Pattye Benson

Community Matters

Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust

Trust’s Historic House Tour – Saturday, September 25th – Please Support Historic Preservation

September 16, 2010
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Saturdays are always busy, especially during September and October. But if you are looking for something to do . . . why not the Trust’s 6th Annual Historic House Tour.

Always a community favorite for the Trust, this year’s tour will not disappoint – there’s something for everyone! Eights houses are featured on the tour, including 5 homes in Tredyffrin and 3 in Easttown Township. If you are a follower of Community Matters and enjoy the posts and interaction, I ask you to help me with ticket sales. Here’s a ticket order form for the house tour, please pass it on to neighbors and co-workers. A special thank you to Tom Murray and Blair Meadowcroft for supporting the house tour – Blair’s article on the house tour in this week’s edition of Main Line Suburban newspaper is below.

Explore your community’s history by supporting historic preservation . . .

Stage is Set for House Tour in Tredyffrin

By Blair Meadowcroft

Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust’s sixth annual Historic House Tour set for Sept. 25 will feature eight homes in Tredyffrin Township. The theme for this year’s tour is a focus on Berwyn and Strafford, giving tour participants a chance to view the similarities and differences of houses that in some cases were built around the same time.

The tour, which is rain-or-shine, costs $35 and you must buy tickets in advance. Proceeds from the event have always gone towards the Jones Log Barn project, which was one of the reasons why the House Tour was started.

“I organized the first historic House Tour for several reasons,” said Pattye Benson, president of the Trust. “The Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust needed to raise money for the rebuilding of the Jones Log Barn; all proceeds from the annual tour continue to go toward that project. Additionally there was never a dedicated Historic House Tour for Tredyffrin and Easttown townships, and I wanted to share my passion for old houses with the community. Those of us that live in Tredyffrin and Easttown townships are fortunate to live in one of the most historic areas of the country.”

Benson’s love for historic houses can be seen in her own home, the Great Valley House, circa 1690. This house owned by Benson and her husband is the township’s oldest.

“Our house was on the Devon House Tour 15 years ago and subsequently I was on Devon’s House Tour board for a few years,” said Benson. “I learned a lot about house tours from both the homeowner side as a house-tour participant and from the committee side. I thought I could take what I had learned, create the Trust’s House Tour and share the beautiful historic homes. Six years later the Trust’s House Tour is one of our most anticipated yearly events.”

In the tour’s six years there have been 48 different houses exhibited, plus the Wharton Esherick Museum; the Baptist Church in the Great Valley; two schoolhouses, Diamond Rock Octagonal and Old Eagle School; and eight Revolutionary War general’s headquarters. Also, no house has been shown twice.

“The Historic House Tour has had a wide range of interest throughout the years,” said Benson. “There are old-house owners who like seeing what others have done with their houses. There are people who love history or architecture and enjoy learning all about the house’s past. We have people on the tour who have always dreamed of being an old-house owner but think that they are museums and not possibly for a family.”

According to Benson, another reason behind the House Tour is to show people that old houses can accommodate today’s families.

“Through the Historic House Tour I hope to change people’s minds and encourage old-house ownership, even for those with young families,” said Benson. “In fact six of the eight houses featured on this year’s House Tour have owners with young children.”

It is with the help of willing homeowners that the House Tour can take place each year, and it is to these homeowners that the Trust and all involved are extremely grateful, according to Benson.

“The homeowners have been wonderfully receptive to the House Tour over the years,” said Benson. “I’m so grateful that they are opening their doors to the public.”

On House Tour day, participants pick up their guest badges, maps and brochure, which gives a detailed history of each of the houses, at DuPortail House in Chesterbrook between 11 a.m. and noon. The tour, which goes from noon to 5 p.m., is self-guided and there’s no set order to see the houses.

“Each of the houses on the tour is staffed by a board member of the Trust who acts as the official docent,” said Benson. “In addition to the designated board member, the house is staffed with sufficient volunteers to make sure that guests enjoy the tour experience and are available to answer questions.”

To buy tickets visit www.tredyffrinhistory.org.

“The Trust is challenged to raise the remaining $200K needed for the Jones Log Barn project by the end of the year, so I want to encourage more people to attend this year’s tour than ever before,” said Benson. “This early log barn will join DuPortail House and the Federal Barn as a living-history museum where people can visit, learn and appreciate how agricultural life was 250-plus years ago. The rebuilding of the barn should serve as a testament that this community cares about their history and wants to preserve it.”

Tickets Now Available for Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust’s 6th Annual Historic House Tour on Saturday, September 25, Noon – 5 PM

August 25, 2010
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Tickets are now available for Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust’s 6th Annual Historic House Tour. This year’s tour will feature 7 houses in the Berwyn and Strafford neighborhoods. Two of the houses are in Easttown and 5 are located in Tredyffrin Townships.

