Yard Sale today - 511 S. Orange St.

Yard Sale - 511 S. Orange

Media recognizes distinguished citizens in this year's Walk of Fame 2012

Last week Media borough held it's induction to the  Walk of Fame for three distinguished citizens.  It you're not familiar with the walk of fame, it's an event that recognizes great service and achievement by residents.  The walk is located by the flag pole at the corner of Jackson and Fourth St.

This year's inductees include:

• Dr. Walter E. Wentz, Jr.
• Elizabeth Macky Wentz
• William "Bill" Brady

A write of the event and the inductees can be found at the Media Borough website.

Fast and Fancy Restaurant - 28 years of both!

The dining in Media over the years has become a "go to" spot for many in the surrounding areas.  You want it, we got it; with everything from Indian, Italian, Mexican, Thai, Asian, Americana and anything in between.  People are taking notice, as Media was recently mentioned in a Philadelphia publication as the land of a thousand restaurants.

Service, value and of course, food are what identifies a successful restaurant that keeps customers coming back.  Most of these establishments also sell liquor which helps to supplement popularity.  Ive been to some restaurants to eat and not drink and to others to do the opposite. There's something here for everyone.

But what really strikes out at me are the restaurants who don't get much glitz and glamor, but have been here longer than most people realize.  Delaware county's gem, Dignazio's Town House has been here since 1951, John's Grille and the Plumstead Inn are equally impressive with a combined century's worth of serving Media locals. You want the authenticity of a neighborhood bar, look no further than these two.  If you don't know what the famous "Two Buck Chuck" is, you ought to.

The nightly dining scene gets a lot of attention, but who's been around the longest serving breakfast?  Some would say technically, it's the Courthouse Diner, but with different ownerships it's debatable.  What isn't is their excellent food and service I've become quite fond of.  Probably the best eggs Benedict around. And with the new renovations, a popular eatery.  They also sever breakfast, lunch and dinner which is the only place in town who does all three.

However, 28 years of consistently serving breakfast and lunch makes Fast and Fancy, located on State Street in the Media Mall, the longest serving breakfast place.   Quick, great value and a wide selection of choices for breakfast and lunch.  What could you ask for?  It's got some great history too.  I know an elderly gentleman who takes his sister there every weekend and has for years.  He wouldn't think of going anywhere else.  They like the atmosphere and great food, as many of the other loyal customers do.

Owner, Roz Pahides has seen trendy places come and go, but has never strayed from her tried and true formula of providing customers a great meal at a great price.  She sits behind the counter with pride and purpose and is there virtually every hour the place is open.  Her dedication and keen attention to detail has made a place a local legend.  If a great restaurant is a reflection of it's management, look no further than Fast and Fancy.  Nobody stays in business for 28 years on pure luck, it's about happy customers and enjoyable food.

We have a Winner of the Kindle Fire and a Great Cause for Media!!

We're happy to announce commenter, Neil as the winner of the Kindle Fire!  With many entries and a lot of great ideas, the competition was challenging for Amanda to pick just one.  But she did, and below provides a few words on the the winning project and what it'll mean to the community.  Also, is the carefully thought out idea that won Neil the prize!  And, heck, he's right.  Dunk-a-Politician might just carry the whole event itself.

Thanks for all those who participated.  ATMpa is excited to follow the next steps Amanda has for MediaPAMatters and will provide information on their new website as it becomes available.

The purpose and meaning of this effort speaks volumes of the great residents Media has and their enthusiasm that makes  this town a better place for everyone.   It's a pleasure to have been able to contribute to this contest and raise awareness for a host of issues, all of which are important.

Contact mediapamatters@gmail.com for further information and updates!

Amanda's note:

Great ideas, everyone! Thank you for spending the time to think about our community.

And the winner is....
Neil - Great ideas! You are right - Everybody wins with The Big Community Carnival! Or Fair? I love the idea that we can invite multiple local organizations to participate and generate fundraising while at the same time holding a family friendly event. It will be a huge undertaking, but I am ready to put my time where my mouth is and work to facilitate this event and enroll the town to get involved and have fun creating change. Thank you for your contribution! Enjoy your kindle!

