Tag Archives: david brown

chester county at risk: historic birchrunville

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I love being in Chester County.  Before I was a resident, anytime anyone wanted to take a leisurely drive and explore, I was all for it.

Birchrunville was one of those places.  Quiet and charming, consisting of small country roads.  Farms. Horses, as you can actually still ride your horse on the road which you won’t be doing if this development happens. Great old country architecture and some incredible old houses.  The real deal of charm.

It is NOT a place where developers should come in with their Emperor’s New Clothes grand plans for supersizing a small hamlet.  The residents should not allow it, and quite frankly, any elected or appointed official who likes a plan like this should be voted out as soon as possible.

We are, after all, talking about West Vincent Township.  And for West Vincent Township to go from needing/wanting eminent domain for private gain at Christmastime 2011 to this plan now, well it is so very Lower Merion Township that I can’t stand it.  And I can tell you how the story turns out: it doesn’t.

Once upon a time Lower Merion made a bid for eminent domain for private gain.  Then they put people through the pain of grand redevelopment plans.  All people wanted was a train station.  What they got was heartache, headaches, and nothing. Well nothing except a lot of money spent on plans, plans, and more plans.  A lot of the money spent was part of $6 million dollars that your Congressman Jim Gerlach got so Ardmore could have a new train station/transit center.  So much of that money has been squandered that I just don’t get why Jim Gerlach hasn’t pulled the money back yet.  But maybe he will and it will serve Lower Merion right.

And don’t let Supervisor David Brown tell you he had no idea of what went on in Lower Merion.  He was too entrenched in the politics for too many years not to know.  Via his own online political resume you can see: Republican Committee of Lower Merion & Narberth Committeeman 1976 – 1990, Counsel to Committee 1990 – 2004, Member Executive Committee 1990 – 2004, Former Solicitor to Montgomery County Controller,Gladwyne Civic Association, Former Director, Former Vice President.

See this synopsis from The Castle Coalition in Washington DC where I will highlight some dates in particular (although I encourage you to read it all):

….a letter in February 2004 informing him that Lower Merion Township had targeted his property and those of his neighbors for eminent domain acquisitions, he was devastated and uncertain about how to proceed….

In September 2004, the Township hired an independent consulting firm to study Ardmore and assess the extent to which economic redevelopment really required condemning their properties, as local officials contended. The Urban Land Institute, an outside organization that specializes in land use and has no financial connection to the business owners or the Township, conducted a comprehensive study of the downtown business district slated for demolition, and strongly urged against the plans proposed by the Planning Commission. Instead, the Institute submitted a number of alternative approaches to the Township, all of which protect property rights and promise the same benefits the municipality sought without condemning the Ardmore properties.[3]

“We kept coming up with alternative plans, but the Township kept ignoring us,” Mahan said.

In December 2004, the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners overwhelmingly approved the most destructive redevelopment option of all the plans submitted for its consideration. The proposal submitted by Hillier Architects called for the demolition of Ardmore’s entire historic district—even though Hillier simultaneously concluded that all of the buildings were in restorable condition…….the Save Ardmore Coalition continued fighting, attending all civic meetings, speaking against the proposal and especially against the abuse of eminent domain, and pursuing practically every grassroots avenue available.

“We’d march to the meetings, carrying signs and making statements. We’d have 300 people on our side, and 100 of them spoke out against the Hillier plan,” he said. “We just kept gaining momentum and the SAC kept growing and growing.”

 

These plans fermented for years prior to 2004 being the year eminent domain came full out in the public eye.  And during that time there were commissioners on the board in favor of this, including one Ken Davis and there is no way David Brown did not know him. Ken Davis represented parts of Gladwyne and was a fellow Republican and member of Gladwyne Civic.  Trust me, not that big of a sphere.

And if David Brown is for this development of Brichrunville, then he should go as soon as his term is up, but if Ken Miller and Clare Quinn are up first, vote them out.  If you do not change the face of who governs you in West Vincent, you will not achieve what you need to achieve.  I know because because I was part of a group who did it.   We flipped five of the seven commissioner seats up in elections, and the people who came in had adopted our group’s mission to defeat eminent domain for private gain.  You see, we endorsed no one.  We had a position: no eminent domain.

But after we defeated eminent domain and the fractured community came together once again, we were faced with re-development plans.  We should have said no.