The house tour will be held on Saturday, September 25th, noon – 5 PM, rain or shine. Individual house tour tickets are $35 and for online credit card ticket purchases, please see our website: www.tredyffrinhistory.org

If you prefer to pay using a personal check, click here for the ticket order form. All tickets are prepaid, there will be no tickets sold at the door.

All proceeds from the annual house tour benefit the rebuilding effort of the Jones Log Barn. When reconstructed, the ‘living history museum’ will join the historic DuPortail House and Federal Barn in Chesterbrook as a focal point of history in our community.

Additional volunteers are needed for the house tour . . . please contact me at info@tredyffrinhistory.org if you are available to help. Help is needed from 10:45 AM to noon at DuPortail House for ticket pick-up – need help with check in and need parking assistance. Or, if you would enjoy helping at one of the beautiful historic homes during the tour, we are in need of additional volunteers. You would need to be available from 11:45 AM to 5:15 PM on the house tour day. Contact me if you are available to help on September 25.

If prior plans do not permit you to attend this year’s house tour but you still want to help? Here’s what I am asking, please forward this post with the house tour information to your neighbors, friends, co-workers, etc. The annual house tour is my baby . . . I created the tour six years ago and have chaired it each year. I want the 6th Annual Historic House Tour to be the most successful house tour to date — can you help?

Board of Supervisors Meeting Goes to the 11th Hour . . . Student Housing Ordinances and Public Budget Meetings are Late Night Decisions

August 17, 2010
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Last night’s Board of Supervisors Meeting and public meeting on student housing was a marathon! After 4-1/2 hours, the meeting finally ended at 11:45 PM . . . a long meeting by any standard; plus there was no air conditioning! By the time the meeting ended at nearly midnight, all that remained of the audience was myself and 2 other residents, the township staff and the supervisors. I didn’t realize until I got home but the taping of the meeting stopped at about 11:20, which was prior to the 3 important votes – decisions of the evening.

Many who attended last night’s supervisors meeting waited patiently for the public hearing on the two proposed college student housing ordinances – the Registration Ordinance and Zoning Ordinance Amendment. As the hour got later and later, a decision was made to suspend the regular supervisors meeting, conduct the public meeting on the student housing ordinances and then complete the regular supervisors meeting.

As was discussed in an earlier post, the Planning Commission had come up with very strict language in their proposed ordinances. In my opinion, the proposed ordinances provided as much future protection against student rentals as was possible within the law. In fact, some of the restrictions (including a 10 ft. wide buffer on the sides and back of the student rental properties struck me as a bit ‘over the top’ and overly restrictive). It was obvious that some of the supervisors had a clearer understanding of the proposed ordinances than others – at one point, it was suggested that the public meeting be continued until a future date. But Supervisors DiBuonaventuro and Donahue pushed for resolution last night on the ordinances.

Many Mt. Pleasant residents attended last night’s meeting and were determined that their voices would be heard. And heard they were! On one side, the residents very much wanted to see the proposed ordinances passed but they also wanted more to be included in the proposed zoning ordinance amendment. Specifically, the residents sought to remove the grandfathering rights of the landlords from the ordinance. The residents wanted the same restrictions for new student rentals to be imposed on existing student rentals. But as they were told, this is simply not possible legally. Not because of township laws, but because of Pennsylvania state law.

Supervisor Kichline and the township solicitor explained to the residents that those properties that were existing student rentals would be allowed to continue operating and would not be subject to the proposed zoning amendment ordinance. However, all current student housing landlords would have to conform to the proposed registration ordinance. Mt. Pleasant residents questioned if other municipalities had taken out the grandfathering clause from their student housing ordinances, why couldn’t Tredyffrin. As township manager Gleason explained, other municipalities may not permit grandfathering in their student housing ordinances but it is not enforceable by law. Period. Not the answer the residents wanted; they had to accept the proposed zoning amendment could not legally include existing student rentals.

The supervisors passed the student registration ordinance with minor tweaking but there seemed to be endless discussion on the proposed zoning ordinance amendment. Lamina made a motion to continue the discussion on the zoning amendment to the 2nd meeting in September. The motion was seconded but failed to receive the necessary votes. There was more discussion and a motion was made on the proposed zoning amendment ordinance – to pass it ‘as is’ . I don’t know if it was the lateness of the hour (by this point it was 11:30!), the audience remarks, or what . . . but the motion was seconded and passed unanimously. That’s right, Tredyffrin Township now has a very strict zoning amendment ordinance for student housing and a student registration ordinance. Although the newly passed ordinances are not going to solve all of the student housing issues in Tredyffrin, I think great strides were made in the right direction. Gold stars to the residents, the Planning Commissioners, the township staff and to the supervisors for working together for resolution!

