Tag Archives: clare quinn

what is WRONG with these people?

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O.k., it’s back to crazy in West Vincent.   Only now apparently, some woman named Frances started this hoopla in a meeting, which when you view this snippet which was mailed to me, it is like they are all of a sudden just attacking a private citizen who was merely at a meeting…as in a member of the public watching in the audience. Who shot John or even Who Shot J.R. at it’s finest!

And then those ever charming supervisors seemed to pick up the thread.  Did they all rehearse it ahead of time?

Was that an appropriate setting to basically vet the nosy neighbor phone call?  Play whisper down the lane? He said-she said?

Lordy, what happens in West Vincent if someone gets caught cheating on their better half?  Do they air it at the Supervisors’ meetings too? Crikey, should I drive on up and ask at public comment at their next meeting who has the dog that left major poop on my driveway the other day?  I know I don’t live there, but maybe I will enjoy a lively discussion…and then they can blame someone and someone will leave someone else a message that no one saved but felt important enough to bring up? WOW!!!  The potential for d-r-a-m-a is endless in West Vincent.  It seems those supervisors do everything other than govern, don’t they?

And why is it this municipality supposedly has access to public access TV (PA municipalities do have access), yet the meetings aren’t televised? (If they are televised, please feel free to tel me and I will correct myself, but I can’t seem to find a West Vincent Channel.)

Anyway, this place is like a warped Petticoat Junction at these meetings.  But I suppose you get who you vote for, don’t you?

I might as well add an update from that fearless chicken all know and love:  (also check THIS out)

Hi
Sorry I haven’t been around for a while. Life is busy and there are lots of things I have to do now that spring is here, probably just like you. Maintenance around the house and yard, and getting out to appreciate life. Of course, in West Vincent the same conduct continues.
Below is the latest bills list that was forwarded to me the other day. Take a look at it to see where your money is going. I found some interesting tidbits.
D&L Fleck Construction, LLC submitted a bill for Fellowship Rd May 7-8-9-10. I find is strange that they were only seen on Fellowship Road May 7 and 8. Perhaps the other two days were performed under the cloak of darkness? Or maybe they think nobody is watching? Don’t worry about it, it was only a bill for almost $7300.
Peco Energy has a bill for $7.17 for the Griffith Trailer. That’s cheap enough, so I wouldn’t worry about it except for one small issue. The trailer by the pond was removed from the property a couple of years ago, so it probably doesn’t use much power. Maybe somebody just left a light on….wherever the trailer went. How long have the taxpayers been paying a phantom bill?
Carroll Engineering has a bill in for the “Twp Paving Program” for $3330.38. Isn’t that program being covered by the bond re-finance issuance that hasn’t been completed yet?
RJL Landscaping, Inc would like $1275.00 for “Repair Spray Field” of MM (Matthews Meadows?). Last time they submitted a bill was when I caught Ken Miller destroying sprayheads and the people in the development were charged for it. I wonder what happened this time as the bill list wasn’t specific.
Siana, Bellwoar are still in the race to blow out the legal fees budget by billing another $5013.58 for “General Matters”.
and finally…..
Richard Brown, Inc charged $4200.00 for trimming a tree on Schoolhouse. $4200 for trimming a tree? All I can say is wow. I need to start a tree service. $4200 per day, I could make $1,096, 200 in a year if I just work 5 days a week. Parents, forget med school! I hope you are saving you money to send your kids to tree trimming school instead of college!
Look through the attached bills list. Perhaps there are other things in there that will interest you.
To see my previous mailings please click on http://tinyurl.com/westvincentinfos  As usual, if you want to be on or off my list, or have some comments or suggestions, or know someone who would like to be on the list, please let me know.  Feel free to forward this email on to anyone you think might be interested.   Especially though, if you don’t want to continue to receive my mails, please tell me, it will be done.  Just hit reply to this email or write to chestercountynews@gmail.com
Best wishes
Chickenman

I am sure the fearless chicken will post the  links on their website soon.  I have all the attachments that came with the latest missive, but am not posting them.

I am beginning to think the cows might even be nervous living in West Vincent.   Such a beautiful area, soooo glad I don’t live there under current rule.  And it is rule.   The proverbial Hatfields and McCoys don’t have anything over on these people.  Lordy.  But again, if you stick your head in the sand and don’t think about who to vote for or take an interest where you live, this is what happens.

Do you hear Aesop calling, residents of West Vincent?  Don’t just talk about changing the face of who governs you, do it.  These people, to an extent, only have power because you allow them to.

what is it with west vincent?

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As an outsider I marvel that one tiny municipality has so many odd issues.  I don’t understand how residents continue to allow these people to be in office?  I applaud those who speak up at public meetings and encourage those who whisper from the side lines to also get up and speak.

These local yokel government officials like “Queen of Eminent Domain” Clare Quinn, “Shucks the Farmer” Ken Miller (and if Restaurant Alba in Malvern is serving his farm’s meat I won’t be patronizing them any time soon – and I am allowed to make that personal choice), and “Squire” David Brown only have as much power as the residents allow them to have.  If Chickenman can put it out there and others can get up at meetings and speak, then it isn’t just a couple of malcontents as this local government would have you think.  And that is what they want you to think.

