Less than a week after it endorsed Kevin O’Donoghue for supervisor in Concord Township, Save the Valley has retracted that endorsement. According to an email, the retraction stems from a recent mailing by the Concord Township Republican Party, which O’Donoghue chairs.
The mailing “unfortunately succumbs to the worst kind of partisan politics. The mailer contains distortions and misrepresentations, and is a disingenuous effort to address important issues. Accordingly, Save the Valley can no longer recommend that voters in Concord consider O’Donoghue as a credible open-space candidate and a leader for change. We come to this conclusion not with any glee, but instead with profound disappointment.”
Save the Valley takes issue with several statements made in the GOP mailing. It says saying that the township contains 2,000 acres of open space is misleading unless cemeteries, golf courses, and restricted prison grounds are counted in the mix, along with open ground beneath high tension lines.
“To claim these areas as open space and boast about the amount of township resources that are used to maintain them, as O’Donoghue does, disqualifies him as a credible open-space candidate,” the email said.
Save the Valley, known mostly for its opposition to the development of the Woodlawn Trustees property, also said: “The mailer contains an absurd claim that there is a plan to have Concord taxpayers buy Woodlawn’s property in Beaver Valley and raise taxes by 300 percent. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is a falsehood manufactured to scare voters.”
(That last comment has been a point of disagreement between the Concord Township Board of Supervisors and Save the Valley for years.)
And, the email said, “The mailer focuses on property taxes, but fails to mention increases in school taxes while O’Donoghue has been supervisor. Higher school taxes are a direct result of overdevelopment in Concord.”
O’Donoghue did not respond to a request for comment.
Save the Valley made its initial endorsements last week. In addition to O’Donoghue, it also endorsed Democrats John Wellington and Dan Foster.
Earlier in the week it endorsed Republican Samantha Reiner and Democrat Alan Horowitz for supervisor in Chadds Ford Township.
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
Fallout from the Barnard House project continued at the Pocopson Township Board of Supervisors’ meeting on Monday, Oct. 26.
Two people who have been working on the Barnard House project announced their resignations at Monday’s supervisors’ meeting.
Supervisors’ Chairman Barney Leonard announced that Richard Jensen had submitted his resignation as the township’s zoning official, effective in 30 days, and his resignation as fire marshal and emergency management coordinator, effective immediately.
In July, Jensen was removed from an additional role – project manager for the Barnard House – after questions surfaced about his dual status as project manager and code enforcement officer. A review by the State Ethics Commission was deemed inconclusive, and the supervisors reinstated Jensen as project manager in September with the understanding that he would sign off on work that had already been done, but not conduct inspections.
Supervisor Georgia Brutscher praised Jensen’s service. She said that in her 37 years with the township, she had worked with four different zoning officers and that Jensen was the best, adding that the township would be hard-pressed to find a comparable replacement.
“He has done a stellar job for Pocopson Township,” Brutscher said. She recommended that the supervisors write a letter of commendation for him, and they voted to do so.
After the meeting, Leonard said that Phase 1 of the Barnard House is 99 percent complete and that Jensen was confident that he would be able to finish up the remaining items during the next 30 days.
Lauressa McNemar, a member of the Barnard House Steering Committee, also severed herself from the project, expressing gratitude for having served with “many fine, fellow” committee members. “I’m announcing my resignation from the Barnard House committee effective immediately,” McNemar said.
McNemar provided the board with notes on some of the unresolved issues, such as grant obligations and a name for the park. “I wish Supervisor [Ricki] Stumpo luck in meeting all the forthcoming deadlines and the challenge of a board transition,” she said.
During public comment, resident Holly Manzone applauded the work that the Barnard House Steering Committee has done but suggested that members had become so passionate about the project that they have lost sight of what Eusebius Barnard stood for in his rejection of slaves as property and his advocacy of the Underground Railroad.