The public meeting ended, many in the audience departed and the regular supervisors meeting resumed. The meeting agenda finally got to the new matters – Board members, and I waited to see if the suggestion of public budget meetings discussed at the July board meeting would be re-visited. And yes, Supervisor Donahue once again brought up the suggestion of a public budget meeting (to be scheduled in advance of the traditional November budget discussions.)

All 7 supervisors agreed in favor of a public budget meeting. Supervisor Olson suggested a Saturday morning meeting at the township building as a good time to schedule the meeting. Lamina suggested either Saturday, September 18 or 25 but Supervisor Kichline quickly pointed out that September 25 was my historic house tour (thank you Michelle!) and maybe the budget meeting should not be scheduled on that date. Lamina asked Mimi to look at the calendar and see about setting up the public budget meeting in September. Under new matters – citizens, Dariel Jamieson thanked the supervisors for setting up the public budget meeting and asked if the BAWG recommendations could be included in the meeting . . . the supervisors seemed to think that was a good idea and will include BAWG updates at the meeting.

Thank you supervisors for choosing transparency and citizen participation in the township budget process – we will wait to hear the date and time of the public budget meeting.

Just a couple of other items from the supervisors meeting. As a member of HARB, I joined the other members in thanking Jim Garrison, a historical architect, for his 12 years of service to the HARB. Jim and his wife recently moved from the township and therefore he is no longer permitted to serve on HARB. In their move, the Garrison’s have joined the ranks of ‘old house owners’. They purchased a 250-yr. old stone farmhouse that is on the National Register. Congratulations to Jim but the HARB will miss him!

The other item of personal interest from last night has to do with Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust. Newly appointed Trust board member, Jean Sauer, presented an update and PowerPoint presentation on the Jones Log Barn project. She provided a short history and background on the barn. The Trust is now in Phase II (final phase) of the project with an intended completion date of 2011. On behalf of the Trust, thank you Jean for providing a wonderful overview of the project.

I updated the supervisors on our Trust fall events, including the 6th Annual Historic House Tour on Saturday, September 25. our annual In the Mood fundraiser on Friday, October 22 and our Fall Lecture Series. (Tickets for the house tour are now available on our website, www.tredyffrinhistory.org) The Trust is underway with the Capital Campaign to raise the remaining $200K for Phase II. Please contact me directly at tredyffrincommunitymatters@gmail.com if you would like to help with the Capital Campaign, the house tour, In the Mood fundraiser, the Jones Log Barn reconstruction project, etc. – we will be put your time and talents to good use!

Judy DiFilippo . . . Leading by example to make Tredyffrin a better place!

August 1, 2010
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Reminder: Gazebo Dedication Today @ 3 PM — Please attend as Judy is honored!

‘Leading by example to make Tredyffrin a better place’ describes former township supervisor Judy DiFilippo and are the words chosen as the inscription for the gazebo to be named in her honor, at Wilson Farm Park. The dedication and reception will take place this Sunday, 3 PM at Wilson Farm Park. This special recognition is to honor Judy’s work in creating Wilson Farm Park and also to thank her in a very small way for her 20 years of public service to the township as a supervisor.

My friendship spans 20+ years with Judy and I cannot imagine a more deserving person for this honor. She may have retired from the Board of Supervisors, but her volunteer efforts continue . . . Judy is on the board of the Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust and is helping raise the necessary remaining funds for the rebuilding of the Jones Log Barn at DuPortail. Together, she and I will be again co-chair In the Mood, the Trust’s annual fundraiser (Friday, October 22).

I hope that you will take a break from your summer activities and join me at Wilson Farm Park on Sunday afternoon to celebrate a very special person — my friend . . . Judy DiFilippo!

Friends of Local Family in Need . . . Can you Help?

July 29, 2010
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For any of you that have lived in this community for more than a couple of years, you probably have heard the name ‘Nudy’. One of the members of the extended Nudy family, Fred and his wife Pearl, are pillars in the area — having lived here their entire lives. Fred is on the board of the Berwyn Veterans Memorial and Pearl serves on the Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust board with me. Either of one of them would gladly give you their last dime or shirt off their back; in other words, just wonderfully good people.

I received an email from Pearl which I would like to share with you — all the details are contained within the email if you wish to help. Time is of the essence. Please don’t doubt the sincerity of the email or the depth of the Nudy’s committment to this cause and helping this young family!

