Pattye Benson

Community Matters

Louis Horvath

Still undecided on TE School Board & Tredyffrin Twp candidates? ‘Meet & Greet’ at St. Davids Golf Club on Wednesday, Oct. 28

meet-the-candidates

Still undecided? Here’s another opportunity to meet the Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisor and TE School Board candidates before Election Day on Tuesday, November 3. The Panhandle Civic Association is sponsoring a “meet & greet” on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 7-8:30 PM. See information below:

CANDIDATES MEET AND GREET

OCTOBER 28, 2015

The Panhandle Civic Association is sponsoring a Candidates Meet and Greet on Wednesday, October 28, 2015. The gathering will be held at the St. Davids Golf Club, 845 Radnor Street Road, Radnor, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. This will be an informal affair providing you the opportunity to speak one on one with the candidates of both parties, to ask questions and to share thoughts and concerns. Please come prepared to ask our candidates where they stand on issues that matter to you.

Candidates for Region 1 School Board and attending the Meet and Greet:

Neal Colligan (R)

Roberta Hotinski (D)

Todd Kantorczyk (D)

Neill Kling (R)

Candidates for District 1 Board of Supervisors and attending the Meet and Greet:

Paul Olson (R)

Tory Snyder (D)

Candidates for At Large Board of Supervisors and attending the Meet and Greet:

Elva Bankins (D)

Lou Horvath (D)

Trip Lukens (R)

Sean Moir (R)

Although not required for attendance, we would like to have reasonable sense of how many people will be coming to this meeting. Please let your Block Captain know if you plan to be at the event, or send an email to: j.k.lindberg@att.net. Please indicate if you are a resident of the Panhandle.

There is no charge for anyone to attend this gathering. Light appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages will be available from the Club. If non-Panhandle residents want to take advantage of this service, they will be charged $10.00.

For questions about this event, please email Christine Wright at wright502@verizon.net.

Improving Public Communication and Transparency, School Fencing, Real Estate Development, Tax Increases — All Important Issues to Tredyffrin Voters

Candidates for the TE School Board and the Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisors participated in a ‘Meet the Candidate’ forum sponsored by Chester County League of Women Voters on Saturday. As an audience member, it was clear that as voters we are lucky as most of the candidates had done their homework. The candidates were prepared, understood the important issues and were able to present their views effectively. The township and the school district are fortunate to have qualified community members willing to take on the challenges of elected office.

Improving public communication and transparency, fencing at Valley Forge Middle School, yearly tax increase, real estate development and pension reform remain important issues with residents. The candidates addressed resident questions regarding these issues and others on Saturday.

If you were unable to attend the candidate forum, you can find a rebroadcast on the township website as follows.

Click here to view the Chester County League of Women Voters ‘Meet the TE School Board Candidates.

Click here to view the Chester County League of Women Voters ‘Meet the Tredyffrin Township Candidates’

Election Day is a week from tomorrow, Tuesday, November 3. Before casting your vote, know the candidates!

On Thursday, October 29 at the Tredyffrin Township building, the Chesterbrook Civic Association is sponsoring a ‘Meet the Candidates’ event. Open to the public, this will be a good opportunity to ask specific questions of the supervisor and school board candidates. Please plan to attend.

Meet the Candidates 2015
Township Building, 7:00 – 8:30pm
Thursday Oct. 29

Board of Supervisor candidates in attendance:
Democrats
Elva Bankins, Lou Horvath, and Yolanda VanderKrol
Republicans
Trip Lukens and Heather Greenberg

School Board candidates in attendance:
Republicans
Ed Sweeney and Kris Graham
Democrats
Michele Burger and Alan Yockey

Come and ask the tough questions about tax increases, development, student safety, fencing at VFMS, and funding for the fire and ambulance company. Be an informed voter: this election matters.

