Economic Development
Corporation
After multiple attempts to
pass
"The Economic Development Corporation"
using
unscrupulous tactics - they ignored the
residents and did just that on 8-10-23.
The Board appointed May 9, 2024... and stay tuned for a lot of
improvements to property owners bottom lines, thanks to the $$$
that is no longer in YOUR bank account.
MISTAKES?
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NEXT MEETING
: On
May 9th 2024 the Economic Development Corporation is to
choose Board Members. Only 3 . A ridiculous number in a Town
with 15 Wards and over 58,000 residents. AND it is set to
appoint, ultimately, our Manager, Richard Manfredi as its
Executive Director - despite that he already has a full time job
that he is
being paid over $230K a year to do and is
not even doing that well because all of his attention is going to
development that most residents, voters and taxpayers do
not want.
8-10-23
Passed!
Scroll down for documents showing what was passed
https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/abingtonpa/a38db8ad-70c2-11ed-9024-0050569183fa-ca2b9c28-b9cf-4f17-b573-dd2752d4679e-1691517246.pdf
WHAT IS THE (PROPOSED) ABINGTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION?
A community based PA
non-profit proposing to promote economic growth, neighborhood
revitalization, employment opportunities and the
enhancement of the quality of life in the Township.
That's how it is
described by those that want to take your $$$ to make others
wealthy, while they fail to enforce our laws.
WHY IS IT SUCH A BAD IDEA
Can you say "conflict of interest".
Nothing you could make up would be a better set up for "pay to
play". The Commissioners are acting as developers themselves
here, but funneling grants, loans and other money to the
characters of their choosing via a "separate" non-profit
that they nonetheless claim they "control" (but it's
separate) and they promise they will keep strict
oversight of. Oh my. They can't even figure out how to get
their code enforcers to enforce the code???? So how would
they do that? Oh wait - is the code not being enforced in
order to "create" blighted properties for their new
"Economic Development Corporation to "improve"? ( With
your funds...)
They have found a way to
(and they admit this openly and in writing) "distance
themselves from the opinions of the public " and avoid
inconveniences, like having to get bids that "government"
projects might be subject to.... They can rezone any
property to their liking and already took the re-zoning of what was to be their first project
to the Planning Commission, failing to notify anyone nearby and
doing the rezoning at your
expense. They can issue their own permits, do their
own inspections, etc . Oh my. What a deal for a developer,
grants,loans and the use of free resources and personnel
with no one keeping a tally sheet. Sweet! The bad features
for residents who are footing the bill, however, just go on & on.
I know you wanted some redevelopment - but did you want to
pay for what someone else will profit from? While the code
enforcers you are ALSO paying for continually fail to enforce
the code on those same properties ....) And given that we
have had to protest so much of what the Commissioners threatened
to approve - like the PRIET apartments or the BET/YMCA debacle -
are you sure these are the guys you want deciding what's
"in your interest"? While you also pay for it?
Oh yes - and they are
appointing our Manager - as Executive Director --- you
know the same guy, Richard Manfredi, who couldn't get the blight
in his Township cleared up because he refused to appoint code
officials who would enforce the code.
As they say --- what a racket !!!
UNSCRUPULOUS TACTICS from start to finish
People don't have to use these kinds
of tricks when they are doing something honorable that really IS
in your interest.
1) In 2019 they brought it to
Committee, held a presentation and tried to move it right on to
the Board of Commissioners for a vote, knowing that no one knew
what it was and how it worked. The By Laws that contained the
heart of how it would function were blank.
2) The
Manager put this highly contested item on the "consent agenda"
which is for items that need no discussion and getr
approved qquicly in a block vote - everyone is
in agreement - they are passed all together as a group. Of course everyone
wasn't in agreement . Mr Manfredi knew that. Putting it on
the consent agenda was a despicable move. We managed to get it off the consent
agenda and get it back before the public for discussion.
3) Items in the presentation by the $350 hr lawyers ( who
used a boilerplate template ) included goals of
helping the Commissioners distance themselves from the public ,
and go around standard protections such as required
bidding. The non-profit is "quasi-governmental" &
Directors are appointed by the Commissioners and supposedly the
Commissioners will retain control, but they are
"sepaarate" and don't have to follow the Commissioners rules.
4) The
Township taxpayers will be funding it and "loaning" money
to it (unclear if any will be paid back- even though they are
calling them loans) . They will be using our personnel and other
resources (unclear that there would be any "accounting"
whatsoever of their time or other costs - so an open opportunity
for corruption.. Profits, we have been
told, will be used in keeping with the mission -- and might be used to
fund the start of the next non-profit and then the next ..... so
this is a HUGE CONCERN
5) The conflicts of interest are obvious - as the Commissioners
can rezone land ( for themselves now) - can use eminent domain (
for themselves now) - are the ones that listen to compaints (
about themselves now ) and can decide to ignore them ( as is
standard ) - are the ones that will issue and oversee permits (
for themselves now) and will be sure the laws and codes are
followed ( by themselves -- when they can't seem to properly
oversee others.) What's wrong with this picture?
6) The intent is to use grant funds and $ from
foundations and as many other sources as possible. With no bid
contracts, overpayment for services
to a contractor could leave lots of extra $$$ in the
pockets of those who might consider contributing a personal "thank you" back to the
campaign funds of the entities in control of who gets to play in
this sandbox. Since grant funds & other resources are
being used, no bare-bones accounting will be necessary.
7) The Township CREATED the blighted
properties at your expense by not requiring the Code
Enforcement Officer(s) to enforce the property maintenance code
and impose fines for properties held in blighted condition until
the negligent property owners decided either to make it comply
with code or to sell it, because not complying had become
costly.
