Updated on July 14 to add link to study
The singer and rapper Pharrell Williams, known to many as a judge on TV’s “The Voice,” has nothing on a certain Chester County commissioner – give or take a few million dollars, perhaps.
At the Chester County Commissioners’ Sunshine Meeting, on Tuesday, July 12, Commissioners’ Chairman Terence Farrrell struck a note of gleeful competition. It originated, he said, at a recent centenarians’ luncheon, which featured “You Are My Sunshine” during a sing-along.
Farrell explained that Sandra Murphy, who heads the county’s Department of Aging, challenged him to play and sing at the commissioners’ Sunshine Meeting in a quest for Chester County to move up from its ranking as the fourth happiest U.S. county to the top spot. SmartAsset, an online financial services business, reported the ratings earlier this year. To view the study, click here.
Murphy said she figured that Pharrell, who shares pronunciation, if not spelling, with the commissioners’ chairman, was the ideal catalyst to boost the county’s standing since he is renowned for his “Happy” song.
“I agreed that I would attempt to get the lovely Pharrell Williams to come and sing in West Chester, and we’d all do this big dance in West Chester as we sing ‘Happy,’” Murphy said, adding that she was working hard on her part of the bargain.
With that intro, Farrell grabbed his guitar and did a duet with Murphy, deftly substituting any perceived lack of star power with attitude.
“I challenge you to find another commissioner anywhere who would do that,” exclaimed Commissioner Michelle Kichline.
“I think that might have bumped us up to No. 1,” added Commissioner Kathi Cozzone.
Without skipping a beat, Farrell suggested that his next performance might be a tweak of another favorite of the county’s approximate 80 centenarians: “This County Is Your County.”
Then he shifted gears to less cheerful business: receiving details about a series of bids, including work on the firing range for the Public Safety Training Campus. The commissioners will vote on the bids at their next meeting on Thursday, July 14.
The commissioners also signed a proclamation for Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week, recognizing the positive achievements of the county’s more than 80 adult and juvenile probation officers.
After the meeting, the county trumpeted its effort to orchestrate a flash mob version of Pharrell’s “Happy” song on the county’s Facebook page, which said: “Over to you, Sandy [Murphy] – and please come to Chester County, Pharrell!”
To see Farrell’s performance, click here.
