A response on Drexeline development

To the Times:

On 11/14, I was quoted in an article covering the first of two public hearings on the Upper Darby 2019 budget, which took place on Wednesday, Nov. 7.

While I appreciate the paper reporting on this event, I would like to correct the record and offer some additional context and updates. As reported, I did encourage Mayor Micozzie and the Upper Darby Township Council to budget for an updated website and a webmaster position. My assessment of the site’s current front-end appearance and usability is based on 15 years of professional experience as a multimedia producer. My request is motivated by my experiences as a township resident over the past five years, during which time it has become abundantly clear to me that the township suffers from a public communications problem and a restrictive, inefficient gatekeeper approach when it comes to sharing information and resources.

A robust, user-friendly website with digitized collections, staff directories, a comprehensive calendar and other features would be a significant step towards remedying both issues. A dedicated webmaster is a necessity for ensuring that the site is kept up-to-date, organized, and functioning. Mayor Micozzie’s response to my request as reported in the Nov. 14 article is not entirely accurate. Although the mayor did indicate that the website would be updated, he also stated that the money for doing so was not included in the budget. He did not elaborate on where the money would come from. Neither did Micozzie make assurances that there would be a webmaster position. Rather, he informed me that Upper Darby council members would have to amend the budget to include such a job. At the second budget hearing held on the evening of

11/14, I followed up on my original statements and was told unequivocally by the mayor that there would not be a webmaster.

I encourage all residents of Upper Darby to take a look at the 2019 proposed budget (which can be found at https://www.upperdarby. org/Gov/Finance/Township_Budget.html) and to attend the remaining 2018 township council meetings where the budget will be discussed and brought to a vote. We all bring valuable experience to table. The more informed and engaged we are, the better off we will be as a township, and as a community.

In closing, please note that my surname was misspelled in the article of

11/14.