Hello Everyone!
3 weeks ago a young family came home from a visit to family members and found fire trucks blocking their road. As they made their way up the street, they realized it was their home that had burnt down to the ground.
This family lives in the Poconos. I have met them. The Dad, Tom, works in Manhattan as an elevator inspector repair man. Rides by bus almost 2 hours each way every day. The Mom, Kathy, works at home with 5 children, ages 12, 8, 6,4, and 5 months.
They were renting and had no renter’s insurance – NO fire insurance! Tom told me that he can meet their day to day expenses but with 5 kids, they have no savings. They found a home not too far from the house that burned for the same rent.
The community held a clothing drive and household supplies right away. The Red Cross gave them money to get the staples for their pantry. Family and friends have provided a bed for the parents and 3 twin beds for the 4 children. My daughter and I gave them a crib and dressing table for the baby. Karen also sent them bags of clean almost new baby clothes.
Here’s how this breaks down: One boy is sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag. The kids bedrooms have nothing in them. They need stuff.
I did some shopping around and gathered the approx. cost of giving these kids some sense of life back. Dressers cost about $130 each and they need 5. Bed, with mattress and box spring, about $300. Here’s the rest:
night tables with lamps about $30
bookshelves – need 4, about $40 each
sheet sets – or bed in a bag – $30 to $50. they need 4
I think each person, including the parents, should have NEW pillows – $ 105 for 7
waste baskets and hampers for each child – $100
For approx $250 per child per bedroom – with your help – we can help to restore some order to the lives of 5 beautiful children who did nothing to deserve having their lives all but wiped out.
In my lifetime, I have known 2 families to loose everything to the devastation of a house fire. In both cases, no children lived there and the family had insurance. Of course, you can’t “rebuild” the lost possessions of love and family. But, once settled, both families went on to live normal lives. Having some financial help from insurance gave those two families a foundation on which to rebuild. I know that it was not easy for either but they managed with the goodness of friends and family and the love of God!
Imagine if in a blink of an eye, everything you have is gone. Now imagine how that must feel to a 12 year boy. Mario struggles every day to help with family chores, and get over the shock of loosing those possessions he treasured: his bed, his alarm clock, his socks, his favorite baseball jersey. his favorite games, his favorite everything!
Branden , age 8 and Matthew, age 6, are not old enough to really understand what has happened. They just know that now they live somewhere else and their rooms are empty where once they had clothes, books, furniture, and stuff.
Niamya is just 4 years old. She is probably the most confused. Every day she asks for her dolls, books, toys, teddy bears, pretty dresses and a place to sit and eat breakfast.
Yes, the day I was there, they did not have a table and chairs. They have since had one donated but with only 4 chairs. Better than nothing and they are very appreciative.
So here’s my plan: If you would just send me a gift card to Wal-mart or K-mart, a check or cash in any denomination, I will buy the “stuff” these kids need.
First, I will start with their bedrooms – new pillows very important.
Second: window blinds, shades or curtains.
Third: books, games, stuffed animals, sports equipment for the boys, and a doll or two for Niamya.
Fourth: art and school supplies, book bags
If I should get enough money, I would buy NEW school clothes for Mario. At 12 he can’t start school wearing someone elses clothes and shoes.
This family lives on the top of Mt. Pocono and it gets very cold up there. They will need blankets and comforters, coats and hats, and boots and gloves!
YES – I am asking for you to reach down and help this family. I give you my word and my personal guarantee that whatever money is sent to me, will be spent exactly as I have outlined in this email.
Time is of the essence! Fred and I will be returning to the Poconos on the 6th of August – that gives you about a week to get your donation to me.
Please – if I can collect just $500 per child, we can make a real difference. They can start school with new book bags, and some new clothes.
For those of you who know me, if I had the resources, I’d do this myself! I don’t. I need your help.
You know where I live. If I’m not home, please leave your donation in the milk box by the front door. My address: P.O. box 100, Berwyn,PA 19312
My phone: 610-975-9297 Cell: 610-908-5854
Please print this email and share it with your families, friends, neighbors, church and social groups, business groups and who ever else is out there.
May the wind be at your back and the love of God be in your heart!
Hugs
Pearl and Fred

Updates from Tredyffrin’s Board of Supervisors Meeting Last Night

July 20, 2010
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Summer Board of Supervisors Meetings are traditionally sparsely attended and last night’s meeting was no exception. In fact, Chairman Bob Lamina was absent and Vice Chairman Paul Olson presided.

From my standpoint, there were 3 noteworthy discussion topics from last night’s supervisors meeting. The first I mention for selfish reasons . . . I am a member of the township’s HARB (Historic Architectural Review Board) and each year we select a residential and non-residential property in the township to honor for historic preservation. The HARB award for residential historic preservation was awarded to Margie and John Sacharok, owners of Upper Stream Farm in Berwyn. This beautiful circa 1760 home was featured on last year’s 5th Annual Historic House Tour and has been wonderfully restored. The award for non-residential historic preservation was awarded to Montessori Children’s House of Valley Forge. Montessori Children’s House created a partnership with Valley Forge National Historical Park and the school’s new home is in the southern corner of the park on Thomas Road. Restoring a historic house and barn for the nonprofit school was a unique pairing and one of the few partnerships in a national park in the country. I gave a brief historic overview of each property and showed a PowerPoint presentation featuring the before and after journey of the new home of the Montessori school in Valley Forge park.