And if you don’t believe how the land can be raped and pillaged by development that is not truly necessary, take a ride down King and check out the mega mess in Malvern.  They got sold a New Urbanism Fairy Tale and they will rue the day when all is said and done is my prediction.  I am not anti-progress, but I am anti-supersizing it on the theory of build it and they will come because it is not true.  All this hoo ha over transit oriented development.  It’s suburbia, people will always drive, always have cars. Duh.

Malvern got themselves a nice new train station, and if this current development being built was much smaller and in a scale actually in keeping with a very small town?  Well we might be having a different conversation.  Instead, West Vincent, you are being presented with cautionary tales.

But residents, I and others can talk about it, offer opinions from the sidelines and write articles, but you have to pull a real We The People and rise up with pitch forks if necessary.  You have to not just talk about it but actually fight.  Accept it will get nasty and dirty tricks will abound.  To me, it should all be important enough to preserve your way of life. As well as your property values.  (C’mon you think you are going to find it easy to sell a property if West Vincent keeps up indefinately with the West Vincent of it all?)

Rise up, support folks like BirchrunvillePeople who are trying to do good.  And if you feel your government is not quite right and not quite ethical, hello it is a MAJOR election year.  Your congressman needs more than checks from fat cats to survive, he needs votes.  Get him to come around an you show him what you are trying to preserve.   Go to the state.  Surely the Attorney General’s office and ethics board are there for a reason?

But you have to do it for yourselves.    This video like the one up top is awesome.  Kudos to whomever did that.  It literally shows people what you are talking about.

None of this will be easy, but you defeated eminent domain for the time being, so keep on keeping on and save Birchrunville too.  After all, you may or may not realize that developers as much as they love to destroy small towns, also love to recreate them.  You have the real deal.  Preserve your way of life.

And don’t be swayed by “oh but look we can improve our roads.”  Beg to differ.  If your roadmaster actually took the proper care of the roads you would be fine.  But what will happen with road improvements if development occurs?  It will look good for a while because it is new and then it will be back to mainteance business as usual so what is the difference?

This historic school house could be easily sold and preserved from what the video says.  It is YOUR community.  Make that happen.  YOU are the taxpayers.  YOU are the voters.

Once a way of life is destroyed, it is gone.

Lecture over.

 

 

as the west vincent turns: this little piggy and other tales of the politically ridiculous

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Is throwing a private party using any public monies whatsoever feeding from the public trough?  (Of course any municipality is free to throw a party, but do they use taxpayer funding of any level to throw private parties? If so, is this a wider conversation which needs to occur?)

Or, is it just in West Vincent that this is different?  (I am asking because I do not know.)

Is it just to be chalked up as no worries, it’s only money?

I figure I would throw this out there and ask.  West Vincent is a Township that has a Republican majority so pardon me if I don’t quite grasp how it is fiscally responsible to use any taxpayer funds in this sort of economy to throw a private party.  Times are tight, times are different.  Is what happened 30 years ago, ok now?

I understand that the funds were spent so they could honor Zoe Perkins, a former supervisor and member of the township’s planning commission.  However, that being stated and given the continued issues over there in this little slice of Chester County, wasn’t that just a bad idea? As in dumb de dumb dumb dumb?

I mean is it not true that Farmer in The Dell, Supervisor Ken Killer uses some township owned land as part of the land he farms on? (And what is “Project Moo” I unearthed about this?)  And Chester County’s Queen of Eminent Domain, former Executive Director of French and Pickering Creek Conservation Trust, Clare Quinn?  Who is receiving taxpayer funded health benefits?

So they wanted to throw this Zoe a party to honor her?  It should have been an open reception of some sort if they were using any township monies.  Why?  Because don’t those monies stem from residents/taxpayers?

And OH.MY.GOD the utter neurosis of these West Vincent officials when it comes to whomever “Chickenman” is?  Why does it matter?  If Chickenman sends out missives based upon publlicly available information, well couldn’t anyone do this?  Given the fact they are seemingly so obsessed with Chickenman, I have to ask if a right to know request was submitted on West Vincent that asked for costs involved in any and all surveillance of private citizens at any time or occasion, what would be the end result?