Sponsored by the Chesterbrook Civic Association

Like many community residents, Chesterbrook resident Doug Anestad has voiced concerns related to the fencing plans at Valley Forge Middle School. Doug sent the following email on October 10 to each TE School Board candidate. He received responses from all school board candidates except for two — Doug did not have a valid email address for Fran Reardon (D) and incumbent Kris Graham (R) elected not to respond.

Dear T/E School Board Candidate,

I would like to get your official position regarding some questions concerning the Valley Forge Middle School proposed fences. Your reply by end of the day Saturday, October 17 would be most appreciated. 1) Where do you stand on the Valley Forge Middle School fence issue?

2) Do you think it is a good use of taxpayer money to spend $15,500 to hire a safety consultant to review the VFMS site?

3) Would you support installing additional fencing at VFMS if the safety consultant recommends it? If you would support additional fencing, how would you reconcile this with the public’s right to use the walkways?

Thank you for your time in addressing these questions.

Regards,

Doug Anestad

If you want to know where the school board candidates stand on the fencing issue you can read their full responses to Doug’s questions — click here.

Tredyffrin Township At-Large supervisor candidates Elva Bankins, Louis Horvath, Trip Lukens & Sean Moir respond

Supervisor Candidates for Tredyffrin Township, At-Large
Elva Bankins (D)
Louis Horvath (D)
Trip Lukens (R)
Sean Moir (R)

The Tredyffrin Township Supervisor candidates were asked to answer the following question in 500 words or less.

Please identify a specific character trait that makes you an effective leader. Give an example(s) of how you have utilized that personal characteristic in previous leadership position and, if elected, how residents will benefit from that particular trait. Be specific.

The four candidate responses follow below in alphabetical order according to last name. If your question and/or comment is for a specific candidate, please refer to that individual by name so as not to confuse the reader. Voters will select two of these candidates on November 3 for the Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisors.

Tredyffrin Township Supervisor Candidate Elva Bankins (D)
At-Large

Communication & Active Listener

With 20+ years of experience in corporate management, technology start-ups and non-profit board leadership, I bring an ability to communicate by actively listening and understanding the needs of others. A small business owner and certified leadership coach, I am a communicator who believes in an open and transparent approach to decision-making and resolving issues.

One example of how I utilized my communication and active listening skills within several disparate groups was in my leadership role with a career services firm. The firm’s purpose was to assist employees who were downsized or “laid off” with their job search. As the general manager, I served several different constituencies with varied and conflicting interests. For example, there were two types of customers; one was my corporate customer who paid for their employee’s services and the other was the effected employee who utilized the services. Additionally, there were many full-time, part-time and contractors who worked for the firm. My responsibilities were extensive. I managed the budget process (P&L), facilities, operations, sales and customer satisfaction. My communications and listening skills while working with multiple constituents were critical to the success of this multi-site operation.

At the request of our corporate customers, the firm opened an office location in the Westlake’s Office Complex in Berwyn, PA. I had continuous meetings with the realtors, our firm’s controller, telecommunications reps, movers, etc., and our employees to ensure a smooth and successful new office opening. While communicating and listening to many constituents, I held costs under budget for the move, ensured customer satisfaction and maintained open and transparent communications throughout the process.

How will this trait benefit Tredyffrin Residents?

If I am elected to the Board of Supervisors, Tredyffrin residents will benefit by getting a communicator who is an active listener. A 22+ year resident of this township, the Board will gain a business professional who can listen to multiple constituents and who will work tirelessly for successfully outcomes. If elected, my vision is to foster closer relationships with our residents and companies that conduct business in Tredyffrin to build a closer sense of community. As a communicator, I bring compassion and a responsible and prudent approach to decision-making while seeking new ways to ensure that we are focused on building a foundation that solidifies the future of Tredyffrin Township and our residents.

Tredyffrin Township Supervisor Candidate Louis Horvath (D)
At-Large

Character traits that best describe me are my lifelong determination to achieve competency, serve others and be a person of the highest integrity.

