Pattye Benson

Community Matters

Tweets by @WillistownPD Help Alert Public of Paoli Bank Robbery

January 6, 2012
Comments

By this point, many of you are probably aware that TD Bank in Paoli was robbed this past Tuesday afternoon and the robber escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash. Although located on Lancaster Avenue in Paoli, the bank is actually in Willistown Township, across from Good Samaritan Church. As an interesting aside, this was the first day on the job for newly elected Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan.

An interesting twist to the bank robbery is how social media played into the story. The robber escaped but almost immediately, a photo of the suspect and details were released through a social media account, on Twitter. The Willistown Township Police Department set up a Twitter account @WillistownPD this past October. As a result, they were able to tweet a photo of the suspect with the following message, “If anyone recognizes or has information on the subject in the photo please contact Willistown Police at 610-251-0222”.

Although I believe the suspect is still ‘at large’, this application of a social media tool helped to alert the public of the incident and of the danger of the suspect on the run. Local police departments, like Willistown, are starting to use various social-networking tools like Facebook and Twitter to not only communicate with local residents, but also track down criminals and missing persons. Although social media tools should not be viewed as taking the place of old-fashioned police work, it certainly is a great asset in criminal investigations. However, aside from helping to solve crimes, Twitter and Facebook function as an outreach and communication tool for police departments to keep residents informed. Outreach efforts help build trust among residents in a similar way that beat cops walking the streets and getting to know people does.

Some police departments are being even more proactive, are reaching beyond announcements and informational use of social media, and are now using Facebook and other social media sites to detect illegal activity. Often users are not very discriminating when it comes to posting information on these sites, and law enforcement agencies are within their right to use this information to investigate crimes, solicit tips and otherwise engage the community. Police have noticed that individuals share a tremendous amount of personal data over social-networking sites. In addition, it is not unusual for suspects to brag about their crimes and how they ‘got away with it’ and the best place for them to brag about themselves is on social networking sites.

Of course, there is always the other side of the argument of the use of proactive social media by police departments. Critics of police patrolling Facebook and Twitter for tips say it is an invasion of privacy and goes too far. A quick search on Facebook indicates that our country’s FBI has a very active page: http://www.facebook.com/FBI — which gives every indication that the linkage of social media and law enforcement is our future.

I could not find any evidence of a Twitter account for Tredyffrin Township Police Department. A Facebook page has been set up for the Tredyffrin Police Department but it is not an active site. Tredyffrin Township has a Facebook and Twitter account but maybe dedicated social media sites for our police department, like Willistown Township Police Department, would be a good idea.

Share or Like:
        
 

Tredyffrin’s Board of Supervisors – ‘Team Players’ and TESD Budget Discussions Get Underway

January 4, 2012
20 Comments

As is often the case, Tredyffrin’s Board of Supervisors meeting conflicted with the TESD Board meeting last night. I attended the BOS meeting and Ray Clarke attended the TESD meeting and graciously offered his comments from the meeting.

The Board of Supervisors meeting saw the swearing-in of four supervisors — Paul Olson and JD DiBuonaventuro returning for new 4-year terms, Mike Heaberg starting his first full-term and newly elected Kristen Mayock joining them. Although rumored over the past few weeks, it was probably still a surprise to some that Michelle Kichline was named ‘Chair’ and JD as ‘Vice Chair’ of the Board of Supervisors. The board members themselves nominate and vote on these positions and traditionally, these positions go to the longer serving members of the Board of Supervisors. However, in this case, Michelle received the unanimous support of her fellow board members for the chair position after serving only 2 years as a supervisor and neither as a vice chair. Congratulations to her and to JD as Vice Chair.

It was obvious from the moment that Michelle was named chair that there is going to be a distinctly different tone to the Board of Supervisors – starting with gifts for freshmen supervisor Kristen Mayock and for Tom Hogan, Tredyffrin Township’s former solicitor and newly elected Chester County District Attorney.

Michelle made a special point in describing the qualifications and strengths of each of her fellow supervisors and described the Board of Supervisors as members of the ‘team’ and here to serve all the people. This team approach and sense of community could provide a winning combination for moving the township forward in 2012. There have been some missteps by Board members in the past and we know the Board is faced with some unfinished business from 2011, so here’s hoping this upward movement and spirit of cooperation continues.

As I said, Ray Clarke attended the TESD meeting last night and provides us with some interesting notes below. He mentions the Catholic Schoolclosings and the possible effect this could have on T/E school district. I was surprised to learn that T/E has 600 students who attend Catholic Schools. My guess is that the Catholic school closings may not affect many of these students as it is unlikely that schools which typically draw TESD students like Villa Maria, St. Monica’s, Devon Prep, Malvern Prep and Archbishop Carroll would be on the ‘closing school list’. Nevertheless, this is another dynamic to consider in the school district budget discussions.