The second item of interest from the supervisors meeting had to do with the 2011 township budget. During the liaison reports, Phil Donahue updated on the Finance Committee. Supervisors Donahue, Paul Olson and John DiBuonaventuro sit on the Finance Committee along with the township finance director and township manager. In his committee update, Donohue suggested public meetings in September and October to discuss the revenues and expenses in the 2011 township budget. This type discussion would be useful prior to the formal township budget process in November. I applaud Donahue’s suggestion, however there was very little further discussion from the other supervisors. So I’m guessing the discussion of the planned public finance meetings now moves to the August Board of Supervisors meeting. I have a feeling there may be more to the 2011 budget discussion than we saw last night!

The third topic from last night and the one that generated the most discussion was in regards to the township building’s failing HVAC system. Public Works Director Steve Norcini asked the Board of Supervisors for an additional $111K (not contained in 2010 budget) to perform needed HVAC retrofitting. If I understand the discussion correctly, the 2010 budget contained $85K for the necessary work but an early estimate has determined that the total cost of retrofitting the HVAC is significantly higher than in the budget — approximately $193K (thus requiring the extra $111K).

There were many questions from Supervisors DiBuonaventuro, Kichline and Donahue concerning the HVAC issue including (1) why would the prospective HVAC contractors know the estimated cost of the project in advance of their bid, (2) why was the project estimate so substantially lower in the 2010 budget than the actual estimated cost; (3) why did the project require a complete retrofit rather than repair; (4) why were the 2 rooftop units installed 2 years ago if the controls and ducts were known to be failing, etc., etc.

Initially Olson made a motion and Kampf seconded to move the HVAC project move forward to bid, however after further discussion from the board and citizens, a new motion was made to table the discussion until the August Board of Supervisors meeting, allowing for further investigation. This topic must have been discussed for at least 30 minutes and afterward there remained many more questions than answers. It seems so curious to me that the HVAC retrofitting estimate in the 2010 budget would be less than half the estimated ‘real’ cost to do the project.

Woodcrest Estate Mansion on Cabrini College Campus . . . is it haunted? Come to the Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust Lecture and find out!

May 25, 2010
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The Woodcrest Estate Mansion on the campus of Cabrini College routinely makes the top ten list for the most haunted colleges in America. It makes sense for some to be able to disregard these stories completely. For many, it isn’t until they find themselves alone at night walking behind the Woodcrest mansion or in their room that they begin to question the possibility of ghosts on campus. From the first night of orientation students are told the tales of happenings of long ago in the very buildings where they live, learn and visit every day. Some people choose not to believe the legends, passing it off as only that, a legend. Others know from experience that unexplainable things are known to take place every so often right here on campus. Are there footsteps from beyond at Cabrini’s Woodcrest Mansion?

Wayne resident Martha Dale will be at the historic Duportail House in Chesterbrook on Wednesday, May 26 as guest speaker of Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust’s Spring Lecture Series. Speaking on the history of the Woodcrest Estate, Mrs. Dale’s background includes serving as alumni director at Cabrini College for over 25 years and as coordinator of historical projects during the College’s 50th Anniversary celebration, 2007-08. Mrs. Dale spearheaded an alumni effort to learn more about the history of the former Woodcrest Estate Mansion, the centerpiece of the Cabrini College campus and a landmark on the Philadelphia Main Line. Mrs. Dale was instrumental in having the Mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. A reception will begin at 7 PM followed by lecture at 7:30 PM. Lecture admission is $15 and all proceeds go toward Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust’s rebuilding effort of the Jones Log Barn at the DuPortail House location.

Mrs. Dale will lecture on the history of the Woodcrest Estate, which was built in 1901 by James W. Paul, a son-in-law of financier and philanthropist Anthony J. Drexel, and designed by architect Horace Trumbauer. Mr. Paul’s heirs owned Woodcrest until 1925. In 1925, members of the Paul family sold the Mansion and 120 acres of the Woodcrest Estate to Dr. John T. Dorrance, of the Campbell’s Soup Company. Designed by Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer and constructed more than 100 years ago, much of the 51-room mansion remains virtually unchanged. Much of the interior was restored to its original elegance for the College’s 50th anniversary. The architecture includes elements of 15th, 16th and 17th century English design and is primarily modeled after the Elizabethan (Tudor) style.

