Prove me wrong

[Harlow]

There are many things I enjoy doing. I really enjoy creating debate.

Yes, I have referred to the Borough Council as the Nodding Head Club. Find one vote where it wasn't unanimous. PROVE ME WRONG!!

The current Mayor has done many things for the youth of the community. He says that he has learned a lot over the past year. He has reached out to us for ideas.

What are your ideas Mr. Mayor? What are your top 3 priorities for Tyrone and how do you plan on convincing Council and the Borough Manager to accomplish them.

The Mayor is the President of the Council. The Borough Manager, while a paid employee, works for the Council.

Red Tape is mentioned. As President of the Council, you set the agenda. You can work with the Solicitor to make sure things are lined up and start cutting through red tape. I live in the world of Red Tape and if the priority is important enough and can be proven that it is important, you can eliminate the Red Tape.

If you want the contracts with the Borough Employees settled, give thema final offer and remind them that they can be replaced. No Union should have the power over the Community.

Is it cheaper for the Borough to outsource some of the duties done by people in the Borough Building. With the Drug Problems and small crime caused by the drug problem, do you think there should be more employees upstairs or downstairs in the Borough Building.

I will say the same thing I have always said. Don't continue to say there is a problem, start coming up with solutions.

Solve the drug problems that is giving Tyrone a truly bad reputation. Don't give away the farm to the Borough employees when most of the community don't make the salaries they do. Don't use Red Tape as a problem, find a way to eliminate the Red Tape.

Prove me wrong please. Come up with solutions.

[Navy CPO]

Since you have no replies... here goes.

What are your solutions to the issues? What actions have you taken to make change? Why try to prove your wrong? From what I read, you have your mind set on being right! Everyone has faults and as in life, not everyone will like or even respect what you bring to the table. So who elected the mayor? Individuals from the community. He had to have some great qualities. Embrace his great qualities and be the stone to strenghen his weak qualities. Change is good if done in small amounts. Everyone can debate and go on and on and on. Take your first step forward and help out. How about you be part of the solution than being part of the problem. There's your "Almost A Debate."

So now that I opened myself up to you, fire away! Cheers...

[Harlow]

Welcome to the board Navy CPO.

The Mayor was elected by the voters of Tyrone.

I haven't done anything to make Tyrone better in recent years because I don't live there now. Working for Uncle Sam has kept me out of Tyrone and will for the long term future.

I may not live there, but I care what happens there. Many of my friends are in the Tyrone area and my Dad still lives in Snyder Township.

The problems continue to mount and the local government is status quo. I am trying to bring the issues out into the open and ask the elected leaders how they plan to fix them.

I would like to retire in Tyrone and by then I hope it is still there and not drug infested.

[Mainegirl]

Hello Everyone,

Welcome Mayor K. Well, here is my two cents.. As far as the drug issue goes they are EVERYWHERE. Sad but true. Is it the Mayors responsibility to wipe out drugs? Sure he can help, but unless he is Superman I dont see him being able to handle that tall order. From what I've read in the newspapers, it seems as though Tyrone is cracking down on users and suppliers. My personal feeling is that it starts at home. Parents need to teach their children when they are young how dangerous drugs are. They need to talk to their children, know who they hang out with, keep them involved in healthy activities. Maybe most importantly "love" them. My belief is that if a person feels secure and has a sense of self worth, they wont feel the need for drugs.

[Butterball]

I agree with the last post.. It does seem like there are a lot of broken homes in Tyrone. The teens that I have encountered in my line of work at the school all come from broken homes. Some of them are even second and third generation broken homes. Parents that don't know how to parent and are afraid of there own kids. I thank God that there are places like the Joshua House and Quest Haven Lodge for these kids to go to and learn Love, respect, morals and values.


What have you done in the past month to impact the life of only one of our youth in Tyrone?

This question is for anyone!

[banksy]

There is some truth to everything said here, but I can tell you for certain that a good home alone will not preclude a youth fmo becoming an addict.

[Beck]

Hello Everyone,

My personal feeling is that it starts at home. Parents need to teach their children when they are young how dangerous drugs are. They need to talk to their children, know who they hang out with, keep them involved in healthy activities. Maybe most importantly "love" them. My belief is that if a person feels secure and has a sense of self worth, they wont feel the need for drugs.

Okay... I haven't been to the boards for a few days and then when I do stop on by I wish I hadn't. The above quote is so untrue. It doesn't matter what your background, rich poor, black white, catholic methodist...and even loved or not loved. Drugs can attack any life and any family.
As for Joshua House and Quest Haven, I think they are great places for kids to go, but we also need a "neutral" place for the kids to hang out, for that ones that aren't comfortable in a Christian environment . Our town desperately needs a place like the YMCA use to be.
John, I agree that things need to be said, and I respect that you at times come out as being the "devils advocate".. someone has to bring issues up. And look what it has done, its gotten us all talking, now we have to do what you have said in your other messages "start doing something"..

[Mainegirl]

The above quote is so NOT untrue. I'm not saying every drug user comes from a bad upbringing. What I am saying is if they have self respect and self worth they wouldn't feel the need for drugs. People who abuse drugs clearly do not have a sense of self worth.
By the way Beck , The YMCA stands for Young Mens Christian Association.

[Beck]

The above quote is so NOT untrue. I'm not saying every drug user comes from a bad upbringing. What I am saying is if they have self respect and self worth they wouldn't feel the need for drugs. People who abuse drugs clearly do not respect themseves or their bodies!!