8) So now, after getting you to pay for a
Code Dept that is not enforcing the code, you will pay again by
paying for personnel and resources and the grant $$ they will
use. Did you want to PAY for these projects yourself - because
you will be . This is how the wealth is transferred and why so
few own so much of the wealth
8) The Township
cancelled most all of the Vacant Property Reveiw Board meetings
once we started demanding that the Code Department do their job
and make the errant property owners pay the price .
Cancelling the meetings meant that we had no place to address
our concerns about errant property owners OR errant Code
personnel. This removed the input by the public to improve
the properties in the right way.
9) The Township took
this off the table, then hired a firm (Delta Group) to do a feasibility study.
We expected that to come back first and be reviewed before they
moved ahead with anything. Instead - they simply brought
the finished Ordinance back in July 2023 with changes they had
made to it -(when and where we don't know - but not in
public) This was an ordinance that hadn't been seen
since... (was it 2020?) - and they said it was done and ready
to be passed. Whaaaaat ?
10) It zoomed ahead
in July 2023 to be advertised for a vote... and is coming to
that vote on 8-10-23
......
On
8-10-23
They passed it -
without acknowledging virtually any of the concerns of the
residents that were expressed from the beginning.
EDC'S AKA "GIVING AWAY MONEY" -
RARELY ACCOMPLISHES WHAT ONE HOPES ....
IT SIMPLY TRANSFERS $$$ FROM THE POCKETS OF THE LESS FORTUNATE
TO THE WEALTHY AND CONNECTED.
https://www.chelseagreen.com/2018/economic-development-local-biz/
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/realities-economic-development-subsidies/
RESOURCES /
LINKS
ORIGINAL PRESENTATION 9-4-19
by OBERMAYER AT PUBLIC AFFAIRS
1 HOUR 25 MINUTES IN
https://abingtonpa.viebit.com/player.php?hash=ycmmKauf3cEz&t=4801
AT 1 MIN 34 INTO PRESENTATION
VIDEO OF 1-11-2020
ROUNDTABLE
https://abingtonpa.viebit.com/player.php?hash=oN5tEFKj0PPA
TOWNSHIP ARCHIVE OF THE ISSUE
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/government/board-of-commissioners/board-of-commissioners-initiatives/economic-development-corporation
THE ORDINANCE ITSELF AS brought to boc 8-10-23 to
pass
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/17765/638242486492900000
CHANGES TO ORDINANCE AS OF 7-13-23 /STILL VALID
8-10-23
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/17767/638242501903570000
QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS AS OF 12-19
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/14550/637138212189730000
PRIOR ACTIONS, POINTS, SUMMARIES
The
Township page is here :
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/government/board-of-commissioners/board-of-commissioners-initiatives/economic-development-corporation
The original Presentation is here and starts 1 hr 25min 30
secs in :
https://abingtonpa.viebit.com/player.php?hash=ycmmKauf3cEz&t=4801
This, in my opinion, is the worst measure the Township has ever
tried to pass. It is a sheer attempt to take dollars from your
pockets and put them in the pockets of their friends ……which
will undoubtedly return to roost at election time, with no
clear connection that would make it illegal.
This is why they have tried multiple times now to bully
this through without any
opportunity for meaningful input - with residents kept as
much as possible in the dark.
The first time, (in 2019?) they tried to pass it
before the documents were even written. Then, even after the
pretense of holding
THREE, (count ‘em three) public meetings, they tried again to
slide it past us as originally written, while Covid’s new
Zoom rules gave them full control to mute our mics like we
weren’t even there protesting. After we got that attempt to pass
it dropped, they tried to take the intended first project to a
Planning Commission review before it was even ever designated
officially as an Economic Development Corp project. That also
was dropped when we loudly protested.
On Wednesday
night they will hold their 4th meeting --- but again,
we have NO CLEAR INDICATION that any changes that would have
derived from those many public meetings is in any way
incorporated into any version . The versions ,
of course,
should be dated to
reflect if any have been amended. There are no documents
labelled as such in the line-up as of this writing.
After THREE public meetings, that should give you a huge
heads up – and show you the huge red flag that is wildly waving
here.
I have asked again
and again for a financial analysis that shows us the cost /
benefit of their proposals. A theoretical, if you will.
You should ask the same of your Commissioner.
How dare they spend your
money without a direct, clear, comprehensive analysis that shows
what the outcome would be gain or loss – or what benefit at what
cost. But this would
show you what they do not want you to see ---- that, yes, some
nice things will be built – but largely from YOUR pockets ---
and the tens of thousands or possibly millions in outgo are not
likely to be recouped for decades and decades, if ever.
Don’t forget to have them account for the cost of your
manager and your personnel. They don’t
work for US for free – so
why should they work for this “quasi-independent”
non-profit for free – one whose stated purpose was
(among other onerous things) to distance the Commissioners from
the input of the public.
Nearly
every Committee meeting was needlessly cancelled ... removing
residents right month after month for open comment .
This “separate
entity” will take
available grant monies and put them in someone else’s hands to
use – someone you don’t elect and can’t
unelect . So the grant funds may not be used for the most
important needs of
Abington Township taxpayers and residents.
Their actions here tie in directly with the failure of
the code department to enforce codes --- leaving “blight” that
speculators can now get grants for. A win/win for those causing
the blight and those speculating with your money and
mine, not their own.
And this ties in, too, with the failure of the Township to
follow through on flood projects, for instance, that might
divert grant monies away from their friends in the Economic
Development Corporation Board.