I am from a humble background. I grew up in the coal region of Western Pennsylvania as the son of a coal miner and a cleaning lady who were not able to attend high school. My roots have provided me with the values of humility, respect and service to all people.

I began my devotion to service at the age of 15 when I entered the Catholic seminary to study for the priesthood. My original intention was to serve others as a missionary in South America. But after graduating from college, I decided to seek a different vocational direction. I completed my graduate studies in Community Health at Temple University and embarked on a rewarding career in health care and education.

My professional career started as a clinician counseling people with alcohol addiction and their families. As I grew in my understanding of the disease, I developed a comprehensive program that improved successful outcomes in meeting patient needs.

My career grew in senior management by enhancing medical services in hospital settings; coordinating mental health services at three organizations; and serving the elderly and special needs children through care management and home care services.

With over 25 years of successful leadership experience in managing health services, addressing and responding to the special needs of the community and listening to their concerns, my journey as a health care administrator and university educator has equipped me with the knowledge, skills and competency to serve the community as a Township Supervisor. They include:

  • Managing employees and benefit administration
  • Monitoring large budgets and capital improvements
  • Improving information system;
  • Leading growth and change in multiple organizations

For three years now I have been fully committed to motivating and guiding students at St. Joseph’s University to become future leaders. I tell my students they will achieve as leaders through determination and by remaining true to themselves and their highest values.

I am an individual committed to the ethical principles of autonomy, which entails respect for others, social justice, and having the courage to do the right thing in the right way. A person of high expectations of self and others, I would like to serve in the best interest of the community. I do my research and homework and base decisions on facts and truth. My interest in service is rooted in my family background, my career in health services and in higher education.

Finally, my strength lies in my spirituality and integrity.

Tredyffrin Township Supervisor Candidate Trip Lukens (R)
At-Large

Consensus Builder

I am a proven consensus builder. For the last eight years, I have served Tredyffrin Township as a member of the Planning Commission. For four of those years, I was elected by a bipartisan group of my peers to serve as either the Vice Chairman or Chairman.

During my eight years of service, I have worked with individuals with competing interest to craft compromises that have worked well for the township. I have been active in advocating for our communities. I was involved in drafting the Township’s Comprehensive and Historic Preservation plans. I have worked to modernize the Township’s zoning ordinances. Those efforts continue as I work to address problems that remain within the Zoning Code which have allowed for excessive density in some of the Township’s Zoning Districts. I have worked diligently to reduce the impact of Storm Water throughout the Township.

My ability to build consensus and to be a bipartisan leader is illustrated by the fact that three former Democratic candidates for Supervisor chose to contribute financially to my campaign to become a Tredyffrin Township Supervisor.

The makeup of the next Board of Supervisors will have members of both parties. The Township will be best served by having a Supervisor with a history of working with people of differing points of view. Given my eight years of service on the Planning Commission and my professional experience in real estate and finance, I believe I am uniquely qualified to serve as a member of the Board of Supervisors.

As a father of three young children, I know how important it is for the Township to provide and support top notch police and fire departments, great municipal parks, and excellent libraries. Tredyffrin Township is a wonderful place to live and I consider myself blessed to be able to raise a family here. Departing Supervisors Mike Heaberg, Kristen Mayock, and J.D. DiBuonaventuro have provided a history of delivering an excellent level of service from the Township with a proven history of excellent fiscal management. I intend to continue this legacy.

Tredyffrin Township Supervisor Candidate Sean Moir (R)
At-Large

Consensus Builder

As a member of Tredyffrin’s Park Board for the last ten years, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a number of projects that directly affect the daily lives of township residents. Sometimes these involve virtually unquestionable community improvements – like the new scoreboard at Wilson Park – but sometimes the projects also require community buy-in. In these latter cases it’s important to have the ability to act as a consensus builder.

