Enough is enough. That was the sentiment of the Chester County Commissioners when they announced at their meeting on Thursday, Dec. 3, that they will immediately cease remitting funds collected by county row offices on behalf of the state for the duration of the state budget impasse – a sum that averages $4 million a month.
Chester County Commissioners Michelle Kichline (from left), Terence Farrell, and Kathi Cozzone say the county will withhold funds collected by its row offices for the state – about $4 million a month – until the budget impasse ends.
In a prepared statement signed by all three commissioners, they said they believed their drastic action, a decision not taken lightly, represented the best interests of the public.
“As commissioners, we are vested with the responsibility for the management and administration of county fiscal affairs,” the statement said. “Inherent to this legal obligation, we must likewise assure that Chester County citizens, who require county services, continue to receive those services, especially those that are in dire need such as children, senior citizens, the ‘at risk’ and those with disabilities.”
The move follows a similar announcement on Friday from the Bucks County Commissioners. Several weeks ago, frustration echoed at the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP), which passed a motion authorizing its legal counsel to research the potential basis for litigation against the commonwealth related to the impasse. It said that counties had done their best to make critical services available but that the governor and legislature do not seem to understand the enormity of the financial crisis they have caused.
The Chester County Commissioners said they have a commitment to employees and taxpayers to “keep the lights on” and operate the county government in spite of the lack of state funding. They said they appreciated the fact that the county’s row office officials share that view and have partnered to withhold funds designated for remittance to the state.
The commissioners said they also authorized their solicitor to “investigate any legal recourse the county may have against the Commonwealth for its failure to provide requisite county funding and any ramifications for utilizing retained funds for expenditures which would at this point be ‘emergency’ funding for critical essential services.”
The Kennett Township Board of Supervisors spent the bulk of its meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 2, discussing a developer’s request to amend the township’s zoning code.
Michael Pia Jr. of Walnut Street Development Partners appeared with his attorney, J. Charles Gerbron Jr., as well as John D. Snook, a senior advisor for the Brandywine Conservancy. Pia plans to develop a 16.6-acre tract with a mix of townhomes and apartments. The property, which is zoned BP (business park), is on North Walnut Street and abuts Anson B. Nixon Park and the Exelon property.
The township’s current zoning permits apartments, but not combined with other mixed-use dwellings, such as townhomes, which is why Pia is seeking to have them permitted as a conditional use. He said the county and township’s planning commissions and the conservancy had all approved the proposed change with some minor revisions.
After more than an hour of discussion, Supervisors’ Chairman Scudder G. Stevens and Supervisor Richard L. Leff both voted to approve the proposed ordinance with the understanding that it would be modified to include the recommended changes – as well as issues that have not yet surfaced – at a later date. Supervisor Robert A. Hammaker did not attend the meeting.
Stevens said he saw no reason to delay Pia while the township works on the nuances of the ordinance. Pia said he hoped to submit a preliminary sketch plan within the next few weeks.
In other business, the supervisors said that although “the acquisition of real estate” appeared on the meeting’s agenda, that item was not yet ready. At their Nov. 18 meeting, the supervisors voted to authorize Township Manager Lisa M. Moore to work with the township solicitor to acquire the unspecified property; discussing further details until the sale was finalized could jeopardize the negotiations, they said.
David Lewis, a member of the Kennett Township Environmental Advisory Committee, questioned township solicitor David Sander about how residents could establish legal standing for upcoming development proposals so they will receive all notifications and maximize their right to object.
Sander said residents must be “an aggrieved party,” which means the development would have a direct, substantial, adverse effect on them. He pointed out that neighbors who would be affected by traffic or drainage issues would qualify whereas someone on the other side of the township likely would not.
At the end of the meeting, Stevens reminded residents of upcoming changes in the township’s meeting schedules. In 2016, the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors will continue to meet on the first and third Wednesday of each month, but now both meetings will now take place at 7 p.m. in the township meeting room.
The Kennett Township Planning Commission will now meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the township meeting room and will hold a work session on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m., as needed.
William “Dusty” A. Rhodes Jr., 95, of Avondale, died Sunday, Nov. 29, at the Atlantic Regional Medical Center in Pomona, N.J. while visiting his daughter.