It just seems to me that isn’t it reasonable to assume that if they are so obsessed still with a Chicken who has been around a few years that they might be spending taxpayer money in all sorts of ways that no one knows about?  Mind you I am just asking a fair question, as it just seems like every time West Vincent is in the news or gets an unpleasant light shined on them, they resort to the furtive and paranoid Chickenman references, and pardon me but is Chickenman the only one who notices things sometimes aren’t quite what they seem? Gosh it was like this in Delaware County a few years ago with a secret blogger named Delco Tom Paine, and I thought it was ridiculous then in that situation.

Why is it they think the public and the local reporters who cover them are stupid?  If they are adding 2 + 2 = 5, duh-oh aren’t people going to ask where the extra 1 came from?

West Vincent, it is not so much you threw someone a party or how much money you spent, it is that you seem to be unable to resist the urge to feed from the public trough, only the public wasn’t invited, were they? If they had a public ceremony open to whomever wanted to come, let’s get real?  How many people would have come? Probably no more than who went to the private affair.  BUT it would have been a public thing.

And I am sorry but yes, saying good bye to a public official might be a genteel thing to do, but if all you were serving was a sip or two of soda, it could have been paid for differently.   And lordy, doesn’t everyone have enough extra glasses and plates and table linens that they did not need to be rented?

You can’t keep wearing the “I’m With Stupid” shirts, West Vincent.  You can’t keep using a lone chicken as your scape goat.  Times have changed, even in West Vincent, and people want accountability from their officials.  And above all else, you can’t say you are a Republican majority run municipality if you are using taxpayer funds on anything other than their immediate benefit.

And people of West Vincent, if you are going to keep voting these people back into office year after year, you do in fact, deserve each other.  Sorry for the tough love, but it’s time to man and woman up: you want change, vote for it this coming November and every season after that until you feel you have a better degree of municipal representation.  These politicians and municipal folks work for the taxpayers and residents, not the other way around.

Posted: 07/22/12 12:09 am

WEST VINCENT — Using a combination of donations and township funds in May, township supervisors hosted a private appreciation party for a former supervisor.

The party was held to thank Zoe Perkins, a former supervisor and member of the township’s planning commission. It was attended by invitation only and held in the township building, which is adjacent to West Vincent Township Park.

 According to Supervisor Jim Wendlegass, the party was kept small primarily due to cost restrictions and occupancy limitations of the building’s room.

 Supervisor Clare Quinn, who worked with Perkins, said township funds are occasionally used to pay for refreshments, and this is not considered an extraordinary expense or activity.

The township party was first publicized in a recent posting on a website about West Vincent affairs written by “Chickenman.” The website, chickenman.medianewsonline.com, states that the focus of the articles posted there is an effort to fight “corruption in West Vincent.”

  The exact identity or identities of “chickenman” are subject to speculation. “Chickenman” and the newsletter comments have been the topic of public comment at township meetings….“(Perkins) served for 18 years, and gave all her money back to the township that she served,” said Quinn. “Every now and then we think it’s OK for the citizens of the township to thank somebody with a little bit of soda.”…It’s not like we rented a country club and had an exorbitant affair,” said Wendlegass, who estimated the total cost paid for by taxpayer money, including the sundial, was about $600. “We are very sensitive to the taxpayers and we try and do things as cheaply as we can.”

west vincent on the peoples’ radar again: rising up about birchrunville

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I haven’t had much to say lately about West Vincent.  First of all, nothing is changing, just more of the same old same old….including everyone but the cows at Ken Miller’s farm are being told they are the fine feathered friend Chickenman.  That gets old, who cares,  and besides they gave up burning witches at the stake centuries ago, right?

What doesn’t get old in West Vincent, apparently, are mysterious acts of retribution. Yeah, everyone knows it goes on and they are not paranoid delusions of residents. Stuff like that happens every day, and not just in West Vincent.

But West Vincent hasn’t been Mayberry Sleepy…. and there still seems to be stuff going on “on the down low”.

Chickenman’s e-mail the other day made me wonder if it was time for an update.  He wanted people to read an article in The Daily Local about proposed development of the old township building property, which is apparently a historic school house.

Here we go again.

By SARA MOSQUEDA-FERNANDEZ smfernandez@dailylocal.com

WEST VINCENT — Residents are concerned about office buildings proposed in Birchrunville, and they want township supervisors to reject the plans as inappropriate for their historic village center.

The applicant for the Birch Run Village plan seeks to construct three two-story office buildings, each of about 2,500 square feet, on a total of 2.5 acres.