So what if residents are left to deal with the constant
invasuion of water the Township is supposed
to control.
A conflict of interest
can be seen if you are watching. Please do.
A
shareable link that contains the information here and more
discussion on this issue can be found at :
https://abingtoncitizens.com/aaISSUES/EconomicDevelopment/TheEconomicDevelopmentCorporation.htm
https://abingtoncitizens.com/aaISSUES/EconomicDevelopment/TheEconomicDevelopmentCorporation.htm
or just go to
www.abingtoncitizens.com
and choose Economic Development Corporation
at the top of the homepage .
Public Comment Quashed in gneral. Committee Meetings have been
needlessly cancelled -
Residents only resonable opportunities for open public comment
were removed - and the opportunity to speak for 3 minutes at
Full Board agenda items when they have been removed, was ALSO
removed. It is clear the intent is to limit public comment .
Manager Richard Manfredi, Solicitor Michael Clarke, and
President /Vice President John Spiegelman and Tom Hecker seem to
be orchestrating a removal of public input during Covid --
some of which had begun to be evident prior to Covid .
They simply took advantage of the Covid aberration to
entitle themselves to remove rights that were unnecessary to
remove. This is a violation of the Sunshine Law which
requires residents be given a "reasonable " amount of time to
speak on any item before it is voted on.
End Run To the Planning Commission:
An attempt was made to have the Old York & Susquehanna corner
property go before the Planning Commission - before any
acknowledgement was officially made that this would or would not
be the first project of the Economic Development Corporation
as had previously been touted. Those interested in the Economic
Development Corporation were not notified - and once
again, the lack of credibility of those trying to sneak all this
through is thoroughly hanging out for all to see.
Ignoring
Public Comments - attempt to pass the original version: May 11h - A complete disgrace. We have just seen
the agenda posted on the Mother's Day weekend ..........
They are trying to fast-track the ORIGINAL ordinance
to a hearing. All of the gestures to supposedly
consider the input from the residents were fake - all of the
hours the residents put in, just a waste of their time.
The May committee meetings have been canceled so the proposal to
advertise won't even get a proper vetting and a week to organize
residents throughout the Township. Despite all Township
activities supposedly being on hold because of the Covid 19
coronavirus, the Township decided to move forward with this
without any effort whatsoever to institute the changes into the
ordinance. This is nothing short of disgusting, given all that
many of us have put into it. Though it was ultimately removed
from the agenda - the damage to the Commissioners' credibility
was quite definitely evident.
All of the supposed concerned for resident input was a complete
sham - hours and hours of meetings,
roundtables, questions submitted, answers read, and emails
sent. That went out the window. In September 2019, you may
recall, they tried to pass an ordinance with "blank" bylaws --
ones they would fill in later however they wanted. When we
roared our disapproval, Commissiopners Spiegelman and Vahey
promised that our comments mattered. Apparently they do not.
Commissioners John Spiegelman, Matt Vahey and Tom Hecker appear
to have completely ignored every bit of advice that they
got...including some very serious concerns about conflicts of
interest, the composition of the Board, the ability of residents
to have say and some control over the Board and more .
Some of us who spent dozens, possibly scores of hours on this to
make our community better are infuriated. This is absolutely not
the kind of government that we want. This is a government that
puts forth a pretense of caring about what think but then tries
to take advantage of any opportunity to dupe that process.
The way the Economic Development
Corporation is being set up, it has literally no oversight
mechanisms. Public monies can be spent (given) to favorite
developers without any requirement to bid competitively. And
without any regard even to whether residents approve of project
or not . On the financial front, if theydecide
to build a brick outhouse --- and the residents don't know
whether that should cost $20,000 or $100,000 --- the developer
can pad the figures any way he wants. He can say a $20,000
outhouse cost $40,000 - and who would be able to argue .
When they have no oversight and no competition, and their own
monies are not even at stake at times, the likelihood of
corruption is great. The residents are not served at all
with this kind of behavior. And with no strong checks and
balances in the ordinance.
Those excess monies, obtained by padding the numbers,
invariably end up back in campaign coffers. The coffers of
the very people that decide who gets to be on the Board or who
gets selected to develop. All residents will see is a nice
project all complete, unless they have tools for oversight
clearly written in . It doesn't matter how nice the
project looks, if in the end you paid for it yourself. If
they asked you did you want to pay for and build a building that
somebody else was going to get the income from and the use of,
what would your answer be? That is a huge part of the
equation here.
All these
concerns were brought up at the various meetings and not a
single measure for oversight was added to the documents.
They went right back to square one.
COVID 19 sets everything back : March
2020. By mid-March the Township was hit with
coronavirus and all operations came to a halt. Or so we thought.
Apparently the Township decided to take that opportunity to
cancel committee meetings where residents have the greatest
opportunity to speak, instead of holding them via Zoom like they
are holding the other meetings , like the full board meetings.
They had no reason to stop- but it made a good excuse
Roundtable # 2 :
Feb 22 Saturday 9am.
A second roundtable is held . The roundtable is a robust
format that allows for conversation to be NOT so tightly
controlled - and there can be real communication . A great
number of issues came to the fore. One resident had been asked
at the last meeting to modify the Bylaws to reflect some of the
changes that had been discussed. She did that. No timetable was
set for the next meeting but it was disappointing that only one
person was working on changes from the first meeting - rather
than the group crafting them together.
