Pattye Benson

Community Matters

Sometimes it doesn’t matter how you get to the finish line, it just matters that you finish!

As an update to my last post, Tredyffrin Township supervisor Matt Holt presented his proposed resolution at last night’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Holt’s motion on the resolution to support legislation for common sense gun control laws did not receive a ‘second’ when presented during new business. A second to the proposed motion is required for the motion to have discussion from the Board of Supervisors.

Hearing no second to the motion, Chair Heather Greenberg attempted to move the meeting forward. To their credit, there was an immediate outcry from audience members demanding discussion. After several residents spoke out and a few comments from supervisors about the proposed resolution’s process, insufficient notification, representation of all residents, etc, etc, a new motion was presented by Murph Wysocki and seconded by Sean Moir. The Board passed the motion 7-0 and states that the supervisors will work together on a new resolution to support legislation for common sense gun control laws to present at the next Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday, March 19.

We thank Matt Holt for his proposal to support sensible gun law legislation and applaud the audience members who would not let the motion fail without discussion. Other than the fact that it was a freshman supervisor who initially proposed the resolution, it is unclear why further discussion and re-working is required — but we will look forward to the supervisors working together and presenting a new resolution on March 19.

Coincidentally, State Rep Warren Kampf (R-157) sent a constituent email out two hours before last night’s Board of Supervisors meeting, stating that he will introduce legislation to address mass shootings. His proposal will focus on “… identification of potentially troubled individuals, especially young people, support for increased mental health and mental rehabilitation services, and commonsense actions to address firearm issues.” Included in Kampf’s proposed legislation is the requirement for background checks on all gun sales, the prohibition of bump stocks and high-capacity magazines and funding for school security.

Rep. Kampf’s message read in part —

Unlike many who are playing politics or simply appealing to the simplest of emotions, I am making concrete proposals that have a chance of becoming law and making a positive difference. I know that I will be attacked by people on both sides of these issues. Pennsylvania is a diverse state and there are members of both parties who feel as strongly about enacting no controls as there are others who simply want to ban all firearms. We can either watch that fight continue with nothing happening, or we can follow a path toward intellectually honest action, and toward results. That is what I am choosing to do.

Don’t know whether it was Rep. Kampf’s message or the audience members at last night’s meeting who moved the Tredyffrin supervisors to continue discussion on a resolution to support common sense gun control legislation but I’m just glad it did! Sometimes it doesn’t matter how you get to the finish line … all that matters is that you finish!

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  1. I agree with Warren Kampf who has children in our schools.
    Concrete doable real acts are needed fast.
    We are not immune.
    Do it! Visit your school! share your ideas!

    More funding for mental health and more mental health training for all school employees is needed.
    More money for security: officers random walk through schools and parking lots.
    More dogs.
    Safe real metal rooms to shelter in place.

  2. Although I am a resident in Easttown, I am watching this closely. Heather, thank-you. And thank-you to Pattye, and Warren although I don’t reside in your District, thank-you.

  3. I support the sentiments expressed in Supervisor Holt’s resolution completely. However, I understand that the other Board members had not received copies of the revised document prior to the meeting (nor had the public) and that he had not asked the township police department for its evaluation and comments. Both of these factors support the very appropriate decision made by the Board last night, in my opinion.

  4. Thanks to all those who are bringing more attention to this very important issue now.

    I can only hope that this will be the time when such attention will result in changes being made!

  5. Thank-you Matt Holt for your proposal to support sensible gun law legislation and ghank-you to the audience members who would not let the motion fail without discussion.

    This is what it takes, public involvement and commitment.

    Ban AR-15. Ban all assault rifles. Keep guns out of Children’s hands. Children should not be legally allowed to own guns.

  6. The students who survived last week’s massacre are at Florida’s state Capitol right now to demand action. Meanwhile, students across the state are staging school walkouts.

    This generation of kids are not putting up with this. Either we do something or they will. Let’s work together.

