Rumor Mill: Zoning Board gets notice

[raider.adam]

Rumor has it that everyone n the ZBA has been given notice. This was everyone's last day hearing.

Not staggering the replacements could have significant effects on cases in process.

[bvan]

It could have an effect on ongoing cases.

But as far as quality of work goes (based on the somewhat random, or even worse, connections based, desicion process), there probably wont be a big drop off, even in the short run.

And certainly, in the long run, I would expect huge improvments.

[Bulworth67]

Originally Posted by raider.adam

Rumor has it that everyone n the ZBA has been given notice. This was everyone's last day hearing.

Not staggering the replacements could have significant effects on cases in process.

It's true-they announced it today. (cue hallelujah chorus)

Getting rid of them en masse was a great way to send a message. It was the only way. I am very glad they're gone.

I'm not worried about delays. It's already a huge improvement, even before they name anyone. Although I expect the new board will be announced tomorrow.

[bvan]

I cant get this picture out of my head...

guy walks in, puts his arms up and yells,

"Everyone!!! Everyone!!! Your attention please!!!.

The Good News is, You're ALL Fired!!"

[MayfairMeat]

WOW.

The ZBA board has been fired? That's AWESOME!

+5 score to Nutter.

Something tells me DiCicco is going to be singing a new tune now that Nutter has proven that he's very serious about city zoning behavior.

Originally Posted by Bulworth67

It's true-they announced it today. (cue hallelujah chorus)

Getting rid of them en masse was a great way to send a message. It was the only way. I am very glad they're gone.

I'm not worried about delays. It's already a huge improvement, even before they name anyone. Although I expect the new board will be announced tomorrow.

[MayfairMeat]

Imagine if the Parking Authority was still under City control... the heads at the PPA would be cruising Monster looking for new jobs, too.

Nutter: Let's see more firings!

Since I live across the street from City Hall and MSB, I want to see more people walking out of the complex with boxes of personal belongings and hugging neuvo-ex coworkers.

[TheTalkingMule]

Great trade, who'd we get?

[Kukla65th]

There was a rush at Deli Court right after the firings. Not even free "Be Sure to Drink Your Water" t-shirts could stifle the frowns on the former-ZBA board members' faces.

What's Deli Court? It's the newest sensation on City Hall's 6th floor...just check out the thread on this forum about Deli Court. It's the one with massive amounts of posts.

[bvan]

Here is what I am hearing from the grizzled Philly veterans.

This is 'The Department'. The zoning board, is 'The Department.

Every Mayor, every administration, has a department (or two) where they stash all thier friends who they owe something to.

The veterans say that there is no way Nutter has 20-30 experienced zoning people waiting in the wings to swoop in and run this department. Its going to be his crony, patronage, payback job, department. They all do it. Nutter is no different in that aspect. (Although I did get them to agree that he was the best candidate we could have elected, and they did vote for him)

I can't talk them out of it, and I actually begin to feel a little naive as I am trying to....

Anyone care to comment about that?

[bvan]

Looks like someone did care to comment on that. I will be certain to forward this little gem to the hardened, jaded, philly veterans.

http://blogs.phillynews.com/inquirer...g_board_m.html


Nutter Appoints Zoning Board Members
Susan Jaffe, Anthony Lewis, Jr., Joseph Manko, Lynette Brown-Sow and Carol Tinari. Jaffe will be the chair.

Bios available after the jump. More to come later.

Susan O.W. Jaffe is a respected community leader serving on local and national non-profit boards. She is a former member and vice chair of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, where she conducted public hearings and voted on approximately 1,500 cases per year. Her areas of expertise include city planning, Philadelphia architecture and history and community relations.

Anthony Lewis, Jr. serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Association of Delaware Valley, the nation’s oldest non-profit housing agency, where he has worked since 1979. He is a recognized and respected leader on housing issues. Since 2002, Mr. Lewis has served on the City of Philadelphia Fair Housing Commission.

Joseph M. Manko is a founding partner of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP. Earlier in his career, he served as the Regional Counsel of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Middle Atlantic Region (region 3). Manko served for seven four-year terms on the Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners and served as Chairman of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council from 1988 until 1999, and remains an emeritus member of their Board of Directors where he has served for more than 25 years. Mr. Manko serves as Governor Rendell's representative and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority. He is a member of the Fairmount Park Commission. He was an Adjunct Professor at Penn Law School for 18 years, where he taught environmental law.

Lynette Brown-Sow is the Vice President for Marketing and Government Relations at the Community College of Philadelphia, a position she has held since 1995. Under the Rendell administration, Ms. Brown-Sow served as Deputy Mayor of Administration for the City of Philadelphia. In 1997, Ms. Brown-Sow was appointed to the City of Philadelphia Planning Commission.

Carol Tinari is currently the Managing Director/Consultant for NVT & Associates. A resident of Overbrook Farms and active community leader, Ms. Tinari is a member of the License and Inspection Review Board, a Commissioner on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Vice President and Director of Government Relations for Overbrook Farms Civic Foundation, Vice President of Wynnefield Overbrook Revitalization Corporation and a member of the Girard College Board of Managers.