As a resident of the community and someone who has run for borough council; I have the utmost respect for Jim Cunningham, Dawn Roe, Monika Rehoric and Pete Alyanankian for putting politics aside in order to do what's right for Media. There are looming budgetary and operational issues that will require tough decisions and cooperation from both parties. I'm confident the new leadership will put an end to the complacency and poor communication that was so prevalent for so long.
I look forward to your comments and encourage everyone to participate in making Media a better place for everyone......regardless of what party you support.
Congratulations Media Borough Council, you have my full support.
If any of them had any self awareness, or maybe even respect towards others they probably wouldn't have looked so surprised.....but I guess that was the problem all along.
ReplyDeleteWhen's the trolley coming back?
Spell check!
ReplyDeleteWhat a joke...small town politics at its finest. Shame on you Monica and Dawn. I am a Media resident who votes across party lines. I, for one, would like to hear more about your decision making process regarding voting to change things up suddenly, and I am sure there are many more people who'd like to hear more as well.
ReplyDeleteAll you have to do is watch the councli meetings from when williamson took over and you can see that the meetings were turning into nothing but fighting over permits and such, they were quite the soap operaesque meetings. Williamson continued what Daly started and assigned the council members to task forces as punishment instead of assigning based on which member was that most qualified! Pete A should never have been taken off the environmental board, but he was. Games were being played...I am hoping that Pete A runs the council in a fair manner that will benefit Media.
ReplyDeleteTotaly embarrassing others in public, brilliant small town politics has arrived to everboby's home town. Four yes votes contrived in a back room meeting sounds like a violation of the Sunshine Act!
ReplyDeleteDon't feel too bad, Pete Williamson. You are one of the smartest individuals ever on Borough Council. You contributed, and will continue to do so.
ReplyDeleteCouncil James Cunningham knows what a coup d'etat realy is all about--he was the victim himself when
he was Counci-president in the 1980's.
The brains behind that coup d'etat--the ultimate
politician, Frank W. Daly, Esp.
What goes around, comes around, I guess.
Spelling Corrections: really, Esq.
ReplyDeleteAfter several years of a Democratic majority on council and voting along those lines---- a change may be coming. Hopefully this new Bi-partisn council will put MEDIA first. Not boro politics. Only time will tell change is good Yes WE CAN
ReplyDeleteDawn and Monica should be applauded for putting MEDIA first and not small town politics.
ReplyDeleteOnce council starts to work together the entire BORO wins.
Tedman, who the heck is this "Anonymous" person? He or she is all over the blogs. I guess, I am old school. I don't mind taking a licking for my opinions.
ReplyDeleteEveryone can express an opinion, even "Anonymous."
That's what America is about, right?
I don't know Michael,could I be JIM or PETE?
ReplyDeleteDAAA!!
ReplyDeleteRepublican, Democrat, Bi-partisan, no matter what your leaning this was handled in a terribly inappropriate, immature and hurtful way. I expect better from a leadership body in a true community. This looked more like the behavior in a third world dictatorship or middle school clique than a group I have long worked with and admired. If there have been such deep problems with council how has Media grown to become the vibrant, busy, appealing community that it is?
ReplyDeleteAnd how thoughtful of this blogger to post a video of this public humiliation! What I am impressed with is how professionally and gracefully Peter and Monica handled the situation. I am sure they will stay the course and continue to work hard for the community they love, despite being treated this way by fellow council members.
Robin Beaver
Media Resident
I am curious why was the video pulled from your site? My guess is that you realized how badly it made the council members voting for this motion look. Well done! I sent a bunch of people here to see it and they missed it.
ReplyDeleteAnother Anonymous posted. Wow! Next local
ReplyDeleteelection, I'm voting for Anonymous. A sure
winner.
Well I guess the white hot spotlight is on Pete A. now.
ReplyDeleteIf you go to the trouble of a coup d'etat you better actually take Media in the right direction with some action or he will find himself out of office as fast as he was voted in it!
Oh the last Anonymous was me (221 E Second)but please, don't vote for me until I have time to run. I agree with Emil. This motion was executed in a distasteful manner that did more to inhibit communication than help it. Let's see what it is exactly that Pete is going to do better. Judging from the fall out from the motion that carried him into this new position, he has his work cut out for him.
ReplyDeleteI, for one, am disappointed by the immature and dishonest maneuvering by Alyanakian, Rehoric, and Roe. Cunningham, at least, was no surprise but those who know him wouldn't be surprised in the least.
