Tom Riel took to the streets after Tuesdays council meeting with an Era reporter to "prove" that the streets are indeed safe. This would be akin to taking someone from out of town on a tour of Bradford to prove there wasnt any blight, and stopping only at well kept houses. Anyway Mr. Riel in his zeal to prove he is right and everyone else is wrong, once again misses the point by a country mile, and may just get his wish. Main street and the business district will be exclusively "owned" by scummers, ne'erdowells and drug dealers, Mr. Riel can tour the streets and get high fives from them. The merchants and shoppers who do not want to deal with the rabble will simply take their business elsewhere.(actually this is already happening.) Maybe to Foster Brook. Main street will be only junk shops, tattoo parlors, bars and empty storefronts. ( it doesnt have that far to go) but worry not, we will have cameras watching...

Speaking of missing the point, Mr. Riel seemingly just for spite, will be enforcing a "zero tolerance" bicycles on sidewalks policy, and will be having police write tickets to anyone riding a bike on a sidewalk anywhere within the city limits, no warnings, citation on the spot. I guess we have the resources for this.

A link to comments on Anne Holidays blog, interesting to see the opposing points of view. http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID ... Popup=true This particular one echoes most peoples sentiments including mine; Anonymous said...
I was in town this past weekend to pick my 2 kids up, they spent the summer in bradford. It was sad to see how bradford has become so run down just in 2 years. we stay at the best western (which was very nice) so we could walk to the different resturants and activites that were going on. Due to the rain alot was canceled but i do have to say it didnt stop some people, its sad that kids on bikes wont move while you are walking or even say excuse me, the language and rude comments and dirty filthy people that cant even dress decent im sorry to say that if ur 250-300 pounds u should not wear spandex or tank top they should be fined for indcent exposure. The garbage that layed in the streets and parking lots and in peoples yard was terrible. Im glad to say that i moved out of bradford and wont be back for a while. I hope things do change for the hard working people that are making it their home and a living. It was digusting and if i was the city council i would be very embaressed to have people from all over the country come in for the case reunion or any other function. One way to get these people from haning around town is give them a broom and a garbage bag and put them to work because if u fine them you wont ever see the money! Best of Luck to those who are trying and Thanks for a nice time while i was there.

July 25, 2012 8:01 PM This one is interesting too;
Dr. D said...
There are several people on here who are missing the point of the nature of the complaints. The merchants have a valid point, as do the few intelligent patrons on here who have made their cases in the name of decency and safety. The glaring issue is that right in the middle of Main Street, is Williams St., and not even half a block down Williams, at any point in the day, you can spot four or five police vehicles just sitting there. It's unfortunate, but we have entered the age of selective law enforcement; if the infraction is not egregious enough or the fines hefty enough, like a DUI, for instance, the cops may or may not enforce that particular law. It's all come down to the almighty dollar. It costs money to run a police force; the salaries, the gas for the vehicles, the wear and tear on those vehicles, the police facilities, the equipment, etc. All these things cost money; and, the bean counters have got every infraction and every potential arrest converted down to dollars and cents. If the register starts to lean towards the red, you can bet that only the most egregious offenses are going to be considered. Why else would all of those police vehicles be sitting there idle until Friday and Saturday night, when all the drunks converge on Players and The Corner Bar. It is hilarious, though, how the Mayor himself, twists the whole meeting around into a bitch session about peoples' appearances. Just like he's ignored questions concerning the allocation of policemen to provide escorts for Dice Runs. Some Mayor, isn't he? I think he means Kennedy street...

The mayoral "spite walk", is a joke! If he really cared about down town, he would be LISTENING to the concerned merchants, not scorning them, and setting out to prove them wrong! Why walk around town NOW? Seems like it was all staged, and the Era tagging along like the little side kick dog who keeps jumping up and down to get the bulldog's attention, saying "whattawedonow Spike?!"

Its safe on main street (unless you are in the Holley..) http://1490newsblog.blogspot.com/2012/0 ... uckus.html

LOL! At least it didn't happen on the streets of our fair city! Hope they get the mess cleaned up before we go there tonight! (kidding!)

Carol Orris wrote a good letter to the Editor in todays Era, reminding Council and the Mayor that people need to feel comfortable on main street to return to shop, or we no longer will have a main street as we know it. Be careful Carol, you risk making the list with other trouble making merchants who dare complain about how their city is managed and their tax dollars spent... Just like certain parts of the city have been let "go to the dogs", pretty soon the wellies and mutants will have their way and all of the "normal" merchants will be run off of main street. This Blowhard from Olean seems to have the same sense of entitlement as his customers, and if he makes more noise than the regular merchants, or agrees with the mayor and council, he will probably be the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.

I hope I am not reading this correct. Please correct me if I am wrong here. Here is someone who is not on welfare, opens a business in Bradford, pays taxes and then you complain about it. There is no pleasing you people is there? You complain about people not having a job, and then you complain about someone working and paying taxes. I bet if one of you on here hit the big PA jackpot on the lottery you would complain about the taxes you had to pay on it.

Dont patronize me or put words in my mouth musicman, I have no problem with anyone who wants to endure what a a person has to sucessfully operate a small business. I know this from experience. Im not sure if you do. My issue is with this guy making a lot of bluff and bluster, allegedly intimidating nearby business people and drowning out long time Bradford merchants with legitimate complaints.

the keyword in your post is "allegedly"

My brother (who's 69yrs old) got into Bradford on Monday from Colorado. After getting settled into my house for a weeks stay, and was able to sit down and start to talk( he hadn't been here in 5 yrs) the first thing he said was "what's happening to downtown?" He had taken alittle ride around different neighborhoods( Congress St.- Williams St.- Main St.) I was acutally ashamed. He said everything looks so shabby, and worn out looking.Said he couldn't believe the number of young people ( 20-30 yr old) just seem to be sitting around and not doing anything. He was meeting some old friends at Kelley's today for lunch, and I'll be anxious to see what he has to say when he gets back. It just made me so mad and at the same time sad. Bradford is the only town that we have known, and it's something I see on a daily basis, but it really upset set me to think this is what the first thing that jumped out to my brother.

Baker, funny you should mention this, My wife and i just drove down Summer street tonight, Wow, what a mess. It might actually rival the second ward in some areas. Only in Bradford can you have a beautifully kept home, flanked by total sh*t shack rentals and the human cockroaches spilling out from them. Bradford taxpayers deserve a lot more than they are getting, A lot more...