It seems apparent to all who peek inside West Vincent that this municipality is run by very ambitious people who seem to do whatever it takes to preserve their fiefdom, but should it remain their fiefdom?

West Vincent used to be this cool little crossroads place full of woods and rolling fields.  People wandered comfortably about in their Wellies and old trucks and it was fine.  Then West Vincent was discovered.  All of a sudden you have McMansion dwellers complaining about skeet shooting. Lordy I bet they complain about the sirens at the fire house too, don’t they?  I guess it can be said shiny nouveau has discovered a pretty part of Chester County, and that is fine, but it doesn’t mean that the place has to be developed into oblivion complete with nine thousand soccer fields and whatever that will not only never get used, but will never be maintained properly.

Look around Chester County, Chester County residents and you will notice if you open your eyes that Chester County is being developed at a pace that needs to pause and think.  Once the land and open space is gone, it’s gone.  And given the economy, I still do not understand how all this development can be justified.  And how many box stores are needed?  Who is paying for all this zoning that often runs contradictory unto itself as well as being rather confusing?  Who REALLY benefits from all these grand plans and zoning changes?  How high will taxes go to compensate for all this?  Who will be a steward for the land and practice true conservation, not just preach about it because it gives good sound bytes?  Once Chester County is all developed where will all the farm critters and horses go?  How can people not try to preserve more of the farmland which is historically quite fine? Who will preserve the historic homes and other structures?  Does the world also really want to live in plastic townhouses perched on the edge of highways?  Do you want that world that loves plastic houses shaping your community that you were born and raised in or do you want to be a real and viable partner in your futures?  Are you content to let petty municipal leaders to pat you on the head and say “good resident, you work for us”?

Sorry, don’t mean to be on a soap box, but what I see happening in Chester County is the same nonsense that has ruined parts of the Main Line.

Whether you are politically liberal or conservative it doesn’t really matter, this is about where you live so everything is local.  Don’t be an ostrich, that is all I am saying.

Chickenman has some interesting updates that I think people should read.  Is it true regional media is still watching West Vincent?  Very interesting if true.

And why is it that West Vincent public meetings do not seem to be televised anywhere?  All municipalities in PA have access to public access channels and the minutes are slow to load on the West Vincent website and quite sanitized when posted and why is that?  Is West Vincent also anti-sunshine? Why can’t they say for example split a channel with their local school district? Shouldn’t people be able to see meetings live on TV like most other municipalities?

5 April Length of meetings:

Hi, Just a couple things for today. I was interested in the length of the meetings since David Brown thinks the meetings take too long and is working on Township legislation to limited public comment. I thought that perhaps if the meetings lasted 2-3 hours, he could have a point. So, in fairness to Mr. Brown,  I   decided to review all of the minutes for the last year (2011). I listed the dates and the lengths of each meeting, per the record…..42 minutes on average. That includes all public comments. 42 minutes. Where’s the problem? Since David Brown became Supervisor, the average has jumped to 1 hour, 7 minutes, an  increase of 30%. I am sure it is an anomaly. Either way, I   cannot find a reason to stop people from voicing their concern.   I would have calculated the other posted years, 2010 and 2009 but the minutes are not there. They are listed, but not there.   They were promised to be posted “soon”, back in the  Fall of 2011, over 4 months ago.

8 April Millers debts.  Again.

Hi  On Monday, April 9, 2012, West Vincent  Township will open bids for the mowing of sprayfields for  Weatherstone and Matthews Meadows, approximately 21 acres. To  review for the new(er) readers and for the long term  subscribers, the award of the mowing bid last year was given to  Ken Miller, Roadmaster and Chairman of the Board of Supervisors   of West Vincent Township. The value of that contract was around $21,500. Last year several sprayheads were damaged. Only AFTER I  did research and exposed the fact the the only person that could        have done the damage was Ken Miller, he was forced into paying. Even then he only took claim for two. The third was left to the   taxpayers, between a $400-$500 bill. Thanks Ken……TOTAL: $114,357.59. Say it out loud. ONE   HUNDRED FOURTEEN THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED FIFTY SEVEN DOLLARS AND  FIFTY-NINE CENTS. Bigger than ever.   All the Judgments/Liens follow   this submission for review. There are 12 pages.   I urge the readers to look them up in the Chester County Courthouse. It is public information.  Don’t worry. Ken should be able to pay these off once the bond   re-fi comes through because there will be lots of roadwork money     to skim. Your kids can cover it through the year 2031. Or, as Clare Quinn says, “You can move”.

11 April Ken Miller’s Lawyers


 Hi
After posting the most recent Judgments for Ken Miller, Roadmaster and Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of West Vincent Township, I thought I would look into his legal representation. In the Land O’ Lakes lawsuit, Ken is protesting and has a lawyer to defend him. The Attorney’s name is Michael Thomas Taylor and here is what I      discovered. Mr. Thomas works for the firm of Siana, Bellwoar and McAndrew, LLP.  This means that the West Vincent Township attorney Steven Siana is representing Ken Miller. Has this happened before?      In short, yes.

Ken was sued by Eleanor Morris (the co-founder of the French and Pickering Conservation Trust) in 2005 for $118,000 and who represented Mr. Miller at that time? Stephen V Siana and Michael Thomas Taylor.