TESD Notes from Ray Clarke:

A fair turnout (~50?) for the TESD Board meeting on Monday. They voted 7-2 to apply for Exceptions that allow a property tax increase of 1.6% on top of the 1.7% increase allowed by the Act 1 Index. Much lip service paid to the fact that this was not a vote to actually increase taxes by that amount, although we do know how that works. Brake and Mercogliano were the two dissenters, with the former articulating the danger of the incremental policy-making that will just give us over the next ten years the 50% tax increase we had over the last ten. He wants to give taxpayers a break. He was also the only one to give a realistic assessment ofHarrisburg’s view of PSERS: the options are to increase taxes or reduce benefits – and neither is going to get any political traction in the near future.

Let’s think about PSERS for a minute, because no one seems to be being objective here.

The state allows school districts to increase taxes to fund the increase in contribution to PSERS. Next year that tax increase is $0.94 million, the net PSERS expense increase about $1.1 million – pretty much one for one. That tax increase is about 1%. All the other cost increases ($4 to $5 million in 2012/13) are for things other than PSERS, yet all the school board could do was blame Harrisburg. The PSERS increases for the next two years are a little more (about $1.3 million a year), and then fall $0.7 million in 2015/16, then little changed for a decade or so, before tapering off. We can deal with a $4.4 million net increase in PSERS costs with a 5% tax increase over 4 years, and if we use the $15 million of fund balance set aside for that purpose, we can spread out that tax increase over twice the number of years.

No one wants to think objectively and long term likes this, because that would force attention on the issues within the District’s control:

  • Pay salaries and benefits that the taxpayers can afford
  • Get really rigorous with suppliers of all purchased supplies and services
  • Manage the cost of in-house services (like janitorial, maybe maintenance?) to market levels
  • Accelerate the hard look at nice-to-have things like the extra paid in-service days

Much commentary that about the cuts in FTEs, programs and costs in recent years, but none about where all the money saved has actually gone: employee compensation (and not yet PSERS, either).

It’s time to stop passing the buck!

One factor outside the district’s control, and which could have a major impact on costs: which Catholic schools will the closed, and what will that mean for TE enrollment? There are currently about 600 students living in TE that attend Catholic schools. It was stated that there is to be an announcement of the school closings on Friday.

Another observation: new Board member Kris Graham was a consistent pro-teacher advocate, and tried to invoke the hoary old chestnut that the homestead exemption offsets the property tax increase! Not recognizing that the exemption actually makes the property tax even more regressive. Because the exemption is a fixed amount, unchanged for many years now, the lower the assessed value the greater the effect of a given millage increase. The 3.3% tax increase is actually 3.5% for a home assessed at $150,000 that claims the homestead exemption.

And finally: it was notable that Mike Broadhurst showed his hand, advocating for keeping the janitorial out-sourcing option on the table, not “going too far” with tax increases so that “Harrisburg’s hand will be forced again”, questioning many of the projection model assumptions, and drawing attention to the hardly-new-news that the employee benefit cost is $1,040 per year for a family (but not completing the calculation to show that this is merely 1.2% of the median $85,000 teacher salary).

Share or Like:
        
 

Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisors; I do solemnly swear . . .

January 3, 2012
2 Comments

I do solemnly swear . . .

Tonight at 7 PM, Tredyffrin Township will swear in four supervisors to the Board of Supervisors. Incumbent Paul Olson (R), who narrowly beat his Democratic opponent Tory Snyder in the general election, begins his new term as the most senior and longest-serving member of the Board of Supervisors. John DiBuonaventuro (R) will be sworn in tonight for his second term as supervisor. JD has the distinction of second longest-serving supervisor and ran as an uncontested candidate in the last election. Mike Heaberg (R) will be sworn in for his first full term as a supervisor, having served on the Board in 2011 as an interim supervisor. If you recall, Heaberg was appointed to fill the vacated seat of Warren Kampf, who resigned after winning his State House 157 election. Heaberg won the special election in May; continuing to serve on the Board of Supervisors.

Newly elected to the Board of Supervisors in November’s general election, Kristen Mayock (R) will take her place on the dais among her fellow Republicans. Kristen’s election to the Board leaves a vacancy on the township’s Zoning Hearing Board. Supervisor Michele Kichline, also an attorney, served on the ZHB before her election to the Board of Supervisors. It has been several years since there were three women serving together on the Board – it will be interesting to watch that dynamic at play.

Something else that the women on Tredyffrin’s Board of Supervisors share in common … Mayock, Kichline and EJ Richter are all TTGOP committeewomen. Two years ago, (January 12, 2010) I wrote an article for Community Matters, “Tredyffrin’s Board of Supervisors – Some are Political Party Committee Members – is this OK? Radnor Township Says No for their Commissioners”.

I have been open in my concerns related to political committee people who continue to serve in that capacity once elected to the Board of Supervisors. As I stated in 2010, “… supervisors are elected to serve all the residents, and by remaining a committee person for a particular party, I would think that there is an appearance that a political committee person would ‘lean’ in the direction of their party.”

As was the case in 2010, of the seven members of Tredyffrin’s 2012 Board of Supervisors, we once again have three supervisors who are also TTGOP committee members (Kichline, Richter and Mayock).

