For years, we have watched the former faculty housing for Church Farm teachers deteriorate. No that’s not the fault of the school, the land was sold decades ago at this point.
I have followed it here on my blog and so have many in the community. The land has been for sale and vacant forever and we knew this development was coming.
The development is 55 and over so it won’t be putting kids in the school district. It’ll be like a Hershey’s Mill in West Whiteland. However it’s rather dense, and it is yet another reason why in my opinion, whatever happens at the Exton Square Mall needs to have less density. It’s so much development not too far apart.
And even if the mall developer and his attorney, don’t like my opinion, I’m allowed to have it.
Anyway, it’s New Year’s Eve 2025 and the development has begun. 
I wish this was less density here because I do not know where all these developers think we are going to put and care for all these additional people? We don’t even have a hospitals to care for our residents now. (Of course this is also why I think that the Exton Square Mall would be the perfect site for a new hospital but developers won’t make enough money on a new hospital will they? What do they care about us getting sick? )
So again, it’s not like this wasn’t approved or we didn’t know it was coming. It’s been very much out there. But it is quite jarring to see the land stripped bare bit by bit as this development begins.
On New Year’s Eve I’m going to make my last play of the year for lawmakers and Harrisburg to get off their asses and do a comprehensive update of the municipalities planning code. There hasn’t been one since it arrived circa 1969 and as I have said innumerable times before, that’s what gave us Chesterbrook.
I’m going to share some of my old photos taken over years past for many years, and a little video compilation.
First the photos:
These were at one time really nice little houses. They could’ve remained nice little houses as starter homes or step down homes for people downsizing.
I have been in love with North Wayne, PA for years. It’s an amazing and historic area, and ironically was a quasi planned development in the late19th century. The North Wayne Historic District is actually a national historic district. Most houses were built between1881 and 1925, and include notable examples of Shingle Style, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival architecture. Among the famous area architects who contributed to this were the Quaker Price brothers (William and Frank, who also did a lot of Rose Tree in Media.)
Allow me to share something I wrote many years ago in 2011:
Allow me to quote myself but click on the above link for photos I took years ago as well:
I first became a fan of North Wayne when I was a kid. The fanciful Victorian architecture in particular had me at hello, just like Cape May, NJ.
North Wayne has grand Victorian homes with sweeping porches and smaller homes of a more fanciful bungalow style. Many of these homes have been lovingly restored. You see Queen Anne, Second Empire, Tudor, shingle style, stick style, craftsman, and colonial revival homes dot the streets neatly laid out on a grid pattern.
Like many other towns on the Main Line, Wayne popped as the Pennsylvania Railroad developed and connected Philadelphia to points west–Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. The Main Line itself received its now famous name as a result of this train line.
Wayne as we see it today can be ironically described as an early planned development. Streets were orderly and on a grid. Houses were large, but convenient to downtown Philadelphia. They embraced the Victorian sensibilities and importance of hearth and home, yet were so modern. Steam heat, the train, public water and sewer, electricity, indoor plumbing, paved roads. There were even swimming pools–like the famous Wayne Natatorium.
The Wayne Natatorium, which was recognized in the fall of 2010 with a historical marker from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, was located in North Wayne on what we know today as Willow Avenue. Among the largest open-air, in-ground swimming pools in the United States, and some still argue the world, this Victorian folly existed between 1895 and 1903. It was 500 feet by 100 feet and played host to national swim meets during its existence. And in the winter, when this fresh water pool froze over? There was ice-skating and winter carnivals held under colorful lights.
The area in which the Wayne Natatorium sits is in North Wayne, but outside the boundaries of the historic district. The historic district in North Wayne only extends so far, and doesn’t encompass a lot of the more modest streets with working class roots that abut the Wayne train station, and I think that is a mistake. For example, if it hadn’t been for vigilant neighbors who live on some of the streets NOT in the historic district, 236 North Aberdeen Ave. might have been lost a couple of years ago to ill-fitting new development.
What was so special about 236 North Aberdeen Ave.? It was the home of builder Jonathan Lengel. Lengel was a builder who brought a lot of the whimsical architectural visions of such greats as David Knickerbocker Boyd. Lengel was responsible for the construction on some very interesting Radnor landmarks.
North Wayne not only boasts the homes out of the imagination of David Knickerbocker Boyd but also among others, the Price brothers–William and Frank Price, Philadelphia Quakers who were originally protégées of Frank Furness before venturing out on their own starting in 1881…..Radnor residents, take the time to become more active with your local Radnor Historical Society and get to know your local streets. They are delightful and charming, offering a real sense of community. Get out of your cars and walk these streets if you haven’t in a while. You’ll be glad you did.