When Ken was being sued by East Coventry Township in 2011 for not paying rent on ground for 3 years, guess who tried several times to orally negotiate a lower settlement? Steven V  Siana.  In the end, Ken was forced to pay the entire bill.

We all know now that Ken Miller  has less than no money. How does he pay his legal bills? If  the Township attorney is representing him,is there a better than good possibility that the West Vincent taxpayer and voter is paying his bills? ……The legal documents are attached. 

To see my previous mailings please click        on http://tinyurl.com/westvincentinfos        


If everything Chickenman has up is true I guess the old adage is true if you are part of the “in crowd” , huh?  That there is no place like home?  Only if I was Dorothy, I might grab Toto and click my heels three times to escape….wow The Land of Oz indeed.

An end note is that I have been warned not to talk so much about West Vincent because they come after people?  Really?  Freedom of speech and public information and opinion are for other people?  West Vincent is hardly the sole focus of this blog, but it keeps opening itself up to public scrutiny.  When a municipality runs the way it is supposed to and the politics are clean, no one finds it interesting.  It’s when things seem ok in part, but odd in part, or curious in part or residents’ questions and concerns go unlistened to and un answered that people start looking inside the proverbial barn, so how is this my fault????  I mean really.

 

it’s not nice to criticize, but…

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……It took that reporter from the Daily Local/Mercury almost a month to report on skeet shooting leaving Ludwig’s Corner.  I think that’s a bit ridiculous.

By SARA MOSQUEDA-FERNANDEZ smfernandez@journalregister.com

Posted: 03/05/12 12:57 pm

WEST VINCENT – Ludwigs Corner Horse Show Grounds will no longer be home to the Chester Springs Skeet Shooting Club.

The gun club, which had been established on the grounds for about 60 years, disbanded on Monday, Feb. 6….According to Jacobs, the contract for the gun club’s use of the property as a shooting range allows for a 12 month notice to end the lease, giving them until February 2013 to stop using the site for skeet shooting.

“It’s just amazing that they were thinking of us instead of themselves,” said Jacobs…….Most of the complaints related to the noise [WERE] caused by the sport, however, according to Jacobs, when the neighboring houses are sold, the contracts inform new owners that they will be living next to a gun club.

  Jacobs also said that the club, which was founded primarily by World War II veterans, was not only renter of a portion of the property, but also gave the association significant donations, and provided several volunteers for the events held at the grounds, most notably the Ludwigs Corner Horse Show.

Oh and here’s a lil’ update from the Sainted Chicken (think maybe The Daily Local can check this out?):

Hi
People have asked what happened at the township hearing (Feb 13, 2012) for the Pam Brown Corrective ordinance. The video is on the Township website. In a quick synopsis, there was a resident that asked what the changes were and would the changes be explained. He was told that “the ordinance had been on the website for months and that he should have read it” (paraphrased). Shortly thereafter, several people (Patty Kozac, Michelle Thomas, unidentified others) pointed out that there was change towards INCREASE in density, not reduction. The Supervisors denied the claim for several minutes stating that is was a decrease. It was realized that the wording did INCREASE density. The Supervisors took almost a ONE HOUR executive session while the crowd waited and now will perform further review. Apparently, the Supervisors did not read the ordinance either.Nor do they follow the law, once again. To meet in Executive Session, the subject must meet certain criteria.

http://www.lgc.state.pa.us/deskbook06/Issues_Citizens_Rights_02_Pa_Sunshine_Act.pdf     See page #42

For the density discussion Meeting February 13, Video Part 1, 24.24 minutes to 32.30 minutes. The rest of the hearing is gone. Poof! Disappeared. I understand that the hearing went from 7:30 pm to about 11:00 pm. Only 30 minutes of the hearing is available. Why? ANOTHER video missing. Most likely to prevent the viewer from hearing the Pam Brown discussion. Just like the missing December 16 video which most likely is to keep the viewer from catching Clare Quinn calling a resident a “bitch”, (which Clare Quinn denies).

The hearing has been continued to April 2 for the Pam Brown Corrective Ordinance and will continue to field questions and figure out what has been changed and why. I recommend people be there. I understand the last hearing was well attended.

By the way. In today’s Pottstown Mercury, a sad article on the demise of the Skeet Club in Ludwig’s Corner.
http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120305/NEWS01/120309793/ludwigs-corner-skeet-shooting-club-disbands&pager=full_story
It is my belief this is the strategy of the township to erode finances from the Horse Show to push them towards a sale of the property to the township. Support the Horse Show. Become a member. Attend the event. Remember those that are still attempting to take it away, albeit subversively.