Although Tredyffrin Township’s Home Rule Charter does not address this subject, neighboring Radnor Township, which also uses Home Rule Charter for their local government, is very clear on the topic and what they perceive is a conflict of interest:

From Radnor Township’s Home Rule Charter:

§ 21.9-904. Prohibitions.

A. The activities which follow shall be prohibited in the operation of the Township government.

3. Political Party Office. No Township official elected under this Charter, no appointed official, and no full-time Township employee shall hold any elected or appointed political party office.

Under the penalty section, Radnor’s Home Rule Charter further states:

B. Violation of any provision of this Section shall constitute grounds for forfeiture of office, termination of appointment, or dismissal.

So . . . do I expect supervisors Kichline, Richter and Mayock to step down from their TTGOP committee member positions? No. However, as we look ahead to tonight’s Board of Supervisors swearing-in ceremony, I do point to this information as cautionary. Whether political committee members or not, I hope that all our supervisors appreciate that once elected, they are to represent and serve all of the residents of Tredyffrin Township, regardless of political party affiliations.

As the Board of Supervisors starts a new year of service to the community, I offer my best wishes for a successful 2012.

Share or Like:
        
 

Community Matters … A Year in Review (Part 2)

December 31, 2011
7 Comments

It was interesting to read through my Community Matters posts of 2011 and the hundreds of comments but choosing which ones to include in my ‘Year in Review’ was difficult.

Certain topics, including the school district and the primary and general election, were much discussed. For a second year in a row, the sidewalks at St. Davids Golf Club saw much attention on Community Matters. Land development and the struggles between the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors for ‘control’ over future projects will be interesting to watch in 2012.

Absent a crystal ball, my guess is that the T/E School District’s upcoming teacher contract negotiations and the State House 157 race will lead discussions in 2012. I am hopeful that our local economy will move forward in a positive way — maybe the new year will see a tenant for Genuardi’s in Chesterbrook. I have heard that a high-end gym may be in the offering. And Nudy’s will soon be filling the empty Jake’s space in Paoli Village Shoppes.

Below are my picks for the most interesting Community Matters posts of 2011, in chronological order. Here’s wishing you a wonderful 2012 … may we all enjoy good health and happiness in the new year!

1. Should Teachers Be Consulted in School Budget Discussion? January 14, 2011

Do School Board, administration, parents and taxpayers give adequate attention to the opinions of the teachers during budget discussions. As TESD teacher negotiations are to begin shortly, this Community Matters post and its comments are timely to read again.

2. Another Store Closing in Tredyffrin . . . A Suggestion for a Business Task Force February 3, 2011

Eleven months ago, I proposed a “township business task force … a volunteer group of local retired executives, small business owners, and corporate representatives. The group would meet monthly with a mission to spearhead ways to improve existing relationships and provide assistance and a resource for township businesses. This important support group for the business community could provide regular updates and suggestions to the Board of Supervisors.” We know that my suggestion was approved by the BOS, an advisory group set up but . . . nearly a year later, where does it stand? There have been a few stores and restaurants open (Big Lots, Mealey’s, McKenzie’s) but closings and empty stores are everywhere … Genuardi’s, Syms, Jake’s).

3. Looking at Unionville-Chadds Ford School District, is the ‘Handwriting on the Wall’ for T/E? February 22, 2011

A comparative analysis between Unionville-Chadds Ford and T/E School Districts encouraged 62 comments. Both of these school districts are top performing and enjoy similar academic performances. The teacher contract negotiation process in UCF was lengthy and time-consuming – teachers worked for over a year without a contract as both sides battled over the benefit package (specifically health care). Even an independent arbitrator was challenged over the UCF teacher contract process. Is this the handwriting on the wall for T/E?

4. Labor Dispute Between TEEA Teacher Union & T/E School District . . . Claiming Unfair Labor Practices re Online Course Programming March 11, 2011

Another very heated school district debate on Community Matters was the dispute over online E-learning in T/E. The teacher’s union took the stance that the school district was offering courses online to students that could be taught by teachers. They claimed that the work of instruction and assessing students taking online courses is no different from work performed by teachers in the classroom. The school district argued that the E-learning courses fall outside the scope of teacher bargaining.

5. Berwyn Banter . . . Ray Hoffman’s Remarks on Homosexuality Evoke Strong Response from Local Residents April 2, 2011

Ray Hoffman’s Banter column in the Main Line Media news of March 24, 2011 evoked strong response from many residents. In his column, he had referenced his moral outrage over the Catholic Church and priests involved in the child sex scandal. In my opinion, Hoffman stepped ‘over the line’ when he suggested in his column that pedophilia and homosexuality are synonymous; and “the work of evil incarnate and therefore unforgivable”. Although one can describe pedophiles that prey on innocent children as evil and their behavior unforgivable, how could Hoffman impose that same standard in his description of homosexuals? To grow up gay in America, faced with intolerance and persecution can prove an enormous challenge for today’s youth, which made Hoffman’s words all the more painful to read.

