My friend and I had been trying to get into Matine’s Café in Devon for months. There were either lines out the door to get in, or you simply could not get a space in the parking lot.
The parking lot is an odd configuration, which is not the fault of the café, but I imagine the owner is making a tidy rent off of these people, and they could do better with the parking lot.
This place was so worth the wait to get in . We both couldn’t remember the last time we had so enjoyed lunch out. We were there for quite a while and just took our time and because it was the last week in August it was a steady but not impossible flow of people in and out.
We ate inside, which was less crowded than outside. They have a lovely outside dining area and that was completely full.
Among other things, we had an actual French woman wait on us. And that made the experience even more fun.
When you walk in the building is deceptively small compared to when you go inside. I think it would be a marvelous place to reserve seating for a luncheon if they did that. This café is spotlessly clean, including the ladies room.
When you are inside, it reminds you of an actual French or European Café. It is light and airy and old style marble top café tables. The tables are so authentic, that I have to wonder if they were purchased in France and shipped over.
They have a wonderful café menu that I imagine might have seasonal adjustments. One of the things I love best is the coffee and tea and the tea, when you are ordering an iced tea, is a pour over so the tea is super fresh and that makes all the difference in iced tea in my opinion. They use loose tea, which is also my preference at home. My friend had I think it was a mango peach iced tea, and I had the Ceylon gold. Ceylon gold is a loose tea I enjoy at home. It is flavorful, but not too acidic nor does it get too dark.
My friend had an artichoke quiche that was beautiful looking. I had the smoked salmon tartine. she loved her quiche and one thing I loved about my cartoon other than how fresh it was and how good quality of smoked salmon it was that they used, was the Tzaziki sauce they used on it. And it also had baby fresh arugula on top. I adore arugula.
Tzaziki is something you think of in Greek cuisine which is Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill, mint, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. On the Tartine that I had, it was perfect.
Both of us opted for gazpacho on the side. I am picky about gazpacho, and quite frankly, I rarely order it out because I make my late mother-in-law’s Andalusian version of gazpacho and it’s just pretty much my favorite. Their gazpacho is the best I’ve had outside of my own kitchen, ever. To me there’s also is reminiscent of an Andalusian gazpacho, and interestingly like me, they serve it with crumpled feta on top. I never knew this was a thing. I literally tried it one time with my own gazpacho because I just happened to have some in the refrigerator and I thought the tastes would go well together. Also, a lot of restaurants think they can get away with gazpacho made from canned tomatoes, and the taste is just not the same. Matine’s is fresh and there is a slight citrus accent as well.
We also sampled their cheese plate, which they described as being enough for two people, it could have fed more. It was a great selection of cheeses, including a magnificent brie, and we took leftovers home. What I liked about the cheese plate as it was simple and pretty to look at. It wasn’t fussy.
The plates they use for our lunch were a pretty matte blue ceramic disc.
Because it was a belated birthday lunch, we split a dessert crêpe made with Nutella. And although Nutella is an Italian product, ironically the first time I ever had it was in France when I was a teenager.
While we were there, I ran into a friend who was also enjoying a belated birthday lunch with one of her friends!
After we finished eating, we shopped in their little market inside the store. I brought home croissants and a little bread boule, along with some French pantry items like Marie-Antoinette Tea and a fabulous Dijon mustard, as well as Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuer Eau Parfumée.
Oh, and they have a Little Free French library outside!
We are very excited to have been able to get in and have the time to appreciate this place properly. We look forward to going back again, and I have a feeling it will become a new spot for us. They list the address is Wayne, but it’s really Devon to me because it is just before the Whole Foods if you are headed west and just after the Whole Foods if you are headed east on Lancaster Avenue.
Matine’s is located at 757 Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, PA and they are open seven days a week 8 AM to 5 PM.
You can now book a table via a reservation at resy (Click here.)
I will note because it’s important, I was not compensated for this post in any way, shape, or form. I did not seek compensation for this post in any way shape or form. I was simply a normal customer, and I loved the experience and the food and will be back again.