Lost opportunities for Public Comment
Feb 5 They did NOT publish the Economic Development Corp as an
agenda item on the Feb 5th Committee meeting agenda, so that more could
weigh in
Public Meeting #2 Jan 2020 On Jan
11th at 9 AM, the second special meeting on this topic was held.
It was formatted as a roundtable ( rather than the extremely
unproductive question and answer session that preceded it ---
where all the questions had to be written in advance and were
"chosen" by the Commissioners answering it.) January 11
was the first properly productive meeting I have seen in the
now 14 years I have been working on these issues full-time. In this
meeting, residents were openly allowed to discuss issues and to hear the voices of fellow residents who agreed or
disagreed with them. Comments were not always answered
"countered" by a Commissioner with the "Township's position"
( though there was initially some effort at controlling it in that manner ). It became very quickly clear where some of
the major concerns were . I will soon be sharing a
summary of what was brought up at that meeting you will find it
chronologically (Jan 11th ) at the bottom of this page.
Questions and Answers not posted as promised.
We were promised in September 2019 our questions would be posted - as
well as the answers - they were not ..... not until
mid
December - and subsequent ones were not added as they arrived.
In addition many were answered with a non-answer (ie we
will follow the By Laws ..... and of course they By-Laws are
changeable at the drop of a hat) They are posted here :
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/home/showdocument?id=14550
Email share out list not provided.
We asked for an email information list We were refused.
We wnat not only to communicate with one another - but to have
information on this topic mailed out directly to us as it comes
up. Not a shred of cooperation.
Commissioner Spiegelman blocks some from seeing his postings .
The Commissioner continues to put out information about
this and other issues while blocking some from seeing his
postings or receiving his emails - contrary to Federal
Law - and certainly not in the interests of transparency.
Commissioners Spiegelman and Vahey promised questions
would be taking randomly - Commissioner Vahey is seen, on video, moving those he apparently doesn't like to the bottom of the
pile
Commissioners Spiegelman and Vahey
were asked to
start a mailing list for information on this matter You
can ask again.....
mvahey@abington.org ;
spiegs@abington.org ;
Original Presentation & details of the issue :
One overtly
stated goal is to distance the government from the reaction of
the public - and another is to avoid protections like bidding
regulations, etc.. The entity will be "separate"
so
no funds will return to you
nor is your input needed for the use of your funds.
This represents a complete abuse of power.... that they
claim is legal .....but as with all bad
legislation, if you sit quietly while they install it, your
rights will simply be removed, just as your speaking rights
recently were.
You have only to read about all the other
"economic development
" authorities that went awry, to understand how bad this
can be. Remember, that before the indictments and
investigations on all of them, there were years of people thinking it
was working just fine ---- just look at our shiny new businesses
- aren't they wonderful? Yes, at least they were..... until someone exposed what was
really
happening behind the scenes. It doesn't all start the day of the
indictment. And some of the bad characters never get
indicted because no one is willing to stick their neck out to
stop it.
One entire Board of
Suupervisors was indicted... because they knew of the corruption
and allowed it. The Inquirer just did a giant layout on the
Investigation in New Jersey's authority. It was
eye-opening and distressing. And article in Oct 28th
inquirer involved a redevelopment authority who had
sold properties to an entity without doing due diligence. There
is, generally , no one minding the farm while the dipping into
taxpayer assets is going on.
Most distressing in
Abington is that one organization can then use what should be
OUR profits to spawn another....and another ... and
another. Or engage in any other business it wants
to, as long as the Board deems it "in our interests". You
know, like tearing down the historic YMCA was in our interests -
or building a crazy busy Wawa in the middle of one of the
busiest intersections was in "our" interest. This will not only set development off and
running at record speeds, it will be the Township supervising
itself, allowing itself it's own zoning and deciding FOR us what
is good for us .
John Spiegelman says we'll all have a seat at the table . Utter
poppycock. There is no one that has a seat at the table
now unless they agree with him. He has regularly violated all
speaking rules, frequently to shut others up, then when we
protested he voted to
change the rules so he had none. We don't believe that is
even legal - but with a battle to fight every 3rd minute, that
will have to go into a waiting list.
Now what could go wrong in a Township that
is not yet finished with the last Dist Attorney Investigation, Grand Jury
Report, Whistleblower Lawsuit, etc that is becoming
infamous for the quashing of resident voices ?
Perhaps more than you might
even imagine.
_______________________________________
DETAILS DETAILS DETAILS
HERE
ARE THE questions that I submitted
plus some posed by others
SEND YOUR QUESTIONS
to: rmanfredi@abingtonpa.gov
copy to
amcilvaine@abingtonpa.gov and to
spiegs@abingtonpa.gov
They are
supposed to be (anonymously) on-line with answers
.
But a full month after the
informational meeting - no such postings are available. So
it will
be just the same as the last minute shenanigans
SUMMARY OF
THE ISSUE Here is a
page with a concise summary of this issue
The
first
presentation from which the above summary derived
or
https://abingtonpa.viebit.com/player.php?hash=ycmmKauf3cEz&t=4801
The
actual (ORIGINAL) Ordinance ( Ordinance 2169) itself is listed here
or
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/home/showdocument?id=14352
THE
Township page that should have the latest links, meeting
dates, etc.
or
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/residents/economic-development-corporation
The
By-Laws
published 10-9-19 ( 2 days later
was listed as the cut off for questions - cute , huh? )
or
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/home/showdocument?id=14350
The Questions and Answers
are here:
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/home/showdocument?id=14550
just a few
of the many corrupt practices associated with EDCorps
Abington still has an outstanding whistleblower suit & Grand
Jury report ( withheld by tAG of PA Shapiro)
Does it seem wise to wave such temptation before those who
are not yet put to rest the last corruptions.........
