Chairman of the Troubled Media Business Authority Resigns

This week I learned that the chair of the Media Business Authority, Kevin Schramm has resigned from his position.  I didn't know Kevin well, but I've always heard great things about his vision and leadership he had with the group of volunteers that oversaw the well being of Media's businesses.  Unfortunately, this resignation adds to a long list of concerns that has plagued this committee.

Media Business Auth. board members run for the exits.

It's a well known and openly discussed that members of this group resign due to the over-shawdowing politics of Media Borough Council.  For example, The MBA supports a new Wawa, Borough Council doesn't -  So who do you think will win that one?  This committee barely holds a quorum of operational members because many people who volunteer for this group are typically fed up after only a few months due to lack of results and impact.  It's often referred to as a waste of time.  Let's get real, that's not how you run a committe that's responsible for the vibrancy of Media Businesses and receives over $75,000 yearly in taxpayer money.

Furthermore, it's  been so mismanged by Media Borough Council, that even liason and councilman, Eric Stein failed to show up for half the meetings over a two year span.  Yet he was re-appointed.  At one point he missed 7 consecutive meetings!  If he shows no interest, why should anyone else? What's worse is that partners who once supported this committee with funding, are no longer involved.  Case in point, is the withdraw of the Brandywine Convention and VIsitors Bureau who during 2011 contributed $20,000 to Media State Street events.  That's a $20,000 lost because people feel a lack of confidence in the abilities and execution of this authority.  It's too bad, as that year we had some of the best events I can remember in a long time, one of which was the classic car show.

May 2012 Meeting Minutes: Instead of Media Borough Council addressing this issue, they re-appointed their liaison, Eric Stein

The volunteers on this committee who put forth an effort in good faith for the community are the victims.  They deserve better, the businesses of Media deserve better and the taxpayers of this town are owed a explanation.  It's May, and they've not even posted meeting minutes for 2013!

Either dissolve the Media Business Authority and re-use the funding for other purposes or re-organize this group with a comprehensive top-to-bottom review.  What we have now have is an ineffective bureaucracy that can't manage itself, let alone the economic vibrancy of Media, Pa.

Tedman