Yes, I mentioned the Wayne Natatorium. I raised the money, found the non-profit sponsor and got the PA Historical Marker approved years ago in 2010. And guess what? Didn’t live there. I just loved the quirky history. See next link to learn about the Wayne Natatorium.
Both organizations continue to do their thing, although I wish they would be less insular and more active.
One house that got torn down just outside the historic district of North Wayne a few years ago was the one built by Jonathan Lengel for his own family on N. Aberdeen. I had helped stop the demolition a bunch of years ago, but Radnor Township didn’t give a damn a few years ago and down it came. I wrote about it:
Here are some photos I took of North Wayne from around 2007:
Oh and what else did I do back in the day for North Wayne? Well I got stormwater improvements out of Septa and some safety issues addressed with a giant drainage pipe that frequently flooded out parts of Pennsylvania Avenue.
How did I do that? The lead engineer for Septa at the time was a super nice man named Jeff Knueppel. (Yes, the one guy in recent past who was eventually the general manager of Septa before the wheels fell off and people like former politician or perennial politician Leslie Richards came to be there.) Jeff Knueppel was a great General Manager and accessible to the public. But I digress.
Anyway, I had written an editorial for Main Line Media News when Tom Murray was the editor, and Jeff Knueppel read it and contacted me. At the time, Wayne train station and their parking lot was getting a makeover. Jeff Knueppel said the budget had room for added stormwater infrastructure underneath the parking lot, and they did some stuff with the embankment facing Pennsylvania Avenue and put a grate over the giant pipe to keep dogs, cats, and kids out of it (which had been a problem.) Next photo is what this looked like before Septa added the grate cover thing and did improvements.
So this was something I did with my writing and activism because it was the right thing to do.
I used to belong to the Radnor Historical Society because I loved North Wayne so much. (I am thinking of rejoining, actually.)
Anyway…. before Christmas I was over there and I took photos of some of the houses on Poplar Avenue because it is one of my favorite streets back in North Wayne. In an other life, I almost lived in North Wayne, a couple of streets removed from there.
Now I hadn’t posted most of these photos yet because I had not gone through them and was editing a lot of December photos and still am from volunteer non-profit photo taking amounting to a few hundred photos. When I started going through the photos from Wayne, I shared one particular house on my blog’s Facebook page:
The ONLY thing I said of the above house is “this house in North Wayne could be fabulous….”
Nothing else. It’s one of my favorites and is one that I have watched for YEARS. For years it has gone through phases where it was tidier and repairs were happening but over the past couple of years in particular it has devolved into this. Here are photos going back to 2007 where you could see the house, 2012 when there was gardening going on, and 2017 when it started to slide into the condition you see today in 2025. These photos incidentally are from Google:
This house was fabulous and could be again if the decay is stopped. It was built around 1905-1906 by Jonathan Lengel whom I mentioned earlier in this post. Here is a screen shot from Radnor Historical Society of Poplar:
So yeah…I posted about this house because it is one of the quirky houses of Wayne I think are so cool. But of course the moral judgement squad of a lack of reading comprehension on Facebook jumped on my back:
So yeah, I love the judgmental who can’t read. Literally ALL I said was the house could be fabulous. The Judgey Judgersons came from West Goshen, Downingtown, Malvern, and I don’t know where else…but none from near this house in North Wayne. As a matter of fact a woman who grew up across from there left a comment saying the house was once fabulous.
All of these people completely missed what the post was about and decided I was targeting whomever lives there. I mean HUH? I was talking about the house, no clue who lives there or what is going on. All I said is the house could be fabulous.
But if we are going to talk about the deterioration, it is happening. Like I said, I have been watching this house from the early 2000s. For a while it looked like repairs were happening, and gardening was happening so it was a shock when I went down this block this holiday season and saw it. This is a neighborhood of old house proud and other houses disappeared for McMansions literally have appeared across the street and down.
I was not doing anything other that taking photos on a public street. I wasn’t peering in windows although with this down on her luck North Wayne house the windows aren’t clear on the second floor. I saw it when I was taking photos and chose not to take that photo. But if the inside indeed resembles the outside then whomever knows the owner maybe should help them?