To see my previous mailings please click on http://tinyurl.com/westvincentinfos  As usual, if you want to be on or off my list, or have some comments or suggestions, or know someone who would like to be on the list, please let me know.  Feel free to forward this email on to anyone you think might be interested.   Especially though, if you don’t want to continue to receive my mails, please tell me, it will be done.  Just hit reply to this email or write to chestercountynews@gmail.com
Best wishes
Chickenman

Disappearing public meeting tapes?  Wow that is so Good Government for West Vincent, isn’t it? I mean good lord, I criticize Lower Merion but they make the meeting tapes available and run them on public access television. Radnor is even easier access to things of a sunshiney nature.  Look at West Vincent and their “minutes may be available” of it all.  Seriously?  Aren’t they required to make things like this available, not lose meeting tapes, minutes, etc?  Who are the state reps and state senators that serve in and near West Vincent? I am also curious to know is West Vincent this bass ackwards because they seceded from the rest of the Commonwealth of PA and possibly the U.S.?    Seriously, the more I hear about West Vincent the more I wonder how the State hasn’t looked closely at them and the way they do business at a minimum.  Mayberry politics at their worst. West Vincent needs sunshine and a good broom.

the word of the day in west vincent is: TWADDLE

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If Supervisor David Brown was Pinocchio they would be harvesting his nose on a tree farm by now.  Read The Daily Local.  It’s twaddliscious.  Remember his OWN campaign words???? (see below for his words and the article to follow)

So according to the Daily Local a lot of this has to do with a stacked meeting night mid-February? Who the heck stacks important meetings back to back like Supervisors and Zoning?  That is just dumb and hardly good government and generally not the best practice of most municipalities – David Brown lived in Lower Merion long enough (for example) to learn that zoning, commissioners/supervisors, and planning commission meetings are all of paramount importance deserving their own time, own record, and own meeting nights.  So you are telling me that West Vincent created this situation on their own?  Can it be considered by the way they schedule meetings that in and of itself is indicative of showing a disinterest in true public participation? And who are these mythical people asking Supervisor Brown to rescue them from public comment?  Clare Health Insurance Quinn and Ken The Goat Master Miller?

See David Brown’s in essence, campaign promises below — Good Government for West Vincent.   Supervisor Brown, how is that selective political Alzheimer’s working for you?

Good Government for West Vincent is…

  • Government that knows and listens to its citizens
  • Government that taxes sparingly and fairly and uses what it receives carefully and effectively
  • Government that fosters a sense of community among all of its people
  • Government that seeks and uses the talents of all its people
  • Government whose process is equally open to everyone and whose results are fair to the most

This is what we believe. This is good government for West Vincent. We hope to create an environment within West Vincent where every citizen feels their quality of life is protected; that their issue receives fair process; that they have been heard.
West Vincent belongs to its citizens, and it’s their choice how well it runs

West Vincent constructing policy to regulate public comments

By SARA MOSQUEDA-FERNANDEZ smfernandez@dailylocal.com

Posted: 03/02/12 08:19 am

  According to Brown, after a board of supervisors’ meeting on Feb. 13, several residents expressed frustration at the length of the meeting, specifically toward the length at which some residents spoke during the public comments portion.

“Our purpose is to create a structure within which all West Vincent residents can speak freely at public meetings, rather than to continue permitting a few individuals to outtalk and outshout everyone else,” said Brown.  “Those outshouters complain that our intent is to limit public participation.  Nonsense.”

  Resident Tom Helwig, Republican committeeman for the township, said the policy is an attempt to hinder the comments of those with opposing viewpoints.

“I have not seen this type of censorship since the days of the old Soviet Union and Pravda,” said Helwig.

  Brown said that the individuals who complained about the length of the Feb. 13 meeting were frustrated, and that their participation was impeded on “by the uncontrolled verbosity of others.”

stop eminent domain abuse NOW! urge support and passage of H.R. 1433, the Private Property Rights Protection Act

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I cut my activism teeth on fighting eminent domain for private gain in Ardmore, PA as part of  The Save Ardmore Coalition and with the help of the utterly fabulous Institute for Justice in Washington, DC.

My fellow Save Ardmore Coalition members and myself went to Washington and other places to fight side by side with people like Susette Kelo for legislation against eminent domain abuse.  Many of us gave testimony at the time on H.R. 4128. We introduced the author of H.R. 4128, now author of H.R. 1433 James Sensenbrenner to Ardmore to check it all out.

H.R. 4128 got buried, but has been resurrected today as H.R. 1433, the Private Property Rights Protection Act.

I am paying it forward and suggesting you do to.  Check out an e-mail just received from Christina Walsh at IJ:

Friends:
H.R. 1433, the Private Property Rights Protection Act, will likely be considered by the House of Representatives this week.  It was reported out of the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month.  It is critical that you contact your representatives TODAY and tell them to vote for H.R. 1433.  You may remember that this bill passed the House of Representatives overwhelmingly in 2005 by a vote of 376 – 38, but has been stonewalled in the Senate since.

You can find your representative’s contact information here.

This reform is long overdue.  H.R. 1433 will strip any municipality that abuses eminent domain of federal economic development funds for two years.  You can read the text of the bill here.  It’s time that Congress stop being complicit in the abuse of eminent domain.

Read IJ’s op-ed in the Washington Times on federal eminent domain reform efforts here and below.

