Murphy: Communication is key

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on September 22, 2019

Candidates for Delaware County office address members of the Chadds Ford Republican Party during the annual luncheon Saturday at Pescatores. From left are Beth Naughton Beck, Wendy Roberts, George Dawson, Jim Raith, Mike Morgan and Kelly Colvin.

Chadds Ford Township Supervisor Frank Murphy, running unopposed for re-election this year, said Saturday that communication is key for his approach as a supervisor.

In a brief interview conducted during the Chadds Ford Republican Party luncheon, Murphy said one the lessons he’s learned during his first term in office is that “People will understand the limits of [township government] if we can communicate it properly.”

Chadds Ford Township Supervisor Frank Murphy is running unopposed for re-election.

But communication runs both ways and Murphy said he’s learned that it’s important to listen to people when they have concerns.

“It’s important to listen before making a decision. You have to listen to the person whose yard backs up to a proposed development.”

Addressing the township GOP members, Murphy picked up on a theme mentioned by others saying that even though he’s running unopposed for supervisor, people should not take the election for granted. He was referring to the county-wide offices for County Council and judges on the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas.

“We need to send a message that the way we do things in Chadds Ford is the right way to do things,” Murphy said referring to the fact that township taxes have not increased in many years.

“We’re the busiest township per capita that Pennoni Engineering deals with and we do that with a handful of staff and that’s a model I know that the people running for County Council would follow…If this election goes the wrong way, you’re going to see county taxes go up.”

Those Republicans running for County Council include Mike Morgan, Kelly Colvin and Jim Raith.

Colvin said she and the others want to emphasize that they want to keep council Republican.

“If we lose one seat, everything turns Democrat in Media,” she said. “So it’s really important to get all three of us across the finish line in November.”

Colvin added that the three have been going door-to-door during the campaign and have gotten “a really positive response.” She said the three Democratic Party opponents, commissioners in other townships, have continually raised taxes in their municipalities.

Raith called the race “positive” in that the Republican candidates are polling better than the Democrats. He said he was at an AFL-CIO event the previous night and all people there could talk about was the 2020 presidential election.

“While 2020 is going to be huge, this is 2019 and we have local races here and we have county-wide races here. … I’m a 16-year-elected official in Thornbury Township. Mike, Kelly and I, as running mates, have raised taxes no time whatsoever.”

[According to campaign literature, Morgan is a “civic leader,” chairman emeritus of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Foundation and former information technology consultant. Colvin is a “special needs activist” and former U.S. Department of Education Regional representative. The literature does not indicate either were ever in an elected position to raise taxes.]

Raith continued, saying “While going door-to-door, the number one [issue] by far is the taxes. Mike, Kelly and I have an economic development plan that’s going to help distressed areas of this county, helping their livelihoods. We’re not about taxes.”

Two of the three candidates for Region C of the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District Board — Jon Trigg and Steve Jones —also attended. Incumbent Director John Murphy, of Pennsbury Township, did not.

Trigg, whose wife Timotha is a former school board director, said he hoped to bring his financial expertise to the board. Jones — an information technology consultant – said he’s running on a technology platform with an emphasis on mathematics and computer sciences. He said he’d like to see some of the after school STEM programs — artificial intelligence and robotics — should be moved into part of the main curriculum in the district.

Also attending the luncheon were candidates for Judge of Common Pleas Wendy Roberts, George Dawson and Beth Naughton Beck, and state rep. Steve Barrar.

Election day is Tuesday, Nov.5. The last day to register to vote is Monday, Oct. 7.

About Rich Schwartzman

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.