I am sick of people who lack basic reading comprehension and interpolate whatever is on their mind, not mine, as my actual thoughts or reason for writing about something. This happens with almost everything and it’s old. I am not going to stop writing and people did this when I started writing about Loch Aerie before she was restored, and even more recently the Joseph Price House in Exton.
Get. Over. Yourselves.
No one has to read what I write, and no one has to comment on my blog’s Facebook page or here. And if you don’t even know what it is you are bitching about, it’s even more pathetic.
I am talking old houses here, in an area I find immensely special in spite of the crazy municipality it is in. And Jonathan Lengel? The guy who built the house I spoke of having the ability to be fabulous? In the area he was also responsible for The Saturday Club, Waldheim mansion – (VFMA’s Sullivan Hall, torn down in 2001), Walmarthon estate (Now still there minus historic log cabin), and Waynewood Hotel – (Still standing AKA Wayne Hotel.)
Check out the history in North Wayne and better yet check out the Radnor Historical Society at Finley House. The Finley House is open Tuesdays and Saturdays from 2-4 p.m. 113 West Beechtree Lane, Wayne PA. They also have amazing photo archives. (https://radnorhistory.org/archive/photos/)
I take photos. A majority involves old and often historic houses.
Ciao haters. Go look at some cool old houses and enrich your sense of why they are important.
I was asked to be there in person and life got in the way, and I was unable to attend the last Willistown meeting of the year and I am sorry I couldn’t be there. I saw no sewer rats in attendance so it probably would’ve been a nice meeting with the exception of Mrs. Golfball the lone public comment, which I have included. Complete segue but what does one expect when one moves next to a golf club and golf course? And do we really think some golfer meant to hit her with a golf ball? Why doesn’t she just ask them to or put up netting herself near the edges of her property to catch the golf balls so they don’t come onto her property?
Mrs. Golfball was quintessential of the types who move to Willistown and then complain about the color of the sky, the scent of horse and cow manure etc. and don’t get me started about sidewalks on twisty dangerous windy roads that won’t ever work, right?
Sorry, I digress.
Bob Lange gave way more many years than most people ever would to municipality.
He’s done an amazing amount of things for his home community in Willistown, and the meeting this week, reflected that. It was really nice to see some old familiar faces like Andy Dinniman.
I was glad to see that the Willistown Republicans or some Republicans got up to say job well done, especially after the treatment he received for exercising his right to choose his own political candidate to vote for in a presidential election as an American.
Willistown Township social media photo
Again, I noticed that it didn’t seem as if the sewer rats were in attendance, and I will mention them again because in my opinion they are the most horribly rude people consistently in Willistown Township and I would love to know how much money the Township spends per annum on the often frivolous right to know requests that they file? Anyway did they think they were punishing Bob by denying their presence? I am sure they will be back, don’t you?
But back to Bob Lange’s last meeting.
I first met Bob when I came out here to be with my husband. The picture you see in the post above I took in 2012 when I happen to be on the farm one day because he was nice enough to let me take pictures of some of the fields one fall. They were just so beautiful even then getting ready for winter.
Willistown is a beautiful township. A lot of that is down to Bob’s part in the stewardship. For 27 years. People talk about public service, Bob Lange has lived it.
As human beings, we are all flawed. Bob Lange in my estimation has never pretended or pronounced himself to be perfect like a lot of his armchair critics seemingly self-proclaim, but in Willistown you have always known that he cares about the township and acted proactively. And sorry not sorry, the abuse heaped on the supervisors there in general and the manager over the past few years has been astounding and that’s not a positive. (Yes, sewer rats and your motley band of malcontents I am speaking about all of you. You have made yourselves public figures via your antics.)
One of my favorite parts of this meeting was listening to Andy Dinniman. So many pearls of wisdom last night. And he spoke of when we were all still different political persuasions but essentially we behaved better.
Anyway, job well done Bob and thank you and Merry Christmas and we will see you around your farm!
Also Bob? Episcopal Academy has always been a sentimental favorite of mine as a Shipley gal because of some of the amazing friends I still have from there.
Oh look we got a letter from “Chester” – I guess it was supposed to say “Chester County” ?
This was to let us know my husband’s vote was counted….a month later. It was the smallest print imaginable and completely half-assed. It was also not even on county letterhead or Department of Voter Services letterhead. It was on cheap copy paper, cheapest weight possible . Dated 12/5/25 and mailed from West Chester.
It did not even say sorry we screwed up or more specifically that Karen Barsoum screwed up.
