Anonymous I am not, no matter what people I choose not to know and interact with say.
And within my own community if I think something is wrong. I stand up and I say so. Anonymous letters using probably someone’s voters list bother me. I received one such piece of mail a little while ago
I do not respect this. If you don’t like something in your community, don’t use a voter rolls list, stand up as a taxpayer and resident and say you don’t like something will we join you or will we talk about it, etc.
Anonymous lost me here. Not because of what bothers them necessarily, but because we as residents don’t know who is behind this mass mailing. How are we supposed to know if these people have our best interests at heart or their own personal agenda?
Well if they want me to listen (and perhaps that doesn’t matter to them) I would like to know which political party donated a mailing list and why we should listen?
Tell your neighbors if you are one of us and why. Plenty of the rest of us, myself included, stand up and are heard. Either do that or sit down.
This could very well be some out of the area slum lord. Or it could be a developer who might not be able to shove as many lemming apartments in.
And as much as I am not particularly in favor of Route 30 being widened, in places it is actually possibly necessary. But there have been meetings about this for years, it’s not a new topic.
This is as distasteful to me as the anonymous calls I received a few years ago telling me it was my job to get up and say the now former township manager wasn’t good, even if that hadn’t been my personal experience, you expected me to go to a township meeting while you hid in the shadows. I wouldn’t carry that water then, and won’t urge anyone to do so now if we don’t know who we are dealing with and why.
So whomever you are if you want community consideration, let us know you are actually one of us invested in our community. Until then, piss off with this throwback East Whiteland political skullduggery.
Well they aren’t letting this go, and neither am I. This whole thing? In my humble opinion to eliminate a threat from their limited world order. But I never want to run for office, etc, so I might as well ponder aloud, right?
So when the news *magically* broke in the 11th hour, the Chester County Democratic Committee was taking action?
And then good Granma Charlotte Valyo sent it to the media too, also referencing action taken by the CCDC?
But then, like *magic* in the 11 3/4 hour a different tune was being sung. That it was the filing 5, it wasn’t the Chester County Democratic Committee?
I love a good political drama, don’t you? Or is this a messy family sitcom?
So the names. Some of these fine “upstanding” Democraps had no problem with a candidate who had issues, but they have a problem with Paige Simmons?
Gosh that is AMAZING isn’t it? That was the guy who caused a LOT of convention drama recently, right? But he is A-OK? And I don’t know the guy but it is a valid comparison to make isn’t it? They forgive this guy his sins but her they wish to crucify? I will say it again: PRETZEL LOGIC.
I guess I am just confused? Lenny Rivera could be forgiven ummmm….mistakes, yet they are going whole hog after Magisterial District Justice Paige Simmons? That is so twisted AF pretzel logic, right? Don’t respond, you KNOW it is is. God don’t like ugly, and this is ugly. Also being all up in the Kool Aid and not knowing the flavor comes to mind as well, yes?
Also….even if you think you are the CCDC parliamentarian, it doesn’t mean you are, does it? Kind of like that great line from the movie “Working Girl”
Sometimes, I dance around my apartment in my underwear… doesn’t make me Madonna, never will.
~ Joan cusak as Cynthia working girl 1988
Election day yesterday also saw this interesting back and forth with someone on a Mid Chester County Democrats:
So gosh it makes you wonder about what roles within their own areas the Filing 5 have right? Their relationship with the party chair for the county?
Kieran Francke – Oxgrove Dems – CP 330 London Britton? Rachel Wick – Zone Leader – Mid-Chester County Dems? Russ Phiffer – Oxgrove Dems CP – 340 London Grove, District 13 Leader, Candidate Recruitment and Development Committee Leader? Carol Catanese – Kennet Dems CP 454 Pennsbury North 2? Whitney Hoffman – Zone Leader – Kennett Dems?
Do I have any of those assignments wrong? So does someone want to tell me how the fix isn’t in here? Who is the voice of the Mid-Chester County Dems on Facebook? (Except I bet that might change in light of this at some point so does it matter?) CP= Committee Person — they are part of the CCDC by default, an elected (or appointed) position to represent their portion of the county, right? So sating the CP role is covered in the by-laws for the CCDC, but its mostly to distribute literature, gather volunteers, and work the table outside of the polling place to make sure sample ballots get out, is this their role too? To be of use when the party needs bodies for other things?