(for which taxpayers are paying dearly)
Scroll below to see WHAT YOU CAN DO /// POINT BY POINT /// CHRONOLOGY
you'll find the most recent action at
the very end of the page
Scroll to the Orange "Newsloop" near the top. Sign up for the
Newsloop and get periodic updates on this and other
important local issues
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Email your
Commissioners here or
https://abingtoncitizens.com/TwpGovt/Commissioners.htm :
1)
Tell them
NO you DON'T want your Township becoming a DEVELOPER,
using your personnel, resources, monies and grants while they
simultaneously have the powers of eminent domain, and the
power to rezone and have a dismal history of overseeing
the developers in our Township... you may recall the Colonade, the Baederwood,
Manor Woods, the $600 per sf clubhouse and and some of the
many other debacles.
2)
Tell them to publish
each advertisement that they paid to put in a publication on the
page for this issue - It is hoped they have CANCELED
the initial advertisement that was approved by the Board before they even knew what
was to be in it. This was a manoever ( illegal I would think)
that was meant to "fast track" it so it
passed before
you knew what was happening. It might have passed in October if
dedicated residents had not brought these serious defects to
light
3)
Tell them NO you don't want people outside your Township
deciding what your Township should look like based on how
wealthy it might make them. (Spiegelman said on 10-16-19
that only locals would be on the Board - but that was in
contradiction to the ByLaws presented at that time) You don't want your properties
taken. You want the code enforcement department, that has not
been doing their jobs, to do them - or to be " reassigned"
to clerical work. If a
property is out of code - cite it and it will get into
compliance quickly. In many cases, a fine of $1000 per day
can be imposed. Don't charge residents to
develop it. Instead gather residents in planning how their
rules can be better enforced.
4) Tell them you want your
Township to start putting systems in place that increase your
own ability to have a say in our local development . Where
is the group of residents meeting to discuss what would be right
for Old York and Susquehanna? We don't want this done
behind closed doors or with a private hand-picked group.
We want an open, inclusive process of ONLY ABINGTON
RESIDENTS - the voters - deciding how Abington should look.
They can invite the businesses they choose for input and ideas.
Butthe businesses should not be determining our town for us -
they do not vote. Their interests are more closely associated
with bottom line rather than quality of life. High
density means more profits for them but takes from the qualities
that residents seek.
After
plans are created by residents,
comptetitive bids can be sought. Start with a webpage for each
area of concern where residents come up with solutions. Include a well advertised webpage where
interactive comments
about the comprehensive plan can be entered -- and then
interactive comments for individual project areas like Old york
and Susquehanna. And a page
where priorities for Budget spending can be posted.
Show the simple math that will put to rest the "myth of the
expanded tax base" where only tax revenue is counted
....never the road/street improvements, sewer expansions,
additional police & expanded services are calculated .
5)
Sign up here to receive
our periodic Newsloop updates
on this issue and issues that matter to us all
POINT BY POINT
Seriously??????
What could possibly be wrong with your legislators setting up
their own little separate ( but not really separate) corporation
that they can guide and direct, that will be run by people that they
appoint, where they can funnel grants and monies ( needed for
many things that they have already been ignoring). Seriously?
They have
asked to use our staff/personnel for $1 a year. Do you approve?
Seriously?
They want to appoint your Township Manager Executive Director
--- doesn't he already have a full-time job? Seriously?
One Commissioner who
voted and also promoted the absurd $345 fee has a
sister-in-law who is a partner at Obermayer.
We are told if it was his brother, that would be illegal, but a
sister-in-law bringing funds to thesame household apparently is
not. Seriously?
It is being set up as a "completely separate entity"
that is not bound by the laws and rules that your
legislators and Township staff would be bound by - like fair
bidding procedures, or a requirement for oversight of their
budget. They can skip all that nonsense? Seriously?
Any profits they make won't go back to your budget.....
they can be used to begin other projects with other developers ... you know,
as long as they
meet the "mission". Seriously?
The very people
setting this up are the ones that would approve text and map
amendments that this entity proposed. Seriously?
They can
use your money to help anyone this way -- but tell you it isn't
them -- it is the "separate"entity ....Seriously?
This truely falls under the "How dumb do you think we are"
umbrella ---- Are you sitting
quietly while this happens?..... Seriously?
Our money redirected :
Yup - the
Commissioners ( or maybe even just the manager ) can
direct your tax monies to the Corporation (ie: as loans -
have we become a bank? ),
or help them get grants ( again your tax dollars ) or use your
resources, ( they would like our personnel to be available to
them for $1 per year as they get up and running ---- and
your Manager to be their executive Director - because, I guess,
he wasn't busy with anything else anyway. Oh
my. (Not hard to make a profit when you have so many
advantages, is it? If I get a 20,000 grant and I make a $15,000
profit ....OK you get the idea )
What is wrong with this picture besides
EVERYTHING?
Outsiders,
developers and any Tom, Dick or Harry they choose.
They can appoint people from OUTSIDE or Township to be on the
board - or developers or bankers or lawyers ...... .
They can operate quite independently --- and they are
bragging about the fact that they can DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM
THE REACTION OF THE PUBLIC. So our manager and others who
consult with them on what project they are doing, will not have
to worry about the concerns of the public whose lives they are
affecting. Our voices won't matter - separate entity
remember.
Residents wishes vs money . Text
and Map amendments like the Wawa and the Abington Terrace
project have found developers pitted against the residents whose
lives they are changing . Now, the Township can be
offered openly this unbounded financial incentive to rule in
favor of the corporation. You know... the corporation
carrying out their
mission .