Obviously Barsoum is not sorry because she has had a month now to apologize to the voters of Chester County.
This entire episode has been pathetic. It was never an election or political conspiracy, it was gross incompetence….and it continues with this pathetic form letter.
Holy run on title Bat Man! Yes I know but there’s so much right?
So West Vincent Township definitely in the opinion of many not only has a sketchy track record with supervisors (I mean hello? Everything old is new again 2x former manager Jim Wendelgass is now a supervisor, right?) and managers and solicitors? Things might be good or ok for a couple/few years and then it’s a swirling hot mess again, right?
So the newish manager, Tommy Ryan? First of all what kind of shlub later middle aged man goes by the name of Tommy? Does he have a Bobbie Sue and Jimmy John in his family tree too? So Tommy boy (that’s a fitting nickname right?) seems to play municipal hopscotch?
So this post on Facebook, December 8th made me take notice.
Cue the screenshots:
So if the doctor of this Fox Run Road property in question is the same one I researched from California, why would he pick West Vincent for his little real estate project?
So this is at 2 Fox Run Road in West Vincent. It’s 4.4 acres.
So….the website describes it as a site for micro events and a bed & breakfast?
I have no problem with a bed & breakfast inn but what defines a “micro event” ? Maybe Tommy boy should elaborate on the “gray area”? For a bed and breakfast inn, there is zoning in West Vincent but they had issues with short term AKA Air B n B rentals a while back right? Now I do not know enough about West Vincent Zoning to know if B & B owners have to be on site or not. I know they have a form:
Now I noodled around on the West Vincent website looking for historic commission mentions of this property. Couldn’t find anything and that property and barn did major reno right?
So yes, this is all curious, and might not be a problem if people simply understood what is going on, right?
But then West Vincent Township Manager Tommy Ryan appeared in a second post on Facebook December 9. Allow me to present verbiage and screenshots:
Thank you to those who have reached out to me about the new event venue that West Vincent Township is turning a blind eye to in my residentially zoned neighborhood (its apparently a “gray area” for how commercial businesses can be in residentially zoned spots). But who is this bumpkin that is running the township and making these decisions? Buckle in folks, and let me give you the background i found online about Tom Ryan…. complete with a lie he put on his resume when he applied at WVT (wait… maybe it’s a “micro” lie??).
When Tom Ryan applied to WVT for the manager spot, his resume stated the following jobs:
* 2010-2015: West Bradford Township Manager
* 2015-2022: Worcester Township Manager
* Jan 2023-current: East Cocalico Township Manager
The resume is an item you can RTK as is his cover letter. How do I remember these dates? Because I googled him to see what his history was, and what I found didn’t match the dates on his resume. Odd, isn’t it? And then I had other secretaries and his former coworkers who reached out to me before he started at WVT to “warn” me about him because his reputation as a horrible boss and questionable person compelled them to reach out. If you ever bump into me and want to hear MY stories as one of his employees, just ask. I’ve had many people ask me things, and I have zero-problems giving my impression and experiences (and I wrote down EVERYTHING as it happened).
Back to his work history that can be found online, and what I found that made me scratch my head…
This was the SECOND job where Tom worked with WVT solicitor, Dave Onorato (the first place being at Towamencin Township). This was one of the jobs where I received “warning” calls about Tom from previous coworkers and various secretaries. I won’t detail those conversations in writing since legally some of that information was hearsay (although I fully believe this info since various sources told me the same naughty things). However, the information I received about how he treats people and his persona? SPOT ON! And I witnessed those things first-hand when he started (as have many of you). It does not surprise me AT ALL that he was no longer there after 2 years. I’ll leave it at that.
This is interesting because he said on his resume which he submitted to WVT that he was working at WEST BRADFORD in 2010. How is that so?? And he only held this job for 11 months. I found an interesting newspaper article mentioning that shortly after Tom was hired, the solicitor resigned. Here’s a portion of that article:
…..Interesting article, no?
And Tom was gone from that job before his one-year anniversary in March 2011. Sooooo, it doesn’t look like he was in West Bradford in 2010 like his resume detailed.
* 5/2011-9/2015 (4 years): West Bradford Township Manager (this was the job he said he started in 2010, but WBT BOS meeting minutes don’t show him being appointed until mid-2011).
Someone said this is the township where he lived. Hmm, so why leave? Ironically, he resigned when the Public Works Director resigned (accepted at the same meeting). I read some interesting articles about this double-resignation. When a boss and his employee leave like this, there’s always a story. I found out some questionable news about this, but we still have more jobs to cover, so let’s move on, shall we?
