June 26, 2008 Issue
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Classified Chestnut Hill Local Don't Miss an Issue, Tell us what you see or Winner of Two |
From our readersSome smoke cleared I am one of the candidates who won election to the CHCA board in April. I asked my father and family and friends who live here and elsewhere to become members of the Association so they could vote for me. I gave some memberships as gifts. Neither I, my family nor my friends broke any CHCA regulations and the ballots were filled out and signed according to the rules. My father was the gentleman from Trenton, “one of the 65 ... who became a member that day,” according to the editor of the Local [“An Awful Lot of Smoke,” May 22]. As the editor continues: He “called the Local, wanting to know why he was getting our newspaper. When he was told he was getting the Local because he had joined the Association and had voted … he quickly responded that we needed to talk to his son and hung up.” The editor called this story “suspicious.” My father gave his name to the Local, he and I have the same last name — Patel. No one else named Patel ran for the board this year. If the true intention of our editor was to publish the truth, someone would have called, yet no one at the Local ever called me. If I had been called I would have explained that my father did not realize he would be getting the newspaper along with his membership when he joined the Association, and, being an older person who is careful about expenses, did not want to be billed for something he hadn’t ordered. I regret that the editor did not bother to follow through and do what my father asked — call me. Instead, he turned my father’s concern into a fabricated tale of “suspicious” behavior and evidence of wrongdoing, never once seeking or publishing the truth. If anybody has questions call me, I’m accessible 215-740-3597. I encourage and implore our community and board to focus on making the difference that we have the opportunity to make. Tapan Patel
Editor’s note: I am pleased to have some light shed on the issue of who purchased some of the CHCA memberships submitted on the night of April 23, but Mr. Patel’s account above does not tell the whole story. There is no fabrication in the account Mr. Patel cites: When the man Mr. Patel identified as his father called to ask why he was getting a newspaper, he was told he was a member of the association. He was then asked if he was aware that he had voted in the election. His response was only, “Talk to my son.” He immediately hung up. He did not identify Tapan Patel, specifically by name or generally by office, as a candidate or member of the board. There are 27 Indian names in the list of 65 memberships purchased with cash the night of the annual meeting, April 23. Nine of those names are “Patel.” None of the membership applications included phone numbers. I tried to refrain from making assumptions about relationship based solely on ethnicity, and I saw no reason to conclude that Tapan and the man named Patel who called our office were necessarily related or that they were likely father and son. When I received this letter last week on Monday, June 16, seconds before our noon deadline, I responded with several e-mails, one a query to Mr. Patel asking him if he could tell me how many memberships he had purchased that night. He did not respond to that e-mail and has failed to return any of my phone calls requesting information. In addition to the question of how many memberships Mr. Patel purchased that night, I would liked to have asked him why he decided to wait so long to come forward with this letter, nearly one month after the editorial he questions appeared and two months after the election. I also would like to have asked him if he asked his family and his friends to vote for him only, or a designated slate of candidates. The intent of asking these questions is not to incriminate because, as Mr. Patel accurately states, the purchase of memberships is not a violation of CHCA rules or regulations. We have, however, been interested in the origin of the purchase and would like to know how so many out-of-state ballots delivered at the last minute were signed. The intent is to settle outstanding questions about the election, which have continued to hang unanswered in the public mind. We do not believe there is anything to hide and would like to address the matter in a forthright manner.