In their first intended project, they have already
started the denial of resident voices : at a
recent meeting, a neighbor just 2 doors away for
Old York and Susquehanna which is destined to be this
Corporation's first project, expressed anger at having been
promised a place at the table in the planning of this "Town
Center" that affects his property with water run-off.
But he had not been invited to join in any of the planning (and including
in this new wrinkle). So the residents are
already being ignored.... while Manager Manfredi mentioned
at the 7-11-19 meeting that a million or more of the 2.8 million
in grants already obtained for that project might go to help a
developer...... Can you see how the "profits" will come to those
developing? Whose money it really is. How the resident voices will be ignored
as they traditionally have been, but now by people who will
profit or can direct and influence the profits.
This is a giant
leap in the wrong direction for a Board that just was subject to
a Grand Jury investigation and verdict.
Other projects are already in
mind: Not ones that residents decided were
most important . There is no process set up
for residents to help decide what needs are the most
important-- while developers find no problem getting private
audiences and special services. Residents are locked out
of that part of the process already. The Noble Station,
for instance, is
an area where grant money ( your tax dollars) were already used
to create a "vision" of shops around the train station with
apartments on top - and a train platform elevated - at huge
expense- to bring the clients to the newly created area . But
some residents with flooding needs were ignored while all that
was put on the front burner. There is nothing about that area
that should take priority over infrastructure projects that
protect homes in existence. Our Township has been
far to willing to give our safety and security away for
partnerships with millionaires. A company from Maryland
came on site to do the work at Noble - imagine what that
cost as they stayed in hotels and commuted so many hours. We
have LOTS of design companies in the Phila area - even in
Abington.....this was our grant money diverted to friends in
other places. At one point we saw a picture with roadside
parking up and down the Fairway. Nothing that any Abington
resident I talked to was in favor of. The Patane property in
Roslyn has long been in the "development "eye" of the Township -
an arts and music center planned there at one time - to the
chagrin of the many homes in "hearing distance" of it. The vision of
those wanting more and more and more money - that goes into
pockets often of wealthy people outside our Township is not necessarily
the vision of the rest of us. And the rest of us are
tired of not having a seat at the table - and the tactics that
are being used to do this.
Unfair advantage
against property owners. They can put pressure on
properties to leave. Meanwhile, please know that they have
been in another room, under the guise of the Vacant Property
Board, levying stiff penalties on certain properties ( some pay
while some have been granted relief and some special friends'
properties didn't even make the list.) And the
Township personnel who are supposed to cite blighted properties
- totally delinquent ........so they actually had a hand in
creating the blight. Now the Township has found a way to profit
from that negligence on their own part. Negligence that
has already cost residents dearly. ( Some had to sell, for
instance, while a fully blighted property next to them
goes ignored by the Township - they lost thousands - who would
move in next to that? ) And they Township also can now
make it quite uncomfortable for the properties that they would
like to buy..... with whatever citations or fees they want -
while other properties are ignored. In addition, the quasi
governmental organization doesn't have to follow the rules that
have been set up to protect against abuse of public
officials using monies, like following government bidding
requirements, for instance.
The actual goal of the entity is to create a
profit (for the Township- but done as a profit that
continues the "mission and the vision of the Township ) ...... i.e. the very legislators
and folks whom you trust to decide things in your best interest,
not according to how much money there might be for them to
direct here or there - might benefit from each project
undertaken by this entity and the entities that spring from its
good fortune. As you well imagine - the benefits would be directed to folks that the
"controllers' admire - you know, like
ones who support their re-election. In whose interest
will they decide when your interest is compared to monies that
they can earn or use or have spread around? Every single decision, from who they put
on the board right down to how they zone the property and
who benefits from the profits that are returned to them will be
a giant conflict of interest. Is there anyone who also doubts
that a generous portion of the spoils will end up in campaign
coffers?
The way it is set up makes corruption too easy.
And in many placesthere have been problems with such Boards.
A
grand jury has indicted all of Warren County’s top government
officials on charges of misfeasance as part of an ongoing
criminal investigation into allegations of embezzlement and
money laundering inside the
local economic development authority,…...
https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/virginia-state-police-all-of-warren-county-s-top-officials/article_0b4dbaa7-df68-529e-8617-0fc95964a70b.amp.html
Proactive ? Commissioner Spiegelman
in the September Vacant property meeting said this is a way to
be proactive and not have to rely on developers who bring us bad
ideas like the Wawa. Yes Commissioner - the residents all
told you it was a bad idea. But the same people who can now
distance themselves from the residents are the very ones who
voted the Wawa in, when they had no need to do that at all.
NOW they admit it was a bad idea. So why would we want them to
have this ability to operate without our input and reshape our
communities in the vision of a handful of developers and special
interests that they decide to put in charge with no obligation
to be bound by governmental limitations. It doesn't get much
more corrupt, does it?
Just to make the point of whom they are serving :
The manager recently said he was trying to find $ for a study to
fix a long, long, long time flooding problems that have
been ignored ----- but while he couldn't find $ to serve the
residents who are being afflicted, he had no trouble finding
$20,000 ( and more ) immediately for this. The
actual loan amount to get them started is likely to be
much higher - that is JUST the cost of setting up the
incorporation ( at $345 per hour). Parks with dying unattended
trees . Houses flooded. Infrastructure needs of every
kind..... They didn't pave my road, full of holes, til I
fell in one and had injuries....... Now funds for those
thisngs will be even harder to come by.