6. The Use of Community Matters on Campaign Ad without Permission . . . Illegal or just Disrespectful? May 11, 2011

The use of anonymous comments from Community Matters on political campaign literature without my permission was a very difficult time for me – and in hindsight, I came very close to closing down Community Matters as a result. I had discussions with several attorneys over the matter and quickly arrived at the conclusion that the use of Community Matters by the TTDEMS (without my permission) was not illegal. However, were their actions unethical and disrespectful? These same people had supported me the year before as “one of their own” supervisor candidates – I just could not understand how some of them could disrespect and hurt me in this way. What’s the saying … all’s fair in politics?

7. Unofficial Results from Chester County Indicate Duffy Won by 40 Votes in Tredyffrin’s Special Election . . . Reports of Malfunctioning Voting Machines Add a Twist May 18, 2011

This was one for the history books. Molly Duffy was declared the winner in the special election by 40 votes. Reports of malfunctioning voting machines turned out to be correct. A hand-count of the election ballots a week later found 61 uncounted ballots; as a result Mike Heaberg was named supervisor to fill the vacancy left by Warren Kampf.

8. What’s the meaning of ‘Good Government’? Does it Mean Something Different in Tredyffrin? June 21, 2011

The Board of Supervisors continues delay tactics over the St. Davids Golf Club sidewalk land development project. The supervisors decided that rather than honoring their vote of a few months earlier to leave the land development authority in the hands of the Planning Commission, they presented a new township land development process giving the supervisors more oversight. The issue should not be about sidewalks at St. Davids Golf Club but rather a 6-year old signed land development contract between the club and the township and why it is not enforced.

9. America’s Best High Schools But Where is Conestoga High School? July 23, 2011

It was very surprising to learn that Conestoga High School was missing from Newsweek’s list of best high schools in America. Regardless of whether you give any credence to school rankings, what did it say that every other public high school in the area was on the list but not Conestoga. We learned subsequently that someone in the TESD administration had ‘dropped the ball’ and somehow the paperwork was not returned by the deadline. Although I am still not clear exactly what happened, I am fairly confident that this same mistake will not occur again.

10. Tea Party Agenda by State Rep Warren Kampf; so claims Former State Rep Paul Drucker August 27, 2011

In an op-ed article in Main Line Media News, former State Rep Paul Drucker had some harsh words for some of the choices made by current State Rep Warren Kampf. Drucker accused Kampf of following a ‘tea party agenda’ and pointed out the state’s education cuts, the lack of taxing on Marcellus Shale drilling and the state’s decreased funding of social services. I questioned the timing of the editorial and asked Drucker if he was considering a re-match against Kampf for the 157 district in 2012. At the time I did not receive a definitive answer … wonder if the idea remains a possibility?

11. Light Bulbs . . . Who’s Responsible? Township staff or PECO? October 12, 2011

This was became the starting point for light bulbs in Tredyffrin. I discovered the problem with light bulbs in Chesterbrook has existed for 27 years since the light poles were installed. I did a more ‘scientific’ count and found that there were 37 lights out between Duportail Rd.and Chesterbrook Blvd. I know that the township staff, supervisors and PECO have now held meetings over the matter. I regularly receive emails from residents who report that they are seeing ‘cherry-picker’ trucks with light bulbs being replaced. I am hopeful that supervisor Richter will give a light bulb update at the next BOS meeting – plus here’s hoping for an update on the St. Davids Golf Club sidewalks too.

12. Why Must the Campaign Season be ‘Politics as Usual’ . . . Please, Can it be the Truth? October 26, 2011

One of the most highly commented posts (100+ comments) this was a discussion about the negative ads of election season. Republican and Democratic parties both lowered their bars to slinging mud against each other. The line became so blurred; it was hard to tell the truths from the lies. False and misleading information about school board and supervisor candidates was delivered regularly and had many of us questioning the disappearance of honesty and decency in politics.

13. Election Day 2011 is over . . . Looks like much will remain the same! November 9, 2011

The General Election results showed that all incumbents in the supervisor and school board races won. It should be noted that in the east, it was a very close race between incumbent Paul Olson (R) and Tory Snyder (D). In a nail-biter, Tory lost the race by only 13 votes, returning Olson to the Board of Supervisors for another term. I am not sure but he may have the distinction of having being the longest-serving supervisor. Tredyffrin’s Board of Supervisors will continue as an all-Republican board. Kristen Mayock’s election to the Board adds a third woman and it has been a while since we had that dynamic. In an upset. Jeremy Blackburn (R) was unseated by Analisa Sondergaard (D) as District Judge. Unlike Judge Blackburn, Sondergaard is an attorney who will now fill the seat as District Judge.