So recently, I expressed my thoughts on the Honey Brook Community Library suddenly deciding no candidate meet and greets would take place at their facility. To my understanding this is not a political party gathering, it’s a community meet and greet of all candidates of various offices and political parties for an upcoming election. What I was also told is the library lady told people on the phone that the library was uncomfortable given the political climate in Honey Brook Township. Yes I am paraphrasing, but anyway, here is what I said:
I think something has to be said about the situation involving the Honey Brook Library of it all and Valerie Shultz for Honey Brook Township Supervisor. The latest thing to fly around this bucolic municipality with the rotten underbelly, is that Val is a hater of libraries and they go further to intimate that she’s somehow “threatening” or “bullying” the library.
The library in Honey Brook historically has done political meet and greets until THIS election.
All of a sudden they were uncomfortable, and people were being told that some were fearful of doing a meet and greet? Val didn’t argue with them, she respected their position, but she like many of us have questioned the timing of it.
Sorry, not sorry the timing is totally suspect and that’s just common sense and if you go back to the most recent meeting for the supervisors, they had to go (and they meeting the library) proverbial hat in hand to ask for money from the municipality.
The way things work with bully or thug politics is often somewhat subversive and behind the scenes whisper down the lane where nobody overtly says an organization won’t get money that they need but they might intimate along the lines of maybe they won’t get as much because the political cabal is uncomfortable with Val running.
It is my belief and my opinion that any organization that needed money from Honey Brook Township would be discouraged this election season to do meet and greets.
This shouldn’t be the way it happens, but am I wrong? It’s bullying pure and simple, of Val AND the library? OK so the talking hoodie doesn’t want to debate, but are they so afraid of both candidates being at a meet and greet with other candidates?
These meet and greets feature all sorts of candidates running, including judicial. Just a little food for thought.
Of course the talking hoodie had to post a screenshot. Not that I care. That is an OPINION and they haven’t revoked the first Amendment yet that I know of.
This is shared because the library director was tagged personally, which is rather inappropriate – NOT her fault, just pointing it out.
Sooo before I get to the meat of the matter, let us address his accusation that Valerie Shultz is being terrible to the library. Honeys, I have it in writing and this is what Valerie said which was calm and measured (much like speaking to Valerie is):
Here is the text of the email in case you have a hard time reading the screenshot:
Jennifer,
First, I would like to thank you for working so well with Aurora, a member of my campaign team, for weeks to make the meet-n-greet candidate night a success. I’m just saddened that your team felt unsafe by hosting the event and had to withdraw your offer to host. Aurora indicated that you had been tagged in a FB post that led to your discomfort with hosting. I want to assure you that at no time did I or a member of my campaign team tag the library in a post. Unfortunately, there has been a pervasive effort by my opponent to intimidate anyone who provides me with a forum to speak to residents. I am sincerely sorry if that indeed was what happened to your team.
Secondly, I wanted to make you aware that I was campaigning in the Township yesterday and when I unknowingly visited a member of the library board, I was accused of spreading lies about the library then had a door slammed in my face. I do not know what lies I am alleged with having spread because she would not explain. I want to make it clear that at the last Supervisors meeting I asked about the latest donation to the library because I was concerned about the impact on the budget. It’s my job to ask those questions and the library is not the only instance where I have asked about expenditures. I want residents to understand how their tax money is being spent. I was in no way implying that I do not support the library. I believe the library is a critical part of our community. I am an elected auditor for the Township and have been carefully watching expenses for the last 2 years to ensure we are not headed for a tax increase. I would ask if you are aware of what was so upsetting to one of your board members that you please inform me so that I can clear up any misconception or misinformation. As a candidate for Supervisor, I want to have a excellent working relationship with you and your board should I be elected. Please feel free to call me if you’d prefer to speak instead of email. My cell is [REDACTED]
Regards,
Valerie Shultz
Here was library lady’s reply:
So all can read:
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Aurora, a regular library patron, who has never identified herself as affiliated with any particular organization or team, approached us about hosting a meet-and-greet event. Due to our limited staffing following our recent reopening, and after much insistence, we agreed to provide venue space only, with no involvement in event planning or logistics.
We subsequently removed this event from our schedule based on our standard evaluation process for all programming. We are deeply concerned about false statements suggesting external pressure influenced our decision-making. These claims are categorically untrue. This decision was made independently by library leadership to ensure alignment with our educational mission and community service goals.
As a community institution, we will not tolerate the spread of false information that damages our reputation and undermines public trust. Such misinformation has created legitimate daily security concerns for our staff and patrons due to the inflammatory rhetoric being shared online. The safety of everyone who enters our library is our highest priority. We take these security concerns seriously.