Neighbors, my goal is to continue working on bringing these ideas alive through a collective of volunteers called Media PA Matters. I am working on developing a website to collect suggestions like YOURS in an ongoing fashion. Voting will be enabled on the website, and the NEXT project will be determined by votes. In the meantime, if you would like to contact me to volunteer your time and brainpower, please feel free to contact me at mediapamatters@gmail.com.

Thank you, and see you at the fair!

Amanda

Neil's Recommendation:

Media is generally well-served by non-profit organizations. My guess is that any new org would have to compete with an established group or serve a more niche audience. An event serving a more limited audience may make fundraising more of a challenge. An event benefiting an existing organization would have to be organized in conjunction with that organization but has the advantage of established support and goodwill.

But challenges are good, so here are some ideas of what to raise money for:

- Media Borough used to sponsor monthly concerts at the Borough Hall until funding was lost. The community could use broad-based support for the arts - which could incorporate concerts and other events specifically aimed at teenagers. The Theater, the Community Center, the Borough Hall and even the Youth Center could all be appropriate venues - but some kind of community concert series at the Theater could work really well.

- The community playroom in the borough hall is a well-loved space, but is no longer open on weekends or in the evenings. Funding to reopen this facility during those much-needed times would benefit parents with small children who would have space to take their children, especially when the weather isn't suitable for playing outdoors.

- By way of established charities, I wanted to echo all of the previous suggestions - there are many worthy causes in the area. I'd also like to add one of my own: Legal Aid of Southeastern PA provides quality legal representation to low-income, elderly and vulnerable people in the area and also empowers them to solve problems without legal representation (http://www.lasp.org/).


Deciding HOW to raise money is harder and probably depends a lot on which particular organization you decide benefits. What would work great for the SPCA might not work so well for the Youth Center (and vice versa).

Concerts and bake sales and 50-50 raffles seem to be the usual fare but I'm going to go all out and suggest some kind of Big Community Carnival. Take over Barrall Field - have lots of different stalls, games and events. You could even invite a number of local non-profits to devise their own fundraising stalls - that way everybody benefits.

As well as incorporating the concert/movie/raffles there could also be a dunk-a-politician booth (I'm sure readers of this blog in particular would pay good money for that) and all manner of other attractions. Sure, it would be a huge, huge undertaking, but with the right support from the council, residents and local charities it could become an annual event to rival everything else Media offers.

Clock Ticking on Commitments Needed From Borough Council for Third St. Bridge

Interesting article reported this week by the Media Town Talk that raised questions on the borough's commitments towards the Third St. Bridge.  Sidney New, PennDot representative  is quoted in the article while addressing borough council, ".....we haven't gotten much done."

He went on to comment, “It’s good for PennDOT to see progress. But when a project drags, PennDOT will give someone else the money,” said New. (Media Town Talk article: Push On For Media Third Street Project Work To Begin, by Susan Serbin)

Third St. Bridge Renderings

Borough council had an opportunity to sort out design, landscaping and aesthetics months ago, but instead lead people to believe there was interest in their petition signed greenway idea, knowing full well a court order stated otherwise. They never even communicated to the other stake holders (Delco county and BLCC) that they were actively seeking changes to the signed agreement, until two weeks before their final vote.  

Only after months, of what can be considered unneeded committee meetings, discussions and a borough wide survey for a greenway; did borough council finally announce through their vote that there was nothing they could do to alter the original agreement.

For borough council who stated that after the conclusion of their vote back in April that the design phase was just in the first inning; well, Penndot seems to think it's in the eight and Media has nothing to show on the board.

It's Sunday Morning 6-24-12 - Media in Two Minutes

First off, I want to thank the Daily Times for spotlighting this site as "blog of the week."  I've been doing this for almost 3 years and Phil Heron and the Daily Times have been a great supporter since practically day one.  Get involved!

