Save Darby!!!!
This Blog was created to give people the chance to comment, complain or make suggestions on how to 'Save Darby" and bring it back to the great community hometown it once was! Feel free to list complaints about what you see is wrong, or make suggestions on how to improve...or just list comments or community updates!
posted by Unknown | 8:36 PM
30 Comments:
Want to see what Darby was once like? Check this website out to see Darby and it's rich history!
http://members.aol.com/paulabrown185/page7.html
Paula, you finally got it.. to contribute to the Delaware County Blog just post to it. any probs e mail me or give me a call on my cell.
Cheers.
We need to stop section8 in taking over Darby. The paying taxpayers who lives in the house are moving out fast.
Good point Richard. Entirely too many people are moving out...not just because of Section 8 but because of lack of services too...trash pick up, crime, drugs etc. The key here is to follow the "Broken Window Theory"...whereas when a window breaks, you fix it right away instead of waiting until other things deteriorate and it costs more to fix...
A little known or cared about fact: Darby was the hub of Delaware Country, formerly Chester County.
Darby Borough, PA, the settlement village on Darby and Cobbs Creek was once a part of Darby Township which was partitioned to create several Delaware County Boroughs and Townships. Darby had its first Town Meeting in 1683 and was incorporated in 1853. Settled by Quakers in 1681-82, it quickly became an industrial and business center. Darby Borough played an important part in the development of Delaware County, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States.
Darby PA History
Hire more police, they need as much help as they can get! this town was to good to us to let it just pass by, look at when the rains came, look how we all came together, well the rains never wen't away!
Hire more police, they need as much help as they can get! this town was to good to us to let it just pass by, look at when the rains came, look how we all came together, well the rains never wen't away!
sorry for posting 2 times
That's okay Bill, The first time I "blogged" I did the same thing...hireing more police is a good point. Currently, the department is understaffed by 17 full time positions that should have been filled. There is a nationwide formula that is used to determine the amount of police officers needed for a town and the crime they have. We are WAY short. AND in addition to that fact...it would also help if there was some good sufficient supervision in the department....as of right now, there is none unfortunately. The town is too good to let it go to waste. And the people are also too good to be forgotten.
give it a rest--you ran the town for 8 years and put it where it is. when you had the control all you could talk about was how there was nothing wrong--it appears that since you are now on the outside looking in you want to talk about what you perceive as problemsand act like you were not the cause or part of any problem. do not waste the blogosphere's time with your untruths and rhetoric. people are not as stupid as you think.
Well, I am sorry you feel that way "whynotus"....can't call you by your name because you are too cowardly to leave it. But anyway, you are entitled to your opinion. But I have to say, you are quite misinformed. Obviously you are not a resident and if you are, you are probably one of the "council people" or a relative of one. Or better yet...you are probably one of the highly paid officials like the Borough Solicitors or administrators who live in beautiful homes in high income neighborhoods...thanks to we the taxpayers...
First of all, I never "ran" the town. The Mayor has no vote or control. Only over the police department. And if you remember correctly, when I took office, the police department was in a shambles. There was NO supervision at all, over 300 police brutality lawsuits were filed, a Sgt. was sent to jail for 5 years and the police department was made up of 6 full time officers and 20 part time officers which made matters worse.
After I was sworn in, I made a vow that people would not be violated again. I also made sure that a certain police officer was brought to justice. And then I had to embarrass the council into hiring full time officers. It worked. And because of that, more officers took pride in their jobs and didn't have to cut each other's throats to get a full time position. This worked well until the new "Regime" took full control in 2004.
Now we are back to square one. There is less supervision in the department now....than ever....and for proof of that, just read today's Daily Times...(2-3-07) It's a damn disgrace when a fellow officer puts a loaded semi-automatic gun to another officer's head....and GETS AWAY WITH IT. If that were a resident, or yourself, or even me, we would be charged with attempted homicide or aggravated assault with a weapon.
In the last year, the department has fallen so far...that full timers are leaving like crazy. Full time officers used to NEVER leave Darby...but now they do. Back to the way it used to be almost....we are down to 8 active full timers and 17 part timers. This is not good and we the residents are suffering for it.
The taxes have risen dramatically and NO Council person even protested, voted no or even questioned it. The Mayor could have vetoed the increase...but she didn't. She wasn't even there....
So, Mr. "whynotus"...again, you are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine. I live here every day...I don't think you do...because if you did, you wouldn't have the same opinion. If you have the courage, tell me who you are so we can talk face to face...I doubt you will.