14. Police Chief Andy Chambers Tenders Resignation While on Suspension December 20, 2011

The township has a cloak of mystery and drama as the year ends. We learned of an anonymous letter sent to the township supervisors which contained two allegations against Police Chief Andy Chambers. The first allegation, which the Chief admitted was true, involved him allowing his 16-year old son to drive a township police car. While driving the car, the kid was involved in an accident but Chambers took full responsibility for costs of its repair. The supervisors suspended Chambers for (1) allowing his son to drive the police cruiser and (2) his failure to tell the supervisors. While on suspension, the Chief decided to retire on December 30 after 30 years of service. The second allegation contained in the anonymous letter suggested that Chambers had used township time to work on personal business. There was no mention of this allegation by the supervisors so it is not clear whether or not it was investigated or whether or not the allegation is true. The public was not told the reasons for Police Chief Harkness’ departure from the Police Department, so my guess is there will be no further information on Police Chief Chambers.

Share or Like:
        
 

Community Matters … A Year in Review (Part 1)

December 28, 2011
Comments

It’s that time of the year when people all over the Internet are writing their version of the ‘Year in Review’ … picking what they view as the most important news stories of 2011.

However, judging the most ‘important’ news stories is difficult because ‘important’ has many different meanings. For some it might be the finale of Oprah Winfrey’s long-running talk show. Others might choose Kim Kardashian’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it marriage as the most important news story of the year. Personally, I think to be considered important, the story must change the game – a story that redefines the world or shapes the future. In other words, an important news story needs to last longer than Kim Kardashian’s 72-day marriage.

In looking back over 2011, it has been a real year of changes. Below are my choices for the 10 most important news stories of the year, in no specific order:

  1. The end of the war in Iraq. The nearly decade long war in Iraq finally ended and the last American troops marched out a few weeks ago. It’s the end of the war but what lessons were learned? The most obvious one — war is deadly. Over 4,500 Americans lost their lives and 32,000 wounded in this war. Secondly, war is costly – the US spent $1 trillion on the war in Iraq. As with any war, were lessons really learned and will be remembered for the future. One thing we do know – in terms of lives lost and dollars spent — the costs were enormous.
  1. The death of Steve Jobs. The co-founder of Apple Computers, Steve Jobs was a visionary and his death leaves a permanent void in the technology industry. Although Apple will no doubt continue to dominant the technology world into the near future, it is certain it will not be the same without their creative, thinking outside-of-the-box leader. The mastermind behind Apple’s iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac and iTunes – creativity and culture were changed forever by Job’s innovations.
  1. The assassination attempt of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Six people were killed in the shooting and 13 wounded, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. The violent assault by a mentally ill shooter represented an attack on the tradition of the great American town-hall meeting. But will the shooting of Gabriella Giffords have a lasting effect on civil discourse or change the tone of political debate – it may be too early to tell.
  1. The deaths of Osama Bin Laden and Muamar Ghadaffi. A lengthy effort by the US and NATO to overthrow dictators and eliminate terrorists was recognized in the deaths of Bin Laden and Ghadaffi. Navy Seals shot and killed Bin Laden, the militant Islamist and founder of al Qaeda who masterminded the 9/11 attacks. And with the death of Ghadaffi, there comes a new sense of hope and determination for democracy by the Libyan people. 2011 represents the end for two of the world’s most evil terrorists.
  1. The termination of the Space Shuttle program. This year marked the bittersweet end to the Space Shuttle program that began in the 1970s. The end of the Shuttle program means the loss of 3,200 jobs but also marks the end of an era that many of us grew up with – 135 missions and the death of 14 astronauts killed in two separate accidents. Although this chapter closing on the expensive ($200 billion) Space Shuttle program doesn’t mean the end for space exploration, it does represent a sadness in the harsh reality of budget cuts.
  1. The Arab Spring. The world was provided a front row seat to the sudden and explosive wave of pro-democracy protests and demonstrations in Tunisia,Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East through the use of social media technology. Relying heavily on the Internet — Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, social protesting and its reporting was accelerated and seen around the world. Empowered by the technology of the Internet, citizens took to the streets, demanding change for their vision of democracy.
  1. Occupy Wall Street. Social media continued to deliver the news and gain in popularity as seen in the people-powered Occupy Wall Street protest movement that started in NYC but then spread to cities coast to coast. Frustrated with high unemployment, financial collapse and the need for healthcare reform, the spontaneous Occupy movement protestors took to the streets to fight back against the 1%. Although the future of the Occupy movement, particularly during the winter months, is unknown, there is no denying that the movement has gotten the US and the rest of the world talking.
  1. Euro Meltdown. The European debt crisis is in an unstable situation – smaller economies in the 17-member euro zone are hugely indebted to private banks in other parts of Europe, such as Germany. Bad debt originally got out of control in Portugal,Ireland,Greece and Spain. France and Germany have the biggest economies in the euro zone and they very much will dictate what happens in the future. Ironically, the Germans are left to rescue their fellow euro zone members if Europe is to survive economically. If the European financial crisis continues, it will impact the US, further slowing our economic recovery.
  1. The continued downturn of US economy. As the year comes to an end, one can draw the conclusion that it was another disappointing year for the US economy. A major drag on a speedy recovery in 2011 in the US was the housing market. With many homes in foreclosure or bank-owned, real estate values are being driven downward. But beyond the housing bubble burst, there are millions of Americans who want full-time jobs and cannot get a job. Manufacturing in the US is down as more jobs are out-sourced overseas, to low wage countries. And the euro meltdown could potentially drag the US down with it. There is a real fear that if the European financial market collapses,China may not be far behind – and were that to happen, will the US be next.

