All it takes is a little putsch

“It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.” –Winston Churchill


Phascism

1: a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts certain local business interests above those of Phoenixville’s citizenry and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition

2 : a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control of Phoenixville government

(With apologies to Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary)




In a stunning back-room deal, Borough Council has reportedly turned over major management powers regarding ‘revitalization’ to Mr. Cassidy of the CDC and Councilman Kirkner.

Is there in fact a ‘deal’? Councilmen Wagner and Daly seem to say yes, echoing the proclamations of CDC President DeMutis. Of course, the whole thing was done in private, leaving out not only the public, but two elected Council Members, Ms. Jones and Mr. Buckwalter. The only Councilman with enough sense to realize that such conduct is invalid and unlawful is Mr. Messina. So, having orchestrated the whole thing, he now just lies and says there is no agreement.

On to the ‘deal’ as described. Councilman Kirkner is now the point man, replacing the Borough Manager in dealing with the CDC and with the CDC’s access to Borough staff. Who elected Mr. Kirkner to that job? Like every other Council Member, Mr. Kirkner is elected from a single ward as a representative to function as part a collective body, the Council. That position is not invested with any executive authority.

Indeed, under the Borough’s ordinances, the Borough Manager is “the Chief Administrative Officer of the Borough, and he shall be responsible to the Council as a whole for the proper and efficient administration of the affairs of the Borough. The powers and duties of administration of all Borough business shall be vested in the Manager, unless expressly imposed or conferred by statute upon other Borough officers.”

Not only is the Manager put in charge of the administration, individual Council Member are prohibited from interfering with that role. The Borough ordinance on that subject states that “Other than for the purposes of inquiry the Council or any of its members or any of Council’s committees or its members, shall deal with the administrative service solely through the Borough Manager, and neither the Council nor any of its members, nor any of the Council’s committees or its members, shall give orders, publicly or privately, to any subordinate of the Manager.”