“We’re preserving this wonderful building and this legacy of Eusebius Barnard, but we’re going about it at such a pace that we’re putting the property ahead of the people,” Manzone said, pointing out that no one in the room could say with certainty what most residents want. “Let’s do it right. Let’s do it with the voices of the people.”
Jean Conary, a member of the Barnard House Steering Committee, said the committee investigated pursuing a referendum but learned that “it is inappropriate to put municipal construction on a referendum,” according to Pennsylvania’s second-class township code.
She disputed a recent media report that said the number of critics of the project has increased in recent months, pointing to the low attendance at a forum on the Barnard House in September. “Less than 1 percent of residents have expressed opposition … which leaves 99 percent not voicing any concerns,” she said.
Conary said a remark she made at a committee meeting in which she called Stumpo the only “functioning supervisor” was misconstrued as derisive. Conary said that Stumpo, who also works part-time as a township receptionist, was appointed to the committee as a township employee, making Brutscher the only one representing the board of supervisors.
Resident Andrea Gosselin asked the supervisors to “pause in your efforts to pursue a loan” for the Barnard House. “The Barnard House is not the only option for a township building,” she said, pointing out that “no one has ever documented the cost of an upgrade” to the current facility. “You owe us proof that this is the best option,” she said.
In other business, following a report by Public Works Director Mark Knightly, the supervisors voted to accept the low bid for guide rails on Denton Hollow Road and to continue partnerships with two cooperatives for purchasing bulk road salt, which has risen in price. The township will start by ordering 300 tons at $66.72 per ton, Knightly said.
Township resident Pete Photopoulos repeated his request to determine the township’s cost to assess an alleged violation of a drainage easement in the Cannon Hill section of the township that he said had been resolved previously.
At a September meeting, the supervisors said the cost could not be computed because the engineers’ bill was not itemized, but they said they would attempt to get a breakdown. Once again, the supervisors said they would try to get Photopoulos the numbers he is seeking.
The supervisors also heard from resident Scott Kirkland, who represents the township on the West Chester Public Library Board, and Victoria E. Dow, the library’s director. Both said they hoped the supervisors would continue to support the library as they work on the township’s budget.
Kirkland suggested that the township might want to increase its contribution since $8,000 budgeted for the Kennett Public Library, which also serves township residents, was not spent this past year, the result of prior strained communications between the Kennett library board and the township.
Resident Barbara Holmes asked about the status of her request to represent Pocopson Township on the Kennett Public Library Board of Trustees. Brutscher said the supervisors have been waiting “until they [the Kennett library trustees] get a little more stability” and that decisions on that library board would be up to the next Pocopson Township Board of Supervisors.
After the meeting, Conary elaborated on the accelerated pace of activities for the Barnard House Steering Committee. “I think we have an obligation to finish the bid package out of respect for all the hours and work that have been put into this,” she said.
A workshop on the 2016 budget will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. The next supervisors’ meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 9.
The race for Kennett Township Supervisor just got more interesting. Recently, a local small business owner shared with the Kennett Area Democrats some disturbing information about Republican Candidate Ted Moxon.
It was alleged that Mr. Moxon had filed for personal bankruptcy in November of 2004. After an extensive search through public records, it was confirmed that Mr. Moxon had filed under Chapter 7 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. For filings, visit http://issuu.com/johnq.public/docs/ted_bky and http://issuu.com/johnq.public/docs/petition_bky.
The documents revealed that Mr. Moxon filed on Nov. 5, 2004. This event on its own is not necessarily condemning, but it is troubling. In addition, the bankruptcy schedules he filed reflect that Mr. Moxon co-mingled his business (Image Tech) and personal finances. His business practices left local businesses, banks and government creditors on the hook for $2,547,009.76.
Official documents revealed that an unsecured Small Business Administration (SBA) loan to Mr. Moxon’s company Image Tech was discharged for $652,357.14. SBA loans are made by commercial banks but are guaranteed by the Federal government. Taxpayers were left responsible for the federal government’s guaranty.
