CHCA: Vote Early, Vote Often

What the hell?

If anything, the last few years have shown that things can get worse with the Chestnut Hill Community Association. Life with the CHCA has become a farcical romp, from the still-active investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General to the mismanagement of the investment fund when it was left in securities as the market tanked; from the attempted coup against the Local editor orchestrated by the "leadership" of the CHCA executive committee to the 31 percent rent hike for the Local's office, the hiring of an Associate Publisher at $65K a year and the hatchet job against a Local staff member who challenged them. Add to this mix the $40,000 kick-in Quita Horan gives the CHCA every year to fund administrative staff at the CHCA and the incredibly inept study the board applauded regarding the Local's future. Also, send a hat tip to Mark Keintz for being proud he's one person "not attacked in the Local" (Why bother? His work speaks volumes - see the story three years ago behind the $10,000 grant). We understand why people are dropping CHCA membership.

And don't forget the recent audit, which CHCA Vice President of Operations Dina "Go ahead, report me to the Attorney General" Hitchcock ordered withheld, an act to which CHCA Treasurer Mark "always difficult for me to calibrate how much response I should give to Jim’s [Jim Foster] various assertions" Keintz agreed. (More on that audit in a later post.)

But now there's a choice in this year's Chestnut Hill Community Association Board of Directors election. and if things are ever gonna change, this team will shake the status quo. So get out and vote - for these guys:

Positively Chestnut Hill. A collection of 10 people running as a team with a positive attitude.

As they say on their web site:
Meet the Positively Chestnut Hill team of candidates. As you will see, we are all quite different as individuals and we are not always of the same mind on many issues. But when to comes to Chestnut Hill, we are united in our belief that we have a great community that can become even better. Of that, we are positive! Our profiles give you some idea of who we are and why each of us is so positive about Chestnut Hill and is volunteering to be an active part of its future on your behalf.

Next time you see us on the Avenue, please say hello and share your thoughts. Thank you for being part of our community and for your vote.

So remember, it's the team of
LOU AIELLO, CHRISTOPHER PADOVA, VANESSA MULLEN, DAVID MANSFIELD, LISA HOWE, WENDY KERN, JAY VALINIS, MARY REGINA (JEANNIE) WEDGWOOD, FRANCIS (STRETCH) J. HENDRIE and FRAN O'DONNELL
looking for your vote.

Look for them on your ballot printed in the April 9 and April 16 editions of the Local. Then vote. It won't hurt. At least they're not Maxinistas or Dinasaurs.

Don't forget, you have to plunk down your $50 to join CHCA by April 8 to be eligible to vote and get a year of the Local. Of course, you can join Chestnut Hill Neighbors United for free (more on them in yet another post) and subscribe to the Local for two years for $50. But with the latter group, you won't be part of the kewl kidz.