Acknowledgement overdue at the library
Who’d have thought a ribbon-cutting ceremony for new library could stir up hard feelings?
David Marks and other representatives of the Perry Hall Improvement Association showed up to a ceremony to officially open the new library branch in Perry Hall armed with an oversized $20,o00 check — money raised from community residents and business to support on-going programs at the long-anticipated facility.
Marks, president of the association, said he was disappointed when the group wasn’t mentioned during a 30-minute ceremony featuring County Executive Jim Smith and library officials.
“The Perry Hall Improvement Association worked very hard on that project for 10 years,” Marks said.
“I didn’t expect to make a speech but to not even be acknowledged - I think that’s a bit rude,” said Marks, adding that he was angered by the incident.
Don Mohler, a spokesman for Smith, expressed embarrasment over the situation and called the whole matter an oversight.Mohler said another member of the association, who is also a member of the library board, was supposed to call Marks up.
“He forgot,” Mohler said, adding that Smith was ” ‘really sorry.’ It was truly an oversight.”
Marks, who has frequently been mentioned as a possible Republican candidate for Democratic Councilman Vince Gardina’s council seat, said he does not believe there was anything partisan involved. Dennis Eckard, a past president of the association and Democratic supporter, also attended the ceremony and was not mentioned. For the record, Marks said he is not considering a run for any office at the moment.
Not everyone was willing to leave the politics at home.
Sen. Andy Harris, a Republican who represents part of the Honeygo area of Perry Hall, including where Gardina lives, referred to the councilman in a recent interview as “the vanishing Vince Gardina” because the councilman was listed in Smith’s press release as having attended the library ceremony. Gardina also was quoted in the release.
Gardina, who is thought to be considering a run for Harris’ state Senate seat in 2010, did not attend the ribbon cutting.
Still, Marks said Gardina “deserves credit for his work on the library.”
Mohler said there is a simple explanation for the wording in the release. Those documents are often prepared 24 to 48 hours in advance, mostly for the benefit of the media, he said, and the quotes are often canned comments. The list of attendees is based on who RSVPs to the county executive’s communications office, Mohler explained.
Gardina, who teaches at Mount St. Joseph High School, was unable to attend because of a last-minute obligation at school, Mohler said.
“We were literally on our way to the event when Vince called to cancel,” Mohler said. “We’re not going to run back to the office and and do the press release over again because Vince isn’t coming.”