For more information or to make a reservation the lecture, contact Polly Hagan, 610. 647.1051 or info@tredyffrinhistory.org

The Definition of a Poor Leader as provided by Tredyffrin Township . . . distrust, discontent, anger and partisan rancor

May 5, 2010
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Since last Fall, the residents of Tredyffrin Township have endured seemingly endless examples of bad governing, including;

  • $50K St. Davids Golf Club sidewalk offer
  • Fire Funding 2010 budgeting (fireworks vs. fire funding)
  • Fire company politicization
  • Improper supervisor solicitation of funding (Comcast, etc.)
  • Home Rule Charter violations
  • Inconsistent ethics decisions (Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust vs. Fire Funding solicitation)
  • Political party grandstanding/campaigning (cardboard check presentation)
  • Public political party commentary

. . . all provided courtesy of our Board of Supervisors leadership, Warren Kampf as chairman in 2009 and Bob Lamina as current chair.

Most of us have an opinion on the definition of a great leader. It’s one of those concepts, in which everyone seems to have an opinion. Instead of defining a great leader, what about the definition of a Poor Leader? If you go to Webster’s Dictionary and see how they define these two words separately, here is what you get:

  • Leader – A Person or thing that leads
  • Poor – Deficient or lacking in something specified, lacking in skill, ability, or training, deficient in desirable ingredients, qualities

If you combine the two you get something like: Poor Leader – A person in a leadership role that lacks the necessary skill, ability, and overall qualities to effectively lead.

As a leader you are tasked with delivering results. The best leaders know that consistently delivering great results is not something that they can do in isolation. To get members of the community to support our local government, our elected leaders need to avoid the worst traits of poor leaders. In my experience these include:

  • Being arrogant
  • Unwillingness to learn
  • Bullying
  • Poor Communication
  • Incompetence
  • Lack of Accountability
  • Aggression
  • Insincerity
  • Deceitful
  • Ruling with an iron hand
  • Indecisiveness

This brings me to the purpose of this post. In this week’s edition of the Main Line Suburban Life, is a I See It’ article written by Tredyffrin Township Supervisor Chair Bob Lamina. Having attending this week’s Board of Supervisors meeting hoping for an apology for his aggressive, disrespectful behavior of the April 19 supervisors meeting, you can imagine my outrage over Lamina’s outrageous, arrogant words. Do you characterize Lamina and his style of governing as an example of a good leader or a poor leader . . . you be the judge!

Much has been written over the last few months in Main Line Suburban Life, Main Line Times, Daily Local and Community Matters in regards to the governing of Tredyffrin Township and its leaders. Since the April 19 Board of Supervisors Meeting, there have been several articles and commentary speaking directly to the leadership of Bob Lamina. Provided are some links in case you missed them:

Here is the article which appears in this week’s Main Line Suburban Life by Bob Lamina. Read the article and reflect on Lamina’s selective memory of the April 19 supervisors meeting. Fortunately my memory is better and I’m hoping that Tredyffrin’s residents share my recall. This comment already appears after Lamina’s article, ” . . . In your short tenure as the Chair of the Tredyffrin BOS, you have managed to set a record for the most missteps in the shortest period of time. Congratulations. Disgracing your position in record time is a legacy you can be proud of long after the much-anticipated expiration of your term.”

The politics of firefighting and other matters

Published: Tuesday, May 04, 2010

By Bob Lamina

In a recent editorial, a local resident who also happens to be a local firefighter pointed out some of the qualities in our community that make so many people look to Tredyffrin as a great place to employ and be employed, to educate our children, to worship, to raise a family, to run a business. In short the qualities that make our township such a wonderful place to live. These are qualities which have long constituted the character of this community – ones which hopefully will endure in the future.

One of the qualities I’ve also mentioned on a number of occasions as being one of our township’s most endearing, qualities I believe have been equally integral to the character of our community, has been the generous spirit of volunteerism – the spirit of giving, the spirit of shared sacrifice and the spirit of shared risk and reward – that makes up the very fiber and indeed the history of our township.

That is why last fall, in that same spirit of shared sacrifice, during what remains to this day to be extraordinarily challenging economic times, the Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisors voted to adopt a 2010 budget that contained within it some very difficult but necessary decisions. Within our budget were the results of an earlier decision to reduce our township staff by 20 positions – 11 of those through layoffs, the rest through attrition. The budget froze most other township salaries with the exception of those required by collective-bargaining agreement, we instituted a hiring freeze and we reduced the police budget. All other general fund services, with the exception of the fire companies, were reduced by at least 14 percent.

By comparison fire-company service providers’ budgets were reduced a modest 5 percent. In so doing, we adopted I believe what the community wanted, a budget that was fair and balanced and contained no real-estate property-tax increase. Despite these good works, during our deliberations we continued to hear from many in the community who asked that we try and find a way to preserve funding sought by the local fire companies. Not unlike a former supervisor who often utilized the bully pulpit we sit on to urge citizens to give generously to the fire companies, it was in response to these requests, that Mr. Olson, Mr. Kampf and I – citizens who happen to be supervisors and public servants who are also citizens of this same community – worked hard to find a way.