Win a Kindle Fire

Also, thanks to the readers and commemorators who have participated in helping Amanda with her project to raise money and awareness for a cause here in Media.  You still have until this Thursday to submit a idea for what you think would benefit a group/cause/idea.  Winner will get a Kindle Fire.

Media in Two Weeks comes out each and every Sunday by 9am. 

Okay, now to the news this week:

Trader Joes Shopping Carts:

Again, today there was a TJ's shopping cart turned over on its side and sitting in the shrubs outside of the TD Bank (Baltimore Ave. and Monroe).  I personally returned it and asked an employee if this was becoming a problem for them.  She stated she didn't know it to be one, but was thankful for the return.   I still don't know if this all of a sudden just started happening again, or if it's been ongoing and I haven't noticed.

Media's Proposed Super Wawa:

Wawa has begun an ad campaign of sorts to promote what it feels are important reasons why the borough should have a new store at the site of the former Media Inn.  You may have seen the brochure, but if not, you can view it from a prior piece done last week.

ATMpa Poll on this site

As of today, our informal poll shows 132 votes.  ~85% of which view this new store in a favorable way.  If not a presentation by Wawa and MRE at July's Borough Council meeting, there should be atleast an announcement of the latest developments.  From people I've talked to who are close to the matter; their not clear if they will get approval from Borough Council to do a 15 minutes presentation on July 19th.  We will see what develops.

Media Borough Council's lack of attendance and attention:

As I wrote this week, this continues to be a problem that no one is addressing.  It's not just Eric Stein, there is at least another person who hasn't consistently shown up to a position that they are being paid for.

Media Business Authority - Meeting Minutes May 2012

How Much is too Much?:

At last week's borough council meeting, Mayor Bob McMahon announced that the Discovery Channel was interested in shooting a portion of their show, Today in America hosted by Terry Bradshaw.  I've never heard or seen the show, but it's nice for this group to consider Media for filming.  

How much is this show worth to Media, PA?

What I'm not clear on is how much this will cost the borough.  I received a few emails from readers who stated this could be as much as $20k.  I will look into that, but if this is going to cost taypayers $20k for a 5 minute clip as reported by Media Patch, I could see why residents are fired up and emailing me.  This is still developing.

Did You Know?

At one time, Media had its own fireworks display held at Glen Providence Park.  It went on for many years and was a showcase event up until it was discontinued in 1986.  Check out the story!

Media had fireworks in Glen Providence Park up until 1986

Winner of the Kindle Fire will be announced Thursday 6/28

You still have time to win a Kindle Fire.  Comment on a cause you think is worthy of a fundraiser, and you're eligible to win.  The contest will close on Thursday, June 28th with a the winner announced shortly thereafter.

Thanks for the support and great ideas from readers.  Also, a big thanks for spreading the word from Media Patch and Delcotimes.com. 

Media Borough Council Abandons Business Community

If I didn't fulfill my obligations and responsibilities which include consistently showing up to my place of employment, I'd be fired. And embarrassed. Apparently here in Media Borough, Borough Council doesn't think that's an issue or isn't paying enough attention to identify this as a problem.  Unfortunately, residents and people who sit on these committees have had enough.

As of May 2012, Borough Council Liaison, Eric Stein who chairs the Media Business Authority has yet to show up this year to a committee he oversees.  This isn't breaking news, as last year he only attend half of the meetings.  Surprisingly, the Media Democrats thought that was okay and appointed him again this year!   This is a committee that receives approximately $78,000 of Media taxpayer money yearly.  In addition, this committee was in a position to receive partnership funds based on last year's contributions from the Brandywine Convention and Visitors Bureau.  However, why would the CVB consider contributing, or promoting the community when borough council shows a blatant disregard for the town's businesses?

Media Business Authority Meeting Minutes May, 2012

Leadership you can trust?  How can that be when Council President, Brian Hall can't even have his council show up to meetings?  The Media businesses who depend on a vibrant business community have essentially been abandoned.  It's hard enough to be a successful business without having a borough council mis-manage a committee that is suppose to be helping your efforts.  But rest assured, the Media Democrats, as stated by them, have the business community at heart.

