Accusations fly as crucial county council election looms

BBBIBBB At a meeting earlier this month, the accusations at Delaware County Council were on fire.

Democrats contend $140 million of critical improvements being dumped on the incoming council. Claims of questionable ethical behavior led both parties to call for an investigation.

It’s a tense time as three council seats are up for grabs on Election Day. Two are currently held by Democrats, so the party could take control of the county government for the first time since the Civil War.

Democratic Councilman Kevin Madden said last week officials received a report with a cost of $100 million to rebuild county infrastructure, including a four-story parking garage and office buildings to replace the Toal and Sweeney buildings in the borough.

“This has been a problem years in the making, identified in previous studies and yet nothing was done about it,” he said, adding that the 911 radio systems also need attention and that police and first responders have been asking to have it repaired for years. “It has put our police and first responders in danger due to loss of communication during emergencies and acting by outsiders with nothing being done about it until recently.”

He said to mitigate that system, the costs could be $40 million.

“So in total, a $140 million tab for catch-up expenses as our Republican colleagues head out the door,” Madden said. “I went back ... 25 years and I can’t find the time when anything near this degree of capital spending was called for in such a short period of time ... And yet if I had to guess, I’m expecting our colleagues just like last year are going to call for a tax cut in a cheap ploy to score political points and squeeze their successors fiscally, whoever they are. What happened to the party of fiscal responsibility? There’s certainly no evidence of it here.”

Republican Councilman Michael Culp, who is not seeking re-election, took issue with that, adding he disagreed with the assessment that nothing’s been done.

“In fact for the past year and a half, two years, I’ve been at every meeting to try and update this system,” Culp said. “And to take a shot and use our police officers, EMS and firefighters’ safety is ridiculous and you should that because I’ve never seen you at one of the meetings, never. So to take that shot is just ridiculous.”

And, the Democrats continued on their accusations of GOP corruption.

“I understand that the coming election is frightening for the Republican machine of Delaware County,” Democratic Councilman Brian Zidek said, adding that he understood “the desperation ... And this is how the machine works: The machine feeds insiders at the expense of Delaware County taxpayers, Republican and Democrat alike, and if you dare to challenge them and their way of life as I have, they try to intimidate and bully you by whatever means available to them.”

Madden added that Democrats weren’t calling every Republican corrupt.

“The blame lies with those who have used their position of leadership to perpetuate the system that has taxed the many to the benefit of the few,” he said.

County Council Chairman John McBlain, a Republican, summarized these comments as going “down the toilet of accusations as we approach elections.”

“They came onto this board and they were told by their handlers in Philadelphia and Swarthmore and other places that once you get into county government, you’re going to find this corrupt organization,” McBlain said. “Then, when they got here, they didn’t find it ... and they’ve been disappointed and therefore, their attacks have just gotten wilder, more non-specific and less truthful.”

McBlain had his own allegations.

He spoke about the Democrats’ comments that they won’t change county employee benefits as he said Zidek sat in a meeting with county benefits coordinators and asked about the elimination of spousal benefits. Zidek said that wasn’t true.

Then, McBlain said, “But I won’t be lectured on ethics and corruption anymore by people that engage in those activities specifically themselves ... Mr. Madden and Mr. Zidek in 2018 met with partners of Capital Strategies here in the Government Center building in our conference room to specifically discuss whether or not to renew the contract of Capital Strategies.”

The chairman alleged Zidek and Madden asked Capital Strategies, “How come you have never contributed to the Delaware County Democratic Party?”

“The partners of Capital Strategies responded, ‘Well, we’ve never been asked to donate to the Delaware County Democratic Party,’” McBlain said, “and Mr. Zidek and Mr. Madden summarily responded, ‘Well, we’re asking.’”

“It’s flatly untrue,” Zidek said. “These things didn’t happen ... I believe (forme NFL wide receiver) Keyshawn Johnson said at one point, ‘Come on, man, that’s ridiculous.’ That’s just ridiculous. Shame on you ... If I was in your shoes and I had your record, I sure would be trying to make up stuff too.”

Madden said it was hearsay and “an abject lie.”

Then, McBlain said, “We will investigate it and see whether or not it was hearsay.”

To which, Zidek and Madden said go ahead.

“I guess we will have to find out,” McBlain said. “Investigate it, put people under oath and let’s find out.”

“Let’s do it,” Zidek said.