Saturday, May 5, 2007

In his own words, and against his better judgment

Barry Cassidy's email of Thursday morning, addressed to numerous downtown merchants:

From: barry cassidy [barrycassidy@comcast.net]

Sent: Thurdsday, May 03, 2007 8:42 AM

To: [List omitted]

Subject: Re: first Friday/advertisement campaign

The borough has made an offer to me to increase my access a little bit which should solve the problem about streetscape being delay by a month for no reason and the put an end to the borough managers wacky idea about putting parking meters on the street. We will be moving projects forward much faster in the future. Please give Borough Council credit for realizing there was a problem and attempting to correct it. They are good people and they want to do what is right for the downtown. My issue was with the Borough Manager and delays in my projects. When he lost the change order for the second time on the streetscapes I snapped...started to go into “old barry syndrome” as my ex-wife used to call it (new barry is much much more polite and is the smiling fellow you know today. But I caught myself and quit instead.

I am sorry I put everyone through this but I am here to do something, not entertain some weak sister’s inability to do their job...I should have become more vocal 6 months ago but tried to work within the system...I showed too much reverence to the system.

anyway I will be back tomorrow and it is against my better judgment. I spent the last two days seeing what my alternatives were and it looks like I am employable...but manny demutis and his dad are persuasive kinda guys and the council has done their part. Although this is the second time I quit, I really never wanted to come back the first time and did not want to come back this time but I am doing it, fulfilling my commitment to 12-31-08 departure. Phoenixville is a lot like the hotel california...you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. sorry this had to happened but i do not like to work in an atmosphere of mistrust and be forced to embrace the inability of those around me to perform simple tasks. All I have in life is my integrity and the ability to perform at a high level. I would rather go somewhere and do something than sit back and collect a paycheck. I have a career not a job.

We will not really be shooting too many inside shots for the commercial tomorrow but more outside and crowd shots. there will be a plethora of community groups this week for first Friday.
barry cassidy

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What has borough council done regarding this matter? If some action has been taken, is there not some violation of the Sunshine Law - if Tilotson/Dugan reads this, I would be interested in his/her/their opinion.
I know that I am not the only person who is suprised that we get so much writing, and hiring of lawyers by principals in the CDC - is it a 501c? - along with folders full of reprints , yet no annual report of projects with a spreadsheet and a budget.
Barry - go with your better judgment and just go.

Anonymous said...

Parking meters for the downtown?
Has anyone researched this? Why, after doing so much to restore the downtown would anyone want to start installing PARKING METERS?
Another hairbrained idea from our Borough Manager, similar to the trash plan? If anyone has to go I'd start axing right here!

Unknown said...

This is a really good issue because you can argue that both sides need to go. It is the real nuclear option.

Anonymous said...

Check out Channel 22 for the April Committee meetings -- the Borough's parking consultant spent about an hour giving suggestions for parking in the Borough and making comparasions with other Chester County muncipalities. Unlike many speakers to Council, this one was actually interesting and kept to the point! ;-)

The consultant suggested the following step-by-step approach:

1) Get temporary parking lots set up in empty land around downtown (this means the Steel Property, whether that owned by the Harkin Group or PPG)

2) Set aside a lot for downtown merchants and employees -- away from prime "close to shopping" lots and street spaces.

3) Change the "free parking" culture in preparation for a pay-per-space parking garage by setting up parking meters at downtown spots where the Borough wants high turnover.

4) Build parking garage, probably with a foundation that can hold 7-8 floors and just add floors as finances and need requires.

Why the Borough Manager jumped directly to Step 3) -- you'll have to ask him.

Anonymous said...

"Demutis and his dad"? What a smoking gun! Others may have talked about someone doing the bidding of a particular family, now we have an implicating quote from the grey palamino's mouth!