Sure, Tom was here for 7 years. But coincidentally, Tom’s resignation was at the same meeting where a Public Works Laborer resigned as well. A repeat of his last job maybe? The stories about this double resignation run rampant there, too.
* 1/2023-2/2025 (2 years): East Cocalico Township Manager.
Interestingly enough, the tax collector of that township filed a Federal Lawsuit right after Tom left alleging him and others of First Amendment violations. I’m sure the lead-up to this had nothing at all to do with him leaving.
* 3/2025-current (9mos and counting): West Vincent Township Manager.
And now he’s here in WVT. And he’s back together with Dave Onorato who is our solicitor (job #3 with him). OH! And I believe there was a short stint as the VP and Director of Water Services at ARRO Consulting. But I was told by ARRO-peeps that it was only a few-month thing “for obvious reasons” (didn’t ask for elaborations on that… I already got a good picture in my mind).
Now think back to when John Granger was WVT manager (SURPRISE: John also worked with both Dave and Tom at a previous job like three amigos; Tom spoke very highly of John Granger when he started at WVT). People asked about whether background checks were done on Granger. Did anyone do them for THIS hiring? And if they did, did they ask about these things that were found with simple googling? And if so, were all these things just easily explained (although that year assigned to West Bradford seems a bit harder to let go)?
So when I now hear from my neighbors that there is a “gray area” over having a commercial event venue in a residentially zoned neighborhood, I have to look at the man allowing it to happen (and being paid $160k to do so). And ultimately I need to look at the people who hired this man which is our elected Board of Supervisors (and I’m sure they are appointing him to another year as manager come the January reorg meeting). If zoning is open to this much “interpretation”, then maybe we need to get someone who can do a better job interpreting.
And a huge thank you to the county employees who reached out to me today to get more information about my previous post. At least they understand the difference between commercial and residential. I hope the township pays attention when they come knocking to discuss this with them.
Thanks for listening to my history lesson. Again, feel free to keep goggling and see what YOU come up with.
Kristina Casey used to work for West Vincent. So she is a woman who left a municipality this guy managed? Maybe I would not think twice except for this:
Hatboro’s solicitor, Christen Pionzio, faced with a situation she felt put both the borough and her law firm at risk, took everyone by surprise when she announced her resignation at Hatboro Council’s committee meeting Monday night.
In a prepared statement, she told officials it wasn’t working with the new borough manager, Tommy Ryan, because his way of operating prevents her from protecting the borough, exposing herself and her firm, Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell and Lupin, to liability.
“To continue to represent Hatboro under these circumstances would not only jeopardize the integrity of the borough, but my law firm as well,” said Pionzio, who has been Hatboro’s legal counsel since the winter of 2009.
Ryan, who came to Hatboro last month, declined to comment for this article.
“He told me directly that he has the expertise to identify legal issues and that he would let me know when my services were needed,” Pionzio said. “To have a non-lawyer prepare legal documents that could have far reaching liability for the borough is dangerous.”
According to Pionzio, Ryan will now draft documents, such as resolutions and ordinances. He had also requested Word documents of the easement agreements she had drafted for the borough, which she emphasized was her legal work product.
Resolutions are sometimes drafted by staff and always reviewed by solicitors, Pionzio said, but ordinances have real legal implications, such as granting rights to property owners or taking them away.
So yeah, Tommy boy was in Trappe for 2 years before Hatboro:
Before some members of Hatboro Borough Council even heard the news, two residents inquired about the resignation of Borough Manager Tommy Ryan.
During Monday’s meeting, a man said the news was already out there and asked when the council would discuss Ryan’s replacement.
Council Vice President Nancy Guenst, who chaired Monday’s meeting, refused to comment. …Ryan, who last spring filled the position vacated by Police Chief James Gardner, told Patch afterward that he has received a “conditional offer” from West Bradford Township in Chester County.
Two weeks shy of the anniversary of his hiring, Hatboro manager, Tommy Ryan is moving on.
Borough council voted to accept Ryan’s resignation Wednesday night at a contentious session during which Democrats claimed that Ryan was leaving because of the “intimidation” of the Republican minority.
Ryan was not present at the meeting. His last day is March 16.
So then traveling Tommy boy went to West Bradford where it also seemed messy:
WEST BRADFORD >> Two township employees recently resigned, one being a mutual agreement with the township.