Born in Kingston, Pa., he was a son of the late William A. Rhodes Sr. and the late Louise Isaac Rhodes. Dusty proudly served our country during WWII in the Navy as a radio operator on the “Catalina” PBY sea patrol planes.
He was a self-employed watchmaker for many years and a technician for Hewlett Packard retiring in the early 1990s. He was also a bus driver for a couple of years for the Kennett Square school district.
He was a lifetime member and was also the chaplain of the Hockessin VFW, member of the Kennett Area Senior Center and the Calvary Baptist Church. He enjoyed gardening, writing poetry, the outdoors, and especially spending time with his friends and family. He enjoyed saying tongue twisters, telling stories of his “hobo” days, and getting a bargain. He also posed for several local artists and sculptor. He enjoyed taking art classes at the Luther House and very much enjoyed meeting new people.
Survivors include three sons, William A. III (Leslee) of Tucson, Ariz., Jeff of Oxford, and Raymond (Sue) of Wilmington, Ill.; two daughters, Cindy Lieb (Tony) of Galloway, N.J. and Colleen Stanczak (Ken) of Kennesaw, Ga.; 10 grandchildren, Carson (Cheryl), Jeff Jr, Nathan, Valerie (Jason) Vincent (Melissa) Keith, Kevin, Tommy and Christina; six great-grandchildren, Justice, Mark, Kristen, Vanessa, Jessica and Daniel; one brother, Paul of Potter County, Pa. and one sister, Margaret Anthony of Hanover, Mass. Many nieces and nephews.
You are invited to visit with Dusty’s family and friends from 10-noon Monday, Dec. 7, at the Calvary Baptist Church 218 Ellicott Rd, Avondale, PA 19311. His funeral service will follow at noon. Interment will be in Longwood Cemetery. Contributions in his memory may be made to Calvary Baptist Church at the aforementioned address or to Pilgrim Academy, PO Box 322, Egg Harbor, NJ 08215. Arrangements are being handled by the Foulk & Grieco Funeral Home Inc. (610-869-2685) of West Grove. To share a memory with his family, please visit www.griecocares.com
Chadds Ford Township has a budget for 2016 and, as has been the case for the last half dozen years, there’s no township property tax increase.
As projected in November, the budget calls for just more than $1.2 million in anticipated revenue and expenses, while township property taxes will remain 0.882 mills for property owners within areas that have fire hydrants, or 0.787 for property owners with properties outside of areas with hydrants.
A mill is a tax of $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property value.
The township tax levy includes funding for the general government, Chadds Ford’s payment for the Rachel Kohl Library, fire hydrant services and open space funding.
According to Township Manager Amanda Serock, the township tax levy on a property assessed at $290,000 would have the owner paying $228 to Chadds Ford.
(Based on school and county tax levies, that same property owner would also be paying $6,638 to the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and $1,625 to Delaware County, she said in November.)
Other business
• Supervisors’ Chairman Frank Murphy read a resolution honoring fellow Supervisor George Thorpe, thanking Thorpe for his 28 years of service to the Chadds Ford as a supervisor.
Thorpe’s current term in office expires Dec. 31. He did not seek re-election.
For Thorpe’s reflection on his time as supervisor, go here.
• There will be a combined Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors’ workshop at the township building beginning 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 9.
• Chadds Ford Township will hold its annual Volunteer Appreciation and Open House on Friday, Dec. 18, from 6-8 p.m. at the township building. All residents are invited to attend.
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.
From salon attendant to supervisor, Thorpe has seen much
George Thorpe has signed his last escrow release as a supervisor in Chadds Ford Township. After 28 years as a supervisor, Thorpe returns to the status of resident.
The Dec. 2 meeting was Thorpe’s last as supervisor. He did not run for re-election in November, and his current term ends on Dec. 31.
But long before his professional and political lives began, Thorpe, now 77, was just another kid growing up in St. Louis, Mo. But there was a short period of fame for a teenage George.
One of his early jobs was that of an attendant in what was referred to at the time as a women’s reducing salon. There was also a modeling school on the second floor.
“They needed somebody who was svelte, who was young, attractive and I was a football player and a basketball player. I fit all of those characteristics and I needed a summer job,” he said.