How many drug addicts do you know that say "I'm so miserable in my life so I guess I'll help myself by becoming a drug addict".. Yes some people have low self esteem and turn to drug but not all.. Maybe you should have made your first post a little clearer. Alot of drug addicts are prescribed pain pills for pain and before you know it are addicted. They begin to experience withdrawal and get scared. They think well I'll just take them a little longer and then slowly decrease and soon I'll be alright but before you know it they are addicts. After becoming addicted I'm sure they don't respect themselves or their bodies, but at that point they can't help it.. Many drug addicts use to feel "normal" to try and make it thru a day without being sick. Drug addiction isn't pretty, I don't know of anyone that would want to live that life.
I'm glad that Tyrone is cracking down on the drugs and I do see a difference. Our schools are much safer than they use to be. I do think we need to go after the small town dealer though because they go out of town to purchase their drugs because they can get them cheaper in the city and sell them for a good profit in our small town. We have a long way to go but we aren't alone. Progress is being made.

[Mainegirl]

I agree that nobody would choose to be a drug addict. It must be a nightmare. These are my own views. My own two cents if you will.

[Navy CPO]

Hello to you to Harlow. I am also going to retire to the Tyrone Area in about 5 years or so. I'm also currently employed by "Uncle Sam" as well (Navy). The drug issues that I have read about on these blogs are common place in this day and age. Supply and demand. Is it right, no! But it is fact. I have had the unpleasureable dealings with this problem from individuals that worked for me in the military and also relatives and friends that have died in the Tyrone Area during the past fours years from drug overdoses. The drug issue is not an easy fix and will not happen over night. So, how do you fix the problem? I don't have a fix but some ideas on an appoarch.

1. Have a program in place to help those that are hooked on drugs, have somewhere individuals can go for help. Support groups.
2. Educated the community.
3. Create and pass harisher laws on dealers. I don't know all the laws and won't even try to pretend that I do, but they need to send a strong message out. Make examples of those that deal.
4. Provide other options for people to do for entertainment than use drugs.
5. Get individuals that used drugs to do speeches at the schools. The police are fine but really get someone the youth can relate to.
6. Post the numbers of deaths and drug related crimes in the newspaper. List the numbers to open the eyes of the community even more. Keep the data and run it all year long.

These are just some ideas that may or may not work but are worth a look at. Remember, drugs are everywhere and no community is safe. If you think otherwise, then you are just fooling yourself. No matter how you are raised, some point in life you and you alone have to make that decision to use or not to use drugs. I have three daughters and hope and pray that when that day comes for them that they will choose not to. Not currently being in the community (living there), I don't know how bad it is there but even from afar, I would be willing to do whatever I can. I often long for the day that I can return to Tyrone (home). Until then, take care.

Charles Miller Jr.

[Leep]

Everything starts in the home..everything...
Now, I don't mean to say that a good home life will cure all ills, but it goes a long way ....

As for choosing to be a drug addict, there is literally no excuse today to start using drugs and telling anyone, "I didn't know"
Everyone knows, we are inundated with information about the dangers of drugs almost from infancy....But peer pressure and wanting, needing that sense of belonging and or being cool, accepted is almost always the reason for initial drug use...

Societal pressure and changes inflict enormous pressure on our kids today, pressures that were non-existent when we were growing up..I.E. the fifties and sixties...
Sure it's tougher today.. and the breakdown of the home and marriage is a very big part of this, especially in the inner cities...although small towns like ours certainly are not exempt , as we all well know..
When people begin to take responsibility for their children, their marriages and their, dare I say this, start to bring God back into their lives and homes, then I believe we will see a turn around...
But, don't anyone hold their breath, either collectively or singly, or we will all be walking around blue in the face, regardless of the weather...




All in all, it's a tough thing and there is no easy fix..
Leep Out:

[banksy]

It's not as simple as everyone here makes it out to be. If it were, it wouldn't be such an epidemic.

[Butterball]

I don't think people are claiming that it is easy. I think the point is every little bit we do will help. I also feel that sometimes people stand back and complain but don't do anything to "help" the situation. We look down on the teenagers running around town with there piercings or just look the other way. We don't support any local youth/community activities.

What are the youth of Tyrone to do in this town? We don't offer much for them!

What have you done to reach out to one youth in Tyrone this past month? This is a question for anyone!

[150thBucktailCo.I]

What are the youth of Tyrone to do in this town? We don't offer much for them!

How about they find things to do that aren't detrimental to themselves and society?

How about the quit watching TV, playing video games, chatting on their cell phones, and doing drugs? There's something they can do. That's something most of us didn't have to worry about since TV cable, satellite systems, X-Boxes, and Playstation III's didn't exsist.

How about they take the initiative to find something to do themselves? How about they take responsibility for their actions and hold themselves accountable?

Here's an idea... how about having the youth of Tyrone volunteering to either repair or raze the old YMCA building piece by piece. That way, that sidewalk could actually be used, people wouldn't have to worry about having pieces of a building falling upon them and their vehicles, and the kids in Tyrone can gain experience in construction or demolition.

There's something that Kilmartin and the Boro can look into doing. Using these failing buildings as a volunteer and vocational experience. Use the boro employees as a mentor, or find a contractor who will volunteer his services to teach. Maybe the Code Enforcement officer can teach the youth what to look for in failing buildings BEFORE they actually start to crumble. The police can start up a ride-along program... Youth Assisting Patrol-Recruitment(YAP-R). Volunteer Fire Dept. and EMT is another thing.
The Park structures could use a coat of fresh paint. How about saving the boro some money so they can fight blight problems in town and rather than plow the streets, we just have the kids shovel them?

There are some suggestions...

But the best suggestion is, get up off your lazy, fat *ss and do something meaningful.