Coatesville City Council has improved but it’s not there yet

This could be subtitled:

It's not easy being a Coatesville City Council member. Just ask some former city council members. 

The City of Coatesville has a reputation among developers as having a dysfunctional, erratic and unstable City Council. That reputation and not so much Coatesville’s crime problems might, at this moment in time, be the main impediment to revitalizing Coatesville. 

They are not being led from outside anymore by what I believe was an unusual combination of drug dealer leaders, corrupt landlords, con-men and white supremacists but they are still taking off the wall and often illegal actions. 

The city solicitor and city management seems to be afraid to give them advice for fear of losing their jobs. 

Some city council members appear to believe it's easy and simple to be a city council member. But city council is a dangerous place. 

"Our public officials have and always will be held to a higher standard to maintain their positions of trust."  FBI - SAC Stephen L. Morris - U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Texas

 

As a Coatesville City Council member you make decisions that can affect thousands of people. It's like walking in a minefield. You need some guidance. 

I believe Ed Simpson and Ingrid Jones know what they are doing, but the rest are flying blind. 

Coatesville City Council is walking mostly unaided in a legal minefield.

Please understand that I don't believe any Coatesville City Council members have a malicious intent, they are trying to do the right thing, they just don't know how.

City Council members that want to learn what they can and can't do and what they should be doing could take some courses on their own. Training in municipal government is offered by the PA Local Government Training Partnership.  It's also an opportunity to interact with other local government officials.