Mr. Moxon has run an aggressive campaign based on his business acumen, devotion to transparency and fiscal responsibility. It would seem that the reality is somewhat different.
Pat Muller Pennsbury Township
member of Kennett Area Democrats
Not a day goes by that a customer or a friends asks me if Wegmans is going to hurt my business, and my reply is always the same; “I sure hope not.” Over the past 20 years we have experienced the decimation of small businesses by the “big box” stores. Think about that for a moment. If you’re a baby boomer like me you can probably still remember the local grocer, butcher, hardware store etc.
Growing up in Wilmington, I can recall the IGA Grocery store across the street from our home on Lancaster Ave. I can also recall the local pharmacy with the soda fountain, the local convenience store (Tony Angelo’s) and many more small business that were run by families that lived right in our neighborhood. All were within walking distance, and my parents felt safe knowing that the store owners would always have an eye out for our safety. In fact below our home, my mother had a beauty salon and my father had a restaurant where me and my two brothers could always be found helping out. I guess that’s where I picked the cooking bug…
Over the years I watched as small businesses around the country felt the stress of the huge box stores and huge franchises like Home Depot, Olive Garden and Costco. Many of those small businesses were forced to close because they just could not compete. I had a restaurant in Wilmington for 10 years and I ended up closing because I could not compete with the chains. They could streamline costs by purchasing in large quantities and by cutting labor since many of their offering are pre-made off site.
As a Chef, I could not stomach the food or the service that these places offered, and I could never understand how their parking lots could be full while my place suffered. And this problem was not restaurant specific – it was the same with all small businesses, from the local bakery to the local hardware store.
The good news is that I think the “tide is changing” or the “pendulum is swinging”. I think that more and more consumers are aware of the many benefits that small business can offer if price alone is not the main reason for a purchase. Here are some reasons why supporting small businesses in your community will help support you.
Several studies have shown that when you buy from an independent, locally owned business, rather than nationally owned businesses, significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers and farms — continuing to strengthen the economic base of the community.
Non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller business owners than they do from large businesses.
Where we shop, where we eat and have fun, all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of our community.
Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and in our community, provide the most jobs to residents.
Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers.
Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community, are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future.
A growing body of economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.
So as we wait in great anticipation for the grand opening of another super grocery store; I hope that people will not forget to support their neighbors who work hard every day to support their family and their community.
Concerns from parents of Hillendale Elementary School third-graders have caught the attention of Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board directors.
The board and district administrators will begin looking at making changes to add a third language arts teacher, and possibly, to change how class sizes are determined.
The two third-grade classes at Hillendale are currently at the maximum size of 26 students. Parents, however, think that is too many students and have spent time during the last two school board meetings to raise awareness of their concerns that students are not getting the attention they need.
Beginning during the Oct. 19 work session, the parents asked for a third language arts teacher to help students prepare for the PSSA exams.
The theme continued during the opening comment period at the Oct. 26 regular meeting. Almost two-dozen parents of Hillendale third-graders attended the meeting; only a few spoke, however.
Leslie Neuberger, of Pennsbury Township, said the current group of third-graders “has been squeezed from the beginning with larger than average class sizes. This year we’re feeling the pinch a bit more acutely with the children’s PSSAs coming up in March.”
She continued, saying the “targeted instruction,” focusing on a specific component of the curriculum works better with a smaller group of students.
“With fewer students, our language arts teachers can become more nimble and offer more individualized instruction,” Neuberger said.
The result would be better instruction for PSSAs as well as overall educational excellence, she added.
Reducing class size would allow teachers more time to go deeper into the texts students were reading and help to “accelerate all students, offer to support to our strugglers and enrich our strongest readers,” Neuberger said.
Another Hillendale parent, Toby Quinlan, from East Marlborough Township, said she learned more as a student in smaller classes where there was more interaction with the teachers. She said that was an experience she’d like her son to have at Hillendale.
She said third-grade classes throughout the district range in size from 19 to 26, with Hillendale being at 26.
