Letter to the Editors: Not Seeking Township Position

Letter: Not Seeking Township Position

March 8, 2008

Dear Editor,

I just finished reading the hatchet job your reporter, and I use that work loosely, Judi Panasik, wrote in your paper. Let me dissect her article mistake by mistake. I have not been “sniffing” around concerning the South Strabane Supervisors position, but was contacted by one of the supervisors to consider getting involved, and no, it was not Bob Hollick. I considered the request and thought that maybe it was time for me to give back to the community and not just live here. The same reason I was on the Trinity School board, to give back and offer my experience from the private sector to help the school district.

I moved into South Strabane, 30 years ago because it was a well run township. The people most responsible for that over the years was Billy Bell and Don Trautman. I felt that the Township has been struggling without their leadership and that maybe I could help. I called Don Trautman to find out what was really going on in the township and to gain his insight and experience. I also asked him if he thought that my skills and demeanor would be of benefit to the township. His discussion was both informative and helpful. I then called Cody Knotts another person I have know for many years, a person that I trusted with his insight in local politics and discussed the overall situation at the Township. Again I was getting a feel for the issues within the township (checking the facts) and to see if my skills would be of help to the township.

Now, if Ms. Panasik had contacted me to ask my intentions or discuss my views on the TIF I would have welcomed the inquiry and maybe she would have come close to the truth of my interest in serving. But instead she filled her article with rumor, innuendo, false conclusions, and absurd leaps of faith. She is not a reporter, but an advocate using the Recorder as her sounding board since I assume no one else will listen to her cackling. If she read my position on the TIF printed in this paper, if she can read, she would have seen that my position was written after the fact and basically said that since the TIF is reality, then at least be smart about it and protect the taxpayer, and that if you don’t like the positions of your representatives on the TIF replace them in the election process.

Concerning the LERTA during my Trinity School Board term, if she can’t see the development at the Washington Crown Center, the baseball fields, hotels, and restaurants and see the increased tax base, increased employment from the development, then she is a blind advocate and not a factual reporter. Don’t ask people how they “feel”, or “wish that after all these years what the LERTA has done”, go and research the facts, then make an informed statement. She also did not report that the Trinity Board rejected the LERTA request concerning the Trinity Point development. One must consider each project on its own merits and not be a blind advocate for either position.

Also, for all residents thinking about serving in public office Ms. Panasik has now placed a qualifier on your sincerity, “you must attend all meetings of the township to demonstrate that you are qualified”.

I guess I should be sorry I know Bob Hollick. I will check with Ms Panasik as to whom I should know and not know in the future.

People wonder why good people don’t get involved in politics, why they don’t volunteer their time and effort. I guess it is because of the vicious attacks from reporters like Ms Panasik who question a person’s motives before they even speak to the person. She never tried to contact me or to seek clarification on any issue she commented on in her attack article. Wouldn’t that have been the decent thing to do?

No, Ms Panasik I won’t be seeking to fill the position at the township, gee I guess that blows all your conspiracy theories.

Tom Flickinger
South Strabane Township