- TOM FORD, Borough Council
Ford: Interim Mayor Lied about PennDOT Approvals days Before Primary Election
Mount Pocono Boro* Editorial Comment by Borough Council Member Tom Ford

Months ago, as a member of council, I asked the Council president and Interim Mayor Penn, for the documents reflecting the alleged approvals of 3D crosswalks that the I.M. claimed to have received. They refused. I was compelled to ask PennDOT for them through a Right to Know request. The response was revealing -- PennDOT never gave any approval for 3D crosswalks. And the reason is that they were determined to have been so dangerous that the federal government has banned them, even on an experimental basis. So, on May 15, PennDOT's Senior Civil Engineer for Transportation in our region told the I.M. that they were NOT APPROVED. Astoundingly, the next day, I.M. Penn announced on his campaign page the exact opposite -- saying ""PennDOT has given initial approval to paint our 3D crosswalks". Lives were placed at risk, as the painting of our downtown crosswalks was delayed based on I.M.Penn's lie. And, he and Williams wasted the time and energy of members of the public by encouraging them to go out and gather petition signatures to support 3D crosswalks -- after PennDOT said 'No, Never!' They did this in the weeks leading to the Primary Election. I think Mount Pocono deserves better than a leadership willing to risk lives for petty political purposes.