We remain committed to transparent communication with our community. We welcome respectful feedback and constructive dialogue about our programming. Our doors remain open, and we encourage community members to communicate with us directly about any concerns rather than engaging with unverified information online.
The library exists to serve all residents through educational programming, resources, and services. We will continue making decisions that support this mission while maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for everyone in our community. We remain committed to our mission of educating and serving the Honey Brook community with integrity and professionalism.
Jennifer Spade
Library Director
Youth Services Coordinator
Honey Brook Community Library
687 Compass Road, Honey Brook, PA 19344
610-273-3303
I call BS on the library lady and here is why:
So all can read easily:
On Monday, August 18, 2025, 1:37 PM, wrote:
I would like to inform everyone that the Honey Brook Library sent an email they are no longer comfortable hosting our meet and greet. Please see below.
Hi Aurora,
Due to the way this upcoming political election is playing out online on social media, the Honey Brook Community Library will no longer be hosting a meet and greet event at the library on Oct 8. We are concerned about the safety of our staff and building. I hope that you have enough time to find an alternate place for your event.
Thank you,
Jennifer Spade
Library Director
Youth Services Coordinator
Honey Brook Community Library
687 Compass Road, Honey Brook, PA 19344
610-273-3303
And then there is this:
Once again a false narrative…and you’re lying when you say “ I can’t make this stuff up” because that’s all you do!!
I had a phone conversation with Jennifer, the director of the library, and asked her flat out! During our conversation she said that her staff was concerned about their safety and the intimidation tactics that you and Sal employ!
You talk about Honey Brook Twp being a bucolic community. I know it’s a big word. Perhaps you should look up the definition because your contentious behavior doesn’t align. Plain and simple. You’re just an overgrown, adult bully.
So then the trustees of the Honey Brook Community Library released a statement a couple of hours ago:
Here is the verbiage in case the screen capture is blurry:
A Statement from our Board of Trustees:
Honey Brook Community Library exists to serve our entire community through educational programming, resources, and services that enrich the lives of all residents. As a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we are deeply committed to this mission and take seriously our responsibility to create an environment where every community member feels welcome, safe, and able to pursue learning and personal growth.
This commitment requires us to exercise careful judgment in our programming decisions. As a private organization, we maintain full discretion over the events we host, grounded in constitutional protections for freedom of association and our rights as private property owners.
Our Executive Director, supported by the board, makes these decisions independently, guided solely by our institutional mission to educate and serve the community. We are not bound by external pressures or influences that might compromise our primary obligation to maintain the library as a neutral educational resource for all residents.
Libraries have always been sanctuaries of learning, reflection, and peaceful discourse. Our community expects and deserves a space where they can engage with ideas, conduct research, participate in educational programs, and find respite. Libraries, while champions of intellectual freedom, must also maintain environments conducive to their core educational purposes. This means we must sometimes decline to host events that might compromise the peaceful, welcoming atmosphere that defines library spaces or that could create barriers to access for any members of our community.
We value feedback from our community and encourage open discussion. While not everyone will agree, we ask that all comments remain respectful. Our goal is to educate and serve the community, and we’ll continue working toward that with integrity.
Our commitment to community betterment remains unwavering while preserving the neutral, inclusive environment that makes libraries essential community resources.
Respectfully,
I love libraries. Have friends who are and were librarians different places. But to this library I simply ask are you playing politics or bowing to politics? Either way, you are a 501(c)(3) and you best think about that carefully. That is not a threat or anything other than they are a registered non-profit.
Isn’t it true the League of Women Voters meets there? So why can’t they, like their branches in many other areas, host a meet and greet at a library? It’s not one candidate, it’s as many as wish to show up. It’s a community thing and benign. A library should be neutral and neutral ground. But this is Honey Brook and it’s like a corn field Tammany Hall.
That is all I have got but the library lady does in fact need to get her story straight, don’t you think? If they are concerned because of a highly charged political atmosphere, can’t blame them. But the problem is they have done these gatherings before.
If Honey Brook Community Library is not doing this kind of gathering this year, then perhaps they need to issue a policy going forward that they aren’t hosting meet and greets of a political nature period. That way there is no confusion on the topic or suspicions of motivations.