These nine news stories of 2011 are important and no doubt, there are many more stories that some would suggest are more important. As I said, my news story choices of 2011 are not listed in any particular order of importance.

For personal reasons, the news story that has had the most impact on me in 2011 were the stories of sexual abuse of children.

  1. Child sex abuse cases The Philadelphia District Attorney handed down charges of sexual abuse and extensive cover-up of the abuse by Catholic Church priests. In early 2011, a second grand jury accused the Philadelphia archdiocese of failing to stop the sexual abuse of children more than 5 years after the first grand jury report had documented abuse by more than 50 priests. Once the story surfaced, we learned of several priests in our community on the ‘abuse’ list that were then relieved of their duties.

Sex abuse cover-up in religion versus sports – there is no difference as we witnessed this year. As with the Philadelphia archdiocese, the conspiracy of silence and cover-up to protect the abuser (not the victims) was witnessed again in the Penn State University scandal. Former coach Jerry Sandusky is accused of sexually abusing a number of young boys over the years and Penn State officials (including head coach Joe Paterno) were forced out of their jobs because they were thought to have known about the abuse and did nothing to stop it.

I cannot imagine the courage it must take for the victims of sexual abuse to come forward. These stories and other stories of sexual abuse anger me and I cannot understand how the young victims survive their tortured childhood — it is truly sad that there were no adults in their young lives who protected them. As adults, victims of childhood sexual abuse must live with their painful memories and these high-profile cases must have them reliving their childhood pain over and over.

These are my top 10 news stories of 2011 but there are so many other important stories, including the Japanese deadly earthquake and tsunami, Republican Party debates, the devastating Joplin, Missouri earthquake, Britain’s Royal Wedding, the ‘not guilty’ verdict in the Casey Anthony trial, and the East Coast earthquake, just to name a few more.

A Year in Review (Part 1) are my picks for the top 10 most important news stories of 2011. My Year in Review (Part 2) choices will focus on local stories – picking important stories from Community Matters posts of 2011.

Share or Like:
        
 

Merry Christmas versus Happy Holiday . . . Does it Really Matter?

December 24, 2011
3 Comments

Each of us may have different traditions with different memories and different stories of the celebration of our holidays, but our wishes are all the same. Whether one is Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or any other faith is not the important lesson of the season. Believing in the spirit of the holiday season – whatever or whomever you choose or choose not to believe in – is a special time and a time to reach out to the less fortunate.

No matter whom you might worship, or not worship, or by what creed, faith, or practice you choose to acknowledge isn’t what is important. It is the empathy to understand there are many who are not as lucky to have a warm bed, a roof over their head, or food on their table. To understand and to give to those of us less fortunate is what makes us human and this time of the year special, not whether you say the words “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”.

The disagreement over the use of Merry Christmas versus Happy Holidays leaves some people worried about offending someone of their choice of greetings. At times, this ‘politically correctness’ debate reaches a dull roar, often so loud that you can barely make out the “peace on earth, goodwill to men” feeling that we should be all be sharing.

The holiday season should remind us that it is not about words but rather about caring about others and respecting their traditions. It is the charity in our hearts to consider others, to volunteer our time, to donate and to try to make this world a better place, each in our own special way.

President Ronald Reagan delivered a Christmas address to the nation thirty years ago. Three decades later, his words are as meaningful today as they were in 1981.

“In spite of everything, we Americans are still uniquely blessed, not only with the rich bounty of our land but by a bounty of the spirit — a kind of year-round Christmas spirit that still makes our country a beacon of hope in a troubled world and that makes this Christmas and every Christmas even more special for all of us who number among our gifts the birthright of being an American.” ~ Ronald Reagan

In closing, it is not whether you say Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or Season’s Greetings but rather it is about believing in the spirit of the season.

To all who read Community Matters, best wishes to you and your families this holiday season. And may we all learn to practice tolerance and appreciate the gift of respecting each other’s holidays and traditions.

Share or Like:
        
 

Your Holiday Twinkle Lights Could Net You $500 & T/E School District Could Win $100,000!

December 24, 2011
Comments

Patch.com (owned by AOL) is running a special nationwide holiday “Deck the House” contest for their 860 local Patch sites. Our local patch site is TE Patch and Bob Byrne is the editor.

All of us that have holiday decorations and lights on our homes should enter the contest. Contest entry period is open until Monday, December 26 at 11:59 PM. Nominate your home by uploading a photo for the contest and entering the contest. Here’s the link to enter: deckthehouse.patch.com/contest/media.patch.com.