 The property is at the corner of Flowering Springs Road and School House Lane. The school house on the adjoining parcel was built in 1833 and was formerly used as the township’s administrative building.

 According to Supervisor Clare Quinn, the zoning for the area is mixed use, which allows small commercial development.

Suzanne M. Roth, who sits on the township’s Environmental Advisory Committee, hopes more residents realize what the proposal means.

“We just really want to make sure that people understand the amount of development that’s being proposed for this property, the impact that it’s going to have on all of our lives,” said Roth. “This keeps changing, but at the moment it looks like there will be (three) two-story buildings.”

According to Township Manager Jim Wendlegass, Birch Run Village Leasing LLC originally submitted a land-development application in late 2004. That was denied, he said, and a new plan was submitted last year.

The township’s Planning Commission advised supervisors to reject waivers sought by the developers for the project….“This is an historic village with roads to match,” said Roth. “If the property is developed as planned for each parking space allotted, there will be eight car trips anticipated to travel our roads.”

That would mean about 256 to 270 more cars passing her house  daily or turning around somewhere in the village to enter the office complex, Roth said.

“Township police cannot enforce the 15 mph speed limit on the lower portion of School House Lane now,” she said.

 Ethan Schofield, whose property also neighbors the site, hopes that more residents will become aware about the issues at hand…Kenny Carroll, a resident of the township since 1973, said he was specifically concerned with impacts on the environment. “The Birchrun Creek, an exceptional value creek, will be seriously impacted by this development,” said Carroll…According to Carroll, another issue is the development’s impact on the schoolhouse building. “This building is an historical building,” said Carroll.

….Roth and other residents have put together a website, http://www.birchrunvillepeople.com/, with more information about their concerns on the project, hoping to inform the township and community members about these and other issues.

Clare Quinn?  How can anyone believe a thing that comes out of her mouth?  Isn’t she Chester County’s reigning queen of eminent domain is a good thing?  And well, don’t all the residents pay her health insurance via tax dollars, making her right up there with sucking off the proverbial public teat, yes?

In general, where is the need for this development?  Did residents request it?  Are there businesses lined up with signed leases waiting to move in?  How does this work? This isn’t just a suburb, it’s the country, and one of the largest problems with Chester County as beautiful as it is, are these odd business developments that never look exactly full.  Who decided there was an actual need, or is this a build it and they will come scenario? I don’t understand.

Malvern is already learning how their development that will be super-sized and traffic clogging will impact the borough economically.  Suffice it to say, it will not be the cash cow officials thought it would be.  And lordy it has taken David Della Porta long enough to get one of his New Urbanism Fantasy Plans through.  He’s a nice man, I have met him, but I have heard him chirp this all before – it’s just with the Borough of Malvern he finally found his perfect rubes.  He said at a ground breaking after the fact:

“What I mean by that is, the first urban-esque, mixed-use, transit-oriented development,” he said. “There’s really nothing in Philadelphia suburbs like this, where you have retail-residential involved in a great existing place that already has a beautiful little town, the services and the train station within walking distance.”

Urban-esque?  Hello, why do people move to the suburbs?  Why do people move to the country?  Is it so they can eventually feel the urban of it all they moved away from?  Call me crazy, but I don’t think so.

So West Vincent residents, lovers of Birchrunville, what say you?  Is this what you want?  It seems to me that a lot of different voices are saying “no”, aren’t there?

The problem is, this dopey plan will go through unless fought tooth and nail.  And I hope people get political.  Let your Congressman up for re-election know how you feel too.  Hasn’t he received a tidy sum of donations from power brokers and decision makers in West Vincent?  Donations are nice, but votes get an elected official where they need to go, so always let them know how you feel about local issues even if they are not directly involved.  Especially during a big election year.

Now, let’s also use this as a reminder as to why West Vincent needs term limits and new supervisors.

And here is the new website Birchrunville People: Preserving the Village of Birchrunville:

Check out the TRAFFIC TAB:

4-Way Stop Sign is Being Planned for the Intersection of Flowing Springs Rd. and School House Lane!

See the photo below of the new notice marking at the intersection, and scroll down to see the Caruolo Associates’ Traffic Report which “strongly disagrees” with the creation of the 4-way stop at this intersection! This will be an extremely hazardous intersection for vehicles driving up and down Flowing Springs, especially in the the winter! 

Why should the People of Birchrunville be put in danger for the sake of one corporation’s financial interest?