The job entailed leading women through various exercises, such as running in place, and monitoring them while they used the exercise machines in the salon.
“The machines were very interesting. They’d grab their clothes and rip them off every so often. I’d be standing there and somebody would say, ‘Heads up. Turn your back.’ Well, there were mirrors on every wall, so turning my back didn’t do anything,” he said, still chuckling 60 years later.
The job even got him a spot on the old “What’s My Line” TV show where celebrities, working with sparse clues, had to guess what the guest’s job was. Thorpe said he won $50 for stumping the panel.
Somewhere among his possessions, Thorpe said, is a video of his appearance on the show.
“You’d laugh,” he said. “You’d say, ‘That’s you?’”
He eventually came to Chadds Ford in the mid 1970s after getting a job with Hercules. It was a time when Chadds Ford was still rural and bucolic.
He said he and his wife, Judy, were living where the DoubleTree Hotel is on Route 202 in North Wilmington and drove into what was then Birmingham Township, Delaware County, to get to Ardmoor Lane, where they currently live.
“It felt like it was 25 miles away because it was all back roads,” he said.
In 1985 he was appointed to the Planning Commission then to the Board of Supervisors two years later to replace a supervisor who had resigned. Then, after a brief time away from the board, he ran successfully for four six-year terms.
During his tenure, Thorpe has seen the township grow from a sleepy little village to what has become a prestigious residential suburb.
Also during that tenure, Thorpe become known for having a strong dislike of signs. He’s been seen stopping along the roads in Chadds Ford to remove signs from trees and utility poles. He was even seen doing that on an Easter Sunday.
His dislike of the signs, he said, is simple: “I hate clutter.”
He wishes he could still get out and remove offending signs, but health issues — he’s had his knees replaced — prevent him from getting up and down a ladder. Yet, at age 77, he still keeps some of his sign-removing tools in the car.
“I’m very disappointed today that I’m unable, physically to go take down signs. But, the reason the township has looked good is because I’ve gone around daily, weekly — and taken down signs. There are signs out there right now, and I can tell you where they are, that ought to be removed,” he said.
He added that it bothers him that no one else removes them.
“Nobody cares. They’re going to miss me. People will say ‘How come the signs aren’t coming down?’ And I’m just gonna say, ‘Tough.’”
While problems and annoyances will always exist, there are a few accomplishments of which Thorpe is proud.
He said that when he was first elected supervisor, he learned that Chadds Ford was $250,000 in debt, that it couldn’t pay its bills. It couldn’t even pay the township engineer because there was no money in the bank.
One reason for the debt, he said, was that developers were never billed properly — if at all — for township expenses the developers should have paid.
“We never billed them. When I discovered that, I was embarrassed,” he said. “It was incredible. I had to do something.”
He said he used his living room to sort through all the papers of all the developers to figure out who owed what and then start the process of writing letters and sending out the bills.
“That’s the process we’re currently using,” he said.
The township is now, and has been for some time, on good financial footing.
“Going from that to where we are today is probably the biggest accomplishment. We are extremely well off in our finances. We have money in the bank,” he said.
Thorpe is also proud of the efforts he and others made to restore Turners’ Mill and renovate it so that it could be converted into the township’s municipal building.
“According to [former Supervisor] Jim Shipley, the building was ‘two minutes away from being knocked down and destroyed,’” Thorpe said. “I stopped everything. I said, ‘This is a travesty.’”
He said the township had seized the property through eminent domain years earlier. “We gave them a pittance of money in eminent domain, but it was wrong,” he said. “We said we needed it for future development, yet we were going to knock it down.”
He credited building inspector and code officer Rich Jensen and former secretary Gail Force for their efforts in saving the building.
“I think it’s the most magnificent looking [municipal building] that’s so unique,” he said. “It kept history. “
(That part of history relates to the art legacy of Chadds Ford. Illustrator Howard Pyle used the building as a studio and school. One of his students there was N.C. Wyeth.)
And while there are things Thorpe is proud of, there are some things that he regrets fell through.
One of those was the recent denial by the board of a request from K. Hovnanian Homes. Hovnanian wanted to build a 107-unit townhouse development along Brandywine Drive across from Hannum’s Harley Davidson, on the site of the former Brandywine Club.