Please forward this alert onto your friends, colleagues and e-mail lists, and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Best,

Christina Walsh Director of Activism and Coalitions Institute for Justice 901 N. Glebe Road, Suite 900 Arlington, VA 22203 (703) 682-9320 (703)-682-9321 (fax) www.ij.orgwww.castlecoalition.org

WALSH: Congress can halt eminent domain abuse Politicians must be stopped from using law to reward developer friends

When the U.S. Supreme Court rules, more often than not, that settles the matter.
But not in the case of Kelov. City of NewLondon, where the court sparked a revolt that quickly flared across more than three dozen states. The decision, handed down in 2005, told cities across the country to feel free to take away homes and businesses from property owners and give them to wealthy developers, as long as cities promise they think new developments might generate more tax dollars or jobs, with an emphasis on “think” and “might.”
There is no appeal of Supreme Court decisions and changing the Constitution is hard, but that didn’t stop states from setting more protective standards for their own property owners. Since Kelo, 44 states have enacted laws restricting the power of eminent domain to varying degrees, and more protections are being added. Virginia’s legislature is close to passing expanded protections.
Despite the differences in the reform efforts, the message remains the same: You got it wrong, Supreme Court. Now the nationwide revolt has come to Congress, finally allowing the federal government to join the effort to stop eminent domain abuse.
The power of eminent domain is supposed to be for “public use” so government can build things like roads and schools. Local governments essentially can force homeowners and business owners to sell their land, often at cut-rate prices, so essential services can be built. But starting with the wildly unsuccessful urban renewal efforts of the 1940s and 1950s, “public use” has been stretched to mean anything that possibly could benefit the public, not limited to what the public might actually share in using – shopping malls, fancy housing developments and office towers that could pay those local governments more in property taxes.
It has been demonstrated time and again that eminent domain is routinely used to wipe out black, Hispanic and poorer communities, with less political capital and influence, in favor of developers’ grand plans.
It also has been demonstrated that restrictions on eminent domain in no way inhibit economic growth, as the beneficiaries of eminent domain abuse would like you to believe. Development will continue to happen every day, as it always has, through private negotiation – not government force.
In fact, prohibitions on eminent domain abuse instill confidence in investments, leading to even stronger economic growth.
Groups across the philosophical spectrum have recognized the need to limit this abuse of power to protect those who are defenseless against the seemingly unstoppable alliance of powerful, deep-pocketed developers and their politician friends. The diverse coalition has included the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the National Federation of Independent Business and the Farm Bureau. It’s safe to say that the coalition also includes more than 80 percent of Americans, as demonstrated poll after poll taken after Kelo.
Despite the evidence that Americans are united against the misuse of eminent domain, Congress has yet to to take even a modest step. A bipartisan bill, H.R. 1433, making its way through the House would strip a city of federal economic development funding for two years if the city takes private property to give to someone else for their private use. Cities that want to keep their funding will have to be more circumspect in using eminent domain.
This bill undoubtedly will pass the House as it did in 2005, and likely will get stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee, headed by Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, Vermont Democrat, where it has gone to die in years past.
It is tragic because this is exactly the kind of centrist reform – uniting minority advocates and small-business interests – where Republicans and Democrats should be able to work together.
Christina Walsh is director of activism and coalitions for the Institute for Justice, which argued the Kelo case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

residents of west vincent: fight for your right to speak at public meetings

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Chickenman has sent out a rather important e-mail within the last hour.  Allow me to share:

Hi
I received Monday evening’s Agenda for West Vincent Township. It looks interesting.

Especially # 11 Meeting Policy. According to David Brown, this is an issue where the Supervisors want to limit Public comment from the audience. The Supervisors say time and time again that they want more people to attend the meetings so that they participate in what goes on. Now that the room is filling up and people are commenting, asking questions and pointing out the conflicts, contradictions and mistruths of the Supervisors, it is time to muzzle the mouths of the people that dare speak up. What the Supervisors say and what they mean is two entirely different issues. I recommend going to the meeting on Monday night at 7:30.
To see my previous mailings please click on http://tinyurl.com/westvincentinfos  As usual, if you want to be on or off my list, or have some comments or suggestions, or know someone who would like to be on the list, please let me know.  Feel free to forward this email on to anyone you think might be interested.   Especially though, if you don’t want to continue to receive my mails, please tell me, it will be done.  Just hit reply to this email or write to chestercountynews@gmail.com

Why Supervisor David Brown, how very Lawyer err Lower Merion Township of you.  Is that where you learned this?  It was from whence came you, is it not?  Before you adopted the mantle of country gent?

This is wrong.   Public participation is a hallmark of American  government  and politics, like it or not.  To muzzle the public to me = government with a huge problem = NOT good government.

Take where I have spent the last 30 some odd years: Lower Merion Township on the Main Line.   At the commissioners meetings (you have supervisors, they commissioners) the public is often quite constrained on not only what they can say, but how long they can say it.

Generally speaking, you get 3 minutes to speak as an individual and 5 if you are representing a group or organization.   You are not supposed to address figures like the Township Solicitor and the Township Manager, and if you do that, you are generally chided like a child in elementary school.  You are not allowed to have back and forth conversation on a topic with the commissioners.

Basically you speak and they have a timer on you.  When the buzzer sounds, you are done.  If a commissioner chooses to respond to something a member of the public says, they can say what ever they want, and you can’t respond back.  No matter what they say. I have attended a couple of public meetings where they have decided there was to be no public comment whatsoever.  In essence the public was allowed to watch, thereby making the meeting open, but there was not public comment.  And in Lower Merion, there are recurring issues with sunshine.  The commissioners, however, have no restraints on what they can say, how long they can say it.