Check out the History Tab and The Actions Tab:

What Can You Do?

    1. Attend the West Vincent Township meetings (see Calendar).  Share your thoughts with the township Board of Supervisors and the Planning Committee.  Keep your comments and questions civil and respectful– these township officials are our neighbors and friends and they are committed to serving the township and upholding its laws.
    2. Stay informed.  We will try to keep this website up-to-date with the latest developments.
    3. Write letters.  Put your concerns and questions in writing and send them to:
      West Vincent Township Board of Supervisors: 729 St. Matthews Road Chester Springs, PA 19425           Pennsylvania State Senator: Sen. Andrew E. Dinniman One North Church Street West Chester, PA 19380
      Chester County Historical Preservation Network: http://www.cchpn.org/contact.htm
      PennDOT (PA Dept. of Transportation): Francis J Hanney Traffic control services manager fhanney@state.pa.gov
      Fire Safety:

Birchrunville’s first responder: Kimberton Fire Company P.O. Box 99 Kimberton, Pennsylvania 19442 Phone: 610 935-1388 Fax: 610-935-3956

Others Serving West Vincent: Ridge Fire Company #1 480 Ridge Road Spring City, PA 19475-9678 Phone: (610) 495-6063 Fax: (610) 495-5106 RidgeFH@RidgeFireCompany.com
Ludwig’s Corner Fire Company 1325 North Pottstown Pike Glenmoore PA 19343 Station #73 Phone: (610) 458-8479 Fax: (610) 458-2562
Check this page regularly for more opportunities to get involved and make a difference!

There is also a forum with comments worth reading

Good for these residents for stepping up and having a say!   But it is West Vincent, so who knows how it will end up. All I know is little country roads are just that: little.  And you only get so many chances to keep water sources clean and once an environment is gone, etc., it’s gone.

It’s a damn shame that the politicians in West Vincent and the taxpayer-funded staff do not really get the value of the charm of this area that will disappear once they turn it into Little Eagle.  I can’t wait for the CVS with fake Victorian gables.

Sigh.  More dumbness.

 

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when a community needs to get back to basics. and save itself.

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When West Vincent Supervisor Ken Miller’s wife, Sue of Birchrun Hills Farm got up at a recent meeting to speak her peace in West Vincent, I watched it as an outsider and counted my lucky stars I did not live in West Vincent Township.  Which truthfully, I hate to say because it is a wonderful community and has a lot of beauty….or it will until the developers all have their way, but I digress.

I received something from Chickenman that has given me pause for thought (you can read it HERE.) As did a letter that was directed towards West Vincent in March.

So this letter from March seems to have something to do with some property that West Vincent used to own?  That has now a commercial use with few or no restrictions?  If this is true and they are so big on preservation, why didn’t they at least sell this land with some sort of conservation stuff to go with? Something about an old township building and whether it is in or out of compliance with use, as in was it too long ago and should prior uses be considered abandoned? And why does anyone need another “office park”?  (I hate that phrase “office park”.) Is there enough business to sustain this?  And something about waivers?  (Maybe it is just me, but as I have watched development in 3 counties in PA I always love when developers come in asking for waivers when sometimes it seems the hardship is not on them, but the community left questioning their own property rights when it comes to saying no to development.)

So back to Sue Miller, the Farmer-Supervisor’s wife.  She spoke up at this meeting, which is cool, don’t have a problem with that, it’s just the bully pulpit of it all and the irony of her words that continue to stick in people’s craw.

Sue Miller has issue with Chickenman, claims the fearless fowl is trying to put her and her hubby out of business.  Seems to me, all he is asking for is for a level playing field and honesty.   That Clare Quinn who used to work for The French and Pickering Conservation Trust while she voted for eminent domain for private gain (because nothing says conservation/preservation like eminent domain) doesn’t like Chickenman, either?  (Clare seems to live off the fat of the community in so many ways, doesn’t she?)

But why is it that any resident or other who speaks up a liar?  There seems to be a lot of residents speaking up, which generally speaking could be a divining rod to major issues, yes?

I am going to have to agree with Chickenman when he said in his e-mail June 6th that like it or not, Ken Miller is not just a private citizen but an elected official.  And as such, indeed subject to the same public scrutiny as a public official, elected or appointed.

