This morning a local paper had a front page story about the riff between Chester’s Receiver, the Philadelphia Union soccer folks, and the Chester Stormwater Authority. If you recall, allegedly, the Philadelphia Union told the Receiver the Stormwater folks asked for some of their land to build a basketball facility. The Union thinks they’re being extorted (my words, not theres), the Receiver thinks this could be a problem for new businesses considering moving to Chester, and the Stormwater Authority says it’s all a big misunderstanding – or something like that.
The local paper states…
(Solicitor) Oxman said the Stormwater Authority is in the very preliminary stages of reaching out to the Union about the development of a multi-court sports facility on the Sons of Ben parking lot for the authority to build a basketball facility with 12 courts and a 3,000- to 5,000-seat stadium in exchange for reducing the $300,000-plus in past fees the authority says the Union owes it, not a reduction of its assessed fees. “Part of our mandate is economic development,” the solicitor said, pointing to the acquisition of properties by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as an example. “Basketball is God in Chester … Chester has a national reputation.” He said the authority had reached out to some sports facilities management firms about the idea and was conducting preliminary analysis of the viability of the project.
Now we all know the stormwater folks are also here to provide economic development. I speak for most of us residents who thought stormwater was only here to mitigate flooding around the city. We’re thrilled to see them clean storm drains and the pipes that lead to the river and are curious about projects like the ones in Eyre Park and Memorial Park. Now, our curiosity is peaked with the knowledge that they are spearheading a basketball mega complex because “Basketball is God in Chester.”
Call me basic, but there are a lot of wet basements in Chester and if there was some effort shown to stop homes from flooding after every heavy rain, the stormwater folks would gain a lot of new fans. Maybe break off some of those stormwater millions to install sump pumps or French drains in the many homes and businesses that always flood would be a great first start for community buy-in.
Honestly, I never knew they were mandated as an economic development arm for Chester. If that’s why they’re here, fine. Just do economic development. We can probably find someone else mandated to help with the flooding and wet basements. To try to do both seems a bit much.
I’m so confused!
Chester Matters Blog 
Extortion at its finest!!
Storm water doesn’t speak for my tax dollars and yes I still get water in my basement, so stick to the job at hand before you try to venture in unchartered territory.
Stop the water in basements is your only job… Do it!
There’s no way underneath this planet will the Storm Water Authority will be able to stop the water from invading our properties. Man cannot stop the rainwater’s therefore we are going to continue to receive a bill from the Stormwater Authority until we get the RECEIVERSHIP to step up in on our behalf and dismantle the entire Stormwater Nonsense.
I’ve said this before that WATER RISES TO ITS OWN LEVEL AND WE MUST HAVE ENOUGH COMMON SENSE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE WANING AND WAXING OF THE MOON .
Our ecosystem is based upon the LAWS OF NATURE AND PHYSICS. HOUSTON WE STILL HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE CITY OF CHESTER!!!
REMEMBER THIS YOU CANNOT EXTORT THE LORD !
I do not know how Mr. Oxman ever graduated from Law School.
His LIES and STUPIDITY are SO PAINFUL TO WATCH AND LISTEN TO…last I checked Bribery and Extortion were crimes punishable by jail time…and what kind of third rate “solicitor” EMAILS A JUDGE instead of doing the paperwork and filing the motions and following the procedures that the law requires!!?
WHAT A COMPLETE BABOON!
YAHOO ANONYMOUS..I definitely like your style. These so called professional con-men who sit back in their DESIGNER CLOTHES, behind their lavish and stylish office spaces while cutting deals during their lunch breaks like THIEVES IN THE NIGHT; waiting patiently for the right time to STRIKE THEIR INTENDED TARGET….IS BY FAR THE EPITOME OF A SLITHERING SNAKE!
I believe that these individuals do not have a SOUL OR CONSCIENCE. Whenever people make decisions based upon their very own PERSONAL GREED; they become BLINDED AND MISGUIDED.
IN ESSENCE YOU CANNOT SERVE TWO GODS!
MR. OXMAN YOU TOO ARE NOT ABOVE THE LAW. YOUR CRONIES WILL DO YOU NO GOOD IN THE END. EVERY GOOD THING WILL EVENTUALLY COME TO AN END.
THE PROBLEM WITH THIS ARTICLE ARE THE FACTS… AND THE FACTS SPEAKS VOLUMES OF THE MANY LOW-LIFE TACTICS THAT SOME FOLKS ARE WILLING TO RISK IN THIS CASE.
Mr. Anonymous I applaud your kindness in describing Mr. OXMAN as a third rate “solicitor.” I am somewhat disappointed in the fact that you failed to ZOOM IN ON THE DESCRIPTION AND INCORRECT SPELLING OF BABOON! THE CORRECT SPELLING IS BAFOON or BUFFOON.
TO ALL JURORS; please disregard these REMARKS AND COMMENTS FROM THE RECORD! COUNSELOR I AM ADVISING YOU TO APEAK WITH YOUR CLIENT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE WE PROCEED! I KNOW THAT I AM BEING SARCASTIC OR MAYBE FACTIOUS AND MAYBE JUST PLAN OLD STUPID; however never UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THE LORD! ONCE AGAIN GOD IS TRYING TO BE MERCIFUL TO THOSE OF US WHO REMAIN STEADFAST IN GOD’S WORD. THE TRUTH OF GOD AND THE HOLY SCRIPTURES ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE ANYTIME SOON!
LAST BUT NOT LEAST; CAN WE ALL JUST GET ALONG ? THE MOST FAMOUS PHASE FROM THE LATE RODNEY KING SHORTLY AFTER THE 1992 RACE RIOTS IN LOS ANGELES .
HERE WE ARE THREE DECADES LATER AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE ENTRUST TO MANAGE THIS CITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS FAILED THE TRUE TEST OF TIME! ACCOUNTABILITY!!!