Is that what you in West Vincent want?  I have been told by long-term residents that things in your local government were not so bad when Proctor Wetherill was alive.  I know little about him, other that it is a fine Philadelphia name. I found some history on him on Ancestry.com :

So, is this what Proctor Wetherill would want for his community if still alive? Would he have allowed an eminent domain attempt on Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds?

And for just a minute, let me share another bit of interesting:

Developer, Officials Disagree On Future Of Evergreen Farm The Project Would Keep The Trees. The Pines, Not Native To The Township, Are Ecologically Incorrect.

August 02, 1992 | By Nancy Petersen, INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT

So.  Who were your supervisors back then, West Vincent?   People in communities all over would love developers that wanted to actually preserve trees, so this seems nuts to an outsider like myself.

Back to the present: David Brown, formerly of Lawyer Merion Township, who wants to limit public comment at meetings.  Can it be supposed they think you all too ill-informed to participate in your own government?  Good residents are seen and not heard?  I find it curious that in West Vincent less seems to be more with this township as far as posting things on their pretty and I am sure over-priced website.  Here’s the link I found to February 27th’s agenda which is in draft form.

Chickenman would like you all to be reminded that  tomorrow night, Monday, at 7:30 PM, there is a West Vincent Township Supervisor’s meeting at the West Vincent Township Building 729 St. Matthews Road Chester Springs, PA.

I am going to cross-post a topic from the SAC site having to do with Radnor Township.  There is an issue or two brewing between Radnor Township residents and Villanova University.  Here’s the LINK, and the reason I am doing this is to point out that there are local municipalities in SE PA that actually try to do the best by residents.  Seriously, Radnor Township residents got lucky when Dave Bashore was exited and Bob Zienkowski  was hired as Township Manager.

And while we are speaking about Radnor, let’s talk about what I know about their policy on public speaking.  In Radnor, they not only do not limit residents as to speaking at meetings, they also allow interaction.  The public can ask questions of township commissioners and public officials.  Mind you, I have seen them corral people once in a while who were kinda filibustering (and it was darn entertaining public access television viewing), and some joke their current Board of Commissioners President would have five-minute meetings with everything decided ahead of time if it were legal (he likes to run meetings like a geriatric Speed Racer) , but Radnor (generally speaking) are among the most encouraging municipalities when it comes to public participation and public comment.

I can’t help but wonder what West Vincent is so nervous about that they would wish to limit public comment? It’s where you the good people of West Vincent call home, and if I were a resident I would fight this tooth and nail just like eminent domain.  And out of curiosity, how can you legally recall any or all of your supervisors and all that good stuff?

 

snowy morning in chester county

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Snow is quiet, but not exactly silent, have you noticed? It makes almost a little whoosh sound as it falls all around you.

I look out the window and it is almost Currier & Ives perfect.  I wonder if I will ever be able to adequately capture the beauty of a winter’s morning with my camera lens.  Snowflakes flitter and float to the ground, and I think back to when I was a child and the man across the road from us had a collection of carriages and sleighs.  His name was David Gwinn, his nickname was “The Squire.”

Now today there is not actually snow on the roads where you could take a sleigh out, but for some reason this morning as I looked out the window, a memory came floating back across the early morning.  In my head I could hear the faint remembrance of sleigh bells of long ago.  It was such a happy sound.  Of course, things change and now in place of where Mr. Gwinn’s horses once happily munched apples, a McMansion is planted.

These horsey memories for lack of a better description were part of a magic that many kids do not have in their lives today.  It’s a way of life I fear will be pushed aside, and I see this pushing aside in West Vincent with every new transgression thought up against a horse show that has been not only part of the fabric Chester County for near a decade but served the community well.

This makes me sad.  These people who in my opinion, are trying to get rid of some of the very civilities that fed their pretensions to move to places like West Vincent in the first place, do not get it.   And if they, along with a local government of questionable motivation, prevail in the quest to rid Chester County of a fine tradition, what will replace it?  Nameless, faceless inanity…and no appreciation of the simple joys of winter mornings.  The new should not necessarily rule the old because once these unique qualities of a community are gone, much like when a historic home is torn down, it’s not coming back.

The birds are treating the feeders like diners on a highway, and the usual cardinal couples (they seem to like to double date at the feeder) have been joined by a bird I have never seen before today (not Mr. Flicker, but an Orchard Oriole).

Truthfully this is a Robert Frost kind of morning.  He wrote a lot about snow in his poetry.

By Robert Frost1874–1963 Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

meanwhile, back in west vincent township

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It seems that in West Vincent Township, it’s still a cloudy day?  I have this e-mail from ChickenMan which also contains part of an interesting update from the Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Folks which I also received.  Wow talk about murky and no sunshine.

Are these people for real? And how come they can’t produce a lease for the taxpayers to review if this Township Supervisor Ken Miller (who makes that cheese I no longer buy from Birchrun Hills Farm) rents land from the township? Doesn’t that make in some sense the residents/taxpayers of West Vincent his landlord? And he does this (rents this land from in essence the taxpayers), yet he thought it was a good idea to seize Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds via eminent domain for private gain?  And if West Vincent owns all this land and is so hot to trot on a “plan”, why not use the land they already own before looking to seize privately owned land?

