Apr 14, 2015

Wehr's Dam Challenges Integrity Of The Wildlands Conservancy

Chris Kocher, President of Wildands Conservancy, publicly stated on their website and a Morning Call editorial that Wildlands Conservancy will certainly respect whatever decision South Whitehall Township makes about the dam’s future. The same pledge was also repeated by their director, Abigail Pattishall, prior to the vote on March 18th. This blogger has learned that there is a back door plan under way to still demolish the dam. Prior to voting on the dam, Commissioner David Bond suggested that perhaps the issue should be turned over to the voters in form of a referendum, because of the expense involved in keeping the dam. Bond voted to save the dam, but only after the yes votes were already in a majority. My sources reveal that Commissioner Christina Morgan, who voted against the dam, and the Wildlands' Pattishall, are encouraged by the prospect of a referendum. They know that any question to the voters which increases taxes or expenses always loses.

The entire Wehr Dam study lacked integrity. The million dollar price tag assigned to repair the dam was a blatant scare tactic. Realistically, the repair cost would be only a small fraction of that amount. Unfortunately, this inflated figure has been taken at face value by The Morning Call, and repeated article after article. What Christina Morgan and Abigail Pattishall fail to realize is that unlike their inflated dam study, support for the dam is very real. The thousands of people who signed the petition, while visiting the dam, are very real.

The current Explore issue of South Whitehall Park News fails to mention or honor the dam's retention. Likewise, the Wildlands Conservancy has not acknowledged the decision, and a previous pledge to move on to other projects. Randy Cope, South Whitehall's park director, might be a member in good standing with the Wildlands, but he is failing the citizens of South Whitehall, by ignoring the peoples' wishes to celebrate the dam. Any referendum on the dam,  originated by commissioners, will be a vote against the wishes of the townships' residents.

photograph by K Mary Hess

4 comments:

  1. Integrity from local bureaucrats?

    Can't speak for y'all, but, when I go to China, I do not expect to see very many Romans.

    It's all about expectations, you must understand.

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  2. just read int he morning call, that Christina Tori "dam crusher" Morgan is at it again with a plea for a referendum to remove the dam... god Bless Glenn Block

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  3. If Cristina Tori Morgan and her cronies can try a backdoor move to remove the dam, can the citizenry of South Whitehall ask for a referendum for her commission to be recalled? How about a referenudm increase the commissioners from 5 to 7, like Whitehall... maybe get a home rule in there with a Mayor, etc

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  4. Just learned all of the South Whitehall Township clerical staff voted to unionize and bring in the Teamsters due to meddling by the Board of Commissioners. Why no press coverage of this? Why have the Commissioners not announced this. Hoping that MM checks into this and exposes it!

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