Have a nice day anyway....
guess a nerve got hit, huh? truth hurts doesn't it? while i do not know you, i can tell that the hate you spew is exactly why you are where you are. from reading your writings, you apparently suffer from a narcissistic disorder...what a tremendous case study you would make. be well.
Well you answered my question, you do not live here. If you did, you would know me. And if you knew me, you would know that I am not "spewing" hate. I know the town, I know the people, I know the problems it has and I know that things aren't right...just like most people here know....It's not hate, Mr. Anonymous...it's just sad that a wonderful town like ours with lots of good people and a rich history gets destroyed little by little each day by people who are more concerned with a title or putting their corrupt friends and political hacks in high paying positions, than with doing their job.
You would understand that if you lived here or were from here. You would understand that if your family had ties here. My family has been here since 1903. I have no plans of leaving here and neither do most of our residents. I want to make sure that Darby can still be a place where people are proud to say they are from and proud to come back to. That can't happen when you have a small group of people who control the future of the town by making decisions based on what political parties and leaders dictate to them...
You are right though in one of your "narcissistic" views....I am just where I want to be. A mind is a terrible thing to waste....I am glad I am furthering my education and learning everyday more and more...about people such as you, who feel the need to spend their time watching and criticizing my every move. Is it because you feel threatened that you may lose your "high paying" position if the tide turns? There are many "case studies" such as yours....they usually are classified and logged in the books under "corrupted political appointees". Some even are surcharged for the amount of tax dollars they misuse. You should read up on them, may help you prepare. Have a great night! I have to get back to the books....
"News Flash" I am a Darby resident. I spent many a weekend here in my childhood, Darby was the place to be. I moved here in Jan 1997 and it's been down hill ever since. The reason? Not the Mayor, not an individual council person. The reason..... Lack of respect and communication. As a child i came to Darby, you saw the residents outside, keeping their little patch neat, today, big deal we have a useless street sweeper. The money spent on the street sweeper could have been spent on recreation for the kids. Want to fix Darby? Here's your answer. Get the residents to help fix it. Our residents don't have a lot of money, but they do have skills, to share or trade. Let neighbors help neighbors with repairs, painting, lawn care etc. POSITIVE encouragement ALWAYS works better then fighting. It's time to stop pointing fingers at each other, and point at a single problem at a time, and EVERYONE say, what can I do to help make it better? Then TOGETHER get it done.They say "it takes a village to raise a child" It's time for Darby to stand up, and be a village~! I agree we need more police,but we also need to work with them, in a citizens group, to keep them alerted as to what goes on in our neighborhood. Do i have a block captian? no idea. When someone new moves in, the block captian should introduce themselves, and make sure the new resident knows they're available. Section 8? Again we need to help each other. Why can't we organize a citizens group to help them get a better education, better job to get them off Section8? Section8 and Welfare are supposed to be a crutch, for short term assistance.
It's time get rid of the pedophiles, drug dealers from OUR town, and make it the "family home" again~! We all need to remember that Darby just isn't a place, it's our HOME. The Mayor, Council, Police don't own Darby, WE the RESIDENTS own Darby.
Very nicely said MsMadelineRose! You summed it all up! Especially with the communication part....that is the key. We should be made aware of what's happening...it's a necessary tool we need in fixing our town....thanks for your input, it was well said and well taken....
Ms. Brown, WAKE UP!!! Be part of the solution and not part of the problem. Have you done the job of one of the Borough Cops? You may like you think you have, but in reality you havent come close. I have seen what these men and women deal with on a daily basis (I drive a trolly though Darby very very often). I have seen people swing at officers for no reason, when they get stopped the jump out of the car and start running. Try doing the job of one of the brave men and women, then voice your opinion. How dare you berate any of them, supervisors included.
I used to live in Darby, but once a certain circus clown took over, I left. I can only hope and pray it will once be the nice little "everyone knows you name" town that it once was. Ms. Brown, the people spoke, they obviously don't want you involved in their town anymore. I did what was best for my family and headed for the hills, I suggest you do like wise.
Signed,
William Apex
(former 13th St. Resident)
Well Bill A. Sorry you feel that way. However, yes I do know what the police go through on a daily basis. Driving a trolley through Darby does not give you an accurate picture at all.
To answer your question, in case you didn't know, I supervised the police on a daily basis. That supervision included being at the police station sometime 16 hours a day. I observed very closely the actions of the officers when individuals arrested were brought to the station, processed and housed. I also worked very closely with all victims of crime. I also worked very closely with the Detective Division, developed a system to transcribe witness and offender statements at the police station instead of sending them out.