Over the last year I’ve been working on an initiative to establish a safe and convenient access to the Chester Valley Trail from D’Ambrosia Park. This has required working closely with neighboring residents, Supervisors, Park Board members, Public Works, township staff, the Friends of the Chester Valley Trail, Chester County Parks and Facilities, and the adjacent landowner, to develop a mutually agreeable solution for trail access.

When I first approached the Supervisors about this idea in early 2014 there was some concern about neighborhood reaction, so I was asked to contact the residents to discuss the idea. I invited a group of neighbors to attend a Park Board meeting where I presented a possible plan for the D’Ambrosia trail access. There were about a dozen residents in attendance and they expressed their concerns primarily about increased traffic and privacy issues. After demonstrating how we could address these issues, we called for a vote and the neighbors unanimously and enthusiastically agreed to support the project.

After various follow-up meetings on and off site with residents and township staff to discuss possible trail alignments, we developed a plan that was approved by the Supervisors. I also met with representatives from the Friends of the Chester Valley Trail, as well as Chester County Parks and Facilities to formalize a connection agreement. Since this access requires crossing a small section of private property, I contacted the property owner, and managed to foster an agreement between his attorney and the township solicitor.

The project is now in the construction phase, and should be open to the public next spring.

This particular example demonstrates that even the most seemingly simple of public projects can require buy-in from a vast array of stakeholders, any of whom could cause an initiative to stall out. It is critical in these cases to always respect the wishes of all parties involved, especially residents who don’t necessarily have an official role in municipal projects. Only then, through thoughtful consensus building and perseverance, can a public project succeed.

As a Park Board member, I have demonstrated the ability to bring people together to accomplish many objectives. Not only with trail access, but I did it with the Conestoga Road sidewalk project in 2009, the scoreboard at Wilson Park last year, and I’m currently working with the Audubon Society’s Tredyffrin Bird Town chapter to create a bird sanctuary at Westover Park in Devon.

As Supervisor I would apply the same consensus building approach to bigger projects whether they involve the parks, libraries, infrastructure, stormwater, planning, or public safety.

Primary Election 2015 Results for Tredyffrin Board of Supervisors and School Board Races: Amidst Low Turnout, Results Indicate Interest in Change

Your vote mattersPrimary Election 2015 was yesterday and Chester County Voter Services has now calculated the results. Tredyffrin Township has 9,003 registered Republicans and 8,146 registered Democrats. For Primary Day, it was nearly a dead heat of Republicans and Democrats showing up to vote. Approximately 17.8% of the registered Democrats voted (1,447 voters) and 17.7% of the registered Republicans voted (1,596 voters) yesterday. If you want your vote to matter, you have to vote!

I received some early inaccurate results however the following information is verified from the County website. In reviewing the cumulative results, the total vote count for the Board of Supervisor races are as follows:

Tredyffrin Township Supervisor: At-Large
Sean Moir(R) 1,378
Trip Lukens(R) 1,316
Elva Bankins(D) 1,264
Lou Horvath(D) 1,253

Two at-large seats are available on the Board of Supervisors and no incumbents are in the race. Republicans Mike Heaberg and Kristen Mayock are current at-large supervisors and are not seeking re-election. Both having previously run unsuccessfully for the Board of Supervisors, Moir and Lukens received the highest number of votes in yesterday’s Primary Election. Political newcomers, Democrats Bankins and Horvath followed closely behind Moir and Lukens in total votes.

Tredyffrin Township Supervisor: District 3: West
Yolanda Van de Krol(D) 444
Heather Greenberg (R) 416

Currently serving Western District supervisor John DiBuonaventuro is not seeking reelection. Both newcomers to the municipal supervisor races, Van de Krol received the highest number of votes in the Primary Election.

Tredyffrin Township Supervisor: District 1: East
Paul Olson(R) 466
Tory Snyder(D) 464

The District 1 supervisor race has a re-match between Tredyffrin Township Planning Commissioner chair Tory Snyder(D) and Paul Olson(R), the longest-serving supervisor in the history of the township. If you recall, in 2011, this particular supervisor race was extremely close with only 13 votes separating them in the General Election. For Primary Election 2015, Olson received only two more votes than Snyder. It doesn’t get much closer, it’s going to be interesting to see what happens over the next 6 months.

