Brown challenges Thomas for Darby mayor — again
DARBY BOROUGH » The two have faced off previously – two times, in fact. The rivalry between former Darby Borough mayor Paula Brown and incumbent Mayor Helen Thomas has almost become legendary.
Thomas has served three terms as mayor and, before that, one four-year term on borough council. Brown served on borough council for 10 years and for mayor eight years after that. The two competed against each other for the mayoral seat in 2005 and in 2009.
This year, the two Democrats face each other again in the 8.10-square-mile town with more than 11,000 residents and a budget of almost $5 million.
“I tried to sit back and let others step up to the plate,” Brown said. “But, nobody seemed to want to get involved. I can’t say I blame them. Darby politics is a bit rough.”
For some time, she herself sat back and said no to the thought to re-entering the political arena.
“The opportunity came up and people had been asking me for several years now, ‘Please come back, please come back,’” she said.
Brown shared why changed her mind.
“When there’s no opposition, there’s no checks and balances,” she said. “I did not feel right sitting back and not giving some type of choice to the residents. They should never have to have people be elected as their representatives with one vote. That is not healthy. That is not healthy.”
Brown cited the rise in crime and issues with the police department need to be addressed.
“We need to restaff the department,” she said of the police she department as she said it has more part-time officers than full-time ones and they’re answering calls and patrolling at the same time in one of the county’s top busiest crime spots. “When I say we’re severely short-staffed, we’re severely short-staffed.”
The 56-year-old county Community Services supervisor also questioned police pay.
She said her home was built by her grandfather in 1903 and her street is the pride and joy of Darby.
“If I’m going to stay here, I have to get involved when things are not right,” she said. “I didn’t have a choice. At this point, I have to get involved.”
Thomas said she has things she wants to continue, especially attracting economic development to the town.
“I love being mayor,” the 53-year-old said. “I like taking care of our residents. The reason I’m running again (is) because I have unfinished business to do.”
Those things include bringing more revenue to the borough through more jobs and making Darby friendlier.
“That’s very important in small communities,” Thomas said. “We have to put more of that out in the borough.”
Yet, what she likes most about being mayor is helping people.
“My favorite parts of being mayor is I just like to take care of our residents,” she said. “I like taking care of people. Everybody needs someone they can call, that they can talk to ... someone who will listen to them. I was just born to help them.”
Regarding the police officers, Thomas said the borough just hired about five new ones with some in training and others riding on patrols in cars.
Asked about facing Brown again, she said, “It is what it is. I don’t know what to say about that. You just do the best you can. You hope that the residents are paying attention. You hope that the residents pick you for mayor.”
She shared something she said she’d like residents to know.
“It’s important that our residents pay attention when they go to vote,” Thomas said. “It’s important that they know who’s doing what in our borough, that we as elected officials do care and we’re not going nowhere. We really do care.”