The irony of Mrs. Miller claiming all the good people are trying to put her out of business in her township doesn’t escape me.  Since I started to pay attention to this area (they did it themselves with eminent domain), all I hear about is what is done dirty to residents, so what is she talking about?   And she speaks of Chickenman and Chickenman “Posse” (have you heard anything so stupid and paranoid?) retaliating?  Who is actually retaliating?

Mrs. Miller stood on her soapbox for quite a while, and then there were comments from the peanut gallery and this guy in the meeting who seemed like he was threatening another resident in the meeting and no one did anything? This same person also used profanity, and nothing was done?

No I don’t understand.  But I do know that there is too much nastiness in this bucolic community.

What is community?  Defined it is:

noun, plural com·mu·ni·ties.

1.a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.
2.a locality inhabited by such a group.
3.a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists (usually preceded by the ): the business community; the community of scholars.
4.a group of associated nations sharing common interests or a common heritage: the community of Western Europe.
5.Ecclesiastical . a group of men or women leading a common life according to a rule.

Some people would describe West Vincent as merely rural.  The more I read, the more meeting tapes I see and hear about, I think it is positively feudal.

Ahhh yess, feudalism:

Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for structuring society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.

Although derived from the Latin word feodum or feudum (fief),[1] then in use, the term feudalism and the system it describes were not conceived of as a formal political system by the people living in the medieval period. In its classic definition, by François-Louis Ganshof (1944),[2]feudalism describes a set of reciprocal legal and military obligations among the warrior nobility, revolving around the three key concepts of lords, vassals, and fiefs.[2]

There is also a broader definition, as described by Marc Bloch (1939), that includes not only warrior nobility but all three estates of the realm: the nobility, the clerics, and the peasantry bonds of manorialism; this is sometimes referred to as a “feudal society“.

West Vincent residents, you need to be involved where you live.  Even you the McMansion dwellers.  I  can’t believe you aren’t bothered (for example) when the agendas for the meeting aren’t posted or easily found and it is the Friday before a meeting.  I mean LOOK at the website.  Agendas are public documents to be provided in a timely manner prior to a meeting.  When is the last time they posted an agenda and since I don’t live there I can’t say it was timely, but it appears by their own website to have been 4/23/2012:

04/23/12 7:30 PM:  Board of Supervisor Meeting

Written by Tammy Swavely. Posted in Event Dates – Township Meetings

05/14/12 7:30 PM:  Board of Supervisor Meeting

Written by Tammy Swavely. Posted in Event Dates – Township Meetings

Board of Supervisor Meeting at the Township Building

05/29/12 7:30 PM:  Board of Supervisor Meeting

Written by Tammy Swavely. Posted in Event Dates – Township Meetings

Board of Supervisor Meeting at the Township Building

06/04/12 Special Board of Supervisor Meeting

Written by Tammy Swavely. Posted in Event Dates – Township Meetings

06/04/12 Special Board of Supervisor Meeting

One of the oldest dumbing down tricks in the book: don’t post things in a timely fashion and keep taxpayers and residents ignorant and in the dark.  But does that violate Sunshine Laws in PA?  Or will I open a discussion on the letter of the law versus the spirit?  (If you think I do not like eminent domain, I dislike sunshine slayers as well.)

Did you know Pennsylvania has an Open Records website?  With the Right to Know Law and a handy Citizen’s Guide and FAQs?

I also can’t believe you think it’s ok when anyone threatens or bullies a resident in public at a meeting.

None of this is o.k.

It’s not my community, people, I am but a observor.  I am grateful for the community I call home (even if there has been a bit of a reach at me from there to here for my opinions), glad I got out of a community that was a political cesspool on a much larger stage that West Vincent.  (So I have indeed been there and I do get it.)

I would think you all wanted better for yourselves.  I understand how many of you are fearful or intimidation and retaliation, but the truth is these yokels only have as much power as you allow them.  Go above them on a state and federal level if you have to.

Who is your Congressman? Is it Jim Gerlach?  Show up at his town hall meetings or his freaking campaign office and ask for equal time in the community.  No incumbent is completely immune to elections, no outcome is guaranteed.  Gerlach used to be my Congressman, and I found him very easy and fair to deal with.  From a practical standpoint, his elections have also been squeakers.  He was redistricted again, so that might help, but you never know.  Those who write his campaign donation checks are not the only people an elected official will listen to in an election cycle, trust me.  And I say that as someone who does not as a matter of choice, donate to political campaigns.