No one person can form CHCA policy On June 4, an email was sent to the Local editor, Peter Mazzaccaro, by CHCA vice president of operations, Dina Hitchcock, accompanied by a multi-paged “Self-Evaluation Form,” which, she stated the “the EC [executive committee] would like you to complete for your annual review on June 12 [the date that the committee would next meet]. “We will be rolling out this Self-Evaluation Form and subsequent Action Plan that will result from performance appraisals for all employees this year,” she continued. “Please respond to all [the questions] when returning the form.” In this letter, Ms. Hitchcock seems to equate herself with the executive committee. The executive committee has never seen this form (at least in open session) until they were copied it with this letter to Peter Mazzaccaro on June 4. Who is “we”? What “Action Plan”? There has been no presentation of new or old personnel guidelines at the executive committee, nor has this form been discussed or approved by that body prior to this mailing. Any action taken, or decision made, by the executive committee, whether in open or closed session, must be reported at the board’s next meeting. No committee, nor officer has the authority to act for the board in the formation of CHCA policy. The CHCA board, the CHCA’s governing body, has not seen or approved this “Self-Evaluation Form,” nor the policies which formed it. Ann Ward Spaeth
Germantown Avenue Coalition responds In response to Charles Bender’s letter [June 9], we wanted to clear up some misperceptions about the Germantown Avenue Coalition: • We are a group of volunteers trying to run our businesses in the PennDOT construction zone (Willow Grove to Mt. Pleasant), doing what we can with limited resources to keep people coming to the Avenue. I repeat, we are volunteers, not paid staff. • Many of the business owners are your neighbors, also hassled by utility mishaps and haphazard closings. We cannot control these problems, but are equally annoyed. • The economy, gas prices and the construction project have all been thrown into the analysis of Avenue businesses’ sales figures. Market forces and short-term situations aside, we want to be a positive force for the Avenue, during and beyond construction. We know what we have is a jewel. If you have not shopped on the Avenue recently, come explore. Let’s take this opportunity to make the Avenue a destination. • With the help of local elected officials who have provided us with some marketing dollars, we have hired a marketing team to help get people out on the Avenue, charged to develop: a new logo and tagline, gtownave.com Web site, print ads, door hangers, banners, periodic block parties and public relations. • Now more than ever, we are encouraging people, especially those living close by, to stick with us so we can stick with you. Together we can make our neighborhood a much better place to live and work. So please, stick with us and help with the future of Germantown Avenue. Germantown Avenue Coalition
Going green means demanding green I applaud the Edelman’s, owners of The Night Kitchen Bakery, for taking steps towards reducing their carbon footprint [“Commentary: What does it mean to go green,” June 12]. Use of home grown ingredients, collecting rainwater, recycling materials and minimizing use of transportation up and down Germantown Ave. is a great contribution. In addition to these smart steps, there is another simple step that could go a long way to help reduce everyone’s carbon footprint in PA, which is to demand that our state legislatures vote correctly on two important energy bills in Harrisburg. If approved, House Bills HB2200 and SHB1 will help residents and small business owners benefit from state funded energy savings measures and infuse more “green” jobs. SHB1 alone would fund $850 million for development of solar and wind power across our state. If this matters to you, now is the time to demand your representatives vote with their conscious. I sense that victory on these two bills may make the confections at The Night Kitchen all the more sweeter. Joe Walsh
The Tipping Point I am writing in response to Henrietta Oliver’s letter about getting rid of the tip jars in establishments on the hill [“Get rid of the tip jars on Hill,” June 19]. I couldn’t disagree more. The employees who work at such places as Chestnut Hill Coffee Co. do far more than (as Oliver puts it) “simply hand you a cup of coffee.” As a regular customer, I have witnessed numerous occasions when employees have had to bus tables of picked over plates and half filled mugs because customers fail to be courteous and clean up after themselves. The tip jars are a way for these employees to augment their wages so that the prices that Oliver thinks are too high, don’t have to be raised even more. There’s a reason why the prices are what they are. Many of these establishments are purveyors of quality products. If one is looking for a cheaper option where someone truly does just hand you a cup of coffee, may I recommend a place a little further down the hill with a big yellow arch? Based on experience, the service industry is a demanding field to be in. It is a strong belief of mine that everyone should work a service industry job at least once in their life to know how to treat people who are on the other side of the counter. To those at Chestnut Hill Coffee Co. and other hill establishments, thank you for doing a fantastic job and for always greeting me with a smile or a genuine “how’s it going?” So, Miss Oliver, instead of complaining about high prices and guilt instilling tip jars, why not just express appreciation for these employees and their products, and remember a time when you too worked hard and wanted just a little acknowledgment for a job well done? Danielle Jowdy