For many people, the Board of Supervisor races have taken a backseat to the TE School Board races.

Five of the nine seats on the school board are available. Four Board members, Karen Cruickshank (D), Pete Motel(R), Jim Bruce(R) and Liz Mercogliano(R) are not seeking reelection. The fifth available school board seat is held currently by Board President Kris Graham(R) who is seeking reelection.

The unresolved school fencing issues, the very expensive $4 million + maintenance building and the outsourcing of the aides and paraeducators are just three school district issues that recently have had some of us questioning the decisions of the current school board. The Primary Election results indicate an interest from the community in ‘change’, particularly the numbers in Tredyffrin, Region 2.

TE School Board: Tredyffrin West, Region 2
Michele Burger(D) 1138
Ed Sweeney(R) 922
Kris Graham(R) 764
Alan Yockey(D) 691*
(*Not cross-filed)

In the only school board race with an incumbent, Democrat Michele Burger has a commanding lead, with more than 200 votes separating her and Republican Ed Sweeney, with incumbent Kris Graham(R) in third place. With only two seats available in Region 2, if the General Election were held today it would mean that incumbent Kris Graham would no longer be sitting on the school board.

TE School Board: Tredyffrin East, Region 1
Roberta Hotinski(D) 604
Todd Kantorczyk (D) 572
Neal Colligan(R) 495
George Anderson(R) 398*
(*Not cross-filed)

Two positions on the school board are available in Region 1. All political newcomers, the Democratic candidates Roberta Hotinski and Todd Kantorczyk received the two highest vote totals in the Primary Election.

In addition to the Region 1 and Region 2 seats in Tredyffrin Township, Region 3 in Easttown Township has one seat available. Currently serving school board director Dr. Pete Motel(R) is not seeking reelection.

The Primary Election results for Easttown, Region 3 have Republican Kate Murphy receiving 610 votes and Democratic Fran Reardon receiving 268 votes. Reardon did not cross-file. Although both Murphy and Reardon themselves are newcomers to the school board races, Murphy is the daughter of a well-known local political family, Steve and Carol Aichele. Steve Aichele served as the Chief of Staff for former PA Governor Tom Corbett. Carol Aichele served as Secretary of the Commonwealth under Corbett and previously served as a Chester County Commissioner and TE School Board member.

The results of the Region 2 School Board race should be a message not just to incumbent Kris Graham but to the entire school board. More and more people are ‘tuning in’ as to what is going on and do not necessarily support some of this Board’s decisions. Whether it is the increasing taxes, school fencing, outsourcing of District employees, an over-priced maintenance building, lack of transparency, etc. – these votes reflect a desire for change. The Board needs to accept that this is no longer a ‘few discontents’ but that more and more residents are paying attention and are troubled by some of their decisions.

It will be interesting to see if the Primary Election proves to be an indicator for what we will see in November. It is six months until the General Election and much can happen between now and then, particularly with the addition of the Independent voters. Pennsylvania does not allow Independent voters a voice in the Primary Election but come November, our votes will count! I am sure that the local political analysts will have more to say on the Primary Election results and I welcome the discussion.

In closing, I have to include this photo from Primary Day. I ran into the Democrat and Republican chairs (Kathleen Keohane and Neill Kling) at Our Lady of the Assumption, one of the voting locations yesterday and they generously posed for this photo. Although I’m delighted to include it here on Community Matters, I challenged each of them to include it on the respective websites!

Kathleen Keohane and Neill Kling

Kathleen Keohane, Tredyffrin Democratic Party Chair with Neill Kling, Chair of Tredyffrin Township Republican Committee on Primary Election Day, Our Lady of the Assumption.

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