ReplyDeleteI think if you were able to see the video (Put it back!) you realize that its one of two scenarios:
- There's some serious dysfunction with Williamson and Simpson who had to be ousted by the other council members, secretly ... OR
- There's some serious dysfunction with Alyanakian, Rehoric, and Roe, and Cunningham and they couldn't talk directly to Williamson and Simpson, and had to secretly do this "coup".
I'll leave it to the reader, and the future Borough council meetings and "direction", to decide.
I was privately asked this morning to remove the video as the sensitivity of the matter overshadowed any real constructive point the clip could have made. Opinion and even criticism in a constructive manner is one thing, but division and humility by what some felt this video represented is not what I'm trying to accomplish.
ReplyDeleteIronically, I feel the comments on this blog, regardless of what position you take, are healthy. My whole idea for allowing "Comments" was to provide and outlet for people to be heard...on anything! Yes, you can speak your mind at the council meetings, but it's inconvenient, a bit intimidating and awkwardly judgmental. Just look at how few speak up.
Nothing gets accomplished until people communicate and if people are more comfortable with this format, then perhaps that's a start.
For those that did not see the video, it was raw, un-edited footage taken from Thursday Night's council meeting showing approximately 3 minutes of the council vote for President.
Lastly, I'm approachable, I'm open minded and usually on State St. once or twice a day. I may not agree with what someone might say all the time, but I'll take the time to listen and to respect your views.
Thanks
Tedman O'Hara
@tedman: Discussion is what makes a democracy work, I completely agree. The obvious lack of discussion which occurred prior to the meeting is, IMHO, an issue.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I think the video speaks for itself; and all borough council meetings are publicly broadcast over a local cable station (which I don't get), so re-publishing it here is really a service to the community.
Can I ask: Who asked to remove the video? Obviously you agree that the video was damaging ... but to whom?
@Kent D.
ReplyDeleteLet me leave it at this: A lot of people have gotten caught up in the hysteria over what happened Thursday Night. I understand that.
As for damaging? I'd have to say me. The retaliatory strike against my property, shortly after I posted this post/video was unfortunate. I can deal with it, I wrote the post and can stand behind it, but I don't want it to be used as motivation against others. If it touched off a response against me, who knows what else could happen. I lived here for over 10 years and that has never happened to me before. The intimidation that stuff is made to represent crosses a boundary that has no place in this town.
I had no intentions of even bringing it up, but can't clearly explain my decision without mentioning it. If removing the video helps to diffuse the issue in order to move on, then that's the right thing to do.
That's the last I have to say about the video. I hope you understand the position. If you want to talk offline, please feel free to email me: tedmano@gmail.com or call (h)610-994-3885
Thanks
So - if I understand correctly - because YOU were a target, it is ok to hide the truth.
ReplyDeleteBut as long as the targets of this back room bartering weren't YOU it was ok to publish.
Well I do get the local cable and watched and my question is why did you cut off the part were Alyankian read a statement obviously writted by someone else, and did not include the post comments by Williamson or Simpson?
Looks suspectingly that you were part of the plan - to have your blog and camera at the ready...
Will the real "Anonymous," please come forward.
ReplyDeleteNo phony "Anonymous" need apply. Larry M. is no
real "Anonymous."
"why did you cut off the part were Alyankian read a statement obviously writted by someone else" - I think we've found a biased voice - no wonder you're anonymous.
ReplyDeleteRoddy, I think everyone here has their own perspective - you can call it a bias if you want.
ReplyDeleteif you're calling your little snippets 'perspective', I'm calling this change on council "paper shuffling". Try again.
ReplyDeleteThis is sickening news to anyone who believes in respecting other people. To Roe and Rehoric: SHAME ON YOU! Your cowardice, sleaziness and back-stabbing tactics have no place on Media Borough Council. (Or on State Street.) Media residents: just wait and see how long it takes for our town to become just another puppet of Delco Republicans. It makes me sick.
ReplyDeleteYou mean the same Delco Republicans that were concerned about Media Elementary School and were at the forefront of saving it and helping make it to what it is today? Or the ones that also helped to get Trader Joe's to Media and not Exton?
ReplyDeleteI suspect you're not so much upset with Dawn and Monika voting for what's right for Media, but that your "Agenda" may or may not have the votes it once had. As for sleazy back-stabbing tactics, that began 28 years ago.
Well said Emil and Larry! (So when does the campaign start Larry?) ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnd Tedman, I can at least agree with you on two points - discussion is healthy (although a little less so when you do so anonymously) and damaging your property was not ok. However, both of these items indicate just how much people care about the leadership in their town; and not just the "what" but the "how" as well.