Pattye Benson

Community Matters

Newspaper Editor Offers His Opinion on our Supervisors, stating ". . . Tredyffrin Township residents deserve better and we will make sure we hold the board accountable for their actions."

When do you suppose was the last time the editor of our local newspaper weighed in on the actions of our local elected officials? I cannot remember it happening in any recent times, that is until today. In today’s edition of Main Line Suburban Life, Executive Editor Tom Murray offers strong words in his Editor’s Corner for supervisors Lamina, Kampf, Olson and Richter and their St. Davids Golf Club decision. Tom’s words, ” . . . trust was lost when four of the supervisors made that fateful vote a few weeks back” are understood and echoed by many in this township. (Tom’s full column is below.)

Supervisors Lamina, Kampf, Olson and Richter probably thought that their St. Davids decision to return the country club’s escrow would be forgotten by this point, swept under the carpet by their apology and that we (the public) would have just moved on. Just the contrary, . . . far from forgotten, I think we all agree with Tom Murray’s assessment, we do deserve better in Tredyffrin Township.

For the record, there has been no response from Chairman Lamina concerning my email request this morning to add St. Davids Golf Club to the Agenda for the Board of Supervisors meeting. Guess he doesn’t need to respond to me; I will just wait and see if St. Davids is on the Agenda tomorrow.

As an aside, I wonder if the stalling on the St. Davids matter is related to Warren Kampf’s upcoming weekend event – the Chester County Republican Committee have their formal endorsement process in West Chester this Saturday (my understanding is the committee vote will help determine Mr. Kampf’s political future).

Bad decision in Tredyffrin

Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2010

By Tom Murray

Three weeks ago I guess you could say I hit a wall.

After 62 consecutive weeks of writing this weekly column – all 54 in Main Line Suburban Life and eight before that for Main Line Life, I felt I needed a break. We had some very strong letters to the editor and I felt it was more important to hear from the readers.

Two weeks ago the new boss of our parent company started and there were meetings and discussions about our Web site, videos to watch and podcasts to listen to, and bull sessions with my bosses and staff. Another batch of strong letters and guest columns made my decision not to write again easier.

Then last week came the snownami, which according to the Urban Dictionary I found online is defined as “when it is snowing so damn much you can’t even see a thing.” Yes, Mother Nature sure had the last laugh last week when she followed up her 28-inch snowfall with 17 inches more and winds that left many Main Liners in the dark.

A decision was made to push up deadlines so another week passed without this column. I received a few phone calls and plenty of e-mails from loyal readers asking if everything was OK and a few were concerned about my employment status. I assured them that I would make sure that I would let them know when that time comes. I want to thank all those readers who checked in. So with the batteries recharged, I feel it’s important to touch on one issue that I missed the past few weeks.

Up the line in beautiful Tredyffrin Township, the Board of Supervisors voted a few weeks ago that sidewalks weren’t needed at St. Davids Golf Club and they voted to release money from an escrow account that ended the longtime controversy.

While the debate over sidewalks has been around long before I arrived on the Main Line, it was the way the board went about its business that has me concerned.

I took it personally because it was my decision not to attend the meeting when the four commissioners pulled a quick one. Each week I sit down with reporter Blair Meadowcroft and we discuss what needs to be covered. There was a big Tredyffrin/Easttown School Board meeting that same night and the school budget for the year was being discussed. Blair and I looked at the agenda for the Board of Supervisors that night and we made the decision that since there was nothing earth-shattering to be discussed, she should attend the school-board meeting and see where the board would cut millions of dollars in programs.

But a funny thing happened on the way to that week’s newspaper.

I started getting calls and e-mails that night from upset residents letting me know what the supervisors did, and that was bring up the St. Davids issue, debate it for a short time and then vote to give the golf club back the money it originally had to put up. Board Chair Bob Lamina has since apologized to residents for the board’s actions. It was a good first step but I don’t blame residents for still being upset.

Board members need to realize that it’s no longer the 1950s and they can’t get away with this kind of behavior anymore. I had given the board the benefit of the doubt a few times since January’s reorganization meeting, but now it’s personal. That trust was lost when four of the supervisors made that fateful vote a few weeks back.

Tredyffrin Township residents deserve better and we will make sure we hold the board accountable for their actions.

That’s our job.

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  1. You are right John, this has gotten out of hand! We deserve a lot better from our elected officials than what we have! I’m not an attorney but if you decide to take this lawsuit on – you have my appreciation as a grateful resident.

  2. I hope John is at the meeting and not at the mic — just in the first row. I would rather know he is annoying them while they wait for the shoe to drop — and then not have John give them a target to take on. No deflecting comments about SDGC onto John’s blog and history. Just the facts ma’am.

    1. By filing the lawsuit prior to the Monday meeting John, YOU DROPPED THE SHOE. They will definitely refuse to comment on any of this due to pending litigation. Patience my boy….did you file it yet? Once it’s a lawsuit, it’s “out of their hands” and the squirming ends. Hold off it it’s not too late. I’d much rather listen to Paul Olsen stammer about sidewalks and remembering how it was in the 1950s…when men ran things and the rest of us were just kids…

  3. Here are two public interest law firms that do some pro bono work.

    SUGARMAN & MARKS, LLP
    100 N. 17th St., 11th fl
    Philadelphia, PA 19103
    (215) 864-2500
    Fax: (215) 864-2501
    Areas of Specialization:
    Environmental, consumer, civil
    rights/civil liberties, human rights,
    housing
    Types of Advocacy: Impact litigation,
    community organizing, individual
    cases, administrative hearings

    KAIRYS, RUDOVSKY, MESSING
    & FEINBERG
    David Rudovsky
    718 Arch St., Ste. 501S
    Philadelphia, PA 19106
    (215) 925-4400
    Fax: (215) 925-5365
    drudovsky@krlawphila.com
    Areas of Specialization: Civil rights/
    civil liberties, constitution, criminal,
    disability, family
    Types of Advocacy: Litigation

  4. If all of you agree what the 3 supervisors stated as “apologies”, I have to disagree. I consider the Lamina & Kampf apologies to be pure political crap, and E.J. states she talked with some P/C. members before making her decision. I wonder which ones, as all the P.C. members were in agreement last year NOT to return the SDGC escrow & let them off the hook..

    Let’s hope that every TTRC committee members have read these posts on Community Matters & have to balls to make the CORRECT decision on Saturday & not vote for Kampf for the 157th. We don’t need that type of representation in Harrisburg.

  5. wrong to you complainers–justice was finally done– St Davids should never have been forced to put in the sidewalk to nowhere—-that was public extorsion—Supervisors must re-retain their control over the planning comission—the supervisors are the reps of the citizens –the planners are appointees—-in addition –eminent domain should play a role and if Tred twp wants a sidewalk it should pay for the sidewalk and pay St Davids for taking its land for public use—–and indemnify St Davids from lawsuits and pay for its maintenance-

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