  7. Ciamacca said González’s speech hit home for her AP government students — and for her.

    “I always say to my kids, it’s about being engaged, and it’s about showing people that you’re a citizen, and citizens take action. Citizens don’t sit back and wait. Government is not a spectator sport,” she said. “What kind of teacher would I be if I preach this, but then I do nothing? I have to take a lead.”

  8. If you haven’t read the article, Ms. Ciamacca is a former Marine Captain and a current AP Government teacher at Conestoga High School. I think this qualifies her as an expert on this matter.

    During a listening session with shooting survivors and family members at the White House on Wednesday, President Trump said his administration would look “strongly” into policies that would arm teachers. “If you had a teacher who was adept at firearms, they could very well end the attack very quickly,” Trump said.

    But Ciamacca, a former Marine Corps captain, has no interest in carrying a weapon in her classroom. “It’s an insane idea. To anyone who’s ever taught before, it’s just ludicrous,” she said.

    1. Thanks for posting this – Mrs Ciamacca is qualified, thoughtful, reasonable and specific – how wonderful for our district to have a teacher like that.

      I took away the thought that it would be a great idea to empanel some kind of independent commission (which would have to be representative, qualified and free of the NRA and anyone else with an overt agenda) to come up with practical set of proposals to keep schools safer. Could that lead to inescapable pressure on our legislators to act? Likely proposals as listed by Mrs Ciamacca will take funding – from all levels – what about a gun/ammunition tax as one source? Perhaps the solutions would help other mass shooting situations other than at schools.

      (It’s noteworthy here that the NRA is starting to lose its corporate partners, like Enterprise Car Rental.)

      And I have to return to where Pattye’s post started – the Tredyffrin BOS. Thee seems to be the notion that the Supervisors should be some kind of governmental bi-partisan synchronized swim team. The School Board worked like that, and it led to deals behind closed doors, and things like fences that are arguably less effective than skunks at marking borders and deterrence. Everyone can get along and respect each other. but still have different opinions (not necessarily “R” or “D”), and openly debate those positions – and then go along with the majority. That’s what the community expects and I hope that our new BOS takes note.

      1. Thanks Ray – as follow-up, the Borough Council of Downingtown unanimously approved a resolution to support sensible gun control legislation at their meeting this week.

  9. Good interview. Her point about the NRA’s outsized influence was well stated. Public officials have to choose who they are going to serve—their constituents or the NRA. Common sense gun control does not jeopardize the second amendment. Machine guns were outlawed in 1934, the second amendment has survived just fine.

  10. Thank You to our local police!

    This morning while dropping off our student, we saw Tredyffrin’s Finest–Police SUV driving up
    the school’s driveway. In light of the Parkside tragedy, making a visible presence at our schools is welcomed!

    Can we make it a consistent patrol? Thank You.

    1. The FBI and Secret Service are the experts?????

      All due respect to these agencies, but I have far more comfort that teachers and staff like Deb work in the district, and that our local PD are nearby, and are all watching out for our children.

  11. I bet the police would love to make it a constant patrol. Do we honestly have a full staff of officers at all hours? I don’t think we do. We feel a false sense of security when school starts or ends with the change in shift. So it appears we have a huge police force. We do not!

    So perhaps the Board of Supervisors, School Board and Police department(s), in addition to our politicians, sit down with open doors and start to discuss the best and safest ways to protect our township and schools.
    Instead of ignoring a motion to discuss safety in our township.

  12. Respectfully, these resolutions politicize the issue. Words to stake out a position and Mr Holt’s resolution distracts from the real work to be done.

    Elected officials have a job to do and there are certain areas within their control. In the case of the BOS, working with the Township staff, TT police, and TESD on those aspects of school safety they can impact – analysis, planning, resource allocation, and implementation at the local level.

    Mr. Kampf has articulated his thoughts and focused his efforts appropriately. Hopefully, our leaders at the federal level will do the same.

    1. I agree with you that these resolutions politicize the issues.

      However, Mr. Holt’s resolution got the ball rolling so the matter did not rest there but was discussed at the BOS meeting and now they have unanimously agreed to work together to come up with a new resolution.

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