Raising the Bar - Educating our Children

By Paula M. Brown

Applying bandaids or quick fixes to infections, usually don't cure the problem. It's time we "Raise the Bar" in Darby - beginning with investing in our childrens education as they are our future leaders....

When the public gives their input or opinion, nothing can fail, but when you disregard the opinion of the public, you can't succeed. Elected Officials in Darby, need to heed those words of wisdom.

Quick fixes or band-aids, never heal infected wounds properly. Unfortunately, for many years, the only medical attention Darby has been given is a band-aid without cleansing the wound. The course of action or "treatment" was decided without public input will be detrimental to our borough.

THE INFECTIONS WE HAVE

The infection we are suffering from? A combination infection made up of several different parasites.

Part 1 - Officials are going to pay $200,000.00 in alleged back overtime and comp time to a salaried official. The financially strapped Borough of Darby, cannot afford to pay this figure.

There is also no evidence, paperwork or documentation that it is even owed. The only documentation there is was from the Delaware County Grand Jury in 1999. In their report, they emphatically decided that "no official who is salaried or part of a management team, can collect over time." Case closed.

Part 2 - Juvenile Crime and drug use/sales are on the rise.

Children are hanging on corners, selling drugs, fighting with guns, knives or other weapons. "There's no place to go", "There's nothing to do" are the cries from kids and adults alike. The streets have swallowed some of our families. Babies are having babies. Long gone is the two parent household. Single moms are working two and three jobs just to make ends meet. Some have no father or he may be in jail. Some have mothers who are on crack. Some are being raised by grandparents.

Part 3 - Residents are complaining that "nothing is being done". Services have declined, Taxes have risen dramatically.

Part 4 - Officials now want a new, bigger and better police station...so the dwindling full time police department can have more room....

Part 5 - The District Court is overcrowded. Case loads are increased with the increase of arrests. Backlogs are increasing.

THE BAND AID

The Prescription currently ordered here does not cure the infection. A Back Room deal offered an expensive quick fix. Borrow almost 5 million dollars - pay out the back overtime, build a new Police Station and District Court, build a "gym" to quiet the residents and give the kids a "place to play".

Only in Darby, can elected officials be "prompted" to spend almost 5 million dollars of taxpayer monies without notifying the residents or asking for their input. An expenditure as such is mandated to be put to a referendum at a municipal election before being spent.

However, when the project was announced publicly, the "Doctors of Darby" forgot to announce the major procedure of obtaining a several million dollar loans to cover the cost. Instead, they promoted the acquisition of a dilapidated building they were going to tear down, claim eminent domain and rebuild it as a "community center" and put an end to the problems of Darby. They were questioned month after month as to the total cost of the project. The only answer they gave was "Governor Rendell gave us a grant for $250,000.00 for all the hard work we did and State Senator Anthony Williams will pick up the rest". A fiscally irresponsible plan is being implemented in Darby and I doubt very much if Governor Rendell and Senator Williams are even aware of its mask of deception. It begs the question, why would you spend almost 5 million dollars to build new municipal buildings when our streets are trash strewn and marked with sink holes from the ancient infrastructure of our sewer system. Because of Darby ignoring the dilapidated sewer system and the infectious problems it causes our residents, we are now mandated by the State of Pennsylvania to fix these problems within a 5 year time frame or face heavy fines. The necessary corrective measures that are mandated will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars of which will be turned over to the property owners to pay the increases. Hundreds of houses are abandoned or on the verge of collapsing. The major property owner is the Section 8 slumlord who escapes the penalties of not paying their taxes or code enforcement violations. Many of these homes have broken sewers where the sewage is visible on our streets, sidewalks and in the homes attached to them. The major employer in Darby is the Drug Dealer who swallows our young.

With all these problems, why are we borrowing almost 5 million dollars to build another building for officials? Why would Governor Rendell and Senator Williams blindly give more money to a borough who is not fixing its problems but creating new ones?

RAISING THE BAR - CURING THE ILL

There are solutions, but Darby officials refuse to explore the options to correct our problems on a long term basis. Building a new police station with a "gym" will not save our children. In order to Raise the Bar, our kids need education. They need support and mentoring from us to obtain higher education so they can obtain stability, secure employment that will enable them to rise above the norm here in Darby instead of selling drugs or solving disputes with automatic weapons. With an education, our future leaders will be able to effect a change here that would curtail violence, drug use and criminal activity.

These " borrowed taxpayer monies" should be funneled into programs that will broaden the minds of youth and adults, They should redirect these monies into saving our Historic Library.

The mind is a terrible thing to waste, and when it's wasted, communities die. "Our Progress as a Nation, can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource." John F. Kennedy

Whether or not you live in Darby, in the community where you live, take a stand and help Raise the Bar. Mentor a Child. Encourage our Youth. Broaden our minds...Together.