Third Street Bridge: A perfect example of failed leadership

Zero Leadership = Zero Results!

Truthfully, I’ve not been attending workshop or borough council meetings because like everyone else, I thought the decisions made at the April council meeting finalized the Third St. Bridge project. Up until yesterday, I was under the impression that the project was moving forward and we were just waiting for dates and questions on funding.  I was very wrong in that assumption.

Last night I attended the Borough Council workshop along with a packed crowd to find out what was going on with the funding for this project.   To my surprise Council Borough stated there were no funding deadline issues and they had discussions to extend deadlines if needed.  It was then I realized that important as the funding is, it’s not the biggest problem for this project or potentially other issues facing this town.  

The real problem for Media is that Council President, Brian Hall has totally lost control of the project, group and the conduct of borough council.  This evident by the fact that after 16 years, advisory committees, presentations, surveys and countless hours of people’s time and expense, he allowed the Friends of the Glen Providence park to get up and present, of all things imaginable, another proposal for a greenway/walkway.  Apparently no one has told them, or they refuse to believe that there isn’t any room for interpretation for what is stipulated by the court order.  In fact, it took a BLCC representative to stand up and tell them that they expect a two-way roadway as everyone else in this town is expecting.   Yet the pandering continues with the same exact discussions we had months ago. NOTHING HAS CHANGED OR MOVED FORWARD.  And who could blame the Frogs for having this council over a barrel;  Hall, Davidson and Robinson signed their petition.  Robinson stacked the CAC with FROG officers and Davidson provided them undisclosed services and resources for them to have a platform to lobby their agenda  on a multi-million dollar bridge. 

It’s obvious what’s going on which prompted people in the audience to openly question how after all this time we could still be at this juncture.  In fact, it was asked by a commenter what was  borough council’s involvement with the Friends of the Glen Providence park.  It’s a good question in which I followed up with how could Councilman Kent Davidson be found to providing services and resources to this group that is lobbying him on a 3.4 million project, and it not be addressed.  Brian Hall rebutted by saying this wasn’t the time to speak about that, as it wasn’t related to design issues.   People on borough council then proceeded to sneer, roll their eyes and say things under their breath as if it was no big deal.  If you think I’m kidding, I invite you to attend the next meeting when I bring it up…..and I will.  Before leaving, I made sure the local reporter, Susan Serbin had it on record.

Borough Council could have answered a lot of questions people had last night by sharing their plan for the completion of this bridge.  Problem is they don’t have one.  The contempt and dissention they have towards each other over who has a superior position on why this project isn’t moving, is appalling.  I’ve never seen a group work against each other at the expense of residents and taxpayers.  They treated each other as they treated me and others who spoke up, and as embarrassing as that is, neither Brian Hall or Mayor Bob McMahon said one thing to stop it. 

I honestly don’t know what the future holds for Third Street Bridge.  There’s clearly zero leadership to move this dysfunctional group forward.  I suspect there are at least one or two people on council who would like nothing more than to obstruct this project, let the money run out and hope the State comes in and breaches the dam.  Unfortunately, that’s not what they were elected to do, but it never really was about what was right, but about the selfishness they have for their own agendas.

See you at the next meeting!

Tedman