Call me crazy but, meh, an endorsement from the not so pleasant lame duck Mayor of Malvern Borough is akin to il bacio della morte….. AKA the kiss of death.
A segue to Zeyn Uzman…I have said before I am not a fan of Zeyn Uzman who found himself out in the cold and UN-endorsed by the Great Valley Democrats and he was subsequently primaryed. All I know is his wee political machine went all gangbusters to discredit his opponent in the primary, Pete Papadopoulos, who owns Malvern Pizza and is the candidate the Great Valley Democrats chose to endorse. Now we all know I think endorsements should happen AFTER primaries to let water seek it’s own level, but whatever. I also think PA should become an open primary state.
Pete Papadopoulos beat the pants off of him on the Democrat side. Not sure if Zeyn Uzman prevailed as a Republican write in or not, honestly. it has been said he was once a Republican, but hey, lots of people myself included were once Republicans so that is that. So anyway, Joe Lorusso thinks it’s aces to be endorsed by Zeyn Uzman, I think does it matter and why him he’s not so hot? Oh and yes it is like a political il bacio della morte.
Oh and a tip here for Joe, whom I initially liked and like as a person? He pushed and pushed for me to endorse him, and I don’t endorse. He was told by all sorts NOT to do that to me or anyone else, that at its most basic, it makes people uncomfortable.
Sadly the largest impediment to Joe’s campaign is himself. He totally has the acumen and experience for the job, but he can’t stay in his own lane.
I actually find parts of his inner New Yorker and Brooklynite refreshing, but this is NOT New York. You can’t treat Chester County like New York City, they are two different beasts.
Joe also ran for Malvern Borough Council around 2023, and honestly he could have and should have won that race. But he has not learned he can’t just talk, he has to listen. He has to crawl before he can walk.
I never minded his messages until over this past weekend because he behaved like a man child when he didn’t like my thoughts. Honestly, it’s totally OK that didn’t like my answer and I tried to be polite because I don’t think he’s a bad guy. He can be quite charming. But he did the man child response thing and blocked me from replying to his last word and funny I thought we were having a conversation.
But it IS disappointing. He’s just not to me seeming like the guy I first heard interviewed. I think that guy is still in him, I hope he remembers that guy soon.
But then I caught wind of this whole thing where he is targeting the District Attorney’s office.
The Republican candidate for Chester County controller is taking aim at the county commissioners’ administrative team — including its new chief experience officer — as an “unelected” and “unaccountable” executive branch of county government.
In social media posts available from the Republican Committee of Chester County, candidate Joe LoRusso sharply criticizes the three positions that comprise the top tier of county administration as being expensive and not accountable to ordinary residents and voters….In his social media posts, LoRusso has said, provocatively, that the county is becoming “Philadelphia West,” with “crippling taxes, rising crime and broken government.” While it is true that the county’s median property tax bill is among the highest in the region, at $6,191, according to the World Population Review website, it is also true that the county’s median household income of $104,161 is the highest in the state. (LoRusso did not cite sources for his suggestion that the count’s crime rate is rising.)
Now I will be honest, I do not have a problem with questioning the chief executive officer (CEO), the chief operating officer (COO), and the chief experience officer (CXO) of it all. It just seems excessive, especially since I was told county departments were supposed to trim the fat and for what? To pay more executive salaries?
Ok put that aside. What concerns me is he picked a fight with the District Attorney’s office. THAT is not staying in his lane and frankly puzzling and a bit concerning.
So the District Attorney put out a social media post:
So then of course, Joe Lorusso had to reply…well not him directly but that Chester County Moving Forward group:
Overly verbose and did I miss a memo somewhere that the Chester County District Attorney is having a special election this year and Joe Lorusso is also running for District Attorney? Funny I thought the next DA race was 2027?
Joe Lorusso does have the qualifications to be controller, but more and more he doesn’t seem to have the temperament. Joe is from Brooklyn originally, it’s something I liked in him EXCEPT he doesn’t get that he’s not in New York. New York politics is different from here.
I find it offensive that he attacks the DA and then cries foul. The DA isn’t taking anything out of context, Joe needs to stay in his lane. The DA is not deflecting, he’s actually not playing politics, but Joe Lorusso is….and Joe is doing the smearing.