Are they avenging angels against any other candidates? And if they were avenging angels on other candidates why not announce that in the 11th hour too?
I am all for election filings being accurate. For example, will we see anything about State Rep Kristine Howard who pissed everyone off by trying to run for judge? And by everyone I mean the Chester County Democratic Committee because that was the talk around town, wasn’t it?
I am still calling bullshit on this. Why? Because at the end of the day:
(1) Can Charlotte Valyo really say she didn’t orchestrate this?
(2) Can the Chester County Democratic Committee REALLY say they embrace people interested in running for office on any level unless they pre-approve them?
(3) Can the filing 5 have judgement which can be trusted, considering?
(4) Can any of these political skunks on a very minute political stage actually say they are doing this for the right reasons?
It’s time for new leadership at the Chester County Democratic Committee and it’s time that old wood is also exited, right? Because what is one thing about old wood and the Chester County Democratic Committee? Is it if you don’t burn this current house down, nothing ever will change?
I can’t support this constant BS from either political party. It makes me re-think being a Democrat. And I am certainly not a Republican any longer. But Pennsylvania doesn’t have open primaries so essentially Independents are denied primary rights.
If “voters should evaluate and choose elected officials based on their trustworthiness and their ability to make good judgments and follow the rule of law” then how do they allow for pure political vindictiveness?
Sign me disgusted with democracy and no wonder voter turnout is low. Also ponder they have given the Chester County Republican Committee so much FREE fodder, haven’t they? Which if they can get out of their Trumpian way will help them perhaps?
I mean gosh golly gee whillikers Grandma Charlotte, so much for party unity, right?
This will be a sorry not sorry post because once again, the Chester County Democratic Committee is proving that there actually is no party unity or “Democrat values”, just politics as ugly or even uglier than their Republican counterparts. AND this latest stunt will hand advantage over to the Chester County Republican Committee which in spite of being the home to Klanned Karenhood has to absolutely DYING LAUGHING on the floor right now. Of course today’s stunt makes a person wonder ALOUD what team Charlotte Valyo and the Chester County Democratic Committee play for? (Oh and as soon as I publish, I will once again be a BAD Democrat for opening my mouth. Macht Nichts.)
Here is the entire verbiage of the email I was sent by someone in Grandma Charlotte’s own backyard. I couldn’t believe it, but maybe they are tired of her bullshit too?
From: Charlotte Valyo, Chair CCDC <Chair@chescodems.org> Date: Mon, May 15, 2023 at 7:23 AM Subject: IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please see the statement below which is intended to inform everyone of legal action taken by CCDC. This statement has also been submitted to the Daily Local News. If you have any questions, please contact me directly. Charlotte Valyo, ChairChester County Democratic Committee610 692 5811 (office)610 505 1237 (mobile)
After reviewing the latest Campaign Finance Report submitted by Judge Paige Simmons on May 4, 2023, on May 12, 2023, a petition was filed with the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania to appoint an auditor to conduct an audit of the campaign accounts, contributions, and expenses for Judge Paige Simmons. Judge Paige Simmons is a duly elected Magisterial District Judge and is running for the position in the Court of Common Pleas in the upcoming May 16, 2023 Primary on both the Democratic and Republican ballots. The basis for the petition is the failure of Judge Simmons to properly register campaign committees as required by Pennsylvania campaign finance laws, the making of expenditures, receiving contributions, and making communications through unregistered, nonexistent campaign committees. The audit is sought to review contributions, receipts, and expenditures to determine how funds were raised, and whether committees were properly formed, etc. There is the potential for violation of Pennsylvania Campaign Finance Laws. Judge Simmons has named three different committees in her “paid by” sections of her mailers, texts, signs, website, and digital ads. Further, if Judge Simmons is found to have raised money, expended money in her name or loaned money to committees that do not exist, this would be a violation of the Canons of the Judicial Code of Conduct. Every candidate and in particular candidates for judicial office must understand the requirements for office. Running for any public office requires knowing the statutory requirements. Adhering to statutory and ethical requirements is a key measure of readiness to serve. Judge Simmons has run for a judicial office before and should be knowledgeable of the requirements of campaign finance law and the Canons of Judicial Code of Conduct.