And who is this Pam Brown, other than she seems to be part of French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust?  Call me crazy, but damn that non-profit seems to have issues or am I imagining that?

And what’s up with this zoning issue?   Shouldn’t residents be able to discuss any potential changes in full sunshine even  typos?  That seems to be the norm for other municipalities in Delaware, Chester, and Montgomery Counties doesn’t it?

Also, why is it again this Clare Quinn can’t get benefits on COBRA from her former employer and it is such a good idea for the taxpayers of West Vincent to pay for her health benefits?  I would love for someone to pay my health benefits, but I live in the real world and pay my own. Just sayin’.

Anyway, read on from ChickenMan:

Hi
This came in to me from the Friends of the Horse Show and I am copying it here for you. 

West Vincent Township BOS meeting update
Dear Friend,
Once again interested residents of West Vincent Township packed the township building anxiously awaiting the zoning hearing that was postponed in December. Once again, the residents of the township were turned away, as the zoning hearing was postponed yet again.  The hearing is now set for January 23, 2012.   Explanation:  They sent the “insignificant changes” (one change and a few typo’s)  back to the County, because the County could determine that they were “significant changes”.  That’s right folks, I couldn’t make this stuff up, it’s double talk at its best!
To refresh your memory, the zoning hearing is to approve major changes to the township zoning ordinance.  The changes to this ordinance are vast, and will certainly change the look and feel of West Vincent Township in the future.   Even more important than the depth and breath of the changes, is the fact that the changes proposed will attempt to right the zoning violation that occurred when Pam Brown was permitted to built her accessory dwelling on her deed restricted property.
Frustration levels were high as the residents of the township voiced their displeasure in the manner in which the zoning changes are being handled.   They are complicated, difficult to read, and cumbersome, yet the supervisors and township manager along with solicitor do not intend to hold a town meeting or provide a plain language document for residents to better understand the future effects of the changes.
Since the township website makes it difficult to locate documents referred to at the meeting,  I have provided you with the links to follow along.  Get cozy and read along.

Click here to see the changes to the amendments.

Fast Facts taken from the meeting:
  • The meeting once again required two attorneys working on behalf the supervisors.  During the budget approval meeting of December 27, 2011, the supervisors said they were going to control the expenses of the attorneys in 2012,  I wonder when they will start?  My guess Monday night cost the township a minimum of  $1710 and possibly much more, might I remind you….nothing was accomplished!  The supervisors knew the hearing was not going to take place, yet they kept 2 attorneys at the table…..Good Job watching that budget!
  •  When questioned about the decision to pay 100% of Clare Quinn’s benefits, the board said they would determine the percentage in March when Clare will go on the policy.  Keep your eyes on this one, how will the supervisors spend your money?
  •  Remember when the Horse Show supporters showed up at the meeting, and mysteriously chairs were missing from the meeting room, forcing people to stand or sit on the ground?  The chairs have returned! Personally I want to thank my township for treating their residents with such care that they actually removed chairs from the meeting room when the supporters of the horse show attended meetings.

BUDGET REVIEW UPDATE

As promised, I have been inspecting records at  the township building over the last two weeks.  This is a slow process, however I will keep you updated as things of importance are revealed.  The 2012 budget did not include rental income for the farmland and farmhouse leased by the township.  After I pointed this out, Jim Wendlegas was not able to determine why they were missing.  During my review and on Monday evening, Jim took responsibility for “missing” the income from the farm land in the budget. The supervisors decided to vote to amend the budget to make this change at the next meeting. As part of my review, I have asked for copies of the leases on the farm land along with the farmhouse lease.  What I was provided was an expired lease (lease expired 9/30/08) on the Farmhouse and an expired lease for the farmland that Ken Miller leases from the township (expired 12/31/10). When asked for lease renewals, extensions or addendums to the leases, Jim looked surprised, and said he would have to “look” for them.  Jim did not have them available at the next meeting even though I stressed the importance of seeing them.  Just to be clear, the leases do not have an automatic renewal, and do require renewals in writing…Stay tuned more to follow….

Thank you for staying interested in what is going on in West Vincent Township.  Please feel free to forward this e-mail to anyone who may have an interest in what’s happening in West Vincent Township.  If the e-mail has been forwarded to you, and you would like to receive future mailings, please click on the link below!

Sincerely,

Maria Jacobs

Friend of the Horse Show

“Be the change you wish the world to see” – Ghandi

 To join the Friends of the Horse Show Mailing list click here
To see my previous mailings please click on http://tinyurl.com/westvincentinfos    As usual, if you want to be on or off my list, or have some comments or suggestions, or know someone who would like to be on the list, please let me know.  Feel free to forward this email on to anyone you think might be interested.   Especially though, if you don’t want to continue to receive my mails, please tell me. I’ll take you off the list immediately.   Just hit reply to this email or write to chestercountynews@gmail.com
Best wishes
Chickenman

as the west vincent churns…..

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They are taking names in West Vincent, apparently.  I am a ChickenMan aficionado.   What he does takes courage some days, and since I have blogged a few years now over a few issues I can appreciate that.