Again, Joe, you aren’t in New York anymore. Please stop throwing all of the spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks. And yes I can say that as half of my DNA is Italian.
Joe Lorusso has the ability to be controller, but he can’t always be a flea on a hot brick. Attacking the District Attorney is just a bad look.
Grow up Joe, and be that person I thought you were when I first heard you interviewed. Stay in your lane. And learn when to push and when NOT to push. And the art of subtlety in politics? That’s better then getting the reputation of attack rat.
I know Joe isn’t going to be happy with me for writing this, and honestly I am sorry. But he can be better than this. It’s not New York. It’s just not.
” WEST CHESTER — Chester County’s fraternal law enforcement organization has announced the list of candidates that it will endorse in the coming November election, including judicial, county row office and local positions….For county row offices, the group endorsed the Republican slate, save for one. It chose Alissa McGrory for clerk of courts, Deana Wang for treasurer, Chris Thomson for prothonotary, and Thomas Hatzidais for coroner. It opted, however, to endorse Democrat Nick Cherubino over Republican Joseph Lorusso….Lorusso has made headlines recently for his criticism of the structure of county government, and has suggested that crime in the county is increasing. That assertion drew pushback from county District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe, who said that figures show that crime is decreasing in the county.“
I took this photo in 2022 when I had jury duty the last time
Surprise! I am a chosen one…again….and within the last 3 years. Yup I a jury duty encore
When I was called last time, I actually wrote about it. I don’t mind jury duty, but if the rule of thumb is every 3 years, and when I was called in the year last time….I should be called in 2026. And given all the things I cover as a blogger, I am always amazed they want me because they seem to jettison regular reporters. I also do suffer from lymphedema which literally makes sitting for hours difficult at times. But it is something we all should do, it’s just for such a large county, I am amazed they don’t have other people to choose from.
The jurors room in the Chester County Courthouse is really pretty nice. I don’t like the arm desks we have to write on because I am left handed. The courthouse people are all very nice. Last time I was excused after voir dire. The Judge knew who I was. He is retired now, and was a great judge I thought.
I have to tell you that overall this was kind of an interesting experience. I enjoyed the process for the most part. It’s a good way to learn how things happen inside a courthouse. I do recommend bringing a book.
I am curious if other Chester County residents feel as if they are called more so than others? People always want to tell you all of the excuses to get out of jury duty, but it really isn’t that I want to get out of it, I just feel as if I was called too soon again.
If I am indeed to serve, I wonder what kind of a case it will be this time? Last time it was a civil case.
I will let you know how my West Chester Court House experience is if I end up being called for sure the night before.
I drove past the historic Joseph Price house at Clover Mill and S. Whitford Rd. in West Whiteland today.
It continues to fall into more and more disrepair. Yes, it is technically a historic asset and it is federally, locally, and state recognized as being such, but that basically isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on in Pennsylvania.
This house is built from the most fabulous looking funky green stone that was quarried nearby at the time. I think it is called green serpentine limestone from what I remember.
This house is a wonderful quirky example of Victorian architecture. it is called a rural Queen Ann Gothic style. Built around 1878 and altered around 1894.
Supposedly a developer is in the process of acquiring the property, only it doesn’t show a transfer occurring yet.
At this point in time if this developer is indeed buying this property, it would be nice if they stepped forward into the light and told us they were saving it or whatever they’re planning for the property.
It is also important to note that I do not trespass on this property. Everything was viewed from across the road.
Yeah I wonder how I got on the Join Us…..For The Last Supper mailing list.
I cannot tell a lie, my friend thought up the Join Us…..For The Last Supper of it all. It’s brilliant and apropos. I see a Saturday Night Skit…
Anyway, my new friends are from Logan Funeral Home and are in Broomall, Malvern, Philadelphia & Exton. Their website says they have an onsite crematorium too. They must be super fun at Halloween.
But the whole idea of breaking bread over funeral arrangements for the future is well…creepy.
I also got one in the past couple of months from Calvary Cemetery in Villanova/West Conshohocken now run by some company named Everstory Partners who keeps the cemetery like crap. Oh and I know that because my father is buried there. Twice in recent years when I’ve stopped by to visit his grave, there has been dirt from other graves being dug on his grave. And what was really offensive about their solicitation as it was a Dear Occupant letter. One would think they would cross reference their mailing list with families who have family interred there.
