Welcome To The Neighborhood
In the search to purchase my first home, I chose Parkside because I wanted to live in a neighborhood that was welcoming, safe, and affordable. This milestone, meant to be celebrated, was overshadowed by my father’s death. After a two-year battle with cancer, he left us a week before my closing date. The morning after his funeral, I drove over 400 miles back to Parkside to sign my closing paperwork and move in. The last time I saw him alive a month prior, I showed him photos of my house and spoke about how much work I had ahead of me with this home that hadn’t been renovated in 30 years, to which he assured me that I always found a way to make something beautiful, even with next to nothing. I moved in that day full of overwhelming grief but determined to prove him right.
Shortly after I moved in, it was communicated that the cost of recycling had skyrocketed, and the options were to cancel the recycling service, or raise taxes to cover the cost. I emailed the borough to express my support for keeping the recycling program and urged them to look into other trash collectors or pickup schedules to mitigate the cost increase but did not receive a response. I asked why we weren’t shopping for a better price in the local Parkside Facebook group (at the time - we’ve had so many!), to which I received a hostile reply from Council President Shirley Purcival, who went on about how I have done nothing for this community. I had literally just moved in, and this was the welcome to the neighborhood that the Council President offered me.
The Parkside GOP Facebook account has stuck to this message. Their recent posts continue pushing the notion that the Democratic candidates have done nothing for the Parkside community, but take no responsibility for the bullying nature in which they interact with the community on social media. My interactions with Shirley Purcival on social media have never been pleasant and didn’t lend themselves to making me feel welcome at borough events, and I know I’m not alone in that feeling. I don’t believe that residents should have to attend community events to earn the right to speak and ask questions.
When I moved to Parkside in 2018, I was juggling a full-time job, an internship, and graduate school classes in the evening, on top of being a parent. It is only because of the Democrats on council pushing for video recording of the council meetings that I have been able to watch them at all, and what I’ve seen has been appalling. Month after month, I watch as the newly elected Democrats ask questions about council procedures and be met with condescending remarks instead of patience and a willingness to help. Parkside GOP says they welcome camaraderie but treat the Democratic councilmembers with disdain at every turn, scolding them for speaking out of turn but never holding themselves to the same standard. They say they welcome inclusivity, but the way they respond to questions from members of the community is appalling
I love my neighborhood on West Elbon because we don’t check each other’s voter registration before we offer a warm hello or fetch a runaway trash can on a windy day. My neighbors have been kind and welcoming to me despite my absence and the busy schedule I maintained, and I’m looking forward to spending more time with them now that I’ve earned my Master’s and can direct my energy toward proving my Dad right. During the pandemic, I’ve focused on making my home more beautiful, but I don’t want to stop there. Parkside doesn’t exist without the people who live here - this isn’t a community without you. I know that the majority of Parkside is not a bunch of bullies, and I think it’s time our council looked and acted more like neighbors. Parkside GOP wants you to vote Republican this November so we can “get back to normal” but is this the normal you want? Parkside deserves better. Election day is November 2nd. Let’s build a new future. Together.