And the good news we announced way back on Dec. 21 was that in a great example of private-public partnering – not unlike our much larger and equally successful Library Capital Campaign a few years ago – individuals, businesses both large and small, organizations and foundations generously came forward in response to our year-end holiday appeal on behalf of our local fire companies. As was also stated at the time, the most remarkable aspect of our ability to provide the sought-after funding was really the manner in which we accomplished it. In a little more than 10 days we were able to restore the funding not in the form of additional subsidies, spending and new or higher taxes during challenging times, but in the form of pledges by others in our community who by their generosity agreed to reach out and lend a hand during the holiday season.

And that I suppose is why I was so compelled during our last public meeting to question the motivations of those few individuals who came forward to challenge what we successfully achieved nearly four-and-a-half months earlier. My fear is the continued rhetoric being displayed by those who for one reason or another still can’t comprehend the generosity of our community is in fact putting at risk some of these same qualities I believe are critical to our future and ones that we must maintain. Perhaps they didn’t believe that the funding we announced in the form of pledges would really ever be received. Well, we know now the facts are we’ve actually exceeded in charitable giving what was sought to be funded through tax dollars. We also know by earlier comments by a local blogger and former unsuccessful Democratic candidate for township supervisor that she and other similarly motivated individuals had a stronger preference to reach into our taxpayers’ pockets for funding, and that the notion of shared sacrifice for the greater good perhaps shouldn’t necessarily be shared by all. In my view this would have been to take the easier and I think incorrect road – one of increased taxpayer subsidies and spending.

So with that said, and with the political season in full swing, with the run-up to the Pennsylvania primary election on May 18, it’s always easy for those who clearly have a different point of view, or who are otherwise politically inclined, to throw around words like “conflict of interest,” “ethics” and “pay to play.” While I respect everyone’s First Amendment right to come forward at our meetings and speak their mind, those who know me best understand that I will also never shy away from expressing my own views. And in this instance, while I find that to make such politically charged and unfair assertions some four-and-a-half months later may help sell newspapers, it represents quite a ridiculous point of view with no basis in fact other than to dangerously put in jeopardy one of our township’s demonstrated and most cherished qualities – the spirit of charitable giving. Frankly the tone of some of the comments made near the end of our April 19 meeting was to somehow absurdly suggest that companies doing business in our township aren’t caring citizens too. That is just flat-out wrong, and to continue this type of rhetoric is in fact to tear at the fabric of what in part makes this community great. But, you know, in the end I think the political shots some of us have been receiving are nothing compared to the shots average citizens have taken in our community these past few years.

So while I’m not worried about the former, I do worry about making the right decisions for our community. The economic stress in our township is still very real. Revenue used to fund government services generated by transfer taxes on the sale of residential and commercial properties isn’t what it used to be, some folks have lost their jobs and their homes, and many have seen their retirement savings greatly depleted. So as I’ve stated, while it isn’t all that unusual in the heat of the political season for every gnat in the minority that’s ever nipped at our heels to want to take us on – or at least those of us who may happen to be running for one political office or another – I would challenge those who have differing views to put aside the rhetoric. I’m all too happy to have a spirited debate on the real issues facing our community. On public-safety matters like support for our firefighters, let’s put aside the politics. I hope that, for the sake of our community and the continuation of the qualities that make this community great, we can all agree on the positive nature of what was accomplished by bringing people of walks of life together in Tredyffrin to help the fire companies.

I’m committed to doing so if you are. But if there’s anyone who still wishes to draw a political lesson relative to my statement concerning my own character, please know this. I will continue to work for you in good times and bad, and not shy away from making the right and often hard decisions I believe are in the best interests for our community. And lastly, one of the qualities I neglected to mention that also makes this township so great is that we do have good government in Tredyffrin, from the guy who plows your streets to this elected board. We work hard to keep your taxes as low as we can, maintaining the services you have come to expect, while at the same time not making local government intrusive in your lives. So when you do go to the polls on May 18, as I’ve mentioned in these remarks, and like the citizen firefighter who expressed so eloquently the qualities that make this township such a special place, please consider what it’s going to take to continue to maintain these qualities in our community in the future. So whether you’re a citizen supervisor from our own township who aspires to higher public office, or any other candidate, know we’re not playing games here; we’re here doing what we believe is the people’s business.

Bob Lamina is chairman of the Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisors and a former member of the Tredyffrin Township Republican Committee.