With fewer students, she said, there’s more room for the students, and teachers would have less administrative work to do and would be able to provide more individual attention to each student.
She asked the district to reconsider the guideline for class size.
Leticia Flores DeWilde, from Pennsbury Township, who served briefly on the school board as an appointee, said today’s third-graders at Hillendale have had to deal with larger class sizes for two years running.
She said studies show students participate more in smaller classes and that “they display less disruptive behavior in small classes and teachers spend less time on discipline, leaving more time for instruction.”
School Board President Vic Dupuis said he’s discussed the matter with Superintendent John Sanville and that they agreed to look at two different aspects: examining class size guidelines and adding a third language arts teacher.
Adding the teacher is a matter of immediate relief, but addressing class size is a bigger issue.
Class size, Dupuis said, “is a budget matter that will be addressed during the normal budget exploration process…As far as the immediate issue of the language art…I’ve asked the administration to bring specific information to our Curriculum and Education Technology Committee meeting in November.”
After further discussion, that matter will be addressed at the work session, not at the committee meeting so that Director Michael Rock can sit in on the conversation. Rock works late on Mondays and would not be able to get to the committee meeting on time.
Director Gregg Lindner said he wants the board to begin a search for candidates who might fill the extra teaching slot if the board agrees in November to add one.
Other business
Directors formally accepted the resignation of Keith Knauss from the board.
The district will be holding a Community Conversation on school safety on Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. in the UHS cafeteria. A 27-point plan was adopted in 2013 in response to the shooting at Sandy Hook. This is a follow-up to that because of two recent incidents where weapons were found in cars at Patton Middle School and Unionville High School.
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
Andrew Wyeth is shown in a photograph taken by his granddaughter, Victoria Wyeth, who will be speaking about his art on Nov. 21 at Westtown School, a fundraiser for the Chadds Ford Historical Society.
Copyright by Victoria Wyeth
When Victoria Browning Wyeth takes the microphone at Westtown School next month, fans of the Wyeth art dynasty will likely be sorry if they’re not in the audience.
Victoria Wyeth is shown during her stint as a bar wench during a spring fundraiser for the Chadds Ford Historical Society.
For more than a decade, the 36-year-old granddaughter of Andrew and Betsy, great-granddaughter of N.C., and niece of Jamie has enthralled crowds at a variety of venues, including the Brandywine River Museum of Art, area schools, and senior centers. Many of the sites boast ties to the Wyeth family.
A talk at the Chadds Ford Historical Society some years back proved so popular that Wyeth participated in a fundraiser this past spring as a guest bartender at the Brandywine Brewing Company in Greenville, De. Her stint as a bar wench required her to get a crash course in mixology – instruction that increased her legion of admirers.
The Nov. 21 lecture at 7:30 p.m. Westtown School is also a fundraiser for the Chadds Ford Historical Society, an organization that she said her late grandfather greatly valued. Those who reserve a limited number of VIP tickets will be able to attend a preview reception from 6 to 7:30 p.m., offering an opportunity to chat with Wyeth prior to the formal presentation.
Although she grew up in Manhattan, where her father Nicholas was the primary art dealer for her grandfather’s work and her mother Jane worked as an art consultant, Victoria Wyeth spent considerable time in the Chadds Ford area. In the process, she amassed a wealth of Wyeth memories.
In preparing for the lecture, Wyeth had difficulty containing her enthusiasm for the topic: an intimate look at her grandfather’s paintings. Initially, she said she planned to share one or two of his “never-before-seen studies.” She then proceeded to up the ante – more than once.
Andrew Wyeth, shown in a 1997 photo, will be the subject of his granddaughter Victoria’s presentation on Nov. 21 at Westtown School. Copyright by Victoria Wyeth
The end result: The audience will see four never publicly viewed studies that center on one of the historical society’s buildings and another uncirculated watercolor of Helga Testorf, one of her grandfather’s most famous models. Helga became a household name in the mid-1980s after Andrew Wyeth revealed a cache of more than 200 works, many of them nudes, which he had done over nearly 15 years.