Paid for by CCDC, Ann McNally, Treasurer Chester County Democratic Committee 37 S High St West Chester, PA 19382 United States
So…interesting FACT is that the Chester County Democratic Committee is trying to blow up an election over something the courts may not find has merit and won’t be heard until AFTER the election? I also am going to say they are giving District Justice Paige Simmons the extra special Ginny Kerslake treatment. Yeah I did say that out loud. I also think Paige Simmons terrifies them because she quite literally rolled up her sleeves and got it done with her first election for District Justice without them. You know women are still supposed to do as they are told around her, you hear? You hear? OR ELSE!!! (Eyes rolling.)
Except this in my humble opinion this current situation is more deeply troubling because I see racial undertones here. Yes racial undertones, AND A PUBLICITY STUNT.
Are only certain black women allowed to run for office as Democrats in Chester County? Sure seems that way, doesn’t it? And why has it seemed since both Fredda Maddox and Paige Simmons announced that both these women are an either or proposition? So is there a reason they don’t want two black women on a ballot? And in spite of the Cheyney job of it all, they chose Fredda over Paige? Mind you, I know neither woman but I found it interesting. Fascinating even.I think the Chester County Democratic Committee is TERRIFIED of Paige Simmons. And Chester County Democratic Committee what else are you terrified of?
After what seemed like an endless stream of political ads, calls, and texts, the 2022 election is over, and voters sent a clear message about how they want the future to look in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and across the entire Country.
Chester County voters turned out in unprecedented numbers for a midterm election– a cycle in which the party in power historically loses elections. But in Chester County, voters from both parties voted to reject extremism, reject hate, and embrace a future in which we work together towards a better future for all.
2022 will be a year remembered for many things in Pennsylvania – the Phillies made an unlikely run to the World Series, the Eagles look ready to return to the Super Bowl, and voters in Pennsylvania bucked a century of political election trends to reject extremism in a historic way.
All of these achievements embody the spirit of Pennsylvania – we are a Commonwealth of honest, passionate, hard working people. We don’t have any unreasonable or lofty expectations of our elected officials, but we do expect that they too will be honest, hard working, passionate advocates for us and put the needs of Pennsylvanians over partisan political interests.
My most important learning in 2022 is that this is still true, and that a commitment to truth, civility, and reason remains deeply embedded in Chester County and across the Commonwealth. People in Pennsylvania were presented with two very different paths in the election this year. One was a path paved with hate, extremism and conspiratorial lies, and the other was paved with hope, vision, and leadership. The message sent by voters was clear and one better heeded by Republicans across Pennsylvania, than by me.
For the sake of our democracy, I hope that my Republican friends also see the lesson here and recognize that it is time to turn the page on the era of Trump and Trumpian impersonators, but early signs in Harrisburg aren’t promising.
~Charlotte Valyo, CCDC Chairwoman 12/31/22 (From Op-Ed in Delaware Valley Journal)
It’s all Kumbaya until you don’t listen to Mommy, right?And Mommy seems to be back peddling? So Mommy since it it is ALL public information, or should be, who filed Mommy and why are you back peddling now?
Here is Paige Simmons’ response:
Timing is everything here. EVERYTHING. If Paige Simmons was so terrible, why did she already get elected as a Magisterial District Justice? Are they doing this to ANY OTHER CANDIDATE? Of either party?
Oh gosh Charlotte Valyo, to you I simply say: GIRL BYE. You don’t lead, you never do. You only do what you are told by others. You got dimed out to me by your own camp, in your neck of the woods. I feel the need to point this out because you will blame MY friends. Honey, YOUR friends think you have gone too far this time. And do we really think if you weren’t desperate you would be shopping this to local media? Come on now, most of the time how do you really feel about local media?
(And no I am NOT taking a jab at the Daily Local at ALL. )
Charlotte and the Chester County Democratic Committee are as bad as the Republicans they lament. I also put to you the Democrat voters of Chester County that some of those happy little Democrat County Row job holders do not spend as much time as they should doing their actual county row jobs, and they also know that their time cards can be a Right to Know request, can’t they?