Who is your state rep?  Your state senator? Get busy with them.

Community is what you make of it.  I can’t do this for you, nor can others.  A community must rally to save itself.  And it is a lot of hard work.  I know it can be frustrating, but if you are not happy with the way things are, you need to change it.

I have said it before,  and I will say it again: you live in a beautiful area.  Please fight to save it, and change the faces of who govern you.  Shine a little sunshine.  Do supervisors have term limits?  Maybe West Vincent is an example of why they should.

And to the person on the meeting tape who referred to Facebook?  I am sorry, will there be a blog burning and banning of Facebook in West Vincent?  Kindly remember what this country is founded on – you know, that little thing called the First Amendment? Just saying.

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.

rambling on….

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Today I became a 100% Chester County gal.  My move is complete.

Ready or not Chester County, I am now full-time.

Special shout out to Lower Merion ex-pat David Brown, now supervisor and landed gentry in West Vincent.  Too bad how that election worked out, Dave.  But the post card someone sent to me  sure cracked me up:

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.

 

supporting free speech and true good government is not “nonsense”

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First of all, when I write an editorial, I sign my name to it.  And that includes in Journal Register publications of which The Daily Local is part of.

I am wondering today about  whomever wrote the editorial on West Vincent Township.  They did not sign their name so Santa Claus with a bad hangover could have scribbled it. And while entitled to their opinion as I am mine, I think they are being misguided and are also perhaps being misled.

The long and short of it is, one would *think* that a newspaper would be supportive of initiatives that preserved freedom of speech and good government, yes?  Well I am thinking this writer today prefers Pravda.  It is tempting to ask them why it is they always seem to go on the offensive with the people in West Vincent who seem to want to get better government and better government best practices in place.

For them to sort of kind of imply that West Vincent’s attempt to not regulate, but in fact, limit the public voice is perhaps not so bad is worrisome indeed.  Because that is what David Brown and the Supervisors of West Vincent want to do.  David Brown in his own words during his campaign said that he wanted more participation, that more people should come to meetings and in essence speak up.  Well they are starting to attend meetings and they are starting to comment, only West Vincent doesn’t like it because it runs contra to the township party line.  The people of West Vincent are trying to take back where they live and have a say in things.

I think a lot of people were happy to go along just to get along until West Vincent attempted eminent domain for private gain on Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show around Christmas.  That woke people up to their government.  Something like eminent domain generally does.

I find it incredulous that The Daily Local would put forth an opinion that the people of West Vincent are in essence wrong for wanting a say in where they live.  And they are criticizing some of the people who have in fact bought stories to them that sell their papers.  And how dumb are they that they can’t see what David Brown refers to as “outshouters” are in fact not.  Why is it o.k. for a female supervisor to be heard cussing at a public meeting and calling a resident a foul name, yet when the public is frustrated by the very government process that is wrong?

The Daily Local in their royal we should be looking at what is upsetting people, not supporting efforts to render them mute or close to it at public meetings.

Just my opinion as an outsider looking in, but I feel *very* strongly about public process, open government, good government and public participation.  The government in West Vincent doesn’t seem like they can follow their rules and structure that they have now, they can’t even manage to not “lose” meeting tapes according to residents can they?   So now they want to give the rules rules so everyone can follow them?  Am I following that correctly?  And *none* of this has anything to do with a small town government that is somewhat out of its depth in a modern world and really just at the end of the day might not want to work so hard?  Lordy if that is what some officials believe, step down, it seems there are more than enough people interested in rolling up their sleeves and doing a good job for the home team, right?

And if I can sign my name to what I write for newspapers, and so can some of the editors I have written under, I think so can the editorial staff of The Daily Local.

Here is the editorial:

We are going to assume that Tom Helwig, a resident of West Vincent and a representative of that township’s Republican Party, was speaking hyperbolically recently when he compared the township’s board of supervisors’ attempt to reasonably regulate the manner in which the public is given the opportunity to speak to the remnants of the failed communist system in Russia.

Helwig accused the supervisors of attempting to hinder the comments of those with opposing viewpoints….“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 newly elected Supervisor David Brown. “Those outshouters complain that our intent is to limit public participation. Nonsense.”

Supporting free speech and true good government is not nonsense.   Making light  of people concerned with true good government in my opinion is also not right.  Enough said, except this is my opinion and I am entitled to it.

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.”