Entitled “I Paint My Life,” the Nov. 21 program will also feature Andrew Wyeth’s last in-person interview from 2008. He died in January 2009 at the age of 91. His last instructions to his granddaughter referenced her lectures: “Make ‘em look, Vic.”
It was a directive she had already taken to heart during her numerous appearances. “I suppose his death has brought clarity to my presentations,” she said recently. “It has also allowed me to feel a much deeper connection to his work.”
The foundation for that connection goes back several decades, but intensified after Victoria Wyeth received a graduate degree in psychology in 2005 from Wesleyan University in Connecticut. Putting plans for a doctorate on hold, she began conducting tours at the Brandywine River Museum of Art.
During her tenure as a docent, she kept logs of questions and met with her grandfather daily to discuss them, amassing knowledge ranging from his techniques to his inspiration. The arrangement grew out of his desire to watch a tour, a request that would have made her much too nervous, she said. As her popularity surged, he joked that someday he would be “known as Victoria Wyeth’s grandfather.”
Victoria Wyeth, who now works as a therapist at Norristown State Hospital, has said that her childhood memories involved no real understanding of her relatives’ prominence. She fondly recalled activities such as lining up Barbie dolls in her grandfather’s studio or watching horror films with her uncle.
An epiphany of sorts occurred in 2005, she said, when her grandfather had a major exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
“I was driving down I-95 in Philadelphia and saw a bus zip by me with his painting on the side [an advertisement for the show],” she said. “This really caused me to take a step back and say, “wow.”
Since then, audiences have been wowed by her lectures, and many attendees have become repeat visitors, seeking out her appearances. They know that they will be entertained while receiving heartfelt insight into the Wyeth world, observations punctuated with candor and humor.
Victoria Wyeth says she loves sharing insight into her grandfather’s artwork.
A primer on Andrew Wyeth’s signature fashions can seamlessly morph into a discussion of his favorite Chadds Ford cuisine. In addition to being a regular at Hank’s Restaurant, Andrew Wyeth was also a fan of Jimmy John’s. If the right person is working, one can still order an “Andy burger,” but be prepared for a sandwich resembling “steak tartar,” Victoria Wyeth warned with a smile.
She said she owes a debt to her grandfather for a host of life lessons, especially myriad examples of his compassion and refusal to judge others. “You’re no better than anyone else,” he told her.
“I modeled who I am very much after my grandfather,” Victoria Wyeth said. In serving as the family’s art ambassador, she said she hopes people will come to love her grandfather and his work as much as she does.
Every one of his paintings has a story, she says, and when she approaches the lectern, she’s eager to share them all.
VIP tickets, which include the preview reception, autumn-themed refreshments reminiscent of Wyeth’s iconic art, and the lecture, are $50 per person. Lecture-only tickets are $30 apiece.
Tickets are available online by clicking here, in person at the society’s headquarters, located at 1736 Creek Rd.. in Chadds Ford, or by check payable to the Chadds Ford Historical Society and mailed to P.O. Box 27, Chadds Ford, Pa., 19317.
To learn more about the Nov. 21 event, call the society at 610-388-7376, or go to http://www.chaddsfordhistory.org. For more information about Victoria Wyeth and the Wyeth art legacy, visit www.victoriawyeth.com.
On Thursday, Oct. 29, the Chester County League of Women Voters is sponsoring a Meet the Candidates Night with Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board candidates from Region C, Chadds Ford/Pennsbury. Candidates are Beverly Brookes, Carolyn Daniels, Kathy Do, Gregg Lindner, John Murphy and Lorraine Ramunno. The event will be held at Hillendale Elementary School at 7 p.m. All six candidates running for three seats have been invited and audience members will be able to submit questions.