Thorpe said the development would have been a perfect addition to the township, and especially the school district.
The property is vacant now and not generating any income, but had previously been approved for a Giant supermarket. And Thorpe said at one point he and others thought that entire quadrant of the northwest portion of the Routes 1 and 202 intersection could generate up to $25 million in revenue.
But Giant decided to go to Dilworthtown, and nothing new was proposed except the possibility of a Walmart until Hovnanian came to town.
Thorpe said the school district lost a lot of money, about $750,000 per year when supervisors nixed the proposal to change zoning for the proposal.
As the property remains vacant, Thorpe said, “It looks like a rundown eyesore. And the best thing we got, ever, was the Hovnanian proposal. That was the nicest, best-looking thing. I don’t know what happened except that people have just not thought right…Right now [financially] it’s doing squat.”
He called that failure to approve the proposal a major disappointment that “makes our township look bad and is also financially affecting taxpayers. The school district wouldn’t have to raise taxes for a long time if it had an extra $750,000 per year.”
The other regret is not being able to complete the southwest section of the loop road around the intersections of Routes 1 and 202.
“I worked for five years, working hours you can’t believe. We were 30 minutes away from having that loop road funded and done,” Thorpe said.
But the bottom fell out when one of the backers of the project, a property owner, couldn’t come up with the money promised.
(That leg of the loop road is still under consideration. The Henderson Group has offered to build it at its expense. And PennDOT has already said the road will be built, one way or the other.)
As with most things in life, Thorpe’s time as a supervisor has taught him a few things. One major lesson is the need to be fair with people, all people.
He said he and former Supervisor Garry Paul were strongly criticized for appointing Democrats to various committees.
“It was like the world had come to an end, and we were blasted negatively by everyone by asking people other than Republicans to be on a committee…We haven’t been fair to people. We have not done ourselves good for our community reputation. We all, Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian, are affected by our [supervisors’] decisions.”
For Thorpe, it’s time for others to be fair – and to take down those offending signs.
(Photo: George Thorpe, left, and Frank Murphy at the end of Thorpe’s last meeting as a supervisor in Chadds Ford.)
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.
Christmas traditions regain the spotlight in the Chadds Ford area with two favorites.
Some faces tell the whole story about liking model trains.
Brandywine Christmas, the annual exhibit at the Brandywine River Museum of Art, launched the season the day after Thanksgiving with the O-gauge train exhibit and the Ann Wyeth McCoy Doll Collection.
The trains, with more than 2,000 feet of track, fill 12,000 square feet of space in the second floor gallery at the museum.
Part of this year’s display includes a miniature drive-in theater and a small town carnival to go along with the flying Santa.
In addition to the Christmas displays, five of the museum’s galleries featuring works from three generations of Wyeths, are open.
And it wouldn’t be Christmas in Chadds Ford without the Christmas in Miniature exhibit at the Chadds Ford Gallery. The exhibit, which began 34 years ago, always opens the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving and this year will run through Dec. 31. Works from 9 different artists are on display this year.
Brandywine Christmas runs through Jan. 7.
(Top photo: Some of the Ann Wyeth McCoy Doll Collection are on display as part of Brandywine Christmas ar the Brandywine River Museum of Art.)
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.
Hi everyone my name is Freddy and I’m 13 years old. I arrived as an owner surrender on Oct. 3. My coat is short and my fur is black to match any occasion. I’ve become the volunteer favorite and have been told I’m spry for my advanced years. I have plenty of life and energy in me still that make all these whipper snappers jealous. My previous family had me front declawed so you won’t ever have to worry about your furniture.. I’d love to find my forever home and sit comfortably at a window watching the world at a safe distance on my perch. Come to the shelter today and ask for Freddy.
Come meet all the wonderful animals available now for adoption at the Chester County SPCA. Stop by, and add a new family member to your household today. See other our featured pets by going here.
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.
• State police said they arrested Thomas Davis, 25, of Newark, for DUI and drug possession. A police report said Davis was stopped on Route 202 at the Dilworthtown Wawa shortly after 1 a.m. on Nov. 22.