At the conclusion of the entry period, a Patch.com employee will judge one winner chosen from each of the 860 local Patch sites. Judging will be based equally on the following “judging criteria”:

  • Creativity
  • Festive nature of decorations
  • Capturing the spirit of the winter holidays

The Judge will select 24 finalists that will proceed to the National Voting Phase which begins starts at 9 AM on December 30, 2011 and ends at 11:59 PM on January 8, 2012. The twenty-four (24) high scorers are named the finalists and each will receive $500 to use for December electric bills. For the Grand Prize Winner who receives the highest number of votes, Patch will donate $100,000 to the public school system where the winning home is located.

Enter right now as the Deadline is Monday, December 26, 2011 at 11:59 PM!

Rules and details of the contest: http://www.patch.com/info_page/patchs-deck-the-house-contest

Share or Like:
        
 

Planning a Flash Mob? Better Keep it Quiet! The Noteable ‘Mobsters’ Perform in Wegmans’ Fruit & Vegetable Department

December 22, 2011
5 Comments

What is a ‘Flash Mob’?

For some, it is joining in with a crowd of strangers to dance in sync to the latest Lady Gaga song at a weekly exercise class. While many would be happy to keep their spastic limbs private, some groups of people prefer to gather spontaneously in a public space and perform a coordinated song or dance to thrill unwitting onlookers with their efforts.

According to Wikipedia, “A flash mob (or flashmob) [1] is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and sometimes seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, and/or artistic expression.”

The participants in a flash mob – the ‘mobsters’, behave in a predetermined manner for a predetermined amount of time, and then quickly disperse. A successful flash mob event depends on the element of surprise.

Of course, the meet-up and the performances of a flash mob are entirely coordinated and often rehearsed. If you are planning a flash mob, you had better keep it quiet. However, sometimes that can be easier said then done, especially if the group of people participating is 20 middle-aged women.

For the past 28 years, I have been a member and the public relations person for the Noteables, a women’s singing group from the Main Line – Valley Forge area whose 20-25 members sing in 4-part harmony. Under the musical direction of Christine Puk, the Noteables perform a holiday concert series and a spring concert series with 8-10 concerts each season for audiences of nursing and retirement homes, veterans groups and for special local events.

Although family commitments, travel and jobs may at times, take Noteable members away from the Noteables, the groups’ motto is “Once a Noteable – Always a Noteable!”

Our final Noteable concert of the season on Monday was followed by a special holiday luncheon. During the luncheon and gift exchange, a couple of members had the idea that the Noteables needed one final performance of the season.

A couple of glasses of wine later and we were planning a ‘flash mob’. But where . . . ?

Any of you that are regular followers of Community Matters, know of my fascination and enthusiasm for Wegmans so . . . I decided the Noteable’s Flash Mob performance should be at ‘my Wegmans’, in their fruits and vegetable department.

Tonight at 6 PM, performing between the cantaloupes and the tomatoes, the Noteables sang ‘Rockin’ the Baby’ and a jazzy version of ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’. Proving once again that you never are ‘too old’, the Noteables can now add ‘Flash Mob’ to their list of memories!

Here’s the YouTube linkto our Noteable Flash Mob in the Wegmans Fruit and Vegetable Department. Tonight’s performance is dedicated to MJ Ormsbee and Natalie Zipkin . . . your dreams have now come true!

Share or Like:
        
 

Police Chief Andy Chambers Tenders Resignation While on Suspension

December 20, 2011
18 Comments

At last night’s Board of Supervisors meeting, we learned that Police Chief Andy Chambers would resign from the Tredyffrin Twp Police Department, effective December 20, 2011.

Chairman Bob Lamina read a prepared statement that indicated that Chambers made this personal decision to resign while serving a four-day suspension. Last week, the supervisors had suspended Chambers for allowing his 16-year old son to drive a township police car, and his failure to report the incident to the Board of Supervisors. The son was involved in an accident with the township vehicle but Chambers had taken responsibility for all associated costs (towing, repair, etc.) and the car is back in service.

As I have previously stated, and do so again – Andy Chambers is a good guy. Did he have a momentary lapse in judgment? Yes. But now, unfortunately he feels that the price for his mistake is resignation. I do not think that Chambers was under any pressure from the supervisors to resign. As far as the supervisors were concerned, the four-day suspension had settled the matter for supervisors.

I cannot imagine how difficult the last couple of weeks have been for Andy Chambers and his family. We all make mistakes in our lives but most live with the consequences privately. Chief Chambers’ mistake became public and the public scrutiny of his actions, no doubt painful for him and his family. As Lamina read in his statement, Chambers decided that his retirement was the right thing to do for the Tredyffrin police department and for the community. I am guessing that Chief Chambers’ suspension served as an opportunity for personal reflection on he concluded the decision to leave the police department was the right answer for him and his family.

I thank Chief Chambers for his 30 years of service to the community; and offer him best wishes for the future. And, for the record . . . in my book, you still are a ‘good guy’.