Wawa distributes brochure in support of proposed new store

You may have seen the latest Wawa flyer going around town promoting the proposed new store at the site of the old Media Inn, but if you haven't, here it is.  The tri-fold brochure displays the rendering and picture of what the discussed site would look like at the corner of Providence Rd. and Baltimore Pike. 

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

The piece goes on to illustrate the economic benefits that such a store could bring:  new jobs, revitalization, construction/contractor work, tax revenue, charitable causes, etc.  In addition, it lays out bullet points of the development and architecture that would be unique to Media Borough.

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

Wawa wouldn't go to this length with a targeted marketing campaign if they weren't serious about building a Super Wawa here.  Whether you like this idea or not, you have to respect any entity that shows interest in investing in the borough.  From my discussions and the informal feedback gathered from the poll conducted on this site, the overall public opinion appears to favor such a store.  Would a hotel go better in this lot?  I think we all agree it would, but it's not going to happen.  A dollar store or super pharmacy? Not popular options but a reality of what could also potentially be built here by the owner, Media Real Estate.

click to enlarge

Where's Media Borough Council on this plan?  Good question.  I'm told Wawa and MRE would like to do a presentation at the next borough council meeting on July 19th to further explain their plans and answer questions from the community.  However, I'm also hearing that Council President, Brian Hall isn't planning to allow a 15 minute presentation by the group.  Perhaps there's a valid reason for that move; but based on how badly the Third St. Bridge ordeal was mis-managed, nothing suprises me.

What benefit/fundraiser would help Media the most? Best answer wins a Kindle Fire

Yesterday a reader by the name of Amanda reached out to me asking what fundraiser/organization/event could be put together to help a cause here in Media.  Certainly there are a lot, but the important thing here is the initiative to do something good for the community.

Here's Amanda's message:

Best answer wins a Kindle Fire

Hi gang,

I am taking a course in leadership, and one of the projects is to initiate a fundraiser or non-profit org or event. I'd like to start locally and I'm interested in what is important to you. In your opinion, are there any hot topics specific to Media that could be addressed by such an org or event?

Thanks!

To sweeten the offer, ATMpa will give a Kindle Fire to the best comment/answer that Amanda chooses to do her benefit for.  So if you have a good cause, let us know.  Not only could you win a Kindle Fire, but your cause wins too.  Thanks, Amanda!  Keep up the good work.

The winner will be notified based on the date and time stamp of the entry/comment made on either this site, or the All Things Media PA Facebook page.

Thanks

Tedman

It's Sunday Morning 6-17-12 - Media in Two Minutes

It's Sunday morning, so it's undoubtedly Media in Two Minutes 
 a recap of this week's highlights.

Media 5 Mile Race, 6th St.

Let's start by saying the weather over the last few weeks has phenomenal. Friday night was perfect for the the Media 5 Mile run that never disappoints the runners nor the spectators.  A great article covering the event was written by Laura Wiseley of the Daily Times.

Media Super Wawa:

Last week there was movement on the next steps for a Super Wawa at the site of the old Media Inn.   A presentation was made to the planning commission to gauge what type of interest the borough might have for this project.  The design and renderings have been out for awhile, though this meeting was to start the formal process.

Will Media get a Super Wawa?

Based on the informal poll conducted on this site, responses seem favorable for a new Wawa.  Media Patch did a poll showing similar results back in January.  There have been a lot of reader comments too.  What I do know is this:  this is a "by right" property, which means the owner (Media Real Estate) has a lot of lead way on what they decide to build here.  That's where the 2nd, and less desirable option of a dollar store came from.  Technically, Media Real Estate could begin next week to put up a dollar store and be done with it, which I don't think anyone want to see, including me.