I get that businesses have to solicit, but soliciting about death is just really bizarre to get in your mailbox.
If anyone knows who’s mailing list, Logan Funeral Home gets their addresses from, let me know. Drop me a comment.
Here is some of what I saw on Compass, a PA website which has gotten rather cartoonish:
This is horrible. Parents want answers. Human beings in general want answers. Who hurt babies?
In early July, baby was taken to hospital from the daycare in what media reports tell us were dire circumstances. As this was unfolding, we all learned that something else happened to another baby in May.
This woman who I am not sure is in or out of jail at this point was a teacher in the infant room. So parents who have to put kids in daycare, who are they entrusting their kids to here? Also concerning? If there was some other sort of incident in MAY why was she still there in JULY? Is she still employed?
Also interesting? She has a Bill Cosby lawyer, doesn’t she? But then again he is one of the best.
I had shared story links to this when it first happened and then I randomly saw a comment today that made me wonder:
It was not the she is still employed comment as that has popped up here and there already, it was about the parents of kids there. Are they really and truly being shall we say discouraged from discussing this? So the owners don’t want kerfuffles in their Main Line existence? OK totally get this is their business in an uncertain time, but umm who are they hiring and wouldn’t they WANT their families to be able to talk about this an also to allay the fears of parents with kids there?
Truly I hope that is a misperception, misunderstanding, don’t you?
Also, this woman who was charged seemingly left a review of the daycare on Google? What kind of hot mess situation is that and why haven’t the owners contacted Google to have it removed?
So reading this you have to ask is this Catalina Baldwin who was charged a MOM? If so, where is her child right now?
I do not and never will understand people who hurt children. I was discussing this topic with a friend today. And we are old enough that we come from the dark ages of being a kid where stuff just wasn’t discussed or acted on a lot of the time.
Why aren’t we doing better today?
I just can’t with this and would be interested to see real reports of this daycare. But I don’t know any of us will get that because this is a criminal investigation now. So I guess that means no one will hear from daycare owners either, right?
Earlier this morning in Lincoln Court Shopping Center Chester County. Apparently that was the second time today?
Yes. ICE. I did NOT take the photos. Others who work there in the shopping center did.
Yes police know they are around. They are here on things based on active warrants. That hypothetically means it could be a more traditional criminal type of warrant or a warrant for expired visas, or someone who was previously deported and came back illegally.
Since this surfaced today, I will admit that it is a very odd feeling when it’s a place you specifically know. There are small businesses here, the driver’s license center, a Giant supermarket, state liquor store, oh and a Mexican restaurant that is a community favorite.
I get that the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers AKA ICE have a job to do but seeing it in our home communities? It strikes a sad, odd, uncomfortable, horrible chord.
This combined with Washington DC seeming to morph into a police state the past few days? What is our country becoming ironically as we prepare for the Semiquincentennial?
Purportedly, 2026 marks a time to celebrate the birth of American independence and democracy, but who and what are we now?
Ahhh West Goshen Township, the I Spy Municipality.
Always it’s a secret something. Now it’s once again, their residents can’t know what their taxpayer dollars are for.
About a year ago in the land of jolly squirrel time, they meaning West Goshen hired a consultant for HR, Roseann McGrath. It was a name I knew well, because she was the HR Goddess at Lower Merion Township. (Ahh yes the good old days when her hubs was also the police superintendent.)
I always liked Roseann McGrath. Very nice lady, but it always was somewhat of a conundrum for me how she wasn’t a nepo wifey when her hubs became police superintendent? I actually couldn’t figure it all along but it was just one of those great mysteries of Lower Merion Township who still uses their classification of First Class Township to mean other than it should. After all, Caln is also a First Class Township, although I don’t find much first class about it in general, but I digress.
Anywhoooo, Roseann came to try to unsnarl I am sure a giant squirrel time mess in West Goshen. (She also was a consultant in East Whiteland at one time.) Here is what is on West Goshen’s website about her consultancy:
So, she charges $125 an hour, billed in 15 minute increments?
Anyway, the study is apparently complete yet although it is paid for by tax dollars, it’s a top secret thingymaboo. It’s a pay study. Employee current pay by categories. Only the public can’t see it.
