There are very serious concerns over why and how this all transpired. To begin with, Media who has a total yearly budget of about $7 million is in no position to give anyone a grant of $1 million. Equally troubling is that fact that borough council is giving an unsecured loan to a non-profit project who hasn't over the last five years raised anything near the amount needed for this new building. What were the conditions, if any that taxpayers have for collecting this loan? Is it interest free? Why is Media borough fully funding this, when it's also a responsibility of Upper Providence?
Where was the transparency, overview and notification to borough residents that this financial agreement was taking place? Mayor McMahon and Council President Brian Hall have had citizen committees created for the Third Street Bridge project, required the Wawa applicants to meet dozens of times over the last three years; yet when it comes to borrowing $5.4 million which noticeably raises taxes in Media, there's no mention of this? Just as bad, what is Councilman Kent Davidson's involvement with this. He not only chairs the borough finance committee, but also is liaison of the library. If that's not a conflict of interest regarding a pet project, I don't know what is? Again, where was the oversight and transparency? One motion made at a monthly meeting and the borough is now borrowing $5.4 million?!?!?!?!? This council is out of control!Much like the $20,000 the Mayor spent on a Youtube video, he's doesn't understand the severity and burden this is for taxpayers. Or, he must not be paying attention. Here's his statement: “As a non-voting member, I am fully supportive (of the motion) because of the people involved. I know them, and understand their passion.” What about the taxpayers, mayor?
Kudos to Paul Robinson and Lisa Johnson who voted against this move and the affect it'll have on taxes.
As a longtime resident and taxpayer, I can say with complete confidence that Media has been flat-out taken advantage of.
PH-U Davidson!
ReplyDeleteLimousine liberals...
ReplyDeleteI just now saw people with pitch forks and torches marching up Jackson street to McMahon's house. Oh Boy!
ReplyDeleteIs there anything that can be done to reverse this?
ReplyDeletePUBLIC MTG. NOTICESNOTICE SPECIAL MEETING Notice is hereby given that the Media Borough Council will meet on Thursday, December 4, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. for the purpose of considering the adoption of an ordinance authorizing the incurrence of debt. The meeting will be held in large conference room on the second floor of the Media Municipal Government Center, Third and Jackson Streets, Media, PA. The public is welcome to attend. Borough Council may consider any other business that may come before them.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the undefined future project is the acquisition of the wawa property so they can lawfully stop the developer and avoid litigation. If so, I'm all for it.
ReplyDeleteAgenda: "DISCUSS THE ISSUANCE OF DEBT AND PIGGYBACK BORROWING -MUPFL BOARD OF DIRECTORS"
ReplyDeleteGreat transparency
Buried deep in the workshop agenda for November 6:
ReplyDelete3. Consider Borrowing Amount for Miscellaneous Capital Projects
4. Consider Appointing Bond Counsel for Borough Borrowing
Also noticed that two volunteer on the planning commission resigned at the November 6 workshop meeting. Why would they stay?
ReplyDeleteWhat part of $5.4 million is "miscellaneous"
ReplyDeleteThese idiots can't even comply with the Pennsylvania Borough Code. Check out the Public Notice (above) and tell me of that satisfies the following:
ReplyDelete§ 3301.2. Publication.
(a) Requirements.--Except as provided under this part or other law, council shall publish every proposed ordinance once in one newspaper of general circulation for at least seven days and not more than 60 days prior to enactment prior to the day when council shall vote on the proposed ordinance. Publication of any proposed ordinance shall include all of the following:
(1) The full text or the title of the ordinance and a brief summary prepared by the borough solicitor setting forth all the provisions in reasonable detail.
(2) A reference to the borough office or other place where borough records are kept where copies of the proposed ordinance may be examined.
Brian Hall can hold up Third Street for years, make Wawa go through dozens of meetings and then all of a sudden hold a vote in three minutes for a $5.4 million bond on a Thursday evening? There wasn't even one council person who spoke on anything regarding terms and conditions, let alone how much this will cost taxpayers!
ReplyDeleteThe $1 million gift is an outrage! Equally so is the $1.5 million so-called loan that's unsecured and most likely will never be paid back. In my opinion and those who I've talked to day, McMahon, Hall and Davidson just ROBBED Media in broad daylight for their own pet projects. Let's see what this town does about it.
Dude there ain't nothing we can do about it.
DeleteLibrary is fine...hope the rest if for a new rugby stadium.
ReplyDeleteMedia Borough supports the Library; the Library needs to be rebuilt and the Borough is doing what's right. Upper Providence should step up the same way. The other projects being considered must be on a wish list somewhere...
ReplyDeleteMedia borough is? You sure?