From my discussions, the Wawa Corp. is coming to the table in good faith to work with Media on an aesthetically pleasing and functioning store for the community.  My level of confidence on seeing this Wawa built in the next 18 months is about 60%, however, I wouldn't be surprised if the deal fell through at the hands of an inept borough council.

Rose Tree Park Summer Festival Starts this Week!

Wednesday, June 20th will start the beginning of the Rose Tree Summer Festival for 2012.

Click for a Summer Festival Calendar

Did You know?

Oldest Business in Media PA

I didn't do a "Did you know" segment last week, but I'll try to do one on a regular basis.  Anyway, do you know the oldest business in Media, PA?


It's the J. Nelson Rigby Funeral home that has been around since 1857.  I know the Rigby family very well and went to school with the 5th generation sons, Jim and Steve "Huey" Rigby.

If you notice in the picture, the address is 110 W. State St., where they originally began.  They were at that location until the early 1900's when cars became more popular than horses and space was needed for parking.  They relocated to 1 West Baltimore Pike, which they've been at to this day.

Also interesting is their early phone number, which was during a time when a phone number was just two digits.  They still have their original number of "26" but with a lot more number to the left of it.  Today's number, 610-566- 4526

Media 5 Mile Race Day - Twitter: #mediapa

Here's a few things you should know about 
race day here in Media.

• Official information can be found at: www.media5milerace.com
• If you're planning to drive into or out of Media, it's best to do it before 5pm, as race staff and the police will be blocking off streets for the race around 5.
• Race starts at 7pm and begins and ends on State Street. Delcotimes reporter, Susan Serbin covers the race in detail.
• An outline of the race course is provided below.  2 laps = 5 miles.
• Follow live Twitter updates at: #mediapa
  

View Media, PA 5 Mile Race Loop in a larger map

Media Post Office Reduces Hours

Aside from a small note posted at the Media office, it's been reported that the Media Post Office and local retail branches (Elwyn, Wallingford and Lima) will be reducing hours to about 5 hours a day.  I'm told there's been little if any notice given to the general public, so plan accordingly.


Below is the contact information and what were the former office hours.

Post Office™ Location - MEDIA

101 E BALTIMORE AVE
MEDIA, PA 19063-9998

(800) ASK-USPS

(800) 275-8777

(610) 566-2237

Fax: (610) 892-0958

TTY Service
(877) 889-2457
for hearing impaired

Business Hours (as of 6/14/12, hours have changed)

Mon-Fri
7:30am-5:00pm
Sat
10:00am-1:00pm
Sun
Closed

Last Daily Collection

Mon-Fri

5:00pm

Sat

1:00pm

Sun

Wawa vs. Dollar Store

Media Planning Commission reviews Wawa plans

The plans and drawings for a Super Wawa in Media have been out for sometime, but recently Linn Architects made a presentation to the Media Planning board to give further detail.  One of the objectives with the presentation was to see if there was interest and enthusiasm for such a project on the corner of Providence Rd. and Baltimore Pike (Behind the Starbucks). This issue will have a long way to go before any decisions are made, but this is a property that could also be used for a dollar store or offices. 

Susan Serbin from the Media Town Talk, has a great write up of the meeting and latest developments.  You can also see a picture of the proposed layout and look.

It's Sunday Morning 6-10-12 - Media in Two Minutes

It's Media in Two Minutes, a overview of some of the top stories that happened last week.

Nativity Holds School Closing Party:

It truly is an end of an era and nothing brought that home more than the fantastic party Nativity held on Friday to commemorate 100 years.  It was an honor to be invited and see how special this school really was to the Media community.  It was a celebration of sorts, but you could sense the sorrow of many who knew this was the end of the line.  A teacher went on to tell me how proud she was to have been a part of Nativity School and that it will be something she will always remember.

I thought it particularly nice that the event planners had a collection to help defray the costs for teachers who haven't found replacement work yet. Well done, Nativity!  As I've mentioned before, Media isn't just losing a school but an important part of the community fabric that will be greatly missed by this town.