Why can’t residents see this study? Why is West Goshen so secretive about salaries in general? Are salary dollars earned subjective? Do men make more than woman? Are there pay disparities residents and employees are unaware of? I hear that even employees don’t know what is in this magical study contains and wouldn’t you think employees should know? There are no unions in West Goshen except for police department so why not show their math work like you used to have to in math class?
West Goshen Sunshine asked about study results being available at a couple of meetings. It kind was treated as “NEXT.” And then she submitted a right to know. This is what came back:
Essentially everything was redacted like a classified CIA or FBI document…but they included Mrs. McGrath’s bill…but you can’t see anything else. J. Edgar Hoover where you at? (Kidding as he was a Washington DC horror show long ago.)
I am curious to know what they are hiding and so do residents and employees, right? If there is nothing bad, why can’t anyone see? My hypothesis is they are hiding stuff and what exactly? My hypothesis is squirrel time etc over the years may have been expensive yet there were pay disparities based upon who you were, your sex, etc., etc??? I mean if they aren’t that township any longer why are they still that township?
I mean Ghislaine Maxwell never visited so what’s the problem?
West Goshen has not liked (I am sure) that they are on the Hello West Chester radar (it’s $24 a year to subscribe and ever edition is chock full of interesting.) And hell they have never like being on my radar ever since the days of residents should be werry werry qwiet.
West Goshen also had an issue this year with wanting to ditch meeting recordings, remember? That didn’t work out in their favor did it? Traditional media should do a deep dive into West Goshen and this salary study of it all in my opinion. And more residents should be submitting right to know requests. And going en masse to meetings demanding answers (politely.)
Taxpayer money paid for the consultant and the study. Taxpayers deserve answers. It’s pretty much that simple.
Publicly Posted by @abbers6520approximately 8/5/25
I have no dog in the race and no horse in the race for Downingtown Borough Mayor. The guy they’re talking about in this TikTok video is one of the candidates.
This video seems to be making the rounds enough in the past couple of days, that I do want to say something.
I want to be super clear: I am NOT siding with either party, this is a public video, the creator is obviously soliciting feedback, and I’m sharing my perspective.
What I think is this is a neighbor dispute. It sounds a little Hatfields and McCoy to me to be honest, and I don’t know that this is really a legitimate reason to not vote for someone…unless where there is smoke there is fire? And to be even more clear, there is no record of issues other than this video.
Further an to make an important point, if this young woman if she thinks that he’s doing something unsavory with his security cameras, she needs to file a police report. If not, this mayoral candidate and his neighbors need to sit down and have a powwow with a mediator (AKA disinterested 3rd party) and work it out.
I’m guessing this mayoral candidate is going to be pretty pissy that I’m sharing this video, but I have to remind him that this has been PUBLICLY posted for like three days. On the Internet that’s kind of forever. People need to remember that the girl posting this IS young, I would guess early 20s if that. Her perspective is not going to be the same of an older person. She might not get her neighbor’s position and this could be resolved without further fuss.
I have had several people send this TikTok to me now. (link https://www.tiktok.com/@abbers6520/video/7535128157519760671 ) And as I said to one person who was curious about it and doesn’t actually live in Downingtown who sent it to me, I said for the record I have neighbors who play music outside with little speakers. Two of the neighbors I absolutely am in sync with their taste in music and I love it because it makes doing outside chores go much faster. And further away on clear Sunday mornings, I can hear the amplified music from a Christian church in West Chester. One person from somewhere close-ish by plays really bad country music sometimes.
And security cameras? Who doesn’t have them these days? Like the woman on the video, I looked up the camera. It’s not super expensive. I don’t know what kind of reach it has, but I imagine there is more than one camera in the guy’s yard? And do these properties back on any kind of an alley or something like that? A lot of these in town in the borough properties have cheek to jowl narrow back yards, much like a lot of homes in West Chester Borough. Translation? Not a lot of room to work with.
I would rather hear music than endless fireworks, personally. Security cameras and street cameras are part of our world, there could be a simple explanation.
And he seems to have a second website, or this could be a parked site for if he gets elected? The site is https://downingtownmayor.com/
I actually heard him speak once on WCHE. He doesn’t sound like the guy this gal is dishing on, but hey, that could be down to neighbor relations, right?
So in the best interest of neighbor relations, can’t they work it out? Rock Em’ Sock Em’ Robots is so 1964.
