Illegal’ meeting
votes out president

By Diane Prokop
Times Staff Writer

East Frankford Civic Association president Peggy Hoch made phone calls last Thursday afternoon to let people know that she was canceling that night’s meeting because she wasn’t feeling well.
A short time later, Kevin Walsh, an aide to City Councilman Dan Savage (D-7th dist.), made another round of phone calls to let people know that there were some pressing zoning issues and that the meeting was going to go on with the vice president running the meeting.
The fact that some people in Frankford might not have known that there was a vice president — Democratic committeewoman and Frankford activist Thelma Young — is largely due to the fact that since 2003 Peggy Hoch has been the face of East Frankford Civic Association and did everything that went along with her position as president, from representing the organization at 15th Police District Advisory Council and Frankford Business and Professional Association meetings to doing the phone work, the leg work, and taking the heat if things didn’t turn out the way some would like.
In recent months, more people have been coming out to meetings and have wanted to take a more active role.
At the October meeting, Savage aide Brian Wisniewski was nominated and agreed to be vice president, Amy Thatch, secretary, and Rita Lugrine, treasurer. While there was no competition for those positions, Frances Clay, a Democratic committeewoman and block captain on Margaret Street, was nominated for president.
Liz McCollum-Nazaria, Savage’s chief of staff, told those in attendance that she was asked by Hoch to be on the nominating committee. When it came time to vote for Clay by a show of hands, Thelma Young was the first to raise her hand, as others quickly shot theirs up.
"Why don’t we make it unanimous," Walsh said.
Hoch said by phone on Monday, however, that the meeting was illegal. Thelma Young hadn’t been to a meeting in months, therefore, invalidating her ability to serve as vice president, Hoch contended.
"I am just totally devastated. I don’t understand. I called everyone on the mailing list and Frankford Hospital because I was sick. I’m still sick. (Previously) I canceled one meeting in all these years because of weather. I get a screaming phone call from Kevin and he’s screaming at me on the phone that there were zoning issues. [I told him] ‘Who the hell are you to tell me what to do? Get a continuance,’" Hoch said she told him.
The longtime Frankford leader and activist will take steps to challenge last week’s election after she recuperates.
"It’s all political," she added.
In addition to new officers, Stephen Wright, Gloria Redd, Kevin Walsh, Leona Negron, Thelma Young and Anthony Stephens were named as new civic board members.
In other business, the civic voted to support a zoning variance to expand an auto body business at 1427 Unity St. The civic group will oppose a variance to convert a single family dwelling to a triplex at 4615 Penn St., and will ask for a continuance on a variance to convert a single family dwelling to a triplex at 1707 Harrison St.
Civic attendees also decided to postpone collecting 2008 dues until December, when the treasurer would be present. ••
The next meeting of the East Frankford Civic Association meeting will take place at 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 6, in the second-floor conference room at Frankford Hospital’s Frankford Division.
Reporter Diane Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dprokop@phillynews.com