Back in 2011, Media Borough received a state grant from then, State Senator Dominic Pileggi in the amount of $650,000 towards completing the Third Street Bridge project. This allowed the project to clear a financial hurdle that at the time was crucial.
At the February 2018 meeting, Media Borough Council showed just how badly the project and financing have been handled. Due to these grants expiring, Media Borough had to re-apply for the grant due to no plan in place to proceed with the repair. The DEP is still waiting for Media to submit a permit. Having to re-apply for a grant towards a major infrastructure improvement for the borough shows a total lack of fiduciary responsibility and legislative direction.
The big question now is: will the money still be available or has it been repurposed?
MEDIA Borough Council will NEVER RE-OPEN 3rd Street Roadway. It is a disgrace.
ReplyDeleteCVP but they sure took the money from Sunoco fast for a now shutdown pipeline
DeleteAnd yes and took the money without regard to safety of any residents in there "easement area left over from The entity Media Water Company disgraceful all
Of the local council people and the mayor for not asking about safety
In writing prior to taking the 350 k
Tedman, can you list the players that are affected by the bridge re opening? What past and present council members benefit from it being closed? Who is helped? Time to uncover the hypocrisy
ReplyDeleteMedia borough does a great job of looking out for a few select residents that live near the site
DeleteFormer mayor Frank Daly, Current council person Lisa Johnson, and Kent Davidson STOP SPENDING BOROUGH TAX DOLLARS OBSTRUCING THIS PROJECT
Those adversely affected by the continuing illegal bridge closure: residents of Media and Upper Providence; Media Police, Fire, and EMTs; Rose Tree Media School District, which reported that this closure costs the district about $50,000 per year to re-route school buses. The dam/bridge was closed in 1996 when it was deemed unsafe. The first court action seems to have occurred in 2006.
DeleteUsing the 1996 date, the closure has cost the school district about $1.1 million dollars, or possibly more by now. Using the first court date of 2006 (12 years ago) when the Boro was ordered to repair the bridge, the cost to the district - which means, the cost to taxpayers, really - has been about $600,000 dollars. But that's just the school district's costs. That doesn't include legal costs of the Boro (again, actually to Media taxpayers) to first try to reduce the bridge to one lane, or its continuing costs to keep the bridge closed by refusing to apply for the state funds designated for the repair of the bridge. A number of Boro Council members ran on a platform of keeping the bridge closed. The Boro continues to be in contempt of court now for 12 years for refusing to comply with the court order to proceed with the repair of the bridge, as a two-lane, two-way roadway, as it was originally. SO, all told - and Tedman may have additional figures - the bridge closure has cost local taxpayers well over $1 million dollars. Quite a hefty sum to accommodate members of Boro Council and some of their friends who don't want the bridge reopened. Because as some were quoted in the local papers, they don't want the additional "noise or traffic."
I would love to know how much this debacle has cost the borough tax payers. I would wager that we spend enough to have the road re-built by now. Just think of all the other projects that could have been completed if they did not piss away all that money. Maybe we could have fixed the garage the right way, or fixed our existing stormwater system, or the crumbling curb, sidewalks and crosswalks.
ReplyDeleteA least we will have a pocket park with a rain garden. That should help.......well no one really, except maybe the addicts that will now have a secluded place to shoot up.
Our grant writer is that taussig lux ?
ReplyDeleteI guess the grant writer was directed by Keff Smith to get pocket park monies and ignore the grant application for 3rd street bridge dam someone should be fired for how this is being handled
Never fail Bob Mcmayon with b
ReplyDeleteBlank look on his face. Must have mastered that while taking money from clients at
Meryl Lynch
Infastucture how funny what does Brian Hall know about infrastructure
ReplyDeletePerhaps we should change our retained engineering firms again because the council and mayor doesn't agree with
Good engineering practice s and common sense
It is disgusting how the council can repeatedly delay a stipulated court order without ramifications. Who's in charge of pursuing prosecution of the entire lot of them, for failing to abide by Judge Proud's decree? If I remember from this blog (years ago, thank you Tedman) the instruction to Media Borough was to 'proceed with opening the bridge POST HASTE'.....we see how well that worked.
ReplyDeleteNot sure but I would personally donate money to a citizens action committe to follow up on this even if it means the action committee has to hire a lawyer
ReplyDeleteTo get results
These people should be impeached!
ReplyDelete"If a RACP project does include and require improvements to housing, roads, bridges, tunnels, infrastructure, and/or drinking water/waste disposal/wastewater/stormwater systems, these improvements must not be the primary focus of the project; and as per Act 77 of 2013, they must be associated with a project that is part of an economic development project; and in the case of housing, must be part of a community revitalization plan and in accordance with RACP requirements. These additional requirements for housing projects are not required if the funding is from a designated special allocation for housing."
ReplyDeleteNot sure how funding dam to impound private lake meets RCAP requirements.
It's a public roadway with a dam on public property fix it the way it was and stop pandering to former and current local officials who live near the site
ReplyDeleteThe impounding of water happens to be runoff from Media Borough's roadways
And could benefit the quality of water downstream which happens to be upstream of our drinking water plant the money was available Media Borogh deliberately did nothing with the now expired grant