The Kennett Board of Supervisors awarded the township’s outgoing planning and zoning director with the first Kennett Township Medal of Merit.
The presentation happened at the July 17 meeting, when the board also approved a resolution that created the medal. Hicks will receive the medal after serving as the planning and zoning point-person for the last 10 years.
“Whereas in recognition of 10 years of loyal and exemplary service through professional expertise and guidance to create a more livable and economically robust community through the professional discipline of land planning and zoning, now therefore the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Kennett in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania bestow the Kennett Township decoration of merit to Diane Hicks,” read township Manager Alison Dobbins.
In her report, Dobbins praised Hicks for her assistance in Dobbins’ new role as township manager.
“I’ve appreciated our time working together and how helpful you’ve been as I’ve transitioned into this role,” she said.
Hicks spoke about her decision to retire and how the July 17 meeting would be her last.
“This is the month that I retire, the month of my birthday,” she said. “I had good days and bad days when I thought about retiring. I’ve been in municipal government for almost 30 years.”
Several days before the meeting, Hicks said she heard an Arlo Guthrie song on the radio and looked him up.
“He had this comment about him retiring as a folk singer,” Hicks said. “It meant something to me because I paraphrased it for my line of work. It goes something like, a municipal employee’s shelf life may be a lot longer than a dancer's or an athlete's. But at some point, unless you’re incredibly fortunate or just plain wacko, either or, it’s time to hang up the ‘Gone Fishing’ sign. So, I think it’s my time to hang up the ‘Gone Fishing’ sign.”
Before awarding Hicks the first Medal of Merit, the board of supervisors unanimously approved a resolution that supervisors’ Chairman Geoff Gamble said would create the foundation of the award.
The front of the medal has the township seal on one side, and space on the other side to engrave the recipient’s initials, he said. The medal is fastened to a white ribbon with three green stripes, which Gamble added represented Kennett’s 300 years as a township.
About Monica Fragale
Monica Thompson Fragale is a freelance reporter who spent her life dreaming of being in the newspaper business. That dream came true after college when she started working at The Kennett Paper and, years later The Reporter newspaper in Lansdale and other dailies. She turned to non-profit work after her first daughter was born and spent the next 13 years in that field. But while you can take the girl out of journalism, you can’t take journalism out of the girl. Offers to freelance sparked the writing bug again started her fingers happily tapping away on the keyboard. Monica lives with her husband and two children in Kennett Square.
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