12th Annual Blues Stroll and Family Movie Night at Barrall Field:

You couldn't have asked for better weather than what we had last night here in Media.  I guess you could say it was perfect which really is a big help for outdoor events.   It's hard to tell how well an event does, but based on attendance, it looked like the Blues Stroll had another great year.  The streets, and those dancing in them, were packed with a lot of people mingling up and down State St.  One observation and discussion I had with a bar owner was that people preferred to walk bar to bar with their drinks.  That's not the policy, nor is getting a cup from the bar you're at to put your drink in so you can walk around outside.  The bar owner I talked to had a big problem with that, as it took a lot of his time to monitor and enforce the rules.  It comes down to responsibility, which attendees seem to understand for the most part.

The Media Police do an excellent job during this event and I'm not aware of any serious problems with people drinking outside.  It's a tough boundary to set between people standing outside and drinking, as opposed to wandering down the street with a drink in their hand. 

WOW, I was really impressed with Media's Family Movie night at Barrall Field.  Not only was the turn-out great for the viewing of Toy Story 3, but the screen, audio and setup were pretty darn good.  Nice job by everyone who set this up. 

Burglaries reported in Upper Providence bordering the borough.

Technically it's upper providence, but boarders Media borough in the south.  Keep an eye out for a reported rash of burglaries that occurred over the last few weeks on Manchester Avenue, Letitia Lane, Idlewild Lane and Circle, Farnam Road and Winter Street.  There was an article in the Town Talk this week about these break-ins.

Do Trader Joe shopping cards belong on Veteran's Square?

There may be a valid reason for two Trader Joe shopping cards to be on Veteran's Sq. but I hope people aren't taking the carts and leaving them around town. 

Every so often this seems to happen, but I'm not sure why.  I'm quite sure this isn't the policy of Trader Joe's to have their carts leave the parking lot.

Media 5 Mile Race

Friday, June 15th is the world famous Media 5 Miler Race.  Race starts at 7pm, but be aware that traffic in the borough can be challenging with street closures and people traveling to and from the race. 

Media's Blues Stroll and Family Movie Night.....Tonight 2012

In addition to the 12th Annual Blues Stroll, don't forget Family Movie Night for the younger crowd.  It's an outside movie shown on a two-story inflatable movie screen at Barrall Field, so bring you lawn chair, blankets, snacks and watch tonight's feature, Toy Story 3!  The show get's started around dusk, so get there early for a good spot.

For more information, check out the Media's Recreation website.

Delaware County Summer Festival at Rose Tree Park 2012

It's not only free to attend, but the musical entertainment is first rate.  Here's a video from Delaware County Council on this year's event.  Also, check out Media's own Leroy Hawks as featured in the video.

Times and dates can be found at the  official Delaware County Page.  

Ice Cream Truck rolling through Media Borough

Over the last few weeks I heard what sounded like a jingle from an ice cream truck.  It's a familiar sound that's not easy to explain, but you know it when you hear it.  Today, I actually saw the truck roll down 6th St. in all it's glory.  No takers this evening, but interesting to see such a service back in the community.   Bomb pops? pushup ice cream?  I guess, but haven't checked the menu.

I don't know how long the ice cream truck has been running, but I've heard it for a few weeks around the upper east side of Media.  Prior to that, I can't ever remember hearing or seeing an ice cream truck anywhere in the borough.  Interested to see if the rest of the borough has seen or heard this truck and if it's been operating just this year or if it's been around longer.

It's Sunday Morning 6-3-12 - Media in Two Minutes

With the start of June comes seasonal events that have become quite popular throughout the years.  Here's this month's list.

Events:

• 47th Annual Art Exhibit and Craft Fair (June 3rd).  47 years is quite a good run and this event is as popular as ever.
• Blues Stroll June 9th.  This event is in its 12 year! Congratulations to the event planners for the great organization and awesome talent year after year.   Check out their site, they can always use help setting up that day.
• Media 5 Mile Race:  Friday, June 15th.  If you want to run in it, you'll have to wait until next year.  The race is sold out, but watching the race is just as fun.  Swing into the borough that night; you'll see what I mean.