• A four-vehicle accident along Route 202 near Spring Hill Road on Nov. 28 resulted in a minor injury of a passenger in one of the cars. A 59-year-old woman from Wilmington was hurt in the rear-ender crash. Theresa R. Case, 50, also of Wilmington, was cited for driving at an unsafe speed after she was unable to stop for slowed traffic, police said.
• State police said two black men in their late teens or early 20s are suspects in the theft of a gray iPhone and $2 in cash. The theft took place at the Sky Zone between 10 and 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 28.
• During a stop at a DUI checkpoint along Route 202 at Springwater Plaza, on Nov. 26, state police made a DUI arrest and charged the driver with underage drinking. A passenger in the vehicle was issued a non-traffic citation for underage drinking. Cited were Brett Wayne and David Capone, both 20 and from Wilmington. The police report did not say which one was driving.
• State police from the Avondale barracks said they responded to the 100 block of Thompson Road in New Garden Township on Nov. 23 at 3:14 a.m. for a reported domestic disturbance. Zachary J. Baker, 25, of Kennett Square, was taken into custody after police found marijuana in his possession.
• State police conducted a traffic stop on northbound Route 1 at Route 82 in East Marlborough Township on Nov. 20 at 7:34 p.m. Carlos Zavala-Garcia of Kennett Square was arrested for DUI, police said.
• Tyler J. Torello, 18, of Kennett Square, was pulled over for a traffic violation on Line and Newark Roads in New Garden Township on Nov. 18 at 2:59 p.m. State police said they arrested him for DUI and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Darlington Arts Center in Concord Township invites the community to a free Holiday Arts Party on Sunday, Dec. 6 starting at 2:30 p.m. The party will display music, art, dance, and drama and celebrate Darlington’s mission – Every Art for Everyone. The party kicks off with an art gallery and reception for local artist Lauren Litwa Holden, a longtime resident of Wawa. Her collection of watercolor and oil paintings will be on display through the month. The community is invited to meet the artist, view the work, and enjoy free wine and cheese at the reception. At 3 p.m., a student recital featuring Darlington’s music students will begin. Then, at 4 p.m., Darlington will host its first ever Holiday Jam.
• The West Chester Band, a 65-musician, all-volunteer community concert band, will present a festive holiday concert on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church of West Chester. Directed by Joseph Gehring, the band will perform with the Chancel Choir of the Methodist Church, directed by Mike Muzzo. Holiday favorites both old and new will be performed, ending with a joyful carol sing-along. Come enjoy the sounds of the season and get in the holiday spirit. Tickets are available at the door at $10 for general admission, $7 for seniors/students, and free for children under 6. To learn more about the West Chester Band, visit www.wcband.org.
• Concord Township supervisors will hold two meetings on the 2016 budget. The first meeting is a preliminary budget review scheduled for 5 p.m. on Dec. 8. The second meeting, during which the budget will be adopted, is 6 p.m. on Dec. 15.
• Santa has scheduled his yearly trips on a Longwood Fire Co. truck to the areas served by the fire company. All of the trips begin at 9 a.m.; the schedule covers Kennett Township on Saturday, Dec. 12; Pennsbury on Sunday, Dec. 13; Pocopson on Saturday, Dec. 19; and East Marlborough on Sunday, Dec. 20.
• Now through Dec. 27, Hedgerow Theatre continues its holiday tradition with its 23rd annual production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” with a world-premiere adaptation written by Artistic Director Jared Reed. Adult ticket prices for Friday, Saturday evening and Sunday shows are $34; Monday through Thursday and Saturday twilight shows are $29. There is a $3 discount for seniors. Tickets for those 30 and under are $20 and $15 for students with valid ID. For groups of 10 or more, tickets are $18. Members can purchase half-price tickets for all shows. Prices include all fees and are subject to change. For reservations or more info, call 610-565-4211 or visit www.HedgerowTheatre.org. Hedgerow Theatre is located at 64 Rose Valley Road in Rose Valley.
• The library at the Chester County Historical Society will be closed during the entire month of January for “Big Dig” Part II. During the Big Dig’s debut last year, the staff reorganized collections and shelves, made fascinating discoveries, and greatly improved library functioning. The historical society will offer free access to the museum, located at 225 N. High St. in West Chester, during this time. For more information, visit http://chestercohistorical.org.