I also worked very closely with rape victims, child molestation victims, fire victims and domestic abuse victims. I developed a system to process the domestic abuse victims and their PFA applications at the police station immediately after the incident.
In order to properly uphold my statutorily sworn duties, I observed the police department quite closely, which included going on various calls with them. So observation wise, I think I saw a little more than you did just driving a trolley through town.
As far as the administration, policies and procedures of the police department are concerned, I revised most of the Policies and Procedures Manual that is in effect today. I also wrote and obtained over 300,000.00 in grants for the police department.
In addition to that, I do have a degree in Criminal Justice from Temple. 95% of the current officers do not have a degree or any type of college or university credits. 3 years of criminal law and criminal justice courses outweigh any 5 month course.
And lastly, on the subject of me not "knowing what the cops do", well I happen to live with a police officer so not only do I know what happens on the street and in the station, I know first hand what happens when they come home.
As far as the "supervisors" as you mentioned, sadly, today, there are no active "supervisors". The mayor is non-existent. She is not accessible nor is she effective.
The Chief barely comes to work for the last 2 years. HOwever he does find the time to work on his Section 8 rentals....but rarely does his appointed job. But, thanks to the Council and the Mayor, he collects $1559.00 per week when he doesn't even come to work. Don't you wish you had that job? Where you can get your full pay and not have to come to work?
One of the side effects of not having supervision in any job, is that when the cats away, the mice play. Well, when the Chief and the Mayor are never there....you can just imagine what happens.
As you mentioned, how rough it was to be a police officer and what they go through....I can only assume you were speaking of what happens on the street. So we both agree the streets are rough, now imagine having tension inside your department on top of what you go through on the street.
In the absence of supervision, there was an incident reported in the news, perhaps you missed it. However a police officer put his loaded semi-automatic weapon to the head of a fellow officer in the middle of a verbal dispute. Now, just imagine, if they do that to themselves, what do you think happens to our residents when no one is there to supervise or discipline??? Think about it.
And for your last point. Yes the people spoke. However, out of 6,000 people only 900 of them spoke. Out of the 900, only a difference of 100 decided for change.
The voters in Darbe learned a sad lesson 2 years ago about what happens when you don't exercise your right to vote.
I doubt very much if they will ever let that happen again. It was a lesson well learned, and it just so happened to give me a break to learn even more. So all things work out for the best.
I hope they did for you in your move. Thanks for the advice to move, but I like it here, so I think I'll stay.
Paula.. How are you?
Paula, What a GREAT SITE you did a wondrful job.
Yo Paula, I agree we all need to work together and not against one another!
Stop by my newest store
http://cafepress.com/savedarby
Save Darby, Save the World!
Paula.. Did you read about the Community Service DUI hubbub in the times today?
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This is the $64,000.00 question. There are no easy answers. I heard about a pastor of a big church in Newark NJ who had an entire block near his church torn down. There was nothing on this block but dilapidated buildings and drug houses. The church had enough money to build brand new condos for people in the neighborhood to move into. After a few years the condos began to look worn and dilapidated as well. It was very frustrating for him to think that the new dwellings would soon look like what they had replaced. He realized not long after that the problem was not that there weren’t enough resources but that the minds of the people needed to change. And if that didn’t happen there would never be any change in the city of Newark. As a general rule you can take people out of the ghetto but you can’t take the ghetto out of the people. I’m no politician and surely have no knowledge of how to run a city. So I can’t really speak to that end. But I know people. If people don’t change there will never be a change in the environment here in Darby.
I have a neighbor who insists on keeping his trash cans on my property. His trash blows all around the front of my house. I asked the guy to move his cans and he tells me its shared property. Easement he says. As opposed to going up against this guy's head I took pictures of the situation and reported him to the code officer. I want to keep the peace. There is no need to resort to violence in a situation regarding something as stupid as trash cans. So it looks like I’ll have to take this guy to court because even though the code officer personally handed him a violation notice and informed him that it is my property the trash cans are still there. Now what do you think goes on in this guys head? Go figure.
David Jackson
From what I understand doesn't the head of the police force own over 20 HUD homes in Darby thru his Darby based company on Main St?? I did read an article about this back a few years ago and thought that was interesting to say the least. I also remember a situation with a conflict of interest with a repair shop also owned by the head of the police department. Is this the same person??