In less than a week, Chadds Ford goes to the polls in one of the most important elections we’ve had in years. Throughout this campaign I’ve said that I hope to be elected supervisor for three core reasons: I am passionate about our special town; I understand — and have the experience to address — the unprecedented development challenges and preservation opportunities in front of us; and I believe in my heart that a Board of Supervisors comprised of Frank Murphy, Samantha Reiner, and myself would be best positioned to protect, enhance, and lead Chadds Ford at this critical time.
We are, without question, at a crossroads, and our choices are clear:
Would we rather be victimized by the development decisions of our neighboring towns or fight to protect the natural beauty that surrounds us and retake control of our safety, our daily commutes and our future?
Do we want to continue to despair over the dangers of Route 1 or seize the opportunity to create a walkable historic village that helps small businesses and strengthens our sense of community?
Will we default to voting for people because of their party affiliation or, instead, put partisanship aside and create the most inclusive, thoughtful, and effective Board of Supervisors possible?
In other words, can we create a truly walkable, driveable, and livable Chadds Ford? I believe we can. That’s my vision. That’s what I can help deliver as a creative and independent voice. That’s why I am so proud to have received the endorsement of Save the Valley.
My opponent Noelle Barbone, on the other hand, complains in a recent op/ed that she did not receive this endorsement and compares her attendance at meetings to mine. Unfortunately, she misses the point – this is not a contest about who has sat and listened in the most meetings over the last few years. My campaign is about ideas, about the future, and about applying the practical knowledge and experience I’ve gained as an environmental lawyer and business executive to make Chadds Ford the best it can be. I believe that’s what Save the Valley recognizes in its endorsement and that’s what I will bring to the board.
Ms. Barbone’s past service is certainly admirable, and we should commend her and all those who volunteer in big and small ways for our township. But over the course of this campaign she has failed to articulate what she would do if elected. In fact, she rejected my request to participate in a debate or community forum. Without more information, we can only assume she has no independent ideas or vision. That’s a real concern, given the crossroads we face as a community.
I would ask the people of Chadds Ford to welcome the new voices of residents like me, whose work and family commitments precluded daily involvement in the past, but who now have the time, experience, and perspective to devote to the business of the township. If elected, I promise to give Chadds Ford the undivided attention it deserves as we confront the tough challenges ahead.
Please do as Save the Valley suggests: vote for me and Samantha Reiner on Nov. 3. Let’s create the best Board of Supervisors Chadds Ford can elect. Thank you.
Alan Horowitz Democratic Party candidate for supervisor Chadds Ford Township
In June 2012, we relocated to the Philadelphia area with my husband’s company. It was our eighth relocation and we selected our new home based on one criterion, school district. Like many families in the district, we chose the UCFSD above all others based on its record and reputation. To become more involved in our community and my children’s school, I attend school board meetings. As a resident of Region C (Pennsbury/Chadds Ford), I was particularly interested in the contributions of my school board representatives, Carolyn Daniels, Kathy Do and Gregg Lindner.
What I have seen could not be more revealing. Monthly, Mrs. Do and Mr. Lindner are engaged, participating in complex discussions and strongly advocating for their positions. Carolyn Daniels is, for the most part, a non-factor and rarely engages or contributes to discussions.
Please do not take my word for it, I invite anyone to go to the UCFSD website and watch any school board meeting and you will understand what I am talking about. In particular, please watch the June 2015 Board Meeting and the discussion on the budget which begins about one hour into the video.
The budget is one of the most crucial items the board votes on. Mrs. Do and Mr. Lindner were participating, argued forcefully for their position in support of a reasonable budget that would protect district reserves into the future. Mrs. Daniels read a statement that seemed to have been prepared for her and aligned her with the more conservative members that favored a limited budget that could negatively impact spending flexibility in future years.
School board elections must not be popularity contests. If we are to retain our standing as one of the highest achieving school districts in the nation, we need school board members who are effective advocates for our children! That is why I strenuously support Kathy Do and Gregg Lindner for School Board.