WHO
IS WORKING FOR WHOM? The
less "chit chat" about this the better according to
those who don't want you to know. Take into account
they allowed it to be put on the Consent Agenda " at the next
meeting where there would be ZERO discussion -- and then they
voted for it to be advertized for a Hearing - before they had
even read it (not yet written, remember?)
Our Manager who put it on the consent
agenda is not elected
and cannot hold a meeting with a quorum to decide what hings
should and shouldn't have any further discussion - so the
Consent Agenda should be abolished!
It serves no purpose but to cut
residents further out of their government.
The Commissioners also know that once the hearing is advertised, the
residents only option is to have a few minutes at a meeting
where they are just learning about it and trying to understand
it. At the end of the Hearing only 8 Commissioners
saying "aye" will make it a done deal.
No issue that is controversial
with the residents ever should be placed in a hearing BEFORE it
is clear that residents WANT it to have a hearing. That includes
not just this - but text and map amendments and other things,
too.
It is likely that very few
will even understand what this is all about before it is a done
deal. And that is just the way they like it.
Please attend any meeting you can and use the
open speaking time to speak up . Ask your Commissioner to allow
you to speak at hte beginning of the meeting so you don't have
to sit there waiting . I will try to keep upcoming
meetings posted at the top of the page . I cannot think
of a worse idea that is more against the interests of the
residents of this Township. But if you are silent - you will get
what silence earns you
Disagree??? If you have some thoughts about why you
think this is a good idea - please share them....lel@abingtoncitizens.com
We
welcome your comments
and if you choose we can share either anonymously or with your name attached with
your fellow Abington residents. Or just use
them to inform ourselves. Send any
updated
information, comments or questions to:
lel@abingtoncitizens.com
CHRONOLOGY
9-4-19
The Concept was first proposed at the 9-4-19 Public Affairs
Committee meeting, in
a presentation by the $345 hr attorney & his ( also $345 hr? )
cohort Obermayer, where it received full Committee
support-- even though the ordinance was not fully written
. The
PRESENTATION
is found
1 hour and 25 minutes in
at
his link
https://abingtonpa.viebit.com/player.php?hash=ycmmKauf3cEz&t=4801 Your commissioners using your funds & resources,
had already engaged the attorneys without any budget approval
for same, and while other projects languish, waiting to be
funded. The others unfortunately, will not make
profits - so you can see the inherent conflict of interest
already. Despite the use of Township personnel and
resources and the funneling of
taxpayer & grant funds through it to make the
profits, the profits will NOT go back into your budget. They can
be directed however their "not quite separate" separate entity
wants them to be. What's wrong with THAT picture?
Everything. (
a more complete summary can be found here )
Despite the fact that the Ordinance had
not even been fully written
and therefore they could not know whether the conditions would
be in the interest of their constituents. This attempt to
ram it through was certainly because they knew that
the ordinance would be reviled by their constituents.
They hoped it would be a done deal before 90% of residents even
learned about it.
9-12-19
A HEARING IS ADVERTIZED The Board of Commissioners votes
to advertise a hearing on an Ordinance not even fully written.
Residents struggle to get the topic off the "consent agenda"
where it gets a rubber stamp with no discussion & and try to get further
information. Commissioner Luker reluctantly takes it off the consent
agenda but then just tries to pass it quickly - completely
defying what residents requested. Reason to step
down if the President of our Board is working AGAINST the
interests of the residents who are just trying to get more
information. Residents protest.
They DO vote to advertise the unfinished ordinance for a hearing
--- they should all be ashamed of that except Gillespie
and Zappone who voted no. Peggy Myers spoke up to
ask that an 'informational"
meeting was set - that was agreed to.... but at an unknown date.
Clearly, those who vote to advertize for a hearing could
not know that it was favorable to their constiuents' interests .
The most important parts were not only not done - but there was
an attempt to convince the citizens in a left-handed way that
they had to advertise it for a
hearing in order to get the rest of it written. Absolute
poppycock. It was nothing more than an attempt to ram it through
before we could wake up the community to alert them to what was
happening.
\
10-2-19 LIMITED
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
Residents
speak up at the Public Affairs segment about about
their vote (on 9-12-19) to advertise an ordinance they had
never read - one not yet fully written . It was asked
publicly if Commissioner Winegrad was related to a partner at
Obermayer. Mr Manfredi said that he himself put the issue
on the consent agenda. It was noted Spiegelman's emailed
newsletter are not telling the truth about the details of the
EDCorp. - where the money comes from, what the conflicts
are . ^The Township decided Baederwood 246 units ,
Wawa and other things we told you not . It was metntioned
that there was corruption in many edcorps - In
Virginia an entire Board of Supervisors was indicted for
corruption within their economiuc development authority ---
bothe Phila and Pittsburgh have fought such corruption and there
are amny other examples .
10-9-19 VERY PROBLEMATIC
By-Laws
The heretofore unwritten By-Laws are now on the site
-and residents are given just 2 days ,
til the 11th, to submit questions for the October 16th
meeting . The elements of the ByLaws are
outrageously problematic. Please see
my list of questions
for the 10-16-19 meeting that touches on many of the
problems. Directors can be from anywhere in PA. They
don't have to have any love or affiliation with Abington nor do
they have any responsibility to the residents of Abington. In
fact one of the stated goals in the presentation was to distance
the government from the reaction of the public. And another
stated goal was to avoid the tiresome protections that residents
have under government regulations, such as bidding requirements.