Board of Supervisors Meeting . . . wishful thinking that Lamina would apologize

May 4, 2010
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I attended last night’s Board of Supervisors Meeting which turned out to be uneventful. Although it was my understanding that Chairman Lamina was out-of-town and that Paul Olson (as Vice Chair) would fill in, Lamina returned in time to attend. Wishful thinking on my part but I hoped that Lamina would feel compelled to make amends with an apology for his behavior from the last BOS meeting. Always believing in the ‘half-glass full approach’ to life, I thought that Mr. Lamina might have reconsidered his inappropriate political party and resident motive remarks from the last meeting and offered some kind of apology. Like I said, . . . wishful thinking on my part!

There was one interesting appointment which was a bit confusing. During the New Matters from supervisors section, Kampf stated that he an appointment that he should have made during the liaison reporting — I thought he said that he was the liaison to the Historical Architectural Review Board and was making an appointment of Jean Sauer to the HARB Board. If that was the statement from Mr. Kampf it was incorrect; the appointment of Jean Sauer was to the Trust (Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust). Mr. Kampf is the liaison to the HARB but the Trust is not a Board of the township and we do not have a supervisor liaison (we are a separate non-profit 501c3 organization). When the Trust was created, the charter does require 2 appointments from the township; currently serving in that capacity is Trish Kreek and Judy DiFilippo. Due to term limits, Judy’s term was ending this month (however, she remains on the Trust as a Board member, but not a township appointee) The Trust Board is thrilled to have Jean Sauer join us, I just want to set the record straight that there is no supervisor liaison to the Trust and that Jean will be on the Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust Board not the HARB.

Daily Local Runs Article on BOS Meeting

April 26, 2010
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I picked up yesterday’s Sunday Daily Local newspaper and was surprised to see that they too were running the story from last week’s Board of Supervisors Meeting. Blair Meadowcroft’s article from the Main Line Suburban Life appears in the Daily Local newspaper in a slightly different version with a new headline.

It has now been a week and I’m still fielding phone calls and emails from people, wanting more details about the Pitcairn Properties offer and an explanation of the difference between that offer and the solicitation of Comcast. As I explained at the supervisors meeting, I believe that conceptually the Pitcairn offer is the same as the supervisor’s solicitation of Comcast and can offer the residents no further explanation.

Although the Trust board members were left with no choice but to accept the Board of Supervisors decision on Pitcarin in 2008; I have to admit several Trust supporters have suggested that the BOS decision might have been different if the public had been made aware of the offer at the time. However, for the Trust, it is not about going backwards — we accepted and understand that we can not go back to 2008 and recover that offer from Tony Noce, of Pitcarin. It is about 2010 and about the process and decisions of our Board of Supervisors.

From my vantage point, questions remain unanswered by the supervisors responsible for the Tredyffrin Township Supervisors Holiday Firefighters Fund Drive. Other than bringing public awareness of supervisors Kampf, Lamina and Olson solicitation of companies doing business in the township or under contract negotiations (such as Comcast) what more can be done?

Tredyffrin official responds to question about fund drive

By BLAIR MEADOWCROFT, Special to the Local News

TREDYFFRIN — Tension mounted at a township supervisors meeting after Pattye Benson, president of the Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust, spoke about funding for firefighters.

Her comments came just after the end of the first quarter and the March 31 deadline for collection of the Tredyffrin Supervisors Holiday Firefighter Fund Drive.

Benson said that after budget cuts to township fire companies, three of the seven supervisors worked on the fund drive, which netted $23,200 for the fire companies.

“I voiced my concern about the solicitation by supervisors to companies that could be doing business with the township, and I cited a specific example from May 2008 and the Pitcairn Co,” Benson said.

Benson explained how in 2008 a vice president for Pitcairn Properties had offered an in-kind donation worth as much as $50,000 to the trust. But the trust later learned it could not accept it.

“The idea was that there could be a ‘pay to play’ perception because of a final review of the land development project between the township and Pitcairn,” said Benson. “Warren Kampf was chairman at the time and he was absolute that I could not accept this offer because this company was doing business with the township. I knew nothing about Pitcairn’s planning commission review, yet I could not accept the offer.”

That conflict of interest, Benson said, is similar to the fund drive in that supervisors were doing fundraising for fire companies.

“The very same people who told me I couldn’t accept the offer from Pitcairn were out soliciting money,” said Benson. “The way I see it is the only difference between the Pitcairn/Trust situation and the fire company solicitation is that one was an in-kind offer and the other was a monetary contribution; both could be perceived as benefiting the township.”

Kampf said township Solicitor Thomas Hogan had advised that the donation could not be accepted because Supervisor Judy DiFilippo was on the trust’s board, thereby creating a conflict of interest.

“The difference as I see it between the situations is that we are supervisors who are free as individuals and who are allowed to accept charitable donations,” said Kampf.

“I do not surrender my rights as a private citizen. When I see a problem that I can help with, I will. We went out, asked for help and were able to raise close to $25,000. And people were free to refuse to donate. There were some who refused, and that is fine; we wouldn’t hold that against them.”

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