Tip jars distasteful In response to the letter from Henrietta Oliver [“Get rid of the tip jars on Hill,” June 19], I agree with this distasteful manner in which money is being extracted for no service surrendered by counter service employees. Here is my comment: Dear Server, I am not responsible for your wages that you should have negotiated with your employer. I gladly tip for your friendly, helpful, courteous service. A verbal “thank you” is the emblem of your chosen profession, regardless of the gratuity I have left. Orgelius Wolff
Thank the “Grannies Against the Iraq War” Every seat in the house was taken at the Big Blue Marble Book Store in Mt Airy last Thursday night (June 19). Joan Wile, founder of Grandmothers Against the War, read from her book about when the 18 New York Grannies were arrested and became famous after their six-day trial at which they were represented by Norman Siegel. Joan is nothing if not witty, and she sang a couple of her own anti-war songs. Then the members of the Granny Peace Brigade Philadelphia (http://www.democracyguard.org/granny) introduced ourselves — from the newest and most recent to those of us who were arrested the day, when the New York Grannies came on a bus tour and were present with us on that brutally hot day, June 28, 2006. Yep, 11 Philly Grannies entered the US Military Recruitment Office and refused to leave till we were able to “Enlist to go to Iraq so our grandchildren would not be killed or kill another grandmother’s grandchild.” We refused to leave and were hauled of to the police station in the paddy wagon, booked and finger printed. And, so began our descent into infamy! We want to thank the Grannies across the country, Canada and around the world for inspiring and energizing us to demonstrate, march, mobilize and get on our legislators’ butts. “Stop Funding this Illegal & Immoral War!” I’m ready! Let’s impeach both Bush and Cheney! Much love & appreciation to all my sister & brother activists, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead Marlena Santoyo
Faith in council on park takeover “When do they start selling off the park,” was a questioned posed to me on the R7 this morning. This was the reaction to the City Council’s vote to take over the Park and hand the reigns over to the Recreation Department. The concerned citizen further stated, “This is the same Council that agreed to ignore a will and sell Fox Chase land that was left to the City to be used as a park forever.” Fairmount Park is 9,200 acres and has existed since 1867. It is the second largest park contained within city limits in the world, 10 percent of the land in the City of Philadelphia. It is now up to the voters to decide whether the Park should be taken over by the City’s Recreation Department. It will be on the ballot in November. If the voters agree to the change, a “Commission on Parks and Recreation” would “advise” the administration on park management. I have faith, though. Elected officials of Philadelphia should know that Fairmount Park is one of the greatest assets of Philadelphia. Our own Councilman, [Hill resident and councilman-at-large] Bill Green, voted against the measure because he wanted the law to require a two-thirds majority by Council to sell parkland. That idea did not take root and will not be a part of the final change, but I am hoping that Councilman Green will continue to vigilantly watch what happens to the City’s green space. Darlene Davis Heep
If no ramp, at least a railing! There is a very attractive shop called “BE” on Germantown Avenue, but I can’t get in! No railing by the three steps. I was under the impression that it was a state (and even federal) law that each building should have either a handicap entrance or a railing. Do you think the landlord of this building (and there could be more!) would please help us out. Molly Ellis, who runs this really neat shop, is the most sympathetic to this problem. We would like to get in! Deborah M. Stout
Help give youth college education with service Recently I have heard and read about those who graduate high school and would like to further their career, but however and for what reason, they cannot afford to do so. I offer the following suggestion: Why can’t a plan, similar to the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) instituted during the Depression or the GI Bill after WWII, be designed? For example, every year in the new CCC can equal two years of college; every year in the U.S. Military equals two years of college. This would eliminate expensive college loans, eliminate all reasons why anyone would be shut out of college, and also give the young many or young lady an opportunity to get an education that cannot be found in the classroom! Tom Woodruff
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