I have seen what Paula has done ( and spoken from one who is a 3 town away outside resident of Darby) and she is nothing short of amazing and courageous. She genuinely cares, takes the initiative to stick her neck out and does not care what anyone else thinks. She has put herself in peril because of her ethics. She was a true asset to Darby when in office and still is. It is sad when corruption overcomes good and everyone who has even seen her knows what side she is on. There are many good decent people in Darby who if banded together could perform wonderful things-- as one said money may not be plentiful but a communal desire to unite can be achieved. Sweat equity and motivation are free and addictive when implemented. When I do go thru Main st. I see a potential State Street type of environment Media -- the architecture in Darby is incredible. Did anyone know that there was a theater in Darby in the 1920s and 30s where the new Walgreens once was?? It seated over 2000 people and was beautiful.
I am trying to locate a pic of it as I am a movie theater buff.( the OLD variety not the mcmovieboxes they build today)
David and Peg, sorry it took so long to comment back...forgot my password and then couldn't figure out how to retrieve it! Dementia must be setting in! David, sadly you are right, sometimes you just can't take the ghetto out of the people. I get very sad when I walk the streets of Darby. I know what it used to be like and I don't think it will ever be what it used to be...not for awhile at least. And Peg, thank you for your comments. I have old pics of Darby on my myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/paulab23
Click on "pics" and then you can se the old time photos from WAY back....
Posted on Sun, Apr 13, 2008
Letter: Obama re-opens locked door on national discussion of race
By Paula M. Brown
To the Times:
“When in this world a man comes forward with a thought, a deed, a vision, we ask not how does he look, but what is his message?”
— W.E.B Dubois
Almost a century ago, W.E.B. DuBois, a famous African-American intellectual and Harvard scholar, opened the locked door to discussion on race. Ninety-five years later, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., re-opened that locked door and we, united as a nation, should continue to hold it open for generations to come.
Barack Obama delivered a truthful, powerful message. He opened the door to change the stale and harmful attitude that many of us have, an attitude the trajectory of our history has distorted of others because of their cultural differences.
It is quite true that conversations take place in barber shops, beauty salons, dinner tables, back yards and, yes, sometimes even in the council chambers of Darby, that are not ventilated in public. When hidden, these thoughts fester and cause more harm than good. However, when talked about, hearts, minds and eyes open and change.
“Throughout history, the powers of single blacks flash here and there like falling stars, and die sometimes before the world has rightly gauged their brightness.”
A century ago, Dr. W.E.B. Dubois discussed in his essays and dissertation for Harvard, how we as a society fail to recognize the contributions and good of people because of the color of their skin. Still today, we continue on the path of subjugation and destruction by ignoring the quality of life within ourselves. Unintentionally and sometimes intentionally, we continue to characterize those who are “different” from “us.” We fail to see the rising stars right in our own backyards until it’s too late and they are gone.
“The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line.”
The color line continues to thwart the efforts of those leaders before us and will continue until we unite together to erase the color line once and for all.
Living with a man of color, in a town of color, has given me the wonderful opportunity to see the world from a different viewpoint.
However, it has also shown me the distressful lingering of a secretive prejudicial world that still exists on the other side of the color line.
This world ranges from simple, ordinary outings to an upscale restaurant and being seated by the noisy kitchen door when the establishment is almost empty, to the degradation of standing in line at a retail store, paying by credit card and having to produce every form of identification when the person in front of you only has to produce the credit card.
It includes the excitement of applying for an employment position that you have met and exceeded the education and experience requirements, only to be turned down when someone with less education and experience is chosen because of the color of their skin. From calling for assistance from your local police department as a victim to, in turn, being victimized because of the color line.
On the other side of the coin, in this world, we still hurtfully name call those of us who choose to “cross the color line.” We are characterized by our “choices” and not by our deeds.
Yes, America, we still are in a sad state of affairs when we withhold discussion on racial issues that still linger today.
Obama opened the door for us and we now have to help him keep it open until all of us can truthfully say, “We the people ... recognize that each one of us, is created equally and will work together side by side, not one in front of the other ... to form that more perfect union ... for all of us.”
Paula: I have to say that you have more passion than 99.9% of the people out there and I do believe that you truly care for your town and the people in it and for fairness and equality. Don't let anyone discourage you ( I know you won't!)
Also I believe that change is necessary now more than ever. If we dont get it togehter and come together as a human race in this country than there could be such a division of matters to regress us back to a time bleaker than the middle ages.
I am voting for change in 2008.
I agree Paula. We need to move on an leave the past in the past. There definitely needs to be major change in Darby. And if anyone can pull it off, you can. Thanks Paula for not giving up on us as a community.
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