Matt Baker made important comments about Coatesville

Matt's post inspired me to write this:
I believe we don't need a bureaucratic wuss like Rawlings that balances the budget by firing police. Only the drug dealers gain and they don't pay taxes. It's very much harder to do but we need to raise the tax income by bringing more homeowners and businesses here and raising the property values. Municipalities aren't businesses that can cut essential employees that make it function go bankrupt and disappear. Well sometimes they do go bankrupt and disappear; we call them ghost towns.

Barry Cassidy is the best city manager that I am aware of in the Middle Atlantic States area. When he was interviewed a while ago he was willing to come down in salary to work in Coatesville.

According to Joe Carroll, Phoenixville was the highest crime area in Chester County, a higher crime area than Coatesville, back when Barry was  hired to change it around. I know from personal experience what Phoenixville was like then. Barry talked to the street dealers and told them they had two weeks to move off the corner. When two weeks came around the Phoenixville Police arrested not only the dealers but all the buyers too. After a time Phoenixville was a dangerous place to sell drugs and a dangerous place to buy drugs. He ran the dealers out of Phoenixville and killed the drug business there one corner at time.

The neat stuff like the reused paper mill in the center of Downingtown was begun when Barry worked in Downingtown. The work Barry began in Downingtown sat idle when he left Downingtown and began working in Phoenixville. Downingtown just picked again about 2 or 3 years ago.

In my opinion what sets Barry Cassidy apart from most city managers is that he doesn't just propose doing something; he makes sure it is done and done on time. Some people don't like Barry because he makes them work hard. Not just employees but contractors anyone connected with a city project. If something or someone is holding it up he’s all over them until they get moving.  He gets things done and done on time. Some Coatesville employees wouldn't like Barry but I believe the people that want to be a part of changing Coatesville around and seeing results would enjoy working with Barry Cassidy.

Phoenixville is a destination and a hot spot to live in Chester County. If you haven't been there go to Phoenixville and look around. It's nearly all of it is the results of Barry's efforts.

Barry made Phoenixville an entertainment hot spot in the Delaware Valley. That worked extremely well there. He wouldn't use the same means to turn Coatesville around. Coatesville is more of a commerce center, at least it could be.

I believe that dozens of people here that know what Barry did to the Phoenixville drug scene will call Mr. Cassidy is racist. They are unaware he is married to a Black women; a woman of considerable accomplishments.

Coatesville can be turned around now. Some of the people with considerable political clout that I believe were determined to keep Coatesville as a drug-selling hub are now gone. 

When Chief Bellizzie came to Coatesville the drug business was soaring. Drug sellers sometimes blocked Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue. It was something like the "Hampsterdam" episode of "The Wire". 

Chief Bellizzie put the drug business down. I believe the effort to remove Paul Janssen and Chief Bellizzie was not because of some property rights issues. I think the property rights thing was a cover for an effort to remove Chief Bellizzie, emasculate the Coatesville PD and make the drug business soar again in Coatesville. 

In 2005 I was dead on right when I said Chief Bellizzie would be fired by the newly elected city council and Richard Legree would somehow exert control over the operation of the City of Coatesville PD. Only one person in the Coatesville area would believe me, along with some intelligence people and ADAs in the USDoJ. 

I believe that Dominic Bellizzie might be available to come back as Chief of Police in Coatesville. He is the Chief of Police in Solebury Township in Bucks County PA. Mr. Bellizzie lives in the Coatesville area.

Chief of PoliceDominick P. Bellizzie
Dominick P. Bellizzie assumed the role as Solebury Township's Police Chief on June 1, 2006. Chief Bellizzie brings his experience in all aspects of special patrol, investigations, administration and narcotics. 

Chief Bellizzee holds a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice and has had extensive police training, including the F.B.I. National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Chief Bellizzie was selected by the International Assocation of Cheifs of Police to travel abroad to the Ukraine to provide training in police methods. 

Chief Bellizzie was previously the Chief of Police for the City of Coatesville in Chester County, Pennsylvania. In addition, Chief Bellizzie previously acted as Commanding Officer for the Narcotics Intelligence and Investigative Unit for the City of Philadelphia, responsible for coordination of all federal, state and local task forces including DEA, FBI, Customs and BNI. Chief Bellizzie has also had direct command and responsibilities for the Forfeiture Unit, Narcotics Computer Information unit, Technical Services Unit and Intensive Drug Investigative Squad in the City of Philadelphia.From:

Chief of Police

 This is Matt's comment:

Matt BakerJune 10, 2012 4:52 PM 

Jim - how can we talk about redevelopment or parking issues or fiscal responsibility when every month we have another story about something as terrible as death of another dog? This City needs to work on it's base. Rawlings reminds me of Chief Matthews back in the day. Totally clueless to how to lead and in the end get the same result. When you build your home you emphasize that the base (i.e. basement the flooring the structure) must be sound. For if you don't - then there is no guarantee it will be structurally sound. Same logic here. While I think Chief Canale is a nice guy it's time to bring in Chainsaw Al. To me this is another example of the broken window theory. The reason why this happens is unfortunately the killing of this dog and others (ask Jeff Loprinzi how he was treated on the killing on his dog) is there is no fear that they will be caught in my opinion. The same reasons why cars blare their music, race their motorcycles down main-street, ride mini bikes all through town is because there is no fear that they will be cited, arrested, or pulled over. I don't care if the CPD has 100 officers or 10 it all starts at the top about setting the expectation. You bring a Philly Police Commission Ramsey type in and believe me it wouldn’t happen on their watch. 


Does anyone find it ironic that City Council talked about a public relations person to come in when if they actually hired person who could do the job we wouldn't have this issue. Isn’t that what the City Manager is supposed to do? The reality is that the City is going to have to overpay for someone to come here but once they do they will immediately see the results. At this point hire Barry Cassidy to come in the interim – you get a manager and a RDA Executive Director. Further what does Kirby Hudson actually do to be honest? I can’t tell you other then attend luncheons and write long winded overviews of what he did. So remove the assistant City Manager as well. You can’t tell me Cassidy couldn’t make a difference immediately? Bring a real office mgr in a real HR Mgr in watch how fast things start to get done. Further from a CPD standpoint what about Officer Ollis as an interim Chief. Listen I don’t know check down list on how it works on how it should go, all I know is that he simply gets it and is fully involved in the community. He talks and walks the walk. I don’t see any other CPD out doing clean ups on their own dime or attending City Council meetings. Then go out and advertise the position in the proper why and let him interview. I mean if you can let Jim Lentz do it then why can we not do the same? In the meanwhile changes have to be made immediately.


In summary simply put - you get what you pay for. Coatesvillians need to demand the Borgota/Revel and instead of the Motel 6 you're paying 2.5 more for. You want change – then start demanding Chainsaw Al and Mike Keenan instead of the Doug Moe’s and you’ll start seeing progress. Furthermore if people don’t like my viewpoints that’s fine – but my question to them is - ok then what’s your idea then? Talk’s cheap. 
Regards,

Matt Baker