DeleteSounds like upper providence is exhibiting a little common sense
Why does the library need to be rebuilt. If the library failed to raise the money needed for these renovations how will the library repay the one million five hundred thousand dollars Media is "lending" the library.
DeleteThis deal to give or gift the library one million tax payer dollars and " lend" the library one million five hundred thousand tax payer dollars reeks of special interest and mid use of PUBLIC funds. Media residents should have had an opportunity to vote if they wanted tax payer dollars being used on this project.
Media residents are fools, everyone knows that. Not a resident and don't want to be.
DeleteNo library is worth a 30% tax increase.
ReplyDeleteBOOKS ARE DEAD OR WILL BE. EVERYTHING IS DIGITAL.
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis, Tedman. I agree with you a 100%. So do my neighbors.
ReplyDelete30 percent tax increase? Who proposed or approved that? Is there a more complete explanation ?
ReplyDeleteNobody. The post says that the debt service payment on a $5.4 million bond issue would be the equivalent.of a 30% increase in property taxes. Borough Council has not told us how they intend to pay for it.
DeleteSo there's 2.5 million for the library and 2.9 million in pet projects "on a wish list somewhere"? Maybe they're planning to buy the wawa property!
ReplyDeleteSee. This is what you get when Borough Council fails to communicate in a transparent manner.
ReplyDeleteTransparent? Just read how they officially spin borrowing $5.4 million which includes a $1 million gift and a loan for $2.5 million with terms undisclosed. Here's the the agenda item: DISCUSS THE ISSUANCE OF DEBT AND PIGGYBACK BORROWING -MUPFL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ReplyDeleteI suppose if they make it as vague as possible, nobody will notice what they're doing. Here's the .pdf from the mediaborough.com site: http://www.mediaborough.com/sites/default/files/meetingagendas/public_hearing_agenda_12-4-14_debt.doc
This is the same council that includes several members of the Urban Terrorist FROGS group, right? Makes total sense, terrorize the borough finances.
ReplyDeleteThe shame of it all, TM, is that those who question "authority" in this town are shunned at public meetings and risk alienating themselves from the majority of their friends and neighbors. Yet these apparently conflicting and potentially illegal actions continue. And even if you or someone like-minded happens to win an election someday, it's only one vote on a bulky and unwieldy Borough Council. Discouraging to say the least.
ReplyDeletewhy doesn't Kent Davidson use some of that $5.4 million on a study to see why we don't have one African-American police officer on the force. The same "0" number as Ferguson, Mo.
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:20 your nephew need a job?
ReplyDeleteNo, he is a doctor working with Drs Without Borders. (I'd still like to see a Brother on the Media Police Force.)
DeleteThere is nothing in the Pennsylvania Borough Code (Title 8 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes) that authorizes any Borough Council to make a contribution for the construction of a library. While there is language allowing contributions for the construction of other facilities (firehouses, for example), the State Law is clear that contributions to libraries are limited to "establish and maintain our aid in the maintenance of a local library". Please correct me if I am wrong. ...
ReplyDeleteI agree with CVP - why rebuild? If you've been to the library lately you would see a lot of empty space (bookshelves) and maybe, on a busy day, 3 or 4 people surfing the net on computers. When you 'join' the library your card is valid at ALL DelCo libraries - if you want an 'upscale' library then go to Middletown or Springfield. There is no parking over at Media library anyway. Bad judgement on yet another pet project.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the audited financial statements posted on the Borough's website, there was $1.5 million in cash in the general fund and another $3.1 million in capital reserve as of 12/32/2013. Could someone please explain the logic behind saving all that cash, only to continue sitting on it earning almost zero and then incur unnecessary costs of debt. Even with low interest rates, the cost appears to be unnecessary. Besides the planned illegal grant and loan to the library, does this have something to do with lost grant monies for the third street bridge?
ReplyDeleteBINGO ------ Anon 8:02 nailed it. Bet the balance of the 5.4 MILLION (3.9 Million) is going to the cost increases that the Borough incurred illegally stalling the 3rd St rebuilding project. Now they are trying to save face by slipping this past the residents without admitting it. Way to go Media Dems and the Media Minute team way to look out for the residents.
DeleteCVP - if that's true, it would be the ultimate travesty to the people of the borough. That bridge was held up by council members with clear conflicts of interest - if the borough is over leveraging to mask the mistake, we're in for a world of hurt.
DeleteHe should also put it towards a study to see why the NBA is overwhelmingly "African-American" and in no way represents the demographics of the country and fans who follow the dumb sport.
ReplyDeleteOk so I have to ask. Do any of the people who post reasonable comments actually go to the meetings and make their point in person? I too post anonymously and hope that TM or someone else takes good points to the meetings. But I have no way of knowing whether that actually happens. Just wondering
ReplyDelete