In other news from the supervisors meeting, the township budget was approved for 2012. Originally, the budget contained a 6.9% millage tax increase for 2012 but in the final budget, the supervisors lessened the increase to 3.5% millage tax increase. The final budget increase was shaved by reducing professional services and by reducing police hours. The 2012 township budget passed with a 6-1 vote. EJ Richter was the only supervisor to vote against the budget, stating that she was opposed to any tax increase.

The Board of Supervisors meeting marked the final supervisors meeting for Chairman Bob Lamina. After serving 13 years on the Board, Lamina did not seek re-election in the last election and will complete his term at the end of December. Several former supervisors attended last night’s meeting including John Shimrak, Judy DiFilippo, Paul Drucker and John Bravacos. Former and current supervisors joined members of the public and township staff at a reception following the meeting to thank Lamina for his years of service to the community.

Share or Like:
        
 

Santa Arrives Early for Paoli Blues Fest … Chester County Conference & Visitors Bureau Awards Festival $10,000 Marketing Grant!

December 18, 2011
3 Comments

Christmas came early this year for the Paoli Blues Fest!

Paoli Blues Fest, Inc. was notified on Friday that we are a 2012 grant recipient from the Chester County Conference & Visitors Bureau Foundation. The Chester County Commissioners approved the CCCVB recommendations for grant recipients and Commissioner Ryan Costello confirmed the $10,000 award with a personal note of congratulations.

Thank you CCCVB for choosing the Paoli Blues Fest to receive one of the top 2012 marketing awards and thank you to our county commissioners for approving the recommendations.

This matching fund award for event marketing will guarantee that the fourth annual blues festival and street fair on Saturday, October 6, 2012 will be even bigger and better than previous years! Below is the press release for the award:

Paoli Blues Fest and Street Fair is Awarded $10,000 as 2012 Grant Recipient from Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau Foundation

Just in time for the holidays, the Chester County Commissioners approved the grant recommendations of the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau Foundation and the Paoli Blues Fest and Street Fair is a 2012 grant recipient.

Co-chairing the annual blues festival and street fair with Marie Thibault, owner of Partners Advertising, the organization is always looking for funding opportunities. Costs for the annual event are approximately $50K and the country’s economic climate has caused challenges for fund-raising. In addition to funding challenges, the event marketing and marketing costs continue to increase each year, as John Fattibene, partner in Harvest Financial and treasurer of Paoli Blues Fest, Inc. will attest. Generous support for the Paoli Blues Fest is received from individuals and local company and corporate sponsorships, including Paoli Hospital, Paoli Village Shoppes, Malvern Federal Bank, PECO and WXPN, to name a few. Additionally, Paoli Blues Fest receives generous advertising from many sources including Main Line Today Magazine, Main Line Neighbors, Main Line Suburban, the Philadelphia Inquirer and County Life Magazine.

Taking on the role of grant writer for Paoli Blues Fest, Inc., I was thrilled when our non-profit organization was awarded a grant in September from the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts. This prestigious 2012 Philadelphia Arts Alliance award of $2,000 puts the blues festival among the best arts programs and events in the tri-county region. After only three years, the Paoli Blues Fest has grown to be the largest annual blues festival in the greater Philadelphia region with approximately 15,000 people attending in the festival in 2011.

Encouraged by the grant award from the PA Council of the Arts, I applied for a marketing grant from the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau Foundation for the 2012 annual blues festival. The CCCVB contributes half of the collected hotel occupancy tax to the Foundation and this provides the major source of funding for the grant program. In addition, individuals and corporations also make tax-deductible contributions to the Foundation.

The Chester County Commissioners approved the 2012 grant recommendations of the CCCVB and I received the notice and a personal note of congratulations for the Paoli Blues Fest from County Commissioner Ryan Costello on Friday, December 17. The CCCVB awarded a total of $163,300 for 2012 capital grants and marketing and event awards to 21 non-profit organizations. The grants awarded ranged from $800 for the Brandywine Singers to a capital grant of $20,000 to the Schuylkill River Heritage Center for its visitors center. In the marketing and event category, the Paoli Blues Fest was awarded one of the top honors with a $10,000 grant.

As anyone who has written a grant application knows, the process can be tedious and time-consuming, especially given our current economic climate. Because of funding challenges, the competition for grant money has become more competitive and the grant requirements more rigorous. The Paoli Blues Fest Board of Directors and committee are overwhelmed by the generous CCCVB award and honored to be chosen as a 2012 recipient.

The fourth annual blues festival and street fair may not be until October 6, 2012 but the planning will begin in January. The committee is a core group of dedicated individuals who meet throughout the year, planning every detail for the one-day event. The annual blues festival and street fair is a great way to get involved in the community and we are always looking for new volunteers to join us. Whether it is serving on the festival committee or helping out in the beer and wine garden on the day of the blues festival, there is plenty to do and something for everyone.

If you are interested in helping with the 2012 Paoli Blues Fest and street fair, email Pattye Benson at tredyffrincommunitymatters@gmail.com or call 610.644.6759.

Share or Like:
        
 
Community Matters © 2025 Frontier Theme