West Bradford Township supervisors accepted the resignations of both Public Works Director Randy Behmke and Township Manager Tommy Ryan during their September meeting. Additionally, supervisors accepted the “execution of a settlement agreement” with Behmke.
During that time, supervisors also appointed Douglas K. Kapp as interim township manager, among other duties.
The Daily Local News obtained the information via a Right-to-Know request, including the resignation letters from both Behmke and Ryan, the settlement agreement with Behmke, and the salary of Kapp….Ryan recently told the Daily Local News that he resigned to become a manager in Montgomery County.
“I resigned my position after being appointed township manager in Worcester,” Ryan said. “I loved my time in West Bradford – great community, great employees, great board (of supervisors). But I was offered a great opportunity in Worcester, and it was an opportunity I could not turn down.”
Tommy Ryan likes what he sees in the people of Trappe Borough. “I’m impressed with the pride and the passion of the residents, and with the sincerity and dedication of the elected officials,” Ryan, the new manager of the borough, said via e-mail last week.
A native of Boston, Ryan has lived in the Philadelphia region for 15 years and earned a master’s degree at Villanova University in public administration. He comes to the borough from the Heritage Building Group, a Bucks County-based property development company, where he held the positions of planning manager and approvals manager. His resume also includes stints as zoning officer and community planning director for Towamencin Township.
He is no stranger to Trappe. Ryan became familiar with the community through his previous positions, but many of the elected officials he’d come to know have since moved on.
“I previously worked with the borough’s solicitor, engineer, and zoning hearing board solicitor, so this has helped to smooth the transition,” Ryan said.
Then after a jaunt at ARRO, you know where West Goshen Casey LaLonde was for a while, Tommy Boy pops up at East Cocalico in Lancaster County? Tommy Boy gets around, huh?
What happened: The board announced that Thomas Ryan will serve as the new township manager. He is vice president and director of water services for Lititz-based ARRO Consulting Inc. His start date is yet to be determined pending his notice to his current employer.
The cost: Ryan’s salary will be $130,000, plus a $5,000 annual vehicle allowance and a $1,200 cell phone allowance.
Background: Ryan has served as township manager in Worcester Township in Montgomery County and in West Bradford Township in Chester County. He also worked as borough manager in Hatboro and in Trappe, both in Montgomery County. An instructor for the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, Ryan will be allowed five days off per year to attend PSATS.
Quotable: “We have put countless hours into this search. We feel we have found the right person,” said Lorenzo Bonura, East Cocalico supervisor.
WEST VINCENT — The board of supervisors has appointed Tommy Ryan as the latest township manager.
The township has been on a bit of a merry-go-round with township managers of late.
On Jan. 1, 2023, John Granger was appointed as West Vincent township manager, but he resigned on June 13, 2023.
So the board of supervisors appointed Jacqui Guenther as interim manager and then on Jan. 1, 2024, they made the job permanent, naming her as the new township manager, but it didn’t last long.
By August, she had resigned to become borough manager of Marcus Hook in Delaware County.
So the township appointed Jim Wendelgass to serve as interim manager, an appointment that was re-affirmed by resolution on Jan. 6. Wendlegass served previously as township manager, but his appointment was not renewed in 2016.
According to the township website, although Ryan is listed as the township manager, Wendelgass remains in the township administration as the township’s treasurer.
According to a press release issued by the township on March 17, “Ryan brings 15 years of management experience to the post, including most recently serving as East Cocalico Township Manager in Lancaster County. Prior to that, he served as manager in Worcester Township, Montgomery County, and West Bradford Township, Chester County.
So Tommy Boy likes to do videos:
But hey now so in October, East Cocalico announced the case filed by the tax collector was over:
But heyyyyy it’s NOT over. it was refiled and here’s what I found:
So do West Vincent residents even know all that their current manager has been up to? What kind of background checks were performed prior to his hiring? Were thing of a litigious nature like this wild case that is not over yet made known?
I found part of his contract and what is he making at West Vincent? $160,000? And he’s the zoning officer too?
Funding for a part-time receptionist position in lieu of a full-time Township Secretary position, saving an estimated $105,000 per year.
Ok that is SUPER offensive. A township secretary is more than a random office admin. It’s actually pretty specialized. I have had a few friends perform this job, and I actually interviewed for such a position gosh almost 15 years ago out of curiosity but was glad I was first runner up in the end when I realized how late meetings could go in this particular municipality not in Chester County I was peeking at. It’s a very important job for any municipality large or small and can’t just be a spot plugged by a part-time receptionist. If that is what Tommy boy is proposing well then that position will end up being advertised more than filled in my humble opinion.
But I am very curious about this manager. It’s literally intriguing the way West Vincent gravitates to certain kinds or classes of people isn’t it?
And Tommy boy is hardly universally loved is he?
Why is he there and how much of a raise is he suggesting for his position for 2026?
Just when you think West Vincent might stop the madness, they merely enlarge the lunatic asylum there don’t they?
Yikes, pass the popcorn, cue the drama, and good night.
I took this photo in March, 2025. It continues to rot.
Let’s go back to East Whiteland. To 310 Lancaster Avenue in Malvern, you know where Clews & Strawbridge Boats is?
Once upon a time that farmhouse looked normal. It is part of 3 separate parcels of land totaling about 5 acres. Main Line Watercraft Realty is the name, but looking into the deeds and mortgage, a name emerged. I will post those documents and you can look for yourselves. But hey, this man sits in a very nice house on pricey real estate in the region (not Chester County), while one of Chester County’s historic assets just ROTS and that is so truly terrible isn’t it? And if this property owner cared about the house and historic barn, wouldn’t they be better looked after? Now I am not writing this man’s name, although he has appeared in many public facing media things, especially for his day job so to speak right? No he’s not a real estate developer is he?
All I know is this historic house was once owned by artist Margaret Strawbridge Clews, who died at 91 in 2010. She must be turning over in her grave at the condition of that house, right?
I found her obituary. Here is a link and allow me to share from it:
HANOVER – Margaret Strawbridge Clews died August 6th at the age of 91 – just six days after she warmly welcomed each of her children, grandchildren, and all eleven great grandchildren as well as nearly 100 friends to the opening of her one-woman art show at the Howe Library in Hanover, NH. Born into the postwar debutante world of Philadelphia in 1919, the year women got the right to vote, she was a life-long activist and artist – devoting much of her art to her favorite causes of women’s rights and peace.
Mrs. Clews was the granddaughter of the founder of Philadelphia’s landmark department stores, Strawbridge & Clothier. With Mancha Madison Clews, her husband of 66 years, she was the proprietor of their family boat business, which thrives to this day in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Their company, Clews and Strawbridge, was the only combination marine & Saab automobile dealership in the USA.
She was a graduate of The Shipley School and of Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Exhibiting her first work at the age of 16
Do we think Margaret would love this decay? The decay of a once lovely 18th century farmhouse? She came up in a post I wrote in 2019:
Now Lincoln Highway/Lancaster Pike/Lancaster Ave was laid out in 1732 according to the Tredyffrin-Easttown Historical Society. This farmhouse I was told years ago was built in 1734. And the current property owner just lets it sit and rot? And the rest of the property looks pretty shabby too, doesn’t it? I remember how nice it once looked because years and years ago when the Saab dealership was there, I had friends who got their Saabs there.
I found a brochure advertising the property from a realtor. Don’t know if this is still being marketed by this person or not. So who else is concerned about this property? It narrowly escaped being a very dense residential development a few years ago correct? So now what?
The house COULD be saved, but not unless the owner sees the light right? He lives far enough away he doesn’t drive by it every day so it’s just something in an investment portfolio, correct?
Is there anyone who can encourage him to see it as the valuable historic asset that it is? Maybe he can make an old house call? Do the right thing?
To follow are the deed and some other things found on public records. Perhaps some reporter somewhere will be inspired to write a real story about the history of this house and the current ownership?
If not, tick tock East Whiteland. It’s time for this guy to respect Chester County’s historic architecture, right? And yes I can have that opinion.
So I think this is Tredyffrin Township and this is Stormwater funkadelic. The pipe drains to the public sidewalk. As ONTO the sidewalk along Lancaster Avenue – talk about a winter hazard for pedestrians especially, right?
This is the strip shopping center at 41 E Lancaster Avenue in Paoli where Our Deli etc is.
And no, I was not driving when I took this picture. I was a passenger in a car.
So whichever municipality this is they need to deal with this. It’s a fall hazard for pedestrians and this is going right out onto the road which causes another potential hazard trying to keep the road clear during winter icing events.
We all know the roads aren’t going to be perfect in the winter but something like this dripping over time in freezing weather could just be big enough to cause an accident. I mean, let’s face it. It’s problematic enough getting out of this weird little strip mall.
Developer Eli Kahn at 12/1/25 Tredyffrin Supervisors Meeting
So this is an interesting one at the end of the supervisors’ meeting last evening, Tredyffrin Township’s bumbling and inefficient zoning officer (I am entitled to my opinion and I’m being understated because I don’t understand why she has a job, but I digress) pops up rather nervously to announce to the supervisors that are developer was there with essentially a problem.
What was the problem? Something to do with the sewer and how his workforce housing project was essentially being potentially charged too much if it goes forward the way it is for sewer capacity they’re not going to use, right?
Here is the recording of that portion of the meeting:
I don’t understand how it was just sort of popped on the agenda like this do you? I’m not saying he shouldn’t be heard because he should be heard, and this is a developer whose projects I am not generally speaking fond of, but when you listen to this meeting snippet, do you really think he’s wrong? I actually don’t. (Shocker, right?)
This project was introduced at the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025:
So this is a trend we’ve seen being proposed in other municipalities and not just by this developer. It’s all about redeveloping these old commercial properties and these office buildings that have become obsolete whales and making them into living units, and in some cases, schools?
So I have to ask are we potentially replacing one problem with another problem? To be clear l, I’m not saying I’m against workforce housing if it actually happens. But I also look at these plans for this housing and so many of the units are these little itty-bitty things so what about workforce housing for families?
But I’m not going off on that tangent today that’s just something I think about. We definitely need affordable housing for all stages of life, but do we really need more apartments? I keep asking that question.
So the reason Eli Kahn went to Tredyffrin has to do with sewer. And sewer capacity and what he is paying for. It’s an interesting conversation. Listen to the video. So he’s telling the supervisors that they have problems in their sewer fee structures I guess? Basically he’s saying it’s not a one-size-fits-all?
I find it interesting, just like I find it. Interesting how it all kind of got plopped at the end of this meeting.
What is it with sewer fees and sewer capacity and municipalities out here so you have the thing that West Goshen Sunshine uncovered that’s on her Facebook page about fees paying health insurance bills of supervisors?
And then, of course, we have West Whiteland Township, trying to do the right thing for residents being sued by the Exton Mall developer and why? If there isn’t really sewer capacity, how should they be able to build as much? I don’t understand. it’s not like that’s the only problem on that site is there? Not enough parking correct? Too many houses for the area because of the density already existing correct?
I am always curious when things seem odd, aren’t you?
I will admit I have always been a little curious about East Pikeland because it always seems a little off, doesn’t it? Is it as simple as too many crystals and soy based candles or something?
And then there’s the Kimberton Fire Company, which is like part of the heartbeat of that community, isn’t it? so the first question is why is somebody suing the fire company?
For real:
So then I have to ask is why is the Kimberton fire chief trying to I don’t exactly know do what to a 41-year-old widow with three kids? I mean, I have to ask do we really think a 41 year-old widow with three kids is a threat to the Kimberton fire chief?
And why am I allowed to ask that question? Is it simply because there is a public criminal complaint and a publicly posted court docket?
And is this how residents who speak out in this municipality are treated? Is it just me or is this kind of twisted?
So yeah, that’s all I’ve got. And my questions and my opinions are brought to me by the First Amendment. And why I’m asking is posted below in screenshots.
She is being represented by Samuel C. Stretton, Esq. of West Chester.
So guess what? My husband‘s provisional ballot is one of the ones that apparently does not count.
I have covered up the number of his ballot for privacy sake for the screenshot above, but I can tell you I am still checking it and his vote is nowhere to be found.
NOWHERE. It’s like it didn’t exist, like he didn’t exist as an Independent on Election Day. It is like they ate his provisional ballot.
Am I surprised? Nope.
Of course, you also can’t get anybody on the phone in voter services let alone the esteemed director who has been invisible since the election day debacle. If it’s not a fluffy, self-aggrandizing media interview, she’s invisible and to date, unapologetic so whom is she in the process of blaming?
So this is kind of why litigation is being filed, isn’t it?
Here’s the link to the county’s bogus press release:
I personally don’t have faith in voter services at this point. And Karen Barsoum the department head and she needs to go.
She can’t hide behind the county commissioner she hides behind, which is Josh Maxwell. I think he’s trying to be kind and be fair because that’s totally the way he is, but Barsoum is doing Josh Maxwell a great disservice. IMHO she is damaging his political credibility.
I do not blame Josh Maxwell for this, but I so do blame Karen Barsoum.