It seems that ChickenMan follows the credo of the truth is your best defense, only his local yokels want all to be rosy in the alfalfa patch and he upsets their apple carts on occasion. (As long as he doesn’t throw their goats off their milk, I suppose it’s all good, right?)

When you blog, there will always be a turd out there who doesn’t like what you have to say.  And they will “challenge” you to their higher moral playground of delusion, because instead of doing the common sense duh thing of stopping reading a blog or e-mail newsletters or whatever (it’s not compulsory reading, after all), they want YOU to stop.  Why?  So they can be more comfortable in their own skin, that’s why.  But hey, if they are living clean, whatcha’ got to worry about?

Anyway, I am one of the people on Chickenman’s e-mail list, and I got an update a little bit ago that says (and I quote):

 

Hi….And while you are about it, ask yourself why I dare not tell you who I am, or who the people are who help me?  Would it not be a whole lot easier if I could openly tell you who I am and who the people are that I work with?  I could be famous (!!!) for running this list.   Why do almost all the people who write to me ask that I hide their identity?  Why are most of people who oppose the current administration scared to say who they are?  Really, it should not be like this.
David Brown recently wrote and suggested I should reveal to him my mailing list. He actually wrote  Here’s a challenge: let Chickenman publish his e-mail list, so others can participate in a fair discussion of any issue he chooses. 
I replied Anyone can write to me.  Most letters get printed.  Now if it seems that most letters are supportive, that is because most of the letters I get are supportive.  I have already stated that a bigger proportion of non supportive letters are published compared to supportive letters.
I dare not publish my mailing list.  I have seen what happens to people who are known to be my supporters.  I will never publish my list.  My subscribers addresses are safe and will not be published. But if I did publish we may find that if I do that innocent ladies are accused of running a brothel, or that efficient businessmen are accused of shoddy work, or that others are accused of not living at the address where they sleep.
The first of my theories above is a guess.  The second two have actually happened………….
Your identity is even more secure than is mine.  And after 205 emails no one has yet found me…………………
To see my previous mailings please click on http://tinyurl.com/westvincentinfos    As usual, if you want to be on or off my list, or have some comments or suggestions, or know someone who would like to be on the list, please let me know.  Feel free to forward this email on to anyone you think might be interested.   Especially though, if you don’t want to continue to receive my mails, please tell me. I’ll take you off the list immediately.   Just hit reply to this email or write to chestercountynews@gmail.com
Best wishes
Chickenman

Ok, so I am new to this rodeo.  I became interested when West Vincent tried to give residents eminent domain for private gain for Christmas.  Until that point, I had tuned in and out, occasionally being regaled with tales of West Vincent silliness from people I know.   But thanks to eminent domain, I am now a ChickenMan devotee.  And apparently so are several media outlets because I see lots more on what was only known as sleepy, bucolic West Vincent to us “foreigners”.  (Of course if that jackass master plan in West Vincent goes through, it will no longer be either sleepy or bucolic, it will be over-developed and ruined.  But hey, if they think the drive thru modern Eagle is a pleasure cruise, to each their own, right?)

But I got off on a tangent.

So who is this David Brown?  One of the Supervisors in West Vincent.  He’s one of the three bears – the other two are named Clare Quinn and Ken Miller. 

I used to buy cheese from Ken Miller’s Birchrun Hills Farm at Farm to City Markets and other places until eminent domain came calling at the Ludwig Corner Horse Show Grounds.  Now, I couldn’t in good conscience buy the cheese.  Truthfully, I bought to try to support local PA and well, his isn’t the best anyway, so it hasn’t been so hard to give up. Hails Family Farm (Wyalusing), Shellbark  Hollow Farm (West Chester) , and Canter Hill Farm (Malvern)…and well if you want to taste heaven try Yellow Springs Farm’s goat cheese AND they have a goat cheese CSA too….

Again, the tangents…sorry…back to this odd request from a Supervisor and purported proponent of good government.

Is he that neurotic that he needs to know who is on the list? Who cares? After all if he hasn’t done anything wrong and everything is peachy keen and coming up roses in West Vincent, why does it matter?

But maybe he needs a good mailing list for spam or something.

I am going to suggest that MORE people sign up for ChickenMan – he must be doing something right if a country supervisor neeeeeeeds his mailing list.  You can visit his website http://chickenman.medianewsonline.com/ and can e-mail Chester County’s Favorite Chicken at chestercountynews@gmail.com .

When government officials keep clucking….it’s time to keep reading….such pettiness in government is highly counter-productive.  I am glad I am but an observing auslander.  I might be branded a witch or something….

Good government is as good government does, Supervisor Brown.  In my humble opinion (allowed by what? Oh yes, we got that as one of those pesky inalienable rights courtesy of our founding fathers), you all need to knock the warped Mayberry crap off.  But hey, I thought your name was familiar and a lookee on your website shows where you learned your “old school rules”: Lower Merion.  411? They do things a little differently now in the Republican Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth.  They have a thing about sunshine and transparency.   Old school, back door, borderline bully politics are going out of fashion…..

Just sayin’…not accusing…just sayin’

as the west vincent turns continues….

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Apparently attempted eminent domain is not the only issue in West Vincent…..who knew Chester County was such a cesspool where local politicians are concerned?