The By-laws themselves can be changed at any time. No
regulations whatsoever have been put in place for taking
property. The Township is listed as the sole member-however that
can change any time the Township decides to change it and add
other members. Liability coverage that would be paid for by
taxpayers can even be offered to someone who does not warrant
it, by virtue of others simply not responding for 30 days.
Liability, funding, public private partnerships, and many other
features are left changeable, wide open, and easy
inlets for corrupt practices. Nearly every important
feature is completely changeable or undetermined.
The
By-Laws
or
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/home/showdocument?id=14350
10-10-19
A REFUSAL TO
PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION Board of Commissioners
meeting . They refused to put this topic on the agenda which
would have allowed more speaking time. Residents had to use
their precious minutes of open comment because they did
not. Commissioner Kline who has been asked again
and again at recent meetings to step down .... because of
the Colonade, including an expensive Grand Jury &
investigation and numerous lawsuits regarding his actions, because of
ridiculing residents, presenting false information, withholding information from his own residents, and most
recently withholding information and defaming another
Commissioner. He was recently
stripped of his leadership as Finance chair in response to that
last barrage of requests. Yet again at this meeting he takes an
opportunity to completely twist the words of one resident - presenting falsely what
was said in an effort to
discredit the resident. This should be unacceptable to all
residents. And all Commissioners . One resident tacklethe
problem of Commissioner Winegrad voting on a matter that
benefitted the law firm where his sister-in - law is a partner.
Another resident took on the fully broken PROCESS - that
included advertizing a hearing for an ordinance that wasn;'t
written, posting the rest of the ordinance just 2 days before a
deadline to submit questions about it -- and the submission
forms do not work. Refusing to guarantee that all
questions asked witll be answered . Refusing to use all means to
notify residnts .
10-16-19
-INFORMATIONAL MEETING
was held .
Please see
my list of questions
for the 10-16-19 meeting that touches on many of the
problems. Thiswas to be
an
information session - theoretically with Q & A .
They created a form where you were supposed to submit your
questions that did not work. And
tthey told people on Dec 9th that only questions submitted in advance by the 11th
will be considered. The information session was to precede the hearing - but
did not
precede the vote to advertise for one! Disgrace.
The Commissioners had already decided this
was a "go"
long before they got ANY input from the residents they are
supposed to serve or even knew that it was in the residents'
interests. . They put the cart
before the horse. Your input clearly does not matter. And it is
up to you to change that -- or to change the people that
are doing that. This
is one of the most problematic ventures Abington has ever
undertaken . Oh
yes, some nice things will get built - but you will pay dearly -
not just with money but with a further erosion of your power and
your rights. And a great deal of your tax money, your township
resources, Township personnel hours, state and federal
grant monies from your pockets ... all will go into the
pockets of people you did not choose, may not like and
have no idea what their vision is . They will likely be building in densities and heights and with shared
parking that you oppose ...... because we have seen
Commissioners approive of those . And the
profits that should be returned to you (can you have a
profit when something is "grant funded" ? ) will be
spent creating "mini-me corporations, whose intent is to
multiply tese actions. Their newfound wealth
(your tax dollars) will undoubtedly "buy", via campaign contributions,
the legislation that will counter your own choices/voices.
Please wake up and understand that this measure is not in your
interest. If the Township wants something built, they can
encourage developers to build it without taking your voice out
of the mix, without removing the protective regulations and without getting
you to pay to create a series of new developers that will
fast-track the overdevelopment that is already problematic.
At the
informational meeting there was nothing but contradictions.
We understand the Township provides transcripts to Viebit Video
for the Closed Captioning - so we are waiting for them to
provide that transcript that we have requested . If
that doesn't come, we will summarize the meeting for you .
-
The answer to your first question is no,
because there is nothing to put on Thursday's agenda. The
ordinance is being advertised and will continue to be
advertised. This doesn't mean that the public hearing on the
ordinance HAS to be held during the Board's November
meeting, only that it CAN. If the Board deems it necessary
for it to be moved to the December meeting, then we'll make
that move.
-
We can't guarantee answers by the time of
the public information session to questions submitted after
10/11 (the reference to 10/11 on the webpage is a typo that
is being corrected), but that doesn't mean that we won't
try. It is my desire to provide answers to as many questions
as possible by the time of the information session, and it
is my intention that EVERY question---even those asked after
the information session---be answered. And I will be
communicating all of this to my constituents, as I
communicate everything.
-
The articles of incorporation and bylaws
of the proposed corporation are being completed will be
posted to the website very soon.
12-16-19
The Questions and ansers were finally posted -
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/home/showdocument?id=14550 just
as everyone heads into the holidays . Many are not answered.
Many are answere with "non-answers" like we will follorw
the By -Laws
2023
Earlier in 2023 Money put in Budget
for feasibility study and Delta Group chosen
4-3-23
In April there was a presentation from Delta Group doing a
feasibility study --- Clearly job one is to funnel to all of the
development projects as much of YOUR $$ as is possible - grants
from every source including foundation - loans or funds
from township , Use of Townshop personnel
we expected
that study to come back our questions to be answered first
--- but Manfredi acted like the feasiubility study had nothing
to do with our concerns over adopting this . We expected to see
examples that came with financials - we rarely get what we
expect .....
5-11-23 The Delta Group at the
Working Session - as has become standard in Abington under
Richard Manafredi- - no documents
were included in the agenda for this meeting - despite that they know we can't prepare for a
meeting without the documents . The Delta Group is being asked to
start the feasibility study for Economic Development
7-13-23
We did not hear next from Delta group. As usual - the documents
were withheld and not posted properly by Friday at the end of
the day -- so you know that SOMETHING is going to be on the
agenda
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