Restaurant Scene:

It's stood the test the time.  I don't know exactly how long, but it must be going on 25 years that O'malley's has been around.  I remember getting water ice there during high school, and that's been quite some time ago.  Excellent selection, quick service and right in the heart of Media.

Media Borough:

It's one thing to get a decision wrong, it's entirely different category when no one shows up: Media Borough Council doesn't seem to care....doesn't even show up. And people wonder why it took 16 years to get a bridge fixed.

RTM School Board approves new $83.1million budget.  No program cuts, but a 1.7% tax increase.  Media Patch covers the story.

Hours of Operation: This would be helpful in Media.

Parking Meters:

Every weekend and even some weekday nights, someone is always asking if they need to feed the parking meters.  With as many people that come into town for shopping and dining, it might be helpful to make the hours of parking meter operation better known.  West Chester has helpful stickers.

 Did you know? Campbell AME Chuch - West 3rd St.

Did you know that Cambell AME Church on West 3rd St. had a Chicken and Rib BBQ benefit yesterday?  I didn't either, but you will next time.  While walking up Olive Street I came upon the event and was greeted by James who was part of the church.  He told me they were hosting the event to raise some money and build awareness about the church and congregation.  If I wasn't in the middle of a jog/walk, I'd have sat down and learned more.   The food looked great!

These are the types of events Media is all about, and what a great church too.  Hopefully they'll let me know about the next gathering so we can get more people out.  In the meantime, stop down and ask for James, they'd love you to see their church and what they are all about.

Campbell AME Church - 33 West 3rd St. Media, PA

Media Borough Council doesn't seem to care....doesn't even show up.

Lost opportunity

Neglect it and it'll go away seems to be the mantra of Media Borough Council and the lack of management towards the Media Business Authority.  I was shocked to have learned that MBA liason, Councilman Eric Stein showed up to only half of the scheduled MBA meetings in 2011.  However, Council President Brian Hall and borough council thought that attendance record must have been okay since they re-appointed him AGAIN IN 2012.  Turns out, based on MBA meeting minutes, Mr. Stein has yet to show up to a meeting in 2012!!!  Since we're on the topic of "attendance" where's the Media borough Treasurer, Peter Williamson been who collects $5,000 for the position?  I've not seen him attend meetings either.

In January, Councilman Kent Davidson was openly quoted as saying he would not reappoint anyone to the MBA who had missed multiple meetings, yet no word or statements towards Mr. Stein's situation. And there probably won't be as he failed to address the issue back in January 2012. Either Media Borough Council is letting this happen, or they aren't paying attention enough to care.  Both bad situations for the borough, residents and business community.

Regardless of your views, I think everyone can agree that not showing up for your job shows a total disregard for the position.  A position in this case, that oversees a committee with a yearly budget from the borough of somewhere around $78,000. Media has to wonder where $78,000 is going when borough council doesn't even have a liaison that shows up to attend meetings. 

It again comes down to leadership and transparency, or lack thereof.  The MBA has been challenged with membership and retention, to an otherwise well run organization advocating a vibrant business community.  Unfortunately, if Borough Council isn't upholding their obligations of showing up to meetings, how's anyone to believe they're up for governing the borough!

Last year the Brandwine CVB graciously contributed $20,000 towards Media for events and marketing.  That not only made an impact, but allowed the borough to boost attendance at State St. events.  One of the more notable ones that comes to mind is the Hot Rod show last July.  A car show may draw a selective audience, but that was one of the better shows I can remember Media having.  Media's has had car shows over the years, but not until the CVB helped out, did that show go to an entirely bigger level of popularity.

Will the Brandywine CVB contribute as generously this year to Media?  No word yet, but why would they?  Not only has Media borough played loose with $78,000 by failing to have a liaison overlooking and helping this committee, but are also showing potential marketing partners that they got better things to do than have people spend money on promoting our community and small businesses.