This thing, this great thing that the Chester County Democratic Committee claims to have unearthed is something that I feel is an 11th hour ploy to simply tank Paige Simmons’ campaign. It is also something that timing-wise as a piece of legalese, would NOT be heard until the END of this week IF it’s heard, because there is no guarantee is there?
People have the right to file if they feel there is actual wrongdoing. Not discouraging that. My whole thing is the TIMING. And what I feel are also weird racial vibes, like there can only be one black woman on a ballot at a time? And I bet they will call me a racist for being white and asking that question, but does that make me a racist really? Or just someone who wishes to be an informed voter?
TOMORROW is election day. TOMORROW. So why you have to ask yourselves did the Chester County Democratic Committee wait until NOW to do this? POLITICS. As in they are afraid Paige Simmons as a candidate is doing better than their candidates. And let us not forget, there has been a LOT of division over what the Chester County Democratic Committee has been doing and whom they choose to endorse.
Also has anyone asked Grandma to the people Charlotte why she or Chester County Democratic Committee is attempting 11th hour legal action against a fellow Democrat? Even if you don’t watch politics doesn’t it seem odd? I mean why have a primary election if we can’t chose unless mommy says so? Are endorsement conventions actually supposed to decide the primary election instead of the primary? I am confused, aren’t you? Talk about mixed messaging.
This is an odd year primary. This is also an odd thing to be doing. Are we all bobbleheads on this bus?
AND ABOVE ALL ELSE? IF THE CHESTER COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE WAS PROUD OF THEIR LAST DITCH MUDDYING OF THE WATERS, THEY WOULD HAVE PUT THIS OUT THERE ON THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA BUT CAN YOU FIND IT?? SO GLAD Y’ALLSTAND FOR FREEDOM, FAIRNESS, OPPORTUNITY…WE WERE WORRIED....
Yawn. I still have COVID, so back to bed with me. This is all so predictable. Chester County Democratic Committee needs new leadership, or actual leadership. Since I came to Chester County I have watched them as they block anyone independent as far as candidacy goes. From the most LOCAL levels of government. They want no one unendorsed and that’s a little lockstep with the Chester County Republicans as well, isn’t it? BOTH political parties COMPLAIN they can’t get people to run and they freaking wonder why?
Tomorrow is election day. It’s an off year so turn out will be low because apathy and laziness is what actually rules American politics. But if you are going to the polls tomorrow, I suggest to you with the exception of Kristine Howard who is really still their girl even if unendorsed, take a HARD look at the business of endorsements. And it is a business. After all just read that Inquirer article about Montgomery County recently. There is discontent not only in Montgomery County with the Democratic party, but in the Chester County Democratic Party as well. And their leadership isn’t so many years in (Chester County), and what they have done will actually ensure a stronger Republican series of campaigns in the fall. The foothold of the Democrats in Chester County has to been considered more tenuous because it actually is.
Tomorrow go vote the way YOUR HEART tells you to vote, NOT THE WAY SOMEONE ELSE IS TELLING YOU. And if the Chester County Democratic Committee really believed in their last minute dirty tricks, they would be shouting it from the treetops, and they are NOT. They are merely using a local paper to carry their water.
I am not going to say whom you should vote for, but I will tell you if you can’t look past the conniving endorsements and dirty politics of this spring slate, you deserve what you get if you are a Democrat in Chester County. And I will still tell you NOT to vote for Kristine Howard. I will also tell you that I thought about it and DID vote for Paige Simmons as one of my choices. (But I digress.)
After the primary no matter what happens, it is high time for a vote of no confidence in the current leadership of the Chester County Democratic Party. Hell, it’s not like it will be the first time, will it? And can we say the ones they show the door still try to play puppet master? So it really needs to be different?
In Chester County is Witch Hunt spelled C-h-e-s-t-e-r-C-o-u-n-t-y-D-e-m-o-c-r-a-t-i-c-C-o-m-m-i-t-t-e-e??
Sign me disgusted. Chester County Democrats only love you if you do as you are told does not work for me. Not.At. All.
To understand the present, look to the past. Then as residents become informed as to how to shape your future. Don’t ignore history, acknowledge and learn from it.
To understand the present, look to the past. Then as residents become informed as to how to shape your future. Don’t ignore history, acknowledge and learn from it.
There is this guy running for school board in the Downingtown Area School District. A nouveau politician who scrubbed all old social media and now he has a page where he’s like a drag version of Michelle Obama except more like her evil twin who is a member of Klanned Karenhood, right?
Well the professor from Gilligan’s Island has more credibility and now others are realizing it because why? Oh yes when politicians try to use local issues for political personal gain, well….people notice….and they don’t like it…..shocker, right?
People in DASD if you vote for him, you deserve what you get. That is all.
Politics is like spy vs. spy and the guy who always wants to tell you he’s by far the smartest guy in the room, generally speaking is not. And that’s something where he’ll say I am going low but last time I checked he wasn’t an air traffic controller.
Giant college party going on in Mt. Pleasant since 1 PM. Kids keep ubering in. Police as per residents have been called at least 5 times, and well here, read the screen shots off of social media:
Tredyffrin Police? Are you so busy you can’t deal with this, or is it you do not want to deal with it? Tredyffrin Supervisors? Do you have a collective pulse?
So Tredyffrin we KNOW you like to pretend Mt. Pleasant doesn’t exist, except when you and Upper Merion approve ridiculous land development that is. And is that development for college student rentals? Seems a little overpriced for that maybe?
I don’t want to say Tredyffrin is prejudiced or biased against some residents, but hey the optics? Sleazy at a minimum here? These people aren’t good enough to care for or something?
These people, as in the people raising kids and living like normal people in Mt. Pleasant have an expectation of quiet enjoyment legally, correct? I don’t think that includes blue tarps to block keg view for the neighbors etc is part of quiet enjoyment?
How about do your damn jobs Tredyffrin? And media? If you are interested in Mt. Pleasant I can hook you up. It is actually in Chester County, PA.
For years, virtually throughout it’s history, Mt. Pleasant is treated poorly, and poorly is a polite descriptive adjective.
Oh here’s a blue tarp party photo from September. Tredyffrin quite a few OUTSIDE of Mt. Pleasant have been keeping tabs. We want better for them. Even if you don’t give a good god damn.
Another Aqua/Willistown post to add two more video snippets courtesy of Ginny Kerslake featuring the actual Willistown unanimous vote to break up with Aqua over the sewer sale and comments from Chris Franklin of Aqua who is a Willistown resident. I will note I am sure this was hard for Aqua officials to hear, especially on the heels of Bucks County dumping them and the controversy in New Garden Township.
I have never been a fan of sewer sales because of the rate hikes which occur. Other than that I am somewhat ambivalent. But Act 12, which allows the rate jumping I think is wrong. It’s greedy.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial Board September, 2022:
Officials in Bucks County were absolutely right not to sell their system to a private company. Now, lawmakers must reverse the measure known as Act 12.
The Bucks County commissioners were correct to cancel the proposed $1.1 billion sale of the county’s sewer system to a private company. Other local governments should follow suit and stop the sale of any public sewer or water systems to a for-profit company.
Better yet, lawmakers in Harrisburg should repeal Act 12, the reckless 2016 bill that opened the door for private companies to gobble up public water and sewer utilities.
The proposed $1.1 billion sale in Bucks County would have been the largest privatization of a public wastewater treatment system in the country. While the sale to Aqua Pennsylvania would have generated a one-time windfall for the county coffers, it also would have led to steep increases in sewer bills for consumers for years to come.
Other local governments have sold off their public water and sewer systems only to regret it as residents have seen their water bills increase by as much as 98%. The main argument from privatization supporters is that it leads to lower prices. But that has not been the case. An exhaustive study of the 500 largest water systems in the United States found that for-profit water systems charge an average of 58% more than publicly owned ones.
Video courtesy of Ginny Kerslake – Aqua’s Chris Franklin, also a Willistown resident addressing the Board of Supervisors April 14, 2023
If you have paid attention to what I have written, what I also had a problem with all along with regard to Aqua buying Willistown’s sewer, was the way the residents were behaving. I understand upset, I was part of a group which successfully fought eminent domain in Ardmore years ago all the way to Washington, DC. So trust me, I get upset. But we were in on fighting our issue from jump, and in Willistown it seems like they only woke up after the deal was initially inked. Then there was an ocean of nastiness, vitriol and misinformation at times (even directed at me personally.) Along with repeated accusations that Willistown had done this essentially behind closed doors in secret, which wasn’t the truth, was it? People simply hadn’t been paying attention. And before everyone wants to jump on me (shocker, for a change), the agendas told a different story.
Last night? Willistown’s residents stood up and were the people I had hoped they could be. They were clear. They were well-spoken. They were marvelous. They weren’t imitating the storming of the Bastille.
Hindsight they say is 20/20, but Willistown residents? Remember this moment. Look at what you accomplished. I have been reading the comments on social media, and what some residents don’t realize is a lot of people played a part here. It stopped being an isolated Willistown issue. People from other communities also offered support. Like Ginny Kerslake and folks from New Garden, Bucks County, Norristown. Me? I just wrote about it and was lambasted most of the time by some factions in Willistown because I didn’t live there. No I don’t, but refer to blog title. I write about what interests me. And I live in a municipality where they did sell to Aqua. Right as the deal with East Whiteland was inked, the OCA in PA filed suit against the PUC about Aqua. That is still in court.
When East Whiteland announced they were selling the sewer, there really was no pushback, let alone much interest from residents. It was advertised, discussed at meetings, and voted on. Residents for the most part in East Whiteland didn’t object. It was very different from Willistown. BUT East Whiteland as far as I know can’t do anything much with the proceeds until the litigation is completed. They are in a holding pattern as in East Whiteland has the proceeds . For a while there was misinformation being disseminated by Willistown residents about East Whiteland’s sewer sale. I think Willistown residents thought East Whiteland may have changed their mind because nothing was happening. That wasn’t the case. It’s as simple as worlds colliding when East Whiteland had finalized the sale literally at the same time the Office of Consumer Advocate filed suit against the PUC. So big pause button until litigation is concluded. How will litigation potentially affect East Whiteland? I have no idea. (Here is the link to the East Whiteland page on their sale: https://eastwhiteland.org/434/Sewer-Sale )
Here is the letter Aqua sent to East Whiteland residents in August, 2022:
Aqua’s Chris Franklin (he is Chair of Essential Utilities) spoke about his company last evening in Willistown. He is a resident of Willistown. He refers to the history of Aqua and Essential Utilities back from when it was Philadelphia Suburban Water. With all due respect, they aren’t that same company from years ago.
I go far enough back now that I remember when Philadelphia Suburban Water acquired property in Bryn Mawr to grow their footprint back off of Lancaster Avenue and expand their corporate campus as it were. I remember the houses that once stood there, and I remember them empty before Philadelphia Suburban Water did their building.
A group of more than 100 Aqua Pennsylvania union workers marched from Polo Field in Bryn Mawr to the headquarters on Lancaster Avenue late Saturday morning to express their anger at what they say are unfair contracts.
“Does Aqua PA, whose parent company recorded almost $124 million in profit last year, really need to increase the rates of hard working customers like you?” reads a flyer union workers were handing out to passersby. “Aqua PA seems to think so!”
Members of 32BJ SEIU, in purple union T-shirts, marched together westbound on Lancaster Avenue/Route 30 from Penn Street to Aqua America headquarters at 762 W. Lancaster Ave. shortly after 11 a.m. Saturday. The large group marched in both lanes, backing up traffic. Once at headquarters, they crossed the street and stood in both eastbound lanes, saying “Corporate greed has got to go.”
I have actually known some Aqua workers over the years. The guys on the job, not the suits in the proverbial ivory tower in Bryn Mawr. Nice guys, hard workers. But no more does Aqua have the lovely gentleman named Tim Lloyd who once was business liaison/PR guy for years and years. He was an amazing man. He talked to everyone. Even me. He was always super helpful. And for years if you had an issue you just called the main switchboard in Bryn Mawr, PA and spoke to a real live customer service person who cared. I remember a guy named Bill Miller who was a manager or a VP at Aqua. Also super nice and I am sure retired by now. But that was then, and this is now.
Sadly Aqua is out of touch today with their former local business selves. They are too big to remmeber or truly care in my humble opinion. The corporate suits are always out of sink with their workforce. The guys whom you see on the street are nice, just like Chris Franklin said. But are they really known to the suits in the proverbial ivory tower? Nope. (When I was looking for history, I found this page on Philadelphia Suburban Water and also this one.)
Aqua has an opportunity to do better. It’s not just about rescuing old municipal sewer systems and making buckets of money. It’s about the people they are supposed to serve, not take advantage of with rate hikes. They can learn from citizen groups like NOPE and Keep Water Affordable. And they can learn from the Willistown residents. I think we all underestimated the Willistown residents.
What the Willistown residents accomplished that culminated last night was amazing. Seriously. They should take a big old victory lap. However, is it over? Will Aqua let it go or will they file some sort of legal action? Time will tell.
Residents everywhere should pay attention to this as they organize to deal with issues in their own communities. Anything is possible if you come together and people put their egos and personal political beliefs aside. And you have to watch agendas and go to meetings, either in person or zoom.
The last word is the video of the Willistown Supervisors unanimously voting to break up with Aqua before prom. Willistown decided to have a date with her residents.
Dear Aqua, it’s me, Willistown. I’m sorry, but we’re breaking up. I have another prom date, the residents….
Well it’s over…for now. Willistown Supervisors actually voted unanimously to end the relationship with Aqua.
I have incomplete details, but I am told that there was an exit clause or sunset capability in the contract? The exit date was apparently today, expiring at midnight . The Board of Supervisors said they weren’t going to prom with Willistown just before 8 PM. It was further noted that some Aqua executive said something along the lines of Willistown needs to honor their contract which is confusing because wasn’t Willistown doing just that ?
People from New Garden and Norristown came to show solidarity with Willistown residents.
The following graphic is courtesy of New Garden resident, Bill Ferguson (KWA – Keep Water Affordable):
So oh what a night. That’s all I know. Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) is still in litigation against the PUC (Public Utility Commission). So although Willistown’s neighbor East Whiteland sold to Aqua, I am not sure that East Whiteland can use the proceeds until the litigation settles? I could be completely wrong, but I seem to remember something like that and also, it’s important to note that East Whiteland residents did not kick up a fuss about their sewer system selling to Aqua. As a matter of fact, sometimes you wondered if people had a pulse over this issue.
I have to wonder if Aqua will take this to court? The reason I wonder that is because Bucks County was a big kick in the teeth for them already. And just for gossip inquiries, someone also said that Willistown had their solicitor resign? Is that true?
This stopping the sale is quite the accomplishment on the part of the residents from Willistown and other communities.
Anyway, enjoy the following video snippets courtesy of Ginny Kerslake.
Please note that this is a developing story and I will have more video eventually. Stay tuned.
The hot news out here in Chester County is there is an unusual Friday evening Willistown meeting. it’s being held shortly at General Wayne Elementary at 7 PM sharp this evening.
It’s kind of unbelievable to think about it and realize it may happen, but in a little over two hours, Willistown Township could be breaking up with Aqua over the sewer sale?
Now interestingly enough today I have an afternoon reach out from Aqua. I don’t know why they reached out to me other than I write about this. But I’m not the media I’m a blogger. They sent me a document you can view HERE, but I am attaching screenshots of below. It has to do with Aqua and their rates.
I don’t have a horse in this race because it’s Willistown but we will see what happens. I do think Aqua needs to deal with what they do vis-à-vis rates, however.
I am told by my network of contacts that there are people in New Garden and elsewhere who rolled their eyes when they saw this document I was sent. They told me in their opinion it was truly propaganda, and they couldn’t understand why Aqua seemed like they were confessing about the New Garden rates going up like 90% and how this was so different from what residents there were told before the deal closed and that is kind of weird, right? They also asked where Aqua’s rate increase calculations were for Willistown?
Anyway, it’s looking like a pre-prom break up but who knows what will happen because this is Willistown we’re talking about…. also, this meeting will not be televised although for the life of me I can’t figure out why they can’t leave the Internet on a little better in this elementary school. Hopefully people record the meeting, but if you are interested, get to the meeting at 7 PM
