Local Business Pays For Cheese Club Flagpole
A&E Construction Co. in Upper Darby pays for $550 flagpole that has caused a minor controversy.
On Monday, Haverford Township Board of Commissioners President Bill Wechsler shared a township letter to the Haverford-Havertown Patch that shows that an Upper Darby business has paid for the flagpole in front of the Cheese Club.
The letter, addressed to William F. Santora, Sr., the CEO of A&E Construction Co. located on 152 Garrett Rd., reveals that his company had paid for the $550 flagpole.
“On behalf of the Township of Haverford and the Board of Commissioners, I sincerely want to thank you and the employees that contributed $550 to cover the expense of the flagpole that resides at the Cheese Club,” wrote Township Manger Larry Gentile. The letter was dated Monday, Jan. 23.
The incident started during a commissioner’s meeting on Monday, Jan. 9, when Larry Chrzan, a former Democratic candidate for the 7th Ward in the 2011 election, asked the commissioners if township money was used to pay for a flagpole in front of the Cheese Club, a private property, that was dedicated to a fallen veteran.
At the meeting Gentile admitted to the commissioners that he did use township funds to pay for the flagpole, saying that it was part of improving the business district in the Oakmont section of Havertown. He did offer to pay for it.
Wechsler, the 9th Ward commissioner, stated in an email to Patch on Monday, Jan. 23, that 7th Ward Commissioner James McGarrity offered to pay the entire cost of the flagpole. The flagpole, which replaced an old one in July of 2011, was in honor of Robert Burns, a U.S. Army veteran who died in March of 2011 at the age of 79, Wechsler added.
“Mr. Burns served in the Korean War and was a local resident. He was also a member of the Cheese Club,” Wechsler wrote. “I applaud Commissioner McGarrity for honoring Mr. Burns. By honoring this local hero he is also paying tribute to all our veterans who served and those that continue to serve their country and neighbors. We must never forget their service to our country which continues to provide the freedom we enjoy.”
McGarrity was not the first one to offer to pay for the flagpole. In an email to Patch on Wednesday, Jan. 11, Patrick J. Lavin, commander of the American Legion Post 667 in Havertown, said that the Legion would be willing to pay for the flagpole.
Wechsler commented that he was not sure if a violation of a law was broken to have township money used for a private property, but stated that it should not have been done and he promised that stricter guidelines have been put in place.
“I apologize for the oversight by the township. We will now have the finance director and solicitor review any purchase request that originates from a commissioner. Any expenditures requested by a commissioner will be published to all commissioners for review and comment after the initial review by the finance director and solicitor,” Wechsler wrote.
Santora and McGarrity have not yet returned Patch’s phone messages seeking comment. Patch was unable to reach the Cheese Club for comment.
Jim
1:27 pm on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
This story is so sweet I am about to cry in my beer especially when the flagpole was donated on behalf of a korean war vet. I am all choked up. Maybe the vice president of A&E will get a couple of free drinks for his humble donation!
Bebimbop
4:17 am on Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Good business move cause he might have an edge in future contracts with the township. Let's see what happens
John Kenedy
11:23 pm on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Great Story--The Cheese Club is a really cool place, a throwback to an easier time.
Jim
11:46 pm on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
To bad it's become a poltical club The owner from A&E is sucking up for township work. He didn't buy the flagpole because he cares about a Korean war vet! I like the name though (cheese club) The rats from across the street just have to go a short distance to hustle a vote.
Jim
2:14 pm on Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Gentile didn't need to hire a smellologist to catch a whiff of the cheese across the street at the C.C. Gentile got caught in a trap and he can't walk out because he loves cheese to much Jimmeeee. Sontora the head of A&E construction tries to bail his boy gentile out by paying for the flagpole and also try to swindle more work out of the township.Remember it was A&E who built the new Oakmont firehouse. pay to play! Do the Havertown Hustle dute-dute-dute-dute-dute,dute,dute,dute,dute,dute-dute-dute,dute,dute, do the Havertown Hustle,Everbody now,do the H.H.Hustle!
Vicki
2:45 pm on Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Bill Santora’s father, the founder of A&E Construction Co., proudly served in the Korean War. I have worked at A&E for several years. A&E is very involved in the community, including Time for Teens in Upper Darby, The Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia, and UNICO Greater Philadelphia Chapter, to name a few. Our company has made donations of time, material and money to the Upper Darby Arts and Educational Foundation, Weed ‘n Seed in Upper Darby, Mothers’ Home in Darby, The Haverford Blaze and Youth Football programs, Llanerch Hills and Drexel Hill Little League, Cardinal O’Hara and Monsignor Bonner Athletic programs and many more. The owners of A&E do pay so the kids can play! They paid for the flagpole to honor their father’s serve in Korea.
Jim
5:57 pm on Wednesday, January 25, 2012
I could give a s--- if Bill Santora,s father was Auddy Murphy or if Bill could stand on his head and spit wooden nickels. The point is, the township or Bill Santora should have never paid for the flagpole. The bottom line is, the cheese club should have paid for the flagpole.So what if you work for A&E.That means you have a job,just like everbody else.