax increase season, or maybe last year’s 3.3% was the warm-up, and we’re in the midst of an uncontrolled spending spree.
At the beginning of the discussion the Supervisors agreed easily to remove plans for Westover Park from 2009’s budget. Then they overrode concessions made at the 11/17/08 meeting in a stunning blind-side to voters who thought the Supervisors would try to be fiscally responsible. Voting in favor of restoring Cost of Living Increases (COLA) and Longevity Bonuses: Supervisors DeHaven, DiFilippo, DiBuonoventuro, and DeFeliciantano. Voting against: Supervisors Olsen, Kampf, and Lamina. So:
- TT Employees will receive COLA for 2009. Yes, they were reminded by a citizen that even Gov. Rendell has denied state employees a COLA for 2009, but that did not matter. Yes, they will receive a 3.5% inflation adjustment when there is negative inflation.
- TT Employees will receive Longevity Pay, too. (That’s the non-merit based bonus, that we’re not supposed to call a bonus (Shhh!). It’s given to TT employees who don’t get fired that year.) Hard to believe Supervisors who tell us our employees are underpaid.
Moments of Interest…
When Supervisor DeHaven lifted up his 3-ring binder (appearing to be 2-inches full of budget information), and explained that he didn’t know how to cut anything from the budget; it was too complicated for him. Supervisor DeHaven, please consider not running for re-election. Your primary job as a Supervisor of a $37 million budget is to find the fat and trim it.
The set-up: At the 11/17/08 meeting, Supervisor DiBuonaventuro told us that he would forgo his $3,000 stipend from the township for 2009. He wanted to set an example for all the other Supervisors, encourage them to do the same, and encourage TT Manager Gleason to voluntarily give up her salary increase, and ask her employees to do the same. Flash forward to 12/15/08, when a knowledgeable citizen reminded the Supervisors that if they all gave up their $3,000 stipend, the township would save $27,000. Supervisor DiFeliciantano fumed at the citizen asking him “Would you like to donate $3,000 of your money?” and finished with “I am offended!” Perhaps Supervisor DiFeliciantonio would like to make a donation to TT to cover all of the deficit spending?
Please contact your Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisors and make them aware of your concerns. (If you click on the link, then click on the Supervisor’s highlighted name, their email address will show in your email application.
UPDATE:
Here’s another community going through the same thing.
-A Pen
Tredyffrin Board of Supervisors Meeting 12/1/08
A Pen thanks…
Mr. Paul Olsen for stating that BoS’s have “an obligation to keep financial sanity in our township. It’s our responsibility.”
Mr. Bob Lamina for continuing to champion lower taxes.
Regarding 12/1/08 BoS Meeting
In the comments that have been made in the last two Tredyffrin Twp. BoS meetings regarding the TT Budget, I have not heard anyone degrade the quality of the TT employees, nor disrespect them. So, when Mr. Bill DeHaven said that the budget cuts are “disrespectful” of employees or that the budget “beats the crap out of them,” he is being dishonest, dramatic, and diverting the topic. (Same goes for Mr. Mark DiFeliciantonio’s comment last week that the budget cuts were “draconian.”) In the real world, an employee’s salary has little to do with respect, and much to do the value of the job. An employer could be respectful or not, and still pay a fair wage. And employers have an obligation to keep their spending within budget, or eventually face bankruptcy. What solutions did Mr. DeHaven promote? None, except to try to make responsible BoS’s feel guilty about doing the right thing – reigning in spending.
Trimming waste from a budget cut is a business move, nothing else. We’ve heard repeatedly that there is a structural problem with the TT budget. It consistently spends more than it receives. Responsible? Not at all. Every gardener knows that proper pruning increases the health of a plant. Same with proper budgeting. Same with sports teams, household budgets, clothing in closets, etc.
In tonight’s meeting and the last meeting (11/17/08), it was implied by some that TT public employees are rare and precious, and cannot be replaced. I suspect it would be fairly easy to find people to fill TT openings.
In the last meeting’s public discussion with the BoS, it was revealed that there is no salary range and no salary cap. So, with longevity bonuses plus yearly 3.5% cost-of-living increases, an employee who sticks around long enough could make much more than the market rate. I appreciate that the BoS’s work with these employees, and have come to adore them, but let’s not forget that the BoS’s are in the position of supervising. They are in charge, and, like it or not, they must make the proper decisions regardless their feelings.
Holding the salaries of these employees at the current rate for 2009 is a sound business decision. We are in a recession – negative inflation. When employees are given cost-of-living increases, it’s because inflation is present. Looking on the bright side, when an employee’s salary stays the same during a recession, he or she is fortunate! Many people are losing jobs and pay. Also, since TT employees never worry about their government going out of business, they’ve got true job security. Good fortune, again! Consider this: if a cost-of-living increase is always in order with inflation, why isn’t a cost-of-living decrease in order with deflation?
Hey BoS’s and government officials. Stop picking on taxpayers! We work very hard, are likeable, and are feeling unappreciated. We won’t be able to guilt you at the office with our long faces, but some of us are feeling oppressed by all the layers of taxes upon us: Township, School Board, County, State, Federal, purchases and savings, real estate, etc.
– A